Chapter 377: Finger Group (Ask for monthly tickets at the end of the month!)

Lin Xian felt that it was difficult to have words to describe the shock in his heart at this time.

If the red human eerie encountered in

"You guessed right; this is indeed a secret manufacturing plant for the Deep Red World."

Jian Xuwei looked at Lin Xian: "This was originally a workshop for heavy mechs and aircraft assembly. It is highly classified and was generally used for wartime production. I only learned of this place after taking over the manufacturing plant's main control center."

"So, is this also an abandoned construction base?" Chen Sixuan asked.

Jian Xuwei said: "I don't know. The operations of the Deep Red World are extremely secretive, but only a background with the level of the Federation could provide them with such a highly classified operational site."

"Damn, what on earth are they trying to do?"

Lin Xian looked up at the massive, eerie bio-colonized armor. Unlike the Unit-01 Pangu he had seen in the Emperor Project, which exuded the ultimate mechanical and heavy feel of the pinnacle of human industrial manufacturing, this flesh-and-blood colonized armor gave off an evil, sinister vibe. The intense smell of disinfectant made one feel as if they were standing in a specimen pool filled with formalin for alien creatures, and his whole body felt a bit creeped out.

"Kiki, let's go take a look."

"Okay!"

Without a second word, Kiki immediately took Lin Xian and flew upward, arriving above this eerie colonized entity.

Lin Xian's gaze swept over it. It stood in the shadows of the hangar like an ancient god forcibly dragged into the mortal world. Its head was embedded with some kind of armor, and at the back of the skull was a large-scale brain-machine control module. Two giant biological suppression devices were inserted into its back like two sharp swords, with countless liquid pipes connected to them, filled with a yellowish-brown fluid. The foul, rotting smell seemed to be emanating from there.

The neck and joints were wrapped in dark red restraints. The metal armor, covered in warning signs, was not there to protect the eerie entity, but to defend the suppression modules and restraints.

Lin Xian looked at the monster's head. Through the eye armor, he could see compound eyes that had turned gray-blue and black. The flesh tissue was already stiff, clearly dead. But the moment Lin Xian looked at it, a strong wave of darkness suddenly flashed by, making both Kiki and Lin Xian feel as if they had been struck by a cold wind. Lin Xian slowly lowered his hand that was shielding his eyes. At this moment, his eyes suddenly narrowed. Whether it was an illusion or not, he actually saw the monster's eyes flicker with green light, the mouth armor opening and closing, the fangs in its mouth slowly spreading, and the spine emitting a twisting "click" sound!

Just as Lin Xian was terrified in his heart, the next instant, everything returned to its original state; nothing had happened.

Covered in mechanical colonized armor, the eerie entity was only able to stand in place because it was supported by the factory's fixation devices and hydraulic systems. Lin Xian took out the Soul-Oscillation Detector and checked it; not only was there no dark mark, but even the soul-oscillation value could not be detected, indicating that this eerie entity was completely dead.

"Kiki."

Lin Xian pointed to a computer on the console, signaling to Kiki.

Kiki nodded and immediately flew over, while Lin Xian used mechanical scanning to check the restraints and suppression modules on the colonized armor.

Down below, Chen Sixuan saw Lin Xian performing the scan and immediately asked Jian Xuwei:

"With something this big being built underground, do the people above not know about it?"

Jian Xuwei shook her head: "There are classified transport tracks down here that lead not only to the Starport but also to several military airports and bases. The Deep Red World likes to operate underground, and with it being the apocalypse, no one can find their trail."

"No." Qian Dele frowned and looked up at this giant colonized armor: "Is this thing meant to be used as a weapon? Do they want to control eerie entities?"

"This scale is at least that of an A-level eerie entity." Xiang Xiang Ningjing said to Mo Nika at this time: "We encountered one when we evacuated from White City, standing on the edge of a high-rise building. Remember?"

"Of course I remember. That thing isn't easy to deal with without heavy firepower." Mo Nika crossed her arms and said suspiciously: "From our contact with those Deep Red World test subjects and Red Human Ghosts in the Star Abyss, their goal seems to be to transfer their self-consciousness into these creatures. But replicants and human ghosts are at least human; can an eerie entity really be like this too?"

"Very likely." Shi Diyuan nodded.

"Isn't that their goal? But I'm also curious: if eerie entities were that easy to control, would humanity still be in such a miserable state?"

"So this is a corpse."

At this moment, Lin Xian and Kiki descended from above, their expressions somewhat complex.

"Checked it. It uses the same technology as the mycelium brain-machine and biological suppressors of the Red Human Ghosts. But this one looks more like an experimental one."

"What kind of experiment?"

"Don't know." Kiki was operating a mobile terminal: "The log information has been cleared. The time was three days ago, but this thing has been here for quite a while."

"Three days ago?"

Chen Sixuan frowned: "Then this shouldn't have anything to do with us entering Jinhai."

Lin Xian nodded: "Right, it's just an abandoned device."

"Is it useful?" Kiki looked at Lin Xian, her eyes full of expectation: "Can it be activated and used as a large-scale mech?"

"No."

Lin Xian raised his hand and pointed to the chest of the colonized armor: "This isn't the same path as a mech. Aside from the suppression modules and restraints, there is only that armor. But the original purpose of this armor should have been for mobility testing, so aside from a small amount of power units, there are no devices that can drive its movement."

"No drive devices..." Qian Dele sneered, looking incredulous: "So this thing relies entirely on the living body of the eerie entity to move, and the colonized armor is just a saddle and a lasso?"

"Theoretically, that's the case."

"Then what's the benefit of this?" Shi Diyuan looked puzzled.

Lin Xian said: "If the Red Human Ghost model can be realized, it essentially means humans have controlled the consciousness and body of an eerie entity. In this situation, the movement intensity and agility would definitely be stronger than the super-large mechs of the Emperor Project."

"And you don't have to worry about dark invasion," Jian Xuwei added.

"Exactly."

"Son of a bitch." Shi Diyuan widened his eyes, realizing: "These guys have big ambitions."

"I'm just guessing, but it definitely isn't that simple." Lin Xian said with a complex expression: "First, the difficulty of killing an A-level eerie entity is already very high, let alone capturing one alive. Second, digital life technology intervening in replicants, clones, and even human ghosts has theoretical feasibility—Director Ding knows this best—but eerie entities are not human."

"That's why they are researching mycelium technology," Kiki said at this time: "Lin Xian, you forgot, they really do want to achieve true consciousness transfer rather than replication through mycelium consciousness uploading."

Lin Xian nodded upon hearing this: "True, almost forgot about that."

After saying this, he looked at this experimental colonized armor and said wistfully: "Let Director Ding and the group led by Mochizuki Zhenji study it first. It seems these people from the Deep Red World really want to 'become gods'."

"When I was investigating the Red Human Ghosts in Dawn City, I actually discovered this point, but the current shift in the situation has exceeded my expectations," Jian Xuwei said at this time.

"Strange."

Kiki frowned: "Before, they said Jinhai was the lair of the Deep Red World. If that's the case, have these guys retreated?"

"That is the second thing I want to talk about."

Jian Xuwei said: "The Deep Red World is not a fixed organization. Their operational personnel are actually very few, but through artificial intelligence, digital life, and the series of technologies involving Red Human Ghosts, their productivity and mobility are very powerful and extremely secretive. We have captured Red Human Ghosts before, but it was useless; the brain-machine and stored content would self-destruct, and we couldn't obtain any useful information."

"Because they all rely on parasitizing kidnapped psychics to operate. Truly vicious," Qian Dele said.

"Previously, there were frequent disappearances and Red Human Ghost incidents within Dawn City, and they were all large organizations with powerful psychics. We watched for a long time and discovered that these Red Human Ghosts did not break in from outside the city."

"Are you saying Dawn City colluded with the Deep Red World and let them in on purpose?" Lin Xian took a deep breath and said.

"No."

Jian Xuwei looked at Lin Xian: "I suspect that a part of the Deep Red World might be inside Dawn City!"

"What?!"

"That's too rampant!"

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this.

"Because their actions are secretive to the extreme, even more so than the Night Patrol's knowledge of the city districts, which is why I have this thought. Moreover, aside from the Red Human Ghosts, there is no way to identify the other people of the Deep Red World. Even if someone is standing right in front of you, would you know what organization they belong to?" Jian Xuwei said.

"Then that really is troublesome."

Lin Xian said, looking at Jian Xuwei: "Then what is your plan?"

"The same as yours."

Jian Xuwei said: "Our people will withdraw one after another. Now that the Phoenix Society has arrived, the people from the Nightwalker organization will definitely arrive as well. What we can do is prepare for retreat while Dawn City and the Deep Red World are too busy to pay attention to us."

As she spoke, she flipped her hand, and the wrist mech unit opened, slowly raising a crimson Phoenix Token.

"Believe me, the cooperation between Dawn City and the Deep Red World is far less simple than you imagine."

"Crimson Phoenix Token?" Lin Xian looked at her: "You aren't assigned by the Phoenix Society to investigate Dawn City, are you?"

Jian Xuwei shook her head and said with a serious expression: "No, I actually came to Jinhai for the Sky Dome Train. This was originally part of the Ring Star Project, used as a test unit for space tracks, transporting between Blue Star and the Mochizuki Planet Ring. Originally, the Fenger Group, Xinghua Heavy Industry, and Jinhai CRRC Ring Star were all participating construction parties, and even included..."

She glanced at Mo Nika as she spoke, but Mo Nika just smiled sweetly, crossed her arms, and said indifferently:

"The Kadia family is already dead, and there is no business or assets left. You discuss your things; I don't care about this. However, if Captain Lin takes this Sky Dome class, can you save a spot for me? Mo Nika would be extremely grateful for that, can you?" The topic changed suddenly. Listening to Mo Nika's sexy voice, Lin Xian looked helpless: "Fine, if I take it, I'll prepare a first-class cabin for you."

"That's great." Mo Nika smiled and leaned in, whispering in Lin Xian's ear: "As a thank you, you can 'swallow' the Queen Mo at any time~." She deliberately emphasized the last two words, sounding intriguing.

"Sounds good." Lin Xian's eyes lit up; his mechanical psychic power could be upgraded again.

Jian Xuwei looked at Mo Nika indifferently, only to find the latter casting a strange look at her. Jian Xuwei looked away with cold eyes and continued:

"This unfinished project was forcibly incorporated into a doomsday project by Dawn City after the Apocalypse Day. Because the Silver Star, although an Eternal-class, wasn't guaranteed to be able to enter the ocean orbit in such a harsh environment, I had to change my plan and prepare to head north. As a result, Zhou Mingyuan of the Federation used cooperation negotiations as an excuse to detain my Silver Star and all the group assets in Jinhai and Dawn City, so I could only cooperate with Dawn City for the time being."

"I didn't expect that they were actually using the resources of the Fenger Group to build the Sky Dome Train. Then I discovered that this project was a proposal by Wen Hui of the Linglong Group."

"Ah? Isn't that Linglong Group saying that this train was invested and built by them? Turns out you were the ones building it." Kiki looked strange.

"The Linglong Group is the main partner of the Federation's Underground City Project and also manages large-scale maritime trade, with abundant resources. They reached a close alliance with the Federation. Later, Zhou Mingyuan handed the Sky Dome Train project to Wen Dong to be responsible for. However, after I received the construction plan, I discovered that for the Federation, this was just a political product. An interstellar train claiming to be able to carry one million people would require building at least 1,000 standard Sky Dome carriages. You have to know that these aren't ordinary carriages; every Sky Dome carriage meets interstellar navigation standards. With the Federation's current productivity, they couldn't finish building it in 20 years," Jian Xuwei said.

"But having such a plan makes Dawn City one step closer on the road to becoming the light of humanity, doesn't it?" Lin Xian said flatly.

"Yes."

Lin Xian looked up at this giant eerie colonized armor, fanned his hand at the strong smell of disinfectant, and frowned:

"So you were cooperating with the Federation while looking for opportunities, and investigating the Deep Red World by the way?"

"I had no other choice." Jian Xuwei looked at Lin Xian with interest: "As for you, cooperating with Mochizuki Zhenji and having such a big move—you must have planned this in advance with the Phoenix Society's Heaven-Suppressing Ship, right?"

Lin Xian gave a bitter smile: "This is purely for self-preservation; it has nothing to do with the Phoenix Society."

Jian Xuwei's expression changed upon hearing this: "You... aren't in contact with the Phoenix Society?"

"No." Chen Sixuan spoke up: "When Silent City came out of the Star Abyss, we were targeted by Zhou Mingyuan. When you and Zhou Mingyuan and Wen Dong came to Silent City, we actually had no preparations at all."

Jian Xuwei looked at Lin Xian with a complex gaze, paused, and then said:

"That's really strange. Is it such a coincidence?"

"That is actually possible." Shi Diyuan said: "Colluding with the Deep Red World has already solidified the Federation's image as anti-human. I estimate they are worried that the Phoenix Society will completely push them out of power and take away Dawn City's jurisdiction. Now, with Silent City on the left and the 83rd Iron Guard Brigade of Eternal City Port on the right, in their view, this is a pincer attack surrounding them. That's why they were forced to gather all their fleets and resources, otherwise, we would have picked up the bargain."

"I think so too." Mo Nika walked out and said: "They are so nervous now; maybe they think all of this is a layout by the Phoenix Society commander."

"That makes some sense." Qian Dele nodded.

Jian Xuwei nodded upon hearing this: "Fine, it seems that's the only way to explain it."

Lin Xian looked at Jian Xuwei, his words also revealing some surprise. When they were in Silent City, he and Mochizuki Zhenji had also guessed that Jian Xuwei might have been arranged by the Phoenix Society to take over the train factory. As it turned out, although both sides were members of the Crimson Phoenix Token, neither had communicated with the Phoenix Society in advance. Now, with Dawn City's tense situation, it seems Shi Diyuan's speculation is the only reasonable explanation.

However, Lin Xian didn't like coincidences, especially since they were currently facing the Federation's Dawn City on one side and the Deep Red World on the other. These were not the bumbling sand bandits of Aksai. If it couldn't be explained, Lin Xian was more inclined to believe that Dawn City might have other moves. Perhaps the Phoenix Society's trip this time wasn't just for the superficial reason of the Star Abyss disturbance.

"I have a question." Chen Sixuan asked Jian Xuwei at this time: "Dawn City claims that the purification of drinking water from dark invasion has reached 95%. Is this true?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked at Jian Xuwei.

"Yes," Jian Xuwei said directly.

"Ah?!" Kiki said in shock: "Really?"

Everyone looked suspicious. Currently, the Phoenix Society, with the efforts of tens of millions of people, the European Storm Alliance, the North American United Front, and the Dawn Center, has only reached 18% after fighting for so long.

"Could it be... this has something to do with the Deep Red World?" Xiang Xiang Ningjing asked at this time.

To everyone's surprise, Jian Xuwei shook her head and said flatly to them:

"At first, I was also curious because the inner city and the underground city really do have a 95% level of pure water supply. Although the price is expensive, the whole city can more or less access this drinking water, and even people in the old city can drink some. Many people have started to believe that Dawn City really possesses this technology. However, I soon discovered that things were not like that."

Jian Xuwei said: "It's actually very simple, because Dawn City has the best urban pipeline system in the world."

Lin Xian frowned upon hearing this: "What do you mean?"

"She means that this 95% level pure water is actually water that has been filtered by the human body's toxins." Mo Nika's voice suddenly rang out in the crowd.

Everyone's expression changed upon hearing this.

"Ah? This... is this how this drinking water comes from?" Kiki rolled her eyes immediately.

"Exactly." Jian Xuwei glanced at Mo Nika and continued: "Dawn City has a population of nearly 7 million. All stored purified water, no matter how well protected, will be infected by dark invasion, and the concentration will increase over time. But the human body filters this toxin. So, as long as the entire city's sewage is filtered through a sewage treatment plant, it becomes 95% pure water, which is then supplied at a high price."

Lin Xian's face turned dark, and ten thousand grass-mud horses galloped through his heart. A human body filter—this was simply a marketing genius.

"It really is fake." Shi Diyuan cursed: "The circulating water system is fine; which vehicle doesn't have this kind of system built in?"

"But using it for high-priced supply and faking technological prowess is just too much," Xiang Xiang Ningjing added.

"Only politicians could come up with a way to fleece people like this while promoting it externally," Mo Nika sneered: "I know these people too well."

"Forget it, we aren't going to Dawn City anyway." Qian Dele looked indifferent and said to Jian Xuwei: "So, what's the situation with that Sky Dome class now? Can we take it?"

"The main body of the Sky Dome Train has been built and is docked in the berth area of the No. 1 loading factory. Currently, the four main hull bodies have basically been built, the weapon system is half done, and the rest are the gravity rings and standard carriages."

"Let's go, take a look."

Lin Xian said.

"By the way, contact Silent City and see what the situation is at the Jinhai Starport, then we'll discuss it together."

"Let's go."

Jian Xuwei looked at Lin Xian: "The defense wall of the industrial zone was built by the Federation and the Linglong Group, plus there are some iron wall barriers built by other survivors outside. This area is relatively safe for now, or... safer than Dawn City."

"That's true. After listening to Director Jian's analysis, Dawn City is not a place to stay. I'd rather face monster zombies than that!" Shi Diyuan said.

The group took a large elevator carriage and returned to the surface. Gunfire was deafening around the factory area, but the interior seemed very quiet.

As soon as they got up, Lin Xian contacted the Silent City direction via the communicator and synchronized the situation just now with them.

"A-level eerie entity flesh-and-blood colonized armor? Interesting. It looks like they've been researching it for quite a while." Mochizuki Zhenji's voice remained flat.

"Do you think this path can succeed?" Lin Xian frowned.

"It's not easy to draw a conclusion on this," Mochizuki Zhenji said: "At least for now, they have indeed created those disgusting Red Human Ghosts through mycelium combined with brain-machine technology. If you treat dark creatures as biological entities, this might theoretically work. By the way, you have an authoritative biology doctor on your vehicle; I suggest you listen to her opinion."

"Fine, what's the situation at the Starport?" Lin Xian asked.

"It's already done. There was only one squadron of guards, and everyone else has run away." Behind Mochizuki Zhenji, Qian Su Xun spoke up: "Aside from a few aerospace ship hull modules and some unfinished aircraft, everything useful that could be moved has been taken away."

"So fast?"

"They must have had a contingency plan. My reconnaissance team has already set out, and news from Dawn City will arrive soon."

"Good, then let's maintain coordinated defense."

The industrial zone Starport base and the Ring Star train loading factory were more than ten kilometers apart, which wasn't far. They formed a triangular coordinated defense posture with Silent City in the western suburbs. Now that the Starport had been taken by the people of Silent City, it meant that the entire Jinhai had temporarily become their territory.

With neither large-scale attacks from the Deep Red World nor counterattacks from the Dawn City garrison, this was the first time Lin Xian had inexplicably occupied a major city.

However, he had no heart to care about other things at this moment. Instead, he called all the leaders and key members of the Infinite and the United Train, and a group of dozens of people followed Jian Xuwei toward the largest No. 1 factory.

Before entering the factory, Lin Xian saw the giant carriages floating in the magnetic levitation array berth ring in the distant sky, and his expression was shocked.

The others were even more shocked.

"What is this?" Lin Xian asked.

"Standard hull module. To describe it, it's an ordinary carriage of the Sky Dome Interstellar Train," Jian Xuwei said at this time.

"This... is a train? Isn't this a starship?" Hu Lushou followed Lin Xian, his eyes almost popping out when he saw the giant carriage.

"It is both a train and a starship."

An old engineer beside Jian Xuwei introduced loudly: "This hull module has self-navigation capabilities. You can understand that the Sky Dome Train is a type of standard modular starship, and it can be connected infinitely!"

"Wait until they see the main ship to introduce it," Jian Xuwei said.

(End of chapter)