[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train":3,"chapter-apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-386":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Apocalypse: I Built an Infinite Train",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2262150,4414,"Chapter 386","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-386",386,"\u003Cp>Perhaps Lin Xian never imagined that after the apocalypse, he would need to sneak into this largest human metropolis in Asia-Pacific.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group’s expressions were grim; the “Swordfish” transport ship had docked in a ruined street far from the outskirts of Shuguang City, and dozens of zombies, drawn by the noise, were howling and surging toward it. The cargo door opened, but no figures moved inside—until a sharp metallic flash silently sliced through the air, instantly cutting apart a cluster of zombies, then retracting. Moments later, a girl with purple twin-tails surged forward, her body radiating psychic energy, as countless blades shot back to her side and stacked neatly together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Lin Xian stepped quickly down from the transport ship. Though still over twenty kilometers from Shuguang City’s Wall One, they had already entered the outer fringe of a densely populated urban zone. Looking up, he saw a vast, dark, ruined city stretching like an endless sea; in the distance, a colossal wall loomed across the sky and earth—a hundred-meter-high industrial marvel encircling the entire city. Under the faint moonlight of this night, the silhouette of the Twin Stars Tower was barely visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Buildings over 100 meters don’t light up, so from outside, you can only see the city wall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwēi stepped forward from beside Lin Xian and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is building a wall this tall really useful?” Kiki asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s still somewhat useful,” Mo Nika said with a light smile, stepping beside Lin Xian and glancing at him meaningfully. “During the Xilan City battle, if not for the industrial wall’s defense, we wouldn’t have held out two nights.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian nodded. “Yes, this wall wasn’t designed for S-class threats. Without Abyss Worms, ordinary A-class or Special-class entities couldn’t break through easily. Shuguang City’s firepower is a hundred times stronger than Xilan City’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just a pity—walls and underground cities, yet not a single glimmer of hope.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Dele’s expression turned serious. “Director Jian, are we planning to walk straight into Shuguang City from here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwēi said nothing, her gaze sharp as she stared into the dark street ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, be careful—multiple targets are approaching,” Lu Xingchen said. He hadn’t moved in a long time, and now, arriving in Shuguang City with Lin Xian and armed with prior intel, he felt the weight of destiny upon him. His eyes glowed with sparks, as if already sensing movement in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not weird creatures—people,” Shizhi quickly said. “Many people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s gaze hardened. A deep rumbling grew louder, flames flared, engines roared—before them, in the ruined darkness of the street, a heavily armed convoy was speeding toward them. A locomotive shaped like an all-terrain train smashed through zombies and abandoned vehicles, followed by over a dozen modified heavy trucks and specialized vehicles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to Lin Xian, this convoy seemed odd. Though their vehicles were patched with scrap steel, covered in wild graffiti and tarpaulins, giving them a distinctly post-apocalyptic look, he instantly noticed their actual configurations were far more advanced than their appearance suggested. Perhaps fearing to alarm anyone, the convoy used no weapons at all, simply driving straight through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwēi stepped forward and raised her hand, halting everyone’s readiness. “They’re ours. No need to worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Huo Ge and the others lowered their combat stances. The convoy roared up and stopped a hundred meters before the transport ship, its blinding headlights flooding Lin Xian’s group with light. Doors opened one after another, and a group converged, walking toward Lin Xian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their gear was equally advanced—nearly all wore Phantom Wolf or Iron Hunter-class power armor, wielding formidable weapons. As they approached, the leader hurried forward, his helmet retracting to reveal a young face, weary and burdened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian recognized him: Jian Zeyang, Jian Xuwēi’s younger brother. He had previously interacted with him at Yubei Airport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sis, everything’s ready!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwēi nodded, turning to Lin Xian. “Zeyang has been operating in the outer districts of Shuguang City under my orders—partly to facilitate intelligence gathering, partly because there are many survivors here, allowing us to accumulate strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian was surprised. “I thought your brother was under Zhou Mingyuan’s control?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I was forced into cooperation mainly due to the overall situation. Fenge Group’s assets and personnel are too widespread, and I truly needed Shuguang City’s resources in many areas.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Zeyang spotted Lin Xian, his eyes brightening. He stepped forward, wiped his hands, and extended his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Lin, long time no see. I still haven’t thanked you for your help in Yubei City. I’m a blunt guy—I treated you poorly before. Don’t hold it against me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian was taken aback. Jian Zeyang, though unchanged in appearance, seemed transformed—his whole demeanor had aged, the arrogance gone, replaced by quiet steadiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t recall you offending me. In that situation, anyone would have doubts,” Lin Xian said, shaking his hand. But Jian Zeyang’s eyes burned with admiration. “No, it’s just—I didn’t realize how powerful you were! I heard everything about Xilan City—super-sized mechs, first S-class kill. Awesome, awesome!” He grinned, his tone full of reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zeyang loves mechanical mechs,” Jian Xuwēi said. “Ever since you used gas turbines to haul our thousands of vehicles onto the elevated rail, he’s admired you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sis,” Jian Zeyang coughed awkwardly, then quickly shifted tone, speaking seriously. “Captain Lin, I’ve arranged our entry route. City patrols are tightening—we must move fast. If we’re spotted, we won’t escape.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Team Leader Lin, I’ve arranged the route into the city. The city defense patrols are getting stricter—we need to move fast, or we won’t be able to slip away if we’re caught.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Zeyang signaled a subordinate to handle the transport ship. Meanwhile, Lin Xian’s group boarded the all-terrain train. The convoy swiftly turned and accelerated toward Shuguang City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Mingyuan has imposed total city lockdown. An A-class weird creature appeared in the west—garrison troops fought for hours, triggering a massive weird creature surge, only just suppressed. This is the fifth A-class attack on the main city in the past 48 hours. No one knows why, but many now link these events to the Crimson World and the Star Abyss’s disturbances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the action train, Jian Zeyang rapidly updated Lin Xian’s team on the city’s situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is the weird creature in the west connected to the anomaly in Star Abyss No. 8?” Qian Dele asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not No. 5—No. 8!” Jian Zeyang said immediately. “Star Abyss No. 8 is expanding rapidly. The entire Funing region and half of Liaohai are gone. The Eternal Night zone is now nearing Tianwei. Outposts there report observing large S-class entities within the Eternal Night—but no one has encountered them, because they’re in the sky. Some think they saw hallucinations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian frowned. “Tianwei? Its straight-line distance from the Star Abyss is hardly closer than Yongcheng Port.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct,” Jian Xuwēi said. “By timing, the difference in entering Eternal Night won’t exceed a week.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meanwhile, the number of outbound convoys is surging, triggering chain reactions. Zhou Mingyuan and the Population Control Bureau used this as an excuse: after dark, no one may leave the city. So Shuguang City looks calm—but in truth, many want to flee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Federation’s colluding with the Crimson World. No one wants to gamble,” Qian Dele said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s only one reason,” Jian Zeyang said, turning back. “Most large convoys don’t plan to stay in Shuguang City long—they’re fleeing toward Dawn. Only small convoys and ordinary survivors have no choice, so they rely on walls and underground cities to ease panic. Most people can’t enter the underground city—let alone get inside the high wall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shuguang City is huge. Taking in a few people shouldn’t be hard,” Lin Xian said sternly. “It’s just about scarce resources.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Zeyang nodded. “Yes—water, food, medical supplies, sanitation—all limited. The denser the population, the greater the casualties if a chain reaction of mutations occurs. Since arriving in Shuguang City, we’ve seen nightly mutation crises. Losing dozens a night counts as a quiet night. Eighty percent of large-scale mutations occur in the outer district beyond Wall One.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Zeyang nodded: \"Yes, water, food, medical supplies, sanitation—all are limited. The more densely packed the population, the greater the spread of casualties if a chain reaction of anomalies occurs. Since we arrived at Dawn City, the night anomaly crises erupt every evening; losing dozens of people counts as a peaceful night. And 80% of large-scale anomalies occur in the outer district beyond Wall One.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Compared to outside? Yes,” Jian Xuwēi said. “With Wall One, there are no zombies or weird creatures inside. The only threat is the Dark Infiltration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the Red People,” Jian Zeyang added. “But inside, it’s genuinely safe. Commerce, entertainment, psychic duels, underground fighting rings—even black markets. Major convoys come here to grow stronger, openly recruiting powerful psychics—just bid higher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s also the Red Ones,\" Jian Zeyang added. \"But inside, it’s relatively safe—there’s commerce, entertainment, psychic duels, underground fighting rings, even a black market. Many major caravans come here specifically to strengthen themselves, openly recruiting powerful psychics—just bid the highest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” Jian Zeyang said. “The Federation’s recruitment is the most aggressive. Even internally, they’re fighting over talent—mainly the Seraphim and Night Patrol. Different factions, after all. Zhou Mingyuan even created the ‘Light of Humanity Evolution Ranking.’ Those who make the list get permanent underground city residency and massive cash rewards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" Jian Zeyang said. \"The Federation’s recruitment is the most aggressive—they’re even competing internally, especially between the Seraphim and the Night Patrol. Since they’re rival factions, Zhou Mingyuan created the Light of Humanity Evolution Ranking. Anyone on the list gets permanent residency in Dawn City’s underground and a large cash reward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed. The Federation has recruited many powerful psychics because of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-class?” Kiki asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beyond that,” Jian Zeyang said. “After the last S-class was killed, several top-ranked psychics have already evolved into Angel-class.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s ten thousand psychic peaks?” “Exactly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Kiki, Huo Ge, Qian Dele, and others all stiffened. Since the psychic tests in Xilan City, they’d been in constant crisis, never tracking their own growth. Lin Xian didn’t even know their current psychic peaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in the Star Abyss, the threats weren’t something psychic power could solve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, back in Star Abyss, those crises couldn’t be solved by psychic abilities alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the convoy advanced, surrounding noise grew louder, punctuated by occasional gunfire and explosions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s group lifted the blackout panels. Before them stretched a scene of apocalyptic ruin. As the convoy neared the wall, the ruined streets teemed with convoy camps—from scattered to dense, countless tents, steel-frame machine gun towers, and vehicles of all sizes filled every open space, leaving only the main road leading into Shuguang City clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helicopters, drones, patrol mechs blared propaganda and alarms through the air. Every zone resembled an endless refugee camp, flames stretching to the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beware the Night. Always check your Soul-Resonance Meter. Complacency is disaster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Warning: Convoy in G67 Xianglan Street Plaza. Extinguish all bonfires immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shuguang City Night Patrol reminds you: Building a safe zone is everyone’s duty. Stay alert. Test often. Prevent early. Don’t miss any Dark Markers or mutations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In sight, tens of thousands of post-apocalyptic survivors’ convoy camps formed a grotesque cityscape. Some sturdy buildings were occupied, rooftops bristling with machine guns and watchtowers. Every neighborhood was barricaded with barbed wire. Even so, distant zombie howls and gunfire made sleep impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Qian Dele and the others grew grim. This apocalypse scene felt more suffocating than the Star Abyss. They hadn’t even entered Shuguang City yet—and already it was a million-refugee-camp level. Imagining the carnage if a massive weird creature surge or a large entity struck here was unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the roadside buildings, countless survivors stared at the speeding convoy. Lin Xian noticed most convoys here were dominated by the elderly, women, and children—young men were scarce. Yet even middle-aged women and gray-haired elders were fully armed with rifles. On the roof of a supermarket, a patrol of over a dozen children—varying heights, all wielding heavy machine guns—watched the streets. The oldest looked no more than fifteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwēi saw their shocked expressions and spoke: “Entry rules require combatants to outnumber dependents no more than 1:2. There are no age or gender restrictions on dependents, but all are evaluated for combat power—Soul-Resonance Peak. Shuguang City doesn’t measure maximum potential, so it seems lenient. But the elderly and children rarely surpass young adults in Soul-Resonance Peak. So the convoys left outside are mostly the weak and vulnerable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwēi, seeing the surprised looks from Lin Xian and the others, spoke: \"City entry rules limit combatants to no more than one per two family members. There are no restrictions on family members’ age or gender, but all are evaluated for combat strength—that is, their Soul-Wave peak value. Dawn City doesn’t measure the limit coefficient, so it seems lenient. But the Soul-Wave peaks of the elderly and children rarely surpass those of able-bodied adults, so most members left in the caravages outside are the elderly, weak, women, and children.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s gaze flickered, his face darkening. He felt nothing but sorrow—he had accepted this cruel culling since Day One, himself included. When he first launched the Ring Star Train project, he demanded strength and resources. At such times, no one pitied the elderly, women, or children beside others. Compassionate convoys died quickly. Even Shu Qin’s convoy lost members until joining the Infinite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the United Train grew powerful did Lin Xian’s mindset shift—he began accepting convoys like Li Yi’s. Strictly speaking, Mo Xiaotian, Duo Duo, and other children were helpful with logistics but offered little combat value. Yet now, his team allowed him to accept and shelter them—not just calculate their worth by brutal metrics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The convoy pulled into what looked like a school. Armed convoys multiplied along the street. Homemade steel walls, barbed wire, fence towers, and machine gun emplacements sealed off the entire campus—clearly a major alliance convoy. Hundreds of modified vehicles filled the grounds and playground; even a row of aircraft stood parked, with two small nuclear-powered polar vehicles supplying power to all camps from in front of the main building and the field. The orderly arrangement and internal discipline signaled immense strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zeyang, how many people do you have here now?” Jian Xuwēi asked as the convoy entered the armored school gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About eight thousand,” Jian Zeyang licked his lips, glancing at Lin Xian with pride. “I’ve absorbed a few more convoys these past two days—strong ones. Fewer medium and large convoys come now. Those that do won’t enter the city. Many outer district convoys are expanding alliances, preparing to head toward Dawn’s center.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eight thousand? That’s a lot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we lifted restrictions, we could take eighty thousand,” Jian Zeyang said, sighing. “In Shuguang City, people are the one thing we never lack. Everyone wants to survive, everyone wants to unite. But one convoy can’t support too many non-combatants or low-potential people. To earn Blood Essence for entry, many convoys have to turn back, risking death to kill weird creatures. What choice do they have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strictly speaking, the Apocalypse was only 100 days ago. Ninety-nine percent of humanity died overnight. Even now, the remaining resources are more than enough,” Mo Nika said loudly. “But we lost over 85% of the main cities. Strategic supplies and food were heavily contaminated—that’s why it’s so scarce.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And water,” Jian Xuwēi added. “Now, water resources are barely held by force. That’s why mutation rates are so high in the outer district.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Strictly speaking, Revelation Day was only 100 days ago. Ninety-nine percent of humanity vanished overnight. Even with today’s remaining supplies, the remaining one percent couldn’t possibly exhaust them,\" Mo Nika declared clearly. \"But unfortunately, over 85% of the main cities have been lost. Most strategic supplies and food have been heavily contaminated—otherwise, we wouldn’t be this short.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The convoy stopped in an open area behind the school’s science building. Lin Xian and the others stepped down. Jian Zeyang led them into a nearly collapsed, leaning teaching building, walking through flooded, ruined corridors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The school’s underground shelter connects to the original Star City Track Line 12 maintenance tunnel. We use this route to enter the city and gather supplies,” Jian Zeyang said, shining a large lamp ahead as he walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group turned down a staircase into a vast basement, then passed through a manually breached hole into a disused subway track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old electric train, pulling several modified subway cars, sat quietly. The cars had been crudely altered to store supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sis, you really don’t need me to go in with you?” Jian Zeyang helped Lin Xian’s group aboard. The driver was one of his men. He watched Jian Xuwēi climb in, unable to help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No,” Lin Xian said. “Your sister kept you outside so you can support us later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised one hand. A sudden arc of electricity flared in the tunnel. Everyone jumped. Before they could process what happened, Lin Xian pointed behind Jian Zeyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m leaving an assistant here—so I can communicate with you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Zeyang spun around. There, standing among his men, was a Ballet Dancer robot. It was Lin Xian’s Dancer No. 1. Though only a standard combat robot in intelligence, its built-in ultra-high-frequency transmitter could send signals farther and evade interception better than ordinary comms. Lin Xian left it to monitor conditions outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll leave an assistant here for easier communication with you later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Zeyang spun around sharply and saw, to his shock, a ballerina robot standing among his team—it was Lin Xian’s Dancer One. Though its AI level was only that of an ordinary combat robot, its built-in ultra-high-frequency transmitter could send signals farther and was harder to intercept than standard comms gear, so Lin Xian had left it behind to monitor conditions outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His men stared, equally stunned, shaking their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Kiki and Mo Nika beside Lin Xian looked baffled. Where had his robot come from? Why hadn’t anyone noticed it on the journey?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Qian Dele, seated in the corner, had seen it all with his superhuman speed. He stared at Lin Xian, unable to suppress a wry smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy… just opened a door to another world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without further explanation, Lin Xian and Jian Xuwēi’s group departed. The electric train sped along the abandoned track, its headlight the only light in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Won’t Shuguang City notice this train entering?” Kiki asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They will,” Jian Xuwēi said coolly. “But it doesn’t matter. It’s just a matter of price.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at Kiki. “In this apocalypse, everything has a price. Professional ethics and conscience are the cheapest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True,” Qian Dele chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian turned to Shi Zhi, who had remained silent throughout. Meeting his gaze, she gave him a look of innocent confusion—as if asking, Do you need me to speak?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No response came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian turned back to look at Shizhi, who had remained silent throughout the journey; meeting his gaze, Shizhi gave him an innocent look, as if asking, Do you need me to speak?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No response came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she slowly stepped to one side, slipping into Lin Xian’s blind spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me the plan,” Lin Xian said to Jian Xuwei. “Taking control of the central command shouldn’t be easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That depends on who you’re talking about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Xuwei looked at Lin Xian: “For you… it should be simple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3236,"2026-06-19T18:20:06.633Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","632c9a3a3b74070b1bcb1453d936bc21b83c172b598ced4e976c99fbce603929","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-387","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-385",541,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fapocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-cover.jpg"]