Chapter 387: Infinite Recruitment Program

"Very simple?"

Lin Xian looked at the dark, hollow tunnel ahead, where the subway was speeding rapidly, and said: "Are you imagining my mechanical ability to be too miraculous?"

Jian Xuwēi said: "The Dawn City central control core is an iteration of the earliest AI control system, 【Galaxy Heart】, with computing power second only to Phoenix City and Wangyue Zhenji. Such a core is undoubtedly heavily guarded in the underground city of Star City, with massive subsystems and cooling arrays. To control it, you'd have to face the Federation's most elite armed forces."

"Then how can you call it simple?"

"Relatively speaking," Jian Xuwēi said calmly. "At least for you, many mechanical defenses can be ignored."

"But we can't just charge straight in, can we?" Kiki walked over, then looked at Lin Xian: "And I've always wondered—Phoenix Society wants you to control the central core. Exactly what level of control do they need?"

"Based on analysis, it certainly won't be temporary control."

Qian Dele said: "Phoenix Society needs time to dismantle Dawn City's defenses. I'm confused—even if you take control of the core, what then? The Federation isn't stupid. As soon as the alarm sounds, you'll be a prisoner in under five minutes."

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes: "Someone inside the city will meet us. This isn't a one-sided operation. If I'm not mistaken, Silent City, Chan Guan, Qingbo, Tianwei, and Yongcheng Port are all moving now. Phoenix Society's real goal is to prevent certain people inside Dawn City from panicking and turning on their own."

"Zhou Mingyuan?"

"Not just him," Kiki said. "Isn't it said the Deep Red World might be hiding inside Dawn City?"

"Yes."

Jian Xuwēi nodded: "So we must proceed with caution."

"What about your Silver Star?" Lin Xian looked at her now. "If you move the Silver Star now, the Federation will know it's you."

"Don't worry," Jian Xuwēi said calmly. "The Silver Star is just a vehicle. As long as my people are safe, it doesn't affect our main objective."

Lin Xian opened his mouth, thinking this woman was truly unshakable; the Eternal-class Silver Star was arguably the most sci-fi vehicle he'd ever seen, second only to the SkyQiong Train, and clearly she was wealthy—but Jian Xuwēi had already allied with Lin Xian and joined the SkyQiong Interstellar Train, so her ultimate vehicle needs were already secured.

Whoosh.

The shuttle subway sped forward. After ten minutes, the small rail vehicle emerged from a hidden track and slowly pulled into a maintenance bay.

"We're here. Ahead is the mainline track. Underground transit is banned inside Dawn City now—everything's been sealed off. But we dug a hole to exit from the platform." The driver up front was a sharp-eyed young man named Ke Zi, sent by Jian Zeyang as their guide. He shut off the engine and opened the carriage door: "Captain Jian, Captain Lin, I'll lead you."

"Good."

The group descended onto the platform through the cold, dark tunnel, walking along the maintenance corridor. Flashlight beams illuminated the tunnel walls, which gradually widened from narrow to spacious, filling their nostrils with a damp, moldy stench.

After walking a while, overturned subway cars began appearing in the vast tunnel, rusted cars stacked layer upon layer, mixed with heaps of metal debris, slowly blocking the passage completely.

Lin Xian leapt onto the roof of an oil tanker, shining his flashlight ahead. The path ahead was entirely sealed by a mountain of metal debris; deep inside, reinforced concrete and steel frames had welded the underground tunnel shut.

"Dawn City's underground transit was highly developed, but strange entities often appeared in dark areas, so the Federation sealed all underground tunnels long ago—with meters-thick high-strength concrete and prefabricated armor plates. Completely sealed." Ke Zi walked to a hidden corner, moved aside a metal billboard, and a hissing sound echoed loudly. Beneath the billboard was an abandoned refrigerator. He opened its door—inside was a passage wide enough for a person to crawl through!

Seeing the passage behind the fridge, Kiki's eyes lit up: "Whoa, that's stealthy."

Ke Zi smiled: "We didn't build this originally, but now it's our alliance's exclusive route."

He slipped inside nimbly; Lin Xian and the others followed. They found a narrow tunnel carved through piles of metal debris, winding through carriages and past cabinet doors, twisting and turning, until ahead appeared a gray cement wall—only then did Lin Xian realize they'd passed through the debris pile.

A small hole had been drilled into the cement wall, pitch-black, just wide enough for one person to squeeze through.

"How did you drill through such a thick defense wall?" Qian Dele frowned, glancing at it.

"Low-grade strange entities and zombies can't manage it, but for humans, it's not hard," Ningjing said. "Abilities, robots—even ordinary automated tools, given enough time, can handle it."

"True," Lin Xian said. "So if strange entities learn human behavior, it'll be even more troublesome for us."

As they spoke, Ke Zi led them out of the low tunnel. Beyond, the interior passage was covered by vast wire mesh. He signaled them to stay still, then picked up a communicator.

"Oil Sparrow, Oil Sparrow, receive, respond."

"What's up?"

"There are biological sensors and infrared grids," Lin Xian said. He'd just been about to move when he noticed Ke Zi contacting someone—likely an inside contact.

But after ten seconds, no reply came.

"What's going on? The comm shows normal…" Ke Zi's expression turned alert. Just as he prepared to try again, two violent pulse beams suddenly flared from afar, screeching sharply.

"Watch out!"

In an instant, Lin Xian raised his hand and activated the AT force field shield. A sharp *pfft* echoed as fire erupted ahead. Beside him, Ke Zi's shoulder was pierced—he screamed "Ahh!" and flew backward.

*Shim-shim-shim! The next moment, even denser gunfire erupted from afar. Everyone's faces changed.

"Fall back!"

Lin Xian's hands crackled with electricity; the AT force field instantly expanded several times. Simultaneously, Kiki acted—her psychic wave lifted every wire mesh and barricade into the air, pressing the gunfire line toward the darkness. *Boom-boom-boom! Instantly, countless pulse beams shattered the airborne mesh and barricades, sending sparks flying.

Then, gunfire suddenly stopped. A loudspeaker voice rang out from the distant darkness.

"Intruders, this is Dawn City Night Patrol. Surrender and submit to inspection. Failure to comply will result in lethal force under Federation law!"

Hearing this, Lin Xian frowned. What bad luck—caught the moment they entered. How could this be so coincidental?

"Night Patrol's equipment is top-tier. Be cautious," Jian Xuwēi said, her power armor's faceplate now sealed.

"Should we attack?" Ningjing stepped forward, fists clenched, a powerful aura swirling around her.

"Lin Xian, what do we do?" Kiki asked.

Beside them, Lu Xingchen held a sparking weapon, alert. If it were a strange entity, he'd have already fired a fire punch. But now they faced Federation personnel—and this was an infiltration mission. Without Lin Xian's order, he held back.

"Two options: retreat, or kill them all," Lin Xian's face darkened.

"Disarm and cooperate with the investigation," the voice echoed again.

"Don't move yet," Lin Xian whispered to Kiki. "Wait for my signal. Count how many there are."

"Got it," Kiki nodded.

Lin Xian pretended to raise his hands, but kept the AT force field active, drawing everyone close. Quietly, he had already swallowed and taken control of every surveillance and detection device within hundreds of meters of the tunnel.

He glanced at the fallen Ke Zi. Shizhi was treating him. Good thing he reacted fast—if not, that direct hit would've killed the kid.

Suddenly, blinding light flared ahead. Several attack drones, blazing with intense beams, flew rapidly toward them, surrounding Lin Xian's group. Footsteps echoed as a crowd emerged from the darkness, all armed and aiming guns at Lin Xian.

All wore advanced power armor, holding arc-pulse rifles. Seeing this, Lin Xian and the others activated their power armor faceplates.

The leader didn't wear a helmet. His face was brutal, covered in scars, his official police power armor clashing grotesquely with his thug-like appearance. His gaze swept over Lin Xian's group, coldly speaking:

"Hey hey hey, who the hell are you? All wearing high-end power armor? Looks like we hit the jackpot tonight. So rich—why sneak through smuggling tunnels?"

Lin Xian replied: "You here to fine us?"

"Fine?" The leader laughed strangely, nodding. "Yeah, definitely a fine."

He immediately aimed his gun at Lin Xian's face, barking: "All of you, deactivate your power armor. Tell us where your transport vehicle is parked!"

Jian Xuwēi, Mo Nika, and the others behind Lin Xian all tensed, exchanging glances—immediately sensing something off.

"You not understand my words?!" Seeing they didn't move, the leader's face darkened, voice thick with anger.

Lin Xian asked: "How many of you are there?"

"What?"

"Oh, don't misunderstand. We've got a lot of cargo," Lin Xian said seriously. "Worried you won't have enough to split."

"... " The scarred man froze, then his expression turned colder.

"You messing with me, huh? I—"

Before he finished, Kiki pinched two fingers together—an invisible force instantly crushed all fifteen men together. Their power armors groaned under metal distortion, sparks flying everywhere.

"Abilities?!"

The scarred leader reacted instantly. As he was crushed, his eyes turned red, his body erupting with powerful blood aura, power armor feedback surging—he prepared to break free.

At that moment, all drones surrounding Lin Xian lost control and crashed to the ground. Simultaneously, a white drone shot swiftly above the group!

"Thunder Prison" drone!

*Woo! Zzzt!

In an instant, a blinding electromagnetic burst exploded, knocking every one of them unconscious.

"I thought you were going to kill them all," Mo Nika said, curious after watching Lin Xian and Kiki swiftly neutralize the fifteen men. "You thought they were Night Patrol, worried about trouble?"

Jian Xuwēi sensed Lin Xian's thoughts and spoke: "But these guys don't look like enforcers—they look like robbers."

"They probably have sync devices. Whether you kill them or not, they've already been detected," Qian Dele stepped forward.

Sure enough, as Lin Xian's group finished dealing with them, distant gunfire erupted in the tunnel—but not aimed at them. Accompanying it were powerful explosive booms and screams from a crowd.

Everyone reacted instantly. Ahead, combat was raging. But it didn't last long—under thirty seconds, all sound fell silent.

Before anyone appeared, a familiar, light voice rang out.

"Better late than never. Just minutes ago I was wondering if these Night Patrol thugs were planning to hit the Empty Valley Platform. Turns out they were."

Jiang Yun walked with a breeze, followed by Ren Huiyan and a group of heavily armed, clearly formidable individuals emerging from the shadows. He looked at Lin Xian.

"Long time no see, Captain Lin."

His men, seeing the unconscious men before Lin Xian, immediately raised their guns and fired—killing them all.

"I knew it was you," Lin Xian exhaled in relief, glancing behind Jiang Yun. "You killed Night Patrol—won't that cause trouble?"

"Night Patrol is already in chaos," Jiang Yun said. "You think these guys are patrolling here at night out of duty?"

"The Night Patrol in this district took our bribes," Ren Huiyan said. "Now the city's in turmoil. Some people are trying to profit from the chaos—some are Night Patrol, others are bandits wearing Federation uniforms, killing and looting everywhere."

"Every day, people die in Night City. Outside the inner city, core zones, and major convoy territories, nowhere's safe," Jiang Yun said, walking to the scarred man, kicking his head aside to reveal a grotesque wolf tattoo on his neck.

"Blood Wolf Gang again. These guys originally came in as highway robbers, slipped into Dawn City. Their Night Patrol armor was probably stolen. But they picked the wrong target tonight."

Lin Xian frowned: "The city's this chaotic? Huh. I should've been less polite to them."

"Exactly," Kiki scowled at the Blood Wolf Gang corpses. "I held back so I wouldn't kill them all."

Ren Huiyan looked at the crushed, deformed power armors, then at Kiki, her expression slightly startled.

"Don't worry, all surveillance in this area is offline—we've—" Jiang Yun looked up at the tunnel walls, intending to mention the cameras—but the walls were bare, no wires, no traces. He fell silent, staring at Lin Xian: "This…"

"Just in case," Lin Xian said.

"Captain Lin is cautious," Jiang Yun praised.

He turned to Ke Zi behind Lin Xian and ordered: "Xiao Mo, arrange medical aid."

"Got it!"

Several men stepped forward, lifting Ke Zi. Jiang Yun then said to Lin Xian: "This isn't a place to talk. Follow me."

Then, the group left through a hidden passage from the platform. At 1 a. ., in the rainy night, the old alley reeked of something strange; only a few pink bar lights flickered, hinting that a handful of brothel dance halls still pulsed with life.

Raindrops clinging to the power lines tapped a maddening rhythm on the metal lid of a trash bin.

Stench, silence, strangeness.

Along the roadside stood makeshift canopies built by survivors. Except for patrolling guard battalion troops, the streets were utterly empty since Vice Chairman Zhou Mingyuan had imposed a citywide curfew—no one stirred at 1 a. .

In the old district, a cramped residential slab building glowed with dim, cold lights on every floor, appearing densely packed. Armed vehicles filled entire blocks. This entire building served as Jiang Yun's convoy base. On the roof was a specially modified room. Jiang Yun brought Lin Xian and the others there and said:

"This place is temporarily safe. But I know you didn't come here to stroll the night market—there's nothing left to see in Dawn City anyway. In a month, dawn will vanish forever. From then on, it'll truly be a city of night."

He turned to Lin Xian, smiled, and extended his hand: "Almost forgot—pleased to cooperate."

Lin Xian shook his hand: "I thought you'd already evacuated the city."

"We considered it. But I guessed you might enter, so I stayed behind hoping to assist you. And here you are."

"Jiang Yun, how's the situation now?" Jian Xuwēi asked.

"Not bad. At least, surface stability holds."

Jiang Yun's expression turned grim. "But the Night Patrol and City Defense Guard are on high alert. Curfew is the least of it. Whenever a mutated person or Red Phantom attacks, mass deaths follow—though most victims are caught in crossfire."

"Indiscriminate cleansing?" Lin Xian frowned.

"Pretty much." Jiang Yun said. "The Federation is crumbling. Citizens are terrified. Though Zhou Mingyuan temporarily suppressed news of the Deep Red, many now sense something's coming…"

"Why?"

Jiang Yun pointed north.

"The Phoenix Society?"

"Yes."

"The Sky-Pacifier is stationed there. For Dawn City, that's absolute oppression. Whether the Phoenix Society comes to purge the Descenders or for some other purpose, it sends a signal: Dawn City is about to face catastrophe. Meanwhile, the Dark Infiltration is worsening water shortages. Unless the city is sealed completely, no one can stop those trying to flee."

"This is only day one. Tomorrow will be even livelier," Jiang Yun said. "It's nighttime now—everything's calmed down a bit."

"Do you know where Dai Liyou will be?" Lin Xian asked.

"I do."

Lin Xian checked the time: "How far is it from here?"

"I already received word from Director Jian. But moving so many people at night won't be easy."

Jiang Yun glanced at Lin Xian, then walked to the window, pointing at the layered cyberpunk urban jungle beneath the rain. In the sky, various police and surveillance drones drifted slowly in patrol.

"This city has three million surveillance units. Over four thousand patrol airships alone. Countless police and attack drones. So…"

"Unless it's an emergency, I'd advise moving by day."

Lin Xian stared at the vast silhouette of the city forest, exhaled slowly: "Fine. Accepting advice is a good trait."

"So, is our mission for tonight done?" Mo Nika slumped back on the sofa, legs crossed, sighing. "I thought entering the city meant something more exciting."

"Jiang Yun, brief Lin's team on their status," Jian Xuwēi said. "From now on, the Alliance's deployments will be under his command."

"No need to be so formal."

Lin Xian waved his hand: "You handle the deployments. The situation's too unclear—we don't know what the Federation or the Phoenix Society will do next. Better stay low for now."

Jiang Yun smiled. "It's much like when we were at Yubei Airport—all of us united under crisis. Here, there are twenty-six convoys, large and small. The biggest have eight or nine thousand people; the smallest, just over a hundred. Most have merged, but each convoy manages itself. You don't need to worry about feeding, housing, or distributing resources for tens of thousands. In the apocalypse, people just need a direction. Many revere the Phoenix Society. The Crimson Phoenix Order convoys have strong influence—I'm one, Director Jian is another. And Lin's influence? Even stronger. These groups have united because they all want to cling to the Phoenix Society through you."

"Exactly right."

Qian Dele leaned back: "The Dark Infiltration's information blackout and the Dark Mark make large-scale organization nearly impossible. Eight or nine thousand people is already huge—management costs are steep. This alliance-march format makes sense."

He glanced at Lin Xian: "If you want me to join your convoy and work for you, I'm willing—it'd save me trouble."

"I agree," Mo Nika said.

"Jiang Yun, we killed so many in the tunnel—could that cause problems?" Xiang Ningjing, usually cautious, asked.

"No. I've already had people clean it up. And the Night Patrol has no bandwidth to care about that area," Ren Huiyan said. "Don't worry."

"By the way."

At that moment, Jiang Yun walked over from the window, phone in hand, and showed it to Lin Xian and Jian Xuwēi.

"You might find this interesting."

Lin Xian and the others leaned in. Instantly, their expressions shifted. Jian Xuwēi frowned in surprise. Mo Nika's eyes widened.

On the screen was a post from Dawn City's internal forum. The title read:

"Infinite Train Recruitment Plan—Mechanical Adept Qin Feng recruiting post-apocalyptic elites to join the Eternal-Class Armed Train Silver Star, racing along the 320, 00-kilometer orbital ring!"

Lin Xian blinked, then muttered softly:

"Shit…"

(End of Chapter)