A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1432 - 971 Day 7

Chapter 1432: Chapter 971 Day 7

"Hoo... "

Stepping out of the carriage, Tall City Saye felt a little tense. She reached out, placed her hand over her chest, and took a deep breath. Surviving up to now in this world, Tall City Saye and the others were no longer mere students. They understood that the world was no longer how it used to be, and as for how they were supposed to survive in this new reality, even Tall City Saye herself wasn’t sure.

However, one thing was clear: for now, this train was indeed an ideal shelter for them. Of course, that’s assuming they could survive the Blood Moon night...

Could they truly make it through the Blood Moon?

To be honest, Tall City Saye wasn’t particularly confident.

But regardless, certain matters still needed to be addressed.

Thinking of this, Tall City Saye straightened her posture and walked back to the dining car. She reached out to open the door.

"Clatter."

The door of the carriage opened, and the entire dining car was silent, save for the melodic strains of music echoing through it. For a moment, Tall City Saye felt like she had traveled through time, back to before the disaster broke out—as if those terrifying calamities and zombies had never existed, as if she were just on a normal train trip...

If only that were true.

Tall City Saye let out a bitter laugh, stepped into the dining car, and glanced around. She noticed that the dining tables were impeccably cleaned—who did this?

"Ah, good evening."

At that moment, a voice suddenly broke the silence. Struck by its sound, Tall City Saye turned her head to look. At the far end of the dining car, seated at a table, was a blonde girl who greeted her.

"Ah, good evening... Miss Mary."

Looking at the girl’s golden right eye, Tall City Saye quickly recalled her name. After all, the Tribunal members had distinctive features. To Tall City Saye, seeing Mary made her somewhat relieved. If it had been other members of the Tribunal, like Lumiaire or Axelle, she wouldn’t have known how to greet them. Ogis and Gavi hardly interacted with survivors like her. By comparison, Mary carried herself with elegance and grace, like an aristocratic lady...

That made Tall City Saye feel a little closer to her.

"Can’t sleep, Miss Saye?"

"No, I’m just... contemplating some matters. Miss Mary, what are you doing?"

As she spoke, Tall City Saye stepped closer to Mary. Only then did she see the notebook spread out on the table in front of Mary. She held a pen in her hand, and next to her was a steaming cup of coffee. It looked like she was jotting something down.

"Ah... I’m just collecting material."

Noticing Tall City Saye’s gaze, Mary gave a slightly shy smile and closed the notebook.

"Material?"

"Yes, the world teetering on the edge of apocalypse, the savage horde of terrifying zombies, and the people struggling to survive within it... To be honest, this is my first time experiencing something like this. Although I’ve encountered similar things before, still..."

As she spoke, Mary glanced at her notebook.

"The utter destruction of this world, and whether human civilization can continue to survive amidst such desolation—it really makes you ponder..."

"Uh..."

Listening to Mary’s reflection, Tall City Saye didn’t know how to respond. She coughed lightly and changed the subject.

"Actually, Miss Mary, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you all."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Well... about that..."

Considering it was a matter of asking for help, Tall City Saye felt a little unsure. But between pride and survival, for her, there was no real contest.

"We... have nowhere else to go. So, could we stay onboard this train? Of course, we wouldn’t freeload—we’re willing to face any dangerous tasks, whatever they might be!"

"Huh?"

Tall City Saye’s request indeed took Mary by surprise.

"Stay on the train?"

"Yes, we hope to remain and work for you all."

"Work??"

"Yes... We’re willing to do anything! Please, take us in!"

"This..."

Seeing Tall City Saye lower her head and plead earnestly, Mary furrowed her brow.

"I’ll need to report this to Mr. Duanmu for a decision. While I doubt Mr. Duanmu would mind, are you sure about this? Let me warn you, from certain perspectives, this train is actually the most dangerous place."

"Are you saying the group is heading for danger zones, Miss Mary?"

"Yes, that’s essentially it..."

Mary sighed softly. Having spent so much time with Duanmu Huai, she had long since figured out his modus operandi. Investigating the area, identifying the most dangerous locations, diving headfirst into them, then obliterating everything before moving on... That’s basically how Duanmu operated all along.

"Why head to danger zones?"

Admittedly, upon hearing Mary’s response, Tall City Saye was shocked. She had suspected that this group must have a destination, given that they were traveling by train. But she hadn’t expected their destination to be danger zones—!

The so-called danger zones were areas where large-scale zombie outbreaks originated. After initial outbreaks, governments had attempted to eradicate the zombies by launching nuclear strikes. Yet zombies weren’t eradicated—instead, exposed to radiation, they mutated into even more horrific entities. Tall City Saye and the others had heard from Aiden and Joel before: such places were akin to hell, with lethal radiation and zombies so fearsome that humans couldn’t possibly stand a chance against them.

Even seasoned "couriers" like Aiden avoided danger zones whenever possible.

And now, these people planned to venture there deliberately?

"Our purpose here isn’t simply survival, Miss Saye. The Tribunal’s goal is to guard humanity and eliminate all threats against it. So, Mr. Duanmu will definitely head to the danger zones and attempt to eliminate the beings threatening this world. If you’re seeking a safer life, I’d suggest disembarking at one of the other gathering points."

"This..."

Mary’s explanation clearly went beyond Tall City Saye’s expectations, leaving her momentarily speechless. Nodding silently, she turned and left.

After returning to the carriage, Tall City Saye shared what she had learned from Mary with the others, and they were deeply shocked.

"What? They’re heading to danger zones?"

"Ugh... Honestly, considering their equipment, it’s not too surprising though..."

Recalling the heavy armor Duanmu Huai wore, Miyamoto Rei broke into a cold sweat. Indeed, it didn’t look like gear meant for ordinary zombie fights.

"So... Should we continue staying on the train?"

Faced with Hillary Alice’s question, everyone fell silent. Initially, they had merely wanted a safe haven. But with this train heading toward danger zones, it hardly seemed like a safe choice... Still, before making a decision...

"The safe zones are too far away for us."

While speaking, Tall City Saye shook her head and turned her anxiety-ridden gaze to the window.

"Tomorrow marks the seventh day..."

Then, she murmured quietly.

Blood Moon.

Once every seven days, this world endured a nightmarish occurrence. On this particular day, the moon would turn crimson, and all zombies would become more violent than usual. Horrific, unimaginable monsters often emerged on this night.

And this time, even from morning, the day felt different.

"Admittedly, this is quite something."

Peering out the window, Duanmu Huai spoke thoughtfully. Since early morning, the outside had been shrouded in dense clouds, with lightning crackling and heavy rain pouring. Most strikingly, some kind of chemical or unexplained reaction bathed the world in blood-red light—transforming the scenery into something eerily otherworldly.

"So this is the seventh day? It’s certainly strange."

Axelle and Lumiaire furrowed their brows, observing the scene outside. Whether it was intuition or the crimson illumination invoking a reaction, they couldn’t shake the feeling that the shadows beyond appeared restless—like lurking monsters writhing together in macabre chaos.

Meanwhile, Mary was documenting the scene in her notebook.

Though Duanmu Huai and his team treated it like sightseeing, the surviving passengers were far less composed. From morning onwards, Aiden and Joel repeatedly checked their firearms. Miyamoto Rei and Komuro Takashi readied their weapons and even considered boarding up the windows with wooden planks, but...

"No need to be so tense. It’s just a minor inconvenience. Forget about it."

Duanmu Huai dismissed them casually.

To them, Duanmu Huai’s indifferent attitude reflected ignorance of the Blood Moon’s dangers. Unfortunately, it was his train, and his decisions were final. Whatever Duanmu Huai opted to do, they had no choice but to comply.

Though they believed this recklessness would court disaster, their objections had little effect.

Eventually, the day progressed, night fell, and the moon rose.

"Hoo..."

Aiden checked his watch, gripped his weapon tightly, and shouldered his gear. Others followed suit, preparing as best they could. Despite silent apprehension, few thought the train could endure the looming Blood Moon chaos. So apart from bracing for the incoming horrors, their minds were set on planning an escape.

Such actions weren’t surprising in a world like this; most people were preoccupied with their own survival.

"Boom... Clack-clack-clack...!"

By evening, the rain had ceased, dense clouds dissipated, and a blood-red moon rose in the sky, illuminating the land below. The world felt enveloped in an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of the speeding train. Staring out the window, the passengers held their breath.

As they watched, the world outside began to transform.

"Woo... "

Like waves crashing onto shore, the sound began faintly—mistaken perhaps for gusting wind. But as it approached, paired with fiery red dots glimmering in the darkness, the noise swelled into fury and madness.

"They’re here!"

Aiden clutched his gun and stared out the window. Alongside the speeding rails outside, countless zombies with glowing crimson eyes surged forward. They amassed into a terrifying tide, screaming hysterically as they hurled themselves toward the train!