Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train
Chapter 357: After the Crisis

The night was pitch-black. In the vast, unending expanse of the Luling Forest, a colossal mobile mechanical city had come to a halt. This steel-built behemoth was also a floating fortress. On its upper deck, the neon glow of Silent City streamed beneath the darkness, with its outline traced by dazzling holographic projections. Neon ads, hovering light bands, and streams of data screens wove together into a brilliant electronic galaxy, starkly contrasting the lifeless black forest around it. Within the forest, crimson eyes occasionally flickered between twisted tree shadows, and low growls were carried by the night wind. The silhouettes of many zombies wandered through the woods, yet were completely shut out by Silent City’s defense systems.

On the highly automated streets, the click of Chen Sixuan’s boots echoed against the metal floor. Her fingers swiftly swiped across a tactical tablet, checking supply lists. Miao Lu, Shu Qin, and a group followed closely behind. Sun Yuzhen had also joined the procurement team. All purchases here could be delivered through Silent City’s logistics system.

In Silent City, aside from registered residents with fixed identities, most were either temporary shelter seekers or survivors undergoing evaluation before being allowed to stay. Silent City enforced strict onboarding standards. Official residents weren’t charged any fees, but adults needed to be capable of working and were also assessed for their character, with the goal of lowering crime rates. Moonlight Shinji believed that a dangerous living environment increased the chances of human mutation. Therefore, individuals with criminal or problematic records weren’t just expelled—some were even detained by patrol drones.

Those who hadn’t yet become permanent residents either needed to contribute Eerie Blood Crystals monthly or work in exchange for shelter. Compared to Dawn City, this was considered quite humane. If Silent City weren’t constantly on the move, its population would’ve multiplied long ago. But now, as it neared major cities, more and more survivors were arriving seeking refuge.

The city was divided into various zones, with Silent Patrol Drones on every street. After entering Silent City, all blood crystals could be deposited, functioning like a bank. Survivors would get a highly encrypted storage account, unlocked by iris and voiceprint. This made trade among survivors more convenient. A Level-1 Blood Crystal could be broken down into smaller digital units, reducing crime. Plus, deposits earned daily "interest." As a result, Silent City accumulated vast quantities of crystals for research and large-scale trades with organizations like Dawn City and Phoenix Society, gaining not just supplies and equipment but also significant returns.

In this way, the city had become a quasi-independent nation, establishing order and rules in the apocalypse.

Atop a high tower on the upper deck, Lu Xingchen, wearing sunglasses, cradled a steaming cup of tea. White mist drifted in the chilly air. Squinting, he overlooked the steel jungle of the mechanical metropolis below, a faint smile on his lips. From here, he had a panoramic view of the Infinite Train and felt an almost transcendent solitude.

Nearby on the open deck, Mo Xiaotian, ten years old, had his face flushed red as he tried to control the sparks crackling at his fingertips.

"Focus. Don’t rush," Fire Bro peered over his sunglasses and spoke with the demeanor of a seasoned master. "Lightning is a force of heaven and earth—wild, fierce, and untamable. Impatience will only mess things up."

Mo Xiaotian gritted his teeth, and the sparks finally stabilized, forming a fine arc of lightning.

"Not bad," Fire Bro nodded. "Keep practicing."

"Fire Bro, do you think… one day I can be as powerful as you?" Mo Xiaotian panted.

"What did you call me?"

"Uh… fine, Master."

Fire Bro gave a pleased nod, took a sip of tea, and lazily replied, "Mastery starts with a strong foundation. Real strength comes through life-and-death trials."

Mo Xiaotian pursed his lips and went back to practice.

Outside the Infinite Train, Old Mo's wrench clanged against a deformed armor plate. Liang Lei was using a laser cutter to work on a jammed driveshaft. Sparks flew everywhere.

"The circuit issues are worse than we thought," said Luo Yang, approaching with a detector in hand. The fault lines unfolded into a red web in the air. "D*mn, it’s lucky we got out of the Abyss. If a Monster Tide hits again, we won’t even be able to launch the weapon bay. Over half of the Arc Pulse Resonators are already fried."

"Just fix what you can. Noisy City doesn’t have a single working loading line, and we’ve got zero maintenance bots or materials," Old Mo wiped his sweat. "Handle what’s doable first. Captain Lin can negotiate the rest with Noisy City."

Inside a carriage, Li Yi was leading a team to tidy up fallen storage cabinets. Items had scattered during the maglev leap. Outside Carriage No. 10, the deck was crowded—most of the kids were out enjoying free time, marveling at the dazzling mechanical city.

"Wow! That’s a spaceship!"

"That city can fly…"

"Look at those cannons—won’t they be fine even if monsters show up?"

"You guys used to live there?"

"Not sure, but Mama Li Yi said we go wherever Brother Lin goes!"

"Brother Lin is amazing! Right, Dr. Ding?" A little girl standing at the edge turned to Chen Sixuan, dressed in her white coat.

Chen Sixuan, for once, had put her work aside. She stood among the children, gazing at the neon brilliance behind them. With hands in her pockets and a serious expression, holographic trails slid across her glasses.

"Director Ding, it’s rare to see you relaxing on board," said Xiao Lou, who had been assigned by Xilan City to guard the children. Sitting nearby on a bench, she noticed Chen Sixuan in a daze and couldn’t help but comment.

Gong Shuangyan gave a slight nod. “Xiao Yuan told me to take a break.”

Then she looked into the distance and sighed, “Humans… so small, yet so resilient.”

Inside Carriage No. 4, Xiao Yuan was wiping up spilled water in the planting cabin. Most of the young people like Lü Chang, Lolo, and Amin had gone off to explore Silent City. Since Xiao Yuan worked under Ding Junyi and handled logistics, she stayed behind. After finishing up, she instinctively checked on the kids. A soft smile crept up on her flushed face.

Barefoot, she gently traced the transparent wall of the hydroponics chamber. Inside, lettuce seedlings unfurled their tender green leaves, their roots swaying slightly in the pale blue nutrient solution. She carefully examined every data screen, recording humidity, lighting, and growth status.

[Sector B-7 Lettuce, Day 3 of growth cycle, 22% wilt rate due to Abyss instability. Suggest early harvest for consumption.] came Grace’s calm, clinical voice.

"Got it." Xiao Yuan quickly marked it on her tablet, then bent down to check the tomato seedlings.

[Tomatoes unaffected, but blooming delayed by 1.3 days.] Grace added, “Likely due to physical damage during maglev transition, affecting pollination.”

Xiao Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled unconsciously. “Thank goodness. These are Captain Lin’s treasures…”

Grace turned her sensors to Xiao Yuan. Her voice suddenly had a curious undertone: "Based on your heart rate, pupil dilation, and micro-expressions when mentioning Lin Xian, there is an 87.6% probability you’re experiencing 'affection.'”

Xiao Yuan’s hand jerked, nearly spilling the nutrient fluid.

“T-That’s totally normal!” she stammered, cheeks turning red. “Humans are bound to like their companions…”

["From a biological standpoint, 'liking' is a result of hormones and neurotransmitters. Dopamine triggers pleasure; oxytocin fosters attachment. These are mechanisms evolved to promote mating."]

Xiao Yuan clutched her tablet tighter, shot a flustered glance around the carriage, then hissed, “It’s not some cold biological instinct!”

["You've mentioned 'Captain Lin' 37 times in our conversations—more than any other subject. I infer he occupies over 50% of your emotional focus, possibly surpassing self-reference."]

“That’s because he’s our leader! He’s saved us more times than I can count!” she argued weakly.

["Such devotion aligns with the survival instinct to attach to strong protectors. Providing emotional value to him could enhance his attention toward you and boost your own survival chances. You might consider being more proactive."]

Xiao Yuan fell silent, then muttered while fussing with the plant trays, “Grace, you just don’t get it. When he says ‘this lettuce is fresh,’ I can be happy the whole day.” She tapped the glass softly. “It’s not about ‘mating instinct.’ It’s ‘I want to make him happy.’ It makes me feel like I belong—like I’m helping the group survive.”

["That’s a fascinating emotional expression. May I interpret this as emotional loyalty?"]

Xiao Yuan gave a faint smile but didn’t reply.

Just then, the carriage door slid open. Lin Xian and KIKI entered, striding down the hallway.

“Grace, deploy a communications link with Silent City’s cloud sector. Ensure everyone stays connected.”

[Understood.]

“C-Captain Lin.” Xiao Yuan spoke nervously as he approached. “Some of the crops had to be harvested early. Director Ding said we need more diverse seed types.”

“Perfect timing. We’ll make vegetable soup.” Lin Xian smiled, picked up a tomato from her basket, wiped it on his sleeve, and took a bite.

Slightly under-ripe, but still sweet and tangy.

Xiao Yuan nodded and smiled.

Afterward, Lin Xian walked toward Carriage 13, the munitions car, to begin assembling drones. KIKI, casting a meaningful glance toward a distant carriage, teased him:

"Hey, Xiao Yuan’s totally into you. Don’t tell me you’re pretending not to notice?"

Lin Xian looked serious. "Sounds like you want me to respond to that."

KIKI rolled her eyes. "I’m just saying, don’t ignore that girl’s feelings. Back in Xilan City, she risked her life to distract that monster for you."

As he activated the mechanical systems, a burst of light illuminated Lin Xian’s hands. Materials floated into the air, assembling autonomously into components.

"So what I can do," Lin Xian replied, "is use every second to get stronger, build weapons, upgrade the train—do something that’ll help everyone survive longer." He glanced at KIKI, a helpless smile tugging at his lips. "There’s less than a year left before the end of the world. No time for sweet talk, better to do something useful."

"Smooth talker~" KIKI rolled her eyes at him but watched as he started assembling the drones. "Then why not ask Moonlight Shinji to send you a batch of drones? Why waste time building them one by one?"

"I will—when I need to."

Lin Xian didn’t bother explaining that every use of his ability contributed to his skill points. Now that he had acquired all these blueprints, only building things himself would raise his Mechanical Engineering proficiency. With the crisis momentarily behind him, this was the perfect chance to train. The higher his level, the faster and more efficiently he could create, at larger scales too—that was the real priority.

He’d also contacted Moonlight Shinji to acquire old vehicles and scrap machines for Mechanical Devour, aiming to upgrade his Mechanical Heart ability.

Moonlight Shinji, to Lin Xian’s surprise, showed great interest and promised to deliver valuable mechanical equipment.

The devouring part, however, was a secret known only to Lin Xian. That’s why he rushed back and immediately began by crafting a few builder and maintenance drones as practice.

KIKI, seeing him get to work, pulled out a Mobile Terminal and connected a Photon Storage Module. Instantly, thousands of densely packed blueprint schematics filled the screen, leaving her wide-eyed.

“Holy sh*t… not just weapons and drones—even all of Silent City’s mechanical systems, integration modules—it’s all here.” She looked up at Lin Xian. “Moonlight Shinji basically gave you the entire city!”

Lin Xian let out a long breath, eyes thoughtful. “Honestly, under these apocalyptic conditions, none of this really holds value anymore. Only a few large organizations still have manufacturing capacity, and there's no market competition. So to them… this only matters in my hands.”

KIKI nodded, then laughed. “You’re right. Even if someone leaked top-secret weapon blueprints, who’s gonna believe a random convoy survivor can handcraft an electromagnetic cannon? You’re the exception.”

“Exactly. For Moonlight Shinji, it’s no real loss. He’s a smart guy.”

His generosity had helped Lin Xian in a crucial way—unlocking the Blueprint Library. The massive collection of weapon and system designs could theoretically let him build a small starship.

That is, if he actually could.

That’s why Lin Xian needed to level up his mechanical engineering fast. Besides improving efficiency, he hoped that through the R& D Center, his Mechanical Heart might one day surpass human technological limits and forge something truly revolutionary.

Clank—clank—clank!

A mass of precise materials clicked into place. A construction drone—Builder Ant-7—slowly took shape. Once complete, it would handle 3D metal printing. Lin Xian wouldn’t need to personally handle tasks like armor plating or rail fabrication anymore.

“Hey, Little One.”

“Hmm?”

He looked at KIKI. “Your ability’s probably hit Destruction-level, hasn’t it?”

KIKI blinked, then raised her hand. A brand-new Soul Wave Peak Detector dropped into her palm. She activated her ability, and a fierce energy pulse flashed across the scanner. The numbers flickered wildly before settling:

1980!

“If we multiply that by the Phoenix Society’s scaling factor, it’s around 3168. Definitely hit Destruction-level.” She set down the device. “That’s a thousand points higher than when we tested Mo Xiaotian last time.”

It had only been ten days since then. Her power spike was thanks to the battles in Xilan, the Extreme Night in Yijin City, and the encounter in Baicheng Abyss.

Yet despite the boost, KIKI didn’t seem happy. She sighed:

“My power’s grown… but we’re less safe than ever.”

She hugged her knees next to Xiao Yuan and muttered, “The monsters keep getting worse. It’s not like before, when the red centipedes and white giants were still ‘manageable.’ Now… there’s stuff like corpse shepherds, wave demons, even world-level threats. A-class and S-class enemies feel impossible. And he said it before—monsters are evolving too...”

Xiao Yuan noticed KIKI’s gloom. She knew those relentless battles had shaken the fearless White Night Cool Girl. KIKI had once tested as weak among the team. Yet in Xilan, Yijin, and the Abyss, she’d faced enemies she couldn’t hope to fight back against. It crushed her confidence. Even with her power now surging, she no longer carried the same fearless energy from when she first gained flight.

Seeing her like this, Lin Xian’s mechanical eyes glowed softly. He snapped his fingers at her. KIKI looked up.

“What?”

“Need a recharge?”

KIKI glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, she floated over and dropped into Lin Xian’s lap like a koala, arms wrapped around him.

She’d done this often when exhausted, calling it her "charging time." Lin Xian never really knew how to deal with it. Seeing her so down today, he decided to offer it himself.

Since arriving in Silent City, Lin Xian was the only one who’d gotten a full rest. KIKI, Chen Sixuan, and the others had been going nonstop. They didn’t use Blink Bullets or observe the Fish-Lion Colossus, so they had more stamina than Lin Xian, but still—days without sleep had worn her down. For once, she didn’t tease or banter, just nestled quietly in his arms.

And in that moment, Lin Xian finally understood what Moonlight Shinji meant—whether it’s Silent City, Dawn City, or Phoenix Society—the closer one gets to the truth of the Abyss, the clearer it becomes how slim humanity’s chances truly are.

Most survivors, however, didn’t know that. Or maybe they were still holding onto that last 1 year and 96 days of hope.

It was a desperate hope—but it was enough. So long as Phoenix Society led the way, the survivors wouldn’t give up.

Breathing in the faint scent of fruity candy on the girl in his arms, Lin Xian whispered:

“The monsters aren’t evolving faster than us. At least D- and C-grade ones barely pose a threat now. What’s uncertain is: where does our power cap out? And we’re learning more about the Darkness itself. If things go well—even if we can’t break through the Sky Veil—we might survive in the Polar Night if we hit 50% purification.”

KIKI suddenly raised her head—eye to eye, nose to nose with him.

“Lin Xian, why do you think Dawn City dares to claim a 95% purification rate?”

“What do you mean?” Lin Xian noticed her tone shift. “You’ve got a theory?”

“I mean… it’s such an obvious lie. You think all 600,000 people inside believe it? They can’t be that gullible, right? Especially since information inside and outside the city isn’t totally locked down.”

Lin Xian thought for a moment, then sighed. “I asked Moonlight Shinji the same thing. He didn’t answer directly. Right now it’s night, so Silent City’s communication is isolated. But once dawn hits, we’ll start receiving intel. Give it a few hours, and we’ll know the truth about Jinhai and Dawn City.”

KIKI snuggled back into his chest. “Goodnight.”

“Don’t drool,” Lin Xian warned.

“I’ll bite you!” KIKI growled and sank her teeth into his neck.