Roadblock

The train left Jiang City's main station and rolled out of the city. Only then did the surroundings gradually fall quiet, with nothing but the soft hum of the rails echoing around them.

Lin Xian looked up. The enormous cloud mass above Jiang City hung motionless in the sky, unsettling him every time he saw it. Many people had seen it, and there was certainly some kind of airborne creature inside, something far more terrifying than Zombies or Aberrant Entities.

But no one knew what it was. Humans could only hole up in fortresses or flee in panic. Who would dare investigate the true form of a creature capable of ending the world?

Beyond the city, the scenery gave way to mountains and fields. With less bloodshed, devastation, and smoke around them, it almost felt as though they had escaped the apocalypse.

Lin Xian had assumed they would hardly see another person along the way.

To his surprise, cars began appearing on a dirt road beside the railway. Most were off-road Jeeps. The few sedans among them were caked in mud, loaded with possessions, and speeding along.

When a train passed beside them, the window of one off-road vehicle rolled down. A middle-aged man stuck his head out and shouted,

"Holy shit, a train!"

"That's badass!"

Another Jeep, covered in painted designs, opened its roof hatch. A young man with a buzz cut climbed out holding an AK and fired a burst into the air. Rat-a-tat-tat!

"Hey!"

"You on the train! Got any food or water? Want to join our Oasis convoy?!"

The young man shouted at the train, but Lin Xian, in the cab, ignored him and stayed focused on operating it.

"Fuck."

Getting no answer, the buzz-cut young man cursed under his breath and sat back down.

"Brother Yong, should we tell Big Brother Liu Wei up ahead?" Huang Mao asked from the front passenger seat.

Zhang Dayong looked unimpressed. "What for? So we can all switch to the train?"

Huang Mao stared at him. "Brother Yong. The fuel."

Only then did Zhang Dayong catch on. He slapped his thigh and spat.

"Holy shit, you're right!!"

A working train could have thousands of liters of fuel. Even if it had only a few hundred, that would keep their convoy going for a day or two.

He immediately picked up his walkie-talkie.

"Brother Wei, Brother Wei, there's a big one heading down the Jiangyu Line. A train. I reckon it's carrying plenty of fuel."

"Hm? A train?" A hoarse voice came over the walkie-talkie. He sounded interested.

"Yeah. I'd say it'll reach Yushan in ten or fifteen minutes. What do you think...?"

"I'll stop it. Have the second team come around behind."

"You got it!"

A dozen or so kilometers ahead of the convoy, a smaller group of vehicles was racing down the road. At its head was a modified Raptor. Liu Wei sat in the back, his square face set in a fierce scowl, one arm around a heavily made-up young woman.

"Third Brother, take the turnoff up ahead. A big one's coming through Yushan Station."

"Yes, boss!"

Everyone in the convoy took their orders from Liu Wei.

Liu Wei had not been some underworld boss. Before the apocalypse, he had owned a small shop in a market. But after it began, he had unexpectedly awakened as an Esper, and his status had changed overnight.

Seeking his protection, his former friends and relatives had come begging. But he was smart enough to recruit a large group of ruthless, heavily armed men with his ability, then sit back while others scavenged supplies to offer him.

In just a few days, he had gathered more than twenty followers and begun living like a petty king. Even beautiful women from higher social circles who had once looked down on him were throwing themselves at him. Liu Wei's confidence soared, and he spent his nights partying, insufferably pleased with himself.

Now one of his men had reported that there was a big prize still in Jiang City that had not paid him tribute and was trying to slip away right under his nose. How could that not get under his skin? He immediately decided to block its path... After all, he had planned to do exactly that on his way out of Jiang City.

Meanwhile, Lin Xian frowned when he heard Zhang Dayong's rifle fire. As a precaution, he increased their speed a little. With clear rails ahead, the train could travel much faster than vehicles on a dirt road.

"Oasis. We just heard about them on the radio. I think their leader is an Esper too," Chen Sixuan said worriedly after hearing the gunfire.

"I heard. But they're on the road and we're on the rails. If we leave each other alone, we probably won't cross paths."

Hearing Chen Sixuan mention another Esper still worried Lin Xian.

His train plan had many advantages, but its biggest drawback was obvious: it attracted far too much attention. A whole train rumbling along was bound to draw the eyes of other survivors.

"We need to find more teammates, too. If everyone sets their sights on us, it'll be hard to deal with."

Chen Sixuan gave him a surprised glance, then lowered her eyes.

"I read the post you made before. If people don't know about your ability, I think they'll have a hard time believing in your plan."

"I know."

Lin Xian spoke casually. "It's quality that matters in teammates, not quantity. My ability doesn't make me everyone's chauffeur. I'm not letting just anyone aboard. Unless they have something to offer, I'd rather not invite trouble." He glanced at Chen Sixuan and smiled. "And I have to like them, too."

Chen Sixuan's cheeks suddenly warmed. Thinking Lin Xian was flirting with her, she felt awkward.

"That's not what I meant." Lin Xian cleared his throat. "I don't mean looks. I mean their character, their personality..."

His explanation only made Chen Sixuan blush harder. She avoided his gaze and bent over the Logbook, writing something down.

Clack-clack, clack-clack.

The train sped across the open plain.

Just then, Lin Xian's enhanced vision picked out a wrecked sedan lying across the tracks at Yushan Station. It was positioned far too neatly to be an accident. Someone had put it there to stop a passing train.

An ambush!

Lin Xian's expression tightened. "Get to the back! Quick, hold on!" he shouted to Chen Sixuan.

Realizing the danger, Chen Sixuan hurried into Carriage 1. She saw the sleeping girl there and ran over to hold on to her as well.

Behind the pillars on Yushan Station's platform, Liu Wei and several armed men were already lying in wait. Hearing the wheels draw closer, he leaned out for a look. The train showed no sign of slowing down. Furious, he bellowed,

"Open fire! Make that bastard stop!"

At his command, his men stepped out from behind the pillars. Carrying an assortment of rifles and handguns, they poured fire into the cab of the oncoming train without another word.

Bang! Bang! Bang-bang-bang! Bang-bang!

Gunfire erupted. In the cab, Lin Xian gritted his teeth, gripped the handle, and ducked low. But with his mind, he made the train go even faster!

Fuck you. The whole reason I chose a train was so I could smash every last one of you bastards blocking my way to pieces!

Please keep reading my new book!