I'm Not a Kidnapper

Clang, clang.

After the Polar Night, this was the first time the sound of train wheels on tracks echoed through Jiang City.

The commotion of this massive beast naturally stirred the curiosity of some survivors along the railway who had been planning to hole up at home. A few glances came from the roadside, all staring in surprise at the giant locomotive now in motion.

Chen Sixuan wolfed down the bread, then downed half a bottle of water, finally feeling herself return from the brink of death, that bone-chilling cold receding.

She sat quietly for a while, feeling the train glide forward, a desolate sense of having narrowly escaped disaster washing over her.

Coming back to her senses, Chen Sixuan began to examine the steel carriage that gave her such a strong sense of security. The windows were welded shut with thick steel plates, leaving only narrow grille slits through which she could see the outside scenery receding.

All the original passenger seats had been removed, the space converted into a living area. There was a floor mat and a tent on the ground, most of the area left empty for storing supplies, along with the original passenger carriage restroom.

Though a bit cramped and cluttered, it gave off a cozy, secure feeling of having everything needed.

Chen Sixuan looked back and saw that Carriage 2 was completely empty, with some unknown supplies stored in waterproof bags. Then her mouth fell open, shock spreading across her face.

She spotted a girl with her hands and feet bound, lying in the corner of Carriage 2, eyes closed, her condition unknown.

Chen Sixuan quickly covered her mouth in fright. She had no idea what was going on and wondered if Lin Xian had kidnapped this woman.

But she couldn't figure out what value a little girl would have in this environment.

Could it be...

Her mind wandered into wild speculation, unaware that Lin Xian had already entered the carriage.

"Teacher Chen."

"Ah!" Startled, Chen Sixuan turned around in panic, only to see Lin Xian speaking calmly.

"Feeling better?"

"She... who is she?" Chen Sixuan asked hesitantly, her heart full of doubt.

Lin Xian glanced toward Carriage 2. "I don't know who she is either. She suddenly showed up at my door, begged me to save her, then passed out and hasn't woken up. To be safe, I had to tie her hands and feet."

Chen Sixuan let out a long sigh of relief and couldn't help but laugh at herself.

She was the one who had begged to get on Lin Xian's train. Whatever fate awaited her, it was her own choice—what was there to worry about...

"So, are we heading out of the city now?"

"Not yet."

Lin Xian said, "I still need to gather some essential supplies, and I also need to test the train's performance. There are still four days of Polar Night left; we should have enough time."

Chen Sixuan looked at Lin Xian, her gaze filled with courage. "Then what do you need me to help you with?"

Since they would be facing the storm together from now on, Chen Sixuan felt she had to prove her worth, not just be a decoration.

"I do."

Lin Xian pulled out a Logbook from the Cockpit and tossed it to her. "I'll drive; you record the daily route, mileage, stops, and train condition. We don't yet know the pattern or coverage of the Tide of Darkness, so we need to calculate the daily sunrise changes as we escape. This is crucial—if we get the direction wrong, we might never escape the Polar Night."

Chen Sixuan nodded solemnly. "Okay, I understand. I can handle that."

"Also..." Lin Xian scanned the carriage. "For now, it's just the two of us, so I need you to inventory and manage the supplies, and keep an eye on that girl."

Chen Sixuan looked back at the sleeping girl, surprised. "You don't need me to get off and search for supplies with you?"

In other words, were you really that comfortable leaving her alone on the train?

Lin Xian smiled faintly. "Didn't I just say? For now, it's just the two of us. If we both get off, who's going to guard the train?"

Lin Xian caught the implication in Chen Sixuan's words, but he didn't call her out on it.

Because the train's fuel tank was completely empty—no experienced driver could get it moving. And Lin Xian wasn't worried about someone locking him out either; he was fully confident in that. Not mentioning it outright was also a test.

In the apocalypse, even someone who once seemed as kind and beautiful as Teacher Chen couldn't be fully trusted.

But at the start, he had to show some trust on the surface.

"I understand." Chen Sixuan hadn't expected Lin Xian to trust her so much. A strange sense of gratitude welled up inside her, giving her a feeling of a man working outside and a woman managing the home. Realizing he was her student, a hint of awkward sweetness crept into her heart.

Clang, clang.

The "Infinite" crawled along Jiang City's Urban Light Rail at a very low speed. Lin Xian followed the map, planning to proceed along Line 3, while keeping a close watch on the road ahead.

Devour successful, Mechanical Origin Points +1, Mechanical Devour skill proficiency +1, bonus reward: your defense increases by 1.

Current Mechanical Heart Level LV.1 177/500

Tip: Upgrading Mechanical Heart grants Special Skills rewards. Reaching Mechanical Heart LV3, LV6, LV9 unlocks mysterious awakenings.

Basic Attributes

Strength: LV1 22/50

Speed: LV0 28/30

Defense: LV0 16/30

Current Basic Skills

Mechanical Devour LV.1 266/300

Mechanical Manufacturing LV.1 112/300

Mechanical Scan (Passive)

Mechanical Repair (Passive)

Mechanical Operation (Passive)

Special Skills

Wind Cannon LV.1 3/100

Inside the cockpit, Lin Xian began devouring the small appliances he'd brought from Chen Sixuan's house one by one. The journey was about to begin, and he had to stay focused at all times, seizing every chance to boost his strength.

Devour successful, Mechanical Origin Points +1, Mechanical Devour skill proficiency +1.

Devour successful, Mechanical Origin Points +2, Mechanical Devour skill proficiency +1.

Current Mechanical Heart Level LV.1 180/500

Mechanical Devour LV.1 268/300

"Still too slow..."

Watching the pink bear-shaped blender crumble into a pile of ash in his hand, Lin Xian sighed inwardly. If he had enough time to devour a car or even a train, he might gain dozens or even hundreds of Mechanical Origin Points in one go.

And with the experience from the hairdryer earlier, he was starting to wonder if he might get other special skills from devouring.

This was way too overpowered.

His Mechanical Heart system could not only operate machinery and drive trains at full speed, but also directly manufacture machines—basically a creation mode. In an apocalypse where the entire human industrial system had collapsed, this was unstoppable.

Most importantly, this skill could help him raise his stats and gain other abilities.

Compared to those superpowers, its potential seemed far greater.

New book, please keep reading!