Strong Medicine

Some said the Twelve Calamities were a potent drug that spurred evolution.

Of course, others said there were sixteen.

The madmen of the Machine Cult had always preached that Pan-Energy was energy leaked from the Pandora Inkbox, Evolutionists were the chosen ones blessed by God, and machines were arks that carried people's flesh and blood.

Those who dabbled in the forbidden vehemently denounced this theory, crying that steel was rotten and flesh and blood sang.

But to an ordinary person like Su Huan in the apocalypse, this was nothing but a massacre that made him tremble.

It had taken him a month to escape the heat, but three years to barely escape the acid rain.

Yet before he could catch his breath, he was swallowed by the flood that followed.

To this day, he still clearly remembered the burning sensation as the rising floodwater ate away at his skin and flesh.

Rainwater poured into his nose, pain gripped every nerve, and despair left him nowhere to hide and nowhere to run.

But he was luckier than most people: he had been reborn.

Unfortunately, if he didn't plan carefully, he might have to experience it all again.

According to Su Huan's predictions, his Armed Train would need to reach Phase Three before it was even remotely capable of protecting itself.

Phase One: reasonably sturdy physical defenses, a freshwater circulation system, supplies, a small team that followed orders like an extension of its leader's arm, and a large labor force.

Phase Two: a defense system capable of withstanding multiple natural disasters, a closed cycle for both freshwater and food, basic weapons, an Evolutionist squad, and a train society with clearly defined classes.

Phase Three: a dynamic defense system, a resource circulation system, an energy recovery system, powerful weapons, rudimentary research capabilities, an Evolutionist team, and a train society.

He needed not only to survive, but also to use the memories of his previous life to secure resources and talent ahead of time amid these disasters.

Only then could he create a snowball effect and turn the Armed Train into an apocalyptic powerhouse like Deep Blue Data.

So time was short. Until now, he had done his best to keep the train out of the city.

He simply didn't want to waste time on people who were about to be weeded out.

But now, this conflict seemed inevitable.

The sun set, and darkness swallowed the carriage. Only where Su Huan sat did a pair of eyes glow faintly.

"I hope they're smart enough to accept my deal."

He took out his personal log and pulled a black pen from the holder on the desk. First, he wrote a calendar in the log, then crossed out the dates one by one.

The pen's scratching sounded like a sharp blade, swift and decisive.

4:15 a.m.

Su Huan slowly opened his eyes. He didn't turn on the light, but waited until his eyes had adjusted to the dark before quietly sitting up in bed.

He lifted one corner of the curtain and stared gravely out the window.

A faint mist seeped in through the gaps in the window. Countless invisible raindrops slipped through the protective mesh and pattered against the inner steel plate.

The window beside his bed had been smashed last time. Since he had no replacement, he had simply left it open and welded a steel plate on the inside that could be opened.

The plate had two settings: fully open, or pulled by its handle into a shutter-like position, allowing people inside to observe the outside.

With the steel plate and protective mesh in place, nothing could get in.

Once he had the means, he could add a sheet of tempered glass.

After observing for a long while, Su Huan detected no pungent odors or strange sounds.

Only then did he cautiously open the steel plate and reach outside.

The damp, stifling air rushed into the carriage, and even the rain felt warm.

Feeling the moisture on his palm, Su Huan held it beneath his nose and sniffed. Only after confirming it was ordinary rainwater did he relax.

Heat surged in his hand, instantly evaporating every raindrop.

Su Huan stood by the window for ten minutes before closing the steel plate. It was as if the boundless darkness held an irresistible allure for him.

He quietly opened the door and walked along the corridor, from the front of the train to Carriage Seven. He stopped in each carriage for about five minutes, letting Pan-Energy Perception cover every corner.

Including the compartments occupied by Qi Xiaoba and the others.

Of course, he wasn't checking how well they were sleeping. This was simply how he eliminated potential threats.

He didn't like having anything on his train that he didn't know about.

Suddenly, some subtle changes outside the train caught his attention.

It was now exactly 5:00 a.m. He decided to write in his log first.

"December 20, early winter, 29°C—"

"A train conductor never runs out of things to worry about."

—"Conductor's Log"

The train lay quietly on the tracks. Several electric cars were stopped on the road in the direction of the Water Plant.

A group of people got out, carrying long knives and clubs. Looking jumpy, they tramped through the mud and approached the train.

If the clouds hadn't blocked the moonlight, the security uniforms they wore would have been visible.

"Damn it, it's raining." The man at the head of the group had Slanted Eyes and a high-bridged nose, giving him a rather sinister look.

"If we can take that train, we won't have to get rained on anymore."

The burly man beside him spoke.

It was none other than Brother Dog, who had been lucky enough to survive the previous night!

"If we really get it, you'll be my sworn brother, Brother Dog. But if..." Slanted Eyes gave a hollow chuckle, leaving the rest unsaid.

Brother Dog's face darkened, but he didn't argue.

Little Ghost was dead, and five of the men who followed him had died in a single night!

The people he'd bullied in the past now looked at him as if they wanted to eat him alive.

Without those men, he didn't dare close his eyes on the train.

So he'd decided to go all in and not return at all.

But he couldn't stop thinking about Su Huan's Armed Train. A sturdy fortress that could move, carried plenty of supplies, and could withstand a zombie horde—it was practically a paradise in the apocalypse.

So he decided to take a gamble and got in touch with Star Property Management at the Water Plant to work with them.

He would lead the way, and they would bring the men. Together, they would take the Armed Train under cover of night!

"As long as you can open the train door, we'll be sworn brothers for sure," Brother Dog said quietly.

"Lao San, he's talking about you!"

Slanted Eyes turned to look at a scrawny, rat-faced man. The man was holding a police baton and wore his security cap crookedly. At the sound of his name, he hurried forward a few steps.

He glanced at Brother Dog, then grinned obsequiously. "Boss Hu, you know how good I am at picking locks. Old Wang's wife changed the locks six times, and I still got in every time, didn't I?"

Seeing how confident his brother was, Slanted Eyes looked pleased too. "Don't boast. If you can't get in, I'll yank your blue string right out!"

"Hey, isn't it right there?"

The scrawny man pointed at the Steel Dragon on the tracks ahead.

The group looked up. Nearly five meters tall, the train's silhouette loomed in and out of sight through the rain. Its black steel armor radiated an imposing air.

Just looking at it filled them with a sense of security.

Slanted Eyes' gaze lit up. "What a beauty. Now that's a real beauty!"