Armed Train in the Apocalypse

Chapter 78: Chapter 77: What Price Should You Pay?

The man’s face suddenly showed a peculiar expression, ”Do you know what kind of operation our convoy runs on?”

”At the very least, it’s more free than on the train, right?”

”Very free. When danger comes, everyone relies on their own skills to escape. Whoever runs slow gets eaten by zombies, and the rest can run further.”

”But you don’t get exploited, right?”

”Are you talking about the resources?”

”Yes, you don’t have to get off the car to gather resources every time, right?”

”If we don’t gather resources, where do you think our food and drinks come from? Or do you think they are sent by zombies?”

The man cracked a cold joke, but no one could laugh.

”As for exploitation... initially, that person said it was Mojiang People’s mutual aid, putting the food on his truck, large carrying capacity, and could be distributed to those without food, but later only those who listened to him got food, others still had to fend for themselves.”

”Damn! None of these leaders is any good.”

”Then why are you still with them? You all have cars, why not run on your own?”

The man gave a mocking smile, the darkness concealing his expression, ”Why don’t you leave the train?”

One of the passengers opened their mouth to speak, but seemed to choke up.

”... Our situation is different.”

The man tapped the thick floor beneath him with an empty bottle, his voice echoing in the carriage, ”What’s different? No matter how bad the situation on the train for passengers, everyone has something to eat and drink and a safe place to sleep. If you leave the train, can you be sure you’ll survive?”

”If we leave the convoy and encounter another zombie horde, or those mutant wolf packs, who’s going to be sacrificed...”

The clattering sounds interrupted the discussion in the carriage.

The man surrounded in the middle felt the train begin to move and looked out into the darkness. For the first time since the apocalypse, he felt a sense of security.

This was a feeling completely different from being in a stationary shelter or a thin-skinned vehicle.

Staying at home was safe, but watching the world outside gradually collapse always brought a feeling of being abandoned by the world.

Being in the car, fleeing, was nerve-wracking, but at least now it was moving again.

As long as it moves, there’s hope.

...

In the dining car, Yu Yue absentmindedly cleaned up the kitchen.

Unknowingly, she had put away all the utensils, wiped off the remaining bread crumbs from the counter, closed the cover of the oven, hung her apron on the side hook, and turned off the dining car light.

The only sound in the carriage was the muffled clash of wheels against the tracks, slow and prolonged, matching the rhythm of her heartbeat.

Standing in the corridor, she glanced toward car number 3.

The light inside was still on, Wan Xing usually busied herself until late, her daughter should be checking the water purifier on the second level now.

Then she looked toward the direction of car number 1, dark, not even a night light.

It felt as if something terrifying was waiting for her.

’He was so tired today, maybe he fell asleep...’

She stood in the darkness for a long time, nervously twisting her fingers.

After a moment of hesitation, she decided to use her ability to listen in slightly, the room was very quiet, only a steady breathing sound, and perhaps the slight ripple of liquid moving.

Could it be he fell asleep while soaking in the bath?

Remembering the scene from that night, a hint of hesitation appeared in Yu Yue’s almond-shaped eyes.

Or maybe...

Go take a look, if he’s asleep she would just quietly slip away?

She picked up a wooden tray with a bottle of whiskey and a glass filled with ice cubes on it.

This was her second tactic.

If all else failed, get him drunk!

The woman approached Su Huan’s door, peeked her head through the half-closed door, stealthily peeking into the room.

A desk lamp illuminated only a small area on the table.

The bedding she had folded on the bed was still untouched, so that only left the bathroom.

A conflicted expression emerged on her face.

...

Su Huan put aside the diary he had just finished writing, feeling a surge of pan-energy wave sweep through his room.

Since advancing to Tier One, using the skill of pan-energy sensing hardly consumed any of his massive energy reserves.

He kept it on as long as he was conscious.

Though it only covered a radius of one meter, it served as an alert.

He didn’t expect to catch her so quickly.

Su Huan squinted his eyes, didn’t he warn her just a few days ago?

Silently he got out of the bathtub, walked to the half-closed door without a stitch of clothing, and watched as a small head stretched in right beneath his nose, her hair tied up behind exposing bright red earlobes.

With the faint light, he could see the tiny hairs on her ear standing up.

”Brother Su, are you asleep?”

The voice was very small, with a hard-to-detect tremor.

Su Huan leaned closer to her ear and responded in a quiet breathy voice, ”Not asleep, didn’t you hear me?”

”Just... just heard.”

Yu Yue swallowed lightly, feeling something was wrong as soon as she stuck her head in, subconsciously using her ability to listen to the surrounding sounds.

Realizing the man’s powerful heartbeat was right behind her, she nearly died from fright.

”Oh, so you did listen.”

With the man’s dark voice, Yu Yue felt as if some cold-blooded animal was climbing up her body from her waist, the chill lingering around her, but since it didn’t strike, it was like fearing the sword of Damocles, her body instinctively fearing the point of the serpent’s strike.

She dared not move a muscle in this bizarre posture.

The serpent seemed to be circling, locking onto the tenderest spot.

After a moment, a sharp pain stabbed her chest.

The woman trembled slightly, not uttering a sound.

Su Huan rested his chin on the woman’s shoulder, asked softly, ”Why don’t you ever learn your lesson?”

”... I was wrong, I won’t dare next time.”

The woman’s apology was swift, her tone sincere and soft.

Facing away from Su Huan, and not daring to use her ability, she couldn’t see Su Huan’s expression, or even tell if he was genuinely angry.

Even though her chest throbbed with pain, it couldn’t suppress the fear in her heart.

He casually pulled the woman closer, wringing an arm around her waist, letting the other hand fall into the () in.

His arm exerted force, wrapping around her.

Feeling the slight spill of fat and muscle, and even the slender skeleton wrapped inside the torso, Su Huan’s mouth curled into a smile, his teeth gently biting the woman’s earlobe, a very subtle laugh escaping from his throat.

”Tell me, what price should you pay to earn my forgiveness?”

...

Yu Jing tossed the wrench aside, looked at her watch, and raised a slender brow, ”An hour isn’t too bad...”

Turning to head downstairs, the first level was already crowded with massive wolf corpses, Wan Xing sitting there with closed eyes extracting pan-energy crystals.

Yu Jing didn’t disturb her, turning to glance at the dining car, pitch black.

Presumably, mother had already returned to her room to rest.

’Perhaps now would be a good time to help the train captain vent his anger?’