Armed Train in the Apocalypse

It’s truly a pity.

Seeing Su Huan’s increasingly dangerous look, Ma Hongyu hurriedly said, ”This kind of moss is the nemesis of the Fungus Carpet. It’s precisely because of the presence of moss that the Spore Zone is limited in range, only a hundred kilometers wide over the span of a year.”

”It also has life?”

Ma Hongyu shook his head like a rattle, ”No, the only life in the Spore Zone is mushrooms, which are the only intelligent species.”

Upon hearing this, the scholars’ spirits instantly lifted, even Yu Jing, who was scribbling at the table, looked up.

Vice President Deng was the first to question, ”Although the Ghost Umbrella Mushroom displays a high degree of organizational ability, what makes you think they are an intelligent species?”

Although Zhou Qing, Luo Jingyi, and others said nothing, the same doubt was evident in their eyes.

Su Huan suddenly realized that this group of gentle scholars was so focused on this issue, perhaps even more so than the imminent ”digestive period.”

Ma Hongyu raised both hands and said solemnly, ”Maybe I’m not being precise, but mushrooms should be the most promising candidates for intelligence advancement in the Spore Zone.”

Director Xu: ”Do they have basic cognitive abilities?”

Wang Duoyu: ”Indeed, they have divisions of labor in combat, but that doesn’t mean they’re social. Ants also have systems of cooperation. The real test of intelligence is whether they can perform technological iterations, isn’t it?”

Zhou Qing: ”The most crucial factor is cultural transmission; whether cultural iteration is possible is the key point.”

Professor Ma: ”I’ve heard they make a kind of guji sound when fighting. Have they already formed a language?”

”...”

The overlapping voices created a slightly chaotic atmosphere.

Director Xu cleared his throat twice, but on this issue, everyone showed astonishing academic enthusiasm, persistently questioning Ma Hongyu.

This left the old man with a blackened face.

Only when Su Huan tapped the table lightly did everyone fall silent, still fixing their eyes on Ma Hongyu, hoping he could provide sufficient evidence.

Ma Hongyu said, ”My evidence is not complete, so I’ll say it piece by piece. First, mushrooms indeed have a language—this was summarized by Principal Qin He and Professor Tang Xiaolin. The reason we find mushroom language simple is that it is only a supplementary language. Mushrooms primarily communicate through their Fungus Carpet, and the guji language is used outside the Fungus Carpet.”

”As for division of labor, they will nurture different mushrooms, but this doesn’t prove anything. The real evidence might require consulting the train conductor.”

Ma Hongyu revealed a mysterious smile.

The scholars looked at Su Huan in confusion.

Su Huan gave him a deep look and said to Bai Lu beside him, ”Go and open the door.”

If this was spoken to anyone else, there might be a moment of hesitation, but Bai Lu opened the door without a second thought.

The brows of everyone furrowed instantly, as lethal spores were present outside.

At this moment, a large clump of mycelium, the size of a soccer ball, separated from the Fungus Carpet at the doorway, rolled inside, quickly expanding and then spreading across the floor.

The crowd was somewhat puzzled, but seeing the train conductor unfazed, they could only sit calmly.

Letting the mycelium pass beneath their feet.

Tan Yunxi and the mongoose exhibited the most exaggerated reactions, behaving like frightened cats and dogs.

The mongoose crouched on the back of a chair, feeling it wasn’t safe. It stepped onto Qu Hang’s shoulder, leaping onto the ceiling, refusing to come down, its round eyes contracting into a narrow line.

Tan Yunxi first jumped into Su Huan’s arms, but upon being removed, she still unconsciously climbed upwards—though she lacked the ability to climb the ceiling—only managing to press down on the conductor’s shoulder with both hands, her feet dangling, in a shock-stricken state.

The entire dining car floor was covered with a thin layer of Fungus Carpet.

”I apologize for appearing in this manner, but it’s the only way I can establish connection with everyone.”

A neutral voice line subsequently appeared in everyone’s mind.

This was the result after Su Huan’s warning.

The scholars’ expressions drastically changed as they looked at each other, all revealing the same meaning in their eyes, ”Intelligent life!”

”Useless.”

Su Huan frowned and pulled Tan Yunxi down, handing her to Yu Yue, then stomped his foot; a flash of electricity surged over the mongoose on the ceiling, causing it to fall stiffly.

Then he said, ”This is the Fungus Carpet of the Ghost Umbrella Mushroom, enlightened by a stone, it gained life.”

Then looking at Ma Hongyu, ”Their current level of intelligence wouldn’t be unrelated to you, right?”

Ma Hongyu smiled bitterly, ”Indeed, it’s because of me. The manpower and resources I brought initially have all contributed to these mushrooms. Their intelligence and civilization are built upon our foundation.”

The crowd was enlightened but looked at the Fungus Carpet beneath them more solemnly.

The ability to quickly learn human knowledge—such a creature’s growth speed would only become more terrifying.

”But our research into human knowledge hasn’t even reached one ten-thousandth, and what I obtained is even less, only parts related to language,” the Fungus Carpet supplemented.

This was also the reason Ma Hongyu wasn’t too surprised upon seeing the Fungus Carpet; the expansion of the Spore Zone owed partially to him.

Su Huan clarified Ma Hongyu’s background and got to the point, ”So, what’s this cooperation you mentioned?”

Ma Hongyu scratched his head, ”Aren’t you worried about the digestive period? If we continue chatting, it’ll be dark soon, and the digestive period of the Big Fungus Carpet might erupt at any moment. You definitely wouldn’t want to face that scene.”

Lin Jin and others, thinking about this matter, suddenly felt a tightness in their hearts but looked at Su Huan’s calm face and felt reassured.

The digestive period and Fungus Carpet uprising are indeed terrifying.

But in the face of the train conductor’s nuclear bomb crafting skills, it seems less daunting.

What of the digestive period?

Can it cause earth fissures?

Can it bring about the collapse of heaven?

Yet, the train conductor knows how to explode...

A trace of impatience flashed in Su Huan’s narrow eyes, ”You have one last chance to answer my question.”

”As long as you can take me back to the base, you can take all the supplies and data inside.”

Su Huan stood up, saying indifferently, ”Not interested. In light of your information, I can offer you train exchange.”

Ma Hongyu gritted his teeth and said, ”The base contains the most fundamental secret of the apocalypse!”

Su Huan, about to leave, suddenly turned his head, the fearsome aura pressing everyone’s hearts’ pause.

”Location.”

...

The train slowly started moving, with armies of Ghost Umbrella Mushrooms jumping and keeping pace, serving as guards.

The Fungus Carpet was tucked away into Director Xu’s laboratory.

The mist and vapor in the Mushroom Forest became denser, nearly obscuring everything three meters ahead.

On top of the train, Lin Jin hesitated and said, ”The Fungus Carpet here is different from before, tougher, more fire-resistant, and its effectiveness further declines in such humidity. Why not call Zhong You to help draw it out?”

”No worries, this is physical damage,” Su Huan chuckled softly, stomping his foot, ”Old Liang, get ready to speed up.”

The deafening whistle echoed through the Mushroom Forest in response.

Lin Jin wanted to linger a bit longer, but suddenly felt as if the Pan Energy in the air had become scarcer, prompting a wry smile as he ducked inside the train.

Once everyone was inside the train, Su Huan took a deep breath.

Instead of directly attacking the Fungus Carpet ahead with lightning, he channeled all converted energy along a fixed line into the dormant engine within the train.

From the initial design, the train had multiple power systems arranged, with this set specifically prepared for the train conductor, primarily used when the train lacked power.

As the violent current poured in, the train emitted a roar akin to a primordial beast, the original painstaking movement of the tracks on the bottom now invigorated with this newfound force, leaping to life.

Su Huan maintained the steady input of current, diverting some to inject into the Alps Hammer in the train head.

Instantly, ghostly blue lightning entwined around the conical giant hammer.

Like an enlarged version of the Thunder Punishment Spear.

With more energy infused, the lightning took on a deep black hue, colliding with the spore-filled mist, producing crackling explosions, crashing onto the Fungus Carpet ahead, the sturdy Fungus Carpet instantly split in two by the giant lightning hammer like a tattered cloth.

The speed of the armored train climbed from 10km/h steadily upwards, surpassing the 60km/h limit, and continued to ascend.

Like a steel dragon trapped in a dark swamp, roaring to break out into a broader world.

Only when the train conductor is present does the armored train reach its pinnacle state!