Armed Train in the Apocalypse

Vice President Deng suddenly interjected, ”Isn’t that girl from Donghuang Heavy Industry a Tier Three? Can we ask her to give it a try?”

Director Xu replied, ”She brought the stone over, but said it doesn’t resonate with her.”

Vice President Deng spread his hands, ”If it can’t even be activated, how are we supposed to study it? Wanting the train to fly is simply impossible...”

Luo Jingyi walked in with his hands in the pockets of his white coat, ”Surface analysis is done. It looks like an ordinary stone; maybe we need a more in-depth analysis.”

Director Xu thought for a moment, ”This stone is crucial for the upcoming train renovation. Let’s put aside our current work. I’ll assign tasks. I’ll handle the spectroscopy, Old Ma, you do...”

A bored Wan Xing yawned on the sidelines.

Though technically part of the research team, she was nothing like Director Xu and his crew. They talked science while her approach to synthesizing drugs was based on intuition and dismantling materials was driven by passion. She couldn’t understand their technical jargon like spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and it sounded as if they were going to treat the stone as a living entity for testing. It all made no sense to her.

Might as well retreat to a corner and slack off. As she idly wandered, she suddenly spotted a peculiar person in the corner.

The person wore a fake two-piece shirt, emitting a scholarly aura, but his behavior... was odd. Like a child, holding a notebook, squatting in the corner, occasionally sketching while frowning, occasionally glancing at the stone, then continuing to sketch.

This was the math genius!

Of course, he was more known for his reputation as an idiot.

Although Chen Ziliang had been on the train for a long time, Wan Xing had only seen him a few times. He was mostly fiddling around in Director Xu’s lab, doing who knows what.

Curiously, she approached and peeked at his notebook, her long, thin eyebrows furrowing instantly.

She could make out a couple of words from what Director Xu and the others said, but none of Chen Ziliang’s drawings made sense to her. Not even words or numbers, just unfamiliar symbols mixed with some things she would occasionally encounter during college.

Recalling those suffocating courses, Wan Xing felt as though her dead memories had landed a punch on her, her face paling considerably.

She couldn’t help but pull out some chips, eating a couple to ease her discomfort.

The crunching sound drew Chen Ziliang’s attention; he turned around, his gaze as clear as a roe deer roaming the Cangling Mountains, directly fixating on the chips with curiosity and longing.

”Want some?”

Wan Xing asked.

He nodded vigorously.

”Here you go.”

Wan Xing offered the chips, and he took a crunching bite.

Watching the half-eaten chip in her hand, Wan Xing was suddenly reminded of the feeling of feeding disabled children at the welfare institute, her gaze softening as she pulled out another piece from the box.

Chen Ziliang took another bite, but this time nothing was left, as Wan Xing accurately released her grip as he bit down.

The two quickly established a rapport. Chen Ziliang seriously scribbled and sketch while munching on the chips Wan Xing fed him, thoroughly enjoying himself.

”What are you writing?”

”I’m solving a problem.”

”What problem?”

”The problem on that stone.”

Wan Xing’s expression shifted, ”You mean you can understand that stone?”

Chen Ziliang showed some frustration, ”I don’t understand it, which is why I’m solving it.”

Wan Xing looked perplexed, hesitated for a moment, then decisively interrupted the ongoing discussion among the others, ”Could you all come over for a moment.”

”What’s up?”

Professor Ma asked, puzzled. But the group still walked over.

Wan Xing was about to speak, but Director Xu interrupted with a frown. Then, under confused looks from everyone around, he pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket, and, with everyone puzzled, carefully took Wan Xing’s half-eaten potato chip debris and even wiped Chen Ziliang’s mouth.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, ”Alright, speak.”

Wan Xing resisted the urge to complain, knowing that business was crucial, and pointed to the squatting Chen Ziliang, ”He seems to understand that stone!”

Everyone’s eyes instantly focused.

...

”What do you want?”

Exchange Carriage, Su Reya’s lifeless face appeared through the window, her originally glamorous appearance now somewhat desolate.

Undoubtedly, she had been temporarily assigned by Hu Shuo again.

After the war, the exchange window was the busiest place.

”Two packs of cigarettes, two bottles of liquor, all good brands,” came a thunderous voice from outside.

’That’s quite a spend.’ Su Reya perked up a bit, peering outside, but it felt like the entire window was sealed by a wall.

Su Reya opened the whole window, realizing it was Liang Kuan, who had been missing for a long time. After a trip, he had gotten a lot bulkier, his muscular build evident even through his clothes, making her a bit envious.

So mouthwatering.

Perhaps she zoned out for too long, as a polite female voice appeared beside her, ”Hello, could you help us exchange two packs of cigarettes, two bottles of wine?”

A young woman squeezed in, her face showing some apprehension.

Su Reya turned her head, surprised, ”Is this your daughter? I didn’t expect you to have such a pretty girl!”

Liang Kuan’s eyes showed a faint smile as he introduced, ”My daughter, Liang Shu, this is Aunt Su Reya.”

Upon hearing the word ’Aunt,’ Su Reya rolled her eyes up to the sky. Thankfully, Liang Shu quickly smoothed things over by calling her ’Sis,’ and the issue was glossed over.

The two women chatted for a while, and the atmosphere became warm. Meanwhile, a crew member brought over the items they wanted to exchange.

Su Reya pushed them forward, feigning anger, ”If it weren’t for Liang Shu, you’d pay triple for calling me Auntie!”

”...So, how much does it cost?”

Liang Shu looked at the neatly packaged cigarettes and liquor, feeling a bit nervous. Though she didn’t use them, she knew how scarce these items were amidst disaster; in Slave City, most people’s lives weren’t worth the price of a pack of cigarettes, let alone these fine items.

”Take them; consider them a welcoming gift.”

Su Reya said with a cheerful smile.

”Ah?” Liang Shu exclaimed, looked around at her father and others, noticing no reactions, quickly storing them away.

”Thanks.” Liang Kuan murmured, ”I’ll treat you to dinner later.”

Su Reya rolled her eyes again, ”Who needs your dinner? If it weren’t for your full-grown daughter, I’d doubt you’d ever find a wife!”

”Alright, alright, don’t block the people behind. I’m busy; we’ll talk later.”

The father and daughter entered the Armed Hall, heading towards the medical carriage.

Liang Shu looked at the bright, spacious Armed Hall and the solid wood underfoot, feeling like she was dreaming.

Even though she had experienced many shocks these past days, the train consistently refreshed her worldview.

When people outside struggled to survive, those here had safe accommodations, abundant supplies, and great power.

Recalling her previous hellish life, she still felt a sense of surrealism, fearing she was dreaming.

”Dad, are we going to live on the train from now on?”

Liang Shu suddenly asked.

Liang Kuan thought for a moment, ”We don’t have any relatives or friends back home, likely following the conductor in the future. Do you have other plans?”

Liang Shu quickly shook her head, flicking away trickling tears.

”No, living on the train is great.”

”Then it’s settled.”

Liang Kuan reached the medical carriage door, hesitating slightly with his hand on the handle.

Then finally pushed open the door.

A faint smell of disinfectant wafted in.

[Liang Shu’s storyline is missing a piece, seems odd, will research next month on where to add.]