Armed Train in the Apocalypse

A caravan slowly advanced along the edge of the land’s ravines, most of the group were people from the Stanna nation, looking more like wasteland residents compared to the survivors within Donghuang’s borders.

They commonly wore more than four layers of clothing, with an outer cloak called a ”Korcut,” edged with small copper bells and magnets. The clothes underneath bore more evident traces of post-apocalyptic modifications, with no uniform fabric or consistent tailoring style, yet they were the most practical survival gear.

In the middle of the caravan was an off-road vehicle distinct from its surroundings, with no exaggerated modifications or worn-out patches. It moved lightly yet steadily over some broken roads.

Inside the vehicle, a fifty-ish guide from Stanna explained, ”When you come over from Donghuang, you must be careful and never take the shortest route.”

The man in an administrative jacket beside him turned his head at these words, curiosity in his eyes, ”Why? Is there a large zombie horde or high-tier Evolution Beasts?”

The man, Hua Zonglin, had left the Armed Train and painstakingly made his way through the Plant Zone to this place. Naturally, he wasn’t here for just one trade involving the Armed Train; only through substantial trade could a power quickly prosper.

A young Stanna in front interjected, ”The almighty Kyasaragan is there!”

Hua Zonglin looked at the translator beside him with confusion; he didn’t understand what the name ”Kyasaragan” signified.

”Kyasaragan is the creator deity of Stanna, perhaps there’s some kind of local belief over there...”

The translator was also a bit puzzled and could only venture a guess.

The old guide waved his hands repeatedly, signaling the driver to head a little that way, then used gestures and words to explain.

After a lot of back-and-forth, Hua Zonglin finally pieced together the story from the mouths of the guide and translator.

Kyasaragan was hailed as the god of all gods, creator of all things, humans, and many deities in the world, hanging the earth on the horn of a bull and using bow and arrows to drive away demons. The thunders in the sky were said to be the sound of him bending his bow and shooting arrows.

During the most chaotic period after the apocalypse began, a young man appeared, wielding a bow and riding a green ox across the land of Stanna, specifically slaying ”demons.” Since his image fit the folklore of Stanna well, he was called the almighty Kyasaragan.

In their mouths, the demons meant zombies and Evolution Beasts and other horrific creatures.

Half a year ago, Kyasaragan arrived near the border of Donghuang and didn’t leave. He roamed nearby every day, and anything that approached would be shot indiscriminately by him, leading the people of Stanna to label this area as restricted.

Their caravan had slipped in from the edges.

”It’s Kyasaragan’s resting time now. We can take a distant look; if he wakes up, no matter how powerful the ’demon’ is, it won’t escape the shooting of ’Gazaiel’!”

The old guide’s face was solemn, his hoarse voice tinged with mystery.

’Just this piece of information makes the journey worthwhile.’

Hua Zonglin’s eyes gleamed with delight; as for this ”god” Kyasaragan, he wasn’t bothered.

The evolutionary status of the Stanna people was generally low; Tier One was already an absolute powerhouse. To them, a Tier Two ability amounted to a manifestation. If the train conductor were brought over, he could be directly elevated to a god.

The old guide continued, ”A while ago, something unknown angered Kyasaragan; he was very furious, and the thunder and lightning could even be heard from a thousand kilometers away!”

Hearing these words, Hua Zonglin instantly became vigilant. It might turn out that Kyasaragan was similar to a pale demon. He gave the translator a cryptic glance, who understood and notified others in the caravan to be cautious.

”Boom boom boom...”

Faint vibration sounds came in, and the old guide’s face changed dramatically, ”Not good, it’s Kyasaragan raging!”

”Get out of here quickly!”

The old guide urged the driver in a low voice.

Yet Hua Zonglin waved his hand to stop, ”Don’t panic; listen to the sound; it’s still quite far from us.”

After saying this, he opened the door and got out of the vehicle, forcing the old guide to follow reluctantly.

The vehicle stopped by a massive ravine, but there were no Floating Lands drifting in the sky. It should have shifted elsewhere due to gravity changes.

Everyone gazed into the distance and was instantly dumbfounded by the sight.

Twenty kilometers away, a giant ten meters tall was running across the wilderness, with flame-like patterns on his body, glowing brightly. He held a giant golden longbow in his hand, occasionally letting out an angry roar and then randomly firing an arrow all around.

The arrows hit the ground with violent explosions, causing a loud bang, and flames leapt into the sky.

A large pit dozens of meters wide was left in place.

But the terrifying thing was the wilderness under the giant’s feet, as if it had been washed by nuclear bombs, with enormous craters several kilometers in diameter everywhere. Some areas had turned into muddy swamps, clearly from the underground water having been blown up, quite possibly forming a lake before long!

And the giant was trudging through this mire, fuming relentlessly.

”Is this Kyasaragan?”

The giant’s ferocious aura made Hua Zonglin’s heart race, and the scene before him wildly challenged his perception.

Whether it was the terrifying battlefield or the seemingly mythical giant, it all gave him a dreamlike feeling, far more outrageous than apocalyptic zombies or the like.

The old guide beside him wore a doomsday expression, his eyes bulging as he mumbled something.

Hua Zonglin looked at the translator, ”Isn’t Kyasaragan here, what is he saying?”

The translator had a peculiar expression, ”He’s been muttering... Where’s the ox?”

...

Wind Snow Zone, Northern Alliance border.

The fierce wind swept ice particles over the earth, all white, with only the sharp chill piercing through to the bone.

On both sides were tall, half-buried trees, some covered under the snow, leaving only a treetop exposed. In the face of more than a twenty-meter thick layer of snow, everything seemed to vanish except the howling cold wind.

From afar, faint voices carried over, ”Your Highness, we can’t go any further, none of those who went past there ever returned.”

Tasia’s voice was crisp, ”I am Tier Three.”

”But you are also the only Tier Three. Unless you kill me, I won’t let you through.”

Yuri stood in front of Tasia, eyeing uneasily the two tall, half-buried pine trees in the distance, the emptiness on both sides like a gateway to another world.

Originally, this was the highway leading to the White Eagle Strait, but the road was buried, and most of the forest on both sides was covered in snow. Only these two tallest pines stood here as the only recognizable landmarks.

Tasia’s steel-blue eyes gazed at the heavy snow across, like a white curtain cutting off everything; even with her sight, she couldn’t see what lay beyond the trees, only feeling a faint allure.

”Has anyone returned from here?”

Tasia asked.

Yuri shook his head repeatedly, ”Earlier, Donghuang people came here once and never again, and they didn’t even cross the line, just watched for a while and returned. Moreover, no one has returned from here.”

”Su Huan has encountered the pale demon.”

Yuri was stunned, ”How is that possible, we’re still several major zones away from the Gravity Zone, how could Su Huan get this far, and there’s been constant surveillance on this side...”

”Father wouldn’t lie.”

Tasia’s gaze was calm, yet turbulent with the same doubts deep in her eyes.

”Then it’s not from our place...” The words came out, and Yuri paused in realization.

If not from here, then from where?

The Donghuang and the White Eagle Federations do not border one another; to get there, you must pass through the Northern Alliance, reaching the continent’s edge before crossing the strait to enter the White Eagle Federations.

Could he have flown over the sea?

[Pondering the storyline these days, it feels like the Rust Area content is a bit thin. Brothers, any good suggestions?]