Armed Train in the Apocalypse

The armed train hovered twenty meters above the ground, over a large area that had just been cleared.

The roots on the ground crisscrossed, dotted with pits two or three meters in diameter, each containing a clear and clean water source, reflecting the color of the sky in a bluish hue.

The ”Gatherers” of the manufacturing team gathered in small groups around the water pits, pushing piles of materials stacked like small hills into the pits. Plant juices mixed with dark red blood stains diffused in the water, causing the originally calm water pits to boil over instantly.

Fish the size of baseballs, without eyes, leaped out from the water, biting into the materials and making the water even murkier.

After a while, the group would use tools to retrieve the processed materials, then use large sticks to knock back the fish that wouldn’t let go, one by one.

The whole clearing was filled with the lively ”bang bang” sounds.

The round little fish fell back into the water, and shortly after, the surface calmed down, returning to its clear and tranquil state.

Qi Zhenbang brought in new materials, stacking them next to the water pits one by one.

Originally, the gathering task was Old Jiang’s responsibility. However, now that establishing a safe passage is a priority, the engineering teams are quite busy, so Old Jiang is fully occupied with that task.

The gathering job then naturally fell onto Qi Zhenbang’s shoulders.

At first, he was quite surprised, as he was technically an outsider, but this appointment didn’t cause any waves in the train, so he took up the duty without much thought. Fortunately, the job content hadn’t changed much.

Moreover, with his grassroots work experience on the train, he took over smoothly.

Just as he put down several Tier One Evolution Beasts’ corpses, he felt a significantly larger shadow overhead. Looking up, he saw the train gently descending, and Secretary Hu Shuo, dressed in a black and gray checkered shirt, appearing on the gangway.

Qi Zhenbang was just about to leave when the latter called out to him.

Hu Shuo nimbly jumped off the gangway, advising, ”The conductor is about to bring back a Tier Three mutant plant. Gather the high-level ’Gatherers’; ordinary ones should disperse to avoid accidental injuries.”

Qi Zhenbang’s expression turned serious, ”Alright, I’ll arrange it right away.”

The people under the train immediately mobilized, pushing low-value materials into the pool for on-site disposal. Gatherers below Tier One returned to the train, while those of Tier One stood by the edge of the clearing. Wan Xing, smelling of class, stepped off the train with an enhanced chainsaw in hand.

For the disassembly of such large biological materials, besides the conductor, only Tier Two Wan Xing could barely manage it.

If it’s about gathering, then no one but her could do it.

Even Su Huan couldn’t, as his energy control could easily disrupt the subtle balance within evolutionary materials.

”That is...”

In Hu Shuo’s glasses reflection, Qi Zhenbang saw a small black dot, which became a massive shadow after a few breaths, resembling a lifeless algae mass.

It looked a bit like Wan Xing standing beside him.

”The conductor is back.”

Hu Shuo said.

The colossal figure had already appeared beside the train, with vines over a hundred meters long trailing on the ground, entwining with the massive trees on the ground. As that ”tiny” figure at the forefront moved, the massive trees broke, the mutant plants were uprooted, and dragged along, forming an even bigger pile.

Wan Xing tucked her pointed chin into her collar and let out a long sigh.

With so much stuff, who knows how late she’d have to work.

Su Huan was in a relatively good mood, having dug out a Tier Three ”Earth God,” solving a problem that had been troubling him.

Looking at Hu Shuo approaching him, Su Huan pinched his fingers together and sliced the vine in his hand.

A milky white gelatinous liquid oozed out of the cut, and Su Huan instructed, ”This stuff is good for beauty and skin care. Collect more, store it at high temperature, and send it to Lord Lian later. It’s not for internal consumption as it can clump and bloat the stomach.”

Understanding what was meant, Hu Shuo quickly noted down the ”toxic” label. No matter how many tasks Su Huan assigned, he could remember them all, but Hu Shuo still maintained the habit of keeping a pen and paper in hand.

”Understood, if we’re fast enough, Miss Lian can receive it tonight.”

Su Huan nodded, ”While you’re at it, ask her something.”

”Go ahead.”

Su Huan squinted at the armed train suspended in the sky, ”Ask if there are any more [Gravity] Rule Stones in the Gravity Zone.”

A glint of contemplation flashed in Hu Shuo’s eyes, and he responded quietly.

He didn’t know much, but the train’s ability to hover relied entirely on that [Gravity] Rule Stone.

Is it possible the conductor has found a second one?

However, his job was to execute tasks; researching rules of the apocalypse was reserved for receiving results only.

Su Huan returned to the dining car, where the blanket on the sofa was his favorite tabby cat design.

Ever since Yu Yue realized he was fond of this cushion, the service time of the tabby cat blanket had been extended, and even when it was occasionally washed, it was dried and immediately put back in use.

Immersed in the familiar scent, Su Huan fell into deep thought.

He hadn’t expected the casually left tail to yield such unexpected rewards.

The so-called ”God” in the limestone cave was merely a Tier Three mutant plant, altered so much that its original form was unrecognizable.

Its disturbance was entirely because it was deeply intertwined with the land, and the rumbling sounds were caused by Su Huan as he pulled it out, leading to a secondary collapse of the cavern.

What truly surprised him, though, was the familiar aura on its body.

”Fear.”

A fear stemming from the same source as the Terror Slaughterer.

Yet, Su Huan didn’t find a second [Fear] Rule Stone in the vicinity.

Nevertheless, the aura of that rule couldn’t be faked.