37: Chapter 37 New Route: Death Swamp

The next second.

Two thousand meters away, that stone mountain, dozens of meters high.

"BOOM!!!!!"

It was as if it had been struck by the giant hammer of a god!

The upper half of the entire mountain peak instantly shattered!

Countless fragments of rock flew out like a meteor shower, and dust rose into the sky, forming a small mushroom cloud!

The massive shockwave reached the train two thousand meters away, causing everyone's clothes to flap violently.

"Gulp."

Zhao Xiaotang swallowed hard.

She looked at the distant mountain peak that had been sliced in half, then looked at the steel pipe in her own hand that she had been so proud of.

Suddenly, she felt like a primitive human.

"Is… is this really a cannon? Isn't this a missile?!"

"This is the power of technology."

Lin Xiao patted the cannon barrel, which was still emitting wisps of blue smoke (actually steam from the cooling system), in satisfaction.

"The muzzle velocity is 7 times the speed of sound, and the kinetic energy is comparable to a small tactical nuclear bomb."

"With this, if we ever encounter a convoy like City Lord Lei Hu's again…"

Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes and made a slicing motion with his hand.

"One shot, and the world will be quiet."

Inside the carriage, everyone was stunned by the power of that shot.

While the world-destroying power made them feel fear, it also gave them an unprecedented sense of security.

On this train, as long as Lin Xiao was there, nothing could harm them.

"Alright, stop spacing out."

Lin Xiao turned around, in a great mood.

"Install that 'virtual training room' as well."

He went to an empty carriage.

As the light of the system flashed, the interior of the carriage changed instantly.

In the previously empty space, dozens of silver cockpits resembling space capsules appeared, connected by complex data cables.

"Starting today, we will implement a shift system."

Lin Xiao said to Liu Ruyan, who was following behind him.

"Except for essential posts, everyone must spend four hours in the training room every day."

"I will have Luo Yao write various combat scenarios: zombie sieges, mutant beast raids, human civil wars…"

"Dying in a dream is better than dying in reality."

Lin Xiao's expression became serious.

"I want to turn each of you into a warrior capable of handling things on your own."

Liu Ruyan looked at those high-tech cockpits, her eyes flashing with ambition.

She knew this was the best opportunity to narrow the gap between her and Su Qingqian and Zhao Xiaotang.

"Yes! Conductor! I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

Everything was ready.

Infinite power, maxed-out firepower, and everyone strengthened.

Black Iron, this steel behemoth, finally bared its ferocious fangs.

Lin Xiao stood at the front of the train, looking at the endless tracks stretching ahead, his heart filled with heroic spirit.

** [ Black Iron · Conductor's Luxury Suite ] **

** [ Time: The third morning after the nuclear power upgrade ] **

** [ Interior Temperature: 24°C (Constant Temperature) ] **

The first ray of morning sunlight tried to pierce through the thick bulletproof glass, but was gently filtered by the one-way perspective film into a soft, non-glaring halo.

On the huge King-size bed, Lin Xiao turned over comfortably and kicked the quilt aside.

Without the annoying vibrations of the diesel engine from the past, and without the pungent smell of coal smoke, the nuclear engine brought only a faint and stable low-frequency hum like an undercurrent in the deep sea; this white noise actually made one sleep even more soundly.

"Awake?"

A cold yet subtly gentle voice sounded in his ear.

Lin Xiao opened his eyes, and the first thing that came into view was a calf, white as jade, elegantly crossed on the sofa chair by the bed.

Looking up, there was the hem of a high-slit cheongsam that made one's blood boil, with the tight lines of her thighs faintly visible.

Su Qingqian was holding a steaming cup of freshly ground coffee, sitting by the bed reading a book.

She wasn't wearing her murderous combat uniform, but had changed into a light purple silk casual cheongsam. Her long hair was casually tied into a bun, with a few stray strands hanging by her ears, reducing a bit of her sharpness and adding a bit of lazy wifely... ahem, intellectual beauty.

"Morning, Chief Steward Su."

Lin Xiao stretched, his bones cracking.

After genetic enhancement and days of high-intensity fighting, his physical fitness had reached a terrifying critical point, his muscle lines smooth and full of explosive power.

He unceremoniously took the coffee from Su Qingqian and took a sip.

"These beans are good. Where did you get them?"

"Sister Shen Man dug them out from a corner of that Chamber of Commerce warehouse. She said they were top-grade Blue Mountain from before the war and she hadn't been able to bring herself to drink them."

Su Qingqian put down her book and naturally reached out to help Lin Xiao tidy up his messy collar.

In the past few days, although the two of them hadn't broken through that last layer of window paper (mainly because Lin Xiao was too busy, and although Su Qingqian had confessed, she was still a bit shy), this kind of old-married-couple tacit understanding and intimacy had already made everyone on the train default to her as the "Sister-in-law."

"Tsk, the evils of capitalism."

Lin Xiao sighed, then drank it all in one gulp.

"But now it belongs to the proletariat."

He stepped barefoot on the thick wool carpet and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window was a desolate Gobi desert, with strong winds whipping sand and gravel against the train window.

But all of this was isolated by that faint blue light curtain — ** [ Primary Full-Train Energy Shield ] **.

Inside the train was a constant-temperature paradise where spring lasted all year round; outside was a post-apocalyptic hell of flying sand and stones.

This extreme contrast was exactly the biggest thrill in post-apocalyptic literature.

"Notify everyone, meeting in Carriage No. 1 in half an hour."

Lin Xiao looked at the horizon, which was gradually becoming gloomy, a flash of sharpness in his eyes.

"We've had enough of the good life; it's time to go stretch our muscles."

** [ Carriage No. 1 · Strategic Command Room ] **

A massive holographic map floated in the center of the conference table. This was the new map just drawn by Luo Yao, combining pre-war satellite data and onboard radar scans.

The core members sat around the table, each with a cup of hot milk and a freshly baked sandwich in front of them — this was state-banquet-level treatment in the apocalypse.

"Everyone, there are two paths before us."

Lin Xiao held a pointer (actually a thin steel pipe confiscated from Zhao Xiaotang) and pointed to the routes on the map.

"The first one is to continue following the current old tracks and detour around the 'Ring Mountains'."

Lin Xiao drew a large arc on the map.

"This route is relatively safe, with most areas being plains and deserts. But the downside is that the distance is extremely long, requiring at least a two-thousand-kilometer detour, and besides…"

He paused and pointed to a few red dots along the way.

"According to radio signals intercepted by Luo Yao, several large survivor forces are entrenched along this route, and there are even armed organizations similar to the 'Raider Alliance'. Fighting through isn't difficult, but it's a huge waste of time."

"What about the second one?" Zhao Xiaotang asked indistinctly while chewing a mouthful of her sandwich.

"The second one is here."

The pointer in Lin Xiao's hand pointed sharply to the center of the map, an area marked in deep black.

** [ Death Swamp ] **.

"Go straight through this swamp and head directly to the center of the continent. It's a shortcut that can shorten the journey by two-thirds!"

"But Squad Leader…"

Shen Man looked at that pitch-black area and frowned with some concern.

"The map marks this as an 'extremely dangerous' area. And… would there be tracks in the swamp? Even if there were, I'm afraid they would have long since subsided or broken, right?"

Shen Man's question was very realistic. No matter how strong the train was, it ran on tracks. Without tracks, it was just a pile of scrap metal.

"Good question."

Lin Xiao snapped his fingers and looked at Luo Yao beside him.

"Chief Engineer Luo, show them our new toy."

"You got it!"

Luo Yao jumped onto the chair excitedly, her hands flying across the keyboard.

The holographic projection changed instantly, showing a 3D model of Black Iron.

"After nights of research by the Squad Leader and me, we decided to spend a huge amount (points) to give the chassis of Black Iron an epic upgrade!"

"Ta-da!"

Following Luo Yao's sound effect, the bottom of Black Iron on the screen suddenly changed.

Outside the original train wheelset, a huge and complex mechanical structure extended.

It was two rows of heavy tracks, two meters wide!

** [ System Mall Item: Heavy All-Terrain Track Module (Train Exclusive Version). ] **

** [ Price: 15,000 points + 5 tons of refined steel + 20 high-energy motors. ] **

** [ Description: When broken tracks or unsuitable terrain are detected, this module will automatically deploy, converting the train into a 'tracked land cruiser'. It possesses extremely strong off-road capabilities and can travel freely in mud, sand, snowfields, and other terrains. ] **

"A… a land cruiser?"

Liu Ruyan looked at the steel monster that seemed to have walked out of a sci-fi movie, her red lips wide open in surprise.

"Is this still a train? This is practically a mobile Great Wall!"

"Exactly."

Lin Xiao put away the pointer, his gaze burning.

"With the infinite energy provided by nuclear power, we are no longer limited by weight and fuel consumption. With this track system, the world is vast, and Black Iron can go anywhere!"

"And, as far as I know…"

Lin Xiao's voice lowered, revealing a hint of mystery.

"In the center of this Death Swamp, there is a 'Sky Eye' base left over from before the war. There, perhaps, lies a clue about the origin of this damned 'heavenly dao system'."

Hearing "system origin," everyone's expressions became serious.

They had been inexplicably thrown into this world and forced to survive. Although they were living well now, who didn't want to know the truth? Who didn't want to go home?

"Let's do it!"

Zhao Xiaotang was the first to slap the table.

"Wherever the Squad Leader points, that's where I'll strike! Forget about the swamp, we'll just crush right through it!"

"I agree too." Su Qingqian nodded lightly, her eyes firm.

"Since no one has any objections…"

Lin Xiao waved his hand, full of heroic spirit.

"Then adjust the course! Target: Death Swamp! Let's go!"

** [ Afternoon 14:00 ] **

** [ Coordinates: Boundary between the wasteland and the swamp ] **

As the train sped south, the scenery outside the window began to change drastically.

The originally withered and dry Gobi desert gradually disappeared, replaced by large areas of wet black soil and dead, strange trees.

The humidity in the air rose sharply, and the originally bright sunlight was obscured by a thick layer of gray-green mist, as if the whole world had instantly entered a gloomy ghost realm.

"Warning! High concentrations of neurotoxins and corrosive acidic gases detected in the external air."

"Warning! Visibility has dropped to less than 50 meters."

On the center console, red warning lights began to flash, and the AI's cold electronic voice sounded.

"So it begins?"

Lin Xiao sat in the driver's seat (actually the Conductor's special seat; the driving had long been handed over to the AI), watching the churning toxic mist outside the window.

"Luo Yao, activate 'Fully Enclosed Internal Circulation Mode'. Start the energy shield, set power to maximum."

"Received! Internal circulation activated! Shield charging to 100%!"

As the order was given, a thick layer of explosion-proof armor plates instantly rose over the outer layer of Black Iron's windows, leaving only slit-like observation windows.

At the same time, the originally faint blue shield instantly became solid, blocking the gray-green toxic mist firmly outside.

"Sssss…"

The toxic mist contacted the shield, making a teeth-grinding corrosive sound, but under the infinite supply of nuclear energy, the shield remained motionless.

"Tracks interrupted ahead!"

Just then, Luo Yao suddenly shouted.

Through the reinforced radar scan, the screen showed that the tracks five hundred meters ahead disappeared directly into a huge muddy swamp, completely severed.

"It's finally here."

A fanatical smile curled up at the corner of Lin Xiao's mouth.

"Everyone, grab the handrails! Prepare for transformation!"

"Activate the all-terrain track module!"

"Click, click, click — BOOM!"

Accompanied by a heart-stopping sound of mechanical deformation, Black Iron, which was traveling at high speed, shook violently!

The armor plates on both sides of the train body instantly popped open, and twelve sets of huge heavy tracks, like the claws of a giant beast, slammed heavily onto the ground with the roar of hydraulic rods!

"Screech —"

The original steel wheels retracted into the bottom of the train, and the tracks began to spin wildly, kicking up a sky full of black mud.

"BOOM —!!!"

The twenty-carriage steel dragon, with a total weight of over a thousand tons, was completely free from the shackles of the tracks at this moment!

It was like an ancient giant beast rushing out of a cage, carrying an unrivaled momentum, and charged directly into that muddy swamp!

"Oof…"

Although the girls in the carriage were prepared, they were still swayed and stumbled by the sudden change in direction.

However, this bumping only lasted for a few seconds.

Black Iron's excellent suspension system and massive self-weight quickly stabilized the train body.

Although not as smooth as on the tracks, the heavy feeling of the tracks crushing the earth gave people an even wilder sense of security.

"So cool! It's really so cool!"

Luo Yao watched the external perspective shown on the screen, her little face flushed with excitement.

In the picture, Black Iron looked like a black steel centipede, walking on flat ground in the muddy swamp.

Those mud pits that would have originally trapped a tank were nothing in front of its wide tracks.

Wherever it passed, mud splashed, and dead trees were directly knocked down and crushed, forcibly carving out a new path in the swamp!