42: Chapter 42 Luo Yao's Birthday and Train Party

"This is just a discarded recorder, nothing special."

He said this indifferently to Aman and the old chief, his tone so calm it was as if nothing had just happened.

"Di... Divine Envoy, what did the gods say?"

The old chief asked tremblingly.

"The gods say..."

Lin Xiao glanced at him, a mysterious smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"The gods say that the suffering of your tribe is about to end. As long as you continue to protect this land, there will be a turning point in the future."

This kind of charlatan rhetoric was foolproof when it came to fooling primitive tribes.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the old chief was moved to tears and pulled Aman down to kneel again.

"Thank the gods! Thank the Divine Envoy!"

When they left the altar, it was already late.

Lin Xiao did not stay long in the tribe; after all, a behemoth like Black Iron parked here was too conspicuous and easily attracted unnecessary trouble.

Before leaving, he had Shen Man leave behind a box of table salt and a few boxes of antibiotics.

For Lin Xiao, who possessed infinite supplies, this was a drop in the bucket. But for this tribe plagued by leeches and infections, it was a true miracle.

"Divine Envoy..."

Just as Lin Xiao was preparing to board the train, Aman suddenly rushed out and blocked his path.

Her wild, large eyes were filled with anticipation and reluctance.

"Can... can I go with you?"

"I can hunt, skin animals, and also... also warm the bed!"

When she said the last two words, her face turned as red as a ripe tomato, but her gaze was exceptionally bold.

In their tribe's tradition, powerful men had the right to dominate everything. And Lin Xiao was undoubtedly the most powerful male she had ever seen.

Lin Xiao stopped and looked at this girl, who was full of exotic charm and possessed a hot figure.

To be honest, he was a little tempted.

After all, this kind of wild little cat would certainly be quite interesting to tame.

However...

He glanced at the Black Iron behind him, loaded with secrets, and recalled the top-secret file he had just seen.

On his train, every core member had been tested by life and death. Although this Aman seemed simple, she was an outsider after all, and her background was unknown.

The current Black Iron could not tolerate any uncertain factors.

"No."

Lin Xiao refused decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

"I don't keep idlers on my train. Besides, your tribespeople need you more."

"You are the chief's daughter, the future queen. This is your battlefield."

The light in Aman's eyes dimmed instantly, like a small abandoned beast.

But she quickly raised her head again, a hint of stubbornness added to her gaze.

She took out a crumpled piece of parchment from the animal skin bag at her waist and handed it to Lin Xiao with both hands.

"Since I cannot follow you... take this, as a gift."

"This is a map I've drawn in the swamp since I was a child... where the traps are, where the monsters are, it's all marked on it."

"I hope... I hope it can help you."

Lin Xiao took the map and glanced at it. Although the drawing style was rough, it was marked in great detail, even marking a safe shortcut through the core area of the swamp.

This thing was priceless.

"Thanks."

Lin Xiao nodded and turned to board the train.

"Until we meet again, little wild cat."

As the Black Iron roared and drove away, Aman stood on the high ground, not leaving for a long time.

She watched the steel behemoth disappear into the mist and secretly swore in her heart:

One day, I will become strong enough, strong enough to be qualified to stand by his side.

**[Black Iron · Dining Car]**

**[Time: That Night, 20:00]**

Although outside was still the perilous Death Swamp, the atmosphere inside the carriage was exceptionally warm.

Today was Luo Yao's 19th birthday.

In this apocalyptic world where one's life was always at risk, being able to celebrate a birthday while alive was in itself an extremely luxurious happiness.

In order to give this "little brain" of the team a surprise, Lin Xiao specially not only opened the power supply for the whole train but also took out his long-treasured "contraband."

The dining car had been decorated by the girls with colorful handmade paper and gathered wildflowers.

Under the soft lighting, the long table was filled with sumptuous food:

Roasted crocodile steaks, stir-fried seasonal vegetables (contributed by Tian Yuanyuan), fruit canned platters, and even a few bottles of real happy water (cola).

"Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~"

When Lin Xiao walked out pushing a cream cake (system check-in inventory) with a "19" candle inserted, a neat and cheerful birthday song rang out throughout the room.

More than a hundred girls gathered together, their faces filled with sincere smiles.

There was no infighting, no despair of the apocalypse, only the warmth of this moment.

Luo Yao sat in the main seat, wearing a "small crown" made of colored cardboard on her head.

Looking at the man walking slowly in the candlelight, looking at the sisters around her who sincerely wished her well, her little mouth pouted, and her eyes instantly turned red.

"Wuwuwu... Squad Leader..."

"You... you are too bad... I even forgot today was my birthday..."

This genius girl, who was usually obsessed with code and machinery, was crying like a child at this moment.

"Silly girl, what are you crying for?"

Lin Xiao put the cake in front of her, smiled and flicked her nose, and casually wiped a little cream on her face.

"Make a wish quickly, or the candle will burn out."

Luo Yao sniffed, put her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish with utmost piety.

(Wish: I hope Black Iron is always safe, I hope Squad Leader is always here, I hope... I can always stay by his side.)

"Hoo—"

The candle was blown out.

Cheers and applause instantly engulfed the carriage.

"Cut the cake! Cut the cake!"

"I want the piece with the flower!"

"Sister Luo Yao, hurry up and cut it!"

The atmosphere was at its peak.

Zhao Xiaotang even performed a stunt of "opening a coconut with bare hands" to liven up the atmosphere.

She gave a loud shout, grabbed a green coconut with one hand, and squeezed hard.

"Crack!"

The hard coconut shell split open at the sound, and coconut water splashed everywhere.

"Good!!"

Everyone cheered; although it was a bit violent, this was very Zhao Xiaotang.

Even the usually aloof Su Qingqian was infected by this atmosphere; a faint smile always hung on the corners of her lips as she helped distribute the cake.

Shen Man, like a big sister, was busy running around, taking care of everyone.

Just when everyone was eating happily, Lin Xiao mysteriously took out an exquisite black box.

"Luo Yao, come here."

"What is this? Is it something delicious again?"

Luo Yao still had a piece of cake in her mouth and ran over like a little hamster.

"You only know how to eat."

Lin Xiao scolded with a smile and opened the box.

Inside lay a pair of silver-rimmed glasses with a very sci-fi design.

The lenses presented a faint ghostly blue color, and precise micro-circuit patterns were engraved on the temples.

**[System Item: Tactical Smart Glasses (Hacker Edition).]**

**[Functions: Built-in high-precision AR display, can directly connect to the train radar and main control AI; equipped with infrared/night vision/perspective functions; can assist in data analysis and ballistic calculations.]**

**[Price: 3000 Points (Redeemed by Lin Xiao at a great cost).]**

"This is your birthday present."

Lin Xiao picked up the glasses and personally put them on her.

"With this, you won't have to worry about looking at that pile of messy data anymore, and you won't always have to stare at the screen and hurt your eyes."

The moment Luo Yao put on the glasses, a layer of light blue data streams immediately appeared in her field of vision.

The train's various parameters, the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment, and even the calorie analysis of the cake in front of her were all clearly presented before her eyes.

This was simply a divine artifact tailored for her!

"Wow!!!"

Luo Yao screamed with excitement.

She threw herself into Lin Xiao's arms, hung on him like a koala, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mwah! Thank you, Squad Leader! Squad Leader, I love you to death!"

"This is the best gift I've ever received in my life! Wuwuwu..."

Lin Xiao held this "pendant," smiled helplessly, and let her smear saliva (and cream) on his face.

Looking at her happy expression, he felt that these 3000 points were worth more than upgrading the cannon.

In this cold, apocalyptic world, only by protecting this smile and protecting this big family was his greatest meaning as a Conductor.

"Alright, alright, so many people are watching, aren't you embarrassed."

Su Qingqian walked over; although she sounded disdainful, her eyes were full of doting affection.

She handed Lin Xiao a wet wipe.

"Wipe your face, you've become a painted cat."

Lin Xiao took the wet wipe, took Su Qingqian's hand smoothly, and kissed the back of her hand gently.

"What? Are you jealous?"

"Tonight... you come to my room too, I have a gift for you."

He whispered in her ear, his tone extremely ambiguous.

Su Qingqian's face flushed, she pulled her hand back and glared at him.

"In your dreams."

But the back of her as she turned and left, no matter how you looked at it, carried a hint of playing hard to get.

The party lasted until late at night.

In the center of this swamp filled with death and despair, Black Iron was like a lighthouse on a deserted island, radiating the warmth and light belonging to humanity.

...

The party was over, but that rare joy and tipsy drunkenness were still fermenting in every carriage of Black Iron.

The girls returned to their dormitories in twos and threes, talking and laughing about tonight's cake and Luo Yao's cool tactical glasses.

In this world filled with death and despair, Black Iron tonight was like an unreal fairy tale.

Lin Xiao did not return to his luxury suite.

He had drunk quite a bit; although his body after genetic enhancement had a very fast metabolism and ordinary alcohol could hardly make him truly drunk, the dry heat brought by the tipsiness made him feel a bit parched.

Most importantly, tonight Su Qingqian was pulled away to chat by several girls she was usually close to, and Zhao Xiaotang was even more drunk, pulling Liu Ruyan to arm-wrestle.

He, this "loner," actually seemed a bit superfluous.

"I need to find some hangover medicine, otherwise I'll have a headache tomorrow morning."

Lin Xiao rubbed his temples and strolled to the infirmary in the second carriage.

Pushing open the door, a faint smell of Lysol mixed with some kind of floral fragrance rushed towards him.

The infirmary was very quiet, with only the shadowless lamp emitting a soft white light.

Shen Man was standing with her back to the door, in front of the medicine cabinet, organizing the medicines that had just been put into storage today.

To facilitate work, she had put on a clean white nurse's uniform. This was not the exaggerated cosplay costume, but a proper medical uniform. But worn on her, it produced an extremely fatal chemical reaction.

The close-fitting cut perfectly outlined her plump and mature S-shaped curves, especially that waist that could be held in one hand and the arc that appeared more lifted because she was slightly on tiptoe, radiating an intellectual and charming fatal temptation under the light.

A head of chestnut-colored big wavy hair was casually coiled at the back of her head, with a few strands of loose hair hanging on her fair back of the neck, adding a bit of lazy "married woman" vibe.

Lin Xiao leaned against the door frame, his eyes a bit dazed.

The effect of the alcohol seemed to be magnified countless times at this moment, and he only felt his throat getting drier.

"Who?"

Hearing the movement, Shen Man turned around.

Seeing it was Lin Xiao, a smile that could melt ice and snow instantly bloomed on her gentle face.

"Squad Leader? Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to go back to your room and rest early?"

"My head is a bit dizzy, I came to ask you for a cup of water."

Lin Xiao walked to the clean hospital bed and sat down, his posture lazy.

Shen Man immediately put down the medicine in her hand, walked to the water dispenser, poured a cup of warm water, and carefully added a little honey to it.

"Drink slowly."

She walked in front of Lin Xiao, bent down, and handed the cup to his lips.

With her movement, the somewhat loose neckline opened slightly, and a glimpse of dazzling snow-white depth appeared and disappeared before Lin Xiao's eyes. Added to the unique faint fragrance of a mature woman on her, it was simply a great test of Lin Xiao's willpower.

Lin Xiao drank half a cup of water from her hand, then grabbed her soft, boneless little hand.

Shen Man exclaimed, lost her balance, and fell into Lin Xiao's arms, sitting on his lap.

"Squad... Squad Leader..."

Shen Man's face flushed instantly, like a ripe peach. Although she usually took care of everyone like a big sister, in front of Lin Xiao, she still had the shyness of a little woman.

She struggled symbolically, but feeling the man's powerful arms and scorching body temperature, her body soon softened, letting Lin Xiao hold her waist.

"You've worked hard tonight, Chief Steward Shen."

Lin Xiao rested his chin on her rounded, fragrant shoulder and took a deep breath of the fragrance from her hair.

"These past few days, from organizing the supplies of Black Stone City, to taking care of the wounded, to arranging the eating, drinking, and daily needs of the whole train, you've been spinning like a top without stopping."

"I, as the Squad Leader, have seen it all."

Hearing this, Shen Man's eyes suddenly reddened.

In this apocalypse, she didn't have Su Qingqian's unparalleled combat power that could cut water with one slash, didn't have Zhao Xiaotang's terrifying strength to tear monsters apart with bare hands, and didn't even have the black-tech brain like Luo Yao.

The only thing she could do was to use her healing ability and carefulness to manage this "home" well, so that when Lin Xiao was fighting on the front line, he would have no worries behind him.

She had always been afraid, afraid that one day she would become worthless and be left behind by this constantly moving train.

But now, this sentence from Lin Xiao was more effective than any panacea, directly hitting the softest part of her heart.

"I'm not tired."

Shen Man turned around, her hands naturally wrapped around Lin Xiao's neck, and those gentle eyes like autumn water were now full of deep affection that could not be melted away.