NOVPUBAt that moment, everyone turned to Lin Xian.
After pondering all night, he decided to explain his Abilities openly. "Yes, I have more than one Ability. Besides powering the train, I can repair and create machinery. That’s precisely why I dared to launch this Infinite Train Project."
He realized it would be impractical to keep secretly devouring and crafting machines. Since these were his teammates, it was better to be honest.
"If I have the materials and blueprints, I can directly manufacture weapons, equipment, armor—anything mechanical. I can handle it."
The Luo siblings exchanged stunned glances. Luo Shasha gasped, “Whoa! Lin-ge, you’re amazing! I knew I saved the right person!”
Lin Xian’s gaze shifted to Kiki, intrigued.
“Little girl, what I just said includes your ideas for radar systems, sentry systems, weapon systems, defense systems, drones, railcars, medical units, life-support systems, powered armor... Now, do you still think my Infinite Train Project is a pipe dream?”
Kiki’s expression wavered. She opened her mouth but quickly closed it again, unwilling to admit defeat as she met Lin Xian’s smiling eyes. “So what? Can you design and control all those systems by yourself?”
“No.”
Lin Xian’s smile widened as he looked at her. “That’s why I need a genius like you. Without your Information Center, all of this would just be a hollow framework.”
Kiki’s eyes flickered with a hint of delight. She glanced slyly at Lin Xian, clearly pleased, and said with exaggerated nonchalance, “Oh, this is flattering. Fine. If you can get the heater working, I might consider joining.”
“Deal.”
Lin Xian took a deep breath, glancing at Chen Sixuan and the others.
"At first, I just wanted to build a mobile safe haven—a fortress where we could survive the cursed darkness and this apocalypse. But after this train began moving, I realized every day is a struggle against terror and danger. Like me, you’ve all faced uncertainty, running and hiding just for a chance to breathe and drink some water. The Polar Night killed countless people, and those who survived are on the brink of madness."
“I realized something: in this freezing, apocalyptic darkness, this train needs friends—people who can help us survive longer and go farther.”
“The planetary orbital rail is 320,000 kilometers long. We may not finish it, and we may not escape the Polar Night, but as long as there’s a chance to live one more day, I won’t give up. As long as I have strength, this train won’t stop. I want everyone on this train to be family, facing life and death together.”
His words were calm and casual, as if he were simply chatting.
But the others’ expressions changed quietly.
Kiki put away her usual mischievous demeanor, her gaze fixed on Lin Xian, lost in thought. Luo Shasha bit her lip, her timid unease replaced by a hint of hope. Da Lou looked at his sister, then at Lin Xian, and nodded silently, his expression resolute.
Even Chen Sixuan’s eyes reddened. Initially, she had followed Lin Xian purely for survival, but hearing him articulate his plan and beliefs stirred her deeply. For a fleeting moment, she thought: even though the days ahead might be filled with disaster and running, someday, the sun would rise again.
“Alright, let’s set up some basic roles,” Lin Xian said with a sigh of relief. As the team grew, he felt more secure.
“Got it!” Luo Shasha raised her hand enthusiastically, her face brimming with energy. “Lin-ge, I can take night watch! Don’t treat me like a kid!”
Lin Xian chuckled. “With how skilled you are with that grenade launcher, who’d mistake you for a kid?”
“Hehe,” Luo Shasha giggled, clearly proud.
“I’m in,” Chen Sixuan said with a rare smile. Since the Polar Night, she hadn’t felt this lighthearted.
“Whatever you need, Lin-ge,” Da Lou added.
“Same here.” Kiki smiled, her expression unusually serious.
“Alright!” Lin Xian nodded. After finishing the inventory, he assigned roles.
Lin Xian and Chen Sixuan would take turns driving the train. During stops, Da Lou would handle watch duty. With his mechanical skills, he’d also help with inspections and maintenance, as Lin Xian couldn’t handle every small repair himself as the train expanded.
As for Kiki, Lin Xian planned to collaborate with her on the train’s future designs. Once the radar and sentry systems were operational, they’d have an extra layer of security.
This major haul gave Lin Xian immense confidence in the Infinite Train Project. Beyond his growing abilities, adding the capable Luo siblings was a huge boost.
Da Lou’s straightforward and reliable personality, coupled with his enhanced Ability and imposing physique, provided a strong sense of safety. Whether in combat or technical work, he was a valuable teammate.
Luo Shasha, though young, was mature and loyal. Lin Xian assigned her to assist Chen Sixuan and Kiki. With her own small bed and the train’s protection, she seemed far less anxious and happily helped organize the train’s layout.
According to their route, they would soon leave the mountains and enter Yubei. As a first-tier city far from the Abyss Zone, Yubei had entered the Polar Night relatively late. Both Lin Xian and Chen Sixuan anticipated immense complications there.
Yet the train had to pass through Yubei’s main hub to access the planetary orbital rail. Before that, many systems still needed to be completed, making the situation highly challenging.
The gas-powered locomotive had a steam heating system, and the passenger cars had warm air systems. The fastest solution was to connect the circuits and use the warm air directly.
However, Cars 1-2 and Cars 3-5 were vastly different models from different eras. Given Lin Xian’s plans for a water and air circulation system for the whole train, he decided to work with Kiki to design an electric-driven water-steam cycle and filtration system connected to Car 1. This system could provide heat while distilling clean water for drinking and even showers.
Kiki and Lin Xian also planned to install an optical targeting system and a small phased-array radar at the front of the train for emergency alerts. The surveillance and sentry systems for the entire train, however, required considerable effort.
Setting up a Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) on the train would require significant resources, including electricity, maintenance, and factory-grade ammunition supplies. These were long-term goals, as were the medical, plant cultivation, and oxygen recycling systems.
For now, Lin Xian prioritized helping Kiki install the Information System salvaged from the air-raid bunker command center into Car 2, along with the optical targeting system, phased-array radar, and—of course—the heater.
One looming challenge remained: how to repair damaged rail tracks during travel. That would be the next major hurdle to tackle.
This issue was the most troublesome for Lin Xian.
No matter how powerful the train became, without a usable track, wouldn’t it be reduced to a mere joke?
For Lin Xian, there was still so much to do, and yet the road ahead was filled with countless challenges.
In Car 2, a simple Information Center with multiple screens had been set up for Kiki. Once the optical targeting and radar systems were connected, the train could scan a 3-kilometer fan-shaped radius ahead. However, a response module still needed to be designed—one that could identify potential threats during operation and issue emergency stop alerts.
This was beyond Lin Xian’s expertise, so he could only leave it to Kiki.
"Zzzt... zzzt..."
“That’s strange,” Kiki muttered, fiddling with Lin Xian’s radio. “We’re well away from the ionization effects of the Abyss Zone, and it’s daytime. Why can’t we pick up any longwave signals?”
After tinkering for a while, she sighed in frustration and gave up.
“What about the network?” Lin Xian asked.
“Don’t even think about it.” Kiki, wearing headphones, continued working swiftly on the system. Her tone was flat. “I know the Federal Government still has some operational satellites in orbit, but they’ve either been damaged or deliberately jammed.”
Lin Xian felt a twinge of unease. He had been able to receive a call from Chen Sixuan in Jiang City not long ago, but now even basic communication seemed impossible.
What frustrated him most was the longwave radio he had high hopes for—it was completely useless. The train, deep within the mountains, could only pick up shortwave frequencies within a 100–200-kilometer radius. Yet even these yielded little, as the area was sparsely populated except for a few villages and towns.
Thus, Lin Xian and his group experienced their most peaceful yet busiest day since leaving Jiang City. The train ran from dawn to dusk, utilizing the reserves of the electric locomotive. However, as fatigue set in and for safety reasons, Lin Xian decided to stop for the night on a relatively flat plain.
After nightfall, all blackout curtains on the train were lowered. From the outside, the enormous train emitted a faint glow, stationary on the tracks. Cars 3 and 4, now heavily armored, stood out.
Unlike the original carriages, the armor here was a mix of standard steel and remnants of high-strength steel Lin Xian had previously salvaged—barely sufficient for now.
After the tasks had been divided earlier, Chen Sixuan took on the role of a caring matron. She carried rations and water, distributing them among the group. When she arrived at Car 5, she noticed Lin Xian wasn’t inside. Instead, he was on the last flatbed carriage, tinkering with what looked like a piece of mechanical armor.
The faint moonlight illuminated his silhouette, busy at work.
