Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train

“Impossible!!!”

Tang Hai froze at the sight, panic-stricken. “How is that thing operational?!”

Feng Yuming was equally stunned. He watched as the Close-In Weapon System’s optical sensors locked onto him. A ridiculous thought crossed his mind: Is this kind of weapon even meant to target humans?!

Inside the underground command center beneath the bunker, Kiki sat at the console of the fully repaired and recalibrated CIWS, courtesy of Lin Xian’s painstaking efforts. Highlighting several heat signatures on the display, she leaned into the microphone, cleared her throat, and casually announced over the station’s speakers:

“Bye-bye, losers~”

Then, she hit the fire button.

Whirrrrrr!

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

The deafening roar of the cannonfire tore through the night, lighting up half the platform with its blazing muzzle flash. Capable of firing 10,000 rounds per minute, the CIWS unleashed its fury on the zombie tide below, the massive Fog Spider, and... Feng Yuming.

The relentless barrage echoed across the station. Zombies swarming the slope were shredded into pulp, the cannon’s sweeping firepower wiping them out as if by a monstrous squeegee. Hundreds, if not thousands, of undead were obliterated in mere seconds, their remains scattered like rain across the battlefield.

The CIWS, powered by a maintenance shaft’s auxiliary energy system adjacent to the armory’s generators, had been reactivated by Lin Xian and Kiki. Lin Xian had repaired the partially damaged components after consuming the generator system using his Mechanical Devour ability. The result: the weapon was back online at full capacity.

Beneath the train, Lin Xian watched in awe. The sheer destructive power left him speechless. No carbon-based lifeform could withstand this kind of firepower. But the thought nagged at him: If the Starfleet had such weapons, why did the world’s defense systems vanish so mysteriously after the Apocalypse began?

“Run!” Tang Hai screamed, pale with fear. Watching his nephew obliterated into nothingness, he slammed the locomotive’s throttle forward. The cannon hadn’t targeted the train, and Tang Hai hoped to escape while crushing Lin Xian beneath the wheels.

The train began to move, and Lin Xian, still under the cars, felt the wheels rumble to life. He realized Tang Hai’s plan and quickly grabbed hold of the train's undercarriage, intending to use his Mechanical Heart to seize control. But the train was far larger than he anticipated, and his drained stamina made it impossible to establish control quickly.

“Damn it!” Lin Xian muttered. He prepared to roll out from under the wheels to regroup. But before he could act, a deafening clang echoed from the front of the train, halting it abruptly.

Seizing the chance, Lin Xian scrambled out from under the train. By now, the CIWS had stopped firing. While its firepower was devastating, its ammunition capacity allowed only 15 seconds of sustained fire. Still, that was more than enough—the courtyard and slopes had been reduced to a smoking hellscape of blood and gore. Even the grass was scorched away. The Fog Spider, now visible, lay in pieces, its truck-sized body reduced to an unrecognizable heap.

Curious why the train had stopped, Lin Xian glanced ahead, wondering if the electrical systems had failed. His eyes widened in shock.

Emerging from the fog, blocking the tracks, was a massive red iron behemoth.

The Infinite Train.

The sudden collision had thrown Tang Hai off his feet, leaving him bloodied. He clambered up, confused, thinking the train had hit an invisible wall. Peering ahead, illuminated by his locomotive’s headlights, he saw a crimson Whale 03E Heavy Gas Turbine Locomotive towing a series of ominous cars.

Tang Hai’s face turned ashen, and his men panicked.

“Where the hell did this train come from?!”

“Damn it! We’re cursed!”

“What the f*** is going on?!”

From a slope nearby, Luo Ye emerged, grim-faced, wielding a grenade launcher. Without hesitation, he fired a shell into the side of Tang Hai’s train car.

Boom!

The explosion tore through the car, killing many of Tang Hai’s gunmen. The few survivors stumbled out, coughing and disoriented, only to be greeted by a young girl standing before them, smiling mischievously.

“Hello there. Where are you guys headed?”

With a wave of her hand, Kiki unleashed an Invisible Force, sending the remaining men flying, lifeless, into the night.

Tang Hai, frantic, leapt from the locomotive and fled into the fog, clutching a handgun. Most of the zombie horde was gone, but fear gripped him as he stumbled along the railway in darkness. Lin Xian climbed onto the platform, pursuing him.

Before Tang Hai got far, a lithe figure emerged ahead, silhouetted in the faint glow.

“Who’s there?!” Tang Hai shouted, his voice trembling.

Just as Tang Hai raised his gun to shoot, the shadowy figure swung a crowbar directly at him.

Wham!

A sickening explosion of blood followed, and Tang Hai collapsed, unconscious. The shadow stepped into the light of the headlights, revealing a beautiful face.

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. As expected—it was Chen Sixuan.

Clutching the crowbar tightly with both hands, Chen Sixuan’s gaze shifted nervously to Lin Xian, who stood on the platform. Her chest heaved as her breath came in short, panicked gasps. Clearly, this was her first time striking someone.

“Impressive, Ms. Chen,” Lin Xian said, his tone a mix of surprise and amusement. He had no idea why Chen Sixuan had shown up here, but Tang Hai lying unconscious spoke volumes. To ensure the job was done, Lin Xian raised his hand and fired a few Wind Cannons at Tang Hai.

“Lin Xian!”

Chen Sixuan called out, her voice trembling. She was overwhelmed by the grisly scene: rail tracks, the platform, and the slopes were all covered with mangled remains. The air reeked of smoke and blood, so thick it seemed to boil.

Thud! Thud!

Two more Wind Cannons echoed as Lin Xian quickly dispatched a pair of lingering zombies sneaking up behind Chen Sixuan. She screamed in fright.

“Relax,” Lin Xian said, exhaling deeply. His eyes shifted to the distance, where Luo Ye stood, seemingly lost in thought. Lin Xian called out, “Where’s Shasha?”

Luo Ye snapped out of his daze and began searching frantically. Eventually, he found a mound of dirt and dug through it, uncovering a dusty, battered Luo Shasha.

“Brother…” Luo Shasha gasped, her voice weak as she panted heavily. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll… manage,” Luo Ye replied, his voice steady despite his injuries—a bullet wound in his back and a pierced arm. The tower-like man acted as if he barely noticed the pain.

Lin Xian, seeing the siblings alive, breathed a sigh of relief. But hearing the approaching moans of zombies in the fog, he quickly shouted, “Hurry, get on my train to hide!”

Luo Ye glanced up at the massive Infinite Train, quickly realizing Lin Xian’s intent. Without hesitation, he nodded seriously and carried Luo Shasha aboard.

“Quick… get on board!” Kiki called out. She had just finished dealing with the remaining gunmen. Looking at the battlefield littered with carnage, she couldn’t help covering her mouth in awe. Her wide eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Wow, what a scene. You’re amazing!”

Lin Xian stared at her, baffled. This sixteen-year-old girl faced the gruesome aftermath of the battle without a hint of fear or disgust. Instead, she sounded… excited?

Under Chen Sixuan’s guidance, the group hurried aboard the Infinite Train to rest temporarily. By now, it was only 7 PM, leaving at least seven or eight hours until dawn.