Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train

Under the Gloomy Sky, the Rain Poured Down.

The silhouette of Rain Town blurred into the skyline, shrouded in thick, charred smoke.

Onboard the train, tension mingled with excitement.

For everyone, this was the first time since Apocalypse Day that they had proactively taken down an Eerie Entity in a direct confrontation. Months of relentless escape and pent-up anxiety seemed to release in an instant. The once-oppressive atmosphere in the carriage had significantly lightened.

But everyone knew—this was no time to relax. Nightfall was approaching, and there was a high chance they'd face another siege of Eerie Entities, just like last night. Shu Qin remained on high alert, leading the group in restocking ammunition.

The last battle had nearly depleted 80% of their ammo, and even the 1130 CIWS's ammunition belt had been emptied. Fortunately, this devastating weapon had done its job, keeping that Mutant Giant Parasite from breaching the platform, forcing it back onto the hillside.

Meanwhile, Lin Xian was just as busy. Along with Big Luo and Shasha, he was rapidly producing bullets in Carriage No. 5, distributing them in preparation for whatever came next.

Inside Carriage No. 2, KIKI monitored the train's surroundings, while Ding Junyi and Chen Sixuan focused on updates from the Dark Radio.

"Zzz... Zzz..."

"The Dark Tides from Abyss Zone No. 7 will merge with Abyss Zone No. 5 in 29 days, near the Wei River, Longjiang, and Jinhai. Survivors moving east toward Xingcheng, Kangcheng, and Yongcheng Port should evacuate immediately. Phoenix has established aid stations in Jinhai and Yongcheng Port."

"Federal Radio emergency report from the Yunjiang Plains—A reconnaissance unit of theNightwalkershas discovered anS-Class Eerie Entitydeep within the Palma Grasslands..."

"Zzz... Phoenix Global Broadcast—Dawn Centeris currently located at the northern foothills of Yun'an Ridge, coordinates116.3913447°, 39.9053937°. It is expected to arrive atTianji in four days..."

"Phoenix Global Broadcast—Further research from theNightwalkerssuggests that prolonged exposure to darkness increases the risk ofDark Infection. Adult survivors should not remain in darkness for more than48 consecutive hours. The elderly, injured, and those with hereditary conditions should limit exposure to24 hoursat most."

Lin Xian frowned as he stepped into Carriage No. 2.

"So, staying in the darkness for too long is dangerous… Seems like the theory ofDark Invasionhas been confirmed."

"If we enter the night and don't encounter a large-scale attack, we can verify this logic. Our next step should be finding someone fromPhoenixto confirm it."

KIKI suddenly had a thought.

"Does that mean… the longer we survive in the darkness, the faster ourAbilitiesevolve?"

Ding Junyi immediately responded.

"If you viewDark Invasionas a trigger for evolution, then yes, it makes sense."

"But from a biological standpoint, there must be anatural limitto this process. Let me give you an example—plants usephotosynthesisto convert carbon dioxide and water into organic matter, storing energy. But that doesn't mean they canphotosynthesize 24/7. In reality, plants havebiological rhythms—theygenerate energy during the dayandconsume it at nightfor respiration. If they were exposed toconstant sunlight, their natural cycle would be disrupted, leading to death."

"Moreover,Dark Invasion energyis still anunknown force. We have no idea how it affects the human body. Only groups likeHoly Revelation—who worship the darkness—would consider it a treasure for human evolution."

Lin Xian's brows furrowed.

"So, Eerie Entities need the darkness, while humans need sunlight. And theDark Tidesaim to plunge the entire world intoeternal night. If we want to defeat these nightmarish creatures… maybe we shouldn't only look for answers in thedarkness, but also in thelight."

Ding Junyi's expression changed. She stared at Lin Xian in silence for a long moment before abruptly turning and heading toward Carriage No. 3.

Chen Sixuan watched her reaction and murmured,"Looks like you struck a nerve."

Lin Xian shrugged.

"If only it were that simple..."

He turned to Chen Sixuan.

"Ms. Chen, get ready—we're moving out."

Nightfall was only minutes away. Lin Xian had no intention of waiting until the Eerie Entities appeared before setting off. It was best to gain speed in advance—if anything happened, they could rely on the train's velocity to break through.

Chen Sixuan nodded, though she looked puzzled.

"I thought you'd want to test things here first."

"No need. There are too many corpses here. If we want accurate results, we should head to an open area."

KIKI smirked.

"You really do have a scientist's mindset. Guess Director Ding's influence rubbed off on you."

Lin Xian sighed.

"This is a matter oflife and deathforeveryone. If we can confirm this theory, it'll greatly reduce our risks moving forward."

KIKI leaned back in her seat, floating slightly as she mused,

"You mean reducing risk bynot running awayandfighting instead?"

Lin Xian's expression hardened.

*"You're misunderstanding me. Running is always the first priority when facing an unbeatable threat. But knowing how Dark Marking works gives survivors an additional choice. If we blindly run without dealing with the markings, they'll stack like a chain reaction, creating an unmanageable disaster.

If it's just C-Class Eerie Entities, many survivors might choose to fight back instead. A few casualties are far better than total annihilation.

Not every survivor will face an S-Class threat, but in places like Yubei City, where all the markings concentrated, every imaginable horror—sky, land, underground—converged. That's true despair."*

"So, the best survival strategy is toeliminate the first hunterand then re-enterstealth mode. That way, we'll besaferin the darkness."

KIKI pondered for a moment before nodding.

"You've got a point."

Lin Xian said no more. He fired up the Infinite Train, then joined Chen Sixuan in the cockpit.

"Do we have enough bullets?"

"Barely. The1130 CIWSis still out of commission."

Lin Xian scowled.

"No time to hesitate. We have to take the risk."

His stamina was nearly depleted, and the Mutant Giant Parasite's corpse was still burning on the hillside. He had no intention of lingering in Rain Town any longer. They needed to leave—and test if their Markings had truly been erased.

With a roar, the Infinite Train surged forward, leaving the valley behind as it raced toward the Orbital Main Rail.

Along the way, Lin Xian saw scattered remains on the tracks—the aftermath of their escape last night.

Beep—Beep—

His watch alarm went off.

Both he and Chen Sixuan stiffened.

As the train headlights lit up the tracks ahead, their expressions turned grim.

Inside the carriages, everyone held their breath, waiting for the Tides to arrive.

Chomp!

Above them, the sky flickered with eerie light.

The storm clouds that had covered the sky vanished instantly, replaced by an endless black veil.

The entire forest along the tracks plunged into complete darkness, with only the outlines of trees faintly visible.

For a split second—Lin Xian forgot to breathe.