Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 231: Mysterious Container

"I told you to get the medical pod back first, didn't I?"

"Lin Xian, come quick! I found something really good!" KIKI's voice was urgent.

Lin Xian frowned upon hearing this. He immediately grabbed his black rifle and called out to Ding Junyi, "Let's go. We're heading down to the 9th floor."

Ding Junyi hesitated, still holding a stack of documents, reluctant to part with them. But Lin Xian didn't give her a choice—he grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

They walked through the hallway, making their way to the elevator. Lin Xian pressed the button, and once the doors opened, he stepped inside with Ding Junyi, descending to the 9th floor.

This was the area Hua Xiaoling had previously taken him to, so Lin Xian still had a clear impression of its layout. This floor was vastly different from the others—it was incredibly spacious, with a ceiling height nearly three times that of the floors above. The ceiling was covered with a reflective material resembling a sky dome, displaying a real-time projection of blue skies and white clouds.

Even the fake windows along the hallway displayed images of towering skyscrapers and lush green jungles, seemingly designed to ease stress for the foundation researchers who worked underground for long periods, preventing them from feeling too oppressed.

Lin Xian led Ding Junyi through several large office areas, following a straight corridor. Before long, they spotted Daluo waiting at the entrance to a room.

"Brother Xian."

"What's the situation?" Lin Xian asked.

He glanced at the nameplate on the door—it bore the name "Hua Xiaoling." He immediately realized this must be her office.

Daluo scratched his head. "I’m not sure. You should check it out yourself."

Lin Xian didn’t hesitate. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The first thing that caught his eye was the vast, semi-circular room. Through the enormous panoramic windows, he could see the research plaza he and KIKI had observed before. But now, it was completely empty.

The glass containment chambers were shattered, exposing the interiors. The mech maintenance platforms were also deserted, leaving only a few seemingly unimportant research devices scattered around.

"Captain Lin."

A voice came from behind. Lin Xian turned around to see KIKI standing near a secret passage in the wall. Arms crossed, she looked both excited and curious. She pointed to a large, two-meter-wide explosion-proof metal vault door beside her and said, "Guess how I found this?"

Lin Xian walked over and examined it. "Is this Hua Xiaoling's safe? But... isn't it a bit too big?"

"Whatever it is, there's definitely something important inside."

KIKI turned toward a nearby decorative statue, activated her psychic ability, and caused the wall mechanism to close again.

"See? Pretty cool, right?"

"Open it," Lin Xian ordered, his eyes flashing.

As KIKI reopened the hidden passage, Lin Xian stepped forward, placed his hand on the heavy vault door, and activated Mechanical Heart to scan its structure.

Moments later, his brows furrowed. "This is complicated... There’s a large space behind this door. Stay alert."

Hearing this, Daluo and Shu Qin immediately took out their weapons, forming a defensive triangle around the entrance.

Clang!

With the sound of metal latches disengaging, the vault door slowly opened. But just as the gap widened, an electric current surged out, making their skin tingle.

"Watch out!"

Whoosh!

KIKI took over, using her psychic power to push the door open further. The group cautiously peered inside.

Inside was a dark hallway. As they watched, soft lights flickered to life along the floor, illuminating a path that stretched into the distance. At the end of the corridor, a dim red glow emanated from a room.

Without hesitation, Lin Xian stepped in, and KIKI followed closely behind.

The moment they crossed the threshold, an eerie silence enveloped them. The floor was spotless, and even their footsteps made no sound—as if the hallway was made of advanced soundproofing material.

Lin Xian and KIKI exchanged glances before focusing ahead. Within a few steps, they arrived at the crimson-lit room—and what they saw made them both freeze.

"What the hell is this?"

KIKI's voice was filled with shock.

The hidden chamber was spacious. In the center stood a circular metal platform, surrounded by diamond-shaped pillars arranged in a precise pattern, all glowing faintly red.

Suspended above the platform by a slender mechanical arm was a peculiar device. It resembled a small containment pod, about a meter tall. The cylindrical chamber at its core was filled with red liquid, though its contents remained obscured.

"It looks like a specialized containment unit," Lin Xian speculated. "But I have no idea what’s inside."

"Who cares? Let’s take a closer look."

KIKI wrinkled her nose and, without hesitation, reached out with her psychic ability to pull the device toward her.

But just as she brought it closer, her face suddenly paled. Eyes widening, she lost control of her psychic grasp, and the device plummeted toward the ground.

Lin Xian reacted instantly, lunging forward to catch it.

Bang!

A crushing force reverberated through his power suit. His spinal actuator auto-adjusted to counteract the weight, hydraulic systems groaning under the strain.

"Ugh!"

KIKI staggered backward, breathing heavily. "That was weird... My ability just went completely unstable!"

Lin Xian wiped cold sweat from his forehead, just as shaken as she was. He recognized this sensation—it was exactly like what he had felt back at Rain Town’s chemical plant when facing Ding Qing.

If not for his power armor, he wouldn't have been able to hold onto the device at all.

"Careful," he warned, staring at the red liquid inside. "This stuff might contain the same substance that came from the mutant parasite back then."

KIKI instinctively backed away. "So it’s some kind of anti-ability suppressant? A weapon against ability users?"

"Not exactly..." Lin Xian studied the liquid, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't discern what was inside.

He tried searching for an access panel or controls, but found nothing.

Taking a deep breath, he activated Mechanical Scan to analyze the device.

【Scan complete. Acquired Unknown Device 03 (Blueprint).】

To his surprise, the scan worked immediately, but the results were vague. The device was identified as an automated containment vessel, requiring a password for access.

A warning message appeared:

【Enter Matrix Code: _________】

Lin Xian frowned.

"A password?" KIKI asked. "Can’t your mechanical ability override it?"

Lin Xian dove deeper into the device’s structure, attempting to bypass the lock.

The moment he tried—

ALERT: Forceful access will cause the "Resuspension Liquid" to destabilize, destroying the contained object.

Lin Xian was baffled. "Resuspension Liquid? What the hell is that?"

"How would I know?" KIKI muttered, stepping back further. As soon as she distanced herself by a few meters, she let out a relieved sigh. "This whole place is full of creepy stuff..."

Lin Xian examined the security panel. The password required 11 digits—a frustratingly complex lock.

With a sigh, he stood up. Though he felt slightly weak, it wasn’t unbearable. The container’s shielding seemed to prevent direct exposure to its contents.

"You can't crack it?" KIKI asked.

Lin Xian shook his head. "The security system is too advanced. Forcing it open could be dangerous."

"So what now?"

"Throw it away," Lin Xian replied casually.

"Throw it away?!" KIKI was stunned. "Hey, if it was hidden this well, it has to be something important! Why toss it?"

Lin Xian shrugged. "The entire research team evacuated but left this ‘classified secret’ behind. If it was so important, why not take it? Besides, it suppresses abilities and might be risky to open. What else would we do with it?"

"...Ugh, fine. Do whatever you want."

As Lin Xian turned to leave, his Mechanical Heart suddenly activated on its own.

【Mechanical Heart—Activating!】

【Mechanical Heart—Activating!】

【Mechanical Heart—Activating!】

A deafening engine roar echoed in his mind.

"Lin Xian!"

A deep mechanical voice rang in his ears.

Lin Xian shuddered, every hair on his body standing on end. He spun around—

The containment device was glowing red.

Lin Xian’s breath hitched. A cold sweat broke out on his back as he stared at the glowing red containment device.

What the hell was that voice just now?

His heartbeat pounded in his ears. He quickly turned to KIKI.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

KIKI gave him a strange look. "Hear what?" She glanced around, perplexed. "I walked out and saw you just standing there like an idiot. I thought something happened to you."

"You didn't hear anything? A loud voice—like an engine roaring, and someone calling my name?" Lin Xian's brows furrowed deeply.

KIKI shook her head. "Nope. You sure you’re okay? You didn’t suddenly develop schizophrenia, did you?"

Lin Xian remained silent, his gaze locked onto the red-glowing containment device on the ground.

Something was wrong. His Mechanical Heart had never activated on its own before—let alone in such an intense, uncontrollable manner.

And that voice…

It had called his name.

It wasn’t just a random hallucination. It was directed at him specifically.

The implications made his scalp tingle.

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the lingering unease in his chest. His Mechanical Heart had finally calmed down, no longer pulsating wildly like before.

Whatever this thing was, it wasn’t ordinary.

Making a snap decision, Lin Xian walked forward and constructed a reinforced metal container—thick, layered, and lined with shielding materials. He then carefully placed the red containment device inside and sealed it shut.

The moment the box closed, that strange suppressive force weakened.

KIKI raised an eyebrow. "Changed your mind?"

"Yeah. We’re taking it back," Lin Xian said firmly. His tone carried an edge of uncertainty, but also determination. "I want to figure out what this thing really is."

Moments ago, he was dead set on abandoning it. But after hearing that voice, an odd intuition told him that this thing was important to him.

Even if he didn’t understand why.

KIKI didn't argue. She just shrugged and said, "Whatever you say."

At the entrance of the corridor, Shu Qin and Daluo watched as Lin Xian and KIKI emerged, carrying a massive, heavily reinforced iron box.

Both of them instantly felt something the moment they got closer—an odd, subtle pressure that made them slightly uncomfortable.

Daluo frowned. "What the hell is that? It’s making my arms feel weak."

KIKI smirked and used her psychic ability to levitate the box. "Here, big guy. You carry it."

Daluo, thinking it’d be an easy lift, grabbed onto the box with both hands.

WHAM!

The moment he touched it, his legs buckled. His muscles tensed, and he nearly collapsed on the spot!

"Sh*t—! Why the hell is this thing so heavy?!" Daluo gritted his teeth, barely managing to keep himself upright. His arms trembled.

Lin Xian glanced at him and calmly explained, "It’s not actually that heavy. Your strength is just being suppressed."

Daluo: "..."

What the f*ck kind of explanation is that?!

Still, with a grunt, he adjusted his footing and forced himself upright, locking his core strength in place.

"Alright, let’s move. We still need to get that medical pod back."

With that, the group left the hidden chamber, moving through the massive underground research facility.

Even though most of the valuable equipment had been evacuated, there were still plenty of scattered supplies, tools, and instruments left behind.

Lin Xian planned to salvage anything useful along the way. His Mechanical Devour ability could break down a lot of these devices, converting them into raw materials or usable components.

As they walked, KIKI suddenly turned to him and asked, "Hey, you never did say—what exactly was in that thing?"

Lin Xian’s fingers tightened slightly around his rifle grip.

He didn’t know.

But whatever it was…

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It had called his name.