Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 234: Cover Deployment

"Lin Xian!"

KIKI's face instantly paled at his words. Her eyes flared with anger, and if they weren’t surrounded by people, she would’ve rushed over and strangled him on the spot.

Lin Xian pointed at the mecha beneath his feet. "Once I finish repairing it, you can be the first to pilot it."

Hearing this, KIKI’s eyes immediately brightened, though she was still fuming. She looked at him with a mix of anger and anticipation, then quickly said, "You said it, no take-backs!"

"Lin Xian, what's the plan now?"

Chen Sixuan spoke up, glancing warily at the strange corpse in the water.

Lin Xian’s expression turned serious. "Originally, I wanted to send the whole team to explore, but judging by the situation down here, things are a lot more complicated than expected. It’s better if we stick together. I’ll repair this mecha first, and then we’ll leave together."

"Ah?" KIKI sounded a little disappointed. "This research facility is huge. Are we really not going to look around? What if there's more valuable stuff?"

Lin Xian pointed at the eerie human head floating in the water. "Monsters that can cause hallucinations are a serious threat. Plus, we already encountered those things crawling through ventilation ducts. I’d bet a lot of creatures have already gotten in from the breached containment walls over at the test site. Given the circumstances, we shouldn’t push our luck."

In horror movies, people always insist on splitting up even when they know something is wrong—a stupid decision.

Right now, Infinite Train wasn’t in a life-or-death situation for supplies. If it weren’t for the heavy mecha he was currently repairing, Lin Xian would’ve already ordered a retreat. After all, his primary objective—retrieving the medical pod—had already been accomplished, which was more than he expected.

On top of that, it was currently nighttime, meaning Infinite Train might face other dangers. Staying here too long wasn’t an option.

"How about this?" KIKI suggested. "Since there are so many of us, we can stay on this floor and search. That way, we can still cover you while you work, and once you’re done, we’ll all leave together."

Looking at such an empty research facility without scavenging at least a little felt like a waste.

However, she also understood Lin Xian’s reasoning, so she proposed a compromise.

Lin Xian thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But we’re still deep underground, and with rising water levels, we need to plan for emergencies."

He turned to KIKI. "Where’s the elevator exit for this mecha hangar?"

KIKI quickly checked her mobile terminal. "Exit F, but that’s located at Test Site No. 3—also known as the Clearwater Town Test Site, the one we entered earlier. That’s the designated large-scale machinery exit."

Lin Xian frowned slightly. "Got it."

He then looked at Big Luo. "Big Luo, take a team and secure the elevator access for our eventual retreat."

"Shu Qin, Lü Chang, you two handle the central courtyard. The lake water here is suspicious—possibly contaminated with Eerie entities—and it’s interfering with our communications. Since you’re agile, you’ll serve as relay points for messages while also gathering supplies."

"As for KIKI, your job is to protect Director Ding and take her to key research areas. Look for any valuable data, especially anything on Abilities or Eerie Entities. This Foundation seems to have conducted deeper research than Phoenix, and their findings might help us."

"Chen Sixuan, you and Miao Lu stay here and cover me while I work. I expect to finish repairs in about 40 to 60 minutes."

"Got it." Chen Sixuan nodded.

Lin Xian added, "Everyone, stick together. Do not explore alone—at least three people per room. Keep your lights on—the power supply might fail at any moment. This facility contains Eerie Entities, Human-Eeries, and unknown test subjects. If you encounter any threats, neutralize them immediately. If you can’t, retreat to the central courtyard elevator and regroup for support!"

"Understood!" Everyone responded in unison.

Other than Lu Xingchen, Shasha, and a few convoy members who stayed behind on Infinite Train, 24 combat-ready members were currently in the research facility.

Lin Xian’s team assignments ensured every group had at least one heavy-firepower unit armed with a Roarer K23 Electric Gatling Gun.

Additionally, each team member was equipped with tactical flashlights, explosives, grenade launchers, gas masks, and cutting tools.

"Alright, stay sharp—move out!"

Hearing Lin Xian’s precise strategy, the team’s morale soared. They immediately began their assignments.

With their enhanced bodies and advanced firepower, the Infinite Train crew had become a formidable force. Knowing there was backup nearby, everyone focused as they set off.

Command Post – Repair Site

"Chen Sixuan—"

"I know."

Before Lin Xian could finish, Chen Sixuan cut him off. "Just focus on your task. I’ll handle things here."

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Lin Xian hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Stay safe."

Chen Sixuan exhaled softly and turned to Miao Lu and the others. "We’ll stay in this area and observe. The water’s rising, so keep an eye out for anything in it."

"Understood!"

Lin Xian observed the rising water level. Given the size of the ninth floor, it would take time to completely flood, but the water was already reaching the mecha’s cockpit.

[Scan Progress: 60%]

Meanwhile, Big Luo led his team toward the central courtyard. The facility’s underground structure resembled a honeycomb, with a central descending passageway and six hexagonal research sectors per level.

"Testing—communications check." Shu Qin pressed her earpiece.

"Shu Qin, received. But I’m noticing signal interference."

"You two, stay here."

Shu Qin assigned relay operators along the path. "Work in pairs, check-in every three minutes, and maintain communication."

Big Luo watched her efficiency and asked, "Were you in the military?"

"Starfleet 71st Army Group, Dingzhou 552nd Recon Cavalry, Sergeant." Shu Qin glanced at him. "Retired. You?"

"Westwind Brigade, Combat Engineer."

Shu Qin’s eyes widened. "General Wei’s unit?"

Big Luo nodded. "Yeah."

"I heard that after Apocalypse Day, when the Federation collapsed, some Starfleet remnants reorganized and joined Phoenix. That included Westwind Brigade."

Big Luo scratched his head. "I wouldn’t know. I retired before that—opened an auto repair shop."

Their squad reached the central courtyard—a massive hall resembling an airport terminal, complete with directional signs.

"I’ll hold this position," Big Luo said, hoisting his Gatling gun onto his shoulder and stepping onto a flower bed.

"There are two emergency stairwells nearby. Lü Chang and I will sweep the area and patrol. We’ll stay in contact with you," Shu Qin replied.

"Got it."

Big Luo’s eyes scanned his surroundings. He knew this was the retreat route, so he remained fully alert.

Meanwhile, KIKI and Ding Junyi headed toward the research sectors.

"You’ve grown stronger since leaving Jiazhou City," Ding Junyi remarked as she quickened her pace.

"Really?" KIKI crossed her arms and hovered backward. "I don’t feel any different. Soul Wave Values don’t seem to measure evolution properly."

Ding Junyi adjusted her glasses. "That's because Soul Wave Values measure life force fluctuations, not true power levels…"

As they discussed, they raced deeper into the unknown depths of the facility.

KIKI hovered backward as she listened. “So you’re saying that Soul Wave Values aren’t a reliable measurement?”

Ding Junyi nodded. “Not exactly. The more time someone spends in the Black Night, the stronger their Abilities and genetic evolution seem to be compared to survivors in areas with less Polar Night influence. However, the survival rate is significantly lower.”

KIKI scoffed. “Well, obviously. If you’re constantly fighting monsters in the dark, of course fewer people survive.”

Ding Junyi shook her head. “It’s not just about combat. There’s also Dark Corruption—remember how Lin Xian mentioned it before? I’ve been studying Phoenix’s research and cross-referencing data from other survivor factions. I found something interesting—entering Dawn significantly suppresses Dark Corruption.”

KIKI raised an eyebrow. “Wait, so you’re saying people who absorb Black Night energy need some kind of balancing phase?”

Ding Junyi nodded. “For humans, yes. Biological evolution requires sunlight. You can think of it like photosynthesis—plants absorb light energy during the day, but if exposed to too much sun, they wither. At night, they undergo respiration, releasing stored energy. Phoenix probably knows this, but they haven’t released their findings because they lack experimental confirmation.”

KIKI clicked her tongue. “Seriously? The world’s already ended, and they’re still worried about ‘scientific verification’? If they’ve figured something out, shouldn’t they warn people?”

Ding Junyi smiled faintly. “You’re mistaken. Science is precise. And Phoenix represents the last true authority among the survivors. If they make false claims, people could misinterpret the findings. Their philosophy is already about ‘following the Dawn,’ so they don’t need to highlight something that supports their existing agenda. Plus, without full verification, an incorrect statement could do more harm than good.”

“Ohhh.” KIKI narrowed her eyes. “So if they publicly announced this, some idiots might try to deliberately stay in the darkness to evolve faster—which would just get them all killed?”

“Exactly.”

Ding Junyi’s voice dropped. “The same goes for Dark Marks—it’s even more dangerous than Dark Corruption. If survivors knew the full extent of the risk, some might try to experiment on themselves, leading to even more deaths.”

KIKI pursed her lips. “But… we’ve already proven Dark Marks exist. We literally just dealt with a Marked Decoy earlier today!”

“It’s not that simple.”

“From a scientific perspective, our findings are still based more on hypothesis than proof. Even with Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum, we lack detailed data. We don’t even fully understand what kind of energy Dark Marks are, how to monitor them, or their exact mechanics. Right now, our understanding is more experiential than empirical.”

“On top of that, Phoenix’s structure doesn’t allow them to experiment on live subjects the way the Foundation does.”

KIKI rolled her eyes. “I don’t get it. Even if they don’t trust us, we still need to find Phoenix eventually, right?”

Ding Junyi nodded.

“Damn it!” KIKI’s face darkened—then suddenly, something clicked in her mind. “Wait… are you saying that this Foundation is the same group that dropped that Marked Decoy at the station earlier?”

Ding Junyi shook her head. “Not necessarily. But judging by their research direction, they could have the means to study Dark Marks more effectively than Phoenix or the Federation.”

She then glanced at KIKI. “Didn’t you and Lin Xian interact with them earlier? Can you tell me more about SIID? What kind of organization are they?”

KIKI’s expression turned sour. “They’re a bunch of lunatics.”

Crossing her arms, she recounted what happened inside the SIID facility earlier that day.

“…Not only do they experiment on live humans, but they also treat it like a game. And yet, they have the audacity to call themselves ‘neutral’—what a joke!”

Ding Junyi’s expression became unreadable.

“…It sounds like they’re following a group immunity model.”

KIKI blinked. “What now?”

Ding Junyi explained, “Think of the Abyss Zones and Dark Invasion as a global extinction virus. According to the group immunity theory, only the fittest survive. Apocalypse Day wiped out billions of people worldwide. Those of us still alive either gained Abilities or underwent genetic evolution. In their eyes, we’re simply the lucky few in a natural selection process.”

KIKI scoffed. “Yeah? And who’s supposed to fight back against the darkness?”

Clack.

Ding Junyi stopped walking. She turned to KIKI, her expression unusually solemn.

“That’s the problem.”

“Humans have never actually ‘defeated’ a virus before.”