Armed Train in the Apocalypse

”No wonder there are fewer zombies here,” Lin Jin suddenly realized.

Su Huan’s fingertips turned red, as a high-temperature bullet gradually formed. After two or three seconds, it shot towards an Iron-Eating Tree dozens of meters away. A dull thud was heard, sparks flew, and a scorched patch appeared on the bark, but the high-temperature bullet, which could easily dissolve human flesh, did not cause it any harm.

The Iron-Eating Tree, realizing the attack, belatedly began to wave its branches wildly, sending stones flying and leaving greenish whip marks on the concrete ground.

After a long fight, apart from shedding some leaves, the Iron-Eating Tree could not find its enemy. It then laboriously pulled its roots out from the ground and slowly began migrating away.

After teasing the Iron-Eating Tree, the conductor turned to Lin Jin and said, ”Go, cut off two branches.”

”Eh, okay!”

Without a second thought, Lin Jin jumped down.

Headed straight for the migrating Iron-Eating Tree.

The Iron-Eating Tree, feeling the heat from behind, ran even faster.

Su Huan smiled, a look of memory flashing in his eyes.

He was not actually teasing Lin Jin; the Shun’an black market could be built because of these Iron-Eating Trees.

It’s unknown who came up with the idea of feeding Iron-Eating Trees metal. Later, it was discovered that these trees, like dogs, could be domesticated. Survivors began to feed Iron-Eating Trees in large quantities, and the trees would protect these humans who provided them with metal, slowly forming a kind of symbiotic relationship.

In addition, with the Iron-Eating Trees being tall and strong, with lush branches and leaves, people began building tree houses on them.

The largest Iron-Eating Tree in the previous life was as tall as seventy meters, becoming a dominant force in Shun’an. Even zombies like Butcher, with a husky-like temperament, did not want to mess with it.

With these mobile tree houses, human survival rates stabilized.

However, Iron-Eating Trees were unwilling to leave Shun’an, and the metal on the surface was limited. The survivors could only trade metal with passing forces, gradually forming small and large tree house trading platforms.

Thus, the Shun’an black market was also called the tree house black market.

The current timing was still early, and it was uncertain whether anyone had started domestication of the Iron-Eating Trees yet.

However, the Iron-Eating Tree was just an incidental target. Su Huan was actually interested in the resources accumulated in Shun’an before the apocalypse. The area had developed railways, abundant resources, and had established several raw materials factories. With policies supporting it, there were automotive factories established as well. After building the industrial foundation, they even had a small high-speed train production base. Just the factory area for train production was like a small town, which allowed them to feed so many Iron-Eating Trees during the four years of apocalypse.

Considering the overall scale, it was about the same as the Steel Council’s heavy industrial area. The only difference was that these manufacturing plants were owned by different companies, not forming a monopoly like the Steel Council.

Initially, Su Huan only knew there was a black market here, and it was only after enhancing the map that he realized there was a train production base.

The objective of this trip was also this base.

With the existing equipment here, the train modification progress could be sped up significantly.

Moreover, there should be professionals related to high-speed trains here.

On the other side, Lin Jin also brought back two wriggling Iron-Eating Tree branches. Su Huan waved his hand dismissively, ”Don’t give them to me, take them to Huang Sea, have him cultivate two of them, remember to feed them plenty of scrap metal, don’t let them chew up the train.”

”Xiaozhao said there are people up ahead.”

Yu Yue’s gentle voice suddenly appeared beside the two of them.

Su Huan looked up slightly, seeing a rusty gantry crane standing on the tracks in the distance. The tall metal frame cut the sunlight into sharp geometric shapes, casting shadows on the ground. Along with the train’s movement, an abandoned train carriage could be seen hanging below.

Behind the gantry crane was a giant ”metal structure” made of trucks and containers, over thirty meters high, rivaling the gantry crane.

Not a wreck from a car accident, but an arrangement with a certain pattern and full of primal wisdom.

There were welding marks between the scrapped train cars, and the windows had a lighter rust on explosion-proof nets. Car doors removed were welded onto the ”building’s” outer walls as armor, with a row of welded axles and transmission rods forming an anti-climbing frame on top, the tips sharply cut, and oil tanks from tank trucks stood upright modified into watchtowers.

A sweep of his eyes, Su Huan recognized different vehicle bodies such as off-road vehicles, RVs, and tank trucks in this metal building,

admiring the survivors’ imagination and creativity.

In his previous life, he didn’t see this spectacular metal building; these Iron-Eating Trees could really eat.

Su Huan tapped the hood of the cab underfoot casually, saying, ”Tell Liang Kuan to alert the opponents, prepare to stop, have He Jie and Old Hu ready for trading.”

”Alright, what if the others refuse to trade?”

”Then we rob them.”

No sooner had he spoken than a high-pitched buzzing sound returned from ahead, and a reconnaissance drone with a fiber-optic tail flew back. The train beneath let out a cloud-piercing whistle.

The train gradually approached, and a man in a rubber apron clambered out of the watchtower. From several hundred meters away, Su Huan could clearly see the astonishment on his face.

After a moment’s hesitation, the man picked up a giant hammer and swung it against a suspended chain. A rust-colored rain followed, triggering some kind of alarm, and the sound of an old-fashioned clock in the metal building rang out.

The man waved his hand toward the train, shouting something loudly.

”He’s greeting us, trying to confirm our identity.”

”Then let’s tell them.”

Yu Yue obviously paused, confirming once more, ”The truth?”