Armed Train in the Apocalypse

Chapter 447: Chapter 287: Deserter

Tan Yunxi, crying as she tore open her collar, saw the circle of fur like a cape on her shoulder, and her tears fell even faster.

Yu Jing and Nonsense exchanged glances.

”The ’Beastification’ skill is quite formidable. Combined with the ’Combat Factor,’ before reaching Tier One, not many can beat you.”

”Really?”

Tan Yunxi asked with tear-filled eyes.

”You can ask the mongoose.”

Recalling her mother’s comforting gestures from childhood, Yu Jing reached out intending to pat her head, but somehow ended up touching her ear.

Tan Yunxi cried even louder.

The others in the laboratory also turned their gazes over.

Yu Jing, Nonsense: ”...”

Nonsense, ”I’ve got something else to do, I’ll be going.”

Once Nonsense left, Tan Yunxi gradually quieted, though still sobbing softly.

Yu Jing’s gaze sharpened, ”I have a tricky problem now. If you can solve it, I’ll ensure you get promoted two levels.”

Tan Yunxi lifted her head, ”So that’s 50 points a month as a third-class crew member, with the qualifications to exchange for survival information and evolution materials?”

She had already figured out the points system on the train.

The crew as a whole ranks lower than the Armed Corps.

A first-class crew member’s base salary is only 20 points a month, and with some allowances, bonuses, and other miscellaneous supplements, they can barely earn 30.

A second-class crew’s base pay is 35 points.

Meanwhile, in the Armed Corps, even the most ordinary Third-class Soldier receives 60 points each month.

But the recent one-fifth mortality rate silenced all the private murmurs.

Now the entire train knew that was money for risking your life.

Comparatively, the crew’s situation was quite good.

As long as you steadily work your way to fourth-class, you’ll have a base of 70 points per month.

Easily enough to support a family, and even better if single, you live quite comfortably.

Tan Yunxi boarded the train, wanting more than just her family’s gamble; she also wanted to try the mutated plants that could increase life force.

Only third-class crew had the purchasing qualifications.

”You understand quite well.”

Yu Jing was slightly surprised.

Tan Yunxi proudly puffed out her chest, even overshadowing Yu Jing a bit.

”Anything related to weapon design, I can absolutely solve!”

Without leaving a trace, Yu Jing glanced over the girl’s swelling pride, pursing her lips, ”I’m currently designing the train’s first single-soldier exoskeleton. I need an overall design for its weapon system.”

Tan Yunxi quickly wiped her bothersome tears with the fur on her shoulder, waved her small hand, and her eyes gleamed.

”Let’s go, check out the current progress.”

...

Black Kite Headquarters, underground laboratory.

As machinery whirred to life, No. 1 walked out from the door in a white coat, data streams reflecting in his lenses, removing his bloodstained medical gloves as he spoke, ”The data fluctuations between several experiments are too large, there must be other interference factors...”

Halfway through speaking, No. 1’s gaze fell on the shadow at the corner of the wall.

A suit with unusually wide shoulders ’stood’ there.

No. 4 stepped forward, about to speak, but then saw No. 1 raise a palm, turning his head to look at an approaching lab assistant.

”Is it about time? Has No. 3’s Genetic Primordial and life force-enhancing mutant plant arrived?”

The lab assistant paused, visibly hesitant.

”Still wanting test subjects? If you keep staying holed up in the lab, Black Kite will be cleaned out by others.”

A sharp voice emerged from No. 4’s mouth.

No. 1 paused for two seconds, then extended his hand.

Soon, the lab assistant placed a tablet in his hand, detailing everything that happened at Black Kite, with two-thirds of its content mentioning one name.

— Armed Train.

Gazing at the startling war reports on it, No. 1’s limited brain capacity quickly overloaded.

He fell into a rigid state.

”I propose to revoke No. 3’s highest authority. Although he didn’t directly take anything from the company, other higher-ups are desperately extracting resources from it. I just came back and could barely hold it down!”

The sharpness in No. 4’s voice carried unconcealed anger.

”Where is No. 3 now?”

Freeing up most of his mind from experimental simulations, No. 1 finally showed a hint of humanity.

Yet his voice remained calm, with a mechanical coldness.

Neither Black Kite’s defeat nor the staggering war compensation made him frown.

”He’s cutting sand beasts in the west.”

”How many people remain in the company?”

No. 4 frowned, ”The company is severely weakened. Even if we don’t have many, we can’t handle the current Armed Train. Even I have to admit, the other side suppresses us with superior power.”

”No, pull back our personnel, don’t engage them for now.”

Behind the lenses, a more terrifying data stream flashed in No. 1’s eyes.

”Dual professionals, it’s truly a new field that stokes one’s exploratory desire.”

”But I need more information.”

”What information?”

”About the Armed Train, about the train captain, I need all his details.”

No. 4 sighed, ”I figured as much, don’t worry. I’ve already arranged spies; I’ll guide them if necessary.”

...

Compared to the unpredictable floods of the Flood Zone, the sandstorms of the Storm Zone are just as unforgiving.

But they differ vastly in scale.

Faced with that kind of elemental might, even the well-prepared Armed Train nearly succumbed. If not for the giant whale going the extra mile, helping the train settle quickly, even the train captain would have been stranded on the island as a sacrifice.

That was a true natural disaster, a catastrophe of life.

Whether human, Evolution Beast, or anything else, whether submissive or resistant, all would be equally cleansed by the calamity.