Armed Train in the Apocalypse

But Huayang’s introduction quickly made Su Huan unable to laugh with his line, ”Among these people, his wife is the least, I’ve heard he’s henpecked.”

Huayang introduced everyone one by one, and Su Huan remembered each one vividly.

Because every time the kid introduced someone, he would reveal some innocuous secrets.

Making the big shots jump up and down in anger.

However, Su Huan didn’t take the truth and lies to heart, and was dragged by everyone for a welcome reception.

On this side of the train, besides Su Huan, only Huayang accompanied him, none of the others, whether high-ranking or ordinary soldiers, disembarked from the train.

As the crowd disappeared, twenty soldiers in power armor returned to the train.

In the armed hall, hundreds of soldiers were aggressive, and the war preparation room was filled with smoke.

He Jie was squatting at the front with Glasses, scanning Dragon Gate City countless times, polishing a ten-minute blitz plan for Dragon Gate City.

No one was worried about the solo banquet the train conductor attended.

Su Huan was quite experienced with a Hongmen Banquet like this; back when he first entered the Storm Zone, Mr. Shu had taught him quite a lesson.

So facing this Dragon Gate Banquet, Su Huan went with the attitude of flipping the table.

He just wanted to see what tricks this group of elites could play.

The first half of the banquet went smoothly, everyone eating and drinking, superficially inquiring about the grand sights of the twelve districts, but actually flattering from all angles; these people were leaders of various factions, praised by subordinates daily, knowing both measure and style.

The train conductor found it hard to maintain his posture.

This harmonious atmosphere lasted until the second half...

Then, amidst Su Huan’s inner scoff.

A new round of praise began.

...

The banquet didn’t last long, just an hour and a half, and then everyone respectfully sent Su Huan back.

And arranged an even grander banquet for the next day.

Su Huan felt a bit uneasy, but still kept his guard up.

The next day, just prepared psychologically, he was invited over again.

The train conductor felt these people probably had no hostility towards him and could temporarily maintain friendly cooperation.

On the third day, the train conductor felt Dragon Gate was a nice place, everyone talented and speaking nicely.

In the morning, Su Huan was eating in the dining car when he saw Huayang walking up carrying several bags.

Entering, he first greeted Yu Yue, calling her sister-in-law incessantly, then distributed gifts one by one.

The little cook herself was someone with a pleasant demeanor, always smiling to others, and since Huayang was the first to call her sister-in-law, she was particularly congenial, even splitting half of the breakfast originally prepared for Su Huan with him.

Once Huayang got the tray, he stopped socializing with others, carrying the tray over to Su Huan.

”Brother, didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to see Dragon Gate City? I’ll take you around today.”

Su Huan didn’t hesitate much before nodding.

Though flattering words were indeed pleasant, hearing them too much could become tiring; these days having only eaten, he hadn’t had time to observe this city beneath them.

Real-life details are harder to disguise than words.

After eating, Su Huan took Huayang down, still not bringing too many people.

The two wandered leisurely from the city hall onwards.

As they walked, Huayang introduced.

”Compared to headquarters, I prefer Dragon Gate here, it’s livelier, more new stuff...”

”This side sells coal, ninety percent of Dragon Gate and surrounding coal comes from Mine City; their headquarters initially was in the Wind Snow Zone, but it’s so cold there no one could endure it and gradually transitioned to Dragon Gate. Relying on coal sales alone can support a major faction’s expenses; my uncle says as long as they have backing from the Wind Snow Zone, Mine City won’t collapse...”

The two chatted as they walked, surrounding people didn’t dare disturb them.

Whether through appearance, bearing, or the finesse of their attire, they clearly conveyed their identity as top-tier governing figures.

Su Huan observed while walking; he had destroyed and built many settlements, and Dragon Gate’s scale and order were top-notch among them.

Perhaps due to multi-faction control, Dragon Gate possessed a vibrant vitality absent from most camps.

In a restaurant, people were seriously eating despite fighting outside, with people engaged in shady activities until a noise called a guard from the back to chase people off, brandishing insults all the while.

Some attractive women trading body for resources approached them but were discreetly dismissed by Huayang.

Su Huan didn’t deliberately enter chaotic places like taverns, just glanced and moved on.

In contrast, he was more interested in Dragon Gate’s materials market.

The apocalypse had lasted a year and a half, with evolver knowledge spreading in the wilderness, more people became evolvers, increasing demand for evolution materials.

This demand boosted the entire market.

Dragon Gate’s market wasn’t specially zoned, selling food, living goods, and evolution materials all in one place, beside the huge Dragon Gate Colosseum.

Su Huan heard the term ”Leap the Dragon Gate” from ordinary scavengers several times.

According to Huayang’s explanation, this was the shortcut for ordinary scavengers to rise, as long as one won enough matches or showed value in the Dragon Gate Colosseum, they’d be noticed by major factions, leap the dragon gate, and completely make a comeback.

Even winning just one or two matches could apply for entry to Dragon Gate Guard Army through Rubush.

At least they wouldn’t worry about food and clothing.

Correspondingly, around the colosseum, the Pan Energy reactions increased, scanning casually, Tier Two Su Huan felt six or seven, Tier One more numerous.

Lost in thought, Su Huan was suddenly drawn by an odd reaction.

Leaving the chattering Huayang, Su Huan approached a nearby shop.

The shop was a small wooden house atop a concrete stage, resembling a souvenir shop, except the wood was real timber, each log as thick as a bucket.

Worth noting, most Dragon Gate buildings were wooden, ordinary people couldn’t build houses with evolutionary materials.

The cabin sold zombie materials like most stalls, strange bones, claws, and unknown gels unsettling to the mind.

But to apocalypse survivors, zombies dismantled into materials were far less frightening than living ones.

Su Huan didn’t look at the materials but focused on a pair of gloves.

The gloves were desert-colored, with thickened joints, embedded with a carbon fiber shell, and reinforced wrists, these details showed they were designed for special professions.

What attracted Su Huan was the constant energy in the gloves.

Which meant it was a piece of equipment.

”Anything you need?”

A woman stood from a chair inside the house, wearing loose clothing, tall stature visible, her hair tied messily in a bun but evidently prettier than those around, possibly Yu Jing’s level.

Su Huan glanced at the woman’s thigh, hiding equipment within.

Though it was surely not for sale, asking about the gloves was sufficient.

Huayang eyed the woman before asking, ”How much are these gloves?”

”Huh?”

The woman raised the gloves to confirm, then hesitated, ”My dad went to see the match; these gloves are what he usually uses to dismantle materials, I’m unsure if he’s selling them. How about after he returns and I ask him, you come back tomorrow?”

Su Huan wouldn’t bother making another trip for a piece of equipment; it was insignificant for him, merely enriching the train’s inventory.

Seeing Su Huan considering giving up, Huayang asked, ”How about we package the materials and buy the gloves?”

The woman became wary, refusing gently, ”Let’s wait for my father, I can’t decide.”

Huayang flashed a charming smile, ”Sister, don’t say that...”

”Let’s go.”

Su Huan interrupted Huayang’s bargaining attempt calmly.

The latter reluctantly turned, the handsome smile fading when facing Su Huan but returned quickly, quickening his pace to catch up with, ”Brother, wait for me.”