Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 245: Upgrading the Mechanical Energy Cannon!

Hiss—

Lin Xian was continuously manufacturing ammunition, replenishing the convoy’s firepower and supplies.

"This time, Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum must have absorbed a significant amount of black smoke. That should result in a considerable increase in Mechanical Source Points, and the rest of the team will also benefit in unseen ways."

Lin Xian had never mentioned to the team how Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum enhanced evolution, but everyone had been silently changing. The most noticeable effect was on their overall stamina. After every battle and rest period, the members of the Infinite Train Convoy felt significantly better.

According to the Convoy Member Observation Records compiled by Ding Junyi, core members like Shu Qin, Chen Sixuan, Lü Chang, Miao Lu, and Shasha had all experienced noticeable increases in their fundamental strength. Meanwhile, ability users like KIKI, Lu Xingchen, and Luo Ye lacked direct physiological changes to observe, but the recent battle had proven that their ability control and burst strength were steadily improving.

Snow water is toxic…

As Lin Xian was crafting bullets, this issue suddenly came to mind, and his face darkened. He looked up at the roof of the train. Though he had reinforced it in multiple ways, he hadn’t accounted for water seepage and airtight sealing.

Back when he was planning the train, he had considered threats like toxic gas and oxygen depletion. His solution was to rely on the train’s Water-Oxygen Circulation System to support the air supply throughout the train. But along the way, his focus had been entirely on upgrading weapons and armor, pushing this issue indefinitely down the priority list.

Now, with the Toxic Snow looming, he had no choice but to take it seriously.

As he worked and thought, he didn’t notice someone quietly entering the carriage.

"Captain Lin?"

A soft, slightly hesitant female voice broke the silence. Lin Xian looked up to see Xiao Yuan, who lived in the Living Carriage.

She had just taken a shower. Droplets of water still clung to her damp hair, and she was wrapped in a large bath towel, wearing only a thin set of clothes underneath—clearly sleepwear, though not quite pajamas.

Lin Xian noticed her nervous expression and asked, "You need something?"

"Oh… no, um… yes."

Xiao Yuan looked flustered under Lin Xian’s gaze, her eyes darting nervously.

"I just saw you… still busy so late, so I wanted to ask if… you’d like some hot soup?"

"Hot soup?" Lin Xian frowned slightly.

"No, no! That’s not what I meant!"

Xiao Yuan panicked as soon as he asked, waving her hands in a rush to explain.

"It’s from my personal supply of canned fruit—I didn’t take extra from the convoy’s resources… If you want, I can make some for you."

Under the glow of the light, her flushed face looked uneasy. She lowered her head and murmured, "I make a pretty good pear soup… It warms the stomach…"

Xiao Yuan had a soft, curvy figure and a quiet demeanor—the kind of girl who, when she smiled, felt especially warm and likable. She got along well with everyone in the convoy. Though she didn’t contribute much in battle, she was young, intelligent, well-educated, and a great cook. Alongside Miao Lu and Chen Sixuan, she often helped manage the convoy’s daily affairs and was already becoming an integral part of the team.

"Sure," Lin Xian said.

He noticed her flushed cheeks and slightly unnatural posture. He had vaguely sensed her sneaking glances at him for a while now, but he neither acknowledged nor rejected it. Instead, he simply returned to crafting bullets.

Hearing his agreement, Xiao Yuan’s eyes lit up, and she hurriedly nodded, her words stumbling over each other.

"Alright… okay! Captain Lin, you—you wait here!"

Then, she quickly turned and ran off toward the Dining Car, her steps light and hurried.

A short while later, she returned, carefully carrying a bowl of sweet canned pear soup in a meal box. Lin Xian took it, drank a mouthful, and couldn’t help but praise, "This is really good. Did you add something extra?"

Hearing his compliment, Xiao Yuan was thrilled. She moved a step closer and pointed at a few floating stems in the soup.

"It’s dried vanilla seeds and dried lemon verbena…"

She bent forward slightly, her ample chest swaying slightly in front of Lin Xian’s eyes. Realizing she was too close, she quickly stepped back.

"I found them while gathering supplies and brought them onto the train."

"Oh~ nice find."

Lin Xian sighed. He knew everyone in the Living Carriage had their own personal habits. Besides the primary resources, each person’s Safe Cabin held various personal items. Even in the apocalypse, people clung to the remnants of a normal life.

Even in a world on the brink, people still yearned for warmth.

He drank half the soup in big gulps, then looked up and saw Xiao Yuan still standing there.

"It’s getting cold. You should go to bed. I’ll take this to the Dining Car when I’m done."

Xiao Yuan’s eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment, but she nodded.

"Alright… then, Captain Lin, rest well too."

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3:00 AM.

The snowstorm howled outside. A thin layer of snow had already covered the convoy’s campground.

The Infinite Train and other convoy vehicles still had lights on—night watch guards maintaining vigilance.

Ever since the world fell, survivor convoys had adopted a habit of taking night shifts. In the darkness, no one could afford to sleep too soundly. Over time, people had simply adapted to this upside-down rhythm of life.

In Car 12, Lin Xian finished crafting a good amount of ammunition. He checked the time, planning to rest for a bit.

Just then, the Mechanical Heart’s holographic interface suddenly lit up.

[Non-mechanical energy converted: +1000 Mechanical Source Points]

Lin Xian’s eyes sharpened—the Eerie Cube must have fully converted Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum’s energy!

He stepped into the corridor, watching the faint glimmers of fluorescent energy float through the air. He felt his stamina and focus rapidly recovering.

Strangely, despite having spent hours crafting bullets, he felt more energized than before.

As he walked toward the Living Carriage, he passed through the sleeping quarters. Most members were resting soundly.

Shu Qin sat on a corridor bench, rifle in hand, watching the dark landscape outside. She immediately stood up when she saw him.

"Captain Lin."

"You should rest, too."

Lin Xian often saw her taking night shifts, so he couldn’t help but say, "We have enough people now. You should conserve your energy."

Shu Qin shook her head.

"I’m used to it. It’s actually dangerous that everyone on the Infinite Train feels so safe. That’s why I stay up at night—I feel better keeping watch."

Lin Xian nodded. She had a point. It was necessary to have officers on duty at night to handle emergencies.

"Alright, just make sure to rotate shifts. We’ll be entering blizzard zones soon. The threats during the day won’t be any less than those at night."

"Got it." Shu Qin gave him a confident smile.

Car 5.

At night, Luo Ye was on watch duty, while Lu Xingchen was already snoring in his sleep. Luo Ye was sitting on a bench, steadily sharpening his Steel-Slaying Greatsword.

"Luo Ye, ever since your ability evolved into Blood Qi, your stamina has skyrocketed," Lin Xian remarked.

Luo Ye grinned. "Yeah, feels like I don’t even need sleep anymore."

"You still need sleep."

Lin Xian looked at the massive sword and sighed.

Originally, he had positioned Luo Ye as a heavy firepower soldier, but after his Blood Qi Ability awakened, he seemed far better suited for close-quarters combat.

That meant armorized weaponry was no longer ideal for him.

"Looks like I’ll have to focus on enhancing your weapons and mobility instead…"

People’s understanding and planning for the apocalypse and survival come with both advantages and disadvantages. The good part is that rational judgment helps reduce casualties. The downside, however, is that the pressure on all survivors increases significantly…

"Yes, this is a groundbreaking discovery for humanity," Ding Junyi adjusted her glasses. "It’s similar to virology—when we successfully isolate a virus strain, at the very least, we understand its true nature. This energy, which can alter consciousness and physical form, is no longer just some supernatural mystery."

"You seem to be in a good mood?" Lin Xian asked.

"For science, yes." Ding Junyi replied seriously. "Idealism and theistic theories undermine scientific progress. That’s why I’m relieved to find a tangible scientific explanation for what people call ‘miraculous evolution’—even if it is quite extraordinary."

Lin Xian walked over to the Silver Dragon Ten-Thousand Mist, noticing that it was still in an early growth stage. It was stored in a soil-free containment unit, and upon closer inspection, delicate purple streaks within its roots and stem looked like intricate pathways in a microscopic world—mesmerizing in their own way.

Ding Junyi stepped closer and remarked, "The properties of the Blood Scourge Flora far exceed our previous understanding. From what we’ve seen so far, these unique plants are extremely rare. The Phoenix Organization and other research groups are actively seeking them out. We’re fortunate to have obtained two of them."

Lin Xian nodded. "Let’s hope they bring us some surprises."

Just as he finished speaking, he realized that Ding Junyi had vanished from his line of sight. Looking down, he was caught off guard—she had crouched down, reaching for his belt.

"Wait… what are you doing?" Lin Xian asked in shock.

Ding Junyi’s face was slightly flushed, her movements deliberate yet gentle. She calmly replied, "Right now, Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum is releasing and transforming energy. Under its influence, everyone on this train is undergoing some form of evolution or change. That’s why I want to conduct an experiment."

She slowly lifted her gaze, her expression filled with curiosity and intensity. "The question is—does this evolution intensify when a person is in an excited state?"

Lin Xian was stunned. Wait… Are you really doing this for science?

Ding Junyi’s hand firmly gripped his waistband, her gaze filled with deep contemplation. Lowering her voice slightly, she said, "If we’re being precise, I want you to experiment on me."

—

The lights in Car 3 dimmed, and in the quiet shadows, Ding Junyi felt her body heat up.

That battle against the swarming hordes had ignited something deep within her. As someone who had always been dedicated to rigorous scientific pursuits, she had long dismissed certain human instincts as trivial distractions. She had buried herself in research, rejecting any frivolous indulgences.

But this was the end of the world. The rules that governed society had collapsed overnight. Ever since the destruction of Underground City No. 9, it felt as though Ding Junyi, the scientist, no longer existed.

There were no more structured research projects, no more sterile labs, no more suffocatingly rigid routines.

There was only him—the man who had saved her at the last moment, pulling her from the brink of death when the world crumbled around her.

So… fine.

She had made her decision.

For the first time, she would abandon cold rationality. She would shed the self-imposed restraints from her youth, the academic grind, the long, lonely nights in research facilities where even the slightest joke was inappropriate.

Perhaps… there was another way to live.

Beyond the satisfaction of scientific achievement, perhaps this once-dismissed, "trivial" aspect of existence held its own kind of fulfillment.

—

Inside the converted sterilization chamber, Ding Junyi felt a rush of emotion she had never experienced before.

A newfound sense of freedom, intensity, and exhilaration overtook her.

She had always been thorough in her research, and she intended to see this experiment through to its full results.

"Mm—!"

She let out a quiet exhale, suppressing the overwhelming surge of emotions.

From a biological perspective, every sensory receptor in her body was firing signals, creating an undeniable reaction.

A sudden wave of energy rippled through her—almost like an electric current.

Lin Xian, caught between control and surrender, was momentarily stunned.

"Hold on…"

Ding Junyi silenced him immediately, pushing forward instead of stopping.

She moved closer, her breath warm against his skin as she whispered, "This is all part of the experiment… I need you to follow standard procedures… and help me gather the most accurate data."

"Wait, what—?"

Lin Xian was utterly speechless.

Had he just encountered… a scientific masochist?

The overwhelming surge of energy was still lingering—

The first snowfall had arrived.

Beneath the blackened sky, the convoy pressed on. The vitality of the world, the fierce struggle for survival, and the relentless cycle of life and death—it all remained vivid in Lin Xian’s mind.

When he woke up, it was to the sight of a holographic notification flashing from the Mechanical Heart:

[Congratulations! Mechanical Augmentation Successful—Wind Cannon Upgraded to Mech-Energy Cannon!]

[Mech-Energy Cannon: Fires a focused energy beam from your fingertips, possessing significant destructive power.]

It worked?!

Lin Xian’s eyes widened in surprise, and he instinctively tried to sit up—only to realize that a warm figure was still resting on him.

Ding Junyi had seemingly exhausted herself and was sleeping soundly. As Lin Xian glanced down, he noticed a tiny green sprout atop her head, now in full bloom with a delicate pink flower, exuding a faint, pleasant fragrance.

"...Alright then."

Lin Xian lay back down for a moment, but he didn’t waste time. Without hesitation, he initiated another Mechanical Augmentation—this time, on Ice Wall.

[Mechanical Augmentation in Progress: Ice Wall—Time Remaining: 1 Day, 19:59:59]

"Hmm… but isn’t Ice Wall the same level as Wind Cannon? Why does its augmentation take nearly twice as long?"

Lin Xian frowned slightly.

After several hours of energy recovery, he felt that his stamina had mostly returned. He gently lifted Ding Junyi, placing her to the side, then got up, preparing to test the Mech-Energy Cannon and check how many Mechanical Source Points had been converted by the Eerie Cube.

Exiting Car 3, Lin Xian headed straight for Car 1 and activated the Eerie Cube.

[Non-Mechanical Energy Converted—+550 Mechanical Source Points]

[Alert! Conducting Reflexive Scan Using Non-Mechanical Energy...]

[Scan Complete. No Fear-Based Threats Detected Within the Train. Dark Energy Intrusion Successfully Blocked.]

"550 points?"

Lin Xian was taken aback.

The Mechanical Source Points gained from this battle were even greater than what he had harvested from the Giant Parasite before. It seemed that those insect creatures had contributed quite a lot.

[Current Mechanical Heart Level: LV.4 (1690/7000)]

Without realizing it, he had gained nearly 20% progress in just a single day—the biggest jump in a long while.

Of course, the cost was equally immense.

The Infinite Train had nearly depleted its entire ammunition stock, and three other powerful convoys had also burned through their supplies, with personnel losses to account for as well.

Lin Xian lifted a blackout panel and gazed outside at the sleeping convoy.

"Hope they all get stronger, too."

The morning was silent.

The snowstorm continued, and under the glow of headlights, the ground outside had been covered in a blanket of pure white.

It was now 6 AM.

Most of the other three convoys had settled down to rest, except for the night shift sentries. Their joint battle against the insect horde had given everyone a rare, peaceful night.

"Captain Lin!"

As Lin Xian stepped down from the train, he turned to see Lü Chang and two teammates on the train roof, wrapped in thick cold-resistant coats, waving at him.

Lin Xian nodded in acknowledgment.

These young men were dedicated sentries, and their vigilance brought the entire train a sense of security.

Wearing his Exosuit, Lin Xian walked past the mountains of insect corpses, heading into the darkness.

The convoys were still on high alert.

Even the slightest disturbance could trigger a chain reaction of panic. To avoid unnecessary tension, Lin Xian moved far enough away.

The cold wind howled.

The Exosuit’s HUD displayed his body temperature and the external environment temperature.

His flashlight beam illuminated several boulders ahead.

Lin Xian glanced back at the distant convoy, mentally calculating the distance.

This should be far enough.

He raised his hand, aiming at one of the boulders—ready to test the Mech-Energy Cannon.

A faint mechanical hum resonated.

Lin Xian could feel metallic components assembling around his fingertip, forming some kind of energy conduit.

As the charging sequence intensified, the hum turned into a high-pitched whine—

And then—

ZING!

A piercing blue energy beam blasted from his fingertip, cutting through the air with a sharp, electric hiss—

SPLAT!

The Mech-Energy Cannon punched straight through the boulder ahead.

Not even an echo.

Lin Xian’s eyes narrowed. He quickly moved forward, scanning the impact site with his flashlight.

At the center of the boulder, he found a narrow, blackened hole, barely wider than a finger.

He reached out to touch it—

"Tch—!"

His hand jerked back immediately—the hole was scorching hot!

Under the beam of his flashlight, wisps of white smoke were still curling from the entry point.

"That strong?!"

Shocked, Lin Xian rushed behind the boulder—and sure enough—

The energy beam had punched straight through.

A perfectly clean exit hole was left behind.

He furrowed his brows and quickly measured the boulder’s thickness—

At least 80 centimeters.

And it had been blasted through in an instant.

The destructive power was far beyond what his old Wind Cannon could ever achieve.

"Holy sh*t…"

Lin Xian stared at his hand, where a semi-transparent holographic projection of a mechanical finger flickered briefly—before disappearing the moment he tried to touch it.

"Mech-Energy Cannon… now that’s something."

A glint of intrigue flashed in his eyes.

Now that he had calmed down, he began analyzing its pros and cons:

Essentially—

His "machine gun" had been upgraded into an "artillery cannon."

Against ordinary zombies, this would actually be less efficient.

But that was irrelevant.

After all—ordinary zombies were no longer a threat to him or the Infinite Train.

Satisfied with his testing, Lin Xian turned back toward the train.

Before heading back inside, he scooped up a handful of snow, letting it rest in his palm.

His expression darkened slightly.

The rumors of toxic snow…

He had no idea how severe the contamination really was.

But one thing was certain—

He needed to reinforce the train’s seals.

There was no way he would allow toxic snowmelt to seep into the train’s interior.

Not on his watch.