Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 273: The Supreme Principles

“Whoa, that was awesome, Lin Xian.” KIKI flew over to him first, her eyes sparkling as she looked him over. Then she leaned in and lowered her voice, “Hey, but weren’t you a bit too flashy just now? Aren’t you worried they’ll say you were cheating?”

Lin Xian shrugged helplessly. “Are you stupid? This is literally my Ability. How’s that cheating?”

The test chamber was designed to simulate escape under extreme pressure. Killing was only one aspect—the main challenge was handling omnidirectional attack points, which tested a subject’s response capability.

Lin Xian, however, not only had an AT Field but also Steel Armor, allowing him to handle every challenge thrown his way.

The attack system of the test chamber was quickly overridden by his Mechanical Heart. At that point, even if Lin Xian didn’t try too hard, the chamber couldn’t pose much threat to him.

So in essence, this test chamber wasn’t truly pushing the limits. But given current conditions, it was already a relatively objective setup, and the results could serve as a useful reference.

An individual’s Limit Coefficient was essentially a fixed value. Once the Phoenix released their portable Peak Detection Devices, Ability Users would be able to track changes in their Ability Level with precision.

The test concluded, and Wen Zhu held a mobile terminal as he reviewed the collected data. Then he signaled his team to begin the wrap-up process.

“Compared to two weeks ago, the evolution rate of Ability Users has accelerated quite a bit,” Wen Zhu said, glancing at his watch.

Unless there were special circumstances, Phoenix’s Ability assessments were always conducted during the day. It was already 3:20 PM, so the newly arrived survivors would have to wait until tomorrow for their turn.

“Fleeing for their lives, surviving against all odds... anyone who’s still alive by now owes it at least partly to luck, no matter how capable they are,” Zhou Wuer said.

After a round of tests, it was rare to see anyone with a Limit Coefficient below 1. It was a harsh form of natural selection—psychological resilience and physical condition were critical factors in survival.

As a Courier, Zhou Wuer had seen his share of hellish scenes. This didn’t faze him anymore.

Wen Zhu glanced at him, his eyes shifting subtly, then turned to instruct his team to begin the final round of public education.

With the test over, many of the onlookers began to disperse, chatting about the Infinite Convoy and Dragon Mountain No. 1. But for most survivors, unless they had a reason to connect, these discussions were just idle curiosity.

After all, none of this directly affected their own survival. At most, the more powerhouses the city had, the more secure the average survivor felt.

The hundreds who had just completed their tests were still in the Cathedral Plaza, waiting. They hadn’t left yet because they were expecting a training session from Phoenix—and more importantly, to receive supplies!

Even Evolution-Level survivors got a box of supplies. No one was going to say no to free stuff.

Lin Xian, KIKI, and Fire Bro regrouped with Chen Sixuan and the others. Just then, staff from the Nightwalkers Organization began gathering everyone in Central Plaza. All eyes turned to a short-statured young man wearing the black metallic trench coat standard for the Nightwalkers as he walked up to the Peak Soul Wave Value Detector.

Wen Zhu.

It was rumored among survivors in Xilan City that these trench coats didn’t just offer defense—they could also mask one’s Soul Wave fluctuations, which Phoenix believed helped Nightwalkers avoid being detected by Eerie Entities.

As Wen Zhu stepped forward, he casually waved his right hand—and the massive Soul Wave Peak Detector behind him emitted a low hum and slid several meters to the side on its own, clearing a wide space for him to stand.

That one simple motion instantly hushed the crowd. Everyone stared at the seemingly short man, eyes wide.

“What the h*ll just happened? That machine!?”

“What kind of Ability is that?”

“Hly sht, that thing’s gotta weigh at least ten tons.”

“Nightwalkers really are terrifying.”

Watching all this unfold, Lin Xian couldn’t help but frown at the man. Then he looked at KIKI and noticed she wore the same puzzled expression.

“Psychokinesis?”

“Sort of,” KIKI murmured with a frown. “But it feels... different somehow...”

“Good afternoon, survivors. I’m Wen Zhu, Team Leader of Phoenix’s Nightwalkers Organization, Starfire Division Three, Xilan Operations Team.”

Wen Zhu’s voice was calm and rational as he scanned the crowd.

“First, thank you all for supporting Phoenix’s work under such circumstances. Your data has now been entered into Phoenix’s system. You can think of this as your new citizenship number under Phoenix.”

“As usual, after an Ability test, it’s our responsibility to educate you on the fundamentals of Abilities. We hope this helps you better defend yourselves against the darkness.”

“It’s been 92 days since Apocalypse Day. Date ID: D92. If you’ve survived this long through these catastrophic events, then you must have your own understanding of Abilities. Our research at Phoenix is far from complete. The Nightwalkers are still actively studying the impact of the Dark Tides on humanity.”

“For many of you, this power may mean evolution, mutation. But on a global scale, it represents ecological collapse and the death or zombification of over ten billion people—a civilization-level catastrophe. If the darkness is a flood, then those of you standing here are the lucky few who learned to swim. But the waves haven’t stopped. And swimming alone won’t keep you alive.”

“Phoenix has invested immense manpower and resources into Ability research. The Nightwalkers now number over forty thousand, and globally, over three hundred thousand Ability Users have been documented. As a leading organization in preserving human civilization, Phoenix believes it is our duty to share the knowledge we've gathered, to help you understand this power and use it wisely—so we can all survive to see the next Dawn.”

Everyone in the plaza stood a little straighter. All of them had escaped chaos, horror, and death just to make it this far. Phoenix had not only committed to researching Abilities but had also shared information through radio and these outposts, providing supply support. Because of this, nearly everyone had a strong respect and appreciation for Phoenix.

“Due to time constraints, we won’t go into the full details of the Dark Tides, the Polar Night, and Ability classifications—those are available via global broadcast or local materials you can pick up here shortly. I’ll focus on training you in three key pieces of information.”

Key information? The crowd instantly perked up.

“Oh boy, here comes the good stuff.”

Hearing that, Shi Diyuan shouted to the team behind Dragon Mountain No. 1, “Listen up, this might just save your a** down the line!”

“Got it!” the group responded in unison.

Over on the Infinite Train’s side, Chen Sixuan and the others had gathered around Lin Xian. They were up front, clearly intrigued.

“His materials should be in the Fire Book, but the method is worth studying,” Lin Xian said.

Others had perked up too—Zhou Li, Qian Dele, and members from the five convoys that had defended the front line, plus several that had entered the city just yesterday.

“The first point: For Gene Evolvers, surviving extreme danger can trigger major boosts in bodily function—near-limit breakthroughs. The closer to death you’ve been, the more obvious the evolution. Depending on your physical traits, you might develop strengths in things like power or recovery—some even becoming like giants or Blood-Fueled Ability Users.”

Wen Zhu addressed the crowd, “The difference between Ability Users and Gene Evolvers is mainly physical. Ability Users show Soul Wave fluctuations when activating their powers—others can sense the energy. But Gene Evolvers don’t. Based on our extensive data, both are influenced by Cold Dark Fundamental Particles, but Gene Evolvers represent an internal push—constant breakthroughs in human limits and physical enhancement. If they’re not using their power, they look just like normal people.”

“Our Nightwalkers believe these are two distinct branches of development. Gene Evolvers focus on martial arts, strength, speed, durability, and healing. Ability Users, on the other hand, have a power core that can convert those particles into Ability effects.”

“Put simply, it’s mental energy. Mental energy is also key to resisting Dark Invasion. Ability Users only need to strengthen this to get stronger. Gene Evolvers need to push both body and mind. That makes life a lot harder for regular folks who aren’t Ability Users.”

“But Ability Users also have weaknesses. Apart from strength-based ones like Giants or Blood-Fueled types, most have lower efficiency in physical training. In other words, if they try to train their bodies, they’ll fall behind Gene Evolvers. Some might dismiss this, but trust me—it matters. The disasters and Eerie Entities we face are getting stronger. Most Abilities are narrow in scope and lack mobility. In these situations, you either rely on your team or an Exosuit. But both are external. They can’t guarantee personal survival. That’s why Phoenix recommends all Ability Users train their bodies too.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” someone suddenly cut in from the crowd. “Didn’t you just say training efficiency is lower? Why waste time when I could be leveling up my Ability?”

Heads turned toward the voice. A burly middle-aged man stood there, wrapped in a black down coat, wearing sunglasses under a snow cap—looking very much like some street gang boss.

Ning Jing and Chen Sixuan immediately recognized him. That was Long Dahei, leader of the Blackie Convoy. A Berserker-Level Ability User with a 1200-point rating—one of the strongest convoys in the city.

On stage, Wen Zhu replied calmly, “Like I said, it’s a recommendation. I believe most Ability Users are already aware of this. Their powers might be strong, but their weaknesses are just as clear.”

That statement got nods of agreement from many in the crowd.

Lin Xian felt this deeply. Without an Exosuit, he was pretty vulnerable. If it weren’t for his Backlash move giving him mobility, he’d be in real trouble facing large Eerie Entities.

Zombies were manageable. But those thick-skinned monsters like the Pale Giant? His Wind Cannon, Ice Wall, all his gear and traps—none of them guaranteed results. Even the Infinite Train nearly got flipped once, and that was just a C-Class Eerie Entity…

Fire Bro and KIKI had it even worse. Their defense was way too low. Without team cover, a single bullet could end Fire Bro.

Even though KIKI had picked up a Forcefield and could fly now, her petite frame still couldn’t handle the constant onslaught from monster tides.

Someone like Shu Qin, on the other hand—while lacking massive damage output—could handle danger with grace. If she weren’t stuck on the train, she’d have great odds surviving alone.

“Weaknesses? I don’t think so,” Long Dahei said from the crowd, clearly not buying Wen Zhu’s take. “You know what Abilities are? They’re basically f***ing magic. No matter how strong a normal person gets, they can’t fly, right?”

He laughed and looked around. “No offense to you Gene Evolvers. Just my two cents.”

His comment instantly sparked a lively debate.

“Yeah, no matter how strong your fists are, they can’t beat bug armor or beast claws. And don’t even mention the ones that spit fire or shoot lightning.”

“Mobility can totally be replaced by power armor~”

A bunch of voices chimed in agreement with Long Dahei.

Wenzhuo let out a small sigh at that, just about to speak when Zhou Wuer, standing off to the side of the platform, cut in first.

“It’s not just about mobility. Your body's agility and recovery are part of the equation. Sometimes, to fully leverage your Ability, your physical attributes need to be up to par too. It all works together—you can think of it like that.”

His explanation instantly clicked for a lot of people.

But Long Dahei wasn’t buying it. He crossed his arms and looked at Zhou Wuer with a challenging stare. “Let me ask you this—”

“Are you an Ability User?”

“Yes,” Zhou Wuer replied calmly.

“What’s your Ability peak value?”

“Seven hundred.”

“And your limit coefficient?”

“1.8.”

That number caused an immediate stir among the crowd.

Doing the math, even though Zhou Wuer’s peak value was just 700, his Ability evaluation rating came out to 1260—higher than Long Dahei’s 1200.

Long Dahei frowned. “So with a limit coefficient that high, your body’s probably pretty solid, huh? Does that mean I definitely wouldn’t be a match for you?”

The moment he said that, a wave of unease spread through the onlookers. That tone—it sounded like he was trying to provoke the Nightwalkers.

On stage, Wenzhuo shot a glance at Zhou Wuer, but Zhou Wuer didn’t even look his way. Instead, he smiled and said, “Theoretically speaking, Ability evaluation ratings don’t fully represent a person’s combat power. We’ve already covered that. But if it helps everyone better understand how important physical skills are when using your Ability, I don’t mind showing you.”

Whoosh~

Zhou Wuer’s words made the crowd erupt. Even people who had been getting ready to leave the cathedral plaza came rushing back to see the show.

Sounded like a survivor was challenging someone from the Nightwalkers—a first in Xilan City.

“Alright!” Long Dahei’s eyes lit up with anticipation. He stepped forward, waved to clear a space, shrugged off his coat and handed it to one of his guys, and said to Zhou Wuer, “To be honest, I never really cared about this whole ‘limit coefficient’ thing. Perfect. Let me see how your ‘700’ goes up against my ‘800.’ Fair warning—I’ll hold back a little, but if you get hurt, that’s on you.”

“Heh, now this is interesting. A duel,” Shi Diyuan said with interest.

“Though this Nightwalker’s Ability evaluation doesn’t seem as high as I expected,” Ning Jing commented.

Lin Xian joined in, “Zhou Wuer’s from the Courier Unit. Combat might not be their specialty, but even so, I think their understanding of Abilities runs deeper than ours.”

Qian Dele nodded. “I agree. Still, looks like we’re in for a good show.”

“Whoa, they’re really about to throw down!” On the Infinite Train, Shasha hopped up onto Luo Ye’s shoulder to get a better view. KIKI flew up next to her, grinning, “I’m betting the big guy loses.”

Shu Qin frowned slightly. “That’s a big gap in Ability peak values. Can this really end quickly?”

“Very nice. A duel of strength and philosophy—what fun.” Lu Xingchen seemed genuinely interested, stepping out of the crowd to find a good spot to watch.

Lin Xian kept his gaze on Zhou Wuer. He’d always been curious about Zhou’s Ability that could conjure items out of nowhere—now he wanted to see it in action.

Up on the stage, Wenzhuo crossed his arms and sighed. Zhou Wuer glanced at him, and Wenzhuo muttered under his breath, “Always causing trouble. Don’t hurt anyone.”

Zhou Wuer just grinned and winked at Peng Peng.

Peng Peng got the cue and flicked his finger, releasing an invisible wind blast into the air. Zhou Wuer’s eyes sharpened, and he leapt up, using the wind burst to launch himself tens of meters across the air, landing right in front of Long Dahei.

“Guts. Just for that, I respect you Nightwalkers,” Long Dahei grinned. “Let’s be clear—I got nothing but respect for your Phoenix folks. I won’t go all out, so don’t get mad.”

“You’re too kind. Let’s not waste time—shall we begin?” Zhou Wuer smiled.

With that, the crowd quickly cleared the area.

Zhou Wuer didn’t hesitate at all. His eyes even showed a hint of excitement as he made the first move.

He dashed forward with shocking speed—feet pushing off left and right, body almost parallel to the ground, a blur racing toward Long Dahei like a gust of wind.

Long Dahei dropped his smile, face turning sharp. This wasn’t his first life-or-death fight—when it was time to throw down, he never played around. He clenched his right hand, then suddenly thrust his palm forward. A powerful shockwave burst out.

BOOM!

In an instant, the snow covering the entire sector in front of him exploded upward, blasting into a storm of icy dust that swallowed Zhou Wuer completely.

Smart—he saw Zhou’s speed and countered with wide-range suppression!

“Shockwave, huh? Looks a bit like your Ability,” Lin Xian said to KIKI up front.

KIKI hovered nearby with her arms crossed. “Not quite. He has to use his body to trigger it—mine’s all mental.”

Just like how Fire Bro can’t control flames with thought alone—judging by the force, Long Dahei’s Ability definitely had destructive potential.

With a peak value over 1000, he was already above Frenzied Level. Not someone to take lightly.

After unleashing his move, Long Dahei didn’t let his guard down. His shockwave worked like a radar—it reflected off surfaces and helped detect enemies. He already sensed it—Zhou Wuer was no longer where he should’ve been in that cloud of snow.

“Behind me!”

Swish!

Long Dahei’s eyes flared—he heard a subtle gust from behind. Without thinking, he spun and sent out another strike—but suddenly, it felt like he slammed into an invisible wall. The shockwave backfired, blasting him away, his skin rippling from the impact, even spitting from the recoil.

Darkness blurred his vision for a second. When he came to, he saw it—a massive riot shield from the Investigation Corps had appeared behind him out of nowhere.

The backlash nearly knocked him out cold. And before he could even steady himself, something locked onto his arm.

But Long Dahei wasn’t easy prey. He stepped down, yanked his arm, and tried to twist around to catch Zhou Wuer.

“Not so fast!”

He hadn’t even caught sight of Zhou Wuer’s face, but he’d already been countered once—that alone made him furious. Now he saw an opening and moved to unleash another wide-range shockwave.

But just as he raised his right arm—and before he could gather strength with his left—click, something latched onto him again.

“Hey!”

He roared, trying to break free—but his wrists had already been cuffed with some kind of metal restraints. Thick cables retracted with lightning speed, binding his arms to his chest, completely neutralizing his shockwave Ability.

Then—wham!—a sweeping strike knocked his legs out from under him, sending him face-first toward the ground.

And right in front of his falling face, a dagger appeared, stabbed into the ground—its glinting blade aimed squarely at his forehead.

Hiss—!

In that instant, Long Dahei felt death breathing down his neck—his heart nearly stopped.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. It was too fast—way too fast.

From an outsider’s view, that exchange lasted less than five seconds—and a 1200-rated Frenzied-Level Ability User was already inches from death.

If Long Dahei’s head hit that blade, there’d be no saving him.

Even Lin Xian, Shi Diyuan, Ning Jing, Qian Dele, and folks on the outskirts—Han Jun, Qin Xueming, Green Wind, Monica—all widened their eyes.

Then—just as Long Dahei’s face was about to hit the dagger—his massive body suddenly stopped mid-air, frozen in place.

He stared at the blade in front of him, breathing out frosty air, sweat pouring off his forehead.

Behind him, the snow settled—and Zhou Wuer stood calmly, smiling, holding a steel cable that had caught him just in time.

“Careful. Falling like that could get you hurt.”

Zhou Wuer gave the cable a tug and lifted Long Dahei, who was built like a bear, back upright with one hand.

Wenzhuo on stage just shook his head. Even Peng Peng looked unbothered, like this was the outcome he’d expected all along.

But everyone else—Long Dahei, the Ability testing team, and the thousands of spectators in the plaza—were completely stunned.

A 1200-rated, high-tier shockwave Ability User nearly got taken out in five seconds?

That was just terrifying.

Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan exchanged serious glances. They knew—this wasn’t about Ability peak values. It was about skill, physical ability, and high-level tactical awareness.

Long Dahei’s power might be effective against Zombie Hordes, but against a smart, experienced opponent—his flaws were fatal.

Life or death in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Wuer’s move was a masterclass for all survivors watching.

Long Dahei, panting hard with lingering fear, looked down at the dagger, then at the cuffs on his wrists. That moment of helplessness—unable to use his Ability—was a wake-up call.

Just like Zhou Wuer had said: to fully use your Ability, your physical foundation has to keep up.

“Apologies. I hope you’re not hurt?” Zhou Wuer flicked his wrist, making the dagger and restraints disappear, then grinned at him.

Long Dahei turned to him with a complicated look. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t say a word. Instead, he motioned for his guy to bring his coat back.

Zhou Wuer didn’t push it. He just turned and walked back to the Nightwalkers’ side like nothing had happened.

In just a brief moment, the true weight of the Nightwalkers was fully revealed. Right then, everyone’s gaze toward the Nightwalkers subtly changed.

A five-second takedown by someone with an ability peak of 700, crushing a high-tier Ability User with a peak of 1000—this demonstration made everyone start treating the concept of the “limit coefficient” as a serious and authoritative measure.

So it turns out, the strongest isn’t the ability itself, but the one who knows how to wield it!

“By now, everyone should have a basic understanding of the limit coefficient and physical fitness.” Onstage, Wen Zhu continued calmly, “In short, no matter how powerful the ability is, it still depends on how it’s used. Training your mental strength will raise the energy density of your ability and improve resistance against Dark Invasion, but if your body can’t handle it, it’s still extremely dangerous.”

At this point, the entire venue had gone silent. No one dared question it anymore.

“Next, let’s talk about the second point. Whether you’re an Ability User or a Gene Enhancer, the source of this evolutionary power—namely Cold Dark Fundamental Particles—comes from two main channels. First is the darkness;our bodies passively absorb it. The second is killing Eerie Entities. When they die, they release a visible black mist of dark energy, which the human body absorbs as well. The issue is, this power causes irreversible damage. Once it surpasses a person’s limit threshold, mutation is extremely likely.”

“That’s why we extract Cold Dark Reagents from Eerie Blood Crystals—it’s a relatively safe method of absorption. To better neutralize and balance this power, Phoenix encourages sunlight exposure and drinking vegetable juice. Evolution takes time. Even we Nightwalkers follow a strict standard: no more than one dose per day. Please keep that in mind.”

“Lastly, the third point—training abilities and physical techniques follow the same rule: repetition. Some of you may worry about energy levels, but the more you use your ability, the more you’ll understand it. Same goes for Gene Enhancers—it’s like training muscles. Since the human body evolves quickly, it needs high calorie intake and constant training to adapt to pushing past limits.”

“There’s also the matter of development. Abilities have many potential directions for growth. Think of it like fighting techniques. Even if an Evolver’s physical strength improves, mastering techniques boosts combat power even more. Phoenix has a guidebook that collects and compiles various development methods. I suggest everyone study it thoroughly.”

Hearing that, Lu Xingchen’s eyes lit up. He’d been struggling to develop his fire-type ability, constantly trying to boost the power of his moves. After seeing Peng Peng’s “vortex” technique, he felt like a whole new world had opened up.

If the air-type could be developed so broadly, his fire-type surely had even more potential.

“Let’s go grab a copy later.”

Lin Xian turned back to the team. He knew how important that guide was. There was no way they’d broadcast this kind of detailed info. Only Phoenix strongholds offered access to it.

“Got it~” KIKI said excitedly.

“Phoenix really has everything thought through,” Chen Sixuan added. “They’re like a big parent figure, slowly raising us up so more of us have a chance to survive.”

Shu Qin nodded at that. “It’s a blessing in a storm. When Apocalypse Day just started, it was pure despair—dead bodies everywhere.”

“Look at these survivors… I’d guess less than ten thousand people managed to escape a whole city.”

With billions mutated, the land was crawling with zombies and corpses. Less than 1% of human civilization made it out alive.

No communication. Silence for thousands of miles. A doomsday reality that could crush the spirit of any survivor.

Now, with Phoenix rebuilding a rescue government, supporting survivors worldwide and guiding everyone toward dawn, it was the last voice of human civilization echoing through the radio waves.

“That’s all the key info our Nightwalkers have summarized. We hope it helps all Ability Users and Gene Enhancers out there. We also hope you’ll hold on with Phoenix until dawn comes and the Dark Tides recede.”

As Wen Zhu finished speaking, the crowd quieted down and looked toward the stage.

“After this, you can claim free supplies from Phoenix based on your ability assessment score. If you need further help, Xilan City has twelve emergency aid stations offering free medical care and survival guidance.”

“Right now, Phoenix’s refugee aid camps are severely over capacity, and the defense forces are stretched thin. Biohazards are frequent, and the daily death rate exceeds 5%. Defense unit casualty rates are over 3%. So we’re calling for more capable individuals to join in protecting civilians. Phoenix is recruiting publicly—for Nightwalkers, researchers, admin, military-medical teams, logistics, and more. If you're willing to seek shelter and contribute to humanity’s survival, head to the emergency stations to sign up.”

At that, many people’s expressions turned grim. Daily death rate?

Counting deaths by the day… it sounded as brutal as a world war.

“Defense unit death rate at 3%? Doesn’t that mean 1,200 Nightwalkers die every single day?” Chen Sixuan’s face was cold. “That’s terrifying—they’re Nightwalkers.”

“So what? We came from Maple City, and every large convoy we passed on the way had over 5%, sometimes even 10% death rates whenever night fell. No one makes it through unscathed.”

Captain Zhou Li from the defense line sighed, “Our convoy lost half our people in the past month. New blood just keeps coming in. Sometimes we merge with other convoys along the way. My deputy commander had half his head eaten by an Eerie Entity just last week… trying to cover for us.”

“That’s why…” Qian Dele, standing at the front, took a deep breath. “Even knowing the Polar Night is drawing closer, convoys in this city refuse to leave early. Everyone just wants to stick with Phoenix’s main forces during the evacuation. We’ve seen too much death. People go numb. A place like this—if it weren’t for the damn Dark Tides—people would stay here even if it dropped to minus 50.”

“Tell me about it,” said Shi Diyuan, arms crossed and brow furrowed. “I’ve got over a thousand people, families with kids. The last thing I want to see is another death. Negative emotions spread fast. The weak-willed even mutate under Dark Invasion. That’s why every carriage is equipped with alarm systems—to catch problems early.” freёweɓnovel.com

Shu Qin, Lü Chang, Miao Lu, and the others all nodded in silent agreement. Xiao Yuan’s gaze dimmed. Before joining the Infinite Train, death was a daily thing in their convoy.

And she knew—those who died were usually the ones on the fringes, the ones with weak abilities or no protection.

Xiao Yuan had lived under that shadow. She desperately wanted to grow strong, to be someone her team could rely on. Since boarding the Infinite Train, Lin Xian’s presence gave them all a sense of safety. And in this crumbling world, her heart had quietly grown attached to the figure who kept stepping up to protect them.

Lin Xian’s expression turned solemn too. He recalled that convoy buried in the snow at Uliyasitai Mountain—over a hundred men and women, even a pregnant woman among them. Every step forward had been life or death. These tens of thousands in Xilan City? Just the lucky few from the hundreds of cities scattered across this massive land.

Besides the supplies handed out after ability assessments, the rescue stations also stocked plenty of weapons and ammo for convoy distribution—rifles, antibiotics, bullets, food, all given out per person.

Phoenix wanted to arm every survivor, to save as many lives as possible. This was a long march, a journey to find hope in the middle of an exodus.

And it was done with zero reservations—no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice.

“Alright. That concludes the information we needed to share with all the new convoys arriving in Xilan City.”

Wen Zhu swept his gaze across the crowd. “By protocol, allow me to reiterate Phoenix’s highest creed to all our new citizens.”

He stood at attention, raised his right fist to his left chest, his face solemn. And at that moment, everyone in the plaza—from the joking Zhou Wuer to Peng Peng, to the soldiers of the 7th Investigation Corps—every single member of Phoenix followed suit.

“I pledge to fight for the survival of human civilization for the rest of my life. I will burn my bones as fuel, turning eternal night into day, and swear to protect the flame of civilization!”

The next moment, the entire Phoenix force shouted in unison—

“Burn our bones as fuel, turn eternal night into day, protect the flame of civilization!”

In that instant, all the chatter ceased. Even the spectators around the edges of the plaza stood still, their faces solemn.

A wave of sorrow and unyielding resolve swept across the square.

Watching this, Lin Xian felt a ringing in his ears. His eyes swept across the plaza—those soldiers, those staffers—no matter where they faced, they all stood tall and shouted that soul-shaking creed.

And at that moment, he finally understood those who had marched into death in Yubei City. He thought of Bai Shuang, Zhang Dingzhong, and even Yu Yuheng—who, despite arguing endlessly with Guo Lao, still chose to set aside his differences and join the scientific collaboration the moment he heard their research had made a breakthrough...