Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 16: Driving Tigers to Devour Wolves
【Current Mechanical Heart Level: LV.1 285/500】
【Tip: Upgrading the Mechanical Heart unlocks special skill rewards. At LV.3, LV.6, and LV.9, mysterious awakenings are available.】
Base Attributes:
Strength: LV.1 33/50
Speed: LV.1 9/50
Defense: LV.0 20/30
Current Basic Skills:
Mechanical Devouring: LV.2 2/500
Mechanical Manufacturing: LV.1 112/300
Mechanical Scanning (Passive)
Mechanical Repair (Passive)
Mechanical Operation (Passive)
Special Skills:
Wind Cannon: LV.1 12/100
Staring at the glowing screen, Lin Xian could feel the Mechanical Heart inside his body roaring furiously. A shiver ran through him, and his whole body trembled with excitement. Without hesitation, he turned his focus to the final freezer.
【Devouring Progress: 2%】
The progress bar began moving faster than ever, visibly accelerating before his eyes.
"As I thought!"
This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
The improvement in devouring efficiency was a godsend. Not only did it save him precious time in critical moments, but it also greatly reduced the risks of devouring.
Lin Xian glanced at his watch, started the timer, and focused intently on the task at hand.
【Devouring Progress: 10%... 20%... 50%... 80%... 99%】
"So fast!"
Checking the timer on his watch, Lin Xian saw that, unlike the earlier freezers, which each took about 1 hour and 40 minutes, the last one had taken only 55 minutes—less than an hour!
His efficiency had nearly doubled!
Just as Lin Xian was about to calm his excitement, a flash of golden light appeared in front of him.
【Devouring Complete. Mechanical Energy +25. Mechanical Devouring Proficiency +6. Bonus Reward: You have obtained the Ice Shield skill!】
"Ice shield? From a freezer?" Lin Xian froze for a moment. It seemed that the skills he gained were related to the type of machinery or appliance he devoured.
Looking at the glowing panel, he saw 【Ice Shield LV.1 0/100】. Curious, he decided to test it out. He concentrated and raised his hand with a thought.
Crack, crack, crack!
In an instant, a small, semi-circular blue ice shield rose from the ground, enveloping him. It was just tall enough to cover his shoulders.
"Holy sh**!"
Lin Xian shone his flashlight on the ice shield he had created from thin air, dumbfounded.
The shield wasn’t very thick, about the width of a palm.
Clang!
He struck the shield with a short blade, producing a dull sound, much like carving into rock-hard ice that had been frozen for years. Its hardness was higher than he’d anticipated.
At the same time, he felt a sharp drain on his energy, leaving him slightly lightheaded.
"This skill’s consumption is too high, and the shield probably can’t stop bullets. It’s only good for emergencies... not really worth it," he muttered, disappointed.
"Wait a minute."
Frowning, Lin Xian carefully examined the ice shield again. After a brief silence, he stepped forward, stuck out his tongue, and licked the shield.
It was odorless, tasteless, and refreshingly cold.
His pupils suddenly contracted as a shocking realization struck him.
"Hold on—this is pure ice, created out of thin air!"
"If that’s the case... wouldn’t this mean I’ll never run out of drinking water?"
In the apocalypse, clean water was an invaluable resource. Now he could conjure it out of thin air! Though the energy consumption was high, the benefit far outweighed the cost. Lin Xian was ecstatic.
He eagerly chipped off a piece of ice with his knife and popped it into his mouth. The cool sensation spread throughout his body, instantly clearing his mind, which had been muddled by the freezer’s foul air.
Checking the time, Lin Xian made his way to the freezer door.
Activating the Mechanical Heart, he unlocked the door’s locking mechanism and hinges. The door creaked open slightly, only to be stopped by the iron chain that had been fastened from the outside.
"Damn old hag!" Lin Xian cursed under his breath, realizing the Huang family must have tampered with the door to prevent his escape.
But escaping wasn’t his goal.
Click.
Turning on his flashlight, Lin Xian used the crack in the door to confirm the location of the other freezer where the Huang family was hiding. He switched off the flashlight and extended his finger through the gap, focusing his energy.
Puff!
A silent Wind Cannon shot out.
The projectile struck the stainless steel door of the Huang family’s freezer with a deafening boom!
BOOM!
The sudden explosion echoed like thunder throughout the warehouse, shattering the quiet of the night.
Inside the freezer, the Huang family jumped in fright.
"Who’s there?!"
Caught off guard, the brothers grabbed their pistols. But outside, all they could see was pitch-black darkness.
"Is it a monster?!" The chubby boy cowered behind Gong Li, his face pale with fear.
"Don’t be scared, don’t be scared..."
"Shhh! Don’t make a sound," the old lady whispered anxiously, her face filled with panic. "Zhaojian, A-Jie, don’t shoot. If we attract something, we’re done for."
The brothers nodded, nervously swallowing hard. For added caution, the old lady turned off the electronic light they had been using for dinner. The freezer was plunged into complete darkness.
Uneasiness began to creep into everyone’s hearts.
On the other side of the freezer door, Lin Xian stood with cold resolve.
"So, you like trapping people like turtles in a jar? Fine, let me teach you what the jar is—and who the turtle is today."
Puff!
Another Wind Cannon shot silently out, slamming into the door of the Huang family’s freezer. The deafening BOOM echoed again through the warehouse.
BOOM!
Inside, the Huang family jumped up in fright once more, no longer able to sit still.
"There’s something out there! There’s something out there!!!" Huang Jie, holding his rifle, couldn’t stop trembling.
"F***! What the hell is it?!"
The two massive explosions had done more than just scare the family. Outside, the faint groans of zombies quickly grew into an ear-splitting cacophony as the undead surged toward the warehouse.
But it wasn’t just the zombies. Another eerie rustling sound, like something massive dragging across metal, grew louder. The friction screeches from the parked train cars were ear-piercing.
Lin Xian, hearing the sound, instantly thought of the pale white giant he’d encountered before. His heart clenched.
But he couldn’t back down now. Through his limited night vision, he saw countless shadows flooding into the warehouse from outside. The grotesque howls and snarls echoed throughout the space, making his scalp tingle.
Puff!
Without hesitation, Lin Xian fired a third Wind Cannon. This was the most crucial and deadly shot yet. He needed to ensure the horde’s target was entirely redirected—if not, his own position would be compromised.
Inside the freezer, the Huang family clearly heard the zombies swarming in. All five of them huddled in a corner, faces pale with terror. Huang Zhaojian and Huang Jie clutched their guns tightly, their eyes darting into the darkness.
"Don’t panic! Don’t panic!" Huang Zhaojian tried to calm everyone, though his own voice trembled. "The door’s solid as hell! Even crowbars couldn’t pry it open. Those things can’t get in!"
BOOM!
The third explosion struck the door like a thunderclap, shaking the metal structure like a drum.
It was as if they were sitting inside a steel barrel, with the deafening reverberation rattling their very souls.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
The chubby boy let out a terrified wail, only to have the old lady clamp her hand over his mouth. "Shut up!!!"
"What do we do?! What do we do?!"
"It’s fine! They can’t get in..."
"Damn it, we should’ve taken that train during the day! We could’ve run!"
"What’s the point of saying that now?!"
Outside, the zombies had been completely riled up by the noise. They clawed and slammed into the freezer door in a frenzy. The steel pipes and crowbars bracing the door creaked and groaned under the relentless assault.
Everyone inside was trembling uncontrollably, paralyzed with fear.
Then, another sound emerged—more terrifying than anything before.
It was the sound of chewing, like a massive beast tearing through flesh and steel alike.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
The noise carried immense power, accompanied by metallic screeches. The steel itself was cracking.
Finally—
BANG. BANG.
The freezer door began to buckle under the strain, slowly giving way.
Inside, the Huang family could hear the metal being torn apart. Their terror boiled over, and even the women and children began screaming and crying.
"AHHH!! MOM!!!"
"We’re doomed! What do we do?!"
Sobs and wails filled the room.
The snarls and growls of zombies were now inside the freezer, growing louder and closer.
Something had breached the door.
Huang Zhaojian and Huang Jie, faces pale and drenched in sweat, finally snapped. Unable to suppress their fear, they raised their guns and opened fire in a desperate attempt to fight back.
Ratatatat!
The flashes of gunfire momentarily illuminated the pitch-black freezer.
And that’s when they saw it.
In the midst of the horde of zombies, a massive red creature emerged. It let out a piercing screech, its gigantic mandibles snapping menacingly.
The creature resembled an enormous centipede, at least as thick as an adult human and over ten meters long. Its body was covered in crimson scales, and its countless legs writhed and scuttled rapidly.
Just one glance was enough to chill the family to their cores.
"AHHHHH!!!!"
Their bloodcurdling screams echoed through Warehouse 14.
But within moments, the gunfire and screams ceased.
All that remained were the snarls of zombies and the grotesque crunching of the centipede-like creature devouring its prey.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Lin Xian quietly sealed his own freezer door shut. Through the observation window, he caught a glimpse of the monstrous insect’s shadow and didn’t dare make a sound.
He had initially expected the pale giant to show up—but this thing? It was far more terrifying.
Cursing silently, Lin Xian muttered to himself, "What the hell is this? A parade of demons?! What kind of nightmare planet is this?!"
In comparison, zombies suddenly seemed tame, even pitiable. After all, they were just mutated remnants of humanity.
Lin Xian’s heart pounded furiously. His Driving Tigers to Devour Wolves strategy had been reckless, almost suicidal. If anything went wrong, even hiding on the Infinite Train might not guarantee his survival.
"Damn it... the armor needs upgrading. The weapons need upgrading. The engine needs upgrading too!"
