"June 4th, the wind is mild."

"This is an era of evolution, and also an era of decline."

On days without swirling sandstorms, the sunlight feels even more intense.

Microdust in the air dances up and down with the train’s movement, while the scent of noodles mingles with the aroma of meat in the dining car. Inside the transparent steamer lids, plump white buns looked delightful. Yu Yue, wearing a Strawberry Bear apron, fiddled with a newly acquired coffee machine.

A low hum vibrated through the counter, carrying the ease of everyday life.

Su Huan sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, playing with a slender gold and silver ring in his hand.

The ring’s circumference was very small, designed simply, with gold and silver intertwined and embedded with each other.

Perhaps it was because the orange cat blanket had been replaced with a little black dog today that Su Huan felt an underlying sense of restlessness. The metal ring in his hand felt like soft putty, molded into a small circle.

Both the ring and the person caught in those apricot eyes.

"Where did this come from?"

Yu Yue, carrying a cup of coffee, noticed the ring in Su Huan’s hand and naturally took it over.

She squeezed it in her hand and, seeing that Su Huan didn’t react, her eyes narrowed slightly. She then held the ring up to his ear as if measuring it. Her eyes sparkled like they had tiny stars, "It looks pretty nice."

Saying so, she knelt in Su Huan’s lap, smoothing the long hair beside his ear and clipping the gold and silver ring turned earring onto it.

Su Huan glanced at her increasingly round face, letting the woman have her way.

She always liked to put little things on him.

But most didn’t stay long; after a while, Su Huan would have no idea where they went.

"How are things on the train lately?"

"Every lab is complaining about a shortage of people; progress is slow. The Crown Pear Tree in the Cultivation Pod has grown a new pear. He Jie has made numerous team adjustments; hardly any fights occur, although Lao San got beaten again."

Su Huan’s sharp brows raised, "Who would hit him?"

"Who else but the kangaroo? Lao San always wants revenge on that kangaroo, getting kicked flying five times in three days. Huang Sea complained that the structure he painstakingly set up got kicked down."

Underneath the obsidian-like long hair, the gold and silver earrings became the most eye-catching adornment.

Yu Yue’s lips curved slightly, her eyes full of appreciation for her handiwork.

Su Huan’s hand was on her increasingly alluring waist. Before he could make his next move, the roar of an engine from outside the train interrupted them.

Yu Yue tilted her head, "A convoy is approaching us; it doesn’t sound very friendly."

Recently, the traffic between Zhijin City and Xiaohe City had increased significantly. The Armed Corps train had become the most famous attraction on this route due to its slow speed.

Most small convoys lacked the power to provoke the train, only watching from a distance before leaving.

But today, it seemed someone dared to try their luck.

Su Huan gazed out the window, seeing a rider in a windbreaker whooshing by, with five motorcycles trailing closely behind.

Further away, a modified off-road vehicle drove roughly thirty meters away from the train on barren land, a plume of dust following, suggesting a large convoy.

"Twenty-three cars, sixteen motorcycles."

After listening for a while, Yu Yue said.

A video from the command station up front was sent to Su Huan; several motorcycles didn’t completely overtake the train but instead ran ahead, provocatively zigzagging along the road.

Seeing the train’s lack of response, some riders prepared to perform stunts by jumping over the train. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Su Huan casually dialed the Armed Corps on his terminal, and He Jie’s scruffy, bearded face appeared onscreen.

Looking fierce, he said, "The Armed Corps is ready. We can tear those bastards’ heads off anytime!"

Su Huan chuckled, "It’s rare to have company; go and ask for directions, don’t be too rough."

"Understood!"

He Jie understood immediately.

Three seconds after the communication ended, the convoy saw the side of the Armed Corps train drop down.

A military off-road vehicle and three armored personnel carriers rumbled out.

The convoy erupted into a chorus of ghostly screams.

"Damn, they’ve got military vehicles!"

"And heavy machine guns!"

"These are tough bastards, run, run, run!! Step on it!"

"Dammit, they’re catching up!"

He Jie’s off-road vehicle locked onto the leading off-road vehicle, ignoring everything else and charging full throttle forward.

The modified civilian off-road vehicle in front was almost bouncing off the ground, but no matter what, it couldn’t shake them.

These military vehicles hadn’t been used much, and with Old Liu’s daily maintenance, you could almost say they were like new, barely touched by female drivers. Catching up to civilian vehicles was like play.

"Speed up, damn it, speed up!"

The co-driver shouted frantically, waving a handgun.

The driver, sweating profusely, cursed, "The gas pedal’s floored; what are those vehicles, and what the hell are we driving? Bark! Bark! All you do is bark like a dog!"

"Bang!"

A dull thud, and glass shards sprayed across the driver’s face.

The driver instinctively steered in the opposite direction, but a large hand tightly gripped the car door. The tires of both vehicles screeched, kicking up a cloud of dust, yet the two vehicles remained intertwined.

"Don’t panic, I’m just here to ask for directions."

A rough voice laughed wickedly.

The driver looked up to see a burly, bear-like man looking down at him.

One hand clutched the car door, while the other held a grenade without the pin.

The co-driver pulled out a handgun, pointing it at He Jie, and snarled, "Get out, or I’ll put a hole in you!"

Mountain Goat jammed the muzzle of the rooftop heavy machine gun into the window of the off-road vehicle.