Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 244: Cold Dark Basic Particles

The night wind howled as the Extreme Cold Vortex spread over a vast area.

Near Hengshan Pass, delicate snowflakes began to fall.

After the brutal battle, the camp slowly returned to order.

The once-chaotic convoy was now falling into silence.

Infinite Train, lights blazing.

"You little brat!"

Inside Car No. 2, KIKI pinched Shasha’s cheeks, scolding her:

“How dare you take the mecha out without my or Lin’s permission?! You’ve got some nerve!”

“I was wrong! I was wrong! KIKI, I swear I was wrong~”

“It’s fine,” Lin Xian said directly.

“The bug horde completely surrounded us. Using mechas made sense in that situation.”

He glanced at Shasha and added:

“I’ll modify the door of Car No. 11 tonight,

so next time, you won’t have to climb out.”

Shasha quickly escaped KIKI’s grasp and nodded enthusiastically.

“Uh-huh! I’ll listen to whatever Lin says!”

Assessing the Battle

All the core members had gathered in Car No. 2 to review the battle.

“We’ve secured this area,” someone noted.

“For now, staying put to regroup is relatively safe,

but the Extreme Cold Vortex is spreading rapidly—we can’t stay too long.”

“We didn’t suffer any major losses, aside from ammunition depletion.”

Chen Sixuan flipped through her logbook.

“This area has already been hit by a bug horde.

The tracks ahead might not be stable.

If we’re leaving early, I suggest we depart before sunrise,

just like the other convoys. That way, we have time to react if anything happens.”

“Agreed.”

Lin Xian nodded.

“The other convoys will need more time to recover.

Tonight, we also need to stock up on ammunition.

After passing Yuankou, we’ll be entering the Parma Grasslands.

That’s an open area, meaning no reliable supply points.”

Preparing for the Unknown

Lin Xian had no time to waste.

Ding Junyi brought over Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum.

Its red glow had completely faded,

leaving only a faint shimmer—drifting like air currents inside the carriage.

On the table, a silver case sat next to it—

inside was a new Blood Scourge Flora, taken from Big Eagle Convoy.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the strange plant.

A purple energy flowed through its root core,

giving it an almost mystical appearance.

Ding Junyi picked it up for a closer look.

“Hmm… there are some similarities with Specimen No. 1.

If this is a new strain, it might have unique properties.”

“Hopefully, it’ll be useful to us.”

Lin Xian murmured.

Chen Sixuan glanced outside at the other convoys setting up camp.

With a serious expression, she noted:

“After this battle… our marks should be cleared.

But them… I’m not so sure.”

Doubt and Trust

"What, they don’t believe us?"

KIKI frowned.

Lin Xian shook his head.

“I warned them.

They’ll think it over, but the same issue remains—

We have Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum.

They don’t.

Without a visible way to confirm the Dark Mark,

they’ll only believe it when they’re in danger again.”

Ding Junyi shrugged.

“Well, that’s human nature.

If killing these creatures doesn’t bring a clear benefit,

but running away has a higher survival rate,

then, of course, people will choose to flee

rather than risk fighting.”

“No reward, no reason to try. Simple as that.”

Lin Xian’s expression darkened.

Ding Junyi had hit the nail on the head.

If survivors didn’t understand that fighting and eliminating Eerie Entities

was critical to their own survival,

then it would be impossible to change their mindset.

Survival Comes First

“Let’s leave it for now.”

Lin Xian sighed.

“These things aren’t our problem.

Once we reach Xilan,

we need to secure supplies and intelligence from Phoenix.

As for the Dark Mark data,

we’ll just send it over.

Whether they believe it or not… isn’t up to us.”

At the end of the day,

their primary goal was survival.

Lin Xian could only keep sharing information

with every survivor group they encountered.

But how many people actually listened?

That was beyond his control.

Ding Junyi nodded and was about to take the Blood Scourge Flora

for further research,

when Lin Xian suddenly stopped her.

A Theory Beyond the Apocalypse

"Director Ding."

"Hmm?"

Lin Xian took a deep breath.

“I remember something about string theory…

Isn’t gravity the only fundamental force

that can pass through different dimensions?”

Everyone looked at Lin Xian strangely.

Why was he suddenly bringing up theoretical physics?

Ding Junyi paused, then answered thoughtfully:

“My specialization is biology,

but string theory belongs to theoretical physics.”

She adjusted her glasses and explained:

“In quantum gravity theory,

all fundamental particles are considered vibrating strings,

existing in a curled-up nine- or ten-dimensional space,

rather than our familiar three dimensions.

The graviton, which carries gravitational force,

is a closed-loop string that isn’t bound to our 3D world.

It can move freely through higher dimensions,

which means gravity can indeed cross into other dimensions.”

Then, she narrowed her eyes and asked:

“Are you suggesting that the Dark Tides…

are an overlapping dimension

imposing itself onto our world?”

A Strange Connection

KIKI tilted her head in confusion.

“What? What are you guys even talking about?”

“No idea…”

Shasha whispered.

Lin Xian knew Ding Junyi had understood his point,

but he wasn’t sure how to discuss it further.

He shook his head.

“Never mind. Just some weird thoughts.”

He recalled a scene from the movie Interstellar.

In it, Murph’s father, Cooper,

used gravity to transmit a message through Morse code

from a black hole.

Murph then used that data

to solve the gravity equation,

allowing humanity to build space stations

and escape Earth’s extinction event.

Similarly, when Lin Xian used his Gravity Lens Skill,

he briefly saw two worlds at once—

Darkness and Light,

rippling together like waves.

Most crucially,

before dawn,

that other world generated a black-hole-like pull,

crushing the Red-Lantern Monster and countless Black Bugs.

But why?

Why did Eerie Entities stay hidden in darkness,

only emerging after the Dark Tides?

What if that was the key?

Back to Reality

Shaking off his thoughts,

Lin Xian turned to Chen Sixuan.

“Chen, make sure we stock up on food.

Everyone’s exhausted,

and with the temperature dropping,

we need to boost our energy levels.”

Chen Sixuan nodded.

“Got it.”

Just then, Ding Junyi noticed something.

She pointed at the silver case on the table.

“This looks like a specialized mobile cultivation chamber for plants.

But… it doesn’t seem like Federation tech.

Did they say where it came from?”

Lin Xian shook his head.

“Wu said they found it in a destroyed research convoy,

but they didn’t know which organization it belonged to.”

“Hmm…”

KIKI grabbed the case, inspecting it closely.

“This thing looks high-end—

not something a small group could produce.”

She turned it around—

then suddenly stopped.

Her eyes widened.

At the bottom of the case,

there was a tiny emblem—

A triangular symbol.

Everyone stared at it.

“What is this symbol?

I don’t think I’ve seen it before…”

Chen Sixuan muttered.

Shuqin and Da Lou both shook their heads.

"This could be a symbol of some research organization, similar to the Foundation. It might even be related to Phoenix." Lin Xian remarked.

Hearing this, Lu Xingchen, who had been standing nearby, glanced at the mark. His expression hardened slightly, and the relaxed look on his face faded. He didn’t say a word.

Suddenly, the radio crackled.

"Zzz... Zzz..."

A transmission from Phoenix's Xilan Outpost came through:

"**Phoenix Outpost in Xilan reporting to the Yunjiang Plains region. Based on investigations from various survivor groups and monitoring teams, a large number of aberrant creatures have been discovered within the blizzards caused by the Extreme Cold Vortex. Captured live specimens measure between 1.2 to 1.6 meters and are quadrupedal eerie entities with scaly spines and tails exceeding their body length. Sample analysis confirms these creatures carry potent toxins. Phoenix officially designates them as ‘Snow Wraiths’. They primarily hide beneath the snow layers, can conduct limited activity during the day, and enter a frenzied state at night..."

"Zzz... Global transmission from Phoenix Federation. Dawn Center is currently located at the northern foothills of Yun’an Ridge at coordinates 116.3913447°, 39.9053937°. It is expected to arrive in Tianji in three days..."

"Phoenix Xilan Outpost reporting to Yunjiang Plains region. Snow layers in the Extreme Cold Vortex center have exceeded two meters. A significant number of B-Class eyeless eerie entities have been found deep within the blizzard. Survivors, be on high alert!"

"**Global broadcast from Phoenix Federation. The Nightwalkers' Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory has successfully isolated a unique energy particle from Eerie Blood Crystals through a process involving underground xenon-cooled dark filtration. This particle has a resting mass of zero but enters quantum excitation and decay states when kinetically accelerated. It has been confirmed that this energy particle resonates with ability users’ Soul Wave Values. Phoenix has officially named it the ‘Cold Dark Fundamental Particle.’ Currently, specialized separation devices have been developed to extract this particle from Eerie Blood Crystals and Dark Tides Waves. Experimentation with Nightwalker ability volunteers has confirmed a strong correlation between the particle and ability wave enhancements as well as biological gene evolution. Phoenix is now collaborating with Xinghua Heavy Industries and Silent Industrial City to develop a portable separation device..."

"**Phoenix global transmission. 147 additional mobile support outposts will soon be deployed to assist, train, and support survivor groups in strengthening fundamental survival capabilities. The Nightwalkers Organization warns: Do NOT consume Eerie Blood Crystals! Always wear protective gear when handling them to avoid contamination from Dark Forces!"

Another transmission cut in.

"Zzz... Survivor shortwave frequency..."

"**White Light Convoy issues a warning to all survivors within 500 kilometers. Zzz... We... We have been completely wiped out... Our location is 150 kilometers northwest of Chixia Route. We repeat: DO NOT RUN if you encounter Snow Wraiths! The more you run, the more of them will appear—AAAHH!!!"

"Zzz... This is Flying Tiger Convoy. We’re moving towards the Yunzhou Mountain Range. We’ve encountered multiple convoys suffering heavy casualties. The snowmelt is TOXIC—DO NOT FILTER OR DRINK IT! If you’re still alive, head to areas with no snow!"

"**The Sentinels’ Alliance reports: At coordinates 102.4571147°, 66.4545487°, near Su Feng Village and Yaze Lake, a massive battle is taking place between Phoenix and the Starfleet Army. This area may be the site of a terrifying Black Night Eerie Entity emergence. Survivors are advised to avoid the area!"

"A SUPER GIANT appeared in the blizzard! It’s firing laser cannons! We don’t know if it’s an Eerie Entity or a man-made weapon. Everyone, RUN!!!"

"……"

Ding Junyi switched off the radio and turned to the group.

"These messages are from earlier today and last night. Some are from this morning. I recorded and played them all at once," she explained. "I filtered out useless information, but from what we can tell, Dark Energy has been definitively detected. The key now is analyzing the commonalities among Dark Matter, Eerie Entities, and natural disasters. Once that puzzle is solved, humanity will finally uncover the secrets of the Abyss."

Danger in the Snowfields

"My god," Shasha muttered. "It sounds like the grasslands near Xilan have already turned into a snowfield—and it’s terrifying."

"It seems you were right," Chen Sixuan said to Lin Xian. "Some people say running is pointless, but most are choosing to flee. However, escaping with a tracking mark only makes things more complicated."

Shu Qin frowned. "Lin, these Snow Wraiths sound like a swarming species, and they can operate in daylight. It looks like they might trigger Dark Marks, which is a serious problem."

Lin Xian nodded. "But there’s also good news."

Ding Junyi's tone turned excited as she spoke. "Yes! Phoenix seems to be developing separation devices that can formally harness Eerie Blood Crystals for ability enhancement and gene evolution. If that’s true, the Angel Project’s ability system framework will soon be public knowledge. If possible, I’d like to obtain one of these separation devices from Phoenix. Even better, I’d love a research paper on the Cold Dark Fundamental Particle."

Lin Xian nodded. "Finally, some real progress. If we can extract this energy, humanity might be able to harness the power of the Blood Crystals and the Black Night."

"Whoa, that means Blood Crystals are going to skyrocket in value!" Shasha gasped.

"Exactly." KIKI nodded. "But I’m more curious about how these separation devices are built. They must be extremely sophisticated, even if they’re portable."

"Phoenix is working with Xinghua Heavy Industries, so that shouldn’t be a problem," Shu Qin said. "But I’ve never heard of Silent Industrial City before."

"You don’t know?" KIKI smirked. "It’s Silent City! The offshore mobile city built by the world’s top corporation, the Moonlight Consortium. That place has a fully integrated industrial system and can move onto land. I always wanted to visit, but never got the chance. Looks like it’s now a major survivor hub and is working with Phoenix."

Lin Xian frowned slightly. "Are you saying it’s a mechanical city?"

"It is!" KIKI said earnestly. "There were blueprints online before the world fell. Some were fake, but some were real. It’s basically a massive floating fortress. Without industrial capacity, why else would Phoenix choose to work with it?"

Lin Xian glanced at Chen Sixuan and noticed her serious expression.

"Chen, what’s wrong?"

Chen Sixuan snapped out of her thoughts and responded, "I’m more concerned about the blizzard warnings—toxic snow, Snow Wraiths, major battles, Black Night Eerie Zones… These are all problems we’ll have to face soon."

Lin Xian nodded. "Yeah. Today’s intel is overwhelming—some good, some bad. Right now, we must reach Xilan. Once we meet Phoenix, we’ll get answers about abilities and Dark Energy. As for the dangers ahead… we only have one track forward. The alternative would be retreating toward Abyss Zone No. 3, which is not an option."

"Doesn’t matter," Lu Xingchen grinned. "Those monsters hide under the snow? My specialty is clearing snow—they won’t have anywhere to hide!"

KIKI laughed. "Perfect! We’ll strap you to the train’s front as a snowplow!"

"Wait, no—"

The storm raged on. And the night grew darker.

The Night’s Preparation and the Blood Crystal Hunt

The discovery of the Cold Dark Fundamental Particle and the separation device stirred countless thoughts in Lin Xian's mind. Dark Marks, Eerie Contamination, Ability Evolution, Blood Crystals, and Blood Scourge Flora… Everything seemed to be coming together, as if the veil over the Abyss was finally being lifted.

And yet, none of it mattered if they didn’t survive the night.

With the Level 3 Dark Marks on their bodies finally removed, the Infinite Train’s entire crew let out a collective sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Chen Sixuan and Miao Lu distributed food among the convoy members, ensuring everyone was fed and energized.

At the same time, Lin Xian wasted no time manufacturing a new batch of Roarer K23 Electric Gatling Guns and heavy firepower weaponry, reinforcing their defensive strength.

For the first time in days, the train and convoy camp were at peace.

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But in the darkness beyond their safety zone, a field of grotesque insect corpses lay scattered—remnants of the monstrous creatures they had slain earlier.

Shasha and Luo Ye, along with a few Infinite Train members, donned gas masks as they sifted through the battlefield, searching for Blood Crystals among the rotting insect corpses.

“Ugh, this stinks to high heaven.” Shasha grumbled, holding her rifle. Even through the gas mask, she could still smell the overwhelming stench of decay.

SCHLICK!

Luo Ye sliced open the head of a large black-armored insect with a single blade strike. A dense cloud of black mist rose from the wound. As the foul vapors dispersed, a blood-red crystal dropped onto the icy ground.

"Ah-ha! Found one!" Shasha exclaimed. She nimbly jumped over, picked up the crystal with gloved hands, wiped it clean, and carefully stored it in a small pouch on her belt.

"Let’s move to that side," she said excitedly. "I remember Fire Bro burned a big red bug over there. That one’s gotta have a Blood Crystal!"

Their search wasn’t the only one.

Other convoys, having learned the true value of Blood Crystals after Phoenix's recent announcement, were also scavenging their surroundings for any remaining loot.

Resource Trade and Emergency Medical Aid

While some gathered Blood Crystals, others worked on securing supplies.

Chen Sixuan, Miao Lu, and Xiao Yuan sat around a makeshift campfire with several convoy members from other groups, exchanging resources and survival knowledge.

🔹 Medical supplies were traded for rations.

🔹 Ammunition was exchanged for fuel.

🔹 Survival tactics and information were shared.

As the night deepened, a startling piece of news spread through the camp—

🚨 Both the Big Eagle Convoy and Running Far Convoy had several critically injured members! 🚨

Hearing this, Lin Xian immediately ordered Chen Sixuan to bring the wounded aboard the Infinite Train and use their onboard Full-Spectrum Life Support Medical Pods to treat them.

The moment the first injured person stepped into the pod, the entire convoy erupted into chaos.

People stared in shock and disbelief—

High-grade medical pods? On a train?!

For most survivors, such advanced medical technology was a distant dream. Yet now, wounded men, sickly women, and even malnourished children were receiving treatment right before their eyes.

In just a short time, several critically injured survivors showed rapid improvement.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

Among the wounded, a little girl with a high fever suddenly opened her eyes and smiled, whispering, "Mommy... I feel warm now..."

The crowd fell silent.

And then—

Someone broke down in tears.

"Thank you… Thank you so much…" A mother clutched her child, weeping uncontrollably.

Many other survivors felt a spark of hope ignite—hope they had not dared to hold onto in years.

A Night of Reinforcement and Preparation

While the medical pods worked their miracles, the camp remained bustling with activity.

🔧 Technicians repaired armored vehicles and reinforced convoy defenses.

💡 Mechanics fine-tuned the train’s systems.

🛡️ Security personnel trained new recruits in firearm handling.

👦🏻 Even young teens contributed—cleaning vehicles, organizing supplies, and learning survival skills.

🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸

Meanwhile, inside Infinite Train Car No. 12, Lin Xian studied the Research Center’s interface, monitoring the development of his latest upgrades.

📍 [Wind Cannon - Mechanical Augmentation]

⌛ Enhancement in Progress: 6 hours, 14 minutes remaining.

📍 [TRP Gen-4 Special Industrial Active Exoskeleton (Blueprint)]

⌛ Estimated Completion: 3 days, 10 hours.

Lin Xian took a deep breath.

Before dawn, his Wind Cannon would be fully upgraded.

His combat capabilities were about to take a massive leap forward.

More importantly, his recent battle with the Red Lantern Head Monster had changed his understanding of Gravity Lens Manipulation.

Previously, he had assumed the skill could only distort light and act as a control ability.

But in the heat of battle, it had warped space itself, dealing massive damage.

If properly developed, could it be turned into a true offensive ability?

His thoughts ran wild with possibilities.

For now, though, there was only one priority—

Surviving the night.