Chapter 24: Project Dawn

Lin Xian pinned the young girl firmly to the floor to prevent her from escaping.

"Since you're awake, why were you feigning sleep? What exactly is your objective!?"

The girl, possessing a stubborn temperament, struggled violently. "I... I..."

Lin Xian’s gaze turned icy as he held his blade horizontally before her eyes. "Do you think I’m the type to show mercy to a fair maiden?"

Seeing the cold, flickering gleam of the steel blade, the girl’s eyes widened in terror. She immediately pleaded, "I was wrong! Please, don't kill me. Let me go—I can't breathe!"

As she was restrained, her face began to flush a deep red.

Lin Xian frowned. He wondered, if this girl was capable of blowing his door off its hinges earlier, why was she so defenseless now?

Just as he was pondering this, the girl suddenly burst into tears.

"Wuu wuu wuu, please don't kill me! I’ll agree to anything if you just spare my life."

No sooner had she spoken than the girl suddenly lunged forward and bit down hard on Lin Xian’s ankle.

*Hiss!*

A piercing, sharp pain shot through him. Lin Xian furrowed his brows. *Damn it,* he thought, *this woman is indeed cunning; she actually caught me off guard!*

In the throes of pain, Lin Xian swung the flat of his blade, striking the girl squarely on the forehead.

*Thud!*

With a crisp sound, the girl let out a sharp cry of "Ouch!" and immediately slumped into unconsciousness.

"Still playing possum!?"

Lin Xian’s face darkened with anger. Having absolutely no intention of showing mercy now, he rummaged through a toolbox in carriage number three, grabbed a bundle of nylon cable ties, and bound her hands and feet securely. Only then did he feel a modicum of relief.

He leaned back against the wall of the carriage and looked down at his ankle; the tooth marks were a shocking sight.

"Damn it, I hope I don't turn into a zombie."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the girl—who had been burying her head—cursed under her breath.

"You’re the one who’s a zombie! Your whole family is zombies!"

Lin Xian’s expression went cold. "What’s this? Done playing unconscious?"

"Tell me, what’s your name and what’s your goal? Or, you can choose to say nothing at all, and I’ll just toss you off the train right now."

Lin Xian drew his short blade, his tone so chilling that there was no doubt he was capable of following through.

*Clack-clack, clack-clack.*

The train moved slowly forward. The walkie-talkie remained silent; since Teacher Chen hadn't sent any messages, it meant the path ahead was clear.

"My name is KIKI."

***

The girl’s tone shifted. Gone was the innocent, soft, "cutesy" voice from before, replaced by a cold, detached air.

*Good grief,* he thought, *it really was an act.*

"How did you find me? What is your objective? Why pretend to sleep the whole way? Don't make me keep asking you questions; you should be well aware of your situation."

KIKI, her head bowed to the floor, let out a sigh. Because her hands and feet were bound, she struggled to sit up. She glared at Lin Xian with palpable resentment. Although her small face was streaked with tears and her eyes remained red, there wasn't a trace of genuine vulnerability left—a display of acting that was truly astonishing.

"What else could it be? Weren't you the one waving a flag on the rooftop that day?"

*Waving a flag?*

Lin Xian frowned. "Are you trying to tell me you were on that helicopter?"

"What else?" KIKI looked at him blankly.

"Continue."

"Didn't you see? The plane crashed."

"So?"

"I have nowhere else to go."

"And then?"

"You peeked at my underwear."

"..."

"What do you mean by that?" Lin Xian frowned.

KIKI gritted her teeth and whispered, "Yes, I did wake up the next day, but I didn't know who you were or where I was. The moment I opened my eyes, I saw you..."

Lin Xian’s expression shifted.

"So?"

"So, I naturally assumed you were..."

"A pervert?" Lin Xian blurted out.

"So, the reason you faked being unconscious was to steal food and ambush me?"

"That's not it either. I just wanted to escape, but I never found the opportunity," the girl named KIKI said, feigning an aggrieved look.

Lin Xian’s expression was unreadable. He then retorted, "Fine. You think I’m a pervert holding you prisoner, right? Then go ahead and leave."

Lin Xian glanced at the setting sun outside and said bluntly, "Since you’re so smart, I’m sure you’ll find a way to survive out there. I can see you come from a decent background; why not have your father come and rescue you?"

Lin Xian’s gaze was cold, his words carrying a hint of probing.

"My father is dead."

Her tone was flat, devoid of any hint of sorrow.

A heavy silence fell over the carriage.

"That has nothing to do with me," Lin Xian said, standing up.

"Wait! At first, I did want to run away, but I’ve realized I misunderstood you. Please, don't kick me off the train, okay?" KIKI pleaded hastily.

Lin Xian sneered. "You didn't 'realize you misunderstood me.' You just realized you won't survive if you get off this train."

The girl was remarkably intelligent, but Lin Xian continued to watch her with a calm gaze. "Sorry, you have no value to me."

KIKI grew anxious at these words and immediately said, "Wait! If you... if you take me to Jinhai, my father is the Chairman of the Linglong Group and a Tier-2 investor in the 'Dawn Project.' I have the credentials for the project's saturation rescue protocol. After he died, those rights were automatically inherited by me. As long as you get me to Jinhai, people will come to meet me. When that happens, I can give you all the supplies you want, or arrange a Tier-3 citizenship in the Dawn Project for you, allowing you to enter the Underground City."

In carriage number three, the orange glow of the sunset filtered through the grid-patterned armor, the light retreating across their bodies. Lin Xian couldn't help but frown after hearing her proposal.

He had indeed heard of the Dawn Project. During the initial outbreak of the Apocalypse, various versions of the plan had circulated online. Some claimed it was an official government project for an Underground City to escape the end of the world; others said it was a "Wandering Starship" project intended to preserve the seeds of human civilization.

Opinions were divided, and the rumors were mired in conspiracy theories, making it impossible to tell what was real and what was false.

"I’m sorry." To KIKI’s surprise, her words didn't elicit the expected reaction. On the contrary, Lin Xian’s face remained as calm as water. He rejected her flatly: "I’m not interested."

"You don't believe me?"

"Even if I did, I’m still not interested."

Lin Xian spoke in a low, blunt voice, his gaze piercing as he looked at her. "Not only am I not interested, I find this quite boring. You’d be better off jumping out yourself, before I decide to do it for you."

Whether KIKI was telling the truth or not, he truly had no interest. Compared to some so-called Tier-3 citizenship in an Underground City, Lin Xian trusted his own abilities more. As long as he utilized his powers well, his chances of survival were high—certainly better than being buried underground. Besides, in a place like that, he might lose his autonomy entirely.

Watching Lin Xian’s indifferent expression, a flicker of panic finally crossed KIKI’s eyes, though she quickly masked it. She looked at Lin Xian with disdain.

"Why aren't you interested in the Dawn Project? Do you really intend to rely on this train?"

"Pardon my bluntness, but your plan is far too naive. Have you considered that the world has collapsed? The Global Rail Network no longer has maintenance engineers performing regular checks. One-fifth of its 320,000 kilometers runs over the ocean. What happens if the tracks fracture? What if the train breaks down? What if supplies run out? What will you do if you encounter storms, tsunamis, or earthquakes?"