Chapter 43: The Close-In Weapon System (Third Update—Requesting Votes)
“No way!!!”
Tang Hai was stunned when he saw the scene, panic-stricken as he blurted out, “How can this thing still activate?!”
Feng Yuming was also dumbfounded, for he saw the optical sensor of the dense array artillery system sweep toward him. In that instant, an absurd thought surged in his mind.
Was this thing meant to target people?!
Meanwhile, inside the underground operations room of the air-raid shelter, KIKI sat before the close-in weapon system that Lin Xian had successfully repaired and completed the self-test on. She quickly marked several hot targets, then gently tapped the microphone before clearing her throat and broadcasting:
“A few lousy bastards, bye-bye~”
Then she pressed the fire button.
Woooooo~~~~!
Beep beep beep...
In the next moment, the bone-chilling roar of rapid artillery fire shattered the sky. The fierce blaze even illuminated half the platform. This anti-aircraft weapon, capable of firing 10,000 rounds per minute, now aimed its barrels at the zombie horde surging up the hillside, the giant mist spider, and... Feng Yuming!
“Damn!”
Feng Yuming watched the barrel rapidly targeting him and felt a chill in his heart. He tried to raise his black claw to block, but in a mere instant, he was blasted into a cloud of blood mist by the raging metallic stream, the ground beneath him instantly blown out into a massive crater!
Woooooo!!!!!!!
Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!
The nerve-shredding rapid machine gun fire echoed across the sky. The zombie horde swarming the hillside was instantly swept away as if wiped clean by a windshield wiper. The firepower swept in an arc, turning them into shredded flesh!
Hundreds, even thousands, of zombies were torn apart, blood and limbs flying everywhere!
Below the close-in weapon was a large maintenance shaft containing subsystems for power supply and ammunition feed, right next to the arsenal’s generator set. Lin Xian had devoured that massive generator because he discovered the system was only partially damaged; with some repairs, it could be restored. This system was integrated with the defense network’s backup power supply. Thus, at this moment, the giant machine was activated by Lin Xian and KIKI.
Hiding beneath the train, Lin Xian watched nervously. No wonder the anti-aircraft gun was devastating. This wasn’t something carbon-based lifeforms could withstand.
But then a thought struck him: if the interstellar military has such weapons, why did the world’s defense systems vanish like vapor after the Apocalypse?
“Run!”
Tang Hai, hiding in the locomotive, turned pale. Seeing his nephew reduced to nothing but bones, he hastily pushed down the train’s control lever. The artillery wasn’t aimed at the train, but Tang Hai knew Lin Xian was beneath it and thought maybe he could both escape and crush Lin Xian.
Whirr~
Lin Xian felt the wheels start moving and was immediately alarmed. He realized Tang Hai intended to use the branch line’s backup power to transport troops and supplies out of North Bay Station, then escape by car. He grabbed onto the bottom of the train, preparing to activate his mechanical heart to seize control.
But as soon as he tried, Lin Xian sensed trouble. The train was much larger than he expected, and with his current stamina, he couldn’t take control in time.
“Crap!”
Watching the train slowly move, Lin Xian instinctively prepared to break free from beneath the wheels and find another plan.
Suddenly, a loud metallic crash sounded ahead of the moving train, forcing all the cars to halt instantly.
What’s going on?!
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Xian quickly slipped out from under the train. At the same time, the close-in weapon ceased firing.
Although it could fire 10,000 rounds per minute, the ammunition feed could only sustain 15 seconds of continuous fire—apparently enough. When Lin Xian emerged, the entire outpost and hillside had become a hellish wasteland of blood and flesh, smoke curling skyward, the grass turf completely destroyed. He finally beheld the true form of the giant spider—a cyan-colored arachnid the size of a truck cab, marked with black patterns all over its body.
Except now... it was hardly recognizable as a complete spider.
Turning back in surprise at Tang Hai’s sudden stop of the train, Lin Xian wondered if the power system had malfunctioned.
But then his gaze fell on the railway ahead, where a larger red steel behemoth loomed through the thick fog, blocking Tang Hai’s path!
The Infinite!
The unexpected collision sent Tang Hai stumbling and falling, his face covered in blood. He scrambled up in astonishment, thinking, “Is this some ghostly illusion? Why does the train look like it hit a mountain?”
But as he stood, illuminated by the headlights, he saw a crimson giant—the 03E Heavy Gas Turbine Locomotive, towing a long string of cars—eerily appearing before him!
Tang Hai’s face drained of color, as if he’d seen a ghost. His subordinates with guns also panicked.
“Where did this train come from?!!”
“Damn!”
“It’s a ghost!!”
At the hillside corner, Lou Ye appeared, grimacing fiercely and clutching a grenade launcher. He fired a shell into the window of the gunner-filled train car.
Boom! Bang!
The sudden blast caught the gunners off guard, killing and wounding many. The survivors jumped from the smoky car, only to be greeted by a girl with a smile in her eyes.
“Hello, where are you all heading?”
Then the girl’s eyes sparkled as she raised her hand and waved.
Buzz!
An invisible force instantly hurled several of them away, killing them on impact!
Tang Hai opened the cab door and frantically leapt from the tracks. Most of the zombie horde had already vanished. He held a pistol, ready to sneak away along the railway in the darkness.
Lin Xian saw this and immediately climbed onto the platform to give chase.
But Tang Hai had barely gone far when a graceful black shadow suddenly appeared ahead, causing him to cry out in fear, “Who’s there?!”
Just as he raised his gun to shoot, the shadow struck him with a crowbar.
Thud!
Blood exploded as Tang Hai blacked out and collapsed motionless.
Only then did the shadow step forward slowly, revealing a beautiful face under the train’s headlights.
Lin Xian’s eyes narrowed slightly—it was Professor Chen…
Chen Sixuan gripped the crowbar tightly with both hands and looked at Lin Xian on the platform, her expression a mix of 70% tension and 30% fear, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
It was clear this was her first time striking someone.
“Awesome, Professor Chen,” Lin Xian said with surprise. He had no idea how Chen Sixuan had inexplicably appeared here.
“Lin Xian!”
Chen Sixuan was stunned by the brutal scene before her. Her face was deathly pale. The tracks, platform, and hillside were all strewn with bloodied corpses and flesh. The air was thick with the combined stench of gunpowder and decay.
Puff puff!
Two wind guns appeared, and Lin Xian raised his hand to kill two zombies sneaking up behind Chen Sixuan. She screamed in shock, “Ah!”
Lin Xian exhaled deeply and glanced toward Lou Ye in the distance. After a moment, he called out,
“Where’s Sasha?”
Hearing Lin Xian’s voice, Lou Ye seemed to snap out of his daze. He frantically searched around until he found a mound of earth, dug twice, and pulled out Lou Sasha with a face covered in dust.
“Brother…”
Lou Sasha looked at the bloodied Lou Ye, panting heavily. “Are you alright?”
“I’m... still hanging in there.”
Shot in the back and stabbed through the arm, this iron tower of a man showed no sign of injury.
Lin Xian, seeing the siblings unharmed, relaxed slightly. Then, hearing the distant sounds of zombies from the thick fog, he shouted to them, “Quick, get in my train and hide.”
Lou Ye looked up at the giant locomotive and nodded earnestly, without hesitation, picking up Lou Sasha and running aboard.
“Get... get on quickly.”
Having finished off the remaining gunners, KIKI covered her mouth in awe upon seeing the carnage, her eyes wide with surprise. “Wow, what a powerful guy.”
Lin Xian was amazed. A sixteen-year-old girl faced the gruesome scene without fear or disgust—if anything, he detected a hint of excitement in her tone.
Following Chen Sixuan’s lead, they all hurried onto the Infinite to rest.
It was only 7 AM—still at least seven or eight hours until dawn.