Chapter 49 Who Is the Conductor?

Although this face was much cleaner than in his past life, Su Huan recognized this motorhead bastard at a single glance.

The clunker that guy modified for him required twelve major overhauls and thirty-six minor repairs in just one month.

It was repaired more frequently than his own fingernails grew.

Because of that piece-of-junk car, the two of them interacted for a whole year and naturally became quite familiar with each other.

Yet, Su Huan still confirmed once more, "What's your name?"

"Huang Hai, just call me Old Huang, sir," the bespectacled man answered hurriedly.

Su Huan couldn't help curving the corners of his lips. He pulled open the rear door and said with a harsh tone, "Get in, roll!"

However, the two men felt no grievance at all regarding his tone; their faces held the purest gratitude.

Third Brother, standing nearby, looked confused. "Are these two friends of yours?"

"Don't know them."

Third Brother stepped on the clutch and shifted gears, looking even more perplexed. "Then why the hell did you let them up if you don't even know them?"

Su Huan coaxed patiently, "There are six or seven of them, and if there are only four of us, wouldn't our presence look a bit weak?"

"We have guns."

"We need to sleep too, don't we? How can we rely on just four people to keep an eye on hundreds of people in the back? We rescued these two, and since they aren't close with the people on the train, they're bound to grow closer to us. If something happens, they can help us out, right?"

Su Huan rattled off four "we"s in a single breath.

The more Third Brother listened, the clearer his train of thought became. He sighed with admiration, "Cultivating confidants and controlling more people—that's a brilliant move! The boss always says I have too many bad ideas, but looking at you, kid, you're the one full of malicious tricks!"

Su Huan's eyelid twitched. He opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, and finally squeezed out, "I'll just take that as a compliment."

*(What a blockhead...)*

...

The second half of the journey was basically uneventful. Although there were zombies with a death wish, high-explosive incendiary grenades treated every flesh monster equally.

Su Huan even took the time to haul up a bloodhound.

Cats and dogs were the most populous large animals in the city. Although birds and insects existed in greater numbers, very few of them mutated. He guessed it was because their body size couldn't absorb too much pervasive energy.

Energy and flesh were not equivalent, but to harbor more energy, one required a stronger physical form.

When the fire trucks drove back to the vicinity of the train, the sun was already declining.

Three blood-stained fire trucks quickly drew everyone's attention, especially the lead one with a road sign embedded in its front.

With the engines vibrating slightly, the three vehicles drove sequentially into the gap in the fence.

Fearing unnecessary trouble, Su Huan jumped down ahead of time.

The three brothers and Huang Hai followed closely behind.

...

Third Brother looked around cautiously, and upon seeing the train, his trust in Su Huan grew even deeper.

The boss exclaimed in surprise, "There certainly are a lot of people here."

The surrounding returning passengers saw that the leader was Su Huan and immediately stepped aside to clear the way, those in front repeatedly looking back to avoid the path.

Second Brother carefully nudged Third Brother with his elbow and lowered his voice. "How come these people look so terrified of Fourth Brother?"

Third Brother rolled his eyes and retorted irritably, "Talking nonsense again. Just look at what you're holding in your arms—how could they not be scared?"

Su Huan, walking in the front, smiled without a word.

Before long, he spotted Yu Jing directing workers to move steel plates amidst the high heat. Before she could speak, Su Huan took the initiative. "The train captain has returned."

He greeted her in a flat tone.

Yu Jing looked at the smiling Su Huan, feeling somewhat strange and unsure how to respond, so she simply uttered a noncommittal "Mm."

To Yu Jing's ears, this greeting sounded like a statement of fact, but to the three brothers and the others, it sounded like a question.

Thus, they obtained a piece of information.

The train captain was right inside!

Seeing how casually Su Huan led them straight toward the train, Third Brother grew somewhat nervous. He quietly tugged at Su Huan's arm and urged anxiously, "Fourth Brother, are we just going to walk in like this?"

Su Huan rubbed his chin. "Yeah, otherwise what?"

"Don't we need to make a plan or something?"

"Like what?"

"We split up, take control of the train captain once we're inside, and then have some people agitate the exploited passengers. After that, we drag the train captain and his cronies out..."

Su Huan asked out of curiosity, "Why do that?"

"To occupy the moral high ground! You're young and don't understand. If we just go and kill that train captain directly, wouldn't we become the new thugs?"

"But if we drag him out in front of everyone, and you take the lead in sternly rebuking that bastard—on one hand, it avenges you and relieves your hatred; on the other hand, it wins public support. Think about it, isn't that how it works?"

Third Brother clapped his hands together, speaking with a glowing expression.

Su Huan's mouth twitched, his face bearing a forced, repressed expression of oddity. "Actually, it doesn't need to be that troublesome. Just follow me."

Seeing that Su Huan had already gone up, the others had no choice but to follow along.

Qi Xiaoba, who was currently splicing steel plates together, tugged at his slightly tight collar and said softly, "Sister Yu Jing, those people look suspicious. I'll go check it out."

Yu Jing nodded.

Xiaoba's wheelchair hovered into the air, and he directly boarded the carriage.

...

Inside the carriage.

Looking at Su Huan, who remained utterly relaxed, the brothers inwardly praised him, thinking he truly was a man capable of big deeds who could remain calm even at a time like this.

As they passed through the sightseeing carriage, the shrill screech of an electric saw cutting through bone echoed through the air.

Catching sight of the workshop that resembled a slaughterhouse, the men instantly turned pale.

"Ugh..."

Quick as lightning, Su Huan grabbed the motorhead's tie and yanked it upward fiercely, forcing his impending vomit right back down his throat.

He certainly didn't want this guy dirtying his carriage.

Su Huan smiled and explained to them, "Don't worry, she's just a pitiable person who was coerced."

Third Brother and the others looked at Wan Xing's delicate and pretty face, then glanced at the bits of flesh on her gloves and the disemboweled butcher on the table, swallowing nervously.

Wan Xing cast a rather strange glance at the group, nodded at Su Huan, and quietly went back to her work.

After walking a few steps further, the boss angrily cursed, "To actually make a girl do this kind of work—that train captain is utterly devoid of conscience. If I ever see him, I'll shove a gun barrel right up his ass and let loose a full magazine!"

The smile on Su Huan's face stiffened slightly.

He continued to lead the group forward, entering the dining car.

What came into view were several tables pushed together and a sofa draped with a striking orange cat blanket.

Yellow peach canned goods were neatly stacked in the adjacent cabinet, the honey-colored glow refracted by the glass bottles intertwining with the rising steam from a casserole.

The men's gazes swept past Yu悦, who was wearing an apron, and they unanimously recalled Su Huan's description.

She truly was docile and tender...

Third Brother hurriedly shook off these bizarre thoughts and shouted loudly, "Where is the train captain? Who is the train captain?!"

Heavy footsteps resounded from the front of the train, and a burly, rugged figure holding a blood-stained shield walked over, frowning as he sized them up.

Third Brother and the others hurriedly raised the muzzles of their guns.

From behind them came the hum of an electric wheelchair, carrying the boy's stark black-and-white eyes filled with a trace of malice.

Sandwiched front and back, the group was trapped inside the dining car.

As if completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere, Su Huan walked forward.

He slumped unceremoniously onto the sofa, letting the slanted sunset outside the window cast an orange-red glow across his face, looking just like the lazy orange cat on the blanket.

Accepting the iced drink handed to him by Yu Yue, he propped his face with one hand, squinted, and indifferently repeated Third Brother's question, "That's right, who *is* the train captain?"