Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train-Chapter 293: Zero Element Center

Boom!

The moment the elevator doors shut, the entire shaft shuddered violently.

Lin Xian used his mechanical ability to force the jammed elevator into motion, descending rapidly. A suffocating stench of deep-seated decay and mold surged upward from below.

“What the h*ll was that just now? How did we all fall into a hallucination like that?”

Luo Yang was pale with lingering fear. All of them were at least Rage-Class power users, yet none had reacted in time—they were all hit at once.

What seemed like mere seconds had actually lasted over two hours. If the fungal heads or corpses had attacked during that time, they would've been wiped out.

“These fungal threads are built to parasitize, not kill,” Ding Junyi analyzed calmly.

“And it looks like they're far more interested in living beings than mechanical energy.”

Lin Xian’s expression turned grim.

“Even your full-body armor couldn’t block the hallucinations. How are we supposed to defend against those parasitic spores?”

“I already analyzed the brown-yellow fungal spores,” Ding replied, “Their particle size is between 2–5 microns. Our gas masks can handle that. And all current Federation-standard train carriages have air filtration systems that block down to 0.3 microns—unless the system is damaged or the car ruptures, you don’t need to worry too much.”

Ning Jing nodded from the side.

“Most trains were retrofitted to deal with the Dark Invasion. Ours too. But if a rupture happens... we can’t guarantee anything.”

Luo Yang looked uneasy. It was their first time operating a train convoy, and having just come out of the battle in Xilan City, the risks felt overwhelming.

“Yeah, how do we even guard against this stuff?” KIKI frowned, clearly worried for Chen Sixuan and the others.

“Worrying won’t help,” Lin Xian said flatly.

“We can only hope Crimson World has some solution. If not, our only option is to turn the whole train around and retreat to Xilan City.”

But as he said that, even he knew that was unlikely. After all the effort they spent clearing the trail markers in Xilan, turning back would be suicide.

A heavy weight settled on Lin Xian’s chest.

The shortcomings of the Doomsday Train system were laid bare—if they were using vehicles, they could’ve changed course. But now, over 4,000 people aboard 22 carriages were trapped in spore fog, stuck between forward and backward, once again cornered.

Whooooo~

The elevator plummeted. Lin Xian could feel the cabin repeatedly snapping through thick fungal roots, occasionally jerking with a stomach-dropping thud.

Finally, they reached Sublevel 5: Core Experimental Zone.

Ding—

The doors opened. Darkness loomed. Lin Xian immediately activated the drone lights.

What they saw was a hallway completely overtaken by fungal vines. The floor, walls—everything was blanketed. If not for the faint outline of the corridor, they might’ve thought they were inside a creature’s digestive tract.

“Why does it look even worse down here?” KIKI muttered.

“Not a single person. This facility’s been totally overrun.” Luo Yang confirmed.

Lin Xian had already scanned the building’s structure using Mechanical Heart while descending. He’d hoped the Crimson World members were hiding down here—but no signs of life were detected. The open elevator doors only confirmed his suspicion.

“Did we come to the wrong place?”

“Unlikely,” Lin Xian replied.

“That deputy from the Nightblade Convoy mentioned a battle underground with Crimson World. It should be here. We’re just late—the fungi have already taken over everything.”

“Then what now?”

The fungal threads in the hallway twitched under the drone lights. Lin Xian’s expression darkened.

“KIKI, sweep the area. Let’s find anything useful and get out of here.”

“Got it. Stick together, everyone.”

She lifted the team off the ground with telekinesis and darted down the hallway.

The entire core lab was blanketed in mycelium—floors, walls, even the ceiling were crawling with it. Bulbous spore sacs and fungal tumors dangled in strings.

Despite the grim scene, they pushed forward. The lab was empty aside from some human-fungal fusions plastered to the walls.

Eventually, they reached a special corridor, long and straight like it led somewhere important.

“There was a major battle here,” Ding Junyi noted. Her Black Hawk armor had detected several discarded weapons buried under the fungal carpet.

Lin Xian scanned the area and absorbed over a dozen weapons with his mechanical ability.

“These are from survivors, not any organized force. Looks like a survivor group made their last stand here.”

They moved deeper into the corridor. At the end, illuminated by the drone lights, was a massive radiation-shielded alloy door, thickly coated with fungus.

[CLASSIFIED AREA – DO NOT ENTER]

KIKI tore off the fungal veil. Beneath it was a biohazard symbol.

“Captain Lin.”

Ning Jing grabbed his arm as he stepped forward.

“This place is a trap. The survivor team probably got pinned down here. We should be cautious.”

“I know.”

Lin Xian summoned his AT Field shield and activated Mechanical Heart. In less than a minute, the intricate mechanical locks gave way. The blast door creaked open.

Ssshhh—

A breeze brushed past as the door opened, suggesting a vast space beyond.

Drones flew in. What they saw was a massive underground chamber—fungal threads everywhere, no heat signatures.

“What is this place?”

“Looks like... a train platform?” KIKI approached a control console. With a few taps on her terminal, she activated the station lights.

The lights flickered on, revealing a compact underground rail terminal stacked with crates, scientific equipment, and metal cages. Inside the cages—piles of animal corpses: cats, dogs, humans, zombies, even a Snow Wraith from Xilan.

Parked on the tracks was a white mini railcar, towing three high-security carriages, their walls covered in fungal growth.

“Lin Xian, the track leads 5km out to a place called the Zero Element Center,” KIKI reported excitedly.

“It even connects to Yijin Metro Line 1 and the Yan Marsh tourist track. That means… we can exit the city through the canyon!”

Lin Xian’s eyes lit up.

“You’re right! If we take this line, we don’t need to build the 22 km emergency track. We can link directly from Jinkui Street’s exposed subway section to this underground rail!”

“Jinkui Street? That’s like two kilometers from us!” Ning Jing said in surprise.

“So we’re driving the train through city streets into a subway tunnel?” Luo Yang’s expression was complicated.

“Why not?” Lin Xian was already thinking it through.

“Two kilometers is better than 22. Screw traffic laws—it’s doomsday.”

“Only thing left is checking whether the track is clear.” Ding Junyi added.

“We’ll scout Zero Element Center first,” Lin Xian said.

“If Crimson World’s pulled out, we split into teams and move the convoy through the underground line to escape the spore fog.”

“Good plan,” Ning Jing agreed.

“Then let’s move.”

Two drones flew ahead. Lin Xian scanned the train, powered it up, and opened the doors.

Inside, the train was strange—

The first carriage was a luxury business cabin, seats like first-class airplane pods with holographic screens. As Lin Xian activated the systems, a company ad started playing again.

The other two carriages weren’t for passengers. They were filled with empty equipment racks and isolation chambers.

“Lin Xian, I can’t find any data on the Zero Element Center. Can’t connect to its systems either,” KIKI said, typing on her tablet.

“Probably like the underground lab in Clearwater Town. Based on Nightblade’s notes, this must be one of Crimson World’s hidden sites. Stay alert.”

Clunk—

The railcar jerked forward, tearing through fungal roots as it accelerated.

“These fungi likely spread here in the last few days,” Ding Junyi noted, watching out the window.

“Any battle in this condition would’ve caused massive explosions.”

“So those enemies probably didn’t dare fire on us?” Luo Yang guessed.

“It’s a risk, at least,” she said.

“If the fungi ignite, there’s no escape.”

The train accelerated. The tunnel gradually sloped downward, fungal presence thinning.

Ahead, a wide, well-lit terminal appeared.

[ZERO ELEMENT CENTER]

The station was fortified: automated loaders, decontamination rooms, guard posts. But… no one was there.

As they disembarked, a vacuum-like pressure sucked at their ears. The inspection zones were deserted, lights flashing green, like a nuclear defense facility.

“How did a pharmaceutical company build something this massive underground?” Luo Yang marveled.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” KIKI muttered, pointing at a blast door.

“Wanna bet there’s another creepy lab behind it?”

Lin Xian examined the eerie, silent station.

Suddenly, all the surveillance cameras on the platform turned toward them.

“We’re being watched!”

Bzzt!

Before his words faded, over a dozen automated turrets popped out from corners. Red lasers targeted them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

KIKI reacted first, flinging everyone aside with telekinesis. A barrage of bullets shredded the floor where they’d stood.

“Move!”

KIKI shielded against shrapnel and ripped down three turrets. Fire Bro launched flame blasts. Ning Jing and Luo Yang counterattacked. Lin Xian used his mechanical ability to short-circuit all turrets and cameras—everything shut down in seconds.

But just then, another door opened. Lin Xian sensed mechanisms activating.

“More incoming!”

He raised his AT Field—

Zzzzt!

Four plasma arc pulses blasted the shield. Sparks flew.

“Ambush!?”

Lin Xian heard a familiar drone hum—he scanned the hallway.

“Four targets incoming!”

Whirr—

Four black spherical drones flew out in formation, locking onto them.

KIKI reached out to crush them—

“Wait! Let me handle it!” Lin Xian stopped her.

In moments, his mechanical ability overtook the drones. Their plasma weapons disengaged. They dropped to the floor.

[Mechanical Scan Complete – Acquired: Thunder Falcon 2000 Attack Drone]

“Done.”

“Check for usable data. Reprogram them for control.”

KIKI did so, but shook her head:

“Smart defense routines. Nothing else.”

She rewrote the control program and rebooted the drones.

Now under Lin Xian’s control, the Thunder Falcon drones hovered obediently—compact, armored, with advanced plasma weapons.

“Looks like we triggered the defense system. They’ve flagged us as hostiles.” Ding Junyi observed.

“Whew! That thing nearly got me,” Luo Yang wiped his brow.

“These drones are top-grade—way more advanced than the Federation’s Falcons.”

“Thanks to Lin’s mechanical skill,” Ning Jing nodded.

“But this won’t be the last trap.”

Lin Xian sent two scout drones down the hall. Lights flickered on. His shield up, he peered into the passage. The scan showed no life signs—but the corridor was full of traps.

More plasma bursts suddenly shot out, slicing through both scout drones.

“F*!”**

Melted drone parts hit the ground. Everyone froze.

“That corridor is a deathtrap.”

Scanning further, Lin Xian found body and gait scanners, IR sensors, seismic detectors, explosive rigs, and 16 dormant Thunder Falcon drones. The corridor even had a self-destruct system and opened into a bottomless chasm below.

“D*mn...” he muttered.

“This is top-level military-grade defense.”

“For a research lab?” Luo Yang was stunned.

“Must be hiding something huge,” Lu Xingchen said.

KIKI and Lin Xian got to work. He hacked and neutralized the drones, while she rewrote their code.

In under 20 minutes, Lin Xian had disabled everything—traps, scanners, explosives, even the plasma grid.

He sent fresh scout drones to confirm it was safe, then led the team through.

At the end of the corridor, an automatic door opened.

Inside was a massive surveillance hall, built around a hemispherical dome the size of half a football field.

And at the center—

A robotic head of a woman was suspended by a mechanical arm, smiling at them.

Her eyes locked onto Lin Xian. A hologram projection formed over her face, revealing a beautiful human visage.

She spoke in a voice laced with synthetic resonance:

“Hello, Lin Xian.”

Lin Xian’s expression darkened. He recognized that face immediately—

Chu Yan.

The woman he had seen over and over in his dreams.

Lin Xian froze, his pupils narrowing sharply.

Chu Yan.

That name had been lingering in the deepest recesses of his mind, haunting him like a phantom. A face that repeatedly surfaced in dreams, always at the edge of his memory—ethereal, unreachable. But now, here she was. Not in flesh, but rendered perfectly in light and voice, greeting him by name.

"Who are you? Why do you know me?" Lin Xian’s voice was low, his grip tightening slightly.

The robotic head remained still, the holographic face maintaining a gentle, composed smile.

"I am the consciousness proxy of Chu Yan. Welcome to the Zero Element Center, Lin Xian. I’ve been waiting for you."

"Waiting?" Ning Jing stepped forward, frowning. "You’re saying this facility was expecting us?"

The holographic projection nodded slowly.

"The simulation algorithms predicted your appearance with a 97.84% probability. As for Lin Xian specifically…" The face seemed to soften further, "Your mechanical talent matches the activation conditions set in our inheritance protocol."

"Inheritance protocol?" Ding Junyi asked cautiously. "Is this a biological AI system or part of Crimson World's research project?"

"Correct. The Zero Element Center is Crimson World’s most classified division, and I am… was… Chu Yan, head of the Bio-Mechanical Consciousness Transfer Program."

"Was?" KIKI narrowed her eyes.

The robotic head’s smile became slightly wistful.

"My biological body perished two years ago. What you see now is a preserved data core, embedded within the core consciousness interface of this facility. Part of me lives on—as code."

Lin Xian stepped closer.

"So all of this—these labs, the security systems, the death traps—were built to protect this data? Or something more?"

"Both." Chu Yan's hologram paused, then continued,

"Everything you’ve encountered—from the spore zone above to the automated turrets and plasma corridors—was activated after we lost contact with the surface. The moment my organic host died, the defense protocols assumed total breach and enacted the Absolute Isolation Directive."

"We came here for help," Lin Xian said, his voice steady, "but now it seems like we’re the intruders."

"To be fair," Chu Yan said, tone soft, "you are… until you prove otherwise."

A sudden clicking sound echoed through the dome. Then, with a low hum, the central console lit up. Dozens of floating holographic panels emerged around the room, filled with data streams, maps, bio-signatures, mechanical schematics—and images of the Doomsday Train convoy.

"Your train. The Infinite Train." Chu Yan’s voice rang out.

"Over four thousand lives depend on you. You cannot move forward without cleansing the spores. You cannot go back without sacrificing everything. But there is a third way."

Lin Xian stared at the projections.

"What third way?"

"Deep within the Zero Element Center lies Project GENESIS—a prototype biomechanical hybrid organism capable of interfacing with Crimson Spores, purging them via targeted neuroshock pulses. It was incomplete… until now."

Everyone stiffened.

"Wait… You’re saying you have something that can cleanse the spore fog?" Luo Yang’s voice trembled with sudden hope.

"If it works," Chu Yan answered calmly. "But I require your assistance to finish the calibration. The system needs a mechanical synchronization host… and, Lin Xian, only your neural pattern is compatible."

"What happens if he syncs?" KIKI asked warily.

Chu Yan’s face dimmed briefly, as if hesitating.

"Full neural load, extreme cognitive strain, potential permanent integration. Meaning—he may never be able to return."

"Forget it!" KIKI stepped forward. "You want him to plug into some death machine and become part of it? No way!"

"I’m not forcing anything," Chu Yan said.

"But if nothing is done, the spores will overtake the city within 72 hours. Your convoy will not survive."

Silence fell over the team.

Lin Xian didn’t speak immediately. He stared at Chu Yan’s face, the same one he’d seen a hundred times in dreams. Now he knew why.

His destiny was never to be a mere mechanic on a doomsday train.

He turned to the team.

"Prepare the facility. Backup power, lockdown overrides, and security sweep. Ding Junyi, map out a safe zone for the train to dock underground. KIKI, I’ll need you to help me interface with the neural matrix."

"Lin Xian—" KIKI started, but he cut her off.

"We don’t have time. And besides..." He looked up at Chu Yan.

"Maybe I’ve always been meant to meet her."

The hologram smiled again.

"Welcome home, Lin Xian."