Lin Xian made his way toward the storage and living compartments, inspecting the conditions of each car, while KIKI followed along and said,
"Lin Xian, are you really okay with this thing?"
"What else can we do if weāre not?" Lin Xian replied, "We canāt just abandon it. Since weāve seen the benefits now, we should use it. Thereās no need to let fears of the unknown affect our judgment."
After the earlier commotion, Lin Xian realized that this Taboo Item seemed to have been successfully ācontainedā by some lucky mishap, and the disastrous scenarios KIKI previously described didnāt occur. This is why he had his current thoughts.
"True."
KIKI thought for a moment and nodded, "This thing can shoot flames, so maybe itās been contained by Brother Huo. Thatās the only explanation I can think of."
As Lin Xian walked, he suddenly stopped and smiled wryly, "Weāve stepped on so many pitfalls, and now that weāve hit the jackpot, it still feels unrealistic. I even find it incredible that we managed to escape unscathed from the corpse chaser."
Back when he was flying above the mountains outside Yijin City, upon seeing the corpse chaser and the overwhelming wave of Abnormal Bodies, Lin Xianās mind went blank. He still remembers that suffocating sense of despair.
"Brother Huo, although he speaks rebelliously, is extremely cautious. If thereās a problem, heāll handle it immediately. I trust him."
After saying this, Lin Xian felt relieved. He didnāt have to worry about everything on this train, and trusting his teammates was a sign of his growth.
Reflecting on it, if Brother Huo had indeed been parasitized by the spores at that time, his actions were for the safety of the crew. In the apocalypse, choosing to face death alone to protect his teammates ā wouldnāt Lin Xian trust him with a Taboo Item?
Besides, Brother Huo just happened to stumble upon it by luck. It seems he indeed carries a bit of extraordinary fortune.
Hearing Lin Xianās words, KIKI smiled sweetly, "Oh, you seem brighter when youāre not worrying so much."
Lin Xian was taken aback, "Are you saying I look pale?"
That is indeed the case...
Lin Xian checked the time and sighed in relief, "Weāre almost out of the Extreme Night region, but since itās still nighttime, we canāt be careless. You should rest for a bit. Keep the radar at full power; weāre relying on it since weāre not using lights."
"Alright~" KIKI stretched and said, "Then Iāll sleep now. Donāt wake me up."
"I wonāt."
"No, no, if something happens, you must call me," KIKI thought for a bit, feeling uneasy and wrapped her arms around Lin Xianās neck, looking at him with watery eyes, "Or should I stay with you?"
Lin Xian glanced at the rear compartment and shook his head, "No, you need to have a good rest. The explosion at the Heavenly Mushroom Tower mustāve taken a toll on you. With so many people on the Joint Train, you donāt need to worry about me. Go and have a good sleep."
Adequate rest is crucial for dealing with crises, something Lin Xian understood since leaving Jiang City. Plus, a key point is that the transformation of Dark Power from Hellās Black Chrysanthemum is best done during rest, allowing the body to evolve.
Lin Xian was the only one who didnāt need this rest because these powers were directly converted into Mechanical Source Points by the Heterogeneous Rubikās Cube, straightforward and simple.
"Alright then."
KIKI knew Lin Xian cared for her, so she didnāt insist, "Then take care, and once Sister Chen and I wake up, itāll be your turn to sleep."
"Okay."
With that, she glanced at Lin Xian and then turned to leave.
After KIKI left, Lin Xian looked out the train window; the silent Gobi Desert was becoming more expansive, a sea of darkness. He activated the Mechanical Heart and began inspecting the carriages and the train frame. He reached Car No. 12, where Grace stood quietly in the shadows, her mechanical face beautiful and shapely, her body of silvery-black Metal Skin flowing with a special luster. Lin Xian approached and touched something, and immediately, amidst the cool sensation, a strange resonance seemed to ripple through his Mechanical Heart.
In the pitch-black Car No. 12, Grace stood silently, and behind Car No. 12, in the nuclear-powered Gemini 11R compartment, a specially-made metal lead box containing a containment device filled with Heavy Suspension Liquid quietly lit up, emanating a cherry-red glow. A shadow appeared within, and then it soon dimmed again, returning to stillness.
Lin Xianās expression changed slightly; he withdrew his hand and looked at Graceās beautiful face.
"Strange, itās clearly shut down, but why do I feel like youāre still watching me?"
After a while, Lin Xian looked away, feeling inexplicably baffled, and moved to the back. Here were the tools from his toolbox in the former Infinity utility car, but now there was a much larger tool area, equipped with various train repair equipment. Many of these were scanned and manufactured by Lin Xian during the journey. On the train, Da Lou, Lv Chang, and others who understood repair were now able to assist Lin Xian in maintaining a significant portion of the train.
Once Luo Yang and Li Yiās teams were on board, he would have even more help with train maintenance. Luo Yangās team consisted of university high achievers who were technically skilled and hands-on, while Li Yiās group of workers were strong, skillful guys, evidenced by their conversion of an engineering vehicle into an apocalypse car.