Chapter 565: The Blizzard City Express

Chen Jingguan came from a distinguished background—his father was a high-ranking military officer.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have achieved the rank of navy major before the age of thirty.

Although the apocalypse had reshuffled all previous titles and authority, his resources and connections remained intact.

Just like how Chen Xinian, the leader of West Hill Base, had an old friendship with Zhu Zheng, the commander of Jiangnan District, Chen Jingguan also had friends in Blizzard City.

At this moment, the major factions in Tianhai City were all tied together, each hoping to gain Zhang Yi’s protection.

So, Chen Jingguan eagerly approached Zhang Yi and shared what he knew about Jiangnan District’s recent summons.

“I have a friend who serves as a company commander in the Blizzard City Defense Force. I asked him about the situation, and he does know a few things.”

“This time, Commander Zhu Zheng has summoned all major and minor factions in Jiangnan District, mainly to plan for the future.”

“First, it’s been half a year since the apocalypse began. By now, most places have formed stable factions instead of the previous chaos. Headquarters wants to unify and manage these forces.”

“Second, consolidating power is also a measure to defend against external threats or rampaging mutated creatures.”

Zhang Yi glanced at Chen Jingguan and asked curiously, “I understand the concern about mutated creatures, but what do you mean by external threats?”

“Right now, every country on Blue Star is struggling to survive in this Ice Age. They can barely protect themselves—who has the energy to harass us?”

As they spoke, the others perked up their ears and listened closely.

Chen Jingguan smirked knowingly. Despite losing an eye and now wearing an eyepatch like a pirate, his noble upbringing still lent him a certain elegance.

With both hands in his pockets, he chuckled lightly, “A large-scale war isn’t likely, but I’ve heard that small-scale border conflicts have never really stopped.”

“The key issue lies in Huaguo’s geographical position!”

“As everyone knows, our national borders are surrounded by numerous countries of varying sizes.”

“Huaguo is vast. While our military is still strong, our troop numbers are no longer what they used to be, making it exhausting to handle the frequent small-scale skirmishes at the borders.”

After a pause, Chen Jingguan added, “Of course, this situation isn’t unique to Huaguo. It’s actually happening everywhere across the globe.”

“Some smaller countries have even collapsed entirely.”

Zhang Yi rubbed his temples and said indifferently, “Too many pests to kill them all. But matters of state are for those in power to handle. That’s not something we need to worry about.”

“The higher-ups of each district will make the decisions—they have more experience dealing with these things than we do. As for us, at most, we’re just pawns. We should just focus on doing what we can.”

Zhang Yi’s philosophy in life had always been:

If I succeed, I’ll help the world; if I fail, I’ll look after myself.

His priority was ensuring the safety of himself and those around him.

But if the time ever came when his country truly needed him, he wouldn’t turn his back.

At that moment, the veteran soldier You Jiguang spoke loudly, “If anyone dares invade our land, I’ll be the first to take up arms and drive them out!”

Xiao Honglian crossed her arms and said coolly, “That goes without saying. But if what you’re saying is true, at least I can relax a bit. Now that we know the purpose of this gathering, we won’t have to stay on edge all the time.”

The others remained silent, but their eyes burned with intensity.

They could fight each other for resources—that was an internal matter.

But if the day ever came when an outsider dared invade, they wouldn’t hesitate to lay down their lives to fight!

Ever since the apocalypse began, they had seen too much death. Their fear of it had dulled significantly.

If they had to die, they wanted their deaths to mean something.

Just as the conversation grew heated, Hua Hua, who was perched on Zhang Yi’s shoulder, suddenly straightened up.

Its eyes widened like brass bells, staring intensely at the far end of the subway tunnel.

“Meow—”

With its white paws, it patted Zhang Yi’s tactical helmet, signaling that something was ahead.

Zhang Yi immediately turned to look toward the tunnel’s end.

After a long moment, a faint light suddenly flickered in the darkness, accompanied by the thunderous rumbling of an approaching train.

“It’s here.”

Zhang Yi spoke in a low voice.

Everyone turned to look, feeling both excitement and tension.

The unknown always carried a sense of apprehension.

Before long, the train’s lights cut through the tunnel’s darkness, illuminating the group.

A military-green train charged through the underground like a roaring dragon, swiftly arriving at the platform before them.

Its speed was incredible—it was practically an underground bullet train.

Speed is crucial in warfare. A military train moving at this pace isn’t surprising.

“Hiss—”

The train came to a stop, releasing a burst of steam.

Then, the doors opened—but only one of them.

Standing in the doorway was a tall train attendant dressed in a black uniform.

She was nearly 1.9 meters tall, with skin as pale as snow. Despite the bright smile on her face, there was something chillingly cold about it.

It was an eerie kind of beauty—one that felt almost inhuman.

Sure enough, Lu Keran whispered to the group, “That’s a robot.”

Zhang Yi suddenly understood why she gave him such an unsettling feeling.

So it’s the uncanny valley effect…

The train attendant bowed slightly and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please board the Blizzard 13 Express.”

After that, she stepped aside to make way for them.

Zhang Yi maintained a calm expression and was the first to step aboard.

Once inside, the group immediately noticed how different it was from an ordinary subway.

From the seats to the flooring and interior design, everything was distinct from a civilian train.

At the far end of the car, several massive green metal crates were stacked together, glowing faintly with red light.

No one knew what they were for.

Zhang Yi wasn’t one to ask unnecessary questions. He simply found a seat in the middle and sat down.

Zhou Ke’er and Lu Keran quickly sat beside him.

The train car was spacious enough for everyone to have a seat.

Yet, no one dared to sit next to Zhang Yi, nor near the three major faction leaders.

Still, these survivors had been hardened by the apocalypse. They weren’t delicate or fussy.

They simply found spots throughout the car, leaning against the walls to rest.

Before long, the doors hissed shut once more.

The train attendant remained by the door, her trademark smile frozen in place, staring straight ahead.

And just like that, the train once again became a roaring dragon, thundering forward into the darkness.

There were no stop announcements. No route map.

At first, Zhou Ke’er and Lu Keran sat rigidly, but boredom soon got the better of them. Eventually, they leaned against Zhang Yi’s shoulder and dozed off.

But Zhang Yi didn’t sleep.

With Blizzard City just ahead—the legendary fortress rumored to be one of the strongest in the new world—there was no way he could relax.

Author's Note