Chapter 214: Deep Sea Hydrothermal Tube Worm
Several rope-like things extended to the water surface, wrapping around those struggling zombies.
They appeared as semi-transparent indigo blue, flickering on and off, with their ends extending continuously to deeper underwater.
“Should we continue going down?”
“These zombies seem like bait.”
The soldier operating the underwater detection equipment suddenly said.
As the most professional drone pilot, he also took on the task of the first underwater detection.
“Get a bit closer and conduct close-range observation of the vines.”
Only a few people were deep in thought; the staff below quickly took screenshots and recorded videos, methodically performing data storage.
There were also a few small-scale discussions.
“What kind of mutated plant is this?”
“It’s hollow inside and can glow; it feels like a deep sea worm.”
“This is fresh water, right? How could there be deep sea…”
“Just a guess; the data has already been uploaded.”
The train database is unified; laboratories including Professor Ma’s, Deputy General Manager Deng’s, and Director Xu’s can all access this data.
Based on the uploaded pictures, various experts consulted and quickly provided several relatively reliable answers.
The entire process took only about three minutes.
Xiao Zhao received the information and switched a nearby monitor to display comparison charts, saying to Su Huan, “Based on observations, the vine surface is covered with tumor-like suckers, length exceeding twenty meters, semi-transparent indigo blue; it is very likely a mutation of a deep sea hydrothermal tube worm.”
“Worm?” Su Huan carefully looked at the left and right comparison charts and asked with great interest, “What is this thing? Insect? Plant?”
Xiao Zhao swiped a few times, and various data on the worm appeared on the screen.
“It’s an animal, no cell wall, contains mitochondria, but currently it’s just a guess; uncertain if the prototype is a worm, needs further confirmation.”
“That’s simple; have Old San eat those baits.”
Su Huan pinched his chin.
Yu Jing’s eyes flickered, and the mechanical puppet behind her walked out.
As soon as Su Huan said this, the struggling zombies on the screen were strangled by the combat group.
Before the corpses could sink, they were grabbed by the mechanical arm on the train.
The vines below sensed the pulling and suddenly lit up blue, dragging the zombies underwater.
Before it could drag them back, the mechanical puppet had already plunged into the water with a splash, the long saber splitting the water waves; the “vine” was directly and cleanly severed and lifted up by the mechanical arm.
And that blue light spread underwater like lightning, instantly opening a massive “blue net” over forty meters in diameter at the bottom.
At first glance, the number of “vines” exceeded a hundred.
Like water snakes awakened in shock, they ferociously assaulted the armored train.
“Materials have been extracted and are being tested.”
“Then continue forward.” Su Huan said indifferently.
No one took dozens of vines seriously; for survivors, over a hundred twenty-meter-long deep sea worms would be a terrifying nightmare.
But for the armored train with over a hundred cars exceeding thirty meters long, they were just underwater weeds.
The detection equipment nimbly dodged several swinging vines, moved a bit further ahead, and captured the scene under the train onto the screen.
The blue worms bared their fangs and claws, sticking to the train, only to find they couldn’t wrap around it; they were only about twenty meters long in total, but the armored train was sixteen meters wide alone, so they could only futilely lash at the train’s thick armor, trying to find gaps to drill into.
But how could that be possible…
Deputy General Manager Deng personally oversaw it; not to mention such thick vines, not even a drop of water could get in!
Everyone who saw this scene was enveloped in a strong sense of security.
Especially the staff below the command platform.
Their screens could switch to various scenes inside and outside the train; watching the flood raging outside while sitting in the warm and clean space inside the carriage, knowing full well that terrifying mutated monsters were right under their feet but powerless against them.
That feeling was simply exhilarating.
Regardless of the importance of command platform work, just sitting safely in the corner, monitoring various situations at all times, was enough to attract people.
Looking at the few vines snapped by the train, Su Huan felt nothing.
As his personal strength increased, the sense of security the train once provided him was gradually weakening.
He even thought in his mind how refreshing it would be to jump from the rooftop of the tallest office building nearby into the surging waters below.
Letting that pitch-black flood completely engulf him.
As for the dangers in the water…
Those were only dangers for ordinary people; the train conductor could directly boil this water area!
The train continued forward, braving wind and waves into the city’s main road.
There was more debris on the water surface: various stalls, furniture, small vehicles… floating on the water, while more things had sunk to the bottom.
The screen footage changed several times, turning into a brand-new underwater city perspective.
Familiar streets, signs, streetlights from the past all lay silent in the water flow, like everything had been frozen in an instant.
Green plants along the streets were left with only bare black trunks gradually rotting in the water.
Rows of vehicles were jammed and piled up on both sides of the road, covered with thick sludge and unknown plants; glass on both sides’ buildings was shattered, leaving only dark window openings, with several black shadows moving in and out inside.
Due to the overcast sky, visibility on the water surface was extremely poor, and underwater was pitch black.
Fortunately, the searchlights at the ends of the train’s mechanical arms had sufficient power; though unable to illuminate the entire water area, it was enough for use.
“How deep is the water now?”
Su Huan suddenly asked.
“Over twenty meters.”
“It seems to be getting deeper…”
“Yes, as we go deeper into the flood zone, the flood is getting deeper; according to detection, salinity in the water is rising—this is no longer just floodwater; there should be seawater backflow.”
Xiao Zhao explained.
As the purser of the research group, Xiao Zhao’s main task was not research but scheduling resources to assist various laboratories.
More often, she explained to the train conductor “what Professor Ma and the others are doing.”
What results had been achieved recently, what functions the train had updated, how to use them.
Su Huan mostly didn’t care what they were tinkering with themselves, as long as they could complete what he requested.
A staggering zombie suddenly appeared in the footage.
Everyone who saw this was somewhat surprised.
But as the train advanced to the city center plaza, the slightest sounds inside the front of the train all vanished.
Everyone looked at the footage projected by the panoramic sky curtain in front of the front car, all shocked with mouths agape, pupils reflecting thousands of corpses suspended on the water surface.
These corpses were some decomposed to white bones, some wrapped in strange mucus, some turned into zombies.
But without exception, they were all entangled by vines.
Whether alive or dead, they were all locked at the bottom of this water!
The only thing they could do was look up at the armored train slowly passing over the water surface!
The atmosphere in the front car froze for five or six breaths, followed by frenzied gasps of cold air.
Even Su Huan couldn’t help but furrow his brows.
The corpse density here was comparable to the corpse pit at the platform the train had charged through back then!
Even worse, being able to entangle so many corpses proved there were hundreds of vines underwater!
Writhing into a massive shadow at the bottom.
The train’s underbelly propeller shredded a corpse floating on the water surface; the next moment, the entire bottom lit up with eerie blue light.
Su Huan’s eyelids twitched; he finally knew what it felt like for others to see his electric net.
“Can the train speed up anymore?”
Xiao Zhao stared blankly at the forward panoramic image; hearing the voice, she snapped back and swallowed, “The train’s size limits its travel efficiency in water…”
“Then prepare to live at the bottom for a while…”
As soon as Su Huan spoke, countless vines surged over.
This was no longer the small skirmish from before.
In an instant, countless corpses and vines completely encircled the armored train on the water surface; some still-living zombies howled, venting their craving for flesh and blood.
“Boom—”
The front of the train lurched, kicking up a huge splash.
“Armored train entering deep dive state immediately! All sections prepare; each purser lead teams to check oxygen generators and other equipment status!”
“Armed corps leadership assemble at the front car immediately!”
“Combat group enter carriages for internal alert; non-essential personnel return to rooms, no unauthorized movement!”
“Armory hall lockdown from this moment…”
“Armored train entering deep dive…”
“Countdown, ten, nine, eight, seven…”
Xiao Zhao’s slightly urgent voice broadcast throughout the train.
The train, in the midst of production work, quickly changed states; attendants from manufacturing group and research group, under their respective pursers and senior attendants, conducted equipment checks; ordinary production personnel quickly returned to their rooms, locked doors, and awaited further broadcast orders.
Urgent footsteps echoed in the armory hall.
He Jie and other senior officers training soldiers sprinted at full speed.
In just over ten seconds, they rushed from the rear to the front.
In car 6, Hu Shuo, who was checking reserve supplies, suddenly froze; he had just lifted his foot when it came down, frowning at the person beside him, 428—namely, the profiling expert Su Leiya, who had surrendered not long ago.
She had special abilities and was a professional investigator, but for some reason, the train conductor did not assign her to the armed corps and instead placed her in Hu Shuo’s logistics group.
She was after all a Tier 1 evolver; though currently just a Level 1 attendant, as long as she didn’t rebel and worked well, there would surely be a place for her on the train.
So Hu Shuo always kept her by his side, teaching her some basic work.
Besides teaching, there was also a layer of surveillance.
But now with the sudden situation, if he was busy with tasks and left her here to cause trouble, what then?
Lock her up?
Su Leiya innocently raised her hands, with a touch of pitiable charm, “Go do your thing with peace of mind; I won’t seek death. Besides, this is just basic food; even if I steal some, how much could I eat?”
Hu Shuo thought for a moment; at this critical time, better to be cautious than risk errors.
So he said steadily, “It’s just a sudden train situation; afraid you won’t know what to do. Come with me.”
As soon as they entered another carriage, they heard the countdown had ended.
The train began rapidly sinking into the water.
Personnel in the corridor started sealing the car windows internally; in a fleeting glimpse, Hu Shuo saw a bronze-pillar-like twisted vine drill out of the water and lash fiercely at the car window.
Scaring the attendant closing the window to stumble back several steps.
Hu Shuo supported the other’s shoulder and said gravely, “Don’t panic; with the train conductor here, they can’t stir up much trouble. Has the rest area been checked?”
The attendant immediately calmed down a lot.
“Rest area has been cleared; everyone has returned to their rooms.”
“Good, recount the numbers; not one can be missed!”
“Understood!”
…
In the front car, Su Huan listened to reports from various sections, feeling quite emotional inside.
His administrative work had yielded returns; many small matters no longer needed his personal involvement—everyone on the entire train could be used for it.
Becoming his tentacles, gathering all information from the entire train to him.
This was the power of systems and organization.
Each gear just needed to turn, and the entire force became a war machine, rolling forward.
When the train fully sank into the water, the optical fiber of the small drone in the sky was also severed, the footage freezing on the turbulent water surface.
“What do we do next?”
He Jie, who had been holding back for days, asked with killing intent.
Su Huan helplessly glanced at him, “You’re a firepower specialist; what are you going to do underwater?”
He Jie was immediately choked.
He said hatefully, “If I had two electromagnetic weapons right now, I’d blast these bugs to pieces!”
“Yeah yeah, we’ll have them in a bit; first, go find all the manipulators in the team.”
With that, Su Huan stepped down from the command platform and bumped into the secretary hurrying over.
She nodded and followed behind him.
Deputy General Manager Deng also came running unsteadily, followed by several nervous researchers.
Thanks to the detection equipment released in advance, they could still see the outside situation.
Countless vines layered and entwined around the train, dragging it bit by bit deeper.
“Deputy General Manager Deng, your health is pretty good.” Su Huan even had the leisure to greet him.
Deputy General Manager Deng wiped the sweat from his round face and quickly said, “I felt the train conductor needed me, so I hurried over.”
Su Huan smiled, “The conductive one you mentioned to me last time is this, right?”
He placed one hand on a slightly lighter-colored metal cabinet.
Deputy General Manager Deng nodded, “Yes, that’s it. Other places are electrically insulated; only from here can electricity be exported to the external mechanical arms, though it needs adjusting the resistance inside the mechanical arms.”
“No need for that trouble.”
Su Huan said clearly.
As Deputy General Manager Deng looked up, he saw the increasingly bright electric light immersing Su Huan’s eyes into a deep blue transparent state.
“Thunderstorm.”
Violent current surged out along the train’s conductive device.
On the screen, the train wrapped by vines became slightly brighter, especially that eerie blue, growing brighter to a dazzling degree.
Current leaked from the gaps in the vines.
In an instant, the entire water area was illuminated.
The soldier manipulating the detector watched with relish, dodging underwater debris with fancy maneuvers while keeping the footage stable, the train always centered.
Just as he was having fun, the screen suddenly went black.
He slapped his thigh hard, “Oh crap!”
