Chapter 267: Stormy Night
“Black Kite is very likely to ambush us.”
Shu Wei reminded.
“Don’t you have any trust in your old man?”
Su Huan’s tone carried a bit of frivolity.
“Black Kite isn’t my father’s one-man show, and with his personality, if keeping you brings greater benefits, he will definitely do it.”
“Not even wanting his own daughter?”
“A child can be reborn, but if rights are gone, there’s nothing left.”
Shu Wei’s tone was cold.
“Oh.”
It seems the father-daughter relationship isn’t that great. Of course, it could also be an act for his benefit.
Su Huan smiled faintly and replied, “If there’s no issue, then let’s adjourn the meeting.”
Everyone was stunned. Hu Shuo hesitated and said, “If we decide to go, how many people does the Train Conductor plan to bring? I’ll make preparations.”
“How many people?” Su Huan thought carefully, “The whole train?”
Hu Shuo, “……Specifically, the number of people entering the venue for negotiations. Even if talks break down, it ensures we can retreat unscathed.”
“Then I’ll go alone.”
“No way. If the other side turns hostile, what are we supposed to do?” He Jie refused sternly.
Hu Shuo and others nodded imperceptibly.
Su Huan propped his feet on the table, hands behind his head, and said indifferently, “If I bring you all, I won’t be confident in retreating unscathed.”
Everyone: “……”
“Damn, you got to show off again.”
He Jie angrily pounded the table.
Then he said solemnly, “But I absolutely disagree with you going alone. It has nothing to do with whether I can beat you. If the other side intends to turn hostile, they’ll definitely have ways to counter your ability. If more of us go, we can complement each other’s abilities, like Xiao Ba opening metal for you, Qu Hang providing remote suppression…”
Su Huan looked at Shu Wei beside him, “Black Kite should have quite a few Tier 2 now, right?”
Shu Wei hesitated, “Before I set out, Black Kite had already figured out multiple paths to Tier 2. They should have achieved results by now, and not the flawed kind like Zhao Kuo’s Tier 2.”
Su Huan spread his hands, “You’ve all seen Tier 2 strength. It’s already a generational gap. Going would just mean getting crushed, utterly pointless.”
“That won’t do either. At least bring two. That’s my bottom line!”
He Jie’s brows furrowed into a river character, but his voice was resolute.
Now his family’s safety was all entrusted to the train. Even if he disliked Su Huan’s bomb-like personality, without him, the train really couldn’t leave.
Though everyone on the train had irreplaceable traits and stable emotions.
But so far, no one felt they could replace the Train Conductor.
Acid rain, storm zones, terrifying mutated beasts, unfathomable major forces…
In this despairing era, only a Train Conductor who was both strong and mad could provide enough sense of security.
Normal people really couldn’t do that.
Normal people always have their bottom lines figured out eventually.
Without that mystique, there’d be no anticipation.
But with Su Huan as Train Conductor, no matter the desperate situation, people would harbor a sliver of expectation deep down.
Expecting what crazy thing he would do to turn the tables!
Even the usually tough He Jie was the same.
This sliver of expectation was a potent booster beyond strength.
Irreplaceable.
“Then who do you want me to bring?”
Su Huan said indifferently.
He Jie paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone before landing on Giraffe and White Deer at the end.
“Just bring those two. That Giraffe kid has a long neck and big head, perfect for blocking bullets. The other idiot fits too.”
Giraffe touched his long neck and muttered curses from behind.
A few kind chuckles erupted at the table, diluting the serious atmosphere.
“Alright, then it’s settled. I’ll bring Shu Wei, Giraffe, and White Deer for the negotiations. You all stay as backup. Meeting adjourned.”
Seeing the indisputable smile on Su Huan’s face, everyone feared the Train Conductor might act up and stopped persuading.
They went downstairs in twos and threes to eat.
Su Huan put his feet back on the table and looked up at the ceiling.
His eyes were calm.
Not a hint of going mad.
Going alone to negotiate was something he had thought through deeply, even more seriously than fighting the Steel Council.
Shu Wei’s father had met the military five years ago as a true insider.
Even if the other side didn’t mention this negotiation, he would find a way to meet him.
Secondly, during this time, even while sleeping, belching, or eating, his strength had been rising rapidly.
Though some energy was wasted on those randomly generated skills, his main profession “Circulating Vortex” had on average risen a tier.
His deputy profession “Fighter” had also been quickly filled out, reaching the critical point of Tier 1.
This gene primordium’s skill generation wasn’t completely random chaos, but centered on existing professions, performing a “supplement.” It filled in the weaknesses, with no redundancy, directly boosting the key skills for profession advancement.
Even so, the gene primordium’s conditions for evolution could be called heaven-sent.
As long as he didn’t die, it would keep growing forever.
Precisely because of this, all of Su Huan’s skill levels and basic attributes were growing rapidly, forming a fairly balanced barrel.
Even if his main profession hadn’t reached the top, Su Huan’s current strength was already the ceiling of Tier 2.
Absolute top powerhouse at this stage.
As for Tier 3, judging by Lin Jin’s growth speed, they probably didn’t have it yet.
Though Su Huan didn’t know Lin Jin’s exact evolution timeline, at the one-year mark of the apocalypse, Lin Jin wasn’t Tier 3 yet.
Then, calculating from the head start of Shu Wei, He Jie, and others, it was only about a year and a half so far.
A genius like Lin Jin, using just over a year.
Other second-tier geniuses, two years isn’t too much, right?
If time dragged on another half year, Su Huan naturally wouldn’t have the confidence for a solo visit.
Tier 3 was already the endpoint for mortals, the minimal unit threatening group combat, with a terrifying generational gap from Tier 2.
But now…
No generational gap, what’s there to fear?
Even if the other side had many Tier 2 evolvers, as long as he wanted to run, they couldn’t kill him.
That was the advantage of dual professions.
Most crucially, the armored train had just harvested a bunch of electromagnetic equipment.
It even had electromagnetic armor for defense.
Unlike the penniless state when facing the Steel Council back then.
If negotiations broke down, just blast through with the electromagnetic railgun.
Or rather, fighting through was his initial preparation.
“Fighter” advanced best during combat anyway.
When the room was left with only one person, Shu Wei’s cold voice sounded, “Are you really going to negotiate?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Su Huan stood up and headed downstairs.
Soon, Su Huan’s astonished shout echoed through the dining car.
“Why white porridge in the middle of the day?”
Everyone looked at Su Huan with strange expressions and silently lowered their heads to drink from their bowls.
Though the staple was plain, the side dishes were exquisite: fried crab legs, tempura, wakame, and various pickled pickles.
Perfectly suiting the tastes of several old men.
“Dong dong!”
Su Huan called Yu Yue over and knocked hard on the table twice, “The Train Conductor labored all day, and you give me porridge? Is that right?”
Facing Su Huan’s rebuke, Yu Yue twisted her hands in front of her, eyes downcast, in a stubborn look of accepting punishment if given, unchanged if not.
Exactly like she was carved from the same mold as Yu Jing.
Who knew what family produced such similar aunt and niece.
It even made Su Huan laugh in anger.
He noted it mentally, picked up bowl and chopsticks, and ate.
……
Storm Zone, Deep Blue Twin Towers.
In the high-level meeting room, six people sat around a round table.
Compared to other forces, Deep Blue Data retained some pre-apocalypse functional divisions.
Though simplified, it was mainly divided into front desk, middle platform, and backend, with Haywood’s business development department belonging to the front desk business department.
The Vice President of Business Development was saying, “Currently, the matter of the armored train’s dual gene primordium has been leaked to most forces we’ve contacted. Black Kite has put out word for a negotiation when the armored train enters the Storm Zone.”
The General Manager of Technical Middle Platform frowned, “Black Kite wants to eat alone?”
The Business Vice President shook his head, “Doesn’t seem like it. According to our collector’s report, Black Kite Director Number Three’s daughter was captured by the armored train.”
The Business General Manager was stunned, “Have our collectors infiltrated to the director level?”
The Vice President smiled mysteriously, “Of course not. The intel came from the collector we planted inside the armored train.”
The Business General Manager fell thoughtfully silent again.
The others looked at the two with amusement.
The business side handled the most matters. Initially, there wasn’t just one vice president, but the other three either died unexpectedly or were taken down by headquarters for mistakes, leaving only the old da and his deputy.
Though called deputy, their power balance was gradually tilting.
The Vice President knew, but the General Manager didn’t—that was a serious issue.
But it was normal. In the early apocalypse period, with the company’s strength expanding rapidly, internal struggles were unprecedentedly fierce. Everyone wanted to climb up, fearing their department being cut by a word from above, so it was every man for himself.
The chief talent officer of the backend functional departments had changed six times in over four months.
It was infamous even at headquarters.
Fortunately, most were just reassigned or departments cut, no deaths, so people kept charging forward.
The Technical Middle Platform General Manager tapped the table and laughed, “Old Wei, we didn’t come all this way to hear you play coy. Everyone has a pile of things under them.”
The Backend Deputy Manager sighed, “Exactly. Sanhe Society’s gone recently, and a ton of matters await my cleanup.”
Business Department Vice President Wei Shan was shocked, “Sanhe Society, that organization of Tianze University alumni, is gone?”
“A bunch of arrogant idiots, led by that madman Ma Hongyu, picked a dangerous area and got wiped out by a special spore. Over five thousand core members, all gone. The remaining hundred thousand plus are scattered in the Spore Zone.”
“When did it happen?”
“A week ago. In about three days, you’ll get the official notice from the company. The Spore Zone’s now a forbidden area.”
Wei Shan took a deep breath, “Good thing I’ve been in the Storm Zone. Sorry to trouble you all.”
Backend General Manager, “To business. I don’t recommend getting involved with the armored train. Because of your stirring, Donghuang Heavy Industry and Pan-Asia are eyeing this negotiation too. That’s three top-tier forces, plus various demons and gods, even Gunfire’s partners asked about it.”
“Such a big gap for gene primordium?”
“Who doesn’t lack gene primordium? Everyone does. And that tree adding vitality is the real prize. If it weren’t in our Dong Huang territory, Pan-Asia would want in to snatch people…”
Wei Shan sneered, “With their evolutionary degree, dare to enter Dong Huang? They won’t even see people before getting wiped out.”
Middle Platform General Manager said, “We internally want that tree too. See if we can contact them before Black Kite…”
“Cut in?”
“Transaction!”
“Raise hands to vote. How many for directly attacking the armored train?”
“Five to one, rejected.”
“How many for contacting the armored train?”
“Six in favor. Good, then we’ll formulate policy based on the meeting decision.”
“No problem.”
……
On a stormy night, outside Yan Bei Pass, a Steel Dragon arrived quietly.
White annular exoskeletons parted the waves, rows of car windows emitting faint glows like a giant beast’s compound eyes.
Six pairs of high-beam searchlights illuminated the ancient pass in every detail.
Yan Bei Pass stood like a dam, steadfast across the mountain pass, where the flood broke and could advance no further.
On the road below Yan Bei Pass, a thin layer of water remained, but due to terrain, it couldn’t proceed into the Storm Zone along the road. Yet this water nourished the plants on both sides.
The city built against the mountain was lush and verdant, with dense vegetation.
Hundreds of surveillance devices activated simultaneously, transmitting the armored train’s arrival to the rear.
Behind Yan Bei Pass was a relatively elevated plaza. On a building shaped like a multi-tiered cake hung a signboard for Ningxi Grand Theater.
Dozens of special vehicles parked in front of the plaza, tire gaps still carrying sandstorm grit, dividing the plaza into trench-like positions. Sleekly uniformed armed personnel waited solemnly.
Inside the theater, however, was another scene.
Crystal chandeliers mimicked flowing silk drapes, hanging from Baroque domes, casting soft honey-colored glows outward. The air carried faint white pine resin and wine scents, stirred by waiters in tuxedos shuttling about.
In front of a room off the hall, a middle-aged man was straightening the collar of a cold-faced, handsome young man.
But Zhong You remained ungrateful, coldly telling his superior, “Time for a dance could be spent training. That’s enough to boost my strength attribute by another point.”
The middle-aged man struck mercilessly, “Haven’t gained in a month, what’s one night?”
“Besides, don’t you want to see Miss Shu?”
Zhong You’s pupils contracted, “426 is back?”
(Took a rest day yesterday, not slacking—mainly to relax a bit and sort out the later plot. Recent plot advancement has been slow because we’re entering a new area, so filling pits, clearing minor side lines, tying up loose ends. If any doubts, mention here; I’ll check what’s missed.)
