Chapter 295: Thunder River In The Sandstorm
White Deer understood tacitly and pulled out a silver handgun.
“Bang bang bang……”
Exactly nine shots.
The muzzle flashes lit up the room brightly.
The unique wasteland smell of gunpowder and blood instantly filled the nasal cavity.
Leaving only a guy with a neck as long as a giraffe’s.
Big Goose watched the head who usually bossed everyone around get his head blown off with one shot, completely stunned, subconsciously licking his warm lips, the fishy sweetness hitting him, almost making him vomit.
Su Huan rubbed his brow, “Change rooms, forget it, back on the train.”
He had seen the power of the two new guns.
The bulletproof vest effect was also good, after all, Old San had been kicked so many times and still hadn’t died.
Of course, this was due to Kangaroo holding back underfoot.
After all, it was a Tier 1 mutated beast, so kicking an unranked Old San really required caution.
So Su Huan spared it and its child.
Keep them first and see.
If they can’t be tamed, treat them as living reserves.
Power armor needs to solve the talent problem somehow.
Back on the train, Huang Hai heard a new species had come aboard and immediately excitedly took his assistant Xiao Wang to bring the two kangaroos back.
He said the ironline vine grass on the train had recently proliferated, and they were just thinking of finding something to eat it.
Su Huan still held a positive view of Huang Hai’s breeding ability.
The chicken flock that came aboard initially had expanded to over a dozen, the train had stable egg supplies, especially the dining car, where they could occasionally eat one or two hens about to mutate.
Arriving at the dining car, Su Huan leaned on the sofa, Big Goose knelt steadily on the ground, and spilled the whole story like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.
Most survivor settlements in the Storm Zone were built around city ruins, because only the remaining supplies in city ruins could support these people.
They would place their main camps in surrounding county towns.
The three counties around Xiaohe City ruins supported over a dozen large and small convoys, camps, and a bunch of rogue survivors; the strongest force was the Black Star Convoy formed by locals, and this mother kangaroo had escaped from the Black Star Convoy’s hunt, then got targeted by their Dragon Rider Convoy.
Chased all the way here, but the kangaroo survived.
Their Dragon Rider got wiped out.
“Such a grandiose name, not afraid of being crushed to death.”
Giraffe snorted coldly.
Big Goose hung his head staring at the carpet patterns, not daring to make a sound.
Before, he thought Su Huan was Hu Tieche’s accomplice, but seeing this massive armored train, he realized they were clearly a group of outsiders!
“What about Pingqiao Village here, no forces?”
Su Huan asked.
“When the sandstorm first hit, everyone died, later a group of soldiers cleaned it up……”
“Where did these soldiers come from, did you see it with your own eyes?”
Giraffe immediately interrupted him.
Big Goose was stunned, “No……didn’t see, but heard guns and cannons at the time, besides the military, no other survivors could make that kind of racket……”
“Probably Black Kite, continue.”
Su Huan said indifferently.
The military wouldn’t possibly come to clean up a small village.
Big Goose continued, “Pingqiao Village here had a fierce guy living there, with immense strength, able to flip vehicles barehanded, so they called him Hu Tieche; we originally thought it was him, didn’t expect to run into you big shots.”
Unexpectedly learned the Butcher’s identity, but Su Huan didn’t care.
“In your three counties, any talents skilled at repairing machinery?”
Su Huan asked.
“Repair talent?” Big Goose’s eyes lit up, “Big shot wants to fix a vehicle? I know two auto mechanics, their skills are quite good.”
“What about education?”
Big Goose was stunned, “Didn’t ask about that.”
He secretly grumbled inwardly, how high could an auto mechanic’s education be?
“Any experts?”
Su Huan rephrased.
“We probably don’t have any here, but Zhijin definitely does!”
“How are you sure?”
“Before the apocalypse, Zhijin was the most developed city around here, with many renowned provincial universities, and lately resources are getting harder to obtain, lots of people heading to Zhijin, after all it’s wealthy there; if you want experts, they definitely have them.”
Su Huan waved his hand, letting Giraffe take Big Goose away.
This Dragon Rider Convoy just had a big name, actually just small fries, lots of info only approximate.
“But can confirm, Zhijin City as short-term goal is right.”
Shu Wei said.
“Mm, Phase Three Plan to which step?”
Su Huan asked Yu Jing sitting on the ground nearby.
Because power armor wasn’t fully designed, lacking Black Kite exoskeleton’s joint locking tech, and chairs couldn’t bear it, the two could only sit on the ground to avoid damaging dining car facilities.
Yu Jing shook her head, “Still in discussion currently.”
“So slow too?”
Su Huan felt the train’s development had hit a bottleneck.
Like previous accumulations were all used up, several laboratories, so long with no effective output.
“Because no framework plan, and demands vague; currently train has no major shortcomings in survival, defense, attack; track problem using large equipment from Black Kite, all replaced; now several teachers discussing next upgrade direction.”
“Factory Director suggests increasing train power, using spare engines to build train assist system, like adding two wheels to a kid’s bicycle, just train assist more complex, involving special terrain escape designs.”
“Deputy General Manager Deng feels train firepower insufficient, should concentrate resources, specially build several cannon carriages, then design system linking all existing firepower……”
“Professor Ma got some inspiration from that amplification stone, proposes manufacturing new type of ‘radar’, more comprehensive than Steel Council captured general energy surveillance equipment, mainly monitoring sea land air terrain, combining supercomputer for geological judgment; he thinks train’s observation ability of environment still too weak, especially Storm Zone severely limiting drone performance.”
“On this basis, Glasses proposes building hive, designing various detection equipment, but needs drone experts.”
“Director Xu feels next entering Spore Zone, should targetedly build equipment restricting plants……”
“In short, many directions, but no one convinces anyone.”
Su Huan raised his brow, “Can’t do them together?”
Yu Jing helplessly said, “With current train manpower, can only do one direction, and not even sure to succeed, because way too short on people; evolution can erase some technical gaps, but theoretical stuff unknown is unknown, can’t make it up.”
In the end, still short on people.
While Storm Zone peaceful, grab enough talent at once.
At this moment, Shu Wei handling documents behind suddenly said, “Train Conductor, Jiang Rong wants to see you.”
Su Huan surprised, “If something, just come; she even made formal application?”
“Resignation application.”
“Hm?”
……
Deputy Carriage 3.
Initially reforged in Anshun train, carriages reordered, Jiang Rong moved from main train to deputy train officer carriage.
Carriage infrastructure more complete, Jiang Rong hadn’t settled much, but escaped prison vibe.
The woman came down from second floor, wearing slightly worn jeans with white paint spots, upper body faded blue-white striped shirt, holding two freshly air-dried Armed Corps uniforms.
Folded neatly on the squarely made bedding, Jiang Rong packed room’s personal items into an old backpack; all stuffed in, only half filling it.
Then placed backpack on nearby metal cabinet, as usual picked up tools to clean room.
When every corner wiped clean, started checking firearm, oiling, loading ammo; with crisp click, gun stock shouldered, aiming at cabinet handle, through scope seeing her reflection in metal, Jiang Rong felt very unfamiliar.
Though clothes changed back, skin tight, brows carrying sharp baleful aura, completely unlike that over-forty worry-lined woman before.
“Captain Jiang Rong, come to dining car when you hear this……”
Hearing the carriage broadcast voice, Jiang Rong simply unloaded bullet, put firearm in room weapon cabinet, suddenly glimpsed two bullet casings pinched into copper pieces under cabinet.
Hesitated, pocketed the two copper pieces, took backpack, headed to dining car.
Because most soldiers training in armory hall then, few people in train, no one saw her.
“Here.”
Bright greeting from behind cabinet.
Yu Yue’s tone with lilt, sounding gentle and soft.
Jiang Rong smiled back, faint tension in heart dispersed by Yu Yue, strode firmly to sofa at carriage end.
Train Conductor legs crossed sitting on sofa looking at tablet.
“Train Conductor.”
“Mm, sit.”
Su Huan’s voice very calm.
But with evolution and slaughter, his body carried lingering baleful aura, even quietly sitting in corner, other creatures instinctively watched him, hard to describe the feeling.
That area seemed much darker in color.
He looked up, woman already quietly sitting opposite; seeing familiar outfit, first stunned, then half-smiling, “Clothes all changed back, can’t keep you huh.”
“Clink.”
Two porcelain cups placed on table by Yu Yue.
Little Chef softly said, “Sister Rong, drink tea.”
“Thanks.”
Jiang Rong held tea cup, with guilt said, “I concealed some info, my home in Jin Feng, Changxing County over a hundred kilometers from Zhijin, my husband child……”
“Won’t hear story, you decide fine.”
Interrupted by Yu Yue, Su Huan simply dropped teasing look.
Jiang Rong low presence on train, but no errors in any tasks, firm mindset, like Liang Kuan’s personality.
Su Huan appreciated her.
But didn’t want to retain; train has people boarding, naturally some leaving, everyone has their path, everyone has their things to do.
As long as not blocking his way, he didn’t care.
“Mm, weapons issued on train all left in room, work nothing to hand over, already greeted Captain He in advance.”
“Tch, so I’m last huh.”
Su Huan couldn’t help complaining.
“But those things you can take, Train Conductor not short that bit; right, how much short of breaking through Tier 1?”
Jiang Rong sighed, “Skills all lv3, pity missed Flood Zone, Storm Zone no thunderstorm weather, so special condition unachievable.”
He pondered, “Not necessarily thunderstorm weather, many triggers, depends on your luck.”
Jiang Rong’s target Tier 1 profession exactly his past life’s Electromagnetic User; Su Huan had great authority on it.
“Mm, thanks Train Conductor.”
“Go home.”
Casually felt in pocket, tossed her a Tier 2 general energy crystal.
Su Huan ignored further, lowered eyes to his tablet.
Jiang Rong looked at general energy crystal, eyes turning, stood up, deeply bowed to Su Huan.
Until door close sound, Su Huan didn’t lift head again.
Yu Yue watched thin figure gradually receding outside window, eyes besides worry also hint of envy and blessing.
“Su Huan, will familiar people become fewer and fewer later?”
“Kill more unfamiliar ones, remaining all acquaintances.”
Yu Yue lightly hummed, turned head to continue researching new pastries.
Su Huan’s fingertip swiped her tablet, “Where’d her points go?”
Shu Wei replied, “Her previous points mostly for basic supplies exchange, and firearms and ammunition supplement; to care for team members, often spending more than earning; later points increased, besides survival essentials, all subsidized to several young people in corps.”
Pitch-black eyes reflected the sparse exchange list.
Su Huan noncommittally hummed lightly.
Hundred meters away, Jiang Rong braving wind and sand trudging along wall base, suddenly puzzled lifted head.
‘Illusion huh, probably wind sound.’
Lowered head walked two more steps.
“Rumble——”
But clearly thunder.
But sandstorm head-on, where thunder?
Jiang Rong stopped.
Saw sandstorm sky suddenly appear deep blue thunderbolt.
Thick thunder like river spreading in sky, branching……
Passing right over her head.
For a moment, sandstorm dimmed, only galactic thunder above head.
Crackling electric light stirred body energy, Jiang Rong subconsciously converted energy to electricity, drawing sky thunder river.
Desert thunder river lasted full three hours.
When Jiang Rong opened eyes again, already fully Tier 1 evolver, Electromagnetic User.
Beside her, at some point a sand motorcycle had appeared, with huge camouflage backpack hung on.
Thunder river spectacle in sandstorm slowly dissipated.
Jiang Rong knelt on ground, devoutly kowtowed toward train direction, deep breath, mounted motorcycle, headed home.
All way yellow sand rolling.
Echoing sharp whistle sound.
With motorcycle, Jiang Rong first day drove over a hundred kilometers, then found rundown house to overnight.
House inside two corpse pupae, two ordinary zombies, total family of four.
If early apocalypse, with her strength definitely cautiously avoid.
But as Armed Corps captain, just three minutes, Jiang Rong cleared clean shelter for herself.
