Chapter 300: Magong
Several women hurriedly rushed straight to Carriage 27, skillfully exchanging supplies, not wasting a single point.
Then they stuffed large and small bags of food and weapons into their loose clothes. Although they looked a bit bulky, they instantly blended in with the grayish scavengers. Under the indifferent gaze of the train sergeant, they passed the swaying “cured meat” in the isolation zone, ran past two corners in a row, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw a group of men standing by the motorcycle whispering and laughing.
A man missing a chunk of flesh on his arm spat out a mouthful of saliva. “I thought you guys had been shot. You’re so damn late coming back. I was about to leave!”
The woman displayed her ample bosom and smiled obsequiously. “Third Brother, don’t be angry. Didn’t we get these? With this batch of supplies, our camp can hold on.”
Third Brother’s eyes lit up instantly, and he gulped hard.
Of course, he had no interest in those sagging water bags, but the compact submachine gun [Hummingbird-9] tied on top was too tempting.
With this treasure, zombies would be slaughtered left and right!
The reason the large convoy expanded so quickly was because they had guns, could kill more zombies, obtain more supplies, and thereby support more people.
More people meant faster expansion.
Now with guns, what the hell is the Xinma Gang?
What the hell is Wen Biao?
“Hurry up, soldiers are coming!”
The woman kept looking around warily and hurriedly whispered a reminder when she saw the patrol vehicle pass by.
Third Brother’s eyes darted. “You old hag actually got lucky?”
The woman said proudly, “That little girl is a fool. If not for her man, I could have gotten more. Now we just got a small bargain, but their armored train is used to being domineering. If they realize, they’ll catch us and hang us.”
The several women divided up the items, and everyone sat on the motorcycle and hurriedly left.
……
Inside the train.
“Hmph, I won’t pity them anymore!”
Xiao Hezi recovered quickly, wiped her tears on Lin Jin’s shoulder, and then said angrily.
“Let’s go find the Train Conductor.”
Lin Jin held Xiao Hezi’s hand and went out straight to the dining car.
However, the dining car was empty. Since the two weren’t in a hurry and didn’t bother the command platform, they leisurely passed through the lush farm carriage and headed to Carriage 27 at the back.
With ample sunlight from the storm zone, these plants grew even more vigorously. Plus Huang Hai and Xiao Wang’s careful tending, Carriages 7 and 8 were turned into green plant corridors, with various harmless plants vying for beauty. Because there were few people, the little couple would come for a stroll whenever they had time.
Since the attendant and corps division system, the doors between train carriages were no longer closed, serving more as emergency use. But in repeated reforms, Hu Shuo and other managers added many details to perfect the train’s rules.
For example, only Level 3 Attendants were in the first twelve carriages; sergeant level and above could enter freely.
Ordinary attendants could only enter when on tasks.
As for the first three carriages, though there were no specific rules, everyone had formed a default convention: only the purser level could enter freely. Department managers, that is, Level Five Crew, could only enter during Train Conductor meetings.
So other low-level members on the train wanting to relax could only wait for the train to stop or go to the cultivation pod open at fixed times. There were fewer plant varieties, but it was more spacious, more like a train park.
Carriage 27 was a busy scene. Scavengers and Xinma County survivors in various clothes held treasures scavenged from ruins, praying to exchange for more supplies. Logistics Group attendants in the armory hall at the back of the carriage cursed as they sorted the collected items.
The exchange window was much quieter, with only the sound of attendants throwing out questions.
Before the two got close, they saw a radio tossed out from the window. Then an old woman wrapped head to toe in clothes pounced quickly toward the radio, her face showing a hint of bitterness. She held up the radio and pleaded, “Little girl, can you take another look for me?”
Su Leiya’s exasperated crisp scolding came from inside. “If you waste my time with this junk again, I’ll let this garbage be buried with you!”
The old woman’s expression stiffened for a moment, then she silently retreated.
Even with soldiers watching nearby, similar things happened a lot.
Mostly old people, women, and children. If young and strong ones tried to act tough, a burst from the soldiers would sweep them away, dragged off on the spot.
In just two short days, the train had been scrubbed clean of this more than a dozen times.
The two quickly found the busy Hu Shuo.
“The Train Conductor is not on the train right now.”
“Not here?”
“Secretary Shu gave instructions before leaving. He’ll probably be back tonight, should be within Xinma County range.”
Hu Shuo gave a precise answer.
“If you have urgent matters to report, Professor Ma can activate the communication enhancement device to contact Secretary Shu directly.”
“We’re not in a hurry. We’ll talk tonight.”
Lin Jin waved his hand.
While they were talking, a heavy, swift footsteps came from the roof, then jumped down and entered through the main gate. The white scale armor bodysuit emitted colorful halos in the sunlight. The tall exoskeleton made her slightly stoop to get through the car door.
The phoenix eyes scanned the crowd, and her cold voice reached their ears first.
“There’s a problem with the collected parts.”
Yu Jing wasted no words, manipulating the mechanical arm to extend forward, displaying a precision machinery part.
Hu Shuo’s expression turned grave. “Just this one, or do most have problems?”
Yu Jing said calmly, “Several have been found so far, but large-scale verification is troublesome. It needs ability testing one by one. These are parts adjusted by ability users, meant to pass off inferior goods, with actual strength not up to standard.”
Hu Shuo signaled the exchanger to close the window, turning the space inside directly into a sealed office compartment.
Lin Jin felt something off and quietly listened with Xiao Hezi at the side.
The usually mild Hu Shuo undid the top button of his collar and exhaled.
“We’ve been screwed.”
Yu Jing narrowed her phoenix eyes. “What do you mean?”
“These past two days, feedback from various departments: the stuff exchanged in Xinma County has issues.” Hu Shuo said as he picked up a stick bone from the exchanger’s hand and handed it to Yu Jing.
Feeling the general energy fluctuation from it, Yu Jing frowned.
“Tier 1 mutated beast bone?”
Hu Shuo shook his head, flipped the bone over, revealing a chiseled pit.
“Actually unranked bone synthesized with Tier 1. Wan Xing extracted many times without getting the desired material. Only after careful check did we find this bone had been tampered with.”
“Who?”
Yu Jing’s voice turned cold.
“Besides the Xinma Gang, everyone in Xinma County who traded with us, more or less, screwed us. Some didn’t succeed, that’s all.”
Xiao Hezi said nervously, “I just took in a lot of clothes… This is a big deal, let’s hurry and tell the Train Conductor!”
Hearing Xiao Hezi, Hu Shuo ignored it.
Lin Jin pinched his little girlfriend’s finger, signaling her not to speak.
As Logistics Group purser, Hu Shuo had plenty of ways to contact the Train Conductor, but since he didn’t mention it, he obviously had another solution.
Yu Jing thought for a moment, then looked straight at Hu Shuo. “What do you plan to do?”
“Solve it the Train Conductor’s way.”
Hu Shuo pushed up his glasses and turned to Lin Jin. “Might need to trouble you two.”
Lin Jin instantly understood “the Train Conductor’s way,” cold light flashing in his eyes.
“I’ll kill. You write the application.”
Yu Jing said flatly, “Per new rules, with Train Conductor absent, external expeditions need at least three department principal officers and highest corps military rank to agree. You probably don’t have time, I’ll coordinate.”
Hu Shuo smiled mildly. “As fast as possible. I need to summarize and report before the Train Conductor returns.”
……
Xiao Hezi was dazedly dragged away by Lin Jin. Though she saw it all, she didn’t understand what riddle they were playing.
“What is the Train Conductor’s way?”
Xiao Hezi suddenly asked.
Lin Jin pinched her nose. “If smooth, back tonight for dinner with you. If too late, don’t wait. In a rush now, tell you tomorrow.”
Pushing Xiao Hezi back upstairs, Lin Jin took off his casual clothes trench coat and hung it aside.
He donned various protective equipment, finally put on an extra-large combat trench coat, grabbed the backpack by the wall, and headed to the garage.
Just entering, he saw Lu Xiao sitting on the armored off-road vehicle, playing with two silver Bright Lions in hand.
“Linzi’s here?”
Lin Jin nodded to them, scanning around before spotting his silent principal officer in the corner.
“Armed Corps Captain, Lin Jin reporting.”
Yu Yue had long sensed his gaze, lifted her head, her downcast eye corners carrying an inexplicable sharpness.
“Target photos already sent to you. This operation’s purpose: recover train losses. Total four squads deploying. Tong Zizhan, Lu Xiao, Qu Hang, Yu Yue. I am overall commander. Each squad carries two NCO squads. Act separately, signal flare every twenty minutes. Back to train by seven!”
“Yes!”
Everyone roared in acknowledgment.
Car doors opened, four off-road vehicles roared to the ground.
Eight civilian SUVs just debugged by the roadside Logistics Group followed closely.
……
Inside Xinma County.
Due to long-term activity of three convoys and two settlements, core area zombies had been cleared clean.
The small county town housed over eight thousand people, a small portion original residents, most fled from Zhijin City. Due to the recent “base city plan,” population doubled directly, peaking at around twenty thousand.
Dense population brought massive resources.
As long as people are alive, there’s demand for exchange.
Food, clean drinking water, weapons and ammunition… even a pack of tissue, a clean pair of underwear, someone else’s wife, all have transaction value.
But the hottest supplies right now undoubtedly came from the mysterious armored train.
Compared to Black Kite’s bulk trades, the train had diverse cargo types and no limits on rogue trades, bringing new vitality to Xinma County’s small market.
Neutral Town was for forces doing bulk trades. Ordinary scavengers faced nine deaths to get there; most wouldn’t leave familiar places until they couldn’t hold on.
Centered on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital settlement, a closed commercial street derived.
Street sides weren’t shops with wide-open doors, but specially modified first-floor shops, one window used for business. Outside the window were crisscrossing iron bars, inside pitch black.
Unguarded ones had nothing outside.
Fancy ones fenced a circle with iron bars outside. If guests sensed danger, they could flee or temporarily hide by closing the iron gate here.
This small fence, besides saving you from fire and water, had other clever uses.
In just this short time, Su Huan had seen two blatant extortions, both on out-of-town scavengers new to Xinma County.
He couldn’t be bothered.
Law of the jungle, this would be the main theme for the next four years or longer.
But wandering the street half a day, no one came to hassle him.
This merit wasn’t from the two fully armed soldiers behind, nor the icy Secretary Shu.
What really intimidated this bunch of death-wish scavengers was Wen Biao nodding and bowing ahead.
Though Wen Biao tried hard to restrain his fawning smile, facing Su Huan, he still involuntarily bowed.
“This Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital is Xinma County’s largest camp. They have over three thousand people, and relying on doctors and equipment, they fight ferociously without fear of death. The leader is called Dai Xing, also Dai Biaozi, known alongside me as Xinma County’s double tigers.”
Wen Biao said with some pride.
“Doctors?”
Su Huan glanced at the six-story building ahead, the red words on top missing some, leaving only “Mayi Hospital.”
Below on the building body were embedded words “Inpatient Department.”
From this angle, he could see at least three buildings in the courtyard; the hospital scale wasn’t small.
No need to say, his secretary knew the Train Conductor’s intent and marked this location on the tablet.
“There’s fried skewers up ahead…”
Su Huan’s gaze was quickly drawn by the oily aroma from the street side.
“Allow me to remind you, you still need to find Xinma Automotive Engineering Vocational School.”
Shu Wei said coldly.
Wen Biao immediately followed, “Magong is Xinma County’s second settlement, not far from Mayi. Past this street. But originally direct access, later blocked by those students, have to go around.”
Su Huan walked to the stall side. The few who had been whispering about him immediately stood warily, eyes scanning him.
He’d spotted this group long ago.
Saw clearly, heard clearly too.
Besides these in plain sight, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital above was full of eyes on him, including these street alleys.
Estimate…
Six or seven hundred people.
Thinking of these people focused on him, Su Huan’s mind bubbled with nasty ideas.
Wen Biao swept his gloomy eyes over them, fierce light blazing. “If idle, go stand street. Blocking my view? Drag behind the cart to death!”
“Why are these names so tacky? Can’t you come up with something more badass?”
Su Huan asked curiously as he walked forward.
“Gotta have others recognize it. Flashy name, no one gets it. Magong kids started with dragon or phoenix something, no one bit, just called them Magong, stuck after calling too much.”
Wen Biao turned his head, tone lowering, chuckling as he explained.
