Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train
Chapter 313: Tolls

Clang!

The steel cage swung open, and dozens of survivors captured by J Bro were finally freed. Half of them were members of the hijacked bus convoy. Pretty much anyone with any combat ability in that group had been taken.

Of course—

If you were a woman, even if you could fight, you still had to be “used” by those animals first.

“Dad!”

A girl from the bus rushed off and ran into the arms of a middle-aged man with a gash on his shoulder.

“Thank you!” The man’s face was pale. He looked like he was just starting to crawl out of his pit of despair.

Out of sympathy, Lin Xian had Shu Qin return their vehicle and the supplies that had been looted. Some of the other convoy groups chipped in and gave them extra provisions—post-apocalyptic solidarity, you could say.

The rest of the people were survivors from other convoys. Judging by their condition, they’d been locked up in that cage truck for two or three days at least. Now freed, they were beyond emotional. Some wore helmets and ankle shackles—these were Ability Users. After a quick chat with the other convoy leaders, Lin Xian helped assign them to small units within the joint convoy, while others joined the Tianba military team. Otherwise, they’d have been left to die in the wild.

Most of them were no pushovers either—convoys like the Oceanic were practically fighting to recruit them.

Lin Xian picked up one of the ankle shackles and found a remote-controlled high-voltage discharge device built in. Clearly used to control low-level Ability Users.

And as if that wasn’t enough, that 40-man convoy from the Crimson Vulture Group had two Arc Pulse Rifles, 20 standard rocket launchers, a stockpile of explosives and ammo—even suicide drones. This wasn’t some back-alley operation. Something smelled off.

At the same time, they got a lot of valuable intel from the freed prisoners.

The biggest reveal was about the so-called Desert Iron Alliance J Bro had mentioned. Rumor had it this alliance of sand raiders only popped up within the last month or so across the Western Gobi and Tashi Sands. In a short time, they’d built a reputation for brutality and chaos. Even though survivor alliances and Phoenix bases like those near Jinhe had launched repeated attacks, this group kept growing stronger.

They operated like mad dogs: attack one, and the whole pack bites back. Most survivors wanted nothing to do with them. The Iron Alliance would kidnap and loot the weak, but if they ran into a big convoy, they’d slip away into the Gobi’s vast, uninhabited zones—only to return with more raiders for a counterattack.

Unless you had a huge convoy, there wasn’t much you could do. Some convoys even started handing over supplies as bribes to avoid confrontation. But even that didn’t guarantee safety. Pay off one group, and another could hit you by nightfall. In this hellscape, bandits don’t play by any rules.

After all, survivors just wanted to escape. These raiders? They were full-blown apocalypse junkies, building secret hideouts in the desert like they were partying through doomsday.

“You… you guys are heading toward Akesai next, right?”

As the joint convoy finished cleaning up and was about to move out, a sunburned young man spoke up.

“Yeah. Why? You know something?” Shi Diyuan responded immediately.

The guy quickly said, “I heard something—don’t know if it’s useful. There’s a big convoy stationed at Akesai. Their leader claims to know a hidden route that bypasses all the raiders and leads straight to Quancheng. He’s selling this ‘secret’ for one Level-1 Eerie Blood Crystal per five people.”

“What?” Everyone gasped.

“One blood crystal for five people?”

“Who’d fall for that? Total scam.”

“He’s ‘claiming’ to know?!” Chen Sixuan sneered. “What kind of bulls*** is that? What, the raiders are deaf and blind? Why would they let anyone pass?”

But Ning Jing picked up on something off. She asked the man, “So you’re saying… you guys got attacked because you didn’t pay that toll?”

He nodded, hurriedly explaining, “At first, we didn’t believe it either. But that convoy told us they had an arrangement with the raiders. That blood crystal was partly meant to be handed over to Lin Xian. So basically, it wasn’t really about the route—it was just a toll.”

“So what you’re really saying…” Akesai narrowed his eyes. “They’re not actually part of the raiders?”

“Exactly. If they were, why not just rob everyone directly? Why all the theatrics?”

“So if it’s fake…”

The young man paled and shook his head. “I’m not sure if it’s true or not. But that small convoy had been stationed near Shi Diyuan for two weeks without being attacked. Because of the Dark Mark, other convoys weren’t allowed to stay there overnight. A lot of groups decided to camp nearby instead—too scared to go deeper into the Gobi, afraid of both the raiders and the ‘White Night.’ Then, when the attacks started, they either paid the toll or ran. Your team was the only one that didn’t pay… and well…”

“Interesting.” Lin Xian raised his brows. “A bandit alliance like this—hit one, they all jump you. Even Phoenix’s Starfleet can’t wipe them out. So they let some middleman do the toll collecting. Avoids full-on retaliation, and they get supplies without firing a shot. Clever setup…”

Everyone looked at Lin Xian. His analysis left them visibly uneasy. Clearly, this bandit alliance was a bigger problem than they’d thought.

“They really think they own the place,” Qian Dele scoffed. “They get to bully people, but no one’s allowed to touch them? And they collect tolls too? Arrogant pricks.”

“Tch! They just haven’t messed with us yet.” KIKI folded her arms, fuming. “If they try anything, I’ll crush every last one of them.”

“Agreed. This method has merit.” Lu Xingchen, usually quiet, finally spoke, his gaze cold.

Ning Jing frowned. “The concern is if they decide to hit the rail line.”

Lin Xian gave her a helpless smile. “That’s the trouble with people—they’re worse than the Eerie Entities. When villains decide to bleed you dry, you don’t even get to choose how.”

“Exactly!” Shi Diyuan shouted. “Looting or tolls, whatever! Let’s see if a bunch of desert thugs can scare us more than the monsters in Xilan! I dare them—let’s go to war!”

“Damn right!”

“Scumbags can’t even fight monsters, so they pick on survivors instead.”

Everyone nodded. They’d just survived a literal bloodbath. Worrying wasn’t useful—it was better to prepare for a fight.

Thanks to his Mechanical Ability, Lin Xian had turned this potential crisis into an opportunity. Like Shi Diyuan said—maybe it was time they became the desert raiders. Take the initiative, solve a threat, and gain resources in the process. The joint army was powerful and resource-hungry, and its members came from all over. No way a pack of bandits could scare them off.

13:00 — The Joint Convoy rolled out of Rob Town, racing to reach Akesai before nightfall.

In Car No. 2, KIKI was copying data from J Bro’s signal device into one of Lin Xian’s modified analyzers. The core team of the Infinite Train had gathered here to strategize. Even Luo Yang and Li Yi had been called in for some early team bonding.

Lin Xian had already deployed a fake signal transmitter somewhere in Rob Town. As for J Bro’s original device, he’d shut it down completely. Those seven captives? Now being “looked after” by 80-plus brutes from the Hell Vanguard Convoy.

Daluo sat far off on the sofa, cradling her rifle. Beside her, Lu Xingchen idly fiddled with his Infinity Ring, as quiet as ever.

“Captain Lin, I don’t think this raider group is just about looting.” Li Yi, pregnant and visiting the Infinite Train for the first time, still looked a little nervous—but she spoke up anyway. “We’ve run into gangs like this before. They’ll rob, kill, burn—anything. But they’re not stupid. If they built that ‘sky cage’ to catch people, they definitely have a purpose.”

“I think the same,” Chen Sixuan nodded. “Those special helmets and chains? No way a regular convoy has gear like that. They were ready to kidnap Ability Users from the start.”

“Human trafficking?” KIKI leaned on her chin, spinning in her chair. “So what’s the end goal?”

“Selling them to the Descent Faction, maybe?” Shu Qin offered seriously. “Like the Foundation or Crimson World. They’ve used Ability Users in biochem experiments before.”

“Good point!” Luo Yang pushed his glasses. “That’s probably why they have so many resources—they’re being funded, which makes them more dangerous.”

“Then why the tolls?” Lü Chang asked.

“That’s just to throw people off,” KIKI said. “You think paying once means they won’t rob you again? Please. They just want to lull people into a false sense of security. Best move? Wipe them out.”

Lin Xian sat at the edge, examining a hexagonal Life Signal Device made of dark gold. His face unreadable.

“Hey, Lin Xian, what do you think?” KIKI leaned back and looked over at him.

Everyone turned to him.

“This thing looks small,” Lin Xian exhaled, “but the internal design is as complex as the Phoenix Order device.”

“So yeah, you’re all right. This raider gang isn’t just a random alliance. Someone powerful is behind them.”

“But there’s still something I don’t get—especially that convoy at Akesai. What’s their angle?”

If a major organization had united these raiders, offering incentives for attacks and abductions across the Gobi, that’d be one thing. But the whole toll scheme felt contradictory.

KIKI’s theory seemed the most likely: just another two-faced scheme to squeeze people dry.

“So, got any useful intel from the device yet?”

Still feeling scattered, Lin Xian turned back to the data package embedded in the Iron Alliance token.

“Not yet,” KIKI pointed at the screen. “This thing’s basically a mobile shortwave transmitter. It uses ambient wave storage tech, but without satellite support, we can only triangulate through signal movement. I’ve locked onto the strongest overlapping signal and started tracking the reflection points. But the signal’s weak—we’ll have to move before it gets clearer.”

She turned and added, “If we went the wrong direction, we’re screwed. But if we can find a few more of these, cross-referencing the data gets easier.”

“We didn’t go the wrong way,” Lin Xian said. “Their hideout’s definitely in the opposite direction of the Polar Night zone. Once we get out of range, we’ll lose it.”

"Lin Xian, our route is definitely going through Akesai. What’s your take?"

Chen Sixuan glanced out the train window, her brows slightly furrowed. On the southern side of the tracks, out on the Gobi, a dozen or so survivor vehicles were tearing across the terrain alongside the Infinite Train. It was the same convoy that had been attacked earlier—they looked like they were trying to tag along for some protection.

"That little convoy’s lucky we ran into them," Chen Sixuan said coldly. "Judging from how arrogant those bandits were, this definitely isn’t their first rodeo."

Lin Xian thought for a moment. "Let’s not enter Akesai yet. We’ll stop early and scout the situation first."

Before getting a clear picture, Lin Xian had already decided to proceed cautiously. Towns were always hotspots—packed with zombies and eerie entities, and now with some unknown faction holed up in Akesai, there was no room for reckless moves.

The Infinite Train thundered along the barren tracks, picking up speed in a bid to reach the outskirts of Akesai before nightfall.

Around 3 PM, the train passed through a salt marsh region and entered an ancient dried-up riverbed. The tracks followed the wind-eroded banks, winding eastward through a landscape carved into mushroom-shaped rock pillars and reddish-brown Yadan formations. Based on their progress, they were less than two hours away from Akesai.

That’s when every convoy picked up a transmission on the civilian survivor frequency—coming straight from Akesai!

“Zzzzt... Akesai broadcast: All convoys seeking safe passage to Quancheng, proceed to the Black Rose Bar in downtown Akesai before nightfall. Convoys and armed personnel are prohibited from entering the city—only leaders and select individuals may enter lightly equipped. If you’ve got no sincerity or you're not afraid to die, feel free to detour. Anyone who tries to force their way in... consequences are on you... zzzzt...”

“F***, they’re actually broadcasting tolls on public radio? That’s insane!”

Onboard the Infinite Train, everyone who heard the transmission looked stunned.

“They’re not even letting convoys in…”

“Lin Xian, what if we just storm the place and blow them all to pieces?” KIKI burst out, fuming. Charging tolls on the Infinite Train? Did their electromagnetic cannons not run hot enough? Was the 1130’s rate of fire too slow?

“Cool it,” Lin Xian said calmly. “We’re big and loud—easy to spot. No doubt the desert bandits have people stationed around Akesai. We were never planning to head in anyway. Camping out in the open might be safer for now.”

What happened at Luobu Town had been a wake-up call. The region was crawling with bandits, and they’d formed powerful alliances with supply chains and military-grade weapons—nothing to take lightly.

Their 15-kilometer-long train was an obvious target. Sure, those sand bandits couldn’t match their firepower, but even flies and mosquitoes could be a real nuisance. Their biggest concerns now were water shortage and eerie entities at night.

So Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan both agreed—no blind charges into town. They had drones, flying ability users, and even a Nightstar-3 hypersonic aircraft. Reconnaissance was way easier than before. And since the spread of Abyss Zone No. 5 was currently slow, they didn’t need to worry about Polar Night catching up just yet.

“So then?” Chen Sixuan asked.

Lin Xian looked around at the others. “Don’t you think the voice in that radio transmission... sounds familiar?”

“Huh?”

“Familiar?”

“Who is it…” Everyone looked puzzled.

KIKI frowned and turned up the volume. Just then, the broadcast repeated:

“Zzzzt… Akesai broadcast: This is the Fortune-Longevity Convoy. All convoys seeking safe passage to Quancheng—”

“Fortune-Longevity?!”

“That gold-toothed scumbag?!” Shasha exclaimed.

“No f***ing way, that shady dealer ended up here?” Miao Lu stared in disbelief.

Everyone on the Infinite Train remembered this guy all too well.

“It’s the convoy from Hengshan Pass!” Even Luo Yang and Li Yi had crossed paths with them there.

“So it’s him…” KIKI gritted her teeth. “What’s that guy doing hooking up with desert bandits?”

Lin Xian’s expression darkened. “We’ll stop soon and check out Akesai with a few other convoys. Maybe it’s time to catch up with our… old friend.”

The moment he heard that laid-back, scheming voice, Lin Xian remembered the guy who once sold him a full truckload of automatic rifles—and who’d actually passed along some good intel. They’d even talked about future collaboration.

Now he’d popped up here, mixed in with bandits, and Akesai was the choke point on their route. Lin Xian made up his mind to investigate. They had plenty of aerial recon options, including KIKI and others. Even without entering the city, they could get a good read on the situation.

Half an hour later, the Infinite Train came to a halt in the middle of a desolate Gobi stretch. No buildings in sight, just ballast stones by the rails. Not even zombies—just endless yellow sand and dry weeds.

A gust of wind kicked up a wave of dust. The piercing brake screech rang out, and the steel beast of a train sat still in the blazing wilderness.

Seeing the train stop, the survivor bus convoy also rolled up and parked beside it. Since everyone knew this group, none of the other teams objected—they just let them tag along.

Meanwhile, two off-road vehicles rolled down from Dragon Mountain No. 1. Not heavily armored, but high clearance and strong engines, desert-camouflaged—perfect for the Gobi.

Along with Ning Jing, Xiao Qing, and A'Bai, Qian Dele from the Joker Convoy joined the team.

KIKI would drive, with Lin Xian riding shotgun. Originally, Shi Diyuan had planned to go too, but he was still healing from injuries. Lin Xian preferred he stay back and manage the camp. So Ning Jing took command of Dragon Mountain No. 1’s team.

A’Bai, with his Laser Eyes and Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum, was a walking threat. It was broad daylight, but better to stay cautious.

“I thought we were flying over,” Qian Dele said, puzzled at the sight of the off-roaders.

“No need for that right now,” Ning Jing replied seriously. “Flying’s fast—our Nightstar could cover this distance in a minute—but it’s loud. In this open, cloudless terrain, we’d spook the entire region.”

“We’re just scouting the outskirts for now. We’ll decide after that,” Lin Xian explained.

Even though everyone could technically fly using KIKI’s telekinesis, it wasn’t convenient for the full trip—over 100 kilometers—and driving gave them more flexibility.

“Got it,” Qian Dele nodded.

He had just finished speaking when someone unexpected joined the group—Monica.

Qian Dele blinked. “Whoa, since when did road scouting require you to personally show up?”

Monica tapped her helmet, lifting the visor. She gave Qian Dele a glance, then looked seriously at Lin Xian. “As convoy leader, I have a responsibility to the team. Besides, staying cooped up too long messes with psychic strength. Getting out helps me train it.”

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. “But we’re just—”

“I can hear a kilometer away,” she said, cutting him off with a sly smile.

“Get in,” Lin Xian chuckled, not bothering to argue.

Qian Dele gave her a look like, Oh, I know what you’re playing at, then whipped out a hydration spray from his coat and misted his face before hopping into Ning Jing’s vehicle instead.

The two off-roaders started rolling into the Gobi, kicking up clouds of dust behind them.

KIKI drove. Lin Xian sat beside her. In the rearview, he glanced back at Monica. The heat was sweltering. He cracked open a water bottle and took a sip before breaking the silence.

“Monica, how come I never heard you had that kind of ability?”

Monica, lounging in the backseat with her legs crossed, smiled. “My ability is Sound Blade—so I’m sensitive to sound frequencies. I just never mention it. Otherwise, my guys might stop whispering my name while, you know… jacking off at night.”

Pfffft!

Lin Xian spit his water all over the windshield. Even KIKI, focused on the road, blushed and clenched her teeth, muttering silently, “Disgusting…”

Monica never said much, but when she did—always a curveball.

Lin Xian wiped his mouth, mourning the wasted water. His expression turned strange. If Monica was serious, did that mean she knew everything said or done on the Infinite Train?

Sensing his unease, Monica said casually, “Relax. Using that ability drains me. Unless it's mission-critical like this, I don’t eavesdrop for fun.”

She wasn’t lying. Using her ability consumed serious energy. It was her tool for keeping tabs on the convoy, not for invading privacy—except when necessary.

Lin Xian coughed lightly. “Your ability is way more powerful than I expected…”

“Thanks,” Monica replied with a smile, though she didn’t answer directly. Whether she had a stake in the Infinite Train or not—only she knew.

In the rearview mirror, Lin Xian saw her gazing out across the vast plain, a faint smile on her lips.

He couldn’t quite read her. Revealing an ability like this usually made people wary—but she just came out with it. Was it a sign of trust, or something else?

One thing was clear—he’d definitely underestimated Monica.