Swoosh!

Within the gloomy sea fog, the Infinite quickly completed preparations without lingering. After clearing the blocked tracks, it immediately departed from this desolate deepwater port. Everyone remained vigilant, not wanting to disturb the terrifying creatures lurking beneath the waters.

The Heterogeneous Cube aboard the Infinite shielded them from the port's chilling aura. With roaring engines, the train swiftly entered the oceanic tracks, speeding through an area thick with sea fog.

Numerous signs of battle appeared along the tracks. From the dark shadows emerged a completely scorched apocalyptic military train blocking the main route. Spotting this, Lin Xian immediately shouted, "Takahashi Ryunosuke, clear the path!"

"Got it!"

Already prepared atop the locomotive, Takahashi Ryunosuke placed his sword fingers against his forehead before thrusting them forward. With a grunt, he pointed into the distance, unleashing a powerful force that sent several obstructing train cars tumbling into the sea. The massive dragging inertia began pulling the forward cars down into the depths.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Intense metallic explosions echoed before giving way to the tremendous splash of train cars hitting the ocean surface.

In the Infinite's cockpit, Lin Xian immediately pushed the train to full acceleration. Its armored plating and ice-breaking shields scattered debris in showers of sparks as it charged forward.

However, the tremendous noise seemed to have stirred something in the ocean. Waves surged violently as terrifying tearing sounds came from the entire deepwater port behind them, as if pushed by some enormous wave.

"Something's climbed onto Taku Deepwater Port," Chen Sixuan observed.

"Don't worry about it!"

Lin Xian paid no attention to what lay behind, focusing solely on accelerating the Infinite. The entire crew remained alert, scanning the surrounding sea fog. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI-Fire.ɴet

"Movement in the water," Monica reported from the cockpit of the rearmost Whale-03E Heavy Gas Turbine Locomotive, using her supernatural ability to detect disturbances in the fog through the communicator. "But nothing's following us."

Despite Monica's reassurance, Lin Xian remained tense, concentrating on piloting the Infinite at full speed.

After breaking through the extensive ruins of the deepwater port, the tracks ahead gradually became clear. The Infinite raced forward for over ten minutes before the turbulent waves began calming and the sea fog thinned. Soon, sunlight broke through as Lin Xian saw clear skies and the blue ocean surface again.

"We've made it out of that fog zone."

"That was close..."

"That sea fog seemed extremely unnatural. I think those underwater creatures might have created it."

"Maintain safe speed. Viola, deploy drones for patrol, keep scanning two kilometers ahead," Lin Xian ordered, reducing speed slightly and transferring control to Viola. Dozens of high-speed patrol drones flew in chain formation ahead of the Infinite, inspecting the tracks before relaying information back to Viola through data links.

This gave the Infinite extended visibility while maintaining high speed, allowing quick responses to any track issues.

Lin Xian then headed to Carriage 2, where KIKI remained intensely focused, using her formidable ability to control the metal dice. Ding Junyi, summoned earlier by Lin Xian, had been observing for some time.

"How's it going?" Blue Star asked.

"What do you mean how?" KIKI's eyes glowed faintly as she concentrated. "Though you can lift it, this thing's no joke. The control surface is enormous—I have to stay completely focused, or if it drops..."

"It would punch straight through the train," Chen Sixuan interjected.

Shasha moved closer, eyeing the floating metal dice curiously. "This thing really weighs a thousand tons? What does that even mean?"

"Our entire train doesn't weigh a thousand tons," Blue Star added gravely, studying the strange object. "This is like compressing the entire Infinite into one cubic centimeter."

"Most crucially, an object of this mass shouldn't exist on Earth," Chen Sixuan said, hands in pockets, looking calmly at Lin Xian. "Earth's environment can't sustain such extreme matter. This density would require neutron degeneracy pressure or black hole-level gravity to remain stable. Without constraints, this metal should undergo violent changes with destructive force comparable to nuclear weapons."

"That powerful?"

Lin Xian frowned, examining the metal dice. Its smooth, silver-metallic surface seemed dusted with floating iron particles but was otherwise pristine, hovering effortlessly under KIKI's telekinetic control.

"This thing shows no spiritual energy fluctuations or characteristics of forbidden objects. How can it have such properties?"

Ding Junyi shook her head. "Previously observed forbidden objects were all originally Earth items transformed by dark energy. This clearly isn't—Earth couldn't produce matter like this."

She stepped forward, studying the dice. "Yet it's clearly man-made, not natural."

"That's what's strange," KIKI added. "It's a die—a human-designed pattern—but beyond our manufacturing capabilities. Utterly bizarre."

Ding Junyi adjusted her glasses. "Based on my limited knowledge, creating such an item would require technology capable of absolute control at the microscopic level—manipulating the strong nuclear force, the most fundamental of the four universal forces. Ordinary matter relies on electromagnetic forces, but this maintains its form without extreme gravity, suggesting its atomic nuclei are locked by strong nuclear force, with protons and neutrons packed tightly without gaps to achieve such compression."

"That advanced... could it be a creation of the dark civilization?" KIKI asked, astonished.

Ding Junyi shook her head. "I'm not sure. But we've observed the dark civilization performing 'dimensional modifications' within the Star Abyss, causing regional gravitational expansion effects. With such technology, this would make sense."

Her words left Lin Xian and KIKI speechless.

"Dr. Ding, are you saying those dark monsters can create technology far surpassing ours?" Shasha blurted.

Ding Junyi shrugged. "There's no other explanation currently."

"This is terrifying," KIKI frowned. "We always thought the Star Abyss only contained those horrific creatures—an alien invasion. If they possess such advanced technology, how can humanity possibly win?"

"Right," Shasha widened her eyes. "If the dark civilization is so advanced, why do they send mindless beasts and abnormal entities to slaughter humans? Do they have 'intelligence'?"

"That's unquestionable," Lin Xian said soberly. "From our encounters, S-level and above exhibit clear intelligence and behavioral logic—true dark creatures. Though they appear monstrous, they can withstand nuclear weapons and possess kinetic weapon defenses like red mist and force fields—abilities beyond ordinary biology. Moreover, the dark energy's influence granted humans powerful abilities. In some ways, the dark civilization must control formidable energy."

Ding Junyi nodded. "Exactly. We habitually interpret the dark civilization through human logic, which is incorrect." She looked at Lin Xian. "Remember when I said S-level and above are likely true dark creatures?"

"Yes," Lin Xian acknowledged.

"That wasn't entirely accurate. S-level entities possess human-like cognitive abilities, distinct from other abnormal entities spawned by nests. If we compare abnormal entities to drones powered by blood crystals, then S-level would represent the dark civilization's actual lifeforms—but that doesn't mean they're its intelligent beings."

Ding Junyi took a deep breath. "I speculate S-level entities might also be dark civilization creations—clones or hunting dogs of sorts—capable of commanding abnormal entities within ranges, with dark energy-absorbing cellular structures."

Lin Xian agreed. "A civilization capable of interstellar travel and dimensional modification wouldn't simply be monstrous invaders. These creatures and abnormal entities are tools for exterminating humanity. Professor Ye shared this view, but we still don't understand the dark civilization's motives. Logically, with such technology, humanity couldn't resist for a hundred days..."

"True," Ding Junyi gazed at the dice. "Take this—if it's a weapon, all human defenses would be meaningless. Against this, any fortification would be like air."

"If this dice fell at meteor speed, the kinetic energy would exceed hundreds of millions of gigajoules—equivalent to megatons of TNT. We couldn't withstand that."

Lin Xian recalled the words "Do Not Resist" on Southern Celestial Gate's photovoltaic arrays, his heart heavy. Studying the dice gravely, he asked, "The real question is... why a die?"

Whoosh...

Under clear skies, the Infinite raced across oceanic tracks. Having reached no conclusions in the carriage, Lin Xian transferred the metal dice into the Black Star Forge space for detailed study.

Inside the Black Star Forge, Lin Xian gazed at the floating dice and muttered, "Thank goodness for this space—where else would we put a thousand-ton object?"

KIKI's telekinesis required significant focus to lift the die. Without the Black Star Forge, Lin Xian wouldn't know how to support it—ordinary materials would collapse under its weight. Now he understood the platform's cracks weren't from impact but the die's sheer mass gradually tearing through the ground. Had it fallen from the sky, as Ding Junyi said, Taku Deepwater Port would have been obliterated.

"What civilization could create this? And why?"

He attempted scanning it with his mechanical supernatural power but immediately stiffened—his Mechanical Heart showed no response whatsoever.

No decomposition prompt, no energy drain—just complete non-recognition.

"What's going on...?"

Unwilling to accept this, Lin Xian tried activating the Black Star Forge's mechanical decomposition program—still ineffective. He then encased the die in a metal box connected to a mechanical device and attempted decomposition again.

The device was successfully broken down into materials, but the die remained untouched.

Defeated, Lin Xian studied the die's six faces thoughtfully. "Why would such an advanced civilization create a die? What's the purpose?"

Pondering, he reached out in the zero-gravity space to touch the die's surface. His fingertips met extreme cold and smoothness, causing the die to rotate slightly until one number faced him:

[3]

After staring at it awhile, Lin Xian gave up.

Exiting the Black Star Forge, Lin Xian opened his eyes slowly. In the cockpit, Chen Sixuan asked, "You haven't told Chu Yan about this, have you?"

"Not yet," Lin Xian replied calmly.

Chen Sixuan exhaled deeply. "Worried it might demoralize the Phoenix Society and survivors?"

"Partly. But telling them now serves no purpose—we can't study it or draw conclusions." Lin Xian looked ahead. "It would only reinforce Chairwoman Chu's prediction of humanity's inevitable defeat."

Chen Sixuan's expression grew complicated. "When we gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back. The more we discover, the more hopeless it seems."

Lin Xian watched the calm ocean as the train sped forward, falling silent.

After a while, he suddenly asked Chen Sixuan, "Teacher Chen, do you think there might be another civilization besides the dark civilization and humanity?"

Surprised, Chen Sixuan asked, "What makes you say that?"

Lin Xian spoke evenly. "The Star Abyss's power exceeds our imagination—time dilation, dimensional modification, mutating all humanity and awakening supernatural abilities. I suspect the Star Abyss contains more than just abnormal entities. Why thirteen Star Abysses? They fear no nukes—eliminating humanity should be simple."

"I agree with Professor Ye's deduction—humanity's counterattack in Dawn City, the information disparity between civilizations, and this chain of suspicion created delicate balance. But Professor Ye and I discussed how this balance contradicts the initial Cataclysm's outbreak."

"I understand," Chen Sixuan said. "Logically, if an advanced civilization invaded Earth, hunters would observe and study their prey. Instead, post-disaster, while humanity struggles in darkness, we've discovered the dark civilization might also face confusion and information gaps regarding us. That's why you and Professor Ye focus on their motives for coming here."

Lin Xian nodded. "So I wonder—could another civilization or existence impose constraints on both humanity and the dark civilization? Admittedly, this is optimistic speculation. Otherwise, I can't explain how we've achieved strategic deterrence against a dimension-modifying civilization with mere cannons and lasers."

Chen Sixuan fell silent, contemplating Lin Xian's words.

Wind howled as a dark landmass appeared on the horizon. As the train advanced, it revealed itself not as mainland but a massive island.

Haiyan Island was the largest in the western Pacific besides the Republican Archipelago and Black Island, comprising hundreds of smaller islands with a main island spanning nearly 20,000 square kilometers. Haiyan City was once a renowned tourist destination with millions of residents and breathtaking white sand beaches.

But before Lin Xian could see the island fully, floating debris in the sea caught his attention. Approaching the window, he saw planks, suitcases, oil drums, clothing, and plastic waste stretching hundreds of kilometers along the coast—a grim prelude to the island's apocalyptic aura.

The orbital tracks widened, their guide rail barriers' faded warning lines fluttering in the salty wind. Yellow-and-black caution tape bore crudely painted "No Entry" and "Infected Zone" in red. Several corpses in hazmat suits lay slumped by barricades, visors shattered to reveal desiccated skulls.

Screech.

The Infinite slowed to a stop. Ahead, dozens of trains of various types completely blocked the island's entrance. Deathly silence reigned, with dried blood staining many apocalyptic trains' armor.

Lin Xian opened the door. Sea winds carried posters reading "Black Disaster—Nationwide Quarantine" over the train graveyard. Beyond toppled barriers lay mountains of corpses—all dried and decomposed, facing the same direction...

Fleeing the island.