31: Chapter 31, Day 6 Check-in: Dungeon Key

After sending off the worried Shen Man, Lin Xiao returned to his luxurious suite, which befitted a Conductor.

Magnificent canyon scenery lay beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows; the room was kept at a comfortable, constant temperature, and the air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood.

He poured himself a glass of whiskey, sat on the soft leather sofa, and sank his consciousness into the system.

"Between the explosions and the robberies last night, my luck should be off the charts, right?"

Lin Xiao rubbed his hands together, filled with anticipation.

"System, Day 6 Check-in!"

【Ding! Detecting that the host is performing the Day 6 check-in...】

【Detecting that the host's current 'Notoriety' is high and fortune is flourishing; check-in rewards receive a massive bonus!】

【Congratulations to the host! Triggered an SSS-rank critical hit reward!!!】

The series of system prompts nearly made Lin Xiao drop the glass in his hand!

An SSS-rank critical hit reward?!

This was a first!

【Check-in successful!】

【Congratulations to the host! Obtained SSS-rank unique item: A-03 Ruins Access Key (Bound) × 1!】

【Congratulations to the host! Obtained bonus item: High-Precision Mark-II Underground Exploration Radar (Portable) × 1!】

【Congratulations to the host! Obtained bonus item: High-Precision Pre-war Central Mountain Range Topographic Map × 1!】

"Holy crap!"

Lin Xiao jumped up from the sofa, his face filled with ecstatic joy!

Ruins!

A pre-war underground research base!

This was a true treasure trove!

In the apocalypse, what was most precious? Not gold, not food, but those lost "black technologies"!

Weapons, energy, genetic technology, artificial intelligence... Any one of these would be enough to bring about a world-shaking change in his strength!

He spread out his palm.

A hexagonal key, snowflake-like and made of unknown crystal, hovered silently in his palm. Inside, faint blue data streams flickered, full of a sci-fi aesthetic.

Beside it were a briefcase-sized silver-white instrument and a map made of special material.

Lin Xiao immediately unfolded the map.

It was an extremely detailed military-grade contour map with a location marked by a red dot.

He compared it with the current GPS coordinates of Black Iron.

"It's right underneath the Central Mountain Range ahead! Less than fifty kilometers away from us!"

Lin Xiao's heart pounded; this was exactly what he needed!

"Come in!"

Without the slightest hesitation, he pressed the communicator.

"Luo Yao, Su Qingqian, Zhao Xiaotang, Shen Man, Liu Ruyan! Meeting in the Carriage 1 conference room in five minutes!"

Five minutes later, in the core conference room.

When Lin Xiao placed the glowing key and the map on the table, all five women present showed expressions of surprise.

"Squad Leader, this is..."

Luo Yao leaned in curiously, her large, grape-like eyes sparkling with a longing for unknown technology.

"An opportunity. An opportunity that will allow us to truly soar."

Lin Xiao explained the situation concisely.

"A-03 pre-war underground research base. It might contain everything we need right now."

"A pre-war ruin?"

A ripple flashed through Su Qingqian's cold, clear eyes.

She knew better than anyone that to survive in this apocalypse and live even better, one must constantly become stronger. Exploring these unknown ruins was undoubtedly the most efficient path.

"Luo Yao, this is for you."

Lin Xiao pushed the portable exploration radar toward Luo Yao.

"Try and see if you can find the specific entrance to this base."

"Got it!"

Luo Yao excitedly took the briefcase, opened it skillfully, and connected it to her laptop.

"Wow! It's a Mark-II! Military-grade! It's at least three generations more advanced than the one I was using before!"

Stars appeared in the little loli's eyes, and her fingers turned into a blur on the keyboard.

Soon, a 3D holographic topographic map was projected in the center of the conference table.

"Found it!"

Luo Yao pointed to a flashing red dot on the hologram.

"The entrance is deep inside a very hidden cave, covered by a five-meter-thick layer of lead-infused rock. Conventional radar couldn't scan it at all!"

"But..."

Luo Yao's brows suddenly furrowed, and her little face became serious.

"The energy reaction of this base is very strange... It's still in an 'active' state!"

"I've detected regular energy fluctuations inside, likely the security system still running. And... there are some very weak but extremely unstable biological signals... I suspect there might be security robots that have survived since before the war, or even... mutated experimental creatures!"

Hearing this, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly became heavy.

Unknown ruins represented both opportunities and deadly dangers.

Security robots were one thing; after all, they were machines, and there were always ways to deal with them. But those mutated experimental creatures that had been locked away for decades, or even centuries... God knows what kind of monsters they had evolved into.

"Are you afraid?"

Lin Xiao's gaze swept slowly over everyone present.

"Not afraid!"

Zhao Xiaotang was the first to stand up, patting her chest. Her fit physique tensed up, full of explosive power.

"Whatever robots or monsters they are, I'll take them out with one punch each!"

"I have no problem," Su Qingqian said calmly, her hand already resting on her sword hilt.

"I... I'll listen to the Squad Leader." Although Shen Man was a bit nervous, her eyes were firm.

Liu Ruyan was more direct. She looked at Lin Xiao with alluring yet determined eyes: "Wherever you go, I go."

"Very good."

Lin Xiao nodded with satisfaction.

This was the core team he had personally cultivated.

He stood up, walked to the holographic map, and began to deploy his troops.

"This operation involves unknown dangers, so it must be carried out by an elite squad."

"First, someone must stay behind to guard Black Iron. This is our base camp; absolutely nothing can go wrong."

He looked at Zhao Xiaotang.

"Xiao Tang, you stay behind this time."

"Huh?" Zhao Xiaotang's face immediately fell, like a husky that hadn't gotten a bone. "Squad Leader, I want to go too..."

"Let me finish." Lin Xiao's tone was unquestionable. "You have the strongest defense on the entire train. Your [Copper Skin and Iron Bones] makes you the best candidate to guard this vehicle. I order you to lead the 'Royal Guard' and the remaining combat team members to protect our home. Before I return, no one is allowed to leave the train, and the whole train must maintain Level 1 alert status. Can you do it?"

Although Zhao Xiaotang was unwilling, hearing Lin Xiao entrust her with the heavy responsibility of "guarding the home" so solemnly, the disappointment in her heart was immediately replaced by a heavy sense of responsibility.

"Yes! Guarantee to complete the mission! Whoever dares to touch our train, I'll twist them into a pretzel!" She pounded her chest hard, making a dull "thud" sound.

"Very good."

Lin Xiao looked at the others.

"Su Qingqian and I will form the assault team, responsible for clearing the path and combat."

"Luo Yao, you are responsible for technical support, hacking electronic access controls, and analyzing data. You are the eyes of this operation."

"Shen Man, you will accompany us as the medic, ready to treat the wounded at any time."

"Liu Ruyan..."

Lin Xiao pondered for a moment.

Liu Ruyan's heart instantly jumped to her throat, fearing she would be left behind.

"You are agile and have quick reflexes; you are responsible for scouting and guarding the flanks."

"Yes! Thank you, Conductor!" Liu Ruyan was overjoyed. Being able to participate in such a core operation meant she was stepping into the true core circle of this team step by step.

"Alright, personnel confirmed."

Lin Xiao made the final decision.

"An hour later, the train will stop in a hidden valley five kilometers from the target. Then, we set off."

"The code name for this operation is—"

"—'Rooting Out the Nest'!"

An hour later.

Black Iron drove like a ghost into a hidden valley that wasn't even marked on the map.

Inside the Conductor's suite, Lin Xiao, who was preparing to leave, was doing a final check.

Assault rifle, Desert Eagle, spare magazines, high-explosive grenades, and the micro-shotgun hidden in his walking stick.

"Put this on."

Su Qingqian walked in, holding a black tight-fitting inner armor made of some special fiber.

"This was made with materials traded from Black Stone City. Although it's not as good as titanium alloy, it can at least block pistol bullets and sharp piercing weapons."

She didn't wait for an answer and helped Lin Xiao put it on.

Her cold fingertips occasionally brushed against Lin Xiao's warm chest, bringing an unusual sensation.

"You should wear one too."

Lin Xiao looked at her thin qipao and frowned.

"I am wearing one."

Su Qingqian lifted the hem of her qipao, revealing the black safety shorts and tight vest made of the same material underneath. The faint abdominal muscles and long, straight legs made Lin Xiao's mouth go dry.

"Ahem... Very good, safety first."

Lin Xiao awkwardly shifted his gaze.

"Let's go, our treasure hunt should begin."

The train's side door opened slowly.

Lin Xiao, leading his elite squad of four beautiful women, stepped into the wind in the canyon and embarked on the journey to the unknown ruins.

Behind them, the dark muzzles and machine gun turrets of Black Iron, like loyal guardians, watched their receding figures in silence.

The Central Mountain Range was a mysterious area that had been marked as a "military restricted zone" on old-world maps.

After the apocalypse broke out, it had become a dead, uninhabited area.

Jagged rocks, tangled dead vines, and occasionally, unknown mutated birds circled in the gray sky, emitting ear-piercing shrieks.

Black Iron had docked in a hidden rift five kilometers away, with the "Valkyries" Zhao Xiaotang guarding it with the main force.

At this moment, a fully armed five-person elite squad was moving through the rocky beach like ghosts.

"Squad Leader, the magnetic interference here is very strong. My portable radar keeps jumping."

Luo Yao was walking in the middle of the team, holding the silver-white Mark-II exploration radar. Her little brows were tightly furrowed, and her twin tails swayed with her steps, looking both serious and cute.

She was wearing a specially made loli-style tactical vest today, paired with a pleated skirt and black over-the-knee socks. Although she looked like she was cosplaying for a convention, this was a high-strength bulletproof fiber product from the system—both beautiful and practical.

"Normal. The stronger the interference, the more valuable the things underground are."

Lin Xiao led the way at the front.

He held a modified Remington shotgun in one hand and the [Ruins Access Key], which was emitting a faint blue light, in the other.

He looked back at the "Beauty Adventure Team" behind him, in a great mood.

Su Qingqian was responsible for the rear, still in her dark, tight-fitting combat suit that outlined her perfect S-shaped curves—long legs, wasp waist, cold and stunning.

Liu Ruyan was responsible for flank security. As a newcomer, she performed extra diligently. Her peach-blossom eyes scanned the surroundings vigilantly, and she held her silenced pistol steadily.

Shen Man, who was being protected in the middle, looked a bit nervous.

Although this mature, voluptuous woman had awakened a healing ability, her courage was still not very big. She was currently clutching the corner of Lin Xiao's clothes tightly, her full chest heaving with rapid breathing, emitting a pleasant, mature fragrance.

"Don't be afraid, Sister Shen Man."

Lin Xiao felt the tug on his clothes, turned back to give her a reassuring smile, and casually (very naturally) put an arm around her rounded shoulders.

"With me here, even if the King of Hell comes, he'll have to hand over a cigarette before he can talk."

Shen Man blushed, feeling the warmth and strength of the man's large hand, and the fear in her heart dissipated significantly.

"Mm... I'm not afraid, as long as I follow you."

She said in a low voice, her eyes full of dependence.

"We're here!"

Just then, Luo Yao suddenly stopped, pointing to a cliff face completely covered by dead vines in front of them.

"The signal source is right here! Depth 0 meters! This is it!"

Lin Xiao let go of Shen Man and strode forward.

He drew the machete from his waist, slashed a few times, and cleared away the snake-like vines.

"Clatter—"

As the dead branches and leaves fell, a giant alloy door covered in dust and moss appeared before everyone's eyes.

The door was about five meters high and cast entirely from an unknown black metal. There were no handles, only a hexagonal groove faintly emitting a weak red light.

"This is... the pre-war ruin?"

Liu Ruyan's eyes widened, shocked by the oppressive feeling of this industrial giant.

Compared to the patchwork junk of Black Stone City, this door exuded a sense of refinement and coldness unique to that peak era of technology.

"The moment to witness a miracle has arrived."

Lin Xiao took a deep breath and slowly inserted the crystal key in his hand into the groove.

"Click."

A perfect fit.

One second of silence.

Then.

"Hum—!!!"

A low mechanical humming sound came from deep underground, as if a giant beast that had been sleeping for a hundred years had been awakened.

The red light on the door instantly turned into an eerie blue light and began to flicker rhythmically.

"Hiss—"

Accompanied by the sound of air pressure leaking, the alloy door, which had been silent for who knows how many years, slowly slid open to both sides.

A cold, stale wind mixed with the smell of machine oil and some kind of chemical agent rushed out from the darkness behind the door.