273: Chapter 273 Fear in the Heart? Misinformation Spreads!

Regarding these three event cards,

Lin Xiao quickly made his choice.

Compared to the perilous and reward-unstable [Desert Voyage] and [Deep into the Insect Nest],

[Legacy of Heze] was the best answer.

With the influence of this event card, he could open the treasure map along the way and obtain stable treasure rewards.

Additionally, with the help of the wonder [recording pointer], he might even find a path to the ruins of the Kingdom of Heze.

Regardless, he would get the legacy first.

One needs a full stomach to have the strength to fight, right?

Lin Xiao reached out and lightly tapped the second event card.

The golden card instantly turned into countless golden specks of light, disintegrating silently.

Like sparks scattered by the wind, they quickly dissipated in the room.

At almost the same time, a slight vibration came from the carriage.

The coconut milk in the ceramic cup tilted at a visible angle.

The Astral Express was turning.

The sandstorm outside began to weaken, and the yellow curtain that blotted out the sky gradually dissipated.

Although the wind was still howling, the violent force that whirled the sand had already subsided.

The event card had taken effect!

Lin Xiao finished the last sip of coconut milk in his cup, stood up, and placed the cup on the dining table.

After waiting for the girls to finish breakfast, he said slowly, "Let's go to the roof first. The pool is finished; I have to see it for myself."

As the group left the territory and climbed the spiral staircase, a wave of heat hit them.

It wasn't even nine o'clock, yet the temperature was already several degrees higher than yesterday at noon.

But the air wasn't as dry as yesterday; they could feel moist water vapor.

At this time, the roof was already crowded with people.

Passengers were crowded around the edge of the pool in twos and threes.

Female passengers were taking photos and posting them in the chat channel.

Some craned their necks to look at the tops of the coconut trees, seemingly interested in the unripe green coconuts.

Many newly boarded passengers squatted by the pool, repeatedly reaching out to test the rippling water, their expressions as if they were checking if they were hallucinating from heatstroke.

When Lin Xiao stepped out of the stairwell, the passengers closest to him subconsciously turned their heads and then froze for a moment.

The sound of discussion spread quickly like ripples in water.

Soon, the crowd congested on the shore automatically parted to create a path.

Except for Jing Hua, Jiang Wanwan and the others had already seen the photos or videos in the channel.

Although they were mentally prepared, seeing the real scene, they still couldn't hide their excitement and shock.

"Wow! This pool is so awesome!"

Wen Yiran squeezed out from behind Lin Xiao, bouncing and hopping, waving her arms excitedly as she looked at the scenery before her.

"Is this even apocalypse survival anymore?"

Beside her, Jiang Wanwan couldn't help but facepalm, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Brother Lin... Brother Lin!"

His voice was heard before he was seen.

By the time the voice came racing from the other end of the coconut grove, Fan Sinian was already running.

He wasn't wearing his Level 3 set, nor was he carrying his shield. He was only wearing a pair of floral boxers and flip-flops, pitter-pattering across the trestle bridge.

When he rushed in front of Lin Xiao and saw the four girls with different temperaments behind him, he slammed on the brakes, nearly slipping on the wet poolside.

After finally steadying himself, he straightened his back, cleared his throat, and after catching his breath, added seriously, "Hello... Sisters-in-law!"

The placement of that pause was quite subtle.

"Brother Lin! This pool of yours is incredible!"

Fan Sinian's eyes sparkled as he gestured in a circle with his arms. "I, Fan Sinian, have lived for over twenty years. What scenic spots, B&Bs, or five-star hotels haven't I visited?

But soaking in a pool of clear water like this in the apocalypse, I really didn't expect that!

Brother Lin, you don't know. Just now, when I lay in the water with the sun shining and the breeze blowing, I almost thought I was on vacation in Sanya!

Ah, everyone finally has a proper place to relax. Brother Lin, I'm impressed!"

Fan Sinian's voice was famously loud, and his words drew many people's attention.

When everyone noticed Lin Xiao, their gazes held a bit more heartfelt awe.

"Old Fan, I didn't build such a beautiful pool."

Lin Xiao He interrupted him with a laugh.，“Master Lu from the engineering team led a dozen or so people, working all day on everything from design to construction, from laying tempered glass to installing the water purification system."

"Without your plan, Brother Lin, Master Lu wouldn't have thought of building a pool on the roof!"

Fan Sinian replied with a smile, then seemed to remember something and slapped his forehead. "Oh, right, Master Lu is currently building something in Car 08."

Lin Xiao looked toward Car 08, nodded, and then instructed, "Old Fan, next time you go to a Rift Space, take the engineering team members along so they can get some rewards too.

The brothers in the engineering team all have backgrounds in civil engineering. Their combat power isn't high, but they work steadily. The expansion and repair of the Astral Express's facilities will all depend on them in the future."

"Understood!" Fan Sinian put away his playful grin and nodded heavily.

Standing by the shore, Wen Yiran looked at the few scattered passengers playing in the water and tilted her head, asking curiously, "Brother Lin, why aren't many people getting in the water?"

Hearing this, Lin Xiao scanned the water's surface.

The people in the pool were mostly familiar faces.

Chen Yan from Compartment 06-01 and her female team members were wearing sexy bikinis, leaning against the edge and splashing water with their hands, their laughter faintly drifting through the gaps in the coconut grove.

Xiao He was with the agricultural team, squatting under the coconut trees and sprinkling a type of white sand onto the surface of the Cultivation Soil, likely some new planting soil Ma-ge had dug up.

Fang Yuan and Sergei, wearing Bio-Armor, were racing in the water, competing against each other for some unknown reason.

Aside from them, most passengers were gathered around the pool, whispering and watching.

Lin Xiao was also quite puzzled by this.

Fan Sinian leaned in closer and lowered his voice, "Brother Lin, don't get angry if I say this."

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."

Fan Sinian swallowed. "Actually, there's no big reason. It's mainly that... everyone is afraid of you..."

Lin Xiao was stunned. "Afraid of me?"

Fan Sinian nodded, sighed, and continued.

Needless to say for the old passengers; they had seen Lin Xiao's killing sprees with their own eyes, so they naturally held him in awe.

As for the new passengers, Lin Xiao had set up a checkpoint when they boarded.

Anyone who didn't pass the screening couldn't board the Astral Express.

Those who were defiant and tried to force their way in were killed on the spot.

Consequently, he left an impression of being cold-blooded and heartless.

"On the surface, everyone calls you Brother Lin or Train Conductor, but secretly, they all call you the God of Slaughter!"

Fan Sinian added another sentence.

After hearing this, a helpless smile appeared on the corner of Lin Xiao's mouth. "Am I really that terrifying?"

"You are, Brother Lin, you are!" Fan Sinian nodded vigorously. "It's fine when you're not smiling, Brother Lin, but when you do, it's truly terrifying..."

As he finished, the giggles of Jiang Wanwan and the others came from behind.

Lin Xiao glared at Fan Sinian, then crossed his arms and said seriously, "I clearly always have the masses in my heart, okay?

I was even boosting morale over at Car 09 yesterday. Could a cold-blooded person do that?"

Fan Sinian was stunned and blinked. "Boosting morale?"

"Yeah," Lin Xiao said righteously.

"Well..." Fan Sinian scratched his head, pondering his wording for a few seconds. "I heard from the new passengers that Train Conductor Lin gave a speech at the market yesterday afternoon. The content was roughly..."

The third stage will be very brutal, so everyone should hurry and prepare for war. If we can't defeat those bandits from the Silver-White Train, there's only a path to death.

At that time, they'll be thrown directly into the desert, either to be scorched to death by the sun or buried on the spot by sandstorms..."

"Wait," Lin Xiao quickly raised his hand. "These words... why do they sound a bit off? Who told you this?"

"Everyone is spreading it," Fan Sinian spread his hands innocently. "Mainly, I was in a Rift at the time and wasn't there."

Lin Xiao facepalmed.

What is a false rumor?

This is a fucking false rumor!

His original words at Car 09 yesterday were that the third stage wouldn't be easy, with the threat of the Silver-White Train ahead and the scorching sun and sandstorms, even more terrifying than Calamity Creatures, behind.

Rift Spaces are the best opportunity to bolster armaments, so passengers should hurry and improve their combat power.

It was clearly a standard crisis motivation method.

But look what those people turned it into!

The positive image he had worked so hard to build was completely ruined.