"The metal plates are already insufficient," Yu Jing suddenly said.
Su Huan raised an eyebrow; it was indeed a problem. Although metal was everywhere in the city, Xiaoba needed to melt it again with his abilities, which was much less efficient than directly using standard steel plates.
Dissolving and modifying it so slowly might mean they wouldn't complete the first phase of the plan by the time they broke out of the high-temperature zone.
But where to get so many steel plates?
Returning to the steel plant was out of the question. Even if all the Tier One Zombies there had left, he wouldn't turn back.
Su Huan pondered for a moment and said, "Let's melt the idle compartments outside for today, and once we enter Mojiang City, we'll look for any steel plants."
"No problem."
Qi Xiaobai agreed.
"How many Pan-energy Crystals did you extract today?"
Su Huan asked.
Wan Xing put down his cup, took out a Pan-energy Crystal the size of a thumbnail from his pocket. Besides the size, the edges of the crystal had delicate patterns, with lines regular and beautiful, possessing a kind of sinister vitality ready to grow at any moment.
"The one from the Night Demon?"
"Yes, this Pan-energy Crystal is very special. Extracting it was much more laborious than from a typical zombie, and it was harder to compress together."
Su Huan accepted the Pan-energy Crystal with a hint of joy on his face, explaining, "This is a Tier One Pan-energy Crystal, characterized by this circle of special patterns. It will probably shatter in about five days."
Wan Xing was somewhat surprised, "I also have that feeling, why is that?"
"You can understand it as Tier One Pan-energy Crystals have a higher energy density. If it's not solidified by the collector, it will shatter easily."
"Solidification, is it a skill?"
"After long-term extraction of 'Energy Solidification,' you'll probably acquire this ability."
Su Huan said.
The status of the collector's "Energy Solidification" is similar to that of the Power Supplier's "Energy Compression"; both are easily developed abilities, hence no company or organization produces corresponding medicines.
However, "High Energy Compression" is different. Although there is only a slight difference in the name, the difficulty in obtaining it is worlds apart.
An Evolver must be in contact with high-pressure energy for a long period.
Other than the lunatics from the Mechanical God Cult, no one would put themselves in such a dangerous environment.
However, once this skill was figured out, it was quickly cracked by various powers, resulting in the creation of corresponding gene medicines.
Its cost is considered relatively low among higher-level skills.
It has also become an essential skill for Power Suppliers.
"Besides, I also decomposed some other things from that Night Demon corpse," Wan Xing said, taking out a small glass vial with a layer of amber liquid shallowly covering its bottom.
Everyone's eyes fell on the glass bottle and then turned back to Su Huan.
Waiting for his explanation.
Su Huan was a bit surprised, not expecting Wan Xing to actually have collected materials. Maybe he could be trained in the direction of being a "Decomposer."
Taking it and shaking it lightly, he explained, "A kind of Tier One material that can be used to synthesize the Defender's gene medicine."
Yu Jing stared at the medicine as if enchanted, with the amber light and shadow flowing in her eyes, inadvertently asking, "Could you give me this material?"
Su Huan looked at her with some suspicion, "What do you want to do with this?"
"I want to study it."
Yu Jing raised her chin slightly, the almond-shaped eyes showing that kind of fanatic exploratory look again.
"Without being proportioned by the Maker, this is infectious, and it acts much faster than being bitten by a zombie."
"I know what I'm doing!"
Yu Jing said decisively and bluntly.
Aunt Yu felt a jolt in her heart, carefully gauging Su Huan's expression, and was relieved to see he wasn't angry.
"Forget it, I'll give it to you, but don't misuse it."
Su Huan thought for a moment and did not stop her.
After all, Yu Jing was an important talent on the armored train and deserved some leniency.
Su Huan asked, "Is there anything else?"
"That's all for now. The Night Demon corpse outside might only be extractable tonight," Wan Xing said.
"You can first extract from three ordinary zombies, then directly give the extracted Pan-energy Crystals to the three of them."
Seeing everyone looking at him in surprise, Su Huan calmly said, "More crises are awaiting us later, maybe without such ample time."
"Try to become Evolvers as soon as possible; the doomsday train won't wait for anyone."
...
Suddenly, the entire side of Car 2 tourist coach cracked open, and two hydraulic rods dragged it down slowly.
Revealing the entire interior of the carriage.
On the left was a forklift equipped with a crane arm, painted red, next to a vehicle lying low on the ground.
Liang Kuan, who just finished his meal, put on gloves and climbed into the forklift's cab.
Taking advantage of the time before dark, he needed to operate the forklift to help workers lift steel plates.
Using the ramp built from the side of the carriage to the ground, he easily drove outside.
The workers inside the carriage saw the forklift coming out and also disembarked to start their work.
Time flew, quickly reaching evening.
Passengers trickled back with little supplies, expecting to be troubled by Su Huan.
Unexpectedly, Su Huan only collected half of the usual supplies before allowing them back on board today.
It wasn't out of kindness; being located in the suburbs, the resources they could find were inherently limited.
If all those passengers were blocked outside, there would be hardly anyone on his train.
Not conducive to the subsequent plans.
The passengers also brought back bad news, saying that a group had already occupied the water plant ahead.
Calling themselves Starry Property.
Su Huan sat in his compartment, crossed his legs, and pondered over the map on the wall, with the orange-red sunset softly drawing away from his eyes in threads of glass reflection.
Leaving behind just a touch of eerie gleam.
In his past life, he hadn't heard of such a group, to be precise, he hadn't heard of any forces in the high-temperature zone.
Only a few armed convoy groups that gradually merged during their escape routes.
The rest stayed here and became cooked humans with the high-temperature eruption.
Now the other party had taken the water plant, and there were only small integrated water purifiers in the water plant, which were the key for the armored train to form a self-cycle, and also the goal of his stay here.
While there were many water plants in the subsequent locations, only this one was closest to the railway.
The rest were at least ten kilometers away!
And integrated water purifiers aren't small appliances you can just carry away but rather modular industrial equipment, and even if he drove the passengers to death, no one could bring it back.
He himself certainly couldn't abandon the train to run tens of kilometers away to dismantle a purifier.
The only way is this water plant.
If missed, days out of the high-temperature zone will be difficult.
Recollecting terrifying scenes from deep within his memories brought a thread of irritation and anxiety in Su Huan's heart.
During his previous life, upon escaping the high-temperature zone, looking at the fine rain falling from the sky, everyone was very excited; some even stripped off their clothes and ran around screaming in the rain.
Feeling the gift of nature, feeling the refreshing rain, rejoicing in the escaped fate and freedom.
But little did they know, it wasn't nature's gift, but nature's... new round of slaughter!