Chapter 8: Major Shopping Trip at the Furniture Store

According to Lin Xian’s plan, achieving a sustainable survival loop for the train hinged first and foremost on the issue of energy. His special ability solved most of the energy problem, but its major drawback was that it consumed his physical strength and required constant focus. This made it difficult for him to multitask with other complex tasks. Next on the list were defense and food for survival. However, Lin Xian knew these goals couldn’t be achieved overnight. The 1st carriage alone, along with its exterior armor, had already consumed several months of his effort. Hoping to accomplish everything immediately was nothing but wishful thinking. Moreover, he was working alone. Chen Sixuan, while helpful in other areas, couldn’t contribute much in terms of technical expertise. “I’ll need to find a few teammates eventually,” Lin Xian thought to himself. “First, I’ll need an engine crew to handle the mechanical maintenance of the entire train and help with driving. I’ll also need someone who knows about planting...” “For example, a botanist or a hydroponics expert—someone who can grow fresh vegetables and fruits, and maybe even provide water and oxygen purification.” “Right, speaking of food, I’ll also need a chef...” “And a doctor, obviously. You never know when someone might fall seriously ill...” “And we can’t just rely on specialists;I’ll need fighters too—ideally, some ability users.” “Oh, and I’ll need a sentinel team...” As Lin Xian continued down his train of thought, his plans became increasingly ambitious. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and refocused on driving the train. "Os Furniture City..." Spotting a massive building in the distance, Lin Xian’s expression turned serious. “This place is usually a furniture and home goods store with very little foot traffic. There shouldn’t be many supplies here, but I could grab some cold-weather gear—bedding and the like.” He wasn’t thinking about frivolous things between men and women but rather about the significant drop in temperatures worldwide since the apocalypse. Areas affected by the Abyss phenomenon had seen dramatic cooling. Despite it being August, summer in Jiang City, daytime temperatures had dropped to around 12 or 13 degrees Celsius, while nighttime temperatures were only a few degrees above freezing. And it was still getting colder each day. Lin Xian speculated that the Dark Tides, caused by the Abyss blotting out the sky, had severely impacted the climate. It was possible that an ice age or a prolonged cold period was approaching. In such times, preparing cold-weather gear in advance was undoubtedly the smart move. Creaaak. Lin Xian brought the train to a halt on an exposed section of the tracks. The railway was surrounded by a tall chain-link fence, with a city avenue running alongside it. The road was littered with abandoned vehicles, but the area itself was sparsely populated. Even zombies were few and far between, making the surroundings eerily quiet. The flat terrain, lack of tunnels or elevated tracks, and the presence of the fence made this spot relatively safe for unloading items. “Miss Chen, wait on the train for me. I’ll go check it out inside,” Lin Xian said as he strapped on his backpack and picked up his short blade. “Also, don’t open the door for anyone other than me.” “I understand,” Chen Sixuan replied, though her expression was a little tense. “Wouldn’t it be better if I helped you? If there’s a lot to carry, it might go faster.” “That won’t be necessary for now,” Lin Xian replied. “This place has clearly already been looted once. There might not be anything useful. Let me scout first, and if there’s something worth taking, you can come down and help move it.” As he spoke, he tossed her a walkie-talkie. “Let’s use this to stay in touch. Cell signals aren’t reliable.” “Got it,” Chen Sixuan said, gripping the walkie-talkie tightly. Lin Xian opened the cabin door and leapt down from the train, scanning his surroundings. After confirming it was safe, he climbed over the chain-link fence and dropped into the greenery on the other side. From there, he crossed the street toward the furniture store. The front of the store had a vast parking lot that was now in complete disarray. Scattered around were several cars, all clearly out of commission. Devouring these cars with his ability would be an excellent option—they were one of the most common mechanical items in the apocalypse. However, the problem lay in the time it took to devour them. Lin Xian guessed that leveling up his Mechanical Devour skill would improve its efficiency, so for now, he played it safe. Instead of devouring items in risky environments, he planned to bring them back to the train and process them in safety. At the store’s main entrance, the ground was covered with dried, dark red blood. Shards of what looked like brand-new merchandise were scattered everywhere. The cold wind swept through the scene, giving it a bleak and desolate atmosphere. Cautiously, Lin Xian stepped inside. The space immediately opened up, feeling vast and empty. He’d visited this store before—it had been lavishly decorated, with wide, quiet aisles and little foot traffic. Now, after the apocalypse, it was completely deserted. He didn’t even see many corpses here. Lin Xian wandered through the branded furniture stores inside the mall. Other than the lights being off, most of the shops were still clean and orderly, with sofas, mattresses, and other furnishings neatly displayed. The second floor housed bathroom fixtures. The vast, empty building gave off an eerie vibe as he walked through it alone. “This Simmons mattress is pretty good, firm yet soft...” “Latex mattresses, thick comforters...” These types of supplies seemed to hold little value in the apocalypse, which was why the majority of the stores here hadn’t been looted. It made sense—when survival is on the line, the first places people think to raid are supermarkets and convenience stores, not a furniture mall to grab pillows. Lin Xian browsed for a while before realizing a headache-inducing issue: these items were bulky. Taking them back wouldn’t be easy. After scouting the area, he eventually reached the loading dock via the fourth exit. There, he spotted a few forklifts and a flatbed truck. His eyes lit up instantly. However, just as he approached, a rotting zombie suddenly burst out of the nearby freight elevator and lunged at him! “Urghhh!!!” The stench of decay hit him full force, and Lin Xian reflexively took a quick step back. Once he got a clear look, he immediately raised his hand and aimed. Boom! A blast of air shot out like a cannon, instantly creating a gaping hole in the zombie’s skull. Thud. The zombie collapsed to the ground, twitched a couple of times, and went still. The zombie was still wearing an orange-yellow worker's uniform—it had likely been a dockworker seeking refuge in the building before things went south. 【Wind Cannon LV.1 4/100】 Every time Lin Xian used this ability, his skill proficiency increased by one point. However, he noticed the move consumed a significant amount of his energy. He needed to use it sparingly. With this in mind, he drew the short blade from his back. Against ordinary zombies, he didn’t feel much pressure as an ability user. As long as he didn’t trigger a zombie horde or provoke some other monstrosities, things would be manageable. Lin Xian climbed into the flatbed truck’s cab. The door was already open, and the fuel cap had been removed, clearly indicating someone had beaten him to it. As expected, when he activated his Mechanical Heart, he quickly discovered that the reserve battery was completely dead, making it impossible to start the engine. It wasn’t surprising that others had siphoned the fuel and abandoned the truck. This kind of small flatbed, with its simplistic design and low horsepower, wasn’t a desirable vehicle for most survivors. But for Lin Xian, this was a treasure delivered right to his doorstep. He got out of the truck and went over to one of the forklifts. Activating his ability, he started the machine without any trouble. Then, with a bold and confident air, he drove the forklift straight through the rear entrance of the furniture mall. His plan was simple: make his living space in the 1st carriage as comfortable as possible. In the apocalypse, having a cozy living environment could significantly improve morale. With his unique ability, Lin Xian had no intention of living like a sewer rat, barely scraping by in dark and filthy shelters.