The "Survival on the Train" game has bugs, it's really laggy!

After Ji Yun finished recording, two dull thuds came from baggage car 005. They weren't metallic; they sounded more like heavy objects falling from a height and smashing through a thin sheet. The impacts, with lingering echoes, traveled from the rear of car 013 all the way to the cockpit of the Devourer.

Su Yuan didn't turn his head. He kept his right foot on the accelerator, maintaining a speed of four kilometers per hour. His left hand rested on the steering wheel, his index finger rhythmically tapping the wheel rim.

No one spoke in the carriage.

The small torch stretched three curves side-by-side to the center of the main control panel. The left column showed the internal acoustic signature of No. 005, the middle column showed the stress of the tail beam of No. 013, and the right column showed the third section's toxic gas safety indicator. All three lines were fluctuating, but none crossed the red warning line.

Wang Hu squatted by the side door of the Devourer, a wrench resting on his knees. He had almost rushed down to cut the tail hook, but Su Yuan stopped him.

"Boss," he said in a low voice, "there are still survivors inside."

Su Yuan didn't respond.

He looked ahead at the narrow track. The gradient of the artificial safety track had eased a little, and the vibrations from the wheels passing over the joints were much milder. The steel beams above were still pressed very low, and the light from the red hand lamp shone less than ten meters before being swallowed by the darkness.

"Tang Lan".

"exist."

"Number 013 is half-locked and in a locked position. The tailgate opens slightly, and the lights go on for half a second."

Tang Lan didn't ask any further questions. She pushed the brake lever to the middle position, and the tracks made a low, grinding sound. Two survivors crawled over to the tailgate; one braced himself against the door frame with his shoulder, while the other lowered his red hand light, letting the light leak out from under the door.

Wang Hu pulled over the winch cable and hooked the grappling hook to his side.

"I'm going down."

"No." Su Yuan didn't raise his voice. "Watch first."

The red light flashed for half a second. The light swept from the gap in the tailgate of No. 013 to the right-side cargo door of No. 005.

The door was made of iron. The rust wasn't heavy, but the welds were dense, as if it had been repaired many times. The gap in the door was very narrow, about two centimeters, and it was pitch black inside. There were white painted words on the door, most of which were covered by grease, and only the words "Do Not Open" could be clearly seen.

The lights went out.

Wang Hu waited three seconds, then let the survivors flash again.

This time he saw it clearly. Below the white-painted characters was another line of text. Smaller. Lighter. Mostly covered by black sludge.

"Turn the fire up from low to high."

Little Fire's claws dragged across the screen. The image was cropped, enhanced, and contrast overlaid. The text gradually appeared.

"Unlock the lower right door before opening it, and do not touch the left door linkage lever."

Wang Hu read it aloud once, then frowned.

"The left door linkage lever?" He turned to look at Su Yuan. "Is there a door on the left too?"

Su Yuan stared at the screen.

The outline of luggage cart number 005 was drawn by Xiao Huo using thermal imaging. There was a cargo door on each side. The right door was the one that the red light had just illuminated; its temperature was normal, and there was no abnormal heat source. The left door was slightly cooler, and there were faint traces of condensation in the door seam.

"Are both doors locked?" Su Yuan asked.

Xiao Huo nodded. "The right door has a mechanical lock, which you have to manually remove. The left door also has a mechanical lock, but the bolt is connected to a crossbar that extends into the carriage and connects to..." Its tail tip tapped twice on the screen, "...a set of gear-like things. It operates periodically."

Wang Hu understood. "Opening the left door will trigger that gear?"

"Highly likely."

Someone inside number 013 whispered something. The voice was too soft to hear.

Tang Lan said coldly, "Keep quiet."

The carriage immediately fell silent.

Su Yuan had Xiao Huo zoom in on the thermal image of the left side door of cargo door 005. The temperature at the door seam was three degrees lower than the surrounding area, and condensation was seeping out. Water droplets slid down the door frame and gathered into a small puddle at the bottom.

"There's water." Wang Hu stared at the screen. "Real water?"

Su Yuan didn't answer. He took out a chalk dust container from under the dashboard and handed it to Wang Hu.

"Sprinkle half of the powder through the left door seam. Sprinkle half of the powder through the right door seam. At the same time."

Wang Hu took the can. He leaned half his body out of the side door, his grappling hook gripping a crossbeam at the rear of vehicle 013, and swung himself into the gap between the two vehicles. A gust of wind blew in from below, carrying the smell of rust and engine oil.

He held the jar in his left hand and protected the chalk dust with his right, aiming the pointer at the gaps on either side of the door of number 005.

"Say it." Su Yuan's voice came through the earpiece.

Wang Hu let go.

White powder fell from the door seam. Normally, the powder should have fallen along the door frame in an arc and piled up on the track.

The dust on the right side did indeed fall like that. The curve was very neat. A little dust drifted along the outer edge of the door seam before being pulled down by gravity, accumulating into a small white patch next to the right wheel of number 005.

The ones on the left are different.

The dust particles entered the door crack but didn't fall. Something sliced ​​them horizontally, breaking them into three pieces. The middle piece disappeared directly into the crack. The top and bottom pieces were ejected, shattering into even finer dust, which drifted in the air for a while before settling down.

Wang Hu was stunned.

He retreated to the side door of the Devouring Wasteland, his face grim.

"There's something turning inside the left door."

Su Yuan nodded. He had already had Xiao Huo capture the voiceprint from earlier. Inside the left-hand door crack, there was a set of periodically rotating metal components, rotating at a low frequency, completing one revolution every four seconds. When the chalk dust went in, it happened to hit one of the thin blades.

"It's not a water tank," Xiao Huo said. "It's a set of knives."

The carriage became even quieter.

Tang Lan had heard everything clearly inside carriage 013. She turned to look at the survivors in the carriage; their faces all looked grim.

"Is it fake?" someone asked in a low voice.

Tang Lan didn't answer. She stared at the main screen.

At the left door seam of door number 005, condensation was still seeping out. Water droplets fell and splashed on the track surface.

fake.

The water is fake. The red cross protruding from the left door is fake too. Inside the left door are only blades and gears. Whoever tries to open it will be shredded to pieces.

Su Yuan displayed two curves side-by-side with the small torch: the left door's soundprint and the right door's soundprint. The left side showed the regular rotation of metal, while the right side showed the background noise of a quiet environment.

"The right door can be opened," Su Yuan said.

Wang Hu's eyes lit up. "I'll go remove the lock."

"Don't rush."

Su Yuan pulled out another short steel cable from under the control panel. He fastened one end of the cable to the tail loop of the winch's auxiliary cable and handed the other end to Wang Hu.

"First, hold the bottom right lock. Don't pull it forcefully."

Wang Hu took the steel cable and leaned half his body out again. There was an old-fashioned latch along the lower edge of the right door of No. 005, its surface rusted, but the latch was not completely locked. Wang Hu put the steel cable loop on and tightened it.

"It's hung up."

Su Yuan switched to channel 013. "Tang Lan, loosen the brakes by half a step."

Tang Lan immediately understood. She pushed the brake lever back a little. The tracks loosened half a turn. Number 013 slid forward less than half a meter.

The forces acting on the entire train changed immediately.

The dead weight of No. 005 at the rear was propelled forward by the inertia of the downhill slope, but was then caught by the tail hook. The angle of the tail hook's engagement shifted slightly, and the point of force slid from the center to the right. The right door latch of No. 005 was pulled by this force, and the latch made a slight clicking sound.

Wang Hu stared at the voice. The latch was pulled two centimeters to one side. The gap in the door widened slightly.

Su Yuan let Tang Lan loosen the grip by half a notch. 013 slid forward a little more. The tail hook was under pressure again, and the angle shifted further. The right door of 005 was "pried open" a crack by the tension of the train crew.

Three centimeters.

Four centimeters.

The red light shone through the tailgate of unit 013. The light pierced through the cracks in the door, illuminating the metal panels inside. The panels were old, but not rusted through. Near the bottom, there was a section of steel pipe, tightly bound with canvas straps.

Below the strap, a section of the cuff peeks out.

The cuffs were greyish-white. The fabric was stiff, and the edges were frayed. An old label was sewn on them, with white lettering on a blue background; only half of the design remained. It was the insignia of the Blue Star Expeditionary Force.

The cuffs are moving.

It was very light. Like someone inside was using their last bit of strength to grip something tightly.

Wang Hu gasped.

In carriage 013, everyone was staring at the screen. The cuff was magnified to its maximum, revealing the fabric's fiber texture. The cuff moved twice, then stopped.

The young survivor stared at the screen, his lips moving. He didn't speak, but his fingers had already loosened from the restraints.

Tang Lan saw it.

She didn't say anything, but simply tightened the holster buckle by one notch.

"Old engineer." Lu Mingyuan's voice came from the control room of Base 04.

The old engineer stood in front of the main screen, staring at the cuff. He clutched his hat in his hand, his knuckles pressing against the brim.

"Thermal imaging confirms it," a technician nearby said. "There's a cryogenic liquid container about 30 centimeters behind the right door. The temperature is close to freezing, but it's not frozen. It should be a water tank."

Another technician chimed in: "The temperature inside the left door is abnormal, due to frictional heat from high-speed rotating parts. What's behind the two doors is completely different."

The veteran engineer didn't speak. He stared at the main screen for more than ten seconds, then turned to look at Lu Mingyuan.

"We previously suggested taking the right flank."

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

"The decoy on the right line is exactly the same as this one." The veteran engineer pulled his hat up over his head. "From now on, all route decisions will be based on the actual measurements taken by the lead vehicle. The control room will only record the data and will not offer any suggestions."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door.

"Old worker?" a technician called out.

The veteran engineer didn't even turn his head. "Go to maintenance port number three. Move everything you can over there."

There was a two-second silence in the control room. Then, the sound of chairs being pushed open filled the room. Some people rummaged through drawers, some went to open the storeroom, and some dragged out an old-fashioned hand-cranked winch from the corner. No one was staring at the main screen waiting for orders anymore.

In carriage 013, Tang Lan received a synchronized message from the control room. She read it aloud. The expressions on the faces of the people in the carriage varied, but none of them showed the same wavering as before.

"The water is on the right," Tang Lan said calmly. "The lead car will drive."

Su Yuan didn't respond to her. He asked Xiao Huo to recalculate the internal structure of No. 005.

"Location of the water tank."

Xiao Huo retrieved the 3D model of No. 005. The third water tank was stuck above the inside of the right door, sandwiched between two shelves. There was a section of old IV tubing at the bottom of the tank, which passed through the gap in the shelves and extended deeper inside.

"What's the other end of the IV line connected to?" Su Yuan asked.

Adjust the focus with a small flame. The end of the tube is attached to a metal bracket, which is fixed to the floor of the carriage. Next to the bracket is an old blanket, with a bulge underneath.

"A person," Little Fire said. "Alive. Body temperature 34.2 degrees Celsius. Breathing rate is low but steady."

Wang Hu gripped the grappling hook tightly.

Su Yuan stared at the screen. Xiao Huo had outlined the structure of the shelf with lines. The water tank was stuck at the top, held down by two crossbeams. If pulled directly, the tank would crash down, hitting the IV tubing, breaking it, toppling the IV stand, and crushing the person below.

"We can't just pull him by force," Su Yuan said.

"Then what should we do?" Wang Hu asked.

Su Yuan didn't answer. He looked at the stress curves. The stress on tail anchor 005 was slowly increasing. The curve on tail beam 013 was also climbing. Both lines were approaching the warning zone.

He switched to channel 013. "Tang Lan."

"exist."

"Release the brake by half a stop. Let 005 swing forward."

Tang Lan pressed the brake lever. "How much looser?"

"Release it by half a stop first. Wait for me to say stop."

Tang Lan loosened the track by half a step. The track loosened a little more. Number 013 slid forward a short distance.

The direction of force on the tail hook changed again. 005 was carried forward by the inertia of the downhill slope, and the point of force on the tail anchor shifted slightly to the right.

The sound of the shelves swaying could be heard coming from inside the carriage.

Xiao Huo stared at the 3D model. "The water tank is moving."

Wang Hu crouched by the seam of the tailgate of tank number 013, his red flashlight shining through. The metal casing at the bottom of the water tank scraped against the crossbeam of the rack, making a harsh scraping sound. The water tank was slowly moving to the right.

Su Yuan stared at the water glass.

In the third carriage, the old mechanic squatted beside four water cups. The water began to slosh. The cup on the front left sloshed the most.

"Left heavy," the old mechanic reported.

Su Yuan stepped on the gas. The Devourer shifted forward by half a foot. The center of gravity of the entire train shifted forward, and the force on the 005 tail anchor decreased sharply.

The water tank stopped on the shelf.

"Stop," Su Yuan said.

Tang Lan stopped abruptly.

The sloshing of the water in the glass slowed down. The veteran mechanic stared at the water's surface. "Left-front sway reduced. Stable."

Su Yuan waited another three seconds. Then he told Tang Lan to loosen the button by half a tick.

Number 013 slid a little further. Number 005 swung forward again. The water tank started moving to the right again.

This time it was moved even further. A larger gap appeared between the shelf beams and the water tank.

Wang Hu stared at the gap. He raised the grappling hook and tentatively inserted it into the crack. The tip of the hook touched the bottom of the water tank.

"Don't pull it too hard," Su Yuan said. "Let it slide on its own."

Wang Hu stopped.

The water tank continued to move to the right. Very slowly. A scraping metallic sound could be heard intermittently.

The veteran mechanic counted off. "Slight swaying to the left front. Slight swaying to the right front. The radiator is crossing the center line."

Su Yuansong accelerated. The Devourer slowed down.

The water tank shook slightly. The speed decreased.

"Relax it further," Su Yuan said.

Tang Lan loosened her grip slightly. Number 005 was pushed forward a little more. Using this force, the water tank slid mostly out of the shelf gap.

Wang Hu seized the opportunity, extending the grappling hook forward to gently support the bottom of the water tank. It wasn't pulling; it was supporting. The weight of the water tank fell onto the grappling hook, making Wang Hu's arm feel heavy.

"I caught it." He gritted his teeth.

Su Yuan stared at the water glass. "Front left?"

The veteran mechanic stared at the water's surface. "It wobbled twice. It didn't jump."

"Front right?"

"It's also wobbly. Smaller than the left front."

Su Yuan stepped on the gas. The Devourer moved forward half an inch. The entire train's center of gravity shifted forward again. The force on the 005 tail anchor changed, and the water tank, using this swaying force, slid completely out of the gap in the rack.

Wang Hu's arm trembled from the weight. He gritted his teeth and pulled the grappling hook backward. The water tank slid out along the seam of the right door of No. 005, hit the door frame with a dull thud.

"Tang Lan, open the tailgate of No. 013 fully," Su Yuan said.

Tang Lan pulled the brake lever. The tailgate of carriage 013 opened fully. The two survivors rushed over and took the water tank from Wang Hu. The water tank was very heavy. It took three people to lift it into carriage 013.

The water tank hit the ground. The metal base struck the floor with a dull thud.

No one moved in the carriage. Everyone stared at the water tank. The marks left by the canvas straps were still there, and the metal casing was covered in grease and dust. The valve on top of the tank was intact, not rusted shut.

The young survivor squatted beside the water tank, his hand reaching for the valve. He turned it. It wouldn't budge. He turned it again. The valve clicked open.

Water is flowing out of the valve.

It wasn't murky. It wasn't rusty. It was clean. It had a slight coolness to it and was steaming.

The sound of swallowing could be heard in the carriage.

Tang Lan didn't try to grab it. She stood beside the brake lever, her hand still on the holster.

"The wounded should drink first."

The young survivor glanced up at her. Then he picked up the water bottle, took two gulps, and turned to hand it to the wounded man next to him who was in a splint. The wounded man took it, his hands trembling violently, spilling half the water onto his chest. He ignored it and tilted his head back to gulp it down.

Su Yuan heard the noise on channel 013 from the cockpit of the Devourer. He didn't turn around.

"Escort officer," he said.

Wang Hu wiped his sweat. "It's behind the water tank. It's hidden by the shelves."

Su Yuan switched to channel 013. "Tang Lan, drag him out. Slowly. There's an IV line in his chest."

Tang Lan walked over. She crouched down by the crack in the right door, half her body peering into room 005. After the water tank was dragged away, an old blanket was visible behind it. Underneath the blanket was a curled-up body.

She lifted the blanket.

The guard was a man, around forty years old. His face was gaunt, with prominent cheekbones. An old IV tube was attached to his chest, connected to the bottom of a water tank. Liquid was still flowing inside, very slowly.

Tang Lan grabbed his shoulders and slowly dragged him out. The guard's body was heavy. Not because he was fat, but because his muscles were stiff from dehydration. Halfway through, his hand suddenly moved.

Five fingers gripped a sealed tube tightly. The tube was made of aluminum, its surface oxidized and blackened. The seal was intact and had not been broken.

Tang Lan stopped. "He has something in his hand."

Su Yuan said, "Drag them all together. People and buckets."

Tang Lan pulled hard. The guard was dragged out of the right door of carriage 005 and into carriage 013. His head hit the floor with a dull thud. But he didn't wake up. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was still shallow. His fingers didn't loosen.

Xu Shen moved over from the third carriage. He squatted down next to the guard, staring at the lead-sealed tube.

"This thing..." His voice trembled slightly, "I've seen it before."

Tang Lan looked at him.

Xu Shen pried open one of the guard's fingers. The guard didn't react. Xu Shen picked up the sealed tube and turned it over to the bottom. There was a number engraved on the bottom, most of which had been worn away, leaving only the four characters "Key Escort".

"Secret documents from the Blue Star Expeditionary Force," Xu Shen said. "I've seen them before in the command center. They're all related to the Great Wall defense line."

Tang Lan didn't press further. She handed the water bottle to Xu Shen. "Give him some water first."

Xu Shen took it. He lifted the guard's head and brought the spout of the jug to his lips. Water dripped down the corner of his mouth and into his collar. The guard's Adam's apple bobbed.

Su Yuan instructed Xiao Huo to scan the interior of Unit 005 again.

"Are there any survivors?"

The small fire scanned for about ten seconds. "No heat source. Only shelves, old equipment, and some empty boxes. The water tank and the guard are the only signs of life."

Su Yuan nodded. He switched to all channels.

"Wang Hu, close the right door of number 005. Put the latch back in its original position."

Wang Hu climbed out and pushed the right door back in. The latch clicked shut. He tapped it twice with a hammer to make sure it was locked.

"Number 005 will continue to serve as the tail anchor."

Wang Hu returned to the side door of the Devourer and tightened the winch cable again. The dead weight of No. 005 was still attached to the tail hook of No. 013, but it was no longer a threat. It had become a counterweight. It could hold down the tail when going downhill and counteract lateral sway when cornering.

The news had already spread in the control room of Base 04.

The veteran engineer, along with a dozen or so maintenance workers, crowded at the entrance of maintenance port number three, carrying hand-cranked winches, hoses, and spare clamps. Some were disassembling old hydraulic shears into parts and loading them onto trolleys. Others were carrying entire rolls of steel cable. Still others were carrying sealant and leak-sealing agent.

Lu Mingyuan stood in front of the control panel, looking at the curves on the screen.

"Is the water tank connected?"

A technician reported, "013 is connecting temporary water lines. The cooling pressure in the third section is starting to rise. As for the Devourer..." He paused, "...the Devourer has stabilized."

Lu Mingyuan didn't speak. He stared at the expanding support team on the screen. Those people were no longer standing still waiting for orders. They were finding their own work to do.

Inside carriage 013, Tang Lan connected the temporary water system. The valve of the third water tank was opened, and clean water flowed through hoses to the cooling systems of the Devourer, the third section, and carriage 013.

The temperature began to drop.

The wounded were given water. Half a sip each. Not much, but enough to moisten their throats. After the wounded soldier with his splint finished, he handed his water bottle to the person next to him. That person then passed it on to the next person.

The young survivor squatted down next to the guard. He used his sleeve to wipe the grease off the guard's face.

"This person is still alive."

Xu Shen nodded. "Alive. But he's lost too much water; he needs to be fed slowly."

The guard's fingers were still gripping the sealed tube. Tang Lan tried to pry it open, but couldn't.

"Wait for him to wake up," Xu Shen said.

In the cockpit of the Devourer, Su Yuan had Xiao Huo organize all the records left by Ji Yun. Mechanical prompts, engraved warnings, and hand-drawn routes were all stored in a single file.

"Ji Yun left behind a water tank, a security guard, and a road," Xiao Huo said. "She probably knew that more people would come later."

Su Yuan didn't reply. He stared at the man-made safety rails ahead. The slope had completely leveled out. The hand-painted lines on both sides of the rails were still there, but denser and more regular. There seemed to be an exit ahead.

The convoy continued forward. Number 005 trailed behind, its wheels creaking from lack of oil. No longer a threat. Just rhythm.

Another twenty meters or so passed.

The guard's fingers moved.

He didn't open his eyes. But his five fingers loosened from the lead seal, then clenched again, loosened, then clenched again, as if confirming that the item was still there.

Xu Shen squatted down beside him. "Awake?"

The guard's lips moved. The sound was squeezed out from deep in his throat, hoarse like sandpaper.

"water……"

Xu Shen handed over the water bottle. This time, the guard took it himself. He took two gulps, choked, and then took another. Then he opened his eyes.

His eyes were yellowish-white. His pupils were very small. He stared at the steel beams overhead for several seconds.

"Where is this?"

"An artificial life-saving track," Xu Shen said. "Who are you?"

The guard lifted the sealed container. The number on the container was half-displayed under the red hand light.

"Key escort team. Shen." His voice was broken. "Shen Yuanzhou. Great Wall defense line...key escort."

Xu Shen's expression changed. He stared at the lead-sealed tube for more than ten seconds.

"This thing..." He reached out, his fingers hovering above the cylinder, hesitant to touch it. "Is there a key inside?"

Shen Yuanzhou shook his head. "It's not a key." He paused, took a couple of breaths, "It's a map."

Tang Lan walked over. "What route map?"

Shen Yuanzhou did not answer immediately. He turned the sealed tube to the bottom and pressed his thumb against the number that had been mostly worn away. Then he tapped the tube with his knuckles.

Two short. Two long. One short.

Xu Shen froze.

His face went from white to green, then back to white. He stared at Shen Yuanzhou's fingers until those five fingers finished tapping the last syllable.

"Key mismatch code." Xu Shen's voice changed. "This is the emergency code for a mismatched key."

Tang Lan frowned. "What do you mean?"

Xu Shen looked up. Something in his eyes was trembling.

"The Great Wall defense line has three keys. The first is the authentication chip for the lead vehicle. The second is the backup for the spare vehicle. The third..." He paused, "...the third is the physical activation code. All three keys must be present simultaneously for the defense line to be fully activated. But if any one of them doesn't match the other two..."

Shen Yuanzhou continued. His voice was still weak, but he pronounced each word clearly.

"When there is a mismatch, the startup code will trigger a self-destruct mechanism. The entire defense will collapse from the inside."

The carriage fell silent.

Tang Lan stared at the sealed tube. "Where are you going with this?"

Shen Yuanzhou closed his eyes briefly. He then took another sip of water.

"Base 04," he said, "Go find the Zhenshan vehicle."

Xu Shen suddenly looked up.

"The Zhenshan locomotive is the physical carrier of the three keys," Shen Yuanzhou said, "but inside its boiler..."

He paused. His breathing became rapid.

"The person in its boiler has been replaced once."

Shen Yuanzhou handed the sealed tube to Xu Shen with his bloodied fingers. Xu Shen took it, his hands trembling. He unscrewed the seal. A water-soaked, crumpled man-made route map slid out of the tube. The map wasn't large, about the size of two A4 sheets of paper pieced together. The paper was yellowed, the edges were curled, and a location was circled in red pen on it.

The end of the artificial life-saving track.

Next to the red circle was a line of text. The handwriting was messy, but each stroke was written with great force.

"The locomotive for controlling the mountain cannot connect to the Great Wall. The people in the boiler have already been replaced."

Xu Shen stared at the line of words. His lips moved a few times, but no sound came out.

Tang Lan took the route map, looked at it for two seconds, and then turned and walked towards the communications station.

"Su Yuan."

"explain."

"The escort is awake. There's a route map in the sealed container." Tang Lan repeated the words on the map. "The Zhenshan locomotive can't connect to the Great Wall. The person in the boiler has already been replaced."

There was a three-second silence on the other end of the communication.

"Received," Su Yuan said.