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

The blue light shone on the newly cast 012 protective shell, illuminating every hammer mark on its surface. Wang Hu leaned out from the outer beam, his flashlight beam pressing into the rail seam. The beam cut into the water's surface, the blue light mingling with the ripples.

"The water is very clear," Wang Hu said.

Su Yuan stared at the main screen. The image of the 012 chassis was magnified to full screen. The metal rims of the four wheelsets pressed against the rail surface, leaving four parallel water streaks on the wet rail. The 012 only had four wheelsets; this was a fact confirmed by both the design drawings and the actual vehicle.

But in the reflection of the blue water, there was an extra line next to the four wheel marks.

The fifth wheel mark was pressed on the outside of the second wheel pair on the right, exactly half the width of the wheel. When the water rippled, the mark swayed, as if something had just rolled over it.

"013, the wounded, move away from the window," Tang Lan's voice came through the channel. She had already pulled the blackout curtain of the observation window all the way down, the magnetic strip attached to the window frame, and the curtain taut. The few wounded soldiers in the carriage who could still move shrank further inside. No one asked why.

The young survivor crouched beside the 005 enclosed compartment, his palm pressed against the pressure gauge on the sealing tank. "Tail boom 15.3. Sealing tank pressure normal. Seal untouched." With each number he reported, he glanced at the main screen to confirm that the extra shadow was still there.

Su Yuan didn't speak. His hand was on the control panel, his fingertips resting on the edge of the brake valve, but he didn't press it down.

Blue light shone from the light strips on both sides of the track, turning the entire track surface into a cool-colored body of water. The water wasn't real water; it was a visual layer formed by the mixture of light and dust, but when the 012 wheel rim rolled over it, it did create some splashes. Very shallow splashes, only wetting the bottom ring of the rim.

The loudspeaker came on.

"Water Recycling Station No. 33. The entire train can be directly replenished with water."

Same line as before. (Second time)

There was no countdown timer. No guide wheels. No diversion signs. No unloading instructions. Three rows of water supply ports rose from the railside lifting platform. The port nozzles were standard type, consistent with the water supply ports on the external fuel rack of the "Devouring Wasteland" vessel. Each port was followed by a hose, the other end of which was connected to a concealed pipeline on the inner wall of the platform.

"Water supply pipe not in contact with vehicle body. No reader port. No blood contact surface." The little torch pushed the scan data to the right side of the main screen. The data popped up line by line, all green codes.

"Hydration without contact with blood. No wristband reading." The announcement was repeated for the third time. The voice was still the dry, hoarse voice from the old recording, but the pace was a beat slower than in previous stops, as if to emphasize it deliberately.

Control room at Base 04. The technician zoomed in on the piping diagram of Station 33 to full screen. All the pipelines connected to the water storage tower and the purification membrane; there were no branches or monitoring points. "It really looks like a supply depot," he muttered.

Lu Mingyuan didn't reply. He stared at the extra fifth shadow on the main screen.

On the Bonebreaker's channel, the communications officer's voice was muffled. "The supply depot doesn't handle diversions, this might really be a supply depot." There was a few seconds of silence on the Slaughterhouse's end before the fire control officer spoke: "Watch if the lead car moves."

Su Yuan didn't move.

Wang Hu squatted beside 012 and opened the bag of lime. Instead of sprinkling it onto the track surface, he pinched off a pinch and slowly sprinkled it onto the area with the brightest blue light. The white powder floated down and landed on the water surface. It wasn't absorbed. The powder floated on the surface of that light-water mixture, pushed laterally a short distance by a weak airflow.

Then it stopped.

It stopped right above the fifth shadow. The powdery gray was broken into an arc there, the edges of the arc clearly defined, as if it had been cut by something.

"Keep it low," Su Yuan said.

"Analyzing." Little Fire tapped twice on the control panel with its paw. "The powder and ash are subjected to uneven forces. There is a directional repulsive force at the arc position, which is not strong enough to suck away the material, but it can change the trajectory of the lightweight particles. The source of the repulsive force is not below the track. It is in the reflective layer."

"012 Press down half a meter."

The 012 heavy armor's forward-probing pulley slid forward half a meter. The rail pin was pulled out, leaving a shallow mark on the rail surface. The front end of the protective shell pressed deeper into the blue light range, and the water-like light layer spread over the bottom edge of the protective shell.

In the shadows of 012, the fifth wheel began to move.

It didn't turn with the front wheel. It moved independently, the wheel rim grinding a small arc on the virtual track before stopping. It was as if something was adjusting its posture underwater.

On the commemorative hanging rack for the 009 road sign, the three-millimeter spring that had been silent for a long time suddenly tapped.

A short, metallic trill. One short, two long ones.

Wang Hu suddenly looked up. He felt along the edge of the 012 hull, pressing his fingers into the seam between the newly cast hull and the old chassis. There was something in the gap. He used his fingernail to pry out a thin piece of steel.

The steel sheet was bathed in blue light, revealing a nearly invisible coating on its surface. This coating reflected light of the same frequency as the blue light at certain angles, making it completely invisible to the naked eye when applied to the metal surface. Wang Hu flipped it over. The scratches were fresh, made by scratching with a sharp piece of metal.

Four words.

Don't fill the water container, remove the light bulb first.

"Site 04, all channels." Lu Mingyuan stood up. His hand rested on the communicator, and the volume was switched to full-band broadcast. "Station 33 has been placed under a pending trap. All resupply operations are suspended."

The broadcast is still playing. "All groups can replenish water directly. Remaining privileges: 50 seconds."

The valves at the bottom of the three water storage towers began pre-pressurization. Water vapor seeped out from the valve gaps, spreading along the ground towards the train formation. The blue mist spread along the ground, just above the wheel rims, as if outlining the entire train formation.

"External circulation purification tank. Backflushing," Su Yuan said.

The four large-diameter air intakes on the roof switch modes. The purified airflow is ejected from the exhaust vents in the opposite direction, directly towards the trackside light strips. The airflow presses over the water surface, creating ripples in the light-water mixture. The ripples spread, revealing the actual track surface below—dry and without water.

"The core of the mountain. Frequency misalignment. Reflection suppression."

The core of the Zhenshan system fine-tuned its output frequency. Low-frequency vibrations propagated from under the vehicle, deflecting the water's reflection angle. The blue light no longer shone neatly onto the formation, but was scattered by the shockwaves in all directions.

The reflective layer is broken.

The fifth wheel in the shadow of 012 disappeared. The light from the trackside lights no longer converged into a continuous layer of water, but scattered into fragments. Beneath each fragment, the true structure of the equipment was revealed.

"Wang Hu, lift the light trough."

The crane boom extends fully. The gripper latches onto the metal base of the track-side LED strip. The hydraulic pump pressurizes. The base is ripped off, the LED strip separates from the base, the lamp tubes shatter, and the blue light goes out. Beneath the base is not cable, but a sophisticated mirror array.

The circular mirrors are arranged in a matrix, each about ten centimeters in diameter, and coated with multiple layers of reflective film. Behind each mirror is a thin copper tube and a miniature motor, which drives the mirrors to finely adjust their angles. Next to the mirror array is a fist-sized black metal box with six probes extending from its side, the tips of which are aligned with the center of the mirror array.

The small torch pushes the scanning image to the main screen. "Water quality recognition mirror array. The mirror angle is synchronized with the water surface reflection angle, which can reflect the real vehicle outline back to the water surface, forming a superimposed image. The black box is the wheel synchronizer, which reads the mirror array reflection data and generates a virtual wheel shadow projected onto the water surface."

"The reflection of the previous 001," Su Yuan said.

"It's not a reflection," Xiao Huo corrected. "It's a record. The mirror array read the outline data of the old 001 vehicle body in the water network and stored it in the synchronizer. When a new vehicle body enters the recognition range, the synchronizer compares the outline and projects the old image with the highest matching degree."

"It's trying to trap us," Wang Hu said.

The broadcast suddenly switched frequencies. "Water replenishment privileges remaining: 30 seconds. Refusing to replenish will shut off subsequent water sources."

The valves of all three water storage towers were fully open. The sound of flowing water could be heard from inside the towers; it wasn't water being injected, but rather pressure being released. Through the observation windows on the side of the towers, the water level was dropping rapidly, as water was being pumped into another pipeline at the bottom.

"The pipeline has branches." The little torch overlaid the hidden pipeline diagram on the main screen. The branch pipelines extending from the bottom of the water storage tower have the same specifications as the water supply pipes, but their direction is aligned with the external fuel rack and the core energy conduction pipe of the assembly. "There is an identification port at the end of the branch pipeline. Connecting it will allow us to read the fuel composition and the energy conduction pipe frequency."

"It doesn't directly touch the blood," Tang Lan said. "It touches the fuel and the key."

"Mobile refining furnace. Full power. Dark gold conduit. Disconnect the main line first," Su Yuan said.

Four dark gold conduits extend from the side of the refining furnace. The first conduit probes into the lamp base and cuts into the power supply bus of the mirror array. With the bus severed, the mirror array loses its drive, all mirrors simultaneously reset to their initial angles, and the reflection function fails. The second conduit extends towards the image wheel synchronizer and pierces the side heat dissipation vent of the black metal box. The chips inside the box are burned by the high temperature, and all indicator lights go out.

"Eight cables. Hanging on the base of the water storage tower."

Eight steel cables were thrown out. Four were attached to the anchor bolts on the base of the first water storage tower, two to the second tower, and two to the third tower. The anchor bolts were old-style flange structures, and the bolts were corroded. When the steel cables were fastened, rust powder fell down in a shower.

"Counter-attack. Take down the tower."

The refining furnace output power was increased. All eight cables were tightened simultaneously. The three water storage towers were tilted by the steel cables, and the base anchor bolts deformed under the tension of the rusted bolts. One bolt after another broke. The base of the first water storage tower was lifted off the ground, the center of gravity of the tower shifted, and it fell to the side. Wang Hu operated the crane arm, and the grab claw locked the maintenance ring in the middle of the tower in advance, controlling the direction of the fall, and pulled the water storage tower horizontally above the receiving slide rail.

The water storage towers rolled along the slide rails into the warehouse area. The second one. The third one. The three water storage towers were pulled out, dragged down, and pulled into the furnace area to be dismantled in turn.

"High-pressure pump. Disconnect the hose."

The crane arm extended towards the inner wall of the platform. The pump unit was hidden in a layer within the inner wall, its outer casing bolted to embedded parts in the wall. Wang Hu tried to tighten the bolts with a grabber, but couldn't, so he used a broken shaft to pry them open. The bolt heads were deformed by the prying, and the pump unit's base detached from the wall. With a lift of the crane arm, the entire pump unit, along with a section of the inlet and outlet pipes, was pulled out. Residual clean water sprayed from the pipe joints, splashing into a white foam in the afterglow of blue light.

"Purification membrane. Water storage tank inner liner. Water separation core. Completely disassembled."

The dark gold conduit is inserted into the pump unit, cutting open the outer casing clips of the purification membrane. The entire roll of purification membrane is extracted, its surface covered with a layer of scale. The inner liner of the water storage tank is a double-layered stainless steel structure with an insulation layer in between. The conduit is cut open from the outer layer, and the inner liner is removed intact. The water separation core is a cylindrical pressure vessel containing a centrifuge and an ion exchange column. The lifting arm unscrews the core from the support and places it into the receiving frame.

One by one, the blue lights at Station 33 went out. The light strip bases were pulled out, the mirror array was dismantled, and the light tubes were broken all over the floor. The mist dissipated, revealing the true interior of the platform—damp, stained with water, but without blue light.

"Refining furnace. Disassembly."

The furnace is started. The outer shell of the water storage tower is flattened and fed into the smelting tank. The stainless steel tower body melts into molten steel, which flows out from the discharge port and is poured into the side trough mold. The engineering plastic of the purification membrane shell is separated and reserved as sealing material. The pump set shell is returned to the furnace. The lenses of the lens array are collected individually, the coating layer is peeled off, and the lenses themselves are optical glass, which can be used as observation windows. The copper core of the image wheel synchronizer is extracted, and the wafer slag is cleaned off.

The side slot begins to eject parts.

The first item: an independent water purification and circulation chamber. This will be a recast version of the water storage tower's inner liner, lined with a purification membrane, and connected next to the existing water tank at the bottom of the "Desolate Wasteland" vehicle. The chamber will have inlet and outlet pipes, a filter cartridge, and a water quality monitoring probe. From now on, water usage will not rely on the station's main network; it will be filtered independently.

The second item is a high-pressure water supply auxiliary pipe. This was welded from the pump set's outlet pipe and a branch pipe removed from the platform's inner wall. The pipe diameter was reduced, but a manual valve and pressure gauge were added. It can quickly replenish water to the 013 medicine cabinet cooling unit, the 005 sealant tank, and the fuel rack.

The third item: Image recognition blocking plates. Recast from the aluminum alloy plate of the mirror array base, coated with light-absorbing paint. Hanging on both sides of the Devourer, they obscure the vehicle's outline and prevent it from being read by the mirror array again.

The fourth item. Long-distance external water storage tanks. Recast from the outer shell of a water storage tower, three small-capacity tanks are connected in parallel and hung on an external frame above the 005 tail anchor. Each tank is equipped with a level gauge and a self-draining valve, allowing for manual water release in emergencies.

The fifth item. Water circuit disconnect valve. It is cast from the housing of the pump set control valve and the synchro wheel, and is installed on all external water pipe interfaces. The valve must be opened before connecting to the station's water network. The valve has a mechanical lock inside, and only Su Yuan has the key.

Wang Hu received the part. The maintenance team installed it.

The independent water purification and circulation chamber was welded into the bottom of the vehicle. After the inlet and outlet water pipes were connected and a water flow test was conducted, the filter element was found to be working properly, and the water quality monitoring probe showed a green light.

The high-pressure water supply pipe is connected to the 013 external cooling cabinet. The valve is opened, the water flow sound is very faint, and the temperature of the cooling cabinet begins to rise slowly.

Image recognition shields were attached to both sides of the Devourer. The vehicle's outline was covered with light-absorbing paint, leaving only a matte black surface when viewed from the side, with no reflections.

The long-distance water storage tank was mounted above 005. The young survivor turned on the level gauge; the water level was full. He turned on the self-draining valve, and water flowed out; it was very clear.

The water circuit shut-off valve is installed on all external connection diameters. Su Yuan put the key into his inner pocket.

Base 04 Control Room. The technician dragged Station 33 from the platform list into the gray square area. "19 to 33. Fifteen consecutive stations," he whispered.

Lu Mingyuan nodded. "Update the train operation guidelines. All stations that open full-unit direct connections under the guise of water replenishment, purification, or supply are classified as misleading traps. They will only accept materials and will not connect to the main network."

The three channels, namely Bonebreaker, Slaughterhouse, and Base 04, confirmed the information simultaneously.

In carriage 013, Tang Lan opened the newly connected high-pressure water supply valve, filling the cooling cabinet with water. The cabinet temperature stabilized in the green zone. She took out an anti-infection injection from the medicine cabinet and changed the dressing of a wounded soldier whose wound edges were starting to turn white. After the wound came into contact with the new medicine, the white edges turned reddish.

The young survivor squatted next to 005, rinsing the nozzle of the sealant can with the freshly replenished water. The water washed away the dust on the nozzle, making the sealant flow out more smoothly.

Wang Hu stood on the outer beam, wiping the edges of the shielding board with a rag. The light-absorbing paint would lighten after getting wet, so it had to be kept dry.

Su Yuan withdrew his hand from the control panel. The refining furnace temperature dropped. He glanced at the 009 rack. The three-millimeter spring remained silent. The steel plate was inserted into the storage compartment, lined up with the other road signs.

"012 continues to press the front rail. The entire train moves forward."

The 012 heavy armor forward-probing pulley pulled out the rail fixing pin and slid forward. The protective shell ran over the wet rail surface at the entrance of Station 33, and the wheel tracks were dragged into the dry rail ahead.

The Devourer followed. Section 3. Number 013. Number 005.

The train departed from Station 33. Behind it were the empty light troughs, the removed water tower base, and scattered stainless steel fragments. The last blue light strip flashed twice at the platform entrance and then went out.

There are no station signs ahead. Direction 34.

The radar on the small fire swept across two hundred meters ahead. The data appeared on the main screen.

"Water quality monitoring station No. 34. There are twelve sets of water sampling arms on both sides of the track, and a water quality analysis tower in the center of the platform. The analysis tower is in standby mode."

Su Yuan stared at the screen. The water sample collection arm was folded up, retracted into the groove on the side of the rail, and not extended. The tower lights of the analysis tower were dim, with only the antenna at the top of the tower slowly rotating.

Wang Hu leaned out from the outer beam to look ahead. The dark track stretched forward, without lights or water, only the faint outline of the distant analysis tower antenna turning.

"We even saved on lights this time," Wang Hu said.

Su Yuan didn't reply. He glanced at the newly installed external water tank above 005, then at the newly added clean water circulation chamber under the vehicle. The group's range data was displayed in the upper right corner of the main screen, green and stable.

012 continues pressing forward. The rail surface is dry, and the wheel tracks are clear. There is no blue light, no water, and no reflection.

However, in the upper right corner of the main screen, in Xiao Huo's radar tracking list, the antenna rotation speed of the analysis tower at station 34 suddenly increased by one notch.

Su Yuan moved his hand back to the control panel.