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

Hait led the way, with Su Yuan following behind, and the group silently made their way to higher reaches of the mountain.

The ground beneath our feet was muddy and slippery from the receding tide, and we sank in half an inch with every step.

Those survivors of Haidu who had just regained their human forms still had tattered strips of cloth and undried slime on their bodies. They followed Su Yuan barefoot, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe, curiosity, and uncertainty about the future.

Su Yuan didn't turn around, but he could clearly feel the hundreds of gazes behind him pressing heavily on his back.

The merfolk race numbers around one or two hundred. Apart from those they killed, many others are scattered in the caves.

These people are the survivors he saved.

Or rather, it was a group of people he saved on a whim.

"Hero, this is the place."

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Hait stopped on a relatively flat and open mountaintop.

This is the highest point on the entire island, and the wind is very strong, making people's clothes flutter loudly.

From here, you can overlook the rapidly shrinking Pearl River Estuary and the massive underwater ruins that gradually reveal their complete outline under the sunlight—the City of the Sea.

Hait turned around, faced Su Yuan, and bowed solemnly.

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"Please take out that token."

Su Yuan raised an eyebrow and took out the azure crystal medal from his pocket as instructed.

The medal felt cold to the touch, but under the sunlight, the waves and trident emblem inside reflected a dazzling light.

The moment he held the medal in his palm, something unexpected happened.

The once clear and cloudless sky suddenly became stormy, with large swaths of dark clouds gathering from all directions, completely obscuring the sun and instantly darkening the sky.

Immediately afterward, the solid rock ground beneath my feet began to tremble violently, emitting a series of teeth-grinding "creaking" sounds.

Boom—

Without warning, a huge crack appeared in the ground at the mountaintop, right before everyone's eyes.

The crevice was bottomless and pitch black, as if it led to the earth's core.

Before anyone could react, an old-fashioned, dark brown wooden box suddenly burst out of the crack and hovered in mid-air.

"Snap!"

The wooden crate shattered in mid-air, and amidst the flying wood chips, a soft white sphere of light emerged and floated quietly in front of Su Yuan.

Su Yuan subconsciously reached out his hand.

The ball of light seemed to be drawn by something, and it floated lightly into his palm. The light dissipated, revealing a plant seed that was completely black and covered with strange patterns.

【Imperial Path: Devouring the Wasteland】

[Type: Curious Item]

【quality:???】

[Introduction: During the train upgrade process, integrating this technology with the train can cause special mutations in the train.]

[Hidden Note: Plant Technology?]

Holding the seed with its peculiar texture, Su Yuan's mind raced.

"The Emperor's Path... Devouring the Wasteland..."

"Making trains mutate? Plant technology?"

He stroked the cool, smooth texture of the seed's surface, and his previous frustration vanished.

It seems that the biggest gain from this adventure was not the power over the seas, nor the mermaid oil, but this thing.

At this moment, Hait stepped forward respectfully, his voice carrying a sense of relief as if he had accomplished his mission.

"This is the gift left to you by our ancestors. We know that for a traveler like you, nothing is more important than a more powerful 'partner.' We hope it will be of assistance to you on your journey ahead."

"Okay." Su Yuan weighed the seeds in his hand, nodded seriously, "Then we're even."

"No."

Hait shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the bewildered tribesmen behind him, his eyes becoming incredibly resolute.

"Our civilization was nearly destroyed, and you saved us from an endless curse. We can never repay this kindness."

He paused, a hint of shame in his voice, "We have nothing now, we're barely surviving, and we can't offer you any more substantial support."

"But please remember these coordinates. We will erect a statue in your honor, pass down your deeds through generations, and enshrine your status in the law. I know that powerful adventurers have long lifespans. Even if you never return, your descendants, if they have the opportunity to come here, will enjoy the highest honors, surpassing even those of leaders and kings!"

Su Yuan was speechless upon hearing this solemn promise.

"Do as you please." He waved his hand, put the seeds away, "But there's one thing you must remember."

"My esteemed hero, please speak." Haite immediately bowed, ready to listen attentively.

Su Yuan cleared his throat and said in a serious tone, "My name is Azik. If that blind monster dares to attack again in the future, just mention my name."

"But remember, remember, never utter this name casually. This name should only be called out when all hope is lost. Even if there is only a sliver of hope, do not utter it, understand?"

"Azik..." Haite and the survivors behind him kept this name firmly in their hearts, and their eyes were filled with even more reverence.

"Yes, Your Excellency Azik."

Su Yuan nodded in satisfaction, but in his heart he was thinking that if that Eyeball Evil God really had the ability to find them, none of these guys would survive no matter whose name they mentioned.

It would be better to let them shout out the name of Azik, the true god, before they die; that might even annoy the other side.

He sighed and added, "Also, you should resume production for now, settle down, and stop holding any more festivals. Who knows if your sea god has actually recovered? In short, keep a low profile and make a fortune quietly. If I have the chance in the future, I... might come back to visit."

"Yes, Lord Azik!" Haite replied, enunciating each word with utmost solemnity.

After explaining these things, Su Yuan didn't linger and turned to walk down the mountain towards his train.

Back in the carriage, the first thing he did was open the warehouse management interface.

Looking at the rows of labels for "human flesh" and "human bones" in his inventory, he couldn't help but curse.

He took all these items out, transferred them to the storage box, and also carefully stored the two player corpses.

Su Yuan led them to a sunny open space in the distance, where he smashed the ground with his warhammer and dug a large pit.

He put the corpse, along with the human bones and flesh, inside.

"Having taken your things, I won't use your bodies for anything else." Su Yuan looked at the pit and murmured to himself, "Rest in peace here."

He discovered that no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find the train belonging to the two players.

It flew all over the area, but didn't even leave a trace.

Su Yuan recalled the piece of bone belonging to the previous owner that he found in the driver's cab when he first acquired the train.

It appears that if the train owner dies or is stranded in one place for more than the allotted time, the train will be retrieved by the system.

This was likely just the second stop for those two; unfortunately, they couldn't get out.

There is no such thing as permanent security in this world.

Even gods can fall, let alone travelers like them who struggle to survive in the cracks.

After doing all this, Su Yuan dusted off his hands and returned to the train.

The steam whistle blared.

In the mountain valley, on the mountaintop, under the watchful eyes of all the survivors of the sea city, the black steel behemoth slowly started, its wheels rolling over the damp earth, gradually accelerating.

Hait led all his people to kneel down in unison in the direction the train had departed, performing the most solemn salute.

The train emerged from the mountain valley, crossed the barren mudflats, and finally disappeared at the horizon.