The sunset looked like a festering orange, squeezed and pushed into a corner by dark clouds.

Thick light and acid rain almost simultaneously smeared onto the roof of the platform.

Light and drizzle fell through the holes, casting mottled shadows on the platform floor.

The last troop transport vehicle in the distance had already entered the platform.

As soon as He Jie jumped off the door, he saw a charming girl in loose jeans and a gray shirt standing at the edge of the station. Her originally tense face involuntarily broke into a smile, opening her arms wide.

Like a young swallow returning to its nest, the girl plunged into his embrace.

But He Jie couldn't help frowning, "It's so chaotic outside, why aren't you staying in the carriage? What are you running out here for?"

The crowd around was bustling with activity. Besides the over two thousand people He Jie had brought back from the car manufacturing plant, there were also more than five hundred that Yu Yue had brought back from the school, plus the passengers who disembarked to stretch their legs. Just inside the station, there were over three thousand people.

This was not a pre-apocalyptic train station, and as such, the relationship between the train and the passengers was not so harmonious. Human nature was unpredictable, and anything could happen.

"We were really worried about you…"

His daughter's whispers instantly silenced He Jie's anger.

"Besides, I only came out when I saw Brother Hang returning."

He Jie quickly searched through the crowd and soon saw a figure with a sniper rifle slipping into the crowd, muttering, "Little... bastard."

Mindful of his daughter's presence, he chose less offensive words.

"Dad, what did you say?"

"I said my daughter is truly sweet."

The girl lifted her head from her father's arms, "Come home for dinner. Mom borrowed a kitchen and made lots of delicious food, just waiting for you to come and eat."

Turning his head, He Jie saw Wan Hao and Old Yuan waiting beside him and softly instructed, "You go back first. Daddy has something to do, about twenty minutes before I return."

The girl glanced shyly at the soldiers around her, then nodded.

He Jie sent his daughter back first, then went with the two to deliver the tasks.

After searching through one carriage, they finally found Su Huan in carriage No. 10, discussing how to upgrade the train with Yu Jing and others, Hu Shuo was also by his side.

Looking at the impossibly young Su Huan with hair draping over his shoulders, Wan Hao and the others were genuinely taken aback.

They had assumed that while the train conductor might not be a brawny person, he would definitely be shrewd and decisive.

But they hadn't expected him to be such a youthful man with a somewhat lazy smile.

Once Su Huan finished speaking, He Jie reported the process and battle results and then introduced the two.

"Is this the big boss who deals in ocean freight?"

Seeing the habitual fake smile on Su Huan's face made Wan Hao's heart jitter.

He prided himself on having met many people, but this aura was something he had only seen in those murderous warlords in South Asia.

Just two words: sinister.

In the business world, he's seen many fake smiles.

But Su Huan's type of fake smile was simply a habit. Whether angry or sad, they were used to wearing a baffling smile.

Even when smiling, those calm eyes were measuring you up and down.

Not hiding the indifference within at all.

Wan Hao immediately took half a step forward, slightly bowing with a respectful yet poised smile, "You overpraise me. Only by meeting the conductor did I understand what a true hero is. Your soldiers' tactical level is ten times better than any special forces I've seen in South Asia, especially Captain He's command with dual guns, it opened my eyes!"

Flattery works in all places, yet when coming from different people, it feels distinct.

Beside him, Hu Shuo felt it most.

A wealthy merchant in his forties nearing fifty, nodding and flattering a person in their twenties using respectific language.

Truthfully speaking, if he were in his position, Hu Shuo couldn't say such words.

Su Huan paused briefly, then corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

Though somewhat cringeworthy, the feeling was quite nice.

'Perhaps I should cultivate a couple of Lao Ai-type talents around me.'

Now with so many people on the train, no one had ever praised him as the train conductor.

Yu Jing and her daughter couldn't do such a thing.

Xiaolin Xi also couldn't do it; that girl could only pretend for a while.

As for rough guys like He Jie and Lao San, forget about it. When in a temper, they'd curse at him, only suited for enforcer roles.

Standing beside, He Jie somehow sensed Su Huan gave him a disdainful glance earlier.

Seeing he had nothing more there, he hastily returned to accompany his daughter.

Who knows what Qu Hang, that punk, was busy with; staying away from home for too long wasn't good.

Seeing Su Huan's silence, Wan Hao realized it was time to demonstrate his worth, quickly pulling a leather notebook from his suit's inner pocket and offering it with both hands.

"Over the years, I've built twelve large warehouses worldwide, storing vast supplies and various shipping routes. I even have some heavy machine gun production lines and even complete shells, all stockpiled in overseas warehouses."

Seeing Su Huan's gaze sweep across the notebook, he lowered his voice to add, "Additionally, I've stored a large batch of building materials in Shun'an, which might offer minor assistance to the conductor."

Professor Ma, Director Xu, and others around had seen this scene many times, silently waiting.

"Does Boss Wan have a big business?"

Not understanding why Su Huan suddenly asked this, Wan Hao still nodded, "I have some reputation, but there are too many big players in the shipping sector. I'm just a small fry."

Su Huan, however, was thinking of something else.

Wan Hao's size might not be as large as the Steel Council, but similar in scope, so why did he appear unaware of any apocalyptic news?

What criteria did the mysterious black hand use to sift out these "pre-apocalypse runners"?

Perhaps this standard pertained to the apocalypse's most fundamental secret.

But there was no rush. As long as he kept moving north, these secrets would eventually be revealed.

The most important task now was upgrading the train in preparation for the upcoming Flood Zone.

With sincerity, Su Huan said, "Tomorrow, I plan to use the train manufacturing facility up front, then stay a while at Shun'an, upgrading my train. If you manage to coordinate the over two thousand workers outside, I can open the train's exchange privileges to you as passengers."

Wan Hao felt a slight joy internally. Though not knowing exactly what the train exchange privileges entailed, intuition told him this gamble was right.

He tugged gently at the old brother beside him.

Old Yuan repeatedly guaranteed.

Watching the two leave, Su Huan turned to Hu Shuo, "Have He Jie make another trip after dinner, to see if there are building materials we can use, and bring them all back."

"Understood." Hu Shuo noted the task, then asked, "How should we manage the workers outside? The train is already overloaded."

Su Huan walked to the car window, and someone immediately opened the metal blinds, giving the conductor a clear observation view.

The station with three thousand people was very quiet.

Groups of grimy-haired survivors huddled together, exchanging information with the train's passengers.

Occasionally, there were bursts of exclamations.

Some gathered around, eagerly playing with two decks of cards, but the bets were no longer greasy-smelling paper bills, but a piece of candy, a biscuit.

Those with families looked somewhat decent, either hugging a loved one or whispering with children.

As if trying to speak all the words left in this life.

Those without families sat alone at the bases of concrete columns, staring blankly at the crowd.

After a long silence, Su Huan spoke quietly.

"Have Lao Er and the combat team clean up the station completely. Leave no hidden dangers in any corner, build dormitories for the workers. This platform will be our forward base at Shun'an in the future."

...

With Su Huan's orders, the entire armed train attendant team, including passengers from the rear carriages, all moved into action.

The combat team had already conducted an initial sweep of the station, eliminating any threatening zombies and Evolution Beasts.

This time, the inspection was more thorough, covering corners like restrooms, abandoned train carriages…

Ensuring the entire platform was secure.

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