Chapter 875 - 494: Embers of the Long Night (Part 3)_2

The officer donned a trench coat that reached down to his ankles. The coat was spotless, devoid of any rank insignia or badges that indicated identity, except for the lone Armed Train emblem on the shoulder. Only internal train personnel could discern intricate stripe variations on the head badge, identifying it as a major’s rank.

"Have you decided?"

Xiaoba asked.

Lin Jin looked calm, "If I stay here, I would never be able to keep up with the train conductor’s pace."

Xiaoba said nothing more, simply waiting for Lin Jin to finish getting ready.

The latter didn’t carry any equipment, even the emblem of identity, the Ming Lion, was left on the weapon rack in the combat readiness room. Nonetheless, he spent quite a while adjusting his trench coat, with Xiaoba patiently waiting.

Once they were ready, the two headed to the train head.

Beneath the train head command platform, a makeshift combat command room had been sectioned off.

Because others, including Glasses, felt He Jie was too noisy, disrupting others’ work.

The small compartment still had all the facilities like a virtual sandbox, even soundproof cotton. Inside, even if He Jie roared, not a sound would escape.

As soon as they opened the door, thick smoke poured out like a floodgates opening. The train head exhaust fan was running crazily.

Neither Xiaoba nor the other seemed surprised, entering the compartment and closing the door.

No lighting was turned on in the room, only the virtual sandbox emitted a dim blue glow. He Jie stood behind it, his robust figure unchanged, except for his eyes, red as if from a zombie.

Hearing the two speak, He Jie lifted his head, his face stern as iron, devoid of his usual kindness, "No!"

Lin Jin replied calmly, "I haven’t stated my intentions yet."

He Jie extinguished his cigarette into his palm, snapping, "I’m not here to negotiate. This isn’t a classroom. You have only two paths: either obey orders or get off the train! Understand, Major?"

Despite He Jie’s harsh rebuke, Lin Jin’s gaze remained calm, "I need to seek the possibility of a further breakthrough, and only the Eternal Night Zone provides such an opportunity."

He didn’t try to argue from the perspective of assisting the train conductor, because the order Su Huan gave He Jie before leaving was to take care of them.

This means, whether the train enters the Eternal Night Zone was solely up to He Jie’s decision.

However, this only added to the pressure He Jie bore in making this decision.

If unaware of Eternal Night’s characteristics, following the train conductor in might have been straightforward, but knowing the train can only advance, not retreat, the nature of the situation changes completely.

One path leads to the train conductor, the other to the lives of everyone on the train. All this burden, due to one sentence from Su Huan, fell on He Jie’s shoulders. This wasn’t like a battle or a war, where one could hope for a positive outcome through effort, but a cruel choice whose conclusion was predetermined from the start.

This is the train conductor’s train; everyone gathers here by following his will. Whether Yu Yue or Xiaoba, everyone aligned with this goal because of Su Huan. Thus, the Armed Train exists, gathering its members to head north in search of the apocalypse’s secrets.

This is the inertia of the Armed Train.

Now the train had stopped, equivalent to He Jie extending one foot outside the moving train, applying the brakes.

This was resisting the train’s inertia while also opposing himself.

Because he himself was part of the inertia as well.

Thus, He Jie suffered, struggled so profoundly.

He both wanted to go, yet could not. He had to be responsible for his subordinates, for his wife, for his subordinates’ wives, and above all, for that damned train conductor who dumped this burden on him!

So he would rather argue with his subordinates countless times each day, but all the while holding the train in place firmly.

Therefore, Lin Jin didn’t persuade from those angles, but from what would benefit him.

He Jie indeed reacted, like a fierce tiger, coldly watching the two from the other side, then sneered, looking to Xiaoba beside him, "Master Eight, do you think the same?"

Xiaoba shook his head, "The train cannot be without a Tier Three presence; with Su outside, I must be inside."

This answer surprised He Jie, and his expression finally eased a little.

But only just a little.

A touch of self-mockery appeared on his stern face, "Does that mean without him, I can’t command you all?"

"No!" Lin Jin solemnly replied, "The train conductor is the train conductor, while you will always be my corps commander. As long as you issue an order, the Armed Corps will flatten the road ahead, whether it’s a mountain of blades or a sea of flames. It’s not just me charging, but anyone, everyone! No one will regret, no one will hesitate, just like during the Four Nations War."

"Anyone?"

Though He Jie still had a stern face, he felt much better inside. The continual arguments exhausted not only his mind and reason, but also his emotions and feelings.

He even felt a bit of failure as a corps commander.

"What if today I don’t let you go?"

Hearing He Jie’s near-unreasonable order, Lin Jin chuckled silently but maintained a serious demeanor, "Then I would resolutely execute the order, at most grumble a bit internally."

Suddenly, He Jie burst into laughter, gritting his teeth he mocked, "There are numerous people who want to kill me, one more doesn’t matter, one less doesn’t either!"

Lin Jin saluted, "Yes!"

Just as he turned, from behind came He Jie’s low roar, "Get out! I don’t want to hear your muttering now, when you come back alive, you can yap all you want, now just get the hell out!"

Lin Jin took a deep breath, swallowing back the slight dampness in his eyes, turned his head, and solemnly saluted again.

On the other side, He Jie didn’t even lift his head.

Xiaoba, sensitive to emotions, felt He Jie’s sorrow but didn’t know how to comfort this bear-like man; the orphanage hadn’t taught this class, should he use Sister Xingzi’s way instead?

Imagining himself saying to He Jie, "Would you like a hug?" Xiaoba shuddered, saluted, and followed out.

In the corridor, Xiaoba watched Lin Jin exhale deeply, suddenly thought, "If you go to the Eternal Night Zone, what about Sister Box?"

Lin Jin looked relaxed, "Today’s farewell is for a grander reunion in the future."

Aunt Yu, although never inquired about the train conductor’s departure, her sorrowful emotions had yet to subside, causing the entire train’s women to feel sad. The women couldn’t resolve the problem but would go home to blame the men.

This was also why He Jie never rested, staying in the train head, bearing even more pressure at home.

Thinking about another resentful wife soon to be on the train, Xiaoba shivered uncontrollably; one was already like this, what if there was another?

"You better explain that to Sister Box yourself, I’m off."

Xiaoba waved his hand, leaving in a hurry. As an orphan, he was the least skilled at handling these complex emotions. Previously, when Yu Jing spoke to him, it hit his heart a bit, but now he was somewhat grateful.

He wondered what Sister Yu Jing was busy with, not having seen her in days.

Thinking this, Xiaoba headed towards the Cultivation Pod at the back.

With the train conductor gone and Lin Jin about to journey far, as the top expert on the train, he must take responsibility, not leaving everything for He Jie to carry alone.

Just a few steps in, Xiaoba saw Zhong You approach the train head with a stern face. Compared to Lin Jin, he was the complete opposite.

If Lin Jin was valiant and handsome, Zhong You was stern and aloof. Although he had joined the Armed Corps early, he often kept his distance from the Officer Corps and was indifferent to the small circles like Black Kite brought in by Shu Wei.

He rarely interacted with even his squadmates, spending each day training his ability, eating, and sleeping, precise like a machine.