You Call This a Road?!

-Volume III: Cradle of humankind and First Enemy-

The morning sun lazily spilled into the train station, illuminating the train parked quietly on the ARC City platform. A journey that took less than half an hour before the Great Honkai Eruption had stretched into a full day and night for this sparsely populated train, finally pulling into the station last evening.

Inside a carriage, Shu's eyes were fixed on the bedside clock, watching the second hand tick towards the top. The instant the alarm blared, he silenced it.

He rolled over, facing the ceiling, and sighed deeply. Then, with brisk efficiency, he sat up, quickly dressed, and opened the curtains.

Through the station's glass roof, towering skyscrapers, far surpassing even Shanghai's in scale, dominated the skyline. From this distance, the city seemed to be still slumbering from the previous night, as if it would soon awaken and dazzle visitors with its vibrant energy.

But Shu knew this city wouldn't be waking up anytime soon… at least, not for a while.

His gaze lingered on the tallest building in his view, pausing briefly on the four faded characters adorning its facade before he looked away, donned his jacket, and left the compartment.

"Morning~~" Kiana's greeting ended in a long yawn. Her normally bright eyes were narrowed to slits, and she sat at the dining table listlessly.

Watching Kiana mechanically stuff a baozi (steamed white bread) into her mouth and Bronya calmly eating hers beside her, Shu couldn't help but sigh as he sat down.

"If you're still tired, go back to sleep… We won't leave without you…" Shu picked up a baozi himself, refraining from mimicking Kiana's whole-bun-in-one-go approach. There's no one competing with her, what's the rush?

These weren't frozen baozi. Mei had made them from scratch, starting with the dough, and they had a distinct, delicious aroma.

Shu glanced down. The skin of the baozi in his hand was so thin it looked like it might tear. How did Mei manage to enclose such a large filling in such a delicate wrapper?

Intrigued but hungry, Shu, fearing a spillage, also sped up his eating pace.

Soon, the others trickled into the dining car. Usually, Shu was the last to arrive. Today, having risen on time, he saw who the "suspected sleepyheads" were.

Fu Hua was the first… No, wait. Judging by Li Sushang's state, she was likely the one who had overslept.

Otto and Kallen appeared together, the latter sporting the same sleepy-eyed expression as Kiana, and immediately started eating upon sitting down.

Theresa and Himeko hadn't risen yet, but they weren't needed today. In fact, only four people were scheduled to leave the train and venture into ARC City: Shu, Kiana, Mei, and Bronya.

Their primary mission was to secure weapons and equipment for the train. The few pistols they had scavenged in the back alleys of Shanghai were a joke, hardly befitting Fire Moth.

An organization that large, Shu thought, and their entire arsenal consists of one sword each and a handful of rusty pistols? Even a street gang would laugh at that!

While Shu could, with the help of [Prayers] and Otto's guidance, conjure weapons out of thin air, the idea was quickly discarded after Otto inquired about the energy expenditure. Draining Shu completely wouldn't yield a second Titan mech, let alone enough weapons to equip over a hundred people.

The energy needed to fire a single shot was less than a thousandth of the energy required to create the gun itself. It was more efficient to assemble a basic, even fragile, fire team than to exhaust Shu's [Prayers] just so he could go in guns blazing.

However, building a proper arsenal for Fire Moth remained a necessity, and Otto had laid out two options: either provide a steady stream of materials and sufficient time for them to cobble together a rudimentary weapons industry, or bring back enough weapons and capture a couple of functional weapons factories.

Shu had quipped, "How about I just conquer ARC City for you?"

Otto gave him a long look. "I wouldn't object."

You're actually entertaining the thought! Shu rolled his eyes at Otto.

With a full breakfast, Shu led Kiana (now fully awake), Mei, and Bronya off the train. Otto stood at the door, watching the four walk out of the station before closing it behind them.

Himeko and the others weren't idle. While Shu's team focused on weapons and supplies, they were tasked with gathering food, clothing, other necessities, and fuel for the train.

ARC City, a bustling metropolis, boasted abundant resources, especially within its inner districts, excluding the outermost areas. The train station was located near the city center, and Himeko, Fu Hua, and a select group of Fire Moth trainees were to explore the surrounding area.

Considering the transportation of the mechs and the possibility of other survivors in ARC City, Shu and his team would be gone for several days and nights. Otto's mission was to have a structured Fire Moth ready for their return.

Though he'll likely be sidelined by me… Otto chuckled and opened his notebook, its pages filled with his meticulously written plans in Chinese.

…

"Whoa… these buildings are so tall…" Stepping out of the station, Kiana gazed up at the towering skyscrapers lining the streets and the intricate network of highways and light rail tracks overhead.

"ARC City was one of the most developed cities in Shenzhou, and even the world, before the Great Honkai Eruption. Its population was over thirty million…" Mei explained.

Her voice faltered when she mentioned "population" before trailing off.

"Meaning… statistically, there could still be tens of thousands of survivors here." Shu's calm voice broke the awkward silence. Sometimes, they had to face the grim realities.

"Yes… I hope they're all safe," Mei said, her tone somber.

Even ARC City couldn't escape the desolate, empty feeling of a deserted city. The wide streets were eerily vacant, devoid of even vehicles. The city's inhabitants had relied on its extensive light rail system, making cars a less common sight.

Glancing upwards, Shu immediately understood why. Is that supposed to be a road up there? he thought. That tangled mess is more like a steel wool ball than a road!