"I'm afraid they'll run."
When Lin Xian said that, not just Hu Lushou but even Sun Chang were stunned, looking at Lin Xian in disbelief.
Qian Dele and Monica exchanged odd glances as well. They had thought playing desert bandits was just a joke, but now, from the sound of it, this guy wasn't just acting like a bandit leader—he was planning to take on Ping’an City?
KIKI chuckled beside him, her face glowing slightly. Lin Xian’s plans always seemed counterintuitive at first glance but proved to be incredibly foresighted.
Lin Xian knew well—the real danger was the night.
Even with everyone working together, surviving through the night wasn't guaranteed. But if someone stabbed them in the back, it could wipe them all out.
No amount of defense could match the destructive force of Tang Hai and Crimson World's track sabotage.
The United Train was about to head into uncharted territory. And with sand bandits being a potential threat, the sooner they were dealt with, the better. Humans were way better at creating trouble for their own kind than the Eerie Entities ever could be.
Right now, Lin Xian had over four thousand people on the United Train, more than a thousand armed with tactical-grade power armor, plus countless Rampage-level Ability Users. Their firepower was enough to rival a Starfleet battalion. Why tiptoe around sand bandits?
The data packet from Brother J’s Iron Alliance transmission revealed that these sand bandits each had their own territory. They weren’t unified, and their interests were tangled up. Coincidentally, Hu Lushou and the surrounding area near Akesai involved several of the main bandit groups. For Lin Xian, that was a golden opportunity.
"Captain Lin…" Hu Lushou's eyes widened. "You… what do you mean?"
"When was your original evacuation plan?"
"The day after tomorrow."
"How many convoys?"
"Three, plus ours makes four. The biggest one is the Dawn Convoy—over two hundred people, lots of heavy weapons. The others are the Safe Haven Convoy and the Akesai Brotherhood—small convoys. All together, just four to five hundred people. We’ve checked—none of them are marked with the Dark Mark."
"You’re pretty cautious."
Lin Xian leaned forward from the couch, snapped his fingers, and motioned him to come closer. Then he whispered his plan to him.
"What?!" Hu Lushou's eyes nearly popped out. "That’s… that’s insane…"
Before he could finish, Lin Xian casually dropped something into the glass in front of them with a clink, then said in a tempting tone:
"So, Boss Hu—how about we team up again?"
Hu Lushou’s pupils constricted the moment he saw what was in the glass. He took a sharp breath. "Alright! I’m all in! I’m putting it all on you, Captain Lin!"
16:20 PM, Lin Xian and his group exited the Black Rose Bar, all wearing sand masks to cover their faces, then drove straight back the way they came.
Outside Akesai, the setting sun scorched the horizon, and heatwaves shimmered above the land.
Two off-road vehicles sped through a gravelly desert stretch, arriving at a hidden windbreak canyon. There, a makeshift camp of two armored base vehicles and over a dozen other types of vehicles came into view.
Closer inspection revealed the camp was occupied by Bao Yuanyuan and her crew.
"Ms. Chen, three o’clock, clear the airspace."
"Got it."
Chen Sixuan, dressed in desert-toned wind gear, squatted on top of a base vehicle and calmly fired a sniper shot toward the space behind Lin Xian’s convoy.
Boom!
The sniper’s roar echoed through the wasteland. A small, concealed drone exploded midair just behind them, bursting into a small fireball.
KIKI glanced back, frowning. "That drone operator… I could never spot them. No way they’re using a long-range signal, right?"
Monica, in the back seat, chuckled. "He’s an Ability User. Well-trained, great at hiding. He was behind that wind-eroded rock the whole time."
"That explains it."
Clunk clunk—the two vehicles pulled up in front of the camp. Lin Xian immediately had Lü Chang lead a team to chase in the direction Monica mentioned.
"He’s gone already. Probably can’t catch up," Chen Sixuan said seriously as she got down from the vehicle, seeing Lin Xian approach.
Lin Xian looked back, then smiled. "We spotted their drone. If we don’t send someone to investigate, wouldn’t that be impolite?"
From the front car, Ning Jing stepped out with Xiao Qing and A Bai. She glanced around the camp, then looked curiously at Lin Xian. "I thought you called in backup because you were worried we’d run into trouble in Akesai. Turns out it was all for show?"
"No, no," Lin Xian smiled helplessly. "Sis Ning, don’t give me that much credit. I really was worried we’d run into trouble, so I had the team lying low around Akesai, ready to assist. It was only after I learned what was going on that I changed the plan last-minute."
Qian Dele stared at him, amazed. "So you knew someone was tailing us all along? And you let it slide on purpose?"
"Of course. You forget Lin Xian’s a Mechanical Ability User? How could he not notice a drone on his tail?" KIKI yawned. "But that guy was like a lizard—totally silent. Really sneaky."
Monica walked over, adjusting her scarf in the dusty wind. "Those sand bandits started following us the moment we left the Black Rose Bar. They saw us enter the basement and assumed we were a convoy allied with Hu Lushou, so of course they wanted to investigate."
Lin Xian looked at her. "What else did you hear?"
Monica folded her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. "Plenty. They debated whose boobs and butt were bigger—mine or Ning Jing’s. Wondered how many of us were part of your harem. Commented on your stamina, Old Qian’s preferences, KIKI’s measurements… They trashed each of us, and you guys got roasted too. The language was disgusting. Want to hear the highlights?"
Silence fell. Everyone stared at her in stunned awkwardness.
Seeing their reactions, Monica shrugged and laughed dryly. "Told you—I’m not into eavesdropping for fun."
Sometimes knowing too much is a burden. Luckily, Monica had a strong ego. Unlike most women, she saw men’s crass chatter as confirmation of her charm—and a window into their hypocrisy.
Ahem.
Lin Xian cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "I meant the sand bandit info."
"They’ve been targeting the Fu Lu Shou Convoy—that big fish—for a while now. And now that we’ve worked with Hu Lushou, they’ve basically mapped out all the convoy alliances." Monica’s expression turned serious. "If Hu Lushou makes a move, they’ll strike first."
"Now they suspect we’re allied with Hu Lushou too. That’s why they tailed us—trying to gauge our numbers and firepower."
Lin Xian nodded just as Lü Chang returned with a dozen people, looking sheepish.
"Captain Lin… he got away."
"Good," Lin Xian let out a deep breath.
"Huh?" Lü Chang was confused. They’d failed—how could that be good?
Lin Xian glanced over the Gobi desert, where nightfall loomed. He straightened up and addressed the group.
"Alright, time to go. Hu Lushou said the desert at night is dangerous as hell. We need to get back and prep early."
Everyone agreed. Engines roared, and the convoy pulled out, vanishing into the swirling sand.
Akesai, Black Rose Bar, Basement.
Hu Lushou paced anxiously, his face tense.
"Dmn it, dmn it… I just wanted to make some clean money. Why’s that so hard?"
Sun Chang stood quietly nearby, expression flat. It’s the end of the world—what part of that says ‘peaceful’ to you? she said coldly, "It's getting dark, boss."
"I know, I know!"
Hu Lushou’s eyes darted around, then landed on a glass on the low table.
Inside was a dark-gold Iron Alliance Token—a life-signal packaging device.
He knew exactly what that meant. Lin Xian had taken out an Iron Alliance member, yet dared to strut into Akesai with just a few people. That either meant the Alliance's threats didn’t work on him, or they were too scared to act—or maybe Lin Xian had cracked their signal recognition system.
Either way, it meant Lin Xian had serious power and resources.
He remembered back at Hengshan Pass Stadium, when Lin Xian built a Roarer K23 Electric Gatling Gun right before his eyes. That was when he first realized how terrifying Mechanical Abilities could be.
Staring at the token, Hu Lushou’s eyes sharpened.
"Call them." Searᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Sun Chang turned and left immediately.
Twenty minutes later, in a private booth of the Black Rose Bar, more than a dozen people had gathered, split into four factions.
The largest group was the Dawn Convoy, led by a slightly chubby man in his forties named Lu Zhao, dressed in tactical gear with a stern face. With over two hundred members, heavy-duty electric trucks, and anti-air weapons, they were a solid mid-tier convoy.
Another group—three men and two women—seemed more tense than the others. Their gear was disorganized but complete—tactical flashlights, daggers, firearms, water bottles. They were the Akesai Brotherhood, a newly formed group of survivors from various convoys shattered by sand bandits in the Western Gobi. Their leader, Xie Guan, was a weathered man in his thirties who had managed to unite the remaining fragments into something more substantial, though they were still under-equipped and weak.
The last group was the Safe Haven Convoy, with around sixty members but solid gear and decent combat strength. Their leader, Wu Dapeng, was a middle-aged man and probably the most approachable person in the room.
Hu Lushou sat with his second-in-command Sun Chang across from them, having his people pour drinks.
"Boss Hu, I thought we weren’t evacuating until the day after tomorrow. Why gather us now?" Lu Zhao from the Dawn Convoy frowned and lowered his voice. "Our scouts spotted Sand Scorpion Gang activity near Broken Stream Valley today. Those sand bandits are watching Akesai like hawks, not even trying to hide. There must be spies in the city. If they find out we’re teaming up, we’re screwed."
“No big deal,” Hu Lushou laughed, patting his chest. “My convoy’s still parked here, isn’t it? What the h*ll are they worried about? Besides, I helped them make a ton without lifting a finger—they ought to worship me like their ancestor. What idiot would cut off a steady stream of money?”
“Hah.”
Lu Zhao sneered, looking Hu Lushou in the eye. “You might be fooling others, but don’t fool yourself. Sure, the toll idea was yours, but you’re not irreplaceable. You’ve been collecting fees here for over two weeks. I bet they’ve been planning to eat you alive—bones and all—and start collecting themselves. Why would they keep giving you a cut?”
He squinted, smirking. “You’re picking fleas off a tiger while the tiger’s eyeing your throat. If that weren’t the case, you wouldn’t be trying to team up and make a run for it. Am I wrong?”
At that, Xie Guan of the Akesai Brotherhood chimed in. “All the other convoys inside the city have formed alliances. At first light, they’re heading into the uncharted zone. If no new convoys show up, and only a few of us are left behind, any secret meeting like this is bound to stir suspicion. If the sand bandits catch wind of something, they’ll definitely get ideas.”
Wu Dapeng of the Safe Haven Convoy looked around, concerned. “Altogether, we’ve got maybe five hundred people, right? Would the sand bandits really dare storm the city head-on?”
“Tch!” Lu Zhao scoffed, his face jiggling with disdain. “Come on, Captain Wu, that ‘five hundred’ includes the old, the sick, the kids. We’ve got maybe three hundred who can actually fight. The sand bandit convoys don’t have to babysit anyone.”
That hit hard—Xie Guan and Wu Dapeng both looked grim. Wu quickly turned to Hu Lushou. “Boss Hu, didn’t you say you could contact the Red Assault Team from the Star Guard forces? Any word?”
“Yeah,” Lu Zhao jumped in. “We’ve taken some of your sweet deals, sure—but you promised a safe route to Quancheng and claimed you could reach the Red Assault Team. That’s the only reason I’m willing to risk crossing the bandits with you.”
He wasn’t lying. His convoy had decent strength—he could’ve joined another team or just paid the toll and left. But he wasn’t convinced that toll was anything more than a temporary pass. And joining another convoy might help, but crossing thousands of kilometers of no-man’s-land with rumors of eerie creatures? Not a risk he liked. Lu Zhao preferred battles with known odds, which was why he turned to Hu Lushou for solid info—and got suckered into this alliance.
The Akesai Brotherhood saw things differently. As a small, weak convoy with no real voice in city alliances, joining this united team offered safety and benefits. Xie Guan’s people had lost friends and family to sand bandits. Most of them were burning with hate—eager to fight back. They were actually the ones backing Hu Lushou the hardest.
“Alright, I’ll say it straight,” Hu Lushou raised his voice, wearing a bold expression. “I gathered you here before dark to tell you—the Red Assault Team isn’t coming. They’re stationed at Sand Serpent Pass right now. We can’t wait. The evacuation plan has to change!”
“Change? When?” someone asked.
Hu Lushou’s eyes darted around before he firmed up and said, “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Lu Zhao frowned. “You serious?”
“Dead serious,” Hu said firmly.
Wu Dapeng looked surprised. “Boss Hu… you’re not planning to sneak out with those other convoys before dawn, are you?”
That question hit home for the others too. Lu Zhao’s face hardened. “Boss Hu, those other convoys won’t take us with them.”
“They won’t,” Hu Lushou waved it off. “Didn’t I say? I’ve got my own way.”
Lu Zhao narrowed his eyes. “You sure the Red Assault Team is really going to meet us?”
“Trust me.” Hu chuckled, signaling everyone to stay calm. “I wouldn’t gamble on something like this if I wasn’t confident. Just stick to the plan. Tomorrow morning, all convoys regroup, fully armed and loaded. Stay sharp—we should be crossing into the Akesai uncharted zone by noon.”
The room fell silent.
Xie Guan was the first to nod. “Alright, Boss Hu. I’ll go get everything ready.”
Lu Zhao stared at Hu Lushou for a long moment, then slapped his thigh. “Fine. We’re in this together now—no point in second-guessing everything. In this world, every step is a roll of the dice. Even if we survive this one, who knows what’s next. I’ve been through worse—f*ck it!”
Wu Dapeng, however, looked tense. “There might be spies in the city watching us. If we move tomorrow, we’ll draw attention. I suggest we keep things low-key tonight.”
“Well, no sh*t,” Lu Zhao snorted. “Like we’re planning a fireworks show? I’d rather avoid those sand ants altogether. If we run into an Eerie Entity tonight, that’d be the real nightmare.”
He turned to Xie Guan. “You guys should move your convoy into the city tonight. Find a wider space. If you get hit like last night again, no one’s gonna be able to help you.”
Xie Guan nodded solemnly, the memory still fresh.
“Alright, that’s all. Let’s move,” Lu Zhao said, standing up first.
Just like that, the secret alliance meeting ended.
As dusk fell, a heavy tension blanketed the survivor convoys around Akesai. People started double-checking their vehicles—some even stuffed the air intakes with sponge to keep dust out. After handing out supplies, many began locking their armor plates and doors, readying for the worst.
In the basement of the Black Rose Bar, Hu Lushou was busy gathering his loot.
Thanks to his sharp mind, he’d made a killing in just over a week—over a hundred Eerie Blood Crystals and tons of rare, valuable goods.
What the bandits didn’t know—or didn’t care about—was that Hu hadn’t charged every convoy the “five people, one blood crystal” rate. He often gave discounts or traded favors instead. That so-called “Safe Badge” had been handed out plenty. That’s why so many convoys in Akesai didn’t hold any serious grudge against him.
For large convoys, the badge was a handy way to avoid trouble and get useful info. Paying a little was worth the convenience.
For smaller ones, even with the badge, they never felt truly safe. That’s why they sought alliances. In a way, Hu Lushou actually did them a favor—unions boosted survival odds, and the sand bandits were just one piece of the puzzle.
“Tomorrow might be a real bloodbath,” Sun Chang said flatly from the basement door.
“No sh*t…” Hu Lushou exhaled hard. “We’ve gotta find a real base before we can do anything big. In this world, until you’ve got power, everyone sees you as a fat sheep.”
He glanced at his stash, eyes watery. “Poor me… made all this dough, and haven’t even had a chance to enjoy it…”
He grabbed a bottle of high-end whiskey and took a fierce swig.
Sun Chang rolled her eyes, then turned to start prepping their evacuation.
Meanwhile, under the blood-orange sunset, a single vehicle slipped out of Akesai and sped toward a ruined roadside motel.
With a swirl of dust, the car stopped. Two figures stepped out, glanced around, then headed inside.
The place was wrecked—dust-covered tables, decaying furniture, and a few shriveled corpses on the floor. The two people were none other than Wu Dapeng of the Safe Haven Convoy and one of his men.
Gone was his friendly demeanor. His eyes were sharp and cold. Standing in the center of the lobby, he called out:
“Stop hiding. It’s almost dark. Let’s get this over with.”
In the corner, a shadow peeled away from the wall. A bald young man with a tattooed face emerged, his body blending with the background like a chameleon.
Chewing gum, the bald guy swaggered out. “Talk.”
“Hu changed the plan. He’s making his move tomorrow morning. Go tell the boss now,” Wu Dapeng said, voice low and venomous.
“With the other convoys?”
“No. He’s taking Sand Serpent Pass—claims he’s linked up with the Red Assault Team.”
“Bullsh*t!” the bald guy laughed. “That whole place is under our control. What a joke.”
“I didn’t call him out,” Wu sneered. “That bastard’s been trying to run for a while now. Now he’s suckered a few convoys into following him. Thought he could slip away from us and the Red Vulture Gang? Please. The boss saw through it from day one. He just kept Hu around to open the route for us. Let him live a few extra days.”
The bald man nodded. “Got it. I’ll head back right away. Tomorrow, none of them leave Akesai alive. Heard Hu’s filthy rich now—his crew alone should feed us for half a month.”
“And that Dawn Convoy seems decent too.”
Wu Dapeng sneered, “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of things from the inside. They won’t last long.”
“Oh, right.” He looked over. “That convoy I told you to tail—any intel? They had contact with Hu. Might’ve gotten roped in too.”
“Tch!”
The bald guy snorted. “Bunch of pretty boys and girls. I thought it was some elite unit with top-tier gear. Turns out it’s a d*mn rookie convoy—forty people max!”
“You sure?” Wu frowned. “I had a gut feeling about them at the bar. Didn’t seem ordinary. Could they be an elite team of Ability Users?”
“Pfft!” the bald guy scoffed. “I tracked them for thirty miles with a drone. No one even noticed. Ability Users, my *ss. I scoped their camp—maybe ten vehicles, two decent ones. The rest? Total noobs. Couldn’t even keep up with my shadow. If the boss hadn’t told me not to spook them, I’d have iced a few already.”
Wu Dapeng’s eyes lit up. “F***, good thing you didn’t. Those women in that group? Damn, top-grade.”
“What?” The bald guy gave him a sly look. “You’re not worried they’ll side with Hu?”
“Tch!”
Wu Dapeng glared. “I’m afraid they’ll run!”