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Chapter 361: Chapter 361: The Requirements for the First Ability User

"And then?" Chen Xuan grunted. Even if the train car could indeed be successfully separated, each section was still a giant object, and the firepower these people had was probably inadequate.

Could they possibly get their hands on high-yield nuclear weapons?

Even if the Fireline Band had such weapons, they couldn’t be used in the subway tunnels—otherwise, the entire subway station system connected to the tunnels would become an outlet for the thermonuclear explosion’s shockwave, not to mention whether it could completely destroy the ghost subway, the people in the shelter would certainly be doomed.

Lin Qing signaled Ji to turn on the projector.

A three-dimensional map of the underground project was slowly displayed.

Chen Xuan immediately recognized that this area was the Binjiang Garden Subway Station in Sha Jiang District, as the wide riverbed and Sha River Bridge next to the station were too conspicuous.

Lin Qing walked up to the map and pointed to the Sha River side, "Do you see those two tunnels across the river?"

Two thick concrete tunnels were buried below the riverbed, extending all the way toward Lu Mountain.

"We direct the ghost subway here and then destroy the tunnels!" She made a fist gesture, "This way, the cars will gush out from the break and fall onto the dried-up riverbed!"

"Interesting." Chen Xuan rubbed his chin... If the ghost train could be dragged out from underground, then using high-yield nuclear weapons wouldn’t be so constrained. Although the detonation at this distance would still cause severe damage to Binjiang Garden Station, such a cost might be acceptable as long as it could eliminate the large nano-living body. "How big of a nuclear bomb are you planning to use?"

"Nuclear bomb?" Lin Qing and Ji both paused, "Who said we were going to use that?"

"Not using it? Then how are you going to destroy the car?"

"That’s the last step, and it doesn’t require us to do it." Ji explained, "We only need to make some noise on the riverbed to attract the Celestial Patrol, who will eliminate the ghost subway for us."

Using a nano-living body to deal with another nano-living body?

"They’ll kill each other?" Chen Xuan was quite interested in this.

"Of course, we have observed the phenomenon of one nano-living body devouring another more than once. In short, they are all made up of nano worms, compatible with each other, and because each is a separate entity, disputes naturally arise." Lin Qing said proudly, "I can confidently say that among everyone in Jiang City, no one has a deeper understanding of nano-living bodies than us."

Such words seem to have been said by the familiar Lin Qing he knew.

Nano-living bodies are not a single race.

Humans, although unable to communicate with them, can sense that they have their own unique way of thinking.

The bureau underestimated this threat, which ultimately allowed the out-of-control nano-living bodies to become the root cause of humanity’s destruction.

To be honest, the Fireline Band’s plan is quite comprehensive.

First, dismantle the ghost subway to weaken its overall strength, reducing the chance that it can ignore the destroyed tunnels and directly rush to the other side. Moreover, once off the tracks, the ghost subway’s actions will be limited, and it will take a significant amount of time to reassemble, whereas the Celestial Patrol can arrive instantly, and the outcome when they clash is self-evident.

"Your plan sounds good." Chen Xuan commented.

"It’s not just good, it’s the survivors’ only method of self-rescue!" Lin Qing said unreservedly, "I know they suffered heavy losses battling large nano-living bodies before, to the point they don’t want to take any risks now. But living in such an extremely dangerous environment, being overly conservative means waiting for death."

"You have also seen the outcome at Youyuan Station, the ghost subway didn’t kill everyone, but its incursion into the upper levels caused the subway station’s defense system to fail, and people fled the stronghold unprepared, ultimately being attacked by other nano-living bodies. The cameras didn’t capture the subsequent scenes, but we estimate that these people’s fates are grim."

Undoubtedly, in Lin Qing and the others’ view, such "cross-boundary behavior" will inevitably happen at other subway stations sooner or later.

Therefore, survivors must take action immediately.

The problem is, among the surviving residents now, the vast majority have been terrified by the nano-living bodies. Chen Xuan realized that the survivors’ sneers at members of the Fireline Band were not because of arrogance, thinking it was all a false façade fabricated by the band’s searchers, but because they had lost the courage to fight the nano-living bodies, instinctively rejecting any action requiring combat.

Their outbursts of curses and defamation are merely disguises for their inner cowardice.

Lin Qing probably understands this too.

Thus, she doesn’t choose to talk with the stronghold leaders, as they also cannot oppose public opinion.

She stands in a crowded area, loudly calling out, seeking those few remaining indomitable individuals.

"This plan will still result in many deaths." Ji added, "A team must attract the nano-living bodies’ attention inside the subway station to buy enough time for those boarding the train. But we are all willing to take this risk, which is also the founding purpose of the Fireline Band."

After saying this, she shook a badge hanging on her outfit.

Chen Xuan saw a steel badge printed with the silhouette of Jiang City, with a line of small words below: We Will Preserve the City Forever.

"I understand." He nodded, "I fully agree with your judgment. What’s the next step? To ferret out the Evangelicals hiding in Sha Jiang Station and force information from them on how to coexist with nano-living bodies?"

"Absolutely not!" Lin Qing decisively vetoed it, "Do you think we’re an enforcement team? Directly arresting people from the stronghold would surely provoke local residents’ resistance and hostility, and all they have to do is move a finger and those electromagnetic cannons could blow our camp to smithereens."

"What about luring them out and then capturing them?" Chen Xuan asked again.

"What were you... previously engaged in?" They looked at him suspiciously, "Without conclusive evidence, we can’t touch anyone around the stronghold. Unless the Evangelicals are attracted by our propaganda, willing to come with us, only then can we interrogate them without getting the stronghold involved."

"So your public announcements weren’t just recruiting teammates, you were looking for enemies too?"

"Not so much." Lin Qing shrugged, "The Evangelicals probably think like most residents of the stronghold: with just our meager strength, wanting to overcome the ghost subway, one of the five overlords? Just a bunch of noisy doomed individuals."

"..." Chen Xuan was speechless. She clearly knew the reality of her propaganda’s impact, "If you’re not grabbing people from the stronghold, then where do you intend to get them from?"

"Of course, from the gathering places of the Evangelicals." The other party replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "The less we rely on weapons and equipment during the confrontation, the less likely we are to attract nano-living bodies. Similarly, Evangelicals will monitor the ’signal blind spots’ generated by protective suits, so those performing this task should ideally not wear them to produce a surprise effect."

Chen Xuan scratched his head, "But not wearing protective suits will attract nano-living bodies, isn’t that a catch-22?"

"Well, there are people who can balance both." Lin Qing spoke in an instructive tone, "Fighting without relying on weapons, taking off protective suits when approaching the target location, rushing into the enemy’s encampment at maximum speed, and finishing the battle before the nano-living bodies appear—that’s precisely what Ability Users are good at, isn’t it?"

So that’s why they hope to recruit more Ability Users.

"I thought Ability Users were the main force boarding the train."

"Not all Evangelicals are Ability Users, as long as we grasp their secret of not being hostile to large nano-living bodies, ordinary people can also board the ghost subway." Ji said.

"Makes sense." Chen Xuan nodded, "I happen to have a few companions who are very skilled, capturing some people will be a piece of cake. So you don’t need to waste your breath at the subway station, I’ll take care of it for you."

Lin Qing’s eyebrows shot up, "Mr. Chen, Evangelicals may be a bit mad, but they’re not that easy to deal with—"

"I said I can do it and I can, you don’t need to allocate any more manpower." Chen Xuan interrupted her, "But I have one condition."

"Yuyan" regarded him skeptically for a moment, then asked, "What’s the condition?"

"To sleep over one night in the stronghold." He stated word by word.