"Qin Feng? Who’s that?"

"Never heard of him."

"A new name that just showed up on the Light of Human Evolution leaderboard," Jiang Yun said, opening a display and passing it around. "Based on his ability index, this guy’s already hit Angel-level. Rumor has it he once soloed an A-class Aberrant. He’s now a major person of interest for the Federation."

"What’s strange is, there’s absolutely no info about him before this," Ren Huiyan added, arms crossed.

"That’s not unusual. It’s the apocalypse. Even the Phoenix Society's data is a mess right now—let alone some random convoy," Ning Jing chimed in.

Jiang Yun shrugged. "Still, someone with Angel-level abilities, especially mechanical powers, staying completely off the radar? That’s hard to believe."

He glanced at Lin Xian. "Your name’s well-known now, whether in the Federation or the Phoenix Society. Most of the convoys in Dawn City have heard of what you guys have done. That’s why we find this so strange."

"Not to mention, he got his hands on the Silverstar."

Jian Xuwei’s expression darkened. "The Silverstar’s been docked at the Star City orbital station under Wen Dong’s control. How did he get it?"

"That’s the key point," KIKI said. "It means this guy’s got some serious background—either he’s backed by someone high up in the Federation, or he paid a heavy price to get it from the Wen family."

"Buying the Silverstar would cost a fortune," Jiang Yun said solemnly. "Director Jian has kept upgrading that train—it’s consumed tons of resources. At this point, it can do almost anything short of flying. The Federation knows its value. And it’s not just the Federation—plenty of convoys know about it too."

"Which is why this recruitment plan looks so tempting," Monica added with a faint smile.

"Exactly."

Jiang Yun continued, "Mechanical abilities are basically legendary now—people say they can 'ignite civilization.' It’s one of the top-tier abilities. This recruitment campaign has been live for less than six hours, and already over 100,000 people have signed up. You can imagine."

"100,000?!" KIKI looked shocked. "There’s no way the Silverstar can fit that many."

"That’s not the point. The bar to join is insanely high. Even regular members need to be Diamond-tier or above. Only Berserk and Destruction-tier Awakened can bring a limited number of family members. And it’s not just about ability index—they’re screening for power types too. There’s even an underground ability combat tournament happening in the Galagher Black Market as part of the recruitment."

Everyone’s expression shifted slightly at that.

Lu Xingchen, on the other hand, looked intrigued at the mention of combat.

"Then it's pretty clear this is tied to the Federation," Jian Xuwei said in a low voice.

"I think so too," Jiang Yun smiled. "The situation’s tense. The Federation’s already worried about major convoys trying to pull out. For this Qin Feng to run a massive recruitment drive under the noses of the City Defense Corps and Night Patrol—it’s no small thing."

Just then, Monica turned her gaze to Lin Xian and asked with a smile,

"What do you think, Captain~?"

Everyone looked toward Lin Xian.

His expression was calm as he gazed out at the mechanical glow of the Night City. "Strictly speaking, apart from the Silverstar, this doesn’t concern us. We came into the city for more important matters. But if we get the chance, we should try to take back the Silverstar. That said, holding a recruitment event this big right now—could it mean someone in the Federation… wants out too?"

"I get what you’re saying," Jian Xuwei’s eyes narrowed slightly. "You’re thinking this might be the Federation’s way of recruiting new blood as well."

"No convoy under their control would be allowed to publicly recruit high-tier Awakened like this. The Federation wouldn’t just turn a blind eye."

KIKI picked up her device and accessed the Dawn City intranet. She pulled up the Light of Human Evolution rankings, which looked more like an entertainment channel than anything. It didn’t just rank by power level—there were popularity boards, profiles, battle records. Survivors even gave people star ratings for combat, leadership, and ability potential.

"Whoa, whoa—check this out!"

KIKI used her fingers to project the interface in hologram:

NO.1 “Starfall” – Yu Huaian

Peak Index: 11,200 Angel-tier (highest in history)

Ability: Gravity Control

Attributes: Combat ★★★★★ | Potential ★★★★★ | Leadership ★★★★★

Battle Record:

* Solo kill: A-class Aberrant “Echo”

* Massive Aberrant tide suppression at Qilian Mountains (over 5,000 kills)

Tags: #UnbeatableAbilities #LeaderAura #Reliable

Affiliation: Wanderers’ Alliance Leader

NO.2 “Iron Curtain” – Mo Qi

Peak Index: 10,800 Angel-tier

Ability: None (Pure Body Technique User)

Attributes: Combat ★★★★★ | Potential ★★☆ | Leadership ★★★★☆

Battle Record:

* Shattered part of Grey Mist Walker’s exoskeleton during the S-tier battle in Dawn City

* Led “Iron Dome” convoy through the Polar Night tide in Shenli City with zero casualties

Tags: #HumanLimit #DisciplineFreak #Anti-Awakening

NO.3 “Mechanical Commander” – Qin Feng

Peak Index: 10,150 Angel-tier

Ability: Mechanical Powers

Attributes: Combat ★★★★★ | Potential ★★★★★ | Leadership ★★★☆

Battle Record: None

"Humanity’s on the verge of being wiped out by the Polar Night, and they’re making 'leaderboards' and 'popularity rankings' like it’s some kind of show?" Ning Jing frowned. "What’s even the point?"

"Can’t see it that way," Qian Dele said calmly. "As ridiculous as it seems, this is a twisted form of civilization’s survival instinct. In times of crisis, people subconsciously crave powerful leaders to lead them out of disaster. It makes sense."

"Exactly," Jian Xuwei agreed. "Recruitment drives are common in Dawn City. Every convoy is trying to grow, hoard resources. Anyone who’s not underground is basically prepping to flee the darkness. So it’s no wonder survivors are going nuts over these powerhouses. Underground fight clubs, ability exchanges, mech mods, weapon deals—anything and everything goes here."

"Are these ability indexes using the same standard as the Phoenix Society’s? Angel-tier seems a bit quick," someone asked.

"Not necessarily. Some people awaken and immediately hit higher-than-average levels. Take Yu Huaian from the Wanderers’ Alliance—he awakened on the Day of Revelation and was already Berserk-tier. He was one of the first tested in the Angel Project," Jiang Yun explained. "And now, with darkness levels rising, yeah there’s more mutation, but those who survive are evolving way faster."

"And S-class kills help too," Jian Xuwei added. "After that big battle, everyone’s numbers started jumping. Didn’t you notice that in Xilan City?"

"We did, just didn’t have time to really think about it," Lin Xian said with a slight sigh.

Since leaving Xilan City, they’d been in constant motion—nearly wiped out in Yijin, then Akesai, then dragged into Star Abyss No. 5.

He definitely noticed how Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum accelerated evolution in the crew. Every Mechanical Source Point he gained was a minimum of 1000. Even the kids and logistics staff had toughened up since the early days.

Raising his hand, Lin Xian projected a light screen. A freshly built Soulwave Index Detector dropped into his palm. He activated it. With the roar of the Mechanical Heart, his ability index surged—3650.

With his extreme coefficient, that translated to 7300, firmly placing him in the Destruction tier—three times his Xilan City value.

He tossed the detector to KIKI and the others.

Their results were shocking:

* KIKI: 4800

* Lu Xingchen: 5300 (Extreme coefficient puts him at 9010, nearly Angel-tier)

—surpassing KIKI’s 7680.

"9010?!" Lin Xian stared at Lu Xingchen. "You’re progressing this fast?"

"Hey hey hey, how come you’re ahead of me now?!" KIKI huffed, retrying the test with all her strength—but couldn’t break 4800.

Lu Xingchen smirked. "Hard work pays off, clearly."

Jiang Yun frowned. "Did you use some kind of forbidden item?"

"...Yeah," Lu Xingchen nodded. "Is that a problem?"

"Forbidden items resonate with more Soulwave value. It’ll affect the readings, but no one cares. It still counts as your strength," Ren Huiyan explained.

"Fine, you win this round," KIKI grumbled, not in the mood to argue.

Lu Xingchen chuckled, "Thanks for the honor~"

Monica, Ning Jing, and the others took turns testing.

Turns out Monica had the highest jump—7400, beating even Lin Xian.

Ning Jing hit 7200, impressive for a pure genetic evolver.

Qian Dele: 6600.

Even Shiori, though not a fighter, hit 6900. She wasn’t surprised—she’d had a routine test with Takashi Ryunosuke a week ago after leaving Xinglan.

"Even at these levels, we’re just now capable of fighting A-tier. Ability growth hasn’t changed the fact that we’re being hunted by the dark. Nothing’s really different," Lin Xian said. "But for humanity, this power surge is a huge deal."

Jiang Yun nodded. "S-class, world-tier, dark invasion, Abyss... we still can’t beat S-class reliably. That’s why the Federation keeps pushing the Curtain Break Plan. Time’s running out."

He checked the time and turned to Lin Xian. "Captain Lin, the curfew lifts after sunrise. The Federation’s still a pain, but at least inside the city it’s temporarily safe. No need to worry too much about Aberrants or zombies... though we shouldn’t let our guard down either."

"You guys can get some rest for now. Our Alliance has people stationed in every part of the old city, gathering intel. It'll definitely help with your next move."

After that, Jiang Yun, Jian Xuwei, Ren Huiyan, and Lin Xian’s team chatted some more about the city’s situation and the actual state of the Alliance’s convoy. Then, Lin Xian told everyone to split up and rest. They’d move again after dawn.

It was 3:00 a.m. Light rain was falling over Night City. Lin Xian sat alone in a room on the top floor, its walls covered in metal plating. He looked out through the slatted window at the view outside.

Dawn City was massive—so vast it stretched beyond the horizon. It had once ranked among the top three most advanced metropolises in the world. Now, it was sealed off by two towering walls, barely maintaining the last functions of human civilization.

Lin Xian recalled something Ye Lan had told him before. He stared at the drizzle outside, feeling an unexpected pang of emotion.

There was a time when his Infinity Train Plan had identified Star City as a key safe haven. After leaving Jiang City, he even believed Star City might be one of the last strongholds untouched under official protection—perhaps a place where some peace could still be found.

Even now, with Dawn City being the final line of Federal resistance, Lin Xian subconsciously didn’t want to see this once-glorious city consumed by darkness. The thought alone brought a deep sense of loss and unease. Even if the journey continued afterward, all that lay ahead would be endless oceans and the countdown to Polar Night.

He pulled out the Soulwave Scanner and activated it. The power reading immediately hit 3650.

But Lin Xian didn’t react. He silently triggered the Hyperstring Reactor’s Phase Ring. A glowing blue arc flared behind him, like a miniature aurora bursting with endless energy—so intense it made the air itself vibrate.

Then, the reading on the scanner shot up—5000!

That meant his ability index had reached 10,000. He had entered the Angel Tier!

Still, Lin Xian showed no surprise. With a thought, he lit up the second Phase Ring. Peak reading: 7000. Index: 14,000!

Buzz!

The third Phase Ring ignited. Peak: 9000. Index: 18,000!

Zzzzz—

The scanner in his hand started screeching under overload. The entire metal-paneled room gave off subtle whines from the massive energy flux, like a collapsing energy core had formed inside. Invisible matter was burning through space. Even the ceiling light flickered out of place.

"Hoo..."

Lin Xian let out a deep breath and shut down the Phase Ring. The room returned to stillness as if nothing had happened.

He put away the now-damaged scanner. The result hadn’t surprised him. The core of his Mechanical Heart, when enhanced by the Hyperstring Phase Ring, scaled exponentially in power. Even without the Gemini-11R, he was confident he could pilot the Infinity along the 320,000-kilometer Star Orbit endlessly—until the world ended.

"Angel Tier... Ten months left in this world. How far can humanity evolve?"

"Will we have a shot at striking back? Or just flee to some distant star?"

Lin Xian logged into Dawn City's internal network anonymously. Recruitment, aid, alliances, resource exchange, ability forums, exosuits, weapon depots, survival routes—beyond these essentials, the rest of the content was pure human decay under pressure.

Conspiracy theories, doomsday cults, unfiltered propaganda—the Federation only bothered to moderate posts that touched sensitive interests. It was likely just a way to let off steam. Even porn was publicly accessible, unrestricted.

In a twisted way, Lin Xian thought the Federation was being smart. Let the armed survivors vent their rage online—it actually made them easier to control. Or maybe the authorities had just stopped caring. After all, how much time did this world have left?

He set a timer for himself. But he didn’t sleep. Instead, he began adjusting the production lines in his Blackstar Forge.

[Congratulations! Your Mechanical Engineering has leveled up to LV.6!]

No surprise there. All five lines running at full power—his proficiency shot up and broke the level cap. The colossal astral body inside the Blackstar Forge even began spinning slightly faster. A new production line was unlocked.

Now, over a hundred drones occupied the forge’s inner space. But it still wasn’t enough. To handle a large-scale onslaught of Aberrants, he needed thousands—at minimum.

As Lin Xian immersed himself in production, a strange sound snapped him to attention. His eyes snapped open. In the distance, artillery roared.

He rushed out to the rooftop. Rain still fell. It was past 9:00 a.m.—dawn less than an hour away. Flyers rumbled overhead in intervals. He looked toward the city wall—Wall No.1—and saw flames rising in the sky, artillery fire blazing across the skyline. The turret weapons on the wall were roaring.

“E5 Defense Sector is under Aberrant tide assault! Several A-levels spotted! Over a hundred thousand enemies! They’ve broken into the outer district!”

Squad members poured out. Jiang Yun had received the alert and relayed it to everyone.

“Will they break through Wall No.1?” Qian Dele asked.

“Unlikely,” Jiang Yun said grimly. “This kind of assault is still within control. As long as there are no S-levels, and the numbers don’t spike, Wall No.1 will hold.”

“What about the people outside?” KIKI asked.

“There’s nothing we can do,” Jian Xuwei replied. “In this kind of attack, outer district residents either retreat toward the wall or scatter and rely on Dawn City’s firepower for safety. No other option.”

“They won’t open the gates for people to retreat in?” Ning Jing frowned.

Jiang Yun shook his head. “Tide assaults come in waves. You have to clear the Dark Marks before the attack stops. Some of the Defense Force is stationed outside. Aside from them and survivor convoys, Wall No.1 is the final line. If one breach opens up, the whole wall’s compromised. Even an S-level couldn’t break it last time, so this isn’t going to either.”

“If it were me,” Monica said, arms crossed, face grim, “I’d rather race toward Dawn Center than stay out there. That’s just a death trap crawling with monsters.”

Lin Xian looked at her and said, “It’s not that simple. Those convoys are weak. The only reason they’re surviving is because of the wall’s firepower. Running outside would be suicide. They can’t afford to gamble like that.”

“Yeah. They don’t really have a choice,” Jian Xuwei added.

In the distance, the rain lit up with reflections of fire. Aside from the deafening delayed booms, they heard nothing—but it didn’t take imagination to guess what kind of chaos was unfolding over there.

Lin Xian remembered the endless sea of survivor camps outside the walls when they entered last night. His eyes turned heavy. When people gathered like that, death became just another number.

About ten minutes later, the cannon fire ceased. The flames were drowned in rain. Wall No.1 stood strong. From where they were, they hadn’t seen a single Aberrant breach the wall—a testament to how solid Dawn City's defenses were.

“Lu Tianye’s unit is over there. As long as the Aberrants aren’t special types, casualties should be light. The Defense Force still has the survivors’ trust—way more than the Night Patrol,” Jiang Yun said with a sigh, then turned to Lin Xian.

“Dawn’s almost here. What’s your move?”

“We go straight in. Someone will be waiting on the other side.”

Jian Xuwei spoke up, “I’ll call in the Silverstar team and rendezvous with you. If Chu Zhaonan acts soon, we have to be ready to move at a moment’s notice.”

Lin Xian nodded. “Got it. Sync with Jin Hai. Tentatively, we’ll circle around from Zhanguan and Qingbo into Dawn City—but we’ll adjust if needed.”

Then he pulled out his communicator and set a shared frequency.

“Channel 01 is for the Infinity Alliance. All team ops will coordinate through here. Channel 02 is internal—just for local Dawn City comms.”

At 10:15, the black shroud over Night City faded like the tide. Morning came, cloaked in drizzle. Patrol drones from the garrison disappeared from the sky.

Curfew lifted.

In the E5 Sector, dull daylight leaked through clouds like diluted lead, spilling over Dawn City’s hundred-meter steel walls. On those colossal walls, heavy weaponry was lined up in dense rows—railguns, heavy artillery, grenade launchers, pulse cannons. Rainwater slid along grooves left by monster claws, forming a muddy stream below, washing away the charred remains from the tide assault.

Inside the city, the neon hadn’t fully faded.

Survivors emerged from every district like a swarm. Some convoys were already geared up, hitting the roads the moment the sky brightened. All types of customized vehicles rolled out of narrow alleys, merging onto the main roads toward the exits. But they weren’t alone—many other units had the same idea. Traffic jams formed fast. On the roadside, smaller convoys held up signs with their info, hoping to join or follow bigger ones.

Lin Xian and Jiang Yun got into a modified off-roader with their squad. As they drove deeper into the old city, they could see from the window the massive city loop above the Twin Star Towers. It used to be Star City’s high-speed maglev ring, visible even from orbit—a true marvel of human engineering.

But since Doomsday, the ring had gone dark. One-third of it collapsed, leaving only a broken urban megastructure behind—a shadow of once-great civilization.

More people appeared along the roads. Lines formed in front of blood-crystal vending machines, the coin slots rusted, occasionally jamming and sparking curses. Vendors set up rainproof stalls, selling synthetic protein blocks, bottled water, and whatever non-expired food they’d scrounged up. Steam rose in the cold rain, blending with the damp concrete scent of the city.

On the wall’s watchtower, a garrison soldier yawned, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. His monitor showed static outside all zones except E5. The radar and Soulwave Scanner detected nothing unusual.

Safe.

The sun had risen. For now, at least, Dawn City still stood.