Chapter 86: The Last Resort

After finishing his words, Fang Nian took Duan Rui by the hand and headed toward the main door leading to the next carriage. He had no idea whether those inside would be moved by his actions.

However, just as they were about to reach the door, the tightly closed entrance suddenly slid open, revealing a passageway before Fang Nian. At the same moment, the door at the rear of the third carriage was smashed open by Xie Luo and his companions, and a large crowd of impoverished people surged in. Without hesitation, Fang Nian exchanged a glance with Xie Luo, then rushed through the door with Duan Rui, disappearing from sight.

Entering the final corridor, the two became instantly cautious. Fang Nian understood this was likely the last confrontation of his hunt. Moments later, they emerged in a luxurious suite.

This suite was the most opulent room Fang Nian had ever seen, every corner radiating extravagance and nobility.

Gazing at the scene before him, Fang Nian’s thoughts spun anew. Wasn’t this very design a vivid manifestation of a feudal power structure? Those outside could never enter, while those inside controlled everything without.

Just then, an elderly man in sumptuous nightclothes suddenly appeared before Fang Nian, followed by a nurse and an old butler.

“You two really didn’t disappoint me. You actually made it here,” the old man said.

Fang Nian looked at him, realizing this must be the ruler of the train. Yet, he didn’t appear to be Brian’s descendant—he seemed far too old.

“Who are you?” Fang Nian asked.

The old man smiled, “Brian.”

Fang Nian and Duan Rui were both shocked. They hadn’t expected Brian to still be alive.

“You… you’re still alive?”

Brian gave a bitter smile. “Indeed. Just like Xie Luo outside, the two of us have spent our whole lives locked in struggle. We each gained everything we wanted, and yet still craved what the other possessed. Quite ironic, isn’t it?”

Fang Nian stared at Brian with a cold gaze. “You let us in—aren’t you afraid we’ll kill you?”

Brian waved a hand dismissively and smiled. “Everyone dies eventually—what does it matter if it’s sooner or later? For me, death might even be a kind of release.”

Fang Nian gave a helpless smile.

“You seem rather detached about it,” Fang Nian continued. “But if you’re so unburdened, why is the class system on this train so deeply entrenched? Why are people divided into rigid castes? Some can only eat fruitcakes made from insects, while the rich feast on meat and revel in luxury every night.”

Brian wasn’t angered by the question; instead, he laughed. “You’re quite interesting, and your question is a good one. By now, your impression of me as a tyrant must be deeply set, and nothing I say will change that. But do you really understand the Doomsday Train?”

“This train is the greatest creation of my life’s work. My original intention was to build a new nation—a nation where people could live happily. For the first few years, things went well; people were warm and well-fed, and each group lived contentedly within their own areas.”

“But as years passed, the people on board grew lazy. They squandered resources without creating anything in return, and in just a few short years, the train began to run a deficit.”

“Gradually, food supplies dwindled, many went hungry, and starvation claimed countless lives. There were even cases of cannibalism.”

“So, to maintain order within the train and control population growth, I had to enforce class divisions. Only by doing so could the Doomsday Train continue running, decade after decade.”

Fang Nian raised his eyebrows slightly. Indeed, as he thought, though capitalist class structures were widely disliked, they were often brutally effective.

“I’m not really interested in your methods of governance,” Fang Nian said. “And I don’t want to be king, either. You know the Arctic Circle is coming—I just want to know if you have any way to deal with it. If we don’t act, we’ll all be gone in the next moment.”

At that moment, two women in yellow trench coats suddenly appeared before Fang Nian, each wielding submachine guns. They flung the doors open and fired a volley outside.

In an instant, the air was filled with screams and shouts. Fang Nian knew that every burst from those guns spelled another death.

Duan Rui’s eyes turned red. Although she knew these weren’t real people, her heart was still stirred.

“Does he really intend to kill everyone?” she murmured.

Soon, the answer came. The two women looked toward Brian.

“Boss, it’s done. We shot five hundred, and expelled the rest of the poor.”

Brian nodded, then asked, “Did you see Xie Luo?”

One of the women blushed slightly. “He escaped.”

At this, Brian’s gaze grew sharp. “I see. Go now.”

The gunwomen left. Brian rose from his seat, walking with steady steps, showing no sign of infirmity.

“You… you’re all right?” Fang Nian asked.

Brian smiled, then went to the suite’s kitchen and cooked up some chilled steak for Fang Nian and Duan Rui, uncorking a bottle of red wine.

“Eat,” he said.

Fang Nian and Duan Rui were thoroughly perplexed by this Brian. He clearly knew the Arctic Circle was about to descend, yet remained so calm. To Fang Nian, this was almost pathological.

“Have you given up?” Fang Nian asked.

Brian smiled wryly. “What difference would it make? I learned of this years ago. I spent half a lifetime agonizing over how to face it, but never found a solution. Rather than live in constant pain, I might as well enjoy what time I have left.”

Fang Nian had no patience for his nonsense. In truth, he had already thought of a way out, though it was dangerous—a last-ditch gamble.

With that, he suddenly turned to Duan Rui.

“Duan Rui, I might have to risk everything now. Here’s what I plan to do…”

In a few minutes, Fang Nian explained his idea to Duan Rui, who stood in stunned silence.

“Are you sure this will work? Or do you have any real confidence?” she asked.

“Twenty percent… uh, maybe thirty,” Fang Nian replied.

At this, Duan Rui fell silent. He never imagined they would come to this final step. But after thinking it over, he still agreed to help Fang Nian carry out this so-called evolution. If Fang Nian’s plan really succeeded, all their problems would be solved at once.

Just as Fang Nian and Duan Rui were about to put their plan into action, several figures suddenly appeared behind Brian.

“It’s Jin Hui and the others. I didn’t expect them to make it here as well.”