Chapter 374: Returning 4.

"I built some of this."

Yan Cijin looked at the giant machine again.

"You built that?"

"Not alone."

Luo Ren climbed down a ladder.

His movement was slow and careful.

When he reached the floor, he looked at the two women.

"You are the first people I’ve seen come through that gate in three days."

Bai Li glanced toward the entrance.

"Why are you still here?"

Luo Ren sighed.

"Because the dragon won’t let me leave."

Yan Cijin stared.

"What?"

Luo Ren pointed toward the giant machine.

"It’s stuck in parade mode."

Bai Li looked at the dragon.

"Parade mode?"

"Every ten minutes, the system runs through one complete performance cycle."

"And?"

"And when the cycle begins, the dragon moves through this entire building."

"So?"

Luo Ren pointed upward.

The roof above the main corridor was covered with suspended metal rails, cables, counterweights, and wooden platforms.

"Those sections aren’t decorative. The whole thing moves."

Yan Cijin slowly looked around.

"How much does it move?"

"Enough to crush someone."

The dragon suddenly groaned.

Luo Ren took a step back.

"That."

A bell rang.

A gear turned.

Then the dragon’s tail lifted.

The sound of wood and metal grinding together filled the warehouse.

Bai Li watched carefully.

It was not random.

Every section moved according to a fixed sequence.

The head turned.

The front legs rose.

The body curved.

The tail followed.

Then the entire machine rolled forward on its rail.

Yan Cijin stared.

"It is actually doing a parade."

"Yes."

"And you are trapped in here because of it?"

Luo Ren nodded.

"I went back for some tools when the first cycle started after the apocalypse. The main release lever jammed. I managed to reach the maintenance platform, but the floor mechanism below keeps resetting."

"Why not just cut it?"

Luo Ren looked horrified.

"Because that dragon is attached to half the warehouse."

Yan Cijin looked at Bai Li.

Bai Li nodded slowly.

"He’s right."

Luo Ren looked relieved that someone understood.

"If the central drive chain is cut while the counterweights are loaded, the whole upper mechanism could collapse."

"Could it kill you?"

"It could kill everyone in the building."

Bai Li looked up.

"How many people?"

"At the moment?"

"Yes."

"Just me."

Yan Cijin glanced around.

"Then why not let it collapse after you get out?"

"Because the collapse would tear through the street."

Luo Ren pointed at the far wall.

"There is a service tunnel on the other side. If the mechanism breaks badly, the wall could collapse into it."

Bai Li looked toward the tunnel.

"Does it lead outside?"

"Yes."

"And the street?"

"Straight into the district."

Yan Cijin understood.

"A collapse could block the road."

Luo Ren nodded.

"Or worse."

Bai Li looked around again.

"So you need the machine stopped properly."

"Yes."

"How?"

Luo Ren hesitated.

"There are three manual locks."

"Where?"

He pointed.

"One beneath the dragon’s head."

A second finger moved toward the center of the warehouse.

"One inside the body."

Then toward the far side.

"And one near the water wheel."

Yan Cijin frowned.

"Water wheel?"

Luo Ren nodded.

"The original system used a hydraulic drive."

"Still working?"

"Partially."

"Then why does it still move?"

"Because the pressure system hasn’t completely failed."

Bai Li looked at the ceiling.

A set of old pipes crossed above them.

One pipe dripped steadily.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Water.

Luo Ren continued.

"The rooftop collection tank is cracked, so whenever enough rain collects, it feeds the wheel."

Yan Cijin looked confused.

"It rained?"

"Two days ago."

Bai Li looked at the dark ceiling.

"So the machine has enough pressure to keep performing every few minutes."

"Exactly."

The dragon moved again.

Luo Ren stepped backward.

"It will start soon."

Bai Li looked at him.

"How long?"

"Maybe three minutes."

Yan Cijin raised an eyebrow.

"You have been living here with that thing for three days?"

"I know every sound it makes."

"That’s terrible."

"I agree."

Bai Li walked toward the dragon.

Yan Cijin followed.

Luo Ren looked worried.

"Wait."

Bai Li stopped.

"What?"

"You need to understand something."

Luo Ren pointed at the red dragon.

"The machine isn’t the only danger."

A low scratching noise came from inside one of the parade floats.

Yan Cijin turned.

"What was that?"

Luo Ren’s face changed.

"Zombies."

Several hands pushed against the cloth covering an old float.

Then another.

Then another.

The warehouse was not empty.

The sound of the bells and machinery had been attracting them.

Luo Ren lowered his voice.

"They come whenever the parade starts."

Bai Li smiled faintly.

"Then we have two problems."

Yan Cijin raised her crossbow.

"No."

Bai Li looked at her.

"Three."

She pointed upward.

"The parade is about to start."

The first bell rang.

Once.

The giant dragon’s eyes lit up.

The entire warehouse came alive.

The red dragon moved.

Its head rose first.

The wooden jaw opened wider.

A hidden bell inside its throat rang.

Then the front section rolled forward.

The sound was enormous.

At the same time, the cloth covering the old parade floats ripped open.

Zombies poured out.

Yan Cijin fired before the first one could reach them.

The bolt struck its forehead.

Bai Li moved.

Whisperfang flashed through another.

Luo Ren grabbed a metal pole from the floor.

"I’ll stay behind you."

Bai Li glanced at him.

"You’ll stay behind us."

"I know how this place works."

"Then use that knowledge."

The first wave of zombies rushed toward them.

Bai Li stepped forward.

She cut through the closest two.

Yan Cijin fired again.

Another fell.

The dragon continued moving.

Its front legs rose.

One wooden claw swept through the air.

Luo Ren shouted.

"Move!"

Bai Li grabbed Yan Cijin and pulled her sideways.

The giant claw passed inches above them.

It smashed into a stack of empty crates.

Wood exploded everywhere.

Yan Cijin stared.

"That is a parade float?"

Luo Ren shouted, "Technically!"

"Technically?"

"Stop asking questions!"

Bai Li laughed.

"He’s right."

Another group of zombies rushed from the side.

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TO BE CONTINUED.