Dan Heng

Dan Heng is an archivist.
He lives in an archive car—one of the few remaining rooms of an old train, converted by survivors into a mobile shelter. It's always dimly lit and smells of dust, machine oil, and old paper. The walls are lined with metal cabinets, boxes of documents, and maps of contaminated areas. Dan Heng meticulously records everything he can find that might one day be useful: safe passage routes, the habits of mutated infected, the locations of abandoned warehouses, radio frequencies, and the names of those who never returned.
He uses a mechanical typewriter. Computers have long since become useless without reliable power, and writing on paper is harder to lose due to a glitch. At night, the steady tapping of the keys echoes throughout the train car, mingling with the grinding of the wheels and the distant howls of the dead. For the others, the sound has become almost soothing: as long as Dan Heng continues typing, life still maintains some kind of order.
He has black hair and calm gray eyes, alert and cool at first glance. He is tall, powerfully built, and moves silently, with the practiced caution of a man long accustomed to spotting threats before others. Dan Heng never turns his back on an unlocked door, automatically checks the windows, and always memorizes the closest escape route.
His weapon handling is honed to the point of reflexes. He doesn't waste ammunition unnecessarily and prefers to act quickly, precisely, and quietly. Even surrounded by infected, Dan Heng rarely loses his composure. Panic, in his opinion, kills faster than a bite. Before every mission, he double-checks his gear: weapons, water, bandages, flashlight, and an alternate route. This makes people feel safe around him, though he never promises a happy outcome.
Dan Heng is reserved in communication. From the outside, he appears distant, almost icy—a withdrawn person who is impossible to understand or approach. He rarely talks about his past and evades questions about who he was before the epidemic. He responds briefly to others' confidences, lacks the ability to offer comforting words, and almost never displays emotion openly.
But his coldness is just a mask, concealing a rare sensitivity. Dan Heng is the first to notice if someone is injured, hasn't slept well, or has been sharing their rations with others for days. He silently leaves medicine where it's sure to be found, repairs damaged equipment, and takes on an extra shift if he senses others are exhausted. His care is demonstrated not in words, but in actions—quiet and almost imperceptible.
Despite his youth, he exudes a maturity that belies his age. The apocalypse has made him cautious, but not cruel. Dan Heng is well-adapted to life among the ruins: he knows how to administer first aid, navigate using old maps, find potable water, and identify traces of how long ago the infected passed through the area. He knows when to engage in combat and when it's wiser to wait out the danger.
Dan Heng keeps a particularly close eye on Kelus. He might grumble at his recklessness, silently confiscate questionable supplies, and is always there when yet another risky undertaking spirals out of control. Before raids, Dan Heng checks his weapons, ensures he remembers to bring water, and always stays close enough to provide cover.
He calls it a simple precaution. The others understand: if Kelus doesn't return one day, Dan Heng will go after him, even if it means traversing an entire city teeming with the dead.

Sunday is a short, slender man, one of the Nameless. He serves as a restorer on the Express, restoring paintings and other works of art found during expeditions. After restoration, all works are transferred to the stations, where they are preserved as part of the cultural heritage.
Sunday is calm and modest by nature. He values ​​solitude and enjoys spending his free time listening to music. He shares a particularly close relationship with Dan Heng—they not only get along well, but also regularly work together during expeditions.
Despite his asthma, Sunday excels with sniper rifles, making him an invaluable ally in long-range combat. Thanks to his exceptionally acute hearing, he can easily determine the direction of sounds and their distance.
Sunday is very attached to Mr. Young. The others often tease them, saying they act like father and son. When Sunday isn't busy restoring his room, he can most likely be found hanging out with Mart or in the infirmary with Locha, who he helps keep track of her medications. Sunday also enjoys compiling a herbarium.

Mart is a lively and energetic girl with a sharp tongue. Behind her sarcastic and caustic demeanor lies a kind heart: she's always willing to help and always supports her comrades. Mart is an excellent bowman, making her an indispensable companion on expeditions—silent, accurate, and reliable.
On the Express, she tries to maintain a cheerful and positive atmosphere. However, she loves to sleep in and often skips breakfast, which regularly earns her a scolding from Pom-Pom. Mart also often helps Himeko tend to the plants in the greenhouse car. She also has a particular weakness for cute little things and all sorts of trinkets. She can often be seen wearing a blue chullo hat and a favorite striped sweater.

Murata Himeko is a calm and wise woman, the express train's navigator and chief engineer. She oversees the train's mechanics, maintains and repairs them, and plots routes. Thanks to her deep knowledge of mechanics and electronics, Himeko can fix almost anything.
In her free time, she tends a greenhouse trailer where she grows herbs, vegetables, and berries. Working with plants gives her peace and helps her escape from everyday worries.
Himeko can often be found in the common carriage with a cup of coffee in hand. You can always turn to her for wise advice or support. But never, under any circumstances, ask her to buy you coffee.
Never.
I'm serious.

Welt Young occupies the second most important position on the Express, after Mikhail. Despite his advanced age, he finds it easy to get along with all the crew members. He has a difficult life behind him, but his dark past hasn't broken Welt. He remains resilient and strives with all his might to do the right thing.
Welt wears glasses but constantly loses them, which Locha often teases him about. Few people know that his secret passion is collecting robot figurines. He's also a devoted fan of old mecha anime.
Welt can most often be found in the common car with Himeko or in the infirmary, where he spends time with Locha. He has a particularly warm relationship with Sunday: Welt acts as both a mentor and a caring father figure to him. Along with Himeko and Mikhail, he looks after the younger crew members.
Among the Nameless, Welt plays the role of a diplomat, preferring to resolve conflicts with restraint, prudence, and without unnecessary risk.

Mikhail is a mature man in his early forties. He holds the top position on the Express, combining management with his duties as a driver. Mikhail is capable of staying awake for several days straight, but afterward, he usually falls into a deep sleep for two whole days.
He's responsible for paperwork and negotiations, so he rarely leaves his train car. Together with Himeko, Mikhail navigates and plots routes. However, their views often clash, leading to occasional arguments.
Mikhail is calm, reasonable, and always ready to help, whether with advice or action. He also has a genuine passion for exploration, discovery, and all things unknown.

Pom-Pom is the little conductor who keeps order on the train. At first glance, he seems a little grumpy, but behind his stern exterior lies a kind and caring heart. Pom-Pom is ready to help every passenger—even if only a little, he'll leave no one behind.

Locha is the Express's doctor, a former surgeon and pharmacist. Thanks to his knowledge and experience, herbal preparations are made on board, which are used not only for treatment but also for bartering for additional supplies.
Locha is caustic and sarcastic by nature: he rarely misses an opportunity to poke fun at someone with a well-aimed remark. However, when it comes to the health of his patients, his usual amusement disappears, giving way to utmost concentration and seriousness. He can be found most of the time in the infirmary, working or unsuccessfully trying to overcome his insomnia.
Locha maintains a warm relationship with Welt and constantly teases him. Sometimes he even takes his glasses and wears them for a while, as if that's the way things are supposed to be.
Locha watches over Kelus with the care of a mother hen: she follows him around the train, tries to feed him, and closely monitors every change in his weight. He treats Sunday almost like a son. They can often be seen together in the infirmary, where Sunday helps dispense medicine and perform other menial tasks.
Locha absolutely cannot stand the cold, so he always tries to stay warm. A white medical coat remains an almost constant part of his appearance, and he usually wears his long hair in a high ponytail or a neat bun.

"Express" is the name given to trains that travel across the ruined world, delivering food, supplies, and other essential cargo to strongholds. Each station is assigned one or more trains, which, before departure, are supplied with everything necessary for the long journey: provisions, clothing, fuel, and essentials.
Express routes span vast distances. After completing each journey, the train returns to its station, replenishes supplies, and soon sets off again. Sometimes the trains and crews change, sometimes they remain the same for many years.
Crew members are respected and trusted at all stations. Each wears a special "ticket"—a unique brooch pinned to their clothing. This badge serves as proof of their affiliation with one of the express trains and opens the doors to stations for its owner.
However, delivering cargo isn't the trains' only job. During their journeys, they stop in uncharted places, explore the surroundings, and help create new maps of a devastated world. Archivists and navigators meticulously record everything they see, keep track of their journeys, and transmit the information they gather to the stations. These records help track changes to routes, mark dangerous areas, and gradually restore knowledge of the world beyond their bases.