Translator: AnubisTL
70,000 units of iron ore.
That's equivalent to half a Tier 2 Iron Ore mine. No wonder it's a Tier 4 Train—it yielded far more iron ore than the locomotive Stellaris had devoured from Master Kun's train.
The Geothermal Core Furnace's iron ore yield varies depending on the accessories it consumes.
For example, devouring one of his own ordinary carriages yields 50 units of iron ore, effectively a 50% return. But consuming ruined carriages or other accessories yields far less.
Still, it was free iron ore, and that was more than enough.
Especially since...
This train was also packed with resources.
"120,000 units of iron ore, 40,000 units of copper ore, 3,700 units of Wood."
"120,000 units of Spider Silk, one special item, two Blueprints, and several rifles and ammunition."
"Sixteen packs of cigarettes, two bottles of white liquor, three packs of preserved pork ribs, and even a fat pig weighing several hundred pounds frozen in the refrigerator."
"Various daily necessities salvaged from the city ruins."
"The ancients were right, after all," Chen Mang muttered, standing outside the train in the cavern. The sound of the underground river echoed in his ears, while the headlight illuminated the entire space. He took the inventory list from Biaozi, sighed deeply, and shook his head in a mixture of awe and regret.
Killing and looting really is a surefire way to get rich.
Of course, the quantities of iron ore and copper ore were limited. After all, these were essential resources, and no one would hoard them on their train. They'd use them as soon as they got them, even if it only slightly improved the train's capabilities.
At most, they'd keep a few tens of thousands of units on hand for the train's daily operations.
Chen Mang had mined more of these resources than the inventory list showed. But... the sheer variety was overwhelming!
It was a hodgepodge of everything imaginable.
There was even Spider Silk—a whopping 120,000 units of it! The guy didn't even have the "spider leg" accessory on his train. What was he planning to do with so much Spider Silk? He must have wiped out an entire nest of man-eating spiders to get it.
Chen Mang's "spider leg" accessory hadn't been upgraded in ages. Now, the food is practically being force-fed to me.
He had no choice but to eat it.
He tossed the rifles and ammunition directly into the Geothermal Core Furnace. The special items and blueprints he left in the locomotive cabin, intending to examine them later.
"Hmm..." Chen Mang pondered for a long moment before turning to Old Pig with a smile. "Ask around among the crew to see if there's a skilled cook. We'll keep this pig. In a few days, I'll head to Sha River City to see if we can find some vermicelli noodles and cabbage. We'll treat everyone to a hearty pork stew with vermicelli noodles."
"Back in the Doomsday Abyss, I promised everyone chicken soup."
"That hen's been laying eggs like crazy. I'm reluctant to kill it, so we'll eat this pig instead."
"We've been eating bread every day. It's time for a proper meal."
"No need to use any companionship vouchers. Everyone gets a portion—consider it Train Welfare."
"Oh, and..." Chen Mang paused, his expression turning serious. "When we first conceived the 'companionship voucher' concept, it was meant to only serve as a means to buy meat. The idea of a shop came later. Since the 'companionship voucher' has already evolved into a de facto train currency, the name no longer fits."
"Change the name to Stellar Coupons."
"Also, select some of the daily necessities we've collected and put them in the Shop."
"Understood. I'll arrange it right away."
Old Pig, standing nearby, nodded solemnly and quickly jotted down the instructions in his notebook.
After issuing these orders, Chen Mang glanced at the residents nearby, who had already received their pickaxes and begun mining. Without lingering, he strode toward his locomotive cabin. The Stellaris would be mining here for the next few days.
But first, he needed to examine the effects of the special items and Blueprints, and upgrade the train to a Tier 4 Train.
"Pork and Cabbage Stew with Vermicelli..."
Old Pig watched Lord Mang's retreating figure, his throat involuntarily tightening. Saliva began to pool in his mouth. His meals on the Stellaris were considered good, but they consisted of meat sandwiches every day.
In the apocalypse, he should be grateful for such fare.
He was quite content.
Though he was getting a bit tired of the same food every day, his mouth began to water involuntarily at the familiar yet foreign words "pork, cabbage, and vermicelli stew."
He could almost smell the aroma already.
"Mmm, that smells so good," Biaozi said, his eyes glazed over with a foolish grin. "Another steamed bun dipped in the broth, soft and fluffy, then cramming the cabbage, vermicelli, and pork all together in my mouth... the taste..."
"Damn it, I can't think about it! I'm already dying to get to Sha River City!"
"If I can't find cabbage and vermicelli, I'll die right there!"
"You dare make such a bold claim?" Old Pig turned back with a strange expression. "Alright, let's get to work. You go investigate the backgrounds of all the survivors. Lord Mang didn't say to kill anyone this time, so we'll keep the deputy train conductor and the thugs. Figure out the relationship between the remaining survivors and the train conductor."
"After you're done questioning them, I'll make arrangements."
"I need to go check on the progress of the data tabulation over there. Damn, manually compiling data for over a thousand people without computers is a massive headache."
Biaozi glanced at Li Shiji nearby. "Why don't you ask that kid? He's got a sharp mind. Maybe he has a solution."
"I already did."
"What did he say?"
"He said bugs are inevitable and unavoidable. As long as it's roughly functional, that's good enough. Even with computers, bugs are bound to happen."
"..."
"Alright, I'm done talking about this," Old Pig waved his hand and walked away. "I've got a vague idea brewing. I need to get back to work."
My name is Li Yi.
Before the apocalypse, I was a senior executive at a company, earning a million a year—equivalent to a regular person's decade of income.
I considered myself a skilled manager, especially in mid-level administration, where I had ample experience. After the apocalypse, I was captured by several trains and forced into slavery.
In Master Kun's slave car, I had already become numb, with no hope for the future.
The City had fallen.
Across the entire wasteland, I could barely see any of my fellow countrymen. Even though the train temporarily protected my life, I had no idea where to go or what to do next. I had no home anymore; the world had abandoned me.
Only when mining did I seem to find a flicker of meaning in my existence.
Just then, I saw a man whose aura was completely different from mine. He showed no despair for the future, unlike the other listless slaves. His eyes gleamed with a fierce light, his face was cold and stern, and he had claimed the only straw mat in the train car.
This man seemed utterly unaffected by the apocalypse.
I felt a flicker of curiosity toward him.
But when I saw a burly man provoke him and be killed in mere seconds, I turned my gaze away. For some reason, when my eyes met his, they burned intensely, as if I were staring directly at the sun.
He was utterly untamed.
His faith was unshakeable, even with the destruction of his homeland in the apocalypse, he showed no despair for the future.
I consider myself half-educated, yet it took me several seconds to find a word that vaguely fit this man's description.
Then...
Then it was as if someone had hit the fast-forward button. Master Kun's train suddenly collapsed, and this man established the "Stellaris" train. I became one of the first slaves to join it, watching its rapid growth with my own eyes.
I witnessed the number of carriages steadily increase, along with the addition of various firepower accessories.
I saw the slave population on the train rapidly expand. Before I could even fully process it, the Stellaris had already grown into a behemoth on the wasteland, a true juggernaut.
I watched the slaves' treatment improve from two slices of Moldy Bread a day to twenty slices of soft, cream-filled bread. Train Welfare steadily improved.
I saw the train rise from Tier 1 to Tier 2, then to Tier 3, and finally enter the high-level zone known as the Sha River Plains.
I witnessed the Stellaris's entire journey of growth.
I tried countless schemes to stand out from the mass of slaves, to become a mid-level administrator on this train. I believed the Stellaris would go far, perhaps even become a Noah's Ark for the apocalypse, carrying the remnants of human civilization through this hopeless, despair-filled world.
Perhaps this train was humanity's last hope.
I wanted to contribute to the Stellaris's growth, desperately wanting to join its construction and follow that man's lead.
Working under such a person gave even me a sliver of hope for the future.
I tried many methods to rise above the rest.
I even handpicked my future confidants, planning to showcase my talent by quelling slave rebellions. I schemed to make a name for myself at the reform conference after leaving the wasteland. I plotted to...
But—
They all failed.
The young man beside me constantly pressured me, making me regret sharing my plans and aspirations. If I hadn't told him, no one would have pressured me, and I wouldn't have felt so humiliated by my failures.
I'd doubted myself countless times, wondering if I truly lacked talent. I'd even considered settling for a life as a slave on the train.
No, a resident.
The train had reformed.
But... I never imagined I'd end up as a mid-level administrator on the Stellaris. My plan had finally succeeded.
Except it wasn't my plan that succeeded. It was that kid's.
My name is Li Yi, and the kid calls me Uncle Li.
Standing on the cavern floor with a dazed expression, Uncle Li still hadn't fully come to his senses. He gazed at the young man beside him, who was beaming with excitement, and at Lord Mang, who stood on the ground leaning on his cane.
This was the first time he'd ever been this close to Lord Mang.
He could even feel his breath quicken.
And not far away, Trainmaster Zhu was striding towards them. He'd never had the chance to be this close to the Trainmaster before.
"Old Pig," Chen Mang called out, waving at Trainmaster Zhu as he approached. Then, he casually draped an arm over Uncle Li's shoulder. "That kid just came to me. He said Uncle Li used to be a senior executive at a major company, even served as Chief Financial Officer. He has strong management skills and a keen eye for numbers."
"Your statistics must be quite a headache too."
"I'll give you this person. Let him take charge and see how he does. If he handles it well for a few days, give him Tier 3 Advanced Talent treatment afterward."
"Oh, right. And this kid—have him assist Uncle Li. His treatment will be the same as Uncle Li's."
At that moment, Uncle Li, who had been standing by, finally snapped back to reality. He bowed deeply, his voice trembling with a mixture of awe and fear. "Lord Mang, please just call me Xiao Li."
Chen Mang didn't respond, simply patting Uncle Li's shoulder before turning and heading back toward the locomotive cabin. This time, no one stopped him.
After Lord Mang left, Old Pig turned to the two men holding pickaxes, his expression a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. "You've got some guts, running around during mining hours and even stopping Lord Mang. That's pretty ballsy!"
"But right now, we actually need you two."
"Follow me."
"This statistical work is driving me crazy. If you do well, you'll both get Tier 3 Advanced Talent treatment, including access to the Advanced Talent carriage and two Stellar Coupons a day. Hurry up!"
"Perfect."
In Guard No. 7's hard sleeper car, Old Pig examined the forms and statistical methods Uncle Li had presented, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "This method of cross-referencing between three parties will significantly reduce data errors, though it's quite labor-intensive. I'll have to rely on you to keep up the good work."
"From now on, you'll be staying in Carriage 6, the male high-level talent car, which has hard sleeper berths just like mine."
"You won't have to mine anymore. Your sole responsibility will be this task."
"Currently, only Li Shiji resides in that carriage. In Carriage 5, the female high-level talent car, only Ji Chuchu currently lives there. Don't look where you shouldn't, don't listen to what you shouldn't, and don't wander where you shouldn't."
"Other than that, there's nothing else to say. Your abilities are quite impressive."
"Why did you hide your talents and keep mining? Were you exhausted from the pre-apocalypse, and after the apocalypse, you just wanted to relax and take an early retirement?"
After teasing them with a chuckle, Old Pig turned and walked out of the carriage.
"Alright, go on now. I have to get back to work."
In Carriage 6, the male high-level talent car, the young man who had been following Uncle Li entered the moment he stepped inside, collapsing onto a bed and burying his face in a pillow, inhaling deeply with a blissful sigh.
"Ah, this is the life!"
The moment the young man who had been following Uncle Li entered the carriage, he couldn't help but collapse onto the bed. He buried his face in the pillow, inhaling deeply with obvious satisfaction, and murmured dreamily, "I haven't stretched out like this and slept so comfortably in ages! And it's so soft! Ah, and I even have my own pillow, mattress, and quilt!"
"And there's so much space!"
"This is fucking awesome!"
"Uncle Li, why don't you look very happy?"
Uncle Li, standing in the aisle of Carriage 6 and gazing out the window at the group of mining residents, remained silent for a long time, his expression complex. Finally, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "The outcome is exactly as I predicted, but the process took a completely unexpected path."
"Is this right?"
"Or is it wrong?"
The young man stretched languidly, a look of pure bliss on his face as he lay on the soft pillow. "This isn't a school exam where the teacher grades you on how you got the answer."
"As long as the answer's right..."
"Who cares how you got there?"
(End of the Chapter)
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