Translator: AnubisTL
The resources had been fully collected.
Chen Mang didn't linger in Sha River City. He steered the train out of the city and parked it on the Sha River Plains. Along the way, they encountered another train, but upon spotting his, it veered off course.
In this world, most trains were still focused on peaceful development. Even if they detected a mine, they usually moved on to find a new one if another train was already excavating it.
Generally, the risks of conflict between trains far outweighed the potential rewards. However, if a train could seize another without risk, the gains could be significant.
For example, the train that had been lurking outside the swamp for days. After upgrading his missiles and some accessories, Chen Mang's iron ore reserves were dwindling. But after looting the other train, his train panel showed a staggering 570,000 units of iron ore.
This massive stockpile was more than enough for him to tackle the Sky Piercing Tower. He could easily spend ten days inside without worrying about running out of energy or food. Of course, that scenario was probably unrealistic.
He also had 1.15 million units of copper ore.
I can craft three Tier 6 missiles, or five Tier 5 missiles.
I've developed enough. It's time to venture out.
Night fell quickly.
That night, Chen Mang parked the train on the Sha River Plains, about two or three hours' journey from the coordinates. He planned to set off again in the morning.
Inside the train, Chen Mang sat in the locomotive cabin, sorting through his recent gains. First were the crocodiles he had killed in the swamp. Their rewards were meager: no blueprints or special items, only some "crocodile meat"—similar to "corpse meat"—that seemed useless. It might be used to upgrade the flesh train or, like spider silk, serve as a unique material for certain Special Accessories.
The train he had ambushed outside the swamp yielded only a small amount of iron ore and 100,000 units of copper ore. This brought his total copper ore to 1,150,000 units.
The rest of his haul consisted of ordinary daily necessities and miscellaneous items. He found no blueprints or special items.
But one item caught his attention:
Special Item: Goblin Ruins Adventure Map
Item Effect: Insert this map into the Train Auxiliary AI to view the specific coordinates of the fortuitous encounter map.
It was a card-like object, entirely black with four large, white, gold-trimmed characters: Goblin Ruins.
It looked... expensive.
The design was exquisite, and it felt substantial in his hand.
He tried inserting the card into a built-in slot on the Train Auxiliary AI next to the control panel. A coordinate soon appeared on the screen, located about five hours away in the westernmost corner of the Sha River Plains, at the border of the Kunlun Mountain zone.
"..."
Chen Mang narrowed his eyes slightly. He was intrigued by the Goblin Ruins Adventure Map. He felt a strange connection to goblins and decided to investigate after leaving the Sky Piercing Tower.
The planet of this world was far larger than the one in his previous world.
At least, in his previous world, vast plains like this were rare, and there was only one Main City with no signs of towns or villages nearby. Each City stood like a solitary fortress.
The reason that train had initially evaded his target acquisition radar must have been due to something it had acquired from the Goblin Ruins. Doba's train had also managed to avoid his radar's detection back then.
After completing these preparations, he finally exhaled deeply, stripped off his clothes, and climbed into bed to rest.
"Finally, we'll meet."
In the Azure Dragon Train, shrouded in the night of the Sha River Plains, the bald man was meticulously inspecting every accessory within the train, including the resources stored.
No fortuitous encounter map could be entirely free of danger.
He had to be thoroughly prepared.
He checked his Tier 5 energy shield and Tier 3 armor. Both were at 100% durability, in perfect condition. The remaining firepower accessories were also mostly at full capacity. The train was stocked with 170,000 units of iron ore and 350,000 units of copper ore—more than enough.
As a Tier 5 train with considerable resources, he was brimming with confidence for this Sky Piercing Map.
He knew of a unusual method that combined the tiers of an energy shield and armor to achieve a higher defense rating. For example, a Tier 2 energy shield combined with Tier 3 armor would result in Tier 5 defense.
This method is similar to a Tier 5 energy shield but saves a lot of iron ore. After all, upgrading energy shields isn't cheap. However, the cost is significant—it's a short-sighted approach, not the proper way.
Moreover—
He initially contacted Chen Mang because, while he knew the coordinates of the Sky Piercing Tower fortuitous encounter map, he lacked the means to reach it. Tomorrow, the tower would officially open, with a train elevator descending from the sky to pick up trains. He no longer needed Chen Mang.
Yet he still shared this information.
Partly to curry favor.
A train with S-Rank Potential and a staggering 68 overpowered effects—he definitely wanted to befriend its owner.
"Sigh."
The bald man gazed at the Stellaris on the overpowered effect leaderboard, its number of effects now at 68. He sighed helplessly. This guy was simply absurd. Where did he even get all these overpowered effects?
The Stellaris had been in the Sha River Plains for some time, and no one on the train radio had ever dared to speak disrespectfully to it.
Clearly, even though the Stellaris was only a Tier 4 Train, no one wanted to provoke such a monster.
Truly absurd.
On the other hand, there was another reason, of course. He wanted to subtly exact a small measure of revenge. Friendship was one thing, but he still needed to settle the score for his mental breakdown in the S-Class Dungeon. He had to make that guy understand that he wasn't weak—it was just that the other guy was simply too strong.
Inside the Stellaris train.
Biaozi glanced at Wildcat and his girlfriend, who were practically fused together nearby, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes. "Wildcat, you lucky bastard. You managed to find your family even in the apocalypse."
Wildcat's girlfriend wasn't stunningly beautiful, with a scattering of freckles across her face.
But the freckles didn't detract from her appearance; they gave her a delicate, girl-next-door charm, making her a beauty among ordinary people.
She'd score a solid six or seven out of ten, and that was without makeup due to the apocalypse. With a little light makeup, she'd easily reach seven or eight.
"Hehe."
Wildcat held his girlfriend tightly, his eyes brimming with excitement. "Brother Biao, I've explained the rules of the Stellaris to her. She'll join us in mining, and we'll earn stellar coupons together. We're aiming to buy our own apartment on the Stellaris as soon as possible."
"No need to rush," Biaozi replied.
Biaozi shook his head. After so much time apart, it was hard to say how much affection remained. If they could successfully obtain their Doomsday Marriage Certificate from Lord Mang tomorrow, anything was possible. Perhaps Lord Mang would be so pleased he'd start them off with First-Class Resident Status. But if they failed, they might have to start from scratch.
"Didn't you ask her why she suddenly disappeared before the apocalypse?"
"I did."
A flicker of sadness crossed Wildcat's eyes, but he forced a smile. "Just as Trainmaster Zhu guessed, she was diagnosed with ALS before the apocalypse. It's a terminal illness, almost incurable. She's already struggling to speak, and she doesn't have many years left."
"But in the apocalypse, every extra year is a bonus. When she can no longer mine, I'll take care of her. I'll use stellar coupons to buy her food. Brother Biao, rest assured—she won't waste the train's resources."
"ALS?"
Biaozi frowned, looking at the woman in Wildcat's arms. Her body did indeed seem stiff. There was no cure for this disease. The woman was incredibly tough. If he had been diagnosed with ALS before the apocalypse, he probably would have killed himself. He wouldn't have had the courage to keep living.
"How did you end up in Yan Yao's safehouse?"
"Brother Biao," the woman whispered, her voice hoarse. "I don't know. I was in a slum in Taiping City when monsters were everywhere, killing people. I just felt like I blacked out. When I woke up again, I was already in Sister Yan Yao's safehouse."
"Alright, I understand. For tonight, you'll have to share a bed with Wildcat. We'll talk more when Lord Mang wakes up tomorrow."
Biaozi paused before turning to Wildcat with a serious expression. "She's been cooped up in the safehouse and doesn't know much about what's going on outside. Wildcat, you need to make sure she understands."
"Many of the rules from the Era of Peace no longer apply here."
"The apocalypse has its own rules, and the Stellaris has its own rules."
"If she breaks any of those rules..."
"She will die."
"Do you understand?"
"Yes, Brother Biao," Wildcat replied solemnly, gripping the woman's hand tightly as if afraid she might vanish again at any moment.
In the female talent carriage, Yan Yao stared at Ji Chuchu with a grim expression, her disbelief palpable. "Ji Chuchu, do you even know what you're saying?"
"You're telling me this train is the best treatment available in the apocalypse?"
"Earlier today, I saw countless people crammed into a single carriage covered with blankets. Some were even squeezed into refrigerators, sleeping directly on the floor without even a mattress. And some women were openly soliciting customers! You call this train the only hope in the apocalypse?"
"Ji Chuchu!"
"You weren't like this before!"
Ji Chuchu looked at Yan Yao with a complex expression. A flicker of barely perceptible jealousy and envy flashed deep within her eyes. She turned her head to gaze at the starry sky outside the window, remaining silent for a long time before murmuring softly, "Yan Yao, do you know? I'm truly jealous and envious of you."
"This chair you're sitting on, the bed beside you where you can lie down, the clean blankets and pillows, the daily supply of food and water..."
"You know all this?"
"Do you not think that I only started enjoying these things after coming aboard the Stellaris? Do you have any idea what my life was like during the early days of the apocalypse?"
"Worse than a pig or a dog."
"I was too afraid to even sleep, terrified of being torn to shreds by monsters in my dreams."
"And you?"
"After the apocalypse, you didn't have to worry about food or monsters. You just hid in your safehouse until the Stellaris train came to rescue you. Go ask any member of the train, even those pleasure workers you look down on. Ask them all. Not a single one isn't overflowing with gratitude for the Stellaris."
"Before the Stellaris, there was no such thing as pleasure work."
"The Stellaris gave them the right to do it. If you think the carriages are crowded now, I truly hope you get a chance to see other trains."
"It's so unfair, you know?"
"You haven't suffered a single hardship I've endured, yet you enjoy every single blessing I do."
"It was like this before the apocalypse. You relied on your government worker father and I always had to step in with a smile to handle your troubles. And it's even more so now, after the apocalypse. Lord Mang will favor you even more simply because you're still a virgin."
"But..."
"You completely fail to realize this, taking it all for granted."
Yan Yao shook her head, her expression grim but resolute. "Ji Chuchu, I'm not a stubborn person."
"Perhaps the Stellaris offers decent treatment after the apocalypse, but as a lady from a distinguished family, I can't accept serving Lord Mang with my body. I'd rather go mining."
"..."
After a long silence, Ji Chuchu whispered, "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Of course. The Stellaris offers everyone ample choices." Ji Chuchu pulled a walkie-talkie from under a nearby table and whispered, "Trainmaster Zhu, please send someone to escort Yan Yao to the rear carriage. She's chosen to go mining."
"What are you doing?"
Yan Yao's expression shifted slightly. "There are so many empty beds here. Can't I sleep here tonight?"
"You?"
Ji Chuchu shook her head, then suddenly chuckled. "This is a space reserved for Tier 3 Advanced Talent benefits. You're only entitled to Tier 3 Resident benefits. This isn't a place you should be."
"Oh, I forgot to mention something."
"All residents are required to mine at least 10 units per day. Only if you exceed that quota will you receive the benefits corresponding to your Tier."
"If you fall short, Brother Biao will show you just how wide a baton can swing."
"Fine, I'll mine!" Yan Yao gritted her teeth, glancing at the men who had just pushed open the carriage door and entered. "Yan Yao would rather die than sell her body for food!"
Ji Chuchu's smile, which had been lingering on her face, suddenly stiffened and faded. She replied calmly, "Don't worry. You're overthinking things. As long as you mine diligently, you won't starve on the Stellaris, and no one will kill you."
"You won't die."
"This place is far safer than your safe house."
(End of the Chapter)
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