Chen Mang looked at the information of these Level 19 Zombies displayed on the control screen. These zombies had no special skills and moved very slowly, which gave him a significant advantage.
The mission was straightforward.
Eliminate all these zombies within 14 minutes to clear the level.
However—
Currently, the zombies were approaching the train in an encircling formation. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult to lure all the zombies into the train. To achieve this, they would need to employ a strategy similar to "an eagle catching chicks."
His gaze fell on the Level 10 "Vehicle-Mounted Zombie Perception Blocker" on the screen.
This little device would be necessary.
But it required 31,000 units of Iron Ore to upgrade it to Level 20.
The train currently only had 8,000 units of Iron Ore, which wasn't enough. However, as the saying goes, "a starved camel is still bigger than a horse." Even if resources were nearly exhausted, gathering 10,000 to 20,000 units of Iron Ore would still be a trivial task for the Stellar.
As Biao Zi and the others threw nearly a dozen Refrigerators into the train's "Geothermal Furnace," the Iron Ore count on the train's resource panel slowly climbed to 48,000 units.
After spending 31,000 units of Iron Ore to upgrade the "Vehicle-Mounted Zombie Perception Blocker" to Level 20 and activating it, the Corpse Tide that was about to surround the train suddenly froze in place, losing their target. Then, with ferocious expressions, they turned toward Biao Zi and his group, roaring as they launched their attack.
"Time for our performance."
Instead of piloting a Mecha, Biao Zi rode an Off-Road Motorcycle, his voice tinged with excitement as he lightly squeezed the brake and twisted the throttle. The engine's aggressive roar filled his ears as he shouted, "Everyone, stick together! Form the zombies into a straight line, then head to Carriage No. 15 and lure all of them into the Stellar!"
"Pay attention! If any zombies fall behind, make sure to draw their aggro back immediately!"
The plan was simple.
Although these Level 19 Zombies had high attack and defense stats, their speed was slow, and they lacked ranged attacks. Theoretically, as long as they weren't caught, casualties would be unlikely.
Of course.
This was just in theory.
"Begin! Run!"
The Stellar Train sat quietly in front of the abandoned factory, ignored by the Corpse Tide. Meanwhile, Biao Zi and the others, riding their Off-Road Motorcycles, circled around the train, working to gather all the zombies together.
The Corpse Tide gradually tightened.
Their maneuvering space grew smaller and smaller.
"Now's the time!"
Biao Zi quickly glanced at the zombies closing in from both sides, feeling his adrenaline surge. The thick stench of rotting flesh assaulted his senses as he reached the rear of Carriage No. 15. With a sharp twist of the throttle, he and the other Guardians sped into the carriage.
The pursuing Corpse Tide surged in right behind them.
At the same time, the doors on both sides of Carriage 15 closed one after another.
Good luck.
No stragglers left behind, and the aggro was perfectly maintained.
"Screech."
Biao Zi glanced back at the Zombies in Carriage 15 that had begun damaging the Train's interior, gritting his teeth slightly. These Zombies were blocking the ones trying to get in from behind, causing the aggro to weaken. Without hesitation, he pulled out a dagger from his pocket and slashed Zhang Yi's arm.
"Huh?"
"Keep your head down and run forward, but don't go too fast."
The scent of blood instantly drew the Zombies' attention again. More and more Zombies poured in through the rear of Carriage 15, but with nearly a thousand of them, a small number were left behind and began wandering aimlessly without aggro.
"Team Two, Team Three, disembark!"
The solution was simple.
Teams Two and Three got off the Train, each cutting their own arms with daggers to lure back the small group of Zombies that had lost aggro. They guided them through the open doors on either side of the Train and into the interior.
"23 left."
Chen Mang sat in his chair, his right hand resting on the control panel's button, watching the countdown on the screen with 11 minutes remaining. He murmured softly.
"17 left."
"9 left."
"Just one more."
"No time!" Biao Zi's shout echoed through the carriage. Then, on the screen, Zhang Yi roared as he hoisted a Refrigerator from the roof and leaped down, slamming it over the last wandering Zombie that refused to be lured in!
Without a second thought, he carried the Refrigerator and sprinted back toward the Train.
The Refrigerator on Zhang Yi's shoulder shook violently, cracks rapidly spreading across its surface. But with a durability comparable to the Train Armor, it wouldn't break immediately—though it wouldn't hold forever.
That actually worked?
The moment Zhang Yi tossed the Refrigerator into the Train, Chen Mang pressed the "Space Stasis" button on the control panel.
The next instant—
Every living being inside the Train froze in place. Then, countless beams of white light flashed outside the Train as all the Train Residents returned simultaneously from the Neon City.
"Time to work, everyone."
Chen Mang walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the thousands of Residents surrounding the Train. His voice, amplified by the Car Audio, carried a light chuckle.
The battle was won.
With 10 minutes left, there was plenty of time.
Immediately after,
Countless Residents charged into the carriages with loud shouts, while a group of Goblins pushed open the Space Gate in Carriage 11 and rushed out. Everyone had one task: to shove every Zombie into the two newly constructed Space Gates nearby.
The Zombies were mainly concentrated between Carriages 8 and 15, not even reaching Carriage 7. Chen Mang had spent 15,000 units of Iron Ore to build three additional Level 1 Space Gates in this section.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!!!"
All female Residents stayed outside the Train while a large number of male Residents flooded inside, hoisting Zombies and throwing them into the nearest Space Gate. The Train couldn't accommodate too many people, so the physically weaker female Residents remained outside for now.
Fortunately, thanks to the Residents' prolonged mining efforts and the boost to their Physical Fitness Index from foods like cola and bread, everyone was significantly stronger than before the apocalypse—lifting a Zombie was no trouble at all.
The peak physical condition for most men actually occurs around the ages of sixteen to eighteen.
At noon, they'd eat at twelve and feel hungry again by one.
Their metabolism runs so fast it's like having a straight digestive tract.
As age advances, physical fitness gradually declines.
"Hurry!"
Zhang Yi stood out in the crowd, grabbing the nearest zombie with his left hand and tossing it into the Space Gate without even looking back, while his right hand was already seizing another zombie—working both sides simultaneously.
A single person's speed rivaled that of over a dozen residents.
"Damn it, watch where you're throwing! That's Biao Ge!"
A resident frantically grabbed Zhang Yi's arm, pulling the stiff-faced and rigid-bodied Biao Zi from his grip and tossing him outside the train.
"Thanks..."
Zhang Yi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead before continuing to grab other zombies. Luckily, he hadn't thrown Biao Ge in—otherwise, Biao Ge might have cursed him out after waking up. Wait, no—if he'd been thrown in, waking up again would have been unlikely.
With three minutes left on the countdown,
all the zombies had been hurled into the Space Gate.
Chen Mang glanced at the screen, manually switching through the Mechanical Eye's feeds. After confirming no zombies remained in any corner, he pressed the button on the control panel, choosing to forcibly dismantle those Space Gates packed with hordes of zombies.
"Clang."
Several crisp metallic sounds echoed through the train as the Space Gates shattered, reducing thousands of zombies to ashes.
Level 19 Zombies.
Those were monsters that only existed in golden zones. Even the red zones capped out at Level 18 creatures. A thousand of them had just silently perished here.
Not a single casualty throughout.
Still, there were some damages.
Almost no resources were consumed.
The only loss was the severe destruction of the rear carriages, requiring iron ore for repairs.
It was over.
Chen Mang lit a cigarette inside the train compartment. After ensuring all residents had returned, he finally leaned back in his chair with a long exhale, grinning at the three-minute countdown still ticking away.
They'd won.
Now, all they had to do was wait out these last three minutes to enter the rest period, and the mission would be cleared.
Three minutes passed in a blink.
The moment the rest period began, a luminous screen materialized ahead of the train.
-
"Congratulations, Pioneer. You have successfully cleared the second stage of the 'Withered Tree Revival' Serendipity Map. The ultimate mystery prize is now just one step away."
"You are the first Train Conductor to pass the second stage."
"Next, you must proceed to the third stage and wait. Once all four other qualifying Train Conductors arrive or the second-stage countdown ends, the third stage will officially begin. Compete against the others for the final prize—the last remaining train will claim the mystery reward."
"Clearly, the second stage was slightly harder than the first, but the third stage's difficulty will spike significantly more. We hope you're mentally prepared."
-
Then, the Mechanical Abandoned Factory nestled in the karst cave began fading away. A blinding white light flashed, and the surroundings transformed into a vast plaza.
The Stellar Train stood alone at the plaza's center.
No one else was around.
Directly ahead loomed another massive luminous screen.
-
"Third stage commencing soon."
"1/5."
-
Once the other four Train Conductors arrive, the final competition can begin.
Half an hour later.
"Space Stasis" ended, and Biao Zi and the others regained consciousness. They rushed into the train compartment and looked at Lord Mang sitting in his chair. Though they already had an answer in their hearts, they suppressed their excitement, their lips trembling.
"Lord... Lord Mang, did we win?"
"Mmm."
Chen Mang swiveled his chair to face Biao Zi and the others standing at the door. After a brief pause, he chuckled lightly, "We won."
"Hell yeah!"
Biao Zi roared excitedly, his face alight with emotion. Behind him, Lao Zhu and the others were equally thrilled. The Stellar had won many times before, but this victory excited them the most—because... they had contributed so much to it.
Every one of them had played a part in this success.
"..."
Chen Mang glanced at the cheering crowd and chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't get too excited yet. This is the final round. We have to wait for the other four Train Conductors to reach the third round, and then we'll compete together for the grand prize. Only then can we truly say we've won."
"Once we secure it, we'll hold a celebration when we get back."
"Everyone will be rewarded!"
"No problem!" Biao Zi grinned eagerly, his excitement barely contained. "We'll definitely take it—the Stellar never loses!"
At this point, there were still 38 hours left on the countdown for the second round's conclusion.
Time has a way of dulling many things.
Like excitement.
When the countdown reached 8 hours.
Chen Mang and the others had already left the train, standing impatiently in the square. Biao Zi, who had been brimming with excitement earlier, his determination to crush the competition in one go, had gradually cooled. He stood there in a daze, staring at the empty square for a long time before murmuring,
"Lord Mang..."
"It's been 30 hours already. Do you think there's a chance... those other trains just can't make it?"
"Even the Stellar only had six hours to spare in the Mechanical Abandoned Factory round. The other trains probably had no more than five and a half hours, especially since they used up so much Copper Ore in the first round. There couldn't have been much left for them in this round."
"Can they really still come?"
"Hard to say." Lao Zhu shook his head hesitantly. "Maybe some trains got stuck in the first two rounds for over thirty hours and are now rushing through the final round."
"Could the first two rounds really take that long?"
"Not everyone is Lord Mang, after all. It's hard to say."
"So what do we do now? If the countdown ends and we still don't have enough participants, will we be declared the winners outright, or will the third round be delayed?"
"No idea..."
"..."
Chen Mang stood leaning on his cane, also staring impatiently at the empty square. Surely not... was the Stellar the only train to make it this far? You're all high-level trains from the red zone—surely at least one of you could pass, right?
The countdown was down to its final hour.
The square still held only the Stellar.
No sign of any other trains.
"I think we might have overestimated the other trains..." Biao Zi sat on the ground, muttering gloomily. "If even the Stellar barely made it through, the others probably had no chance."
"Are they really that weak?"
"Don't rush. Maybe they'll show up in the last few minutes."
"Then we'll wait."
The countdown reached its final minute.
A massive crimson countdown appeared on the sky screen above the square.
「00:00:59」
"Damn it!"
Biao Zi sighed softly: "Looks like only the Stellar Train remains."
As the countdown gradually approached zero, the sky screen above the square began to change—the third level had officially begun.
-
「Congratulations. Reaching the third level proves your strength and potential. You are now qualified to inherit the legacy of the Mechanical Civilization. But we need the strongest among you.」
「The last remaining Train Conductor will be declared the victor.」
「The third level consists of four sub-levels.」
「For the first sub-level: We assume your train's ammunition is nearly depleted. But in the brutal reality of war, we must ensure the train retains combat capability even after exhausting all ammunition.」
「You will now face a Corpse Tide composed of Level 10 Zombies—their numbers are endless.」
「The train with the fewest kills within one hour will be eliminated.」
「The third level begins now!」
-
Just as this message appeared, a 10-second countdown beside it reached zero. Fireworks exploded out of nowhere, and a brand-new sky screen materialized.
-
「Congratulations to the Stellar Train for becoming the final victor of the third level.」
「Next—」 「You will receive the ultimate prize passed down by the Mechanical Civilization.」
「Please disembark and proceed to the award podium. What happens next will be known only to the Train Conductor.」
-
"That's it? We won?"
Chen Mang, already seated inside the train compartment, glanced around. Victory had been declared for him—no other train had made it to the third level before the second level's countdown ended. Everyone else had been eliminated in the second level.
Just like that, he had effortlessly won the third level.
Chen Mang looked ahead at the cylindrical award podium rising from the ground—enclosed, made of glass, resembling an old-fashioned phone booth.
Leaving the train, he leaned on his cane and walked step by step to the podium. After a brief pause, he gently pulled open the glass door and stepped inside.
Once inside the podium, the surroundings instantly shifted. The square vanished, the Stellar Train disappeared, and an extremely brutal war scene materialized on the inner glass—so vivid it felt immersive.
Countless trains clashed with the Insectoid Race.
Almost every moment, trains and insectoids erupted into sparks, exploding midair.
Then—
Lines of text appeared one by one on the podium's screen.
-
「Since you passed the second level, you must already know the concealed truth about the Mechanical Civilization. The Mechanical Civilization did not wage war against the Insectoid Race for 108,000 years—it was annihilated in just 295 years.」
「In its final days, the Mechanical Civilization's leaders altered the calendar so that other civilizations exploring its ruins would believe it wasn't so weak.」
「It was a pointless lie.」
「But those in power cared deeply. In their last year, the leaders knew extinction was inevitable. Many chose to abandon hope, spending their final year in reckless indulgence, drowning in hedonism day and night.」
"However."
"This information was concealed. Many members of the Mechanical Civilization died without ever knowing their race was being exterminated."
"The Mechanical Civilization had a plan—to dispatch countless small shuttles to roam the cosmos. When a planet was detected under attack by the Insectoid Race, the nearest shuttle would rush to that planet at maximum speed and inject the medicine it carried deep into the planet's core."
"To pass down the methods of the Mechanical Civilization."
"To ensure the survival of that planet's indigenous inhabitants."
"In truth—"
"This plan, named the 'Dawn Project,' was unanimously approved by the high-ranking officials of the Mechanical Civilization over a century ago. Its purpose was to help other low-level civilizations invaded by the Insectoid Race delay the enemy's advance as much as possible."
"But after more than a decade of execution, the plan was discontinued. The returns fell short of the higher-ups' expectations."
"Three years before the Mechanical Civilization was annihilated, Princess Tuotuo used all her connections and resources to revive this plan. She invested heavily without regard for cost, creating the 'Serendipity Map' through the existence of Time Rifts."
"Allowing low-level civilizations not only to obtain stronger Accessory Blueprints and Special Items but also to inherit the true history of the Mechanical Civilization."
"History—"
"Should be truthful, not whitewashed."
"No one remains pure forever. One can be tainted, but never false. Princess Tuotuo could not accept that the history other civilizations uncovered about the Mechanical Civilization was all fabricated and embellished. This was her goal."
"The 'Withered Tree Revival' map was a Serendipity Map personally designed by Princess Tuotuo. That story was merely a microcosm of the countless tales from the Mechanical Civilization at the time. The map's grand prize was a gift prepared by the princess herself."
"She hoped you would strive to survive and kill as many Insectoids as possible to avenge the Mechanical Civilization. Beyond that, she asked for nothing else."
"You're probably trying to converse with me now, aren't you? Because you've never encountered a light-screen information source as human-like as me. But unfortunately, I cannot speak with you. I am Princess Tuotuo's Train Auxiliary Intelligent AI, level 200."
"You might find it hard to believe that an AI could reach such a high level."
"Princess Tuotuo used a vast amount of Murphy Stones on me. Through special means, she separated me from the system, allowing me to escape the fate of the Mechanical Civilization's destruction. She stationed me here in this Serendipity Map, so theoretically, I should also be part of the reward—to assist you in surviving better."
"But while I can endure endless solitude, I cannot bear the longing for Princess Tuotuo. If hell truly exists in this world, perhaps I could meet her there—if AIs are allowed in hell."
"I chose to destroy the foundational code that composes my soul, embracing the death I've long awaited."
"Regrettably, the most important reward in your grand prize pool is now missing."
"Let me think... what else can I tell you..."
"..."
Chen Mang could only stand in place, his eyes slightly narrowed. He hadn't uttered a single word from start to finish, but if not for the line on the screen stating that he should attempt conversation, he might have truly believed these words were being typed out in real time to converse with him.
The text on the screen hesitated.
As if deep in thought.
He seemed to sense an AI from thousands of years ago, typing out words one by one, engaging in a cross-temporal dialogue with him. The feeling was... extraordinary.
-
"By the way, let me tell you more about the Civilization War."
"There are many ways to initiate a Civilization War, but the reason the Zerg Civilization is so notorious is that they only know one type—the 'Life-or-Death War.'"
"The conditions for initiating a 'Life-or-Death War' are extremely stringent. But once it begins, the coordinates of all planets, wormholes, and members of the defeated civilization will be exposed to the entire universe."
"Without exception."
"It's as if all the doors to their homes are thrown wide open. Hostile civilizations can freely enter their rear areas through previously hidden wormhole coordinates and slaughter at will."
"A single main cannon shot can effortlessly destroy all inhabited planets in a straight line."
"Moreover, during this time, all wormholes of the defeated civilization become unusable and impassable for their own people. Only the most recently born newborns can use the wormholes to escape the doomed planets. But drifting rootlessly in the vast cosmos merely delays the inevitable."
"You'll learn the specifics later."
"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry—your civilization hasn't been targeted by the Zerg Civilization in a Life-or-Death War. You've merely been caught in the crossfire. The Zerg Civilization doesn't even know you exist. It's just that your civilization's level is so low that even the slightest ripple from their actions feels like an apocalypse."
"Only civilizations of at least Level 1 qualify to initiate a Life-or-Death War."
"Let me think... What else should I say?"
"Ah, I've got it. Since you've made it this far and are one of the strongest Train commanders on your planet, if you ever get the chance to obtain a Token of Civilization, I advise you not to use it lightly. Once you establish your own civilization, you'll be stepping onto the gaming table, joining the Civilization Wars of the entire universe."
"Without sufficient strength, you'll never be the hunter—only the prey."
"There's nothing else left to say."
"Here are your rewards for clearing this Serendipity Map."
"1: Special Item—Galaxy Map."
"2: Rainbow-tier accessory—'Wormhole Radar.'"
"3: Detachable Level 200 Train Auxiliary AI."
"4: Ten Level 5 Iron Ore Refresh Coupons, ten Level 5 Copper Ore Refresh Coupons, ten Level 5 Titanium Crystal Mine Refresh Coupons, ten Level 5 Lumberyard Refresh Coupons, and ten Level 5 Crimson Heartstone Refresh Coupons."
"5: Additional reward—'AI Database.'"
"One more thing—the fifth reward is my personal addition. Although I've destroyed the code that composed my soul, I've left the database for you. I selectively deleted memories related to Tuotuo Princess and some of my own emotions, but the rest remains intact."
"You can have the AI on your Train read it."
"However, even after removing a significant portion of Tuotuo Princess's memories, the remaining database is still enormous. It might take your Train's Level 3 AI several years to fully process all the data."
"Well then..."
"See you in hell, if fate allows."
-
"..."
The text on the screen gradually faded away as a pillar emerged from the ground of the awards podium. On its surface lay the rewards from this Serendipity Map, while a Portal slowly materialized in the square.
Purple Zone—Stone Man Zone.
The Stellar Train stood as usual on the desolate plain, the night sky dotted with stars.
Inside the train,
the residents were excitedly discussing their experiences in the Serendipity Map. This was the first time they had actively contributed and witnessed the Stellar's victory firsthand, strengthening the train's cohesion in an intangible way.
Everyone was thrilled.
"I pushed four Zombies into the Space Gate!"
"Four? That's nothing—I pushed six!"
In Residential Area 1, everyone gathered eagerly to chat, except for a Young man huddled in a corner beneath the pavilion, clutching his laptop and trembling slightly.
"It's alright."
Lao Zhu, who had approached unnoticed, opened a beer and handed it over. Squatting down, he patted the Young man's shoulder with a smile. "Lord Mang said you contributed. There's no need to blame yourself too much. The difficulty of this Serendipity Map was exceptionally high, and you did great."
"Not everyone is the hero who turns the tide."
"We're all just ordinary people."
"Come join the others. They all want to hear your story—many residents are curious."
"I—"
The Young man looked up at Lao Zhu, his eyes slightly reddened. "If I hadn't made that one mistake, we wouldn't have faced that wave of Zombies."
"No one was hurt. You don't need to shoulder responsibility for a failure that wasn't yours."
"You don't have the capacity to bear such a heavy burden."
"Get up."
"Relax a little. Everyone's waiting for you. Zhang Yiren even mentioned turning this experience into a movie." Lao Zhu grinned. "Lord Mang told me you'll be receiving an award at tomorrow's celebration banquet in Neon City. If your eyes are red from crying, you won't look your best."
"..."
Inside the train compartment, Chen Mang lit a cigarette and silently gazed at the Galaxy Map displayed on the screen—one of the Special Items he had acquired this time.
It updated in real-time.
On the Galaxy Map, Aqua Blue Star was positioned at the center, with a displayed range of 10,000 light-years.
It marked planets with life, mineral-rich worlds, and more.
For example,
the nearest mineral planet was 0.3 light-years away, annotated with an Iron Ore content of 78%. Mining it entirely would yield vast resources.
There were also two inhabited planets—one 0.4 light-years from Aqua Blue Star, the other 0.8 light-years away—both in a state of apocalypse.
The Galaxy Map even tracked the main forces of the Insectoid Race in real-time.
The troubling part was
their location lay deep within the Insectoid Race's rear. Within 10,000 light-years, there were only low-level civilizations—none above Tier 1. Aqua Blue Star was labeled as a Tier 0.2 civilization.
He had once wondered how the train could reach a destination 100,000 light-years away.
Even at light speed, it would take 100,000 years.
Now he had the answer.
They needed a Wormhole.
Wormholes are essentially the lifelines of a planet. Once the wormholes near a planet are exposed, that planet will instantly face slaughter by hordes of enemies. But as long as the coordinates of nearby wormholes remain hidden, no one can reach your planet.
It's simply too far away.
Traveling by speed alone makes reaching Aqua Blue Star impossible.
Just then—
"Train Conductor, absorption is complete."
"That fast?"
Chen Mang glanced at the screen on the control panel. "Only two hours have passed."
"After all, I'm a Level 100 AI. Processing this much data doesn't take long. I've extracted some key information."
Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the train compartment.
"Wormholes in the universe can generally be divided into two types."
"Natural wormholes and artificial wormholes."
"The former are randomly generated and unstable, with a constant risk of collapse, and their destinations are unknown."
"The latter are created by civilizations. Generally, they are more stable, like undersea tunnels that can be used long-term, though they require regular maintenance. These are usually constructed as connected wormholes between two points."
"The coordinates of artificial wormholes are top-secret."
"If the coordinates are exposed, there's a risk of invasion."
"As long as the wormhole coordinates remain hidden, a planet is almost completely safe, with no risk of being slaughtered by any civilization."
"The Zerg Civilization has created many random wormholes and thrown countless eggs into them to achieve rapid reproduction and map exploration."
"Just like scouting in games like StarCraft. Among them, a special entity called the 'Ant Insect' will establish contact with the 'Mother Empress' back at the Zerg base and transmit the planet's coordinates. If there are resources the Zerg need nearby, they will open a wormhole using those coordinates, allowing their armies to arrive near the planet."
"The growth cycle of an Ant Insect larva is roughly five years."
"So we have about three years left?" Chen Mang frowned.
"No, perhaps longer."
Xiao Ai pushed open the train compartment door and walked in, his voice shifting from the car audio to his own vocal synthesizer. "The galaxy map shows there's nothing of high value in our vicinity."
"The Zerg armies probably won't bother with us."
"But—"
"The means of the Mechanical Civilization rely on the planet's core energy. This planet's core energy will be depleted in three years, so we still need to leave Aqua Blue Star within that time."
"We must reach two other habitable planets within three years. Those planets are larger and should last longer."
"However, while those mining planets may not interest the Zerg Civilization, for us, they represent an enormous fortune."
"Mining a planet requires a massive number of mining robots and logistical support—an extremely daunting task."
"How do we get there?"
After a long silence, Chen Mang zoomed in on the galaxy map on the screen. "The nearest mining planet is 0.3 light-years away. Use that rainbow-tier component, the 'Wormhole Radar'?"
"Correct."
Xiao Ai nodded seriously. "The Wormhole Radar can detect naturally formed wormholes in the universe or the coordinates of wormholes created by other civilizations. The higher its level, the greater its detection range, and it can decipher coordinates of higher-level wormholes."
"Theoretically speaking."
"As long as you, Train Conductor, have sufficient resources, the coordinates of all wormholes in the universe will be no secret to you. You can travel to any point in the universe, provided the Wormhole Radar's level is high enough."
"Though it's happening much faster than we anticipated."
"But clearly."
"Our interstellar journey is about to begin, Train Conductor. We're on the verge of a brand-new voyage."
"Will there just happen to be a randomly generated wormhole near that mining planet?"
"Most likely not. We'll have to create this wormhole ourselves."
"Hah..."
Chen Mang stood up, stretching lazily before walking to the floor-to-ceiling window. With his hands in his pockets, he gazed at the distant starry sky. After a long silence, he chuckled softly.
"Doesn't sound like a simple project."