Translator: AnubisTL
Among the accessories that could be crafted on a Tier 2 train, Armor and Windfire Wheels were arguably the most expensive. Windfire Wheels were relatively manageable, requiring 1,000 units of iron ore to upgrade from Tier 1 to Tier 2, with each subsequent upgrade costing an additional 1,000 units.
Armor, on the other hand, was a pain he didn't even want to mention. Upgrading it from Tier 1 to Tier 2 cost 5,000 units of iron ore, and upgrading it from Tier 2 to Tier 3 would require 10,000 units.
Until he found Tier 4 Iron Ore, he hadn't even considered Tier 10 Armor. Tier 5 Windfire Wheels were more than sufficient for his needs. His current speed was already quite high, and there was no need to go any faster.
After briefly glancing over the Windfire Wheel accessory, Chen Mang turned his attention to the others. Many accessories didn't need immediate upgrading, such as the Single Bed and Pure Water Filter. He prioritized boosting defense and attack power.
After some thought, he spent 4,400 units of copper ore to upgrade the Generator to Tier 10. Then, he spent another 540 units of copper ore to upgrade the Circuit System to Tier 10.
Both accessories were crafted using copper ore, so it was natural to use copper ore for their upgrades. The Train Auxiliary AI had long warned that the increasing number of energy-consuming accessories on the train had pushed the Circuit System to its breaking point. Since these two accessories were crucial for keeping the train running, upgrading them had been long overdue.
Upgrading them to Tier 10 in one go meant he wouldn't have to worry about them for a long time. It also unlocked four more overpowered effects.
Tier 5 Overpowered Effect: Circuit System
No manual adjustments required. The circuit system will seamlessly integrate into the carriage and can be fully controlled through the control panel screen.
Tier 10 Overpowered Effect: Circuit System
Allows for limited overloading of the system.
Tier 5 Overpowered Effect: Generator
Silent operation, producing no noise.
Tier 10 Overpowered Effect: Generator
After the energy stone is depleted, the generator will continue to run for twenty-four hours. Using this function will significantly reduce the accessory's durability.
"..."
Chen Mang glanced at the four overpowered effects. He pursed his lips without saying much. They were mostly useless. The only potentially useful one was the Tier 5 Overpowered Effect for the circuit system, which would save him the trouble of manually adjusting the circuits every time he added a new accessory.
But it didn't matter.
He had only needed the original effects of the accessories after upgrading them. He hadn't expected much from their overpowered effects anyway, and it was rare for such accessories to have overpowered effects that were truly practical.
Next, he spent 30,800 units of iron ore to upgrade the remaining seven Rapid-Fire Ballistas to Tier 10.
Then, he spent another 44,000 units of iron ore to upgrade the Target Acquisition Radar to Tier 10 in one go, increasing its detection range to a radius of 10,000 meters.
At this range, it was no exaggeration to say that few monsters could approach him undetected. The incident with Doba's Goblin Train, which had managed to evade his radar and appear before him, could never happen again.
His Target Acquisition Radar was Tier 10. Even if there were accessories that could evade radar, they wouldn't be effective if their Tier was lower than his. He didn't believe any train in this low-Tier region possessed such high-Tier accessories.
At the same time, he gained two new overpowered effects.
Tier 5 Overpowered Effect of Target Acquisition Radar: If a Boss appears within range, all of its skills will be clearly displayed on the control panel screen.
Tier 10 Overpowered Effect of Target Acquisition Radar: If a train appears within range, all of its Accessories and their Tiers will be clearly displayed on the control panel screen.
"Hmmph."
Chen Mang raised an eyebrow slightly. These two overpowered effects were quite impressive. The 40,000+ Units of iron ore hadn't been wasted; he'd already recouped his investment.
He glanced at the remaining accessories.
Nearly all the crucial accessories were already Tier 10. Once they finished mining the Doomsday Abyss, he'd start preparing to upgrade to a Tier 3 train.
But the next moment—
"Hmm?"
He froze in place, a flicker of shock in his eyes. What was going on? He'd assumed the Doomsday Abyss was the safest zone in the Iron Ridge Wasteland, virtually impenetrable to monsters.
In fact, during his long stay at the bottom of the Doomsday Abyss, he'd only encountered the reckless Doba, and no other dangers.
If he didn't need to venture into high-Tier zones, he'd even considered settling down here.
But now, with the Target Acquisition Radar upgraded to Tier 10, its detection range had expanded to 10,000 meters. The control panel screen was swarming with dense red dots, and the constant beeping of the alarm was almost unbearable. The sheer number of red dots—hundreds of them—was enough to trigger his trypophobia.
What were those?
An Underground River?
Six thousand meters deeper into the Doomsday Abyss, hundreds of red dots were slowly moving underground. These were fish-like monsters gathering in the Underground River, including five Tier 3 Monsters.
Named "Piranha."
After upgrading the Radar, Chen Mang gained access to even more information.
"..."
Chen Mang watched the scene with a slightly strange expression, but he didn't take it to heart. He was merely surprised to find monsters even in the Underground River. He had no other thoughts, as these Piranhas posed no threat to him.
The iron ore he had accumulated over several days was nearly exhausted in one go.
You really don't know how expensive running a household is until you're the one in charge.
The daily food rations he provided to his slaves were unmatched by any other train. Yet, the resources consumed just for their meals barely covered the cost of upgrading a single Accessory.
The bread slices and steamed buns were supposed to improve physical fitness with long-term consumption, but after several days, he hadn't noticed any changes in his body.
He suddenly decided to revisit the Gathering. He should have bought those fitness equipment back then. Even if the slaves couldn't use them, he could.
He had nothing else to do during the day.
Setting up the equipment inside the train, he could work out daily during his idle hours.
Oh, right, and there was Ji Chuchu.
He definitely needed to go back to the Gathering.
Chen Mang glanced at the Train Radio. The next Gathering was scheduled for seven days from now. Since the last one had just been held yesterday, he decided to wait until then. By that time, they should have finished mining the iron ore in the Doomsday Abyss.
Next, he needed to figure out where to find more high-grade resource mines. He was tired of mining Tier 2 Iron Ore; he didn't even want to look at Tier 1 Iron Ore anymore.
Over the next few days, the iron ore they mined would be used to upgrade the Resource Detection Radar to Tier 10, giving it a wider detection range and making it easier to find high-grade resource mines.
"..."
Chen Mang narrowed his eyes, planning his next steps. He would need to return to Taiping City. A few days ago, he had asked Old Pig to check the slaves for any potential matches he could arrange a marriage for, so he could use the Doomsday Marriage Certificate.
Old Pig had suggested Wildcat, one of the thugs. Wildcat's girlfriend might be hiding in the suburbs of Taiping City. If they could find her, it should satisfy the requirements for using the Doomsday Marriage Certificate. The only question was whether she was still alive.
After upgrading the Target Acquisition Radar, he could clearly see detailed information about each red dot, including gender and appearance. Finding someone wouldn't be difficult if he wanted to.
He should also capture and take in more survivors.
(End of the Chapter)
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