Translator: AnubisTL
The young man glanced at the message from the Stellaris train, momentarily stunned. Then, he couldn't help but chuckle. My brother still took my favor.
When the Stellaris train truly rises to power...
If I ever find myself in a life-or-death crisis, this favor might just save me.
And...
"Not bad at all."
He flipped through the Pornographic Magazine in his hands, unable to deny the unique sensation it gave him. Despite having no shortage of women, this magazine made him feel like he was still part of Civilization.
Just then—
"Son..."
The door to the locomotive cabin creaked open, and a middle-aged man entered, his face etched with bitterness. "Now that you're the train conductor, can't I, your father, enjoy a little peace and quiet?"
"Peace and quiet?"
The young man frowned, his expression turning stern. "What peace and quiet? This is the apocalypse! Do you think this is a game?"
"If we have one less person mining, the train's development will slow down."
"If you enjoy peace today, and I enjoy it tomorrow, we'll all end up enjoying it together in Hell."
"Don't you understand this simple logic?"
"Enough."
The young man furtively stuffed five meat sandwiches, a pack of cigarettes, and a pornographic magazine into his father's arms, whispering, "Hide these. I'm giving you a little extra. You definitely can't rest. If you do, those second uncles, third aunts, and the rest will definitely go on strike."
"I've finally managed to stabilize the situation."
"Don't mess things up for me, okay?"
"...Sigh." The middle-aged man sighed softly, then glanced down at the pornographic magazine in his hand. "I understand the logic. Mining every day is fine, but you're living so lavishly every day. Can't you let me enjoy some of it too? Your mother left early, and I've never remarried."
"Don't think about things that would make Mom sad, you old reprobate."
"But you living so lavishly, does that make you worthy of your mother?"
"That's your wife, not mine. I don't even have a wife. What does it have to do with me?"
"True."
Green-Grade Vehicle Component Blueprint: Oxygen Generator
Chen Mang looked at the accessory blueprint in his hand, feeling a mix of emotions. While he didn't fully approve of the young man's actions, he had to admit the young man had done him a huge favor. With this, he no longer had to worry about oxygen.
Not only would he no longer need to worry about whether the cavern had enough oxygen while mining,
Even the four Refrigerators packed with slaves now had a sufficient oxygen supply. There was no longer any need to build slave cars; all slaves could be crammed into the Refrigerators. The original four slave cars would be repurposed as premium slave carriages, reserved for First-Tier Slaves only.
Manufacturing this accessory required 500 Units of iron ore.
Not expensive at all.
He immediately spent 500 Units of iron ore to install an Oxygen Generator in Goblinslave Car 10, then invested another 9,000 Units of iron ore to upgrade it to Tier 10.
Each upgrade increased the oxygen production capacity, naturally leading to higher energy consumption.
The Tier 10 Oxygen Generator was now fully capable of producing enough oxygen for 1,000 people to breathe in an oxygen-free environment. Its circuit system was connected to the Generator, making it a significant energy consumer when activated.
A 100% charged Tier 1 Energy Stone could power a Tier 1 Train for 100 hours or the current Stellaris train for 60 hours of normal operation.
It could also keep a Tier 1 off-road motorcycle running continuously for 100 days.
The train currently had several energy-consuming accessories installed, though most didn't need to be constantly active. The Energy Stone he'd inserted into the Generator still had 37% capacity remaining.
After upgrading the Oxygen Generator to Tier 10, he also unlocked two overpowered effects.
Oxygen Generator Tier 5 Overpowered Effect: The Oxygen Generator can be linked to the Train Auxiliary AI. The AI will automatically adjust the oxygen output based on the oxygen levels in the space. This requires the Train Auxiliary AI, a green-grade Accessory, to be fully upgraded.
Oxygen Generator Tier 10 Overpowered Effect: The Oxygen Generator will continuously analyze the surrounding air quality and synchronize the report with the Train Auxiliary AI in real time.
"Hmmph."
Chen Mang raised an eyebrow slightly. The effects were quite good; both were quite useful.
He left the locomotive cabin and walked through the carriages until he reached Goblin Slave Car 10. He glanced at the Oxygen Generator in the corner, which resembled a large bubble machine used by wedding planning companies, with a large jet nozzle.
When it started operating, the nozzle would spew out a massive amount of oxygen.
It was already running. At its current oxygen production rate, continuous operation for 24 hours would deplete about 50% of a Tier 1 Energy Stone, equivalent to spending 250 units of iron ore per day. While this was more energy-intensive than other accessories, it was still far cheaper than relying on slaves' mouths.
Buzz... buzz... buzz...
Accompanied by a buzzing sound, the Oxygen Generator began its work, flooding the cavern with oxygen.
Not bad.
At least it's some form of aerobic exercise.
Chen Mang couldn't help but chuckle at his own joke. He glanced around, intending to explain his amusement to someone, but everyone was busy. Only Old Pig noticed him, and the man's overly serious and respectful expression made Chen Mang wave him away with a dismissive gesture. He returned to the locomotive cabin alone.
Might as well finish that movie I was watching earlier.
Sigh.
Among the slaves, a young man approached Uncle Li cautiously, glancing around before whispering, "Uncle Li, didn't you say you'd have a plan to climb up the ranks once new slaves joined the train? How's that coming along?"
"Just wait a little longer," Uncle Li replied, swinging his pickaxe down hard on the iron ore before him and shaking his head. "I haven't found anyone foolish enough to stir up trouble yet."
His plan was simple:
Find someone among the new slaves who was reckless enough to incite a revolt. Then, at the very moment the rebellion began, he and the young man beside him would swiftly quell the uprising, showcasing their competence and catching Lord Mang's attention.
But...
Plenty of new slaves had arrived, yet none seemed to have any intention of starting a rebellion. This left Uncle Li feeling somewhat awkward. In his previous carriage, rebellions had been a frequent occurrence. Why was there not even a hint of one here?
Without a rebellion, how could he stand out?
Talent is like shit: you have to stick your head out of your ass for people to notice you. Only then will they realize, "Oh, you're actually talented!" Otherwise, even if you're full of shit, no one will see it.
Especially in the apocalypse, rising to prominence is a difficult feat. You must strike a delicate balance, and trying too hard can be dangerous.
"Oh."
The young man scratched his head, at a loss for what to do. His usual solution was to stick close to Uncle Li. His mind was simple, so his approach to problem-solving had always been to follow a smart person and let them handle the issues, while he trailed behind to pick up the scraps.
Mining was hard physical labor.
Idle chatter helped pass the time.
"Uncle Li, have you ever dated a virgin?"
"..."
Uncle Li rolled his eyes at the young man, his expression unchanged. He didn't reply, just kept swinging his pickaxe.
The young man didn't seem to notice, muttering to himself as he swung his pickaxe: "Before the apocalypse, I had a really strong virginity complex. Every time I went on a blind date, I'd ask the woman if she was a virgin, but I'd always get called a pervert."
"As if it were the most offensive question imaginable."
"I'm not discriminating against non-virgins. Why can't I screen them out beforehand? They ask me if I have a car or a house, isn't that screening too?"
"I just couldn't accept it. I always wanted a pure, untainted relationship, but I never found one, not even before the apocalypse."
"Now that the apocalypse has come, it's even less likely I'll ever find a virgin. Uncle Li, do you think I'll never find one in my entire life?"
"Sigh."
Uncle Li sighed softly, his voice tinged with weariness. "It's not about whether it's offensive or not, it's about your lack of emotional intelligence. Imagine you did poorly on an exam as a child, and your relatives asked you how many points you scored. Would you feel good?"
"And as a middle-aged man, I have some advice for you."
"Love shouldn't be pure."
"A pure thing becomes glaringly obvious with even a speck of dust, but an impure thing barely notices a little dirt. Who can guarantee they'll remain pure their entire life?"
"It's better to find someone already impure. Even if something happens in the end, it won't hurt as much."
"As for the virginity complex..."
"I lost mine when I was 16."
A flicker of confusion crossed the young man's eyes. "Is there a secret to it?"
"No." Uncle Li shook his head. "I accepted it after realizing none of the girls I liked were virgins. In this day and age, virgins are as rare as hen's teeth."
"If you can't change the world, you can only change yourself."
Just then—
"I, I, I am!"
Behind them, a woman over six feet tall, built like a brick house and carrying a pickaxe, squeezed her head between them, her face flushed with excitement and a blush of shyness. "You two have gotten me all worked up!"
"I'm still a virgin."
"Hey, young man, how about I give you my virginity?"
"..."
The young man stared blankly at the woman beside him, her face a mass of wrinkles. He muttered dazedly, "Such a fine, strapping woman..."
"Sis, I've got a pickaxe here. Want to borrow it?"
"I'm still young."
"My mom says I'm not old enough to date yet. Can you please stay away from me?"
"Oh." The middle-aged man glanced indifferently at the woman behind him. "If it's someone like her, then it's not surprising at all."
The moment he finished speaking, the woman, who had been blushing shyly just moments before, turned grim. She rose abruptly, grabbed the middle-aged man by the collar like a chicken, and hoisted him into the air. Word by word, she demanded, "Explain yourself! What the hell do you mean by 'not surprising at all'?"
Panic flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes. His limbs flailed helplessly in the air, and though he wanted to say something, the collar choked him, leaving him speechless.
"You..."
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Seeing this, the young man's expression shifted slightly. He immediately stood up and grabbed the woman's right hand, trying to pull it down from the air. After several attempts, he realized he couldn't budge it. He then wrapped both arms around her wrist, lifted his feet off the ground, and tried to use his body weight to force her hand down.
But it was no use.
After several futile attempts, the young man simply used the woman's thick arm as a lever. He performed three pull-ups on the spot before finally standing up, brushing the dust off his clothes, and sighing deeply.
"Uncle Li, I did my best."
At that moment, Biaozi, who was patrolling nearby, noticed the scene. His expression darkened instantly as he chambered a round in his Soaring Dragon Assault Rifle and aimed it at the woman's head, his voice raspy. "Let go."
The woman dared not ignore Biaozi's warning. She immediately released Uncle Li, setting him down on the ground. Then, in a slightly aggrieved voice, she muttered, "He said no one wants me."
Biaozi couldn't be bothered with the squabbles between slaves. He merely gave the woman a cold glare.
"Next time, choose a comfortable way to die."
With that, he strode away. But as he turned, a flicker of shock flashed in his eyes. Was this woman's strength just a little too insane? He thought. In peacetime, she could probably take on three adult men without breaking a sweat.
"Hmph."
The woman glanced at Uncle Li with displeasure before picking up her pickaxe and continuing to mine nearby. She worked with remarkable intensity, her efficiency surpassing even many men's. As she mined, she muttered under her breath:
"One little fresh meat... two little fresh meats... three little fresh meats..."
Inside the Stellaris train...
Chen Mang lay back in his seat, completely absorbed in a movie on the screen. Suddenly, a knock on the door broke his concentration. He frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Enter."
"Lord Mang," Old Pig said, pushing the door open. His face was filled with respectful deference as he whispered, "Black Rat told me something I thought you should know immediately. What do you think we should do, Lord Mang?"
"Black Rat, tell Lord Mang what you know."
"Yes, yes," Black Rat said, following Old Pig into the room. He forced a few obsequious, nervous laughs before quickly adding, "Lord Mang, you don't know the full story. That Biaozi has already been a train conductor several times before, even reaching the rank of Tier 2 train conductor at his highest point."
"The reason he turned in the train token on his first field assignment was simply to make you think he had no intention of striking out on his own."
"Lately, I've grown quite fond of the Stellaris train."
"Biaozi will definitely rebel in the future, Lord Mang. After all, he's been a train conductor several times now. He won't be content to remain subordinate forever."
As the words fell silent, Black Rat gripped the hem of his robe tightly, his palms slick with sweat. His rapid breathing and the pounding of his heart echoed loudly in his ears.
For a moment, no one spoke.
After an unknown length of time, Chen Mang, lying back in his seat, suddenly let out a satisfied shout. He turned his gaze to the movie playing on the screen, leaned back against his chair, and lit a cigarette with a pleased smile, bringing it to his lips. "That's how you kill zombies! That's what makes it satisfying and exhilarating!"
"It makes me want to get my hands dirty. I'll go kill some zombies in a few days."
Chen Mang then glanced at Old Pig and Black Rat standing by his side, waving his hand casually. "Send Biaozi to see me."
Old Pig lowered his head, about to speak, when he heard Black Rat eagerly respond from the side. His brow furrowed slightly, but he said nothing, simply nodded again and led Black Rat out of the locomotive cabin.
(End of the Chapter)
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