Translator: AnubisTL
"Even within the White Zone, many trains they support transport slaves, resources, and accessory blueprints."
"You came from the Iron Ridge Wasteland."
"In your region, several promising trains have received their funding."
"I must reiterate this clearly: they harbor no ill intentions. Dismiss any thoughts that we seek to harm you. In this apocalypse, our common enemy is the monsters. No one would conspire to send a rapidly developing train to Hell—that would be foolish."
"If they harbored such thoughts, they could never attract so many followers."
"This will be our first proper meeting."
"A private meeting between just the two of us. How about we meet in the Combat Training Virtual Space? I believe this will ease your concerns. I'll create a private arena room, ID '28301', password '888888'."
"If you're willing, we can discuss this in the arena."
"I'm sure you've upgraded this accessory to Tier 5 as well."
"..."
Chen Mang stared at the long string of messages in the train radio's private chat box. After frowning in thought for a long moment, he strode toward the Combat Training Virtual Space nearby.
The Organization?
Since the apocalypse, the world had been divided into several zones. High-Level Trains were absolutely forbidden from entering low-level regions. How could such an organization even exist under these circumstances? Still, he didn't mind making contact; the other party clearly possessed more information.
After upgrading the Combat Training Virtual Space to Tier 5, it was possible to participate in ranked matches and battle members of other trains at the same Tier.
Five minutes later.
Chen Mang stood alone on a dueling platform within the Combat Training Virtual Space. Facing him was a rather young man, not particularly tall, about 1.7 meters in height.
"First, let me introduce myself. I'm Qi Tian."
The young man sat cross-legged on the ground, gesturing for Chen Mang to sit as well before continuing, "Try to relax. When this organization first approached me, I was just as wary as you are now."
"But there's one thing you need to believe."
"In the apocalypse, even a notoriously corrupt train conductor has his merits—he can kill more monsters."
"Chen Mang."
Chen Mang replied and sat cross-legged on the ground, his brow furrowing slightly. He showed no signs of wariness or tension; with his strength, he had nothing to fear from this man.
Yet from the moment they began communicating privately, including their first meeting, the man had repeatedly urged him to "relax."
This was a classic manipulation tactic used by those in positions of power.
Repeatedly telling someone to "relax" can make them anxious even if they initially felt calm. It also subtly asserts control over the conversation. Most people wouldn't perceive the hidden offense in these seemingly harmless words, but Chen Mang recognized it instantly—it was a method he'd often used to manage his company before the apocalypse.
"Alright."
The young man nodded solemnly. "Then let's begin our first formal contact. Their organization is called 'Heavenly Balance.' Before we start, I have a few questions. A White Accessory Blueprint must be utterly useless to you now, right?"
"It's useful."
"Even if it's useful, surely it's not very useful anymore, right?"
"It's extremely useful."
"..."
The boy's smile slowly froze as he stared at Chen Mang's earnest expression. Momentarily speechless, he paused before continuing, "Then let's put it another way. If you were to discard 1,000 units of iron ore right now, you wouldn't feel much regret, would you?"
"I would feel regret."
Chen Mang frowned slightly. "You've only had a few good days, and you're already getting arrogant?"
"Do you realize that it takes 100 slaves a full day of digging at Tier 1 Iron Ore veins to extract 1,000 units of iron ore?"
"Understood."
The boy's lips twitched slightly. He took a deep breath and tried again. "Then let's try another way. Suppose you had an extra White Accessory Blueprint, or maybe you had too many slaves and couldn't afford to feed them all. Would you be willing to give them away?"
"No."
Chen Mang scrutinized the boy with a peculiar expression. "Why don't you give me all your slaves, then? If I have extras, can't I trade them away? Give them away? Is your Organization's purpose to accumulate merit in this life, so when everyone dies in the apocalypse, you can use that merit to negotiate reincarnation with Buddha?"
The young man sat cross-legged on the ground, his expression blank as he stared at his toes for a long moment before continuing without regard for propriety.
"The organization is called Heavenly Balance."
"Our mission is to send unused resources to trains in lower-level regions, allowing more trains to develop."
"For example, trains in the Yellow Zone send us their surplus goods, and we in turn send our unused resources to trains in the White Zone."
"That's the organization's core principle."
"We don't care about earning any of that bullshit merit."
"In this organizational chain, everyone benefits more than they contribute. Even the lowest-tier trains, once they grow, must continue sending resources to trains in the White Zone."
"Although the organization can't directly access lower-level regions, we have methods to contact them. For example, White Zone trains wait at zone boundaries to receive resources from trains arriving from below."
"Although survivors and train tokens exist in every zone, about eighty percent of all trains have grown from the White Zone. Tier 1 trains simply have no room to develop in Green or higher-tier zones."
"It's precisely this system that has allowed a steady stream of trains to emerge even after more than a year since the apocalypse."
"One day, we will eradicate all the monsters and rebuild our home on this ravaged planet."
Chen Mang remained silent, scrutinizing the young man before him. Rebuild our home?
That's definitely not happening.
If we can't achieve interstellar Long Voyage within five years, we might as well give up and die. According to the information he'd seen in the Doomsday Abyss, this planet would be completely doomed in five years. Logically, observation windows similar to the Doomsday Abyss should exist beyond just the Iron Ridge Wasteland. Either the Organization was unaware of this impending doom, or they were concealing it from others.
"Hmm, a noble goal. What's next?"
"The Organization wishes to recruit you. As a welcome gift, we'll offer you a substantial reward—say, 50,000 units of iron ore."
"That's all?"
"Hmm?" the young man paused, slightly taken aback. "Just now, you wouldn't even part with 1,000 units of iron ore."
"Those are two different things."
The young man fell silent for a moment before continuing, "The 50,000 units of iron ore come from a train in the Yellow Zone. They wouldn't part with any more. Meanwhile, you only need to provide 5,000 units to a designated train in the White Zone."
"After this exchange, you'd essentially net a profit of 45,000 units of iron ore."
"It's a guaranteed win-win deal."
"Moreover, joining this organization won't require you to complete any missions. There are no superiors; we simply band together for mutual support."
Chen Mang nodded. "How long has this organization been around?"
"About six months."
"Which zone houses the strongest train in your organization?"
"I'm not sure."
"Given your organizational structure, the strongest trains always occupy the 'provider' position. I'm curious—do they have unlimited resources? Can they continuously supply resources to the lower tiers?"
The young man fell silent again before replying, "You're thinking too grandly. I'm not privy to such information. I didn't expect you to be so resistant; to me, this seems like a win-win situation with no drawbacks."
"Isn't it good for everyone to huddle together for warmth in the apocalypse?"
"Yes."
Chen Mang rose to his feet and glanced back at the young man casually. "But I'm too lazy to run to the White Zone to deliver iron ore, and I'm even more lazy to go to the Yellow Zone and claim that pathetic 50,000-unit iron ore. So you guys can huddle together for warmth; I'll just stay cold."
With that, he turned to leave the arena.
But just then, the young man's eerie voice drifted from behind.
"I must remind you again: anyone who accepts an invitation but then refuses is considered an enemy of humanity. In the Green Zone, no one may dare provoke you, but when you enter the Yellow Zone, the Organization has established a base there."
"Unless you never set foot in the Yellow Zone for the rest of your life."
"In the apocalypse, anyone who refuses to huddle together for warmth can be considered an enemy of humanity."
"..."
Chen Mang, who had almost reached the edge of the arena, stopped in his tracks. Leaning heavily on his cane, he turned back to face the young man and, using the cane, lifted the young man's chin, a smile spreading across his face.
"Was that a threat?"
"Then pass this message on."
"If anyone from your Organization dares provoke me, I'll slaughter every member of the Heavenly Balance I see afterward."
"Including you."
"You AI-fucking little trap. Don't provoke me. Understand?"
Having finished speaking, Chen Mang didn't linger and walked out of the arena. He had absolutely no interest in that so-called Organization; it sounded like nothing but trouble. While it might benefit others, it would only waste his time.
"..."
The young man, still sitting cross-legged on the arena floor, watched Chen Mang's retreating figure with a face as dark as dripping ink, his eyes blazing with intense fury.
This was the first time anyone had dared to insult him with such vulgar language!
Moreover, his AI was female, not male, and he was no damn femboy!
He was an A-Rank potential train, and even in the future, this potential would be of immense value to him. As a core seed within the Organization, no one had ever dared speak to him like this before. Did they think just anyone could complete an A-Rank Difficulty Mechanical Class Change Mission?
Even if others wanted to sell their asses...
They simply lacked the ability!
Taking a deep breath, he immediately exited the virtual space and went to the train radio. Picking up the walkie-talkie, he found the red chat box and said in a hoarse voice, "Recruitment failed. He said if anyone from Heavenly Balance bothers him again, he'll kill them all."
Only static crackled through the walkie-talkie.
After a long silence, an elderly voice finally replied.
"Then just leave him alone. Everyone has their own beliefs, and not everyone wants to join the Organization."
"Your brother has been waiting for you at the base in the Zombie Basin, the Yellow Zone behind Kunlun Mountain. My advice is, don't create any unnecessary trouble, understand?"
"You didn't threaten him, did you?"
The young man hesitated before shaking his head. "No."
"Good. The Balance Organization has only one rule: once you join, you can't leave. Since you've benefited from others' grace, you must extend that grace to those below you. That's how we all prosper together. Those who don't want to join simply don't need to. No need to create enemies."
"I understand."
The young man hung up, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty as he sat in his seat. The person he'd been speaking with was a high-ranking member of Heavenly Balance. He didn't know which zone the official was in, nor the Tier of their train—only that they were incredibly powerful. They were always the one who contacted him.
Organizational rules strictly prohibited threats.
He was just angry.
In his heart, the Heavenly Balance was a sacred organization, where everyone worked together, seeking warmth and support in unity. He had always considered it an honor to join its ranks. But the other party's dismissive attitude infuriated him, prompting him to issue a veiled threat, hoping to make them back down.
To his shock, the other party completely ignored his threat!
Damn it! Had he not made it clear enough? The Heavenly Balance operated trains even in the high-level zones! What gave a Tier 5 train from the Green Zone the audacity to act so arrogant?
Just then—
"What's wrong?"
A woman approached from the side and curled into his arms, her fingers tracing circles on his chest as she whispered, "Did someone upset Lord Tian?"
"It's nothing," he replied, pulling her closer. After a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. "Just a minor matter."
"Then we..." she smiled, her fingers slowly sliding downward.
"No!" he gripped her wrist in alarm, his voice trembling. "Didn't we just do it four times last night? Can we slow down? It's been seventeen times this week! Look at me—my face is as pale as a ghost!"
The woman's smile slowly faded, a flicker of sorrow in her eyes. "You don't love me anymore, do you? You're no longer interested in my body, are you?"
"Then let's destroy everything together."
With a swift movement, the woman remotely flipped open the cover of the "Immediate Self-Destruct" button on the control panel.
"Come."
Forcing a smile, the boy quickly slammed the cover shut again. His voice, hoarse and on the verge of tears, rasped, "I love you. How could I not love you?"
"Let's do it right away then."
This woman was his AI.
Under the night sky, the boy lay listlessly in his chair, his eyes filled with despair as he stared at the blurred dark figure rising and falling rhythmically against the train window. Chen Mang's parting words echoed endlessly in his mind.
If only I had known...
If only I hadn't insisted on A-Rank potential back then.
His brother also had A-Rank potential, but his brother's AI had never craved such things. One night, while his brother slept, it activated the "Built-in Security System" and slaughtered every female creature on the train—including female slaves, a sow, and two hens.
(End of the Chapter)
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