Translator: AnubisTL
Crunch.
The crisp sound echoed, like biting into a crispy shark.
Biaozi's entire upper body had been bitten clean off at the waist.
He was dead beyond any doubt.
"No!!!"
In the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang stared at the screen showing Biaozi's death, his face contorted with grief. He shakily lit a cigarette, brought it to his lips, and said hoarsely, his eyes reddening, "Xiao Ai, do you know?"
"The first time I really looked at Biaozi, he cautiously reported to me that he had been selected as the captain of the thugs. Back then..."
"Train Conductor," Xiao Ai's mechanical voice interrupted, "this is a standard Resident Evil mission. There are no permanent deaths. Biaozi is not dead."
"...!"
Chen Mang, still caught up in his emotions, glared at Xiao Ai with annoyance. "You're not very intelligent yet. Next time, I'd prefer you keep quiet in situations like this."
"Understood."
Chen Mang leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the table, and gazed at the large screen in the locomotive cabin, which now showed Biaozi's successful mission completion.
Earlier, Old Pig had told him about Li Shiji's plan.
He found it quite intriguing.
He hadn't realized Li Shiji could be used in such a way. He immediately promised Li Shiji a substantial reward if the plan succeeded.
Then, he began watching the map designed by Li Shiji and his team in the Combat Training Virtual Space with great interest, just in time to see Biaozi's Resident Evil mission unfold.
Although it was in third-person perspective, the sense of immersion was incredibly strong.
This was far more thrilling than any apocalypse movie.
But even the starting point of a standard "Resident Evil" mission was this difficult. He calculated that if he didn't escape the elevator within the first twenty seconds, it was a guaranteed death.
The monster in the elevator shaft was simply unbeatable, impossible to kill.
The only solution was to kick open the elevator doors quickly and escape immediately.
Moreover, he couldn't bring any weapons into the mission; he had to rely on scavenging for weapons within the map, like the steel pipe in the elevator.
The overall difficulty was quite high.
If he managed to reach the 31st floor, even a 0.2 increase to his comprehensive physical fitness seemed like an understatement.
Finally—
After dying three consecutive times, Biaozi managed to kick open the elevator doors at the very start of his fourth attempt.
The elevator had jammed between the seventh and eighth floors.
Biaozi first peered down at the seventh floor, then cautiously peeked up at the eighth. Seeing no zombies outside, he hesitated for a few seconds before leaping up and scrambling onto the eighth-floor platform.
But just then!
Crash!
With a deafening roar of snapping cables, the entire elevator suddenly plummeted downward. Trapped halfway out, Biaozi, his eyes wide with despair and agony, was once again bisected by the descending elevator!
"Hmm."
Chen Mang frowned slightly, leaning back in his chair. This felt like something out of the Final Destination movies—a moment's hesitation meant death. How many times would Biaozi have to die to reach the top floor?
The pain remained fully intact.
Biaozi hadn't even attempted another entry yet. Instead, he lay twitching on the floor of the white space, clearly overwhelmed by the agony.
But then, without warning, Biaozi surged to his feet and charged back in!
This time, he moved with lightning speed, successfully climbing out of the elevator shaft onto the eighth floor.
The moment Biaozi emerged, the elevator behind him plummeted.
But before he could catch his breath...
"ROAR!!"
Dozens of zombies swarmed from the corridors on either side of the elevator shaft. Just as Chen Mang was about to see how Biaozi would escape this predicament, Biaozi turned without hesitation and leaped back into the elevator shaft.
He crashed heavily to the bottom, severely injured but still alive.
Fortunately, the zombie lurking in the shaft finished him off.
Continue. Try again.
This time, Biaozi chose the 7th floor. He climbed out safely, and showing remarkable cunning, he opted for the fire escape. But as soon as the fire escape door swung open, dozens of zombies surged out once more.
Try again.
This time, Biaozi chose to collect weapons from the companies on the 7th floor. While searching, he spotted a window-cleaning gondola hanging outside, currently unoccupied.
Biaozi's eyes lit up. Grabbing the fireaxe he'd just found, he leaped onto the gondola, a seemingly brilliant plan forming in his mind.
The moment he stood up, the rope securing the gondola snapped.
Game Over.
Try Again.
This time, Biaozi ran to the seventh floor, grabbed the fireaxe, and abandoned any shortcuts. He charged straight into the fire escape, ready for a fight.
1v28.
A bloody battle ensued. Score: 3/1. Try Again.
TL Note: 3/1 is the K/D (Kills/Death).
Score: 5/1, 8/1, 11/1. His performance steadily improved.
After a full hour, with darkness completely fallen, his score finally reached 28/0. The screen showed Biaozi, drenched in blood and staggering, climbing the fire escape to the 12th floor. There, he discovered the fire escape was blocked, forcing him to detour to another fire escape on the same floor.
The moment he opened the door onto the 12th floor, over a hundred zombies turned their heads in unison and charged at him, howling.
Biaozi's body finally gave out, and he collapsed to his knees just as the horde of zombies surged toward him. Before they could reach him, he raised his axe and swung it at himself, clearly trying to end his suffering quickly. But his hand faltered, and the blow wasn't fatal.
No matter. The onrushing zombies finished the job, though it only prolonged his agony.
In the brief flash of the screen, Chen Mang noticed a suit of armor and a healing spray on the table.
"Hmm."
Chen Mang watched Biaozi charge back into the map, his expression thoughtful. The man never stopped moving, dying right from the start but now moving with remarkable fluidity. It was almost mesmerizing to watch.
This map was truly brutal. If even the "normal missions" were this difficult, how could anyone possibly complete the extreme challenge?
The extreme challenge wasn't just harder; it also gave you only one life.
Dying in the map meant true brain death in the real world.
"Train Conductor," Xiao Ai said, standing beside him. "Biaozi's movements are becoming increasingly refined. His strikes are consistently precise, and he instinctively protects his vital areas. When forced into close combat, he quickly assesses whether exchanging injuries is worth it."
"Biaozi's combat experience is improving rapidly."
"If he can truly clear the Combat Training Virtual Space three times..."
"It would be like a complete transformation."
"Indeed."
Chen Mang nodded in deep agreement, then shifted his gaze to the holographic projection of the train on the screen. His "Swarm Platform," the accessory that controlled his drones, had already been upgraded to Tier 10, but both of its corresponding overpowered effects remained inactive.
In addition to that—
He had also upgraded the green-grade "Vehicle-Mounted Zombie Perception Blocker" to Tier 10, consuming 45,000 units of iron ore in the process.
At Tier 10, the blocker could render the train immune to the perception of Tier 10 zombies.
Considering its effectiveness, the iron ore cost was remarkably efficient.
However,
It was often useless. After all, Chen Mang wasn't afraid of zombie hordes; detecting them served little purpose. The accessory only proved valuable when facing Tier 8, 9, or 10 zombies that he couldn't defeat otherwise.
Notably, crafting this accessory required the special item "Handheld Zombie Perception Blocker."
He still had two of these special items remaining.
I used one, so I have one left.
If I hadn't traded one away in the Iron Ridge Wasteland, I'd have three now.
The handheld version only blocks Tier 1 Zombie perception, making it practically useless. It's only helpful during the early stages, when it can save your life a few times. The vehicle-mounted version, however, offers much greater utility.
I still have twelve murphy stones.
The past few days have been quite productive. I'll take a day to rest and use up these resources.
I glanced at the balance on my train panel:
Copper ore: 525,000 units
Iron ore: 470,000 units
"Summon Doba and the black market merchant."
"Acknowledged."
"Great human seer."
Doba and the black market merchant stood solemnly in the locomotive cabin, bowing respectfully to Chen Mang.
Chen Mang picked up a few Red Heart Nuts from a nearby plate and offered them to the pair with a smile. "I heard these are the goblins' favorite snacks. Xiao Ai will take you to the production carriage later to get some for yourselves. Enjoy them as treats."
He kept a dedicated plate of Red Heart Nuts in his locomotive cabin. When it ran low, Xiao Fang would refill it.
It wasn't that he needed more.
He simply found the Red Heart Nuts delicious, perfect for snacking—crisp and satisfying.
"This..."
Doba and the black market merchant, both goblins, froze as they received the nuts. Their eyes reddened, and with trembling hands, they brought the nuts to their mouths. Only then did tears finally spill forth, their voices trembling as they whispered,
"This... this is the taste of home."
"I haven't seen Red Heart Nuts in so long. I never thought I'd taste them again in my lifetime."
"Mm-hmm."
Chen Mang wasn't particularly surprised by their reaction. After all, if he were to taste a food unique to his previous world, he'd likely feel the same sense of disorientation. For these two goblins, being on this planet was essentially exile from their homeland.
Goblins had never existed on this world before.
However, this wasn't why he had summoned them. He pulled out ten Goblin Tickets and handed them to Doba.
"These are Goblin Tickets. No matter where you are, crushing one will instantly return you to the Stellaris."
"Give them to him."
"Have him teleport randomly, then crush the ticket to return. No specific mission—just gather as much information as possible."
"For example, what he sees when teleporting to other zones, what kinds of monsters are there, things like that."
"Wait."
Chen Mang paused briefly, then crafted a Mechanical Eye (camera accessory used in carriages as CCTV) and a Tier 2 Energy Stone. Using the Mechanical Heart, he created a device resembling a black box and connected the two, resulting in a head-mounted camera.
"Strap this to his head. His primary mission is to bring back various kinds of information."
"Do you understand?"
"Understood," Doba nodded earnestly.
"Good. If you understand, go ahead and get started."
Chen Mang waved his hand dismissively.
Goblin Tickets were slightly more expensive than Train Tickets. A Train Ticket cost 100 units of iron ore, while a Goblin Ticket cost 500 units.
He didn't speak directly to the black market merchant.
This goblin didn't seem particularly bright. When Erdan was on the train, the goblin had recited the exact same lines he'd used when they first met, word for word, as if programmed.
Doba could handle the arrangements.
Among the goblins, Doba seemed to be the only one with any brains.
So when Doba claimed to be the smartest goblin upon their first meeting, he wasn't lying. He was a good kid who never told falsehoods.
"Do this, then this, and finally this. Understand?"
Doba stuffed ten Goblin Tickets into the black market merchant's chest pocket, secured a camera to his chest, and slipped a handful of Red Heart Nuts into his pocket before giving final instructions.
"You can randomly teleport up to ten times a day, right?"
"Use all ten teleports on this mission. When you run out of energy, crush a Goblin Ticket to teleport back."
"Got it?"
"Got it," the black market merchant mumbled, his cheeks bulging with Red Heart Nuts he was reluctant to chew, holding them in his mouth like a squirrel. "I'm off now, King Doba."
"Go forth and return victorious, bringing glory to the goblin race!"
Doba placed his hands solemnly on the merchant's shoulders, his expression devout and solemn, like a king bestowing honors upon a general.
The next moment!
A flash of white light, and the black market merchant vanished from his spot, leaving no trace.
"What a great help for map exploration," Chen Mang mused, glancing at the control panel screen. The merchant was no longer on the train, his whereabouts unknown. The train crew panel indicated he was still alive, but whether he remained in the Sha River Plains zone was uncertain.
So far, Chen Mang's understanding of this world was limited to four zones: the Sha River Plains, Kunlun Mountain, Ice and Snow Paradise, and Iron Ridge Wasteland. He knew nothing of the other regions.
But with the black market merchant, he could now learn about events in those unknown zones. Even if he couldn't travel there himself, this knowledge would give him a clearer understanding of the world. He wondered if the merchant could teleport to any zone or was restricted to random teleportation within a single zone.
Testing it would reveal the answer.
Tomorrow morning, when the goblin merchant returned, the camera on his person would provide valuable information.
As everyone knows, in any strategy game, map exploration is often of paramount importance.
Chen Mang glanced at the mineral resources displayed on the train panel. With just a bit more iron ore, he'd be ready to upgrade to a Tier 6 train and head to the Yellow Zone.
He'd originally planned to leave the Sha River Plains and venture into the "Underwater Labyrinth" fortuitous encounter map to obtain some murphy stone.
But now it seemed that opportunity would have to wait.
He'd already asked Erdan about it.
To navigate underwater, he needed the "Deep Sea Shield," a blue-grade train component. While not particularly high-grade, this accessory was extremely rare.
It could only be obtained as a drop from defeating the "green dragon" monster.
(End of the Chapter)
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