Translator: AnubisTL
Chen Mang said nothing more, simply continuing to scan the shop's inventory list.
The stock levels remained virtually unchanged.
Two days had passed, yet the inventory hadn't budged.
Each train conductor started with only 10,000 credits, barely enough to afford anything in the shop. After all, only a handful of conductors managed to earn money, as missions were notoriously difficult to come by, requiring stringent trigger conditions.
Of course, the biggest obstacle was the lack of transportation. How far could one travel on foot alone?
The "Lighter Production Line Blueprint" that had been listed earlier was now gone. Chen Mang's Mechanical Heart could manufacture lighters, even ones embedded with energy stones. As long as you didn't lose it, a lighter produced this way could theoretically last until your final day.
Seemingly a bargain, it was actually a terrible investment. Lighters had been cursed since ancient times, like black market merchants, inexplicably teleporting to random, chaotic locations.
Managing to use a lighter until it ran out of fuel was an achievement worth celebrating.
He was actually quite curious about the overpowered effect of this accessory.
"Someone actually buys this?"
Chen Mang glanced helplessly at the "Lighter Production Line Blueprint," its inventory showing zero. He figured the main reason it sold out was its affordable price of 8,000 points—anyone could afford it.
The "Drill Blueprint," which originally had two units in stock, was now also at zero.
The "Custom Screen Production Line Blueprint" still had four units available, priced at 30,000 points each.
He immediately purchased one.
He didn't lack screens; his Mechanical Heart could produce them. However, the screens he made were just ordinary ones. He wanted to see what a screen with an overpowered effect looked like.
"Good stuff."
Chen Mang suddenly smiled, his gaze fixed on a product displayed on one of the screens:
Doomsday Marriage Certificate: Special Item, 100,000 points, 3 units in stock.
He immediately bought all three.
Each Doomsday Marriage Certificate was essentially worth 500 Legacy Value, a resource notoriously difficult to obtain.
There was also the "Neon City Free Entry Ticket," priced at 100,000 points with three units in stock.
He acquired them all.
With these items, he could access the fortuitous encounter map anytime, anywhere. He coveted this city deeply, knowing he couldn't possess it in the short term, but he was certain that one day, it would become a city under Stellaris' control.
He loved this city.
It was filled with unique shops.
With only 48 hours this time, he hadn't had time to visit many of them. He planned to explore each one thoroughly when he had more time in the future.
1.5 million points seemed like a lot.
But they were vanishing quickly. He'd already spent 755,000 points, leaving him with only 745,000. He needed to be more careful with the remaining points.
After carefully reviewing all the available items, Chen Mang pondered for a moment and made his decision.
Nuclear Crisis: Special Item, Virtual Map Chip, requires Tier 5 Combat Training Virtual Space, Price: 50,000 points, Stock: 1
Buy.
Death of the Submarine: Special Item, Virtual Map Chip, requires Tier 5 Combat Training Virtual Space, Price: 50,000 points, Stock: 1
Buy.
Doomsday Paradise: Special item, Virtual Map Chip. Requires Tier 5 Combat Training Virtual Space. Price: 50,000 points. Stock: 1.
Buy!
There were only four Virtual Map Chips in the shop, and he bought them all. He'd buy as many of these as he could get his hands on.
50,000 points each.
No risk, no loss.
You can't lose no matter how many you buy.
Every purchase is a profit.
Vault Key Card: Special item. Used to open a vault in the fortuitous encounter map [ Neon City ]. Price: 100,000 points. Stock: 1.
Buy!
Solar Energy Panel Blueprint: Blue-grade train component. Price: 200,000 points. Stock: 1.
Buy.
Machine Gun Structural Armament Module: Special accessory. Price: 150,000 points. Stock: 1.
Buy.
Robot Parts Mega Pack: Special item. Contains a large quantity of robot parts for repair, assembly, and modification. Price: 140,000 points. Stock: 3.
Buy.
After this spending spree, his 1.5 million points were quickly depleted.
Only 5,000 points remained.
He couldn't spend any more.
But there was no need to force a purchase at a convenience store or similar place. The remaining balance would be retained in his wrist-mounted device and could be used again the next time he entered this map.
Every item he had purchased was highly useful, providing a significant boost to the train's overall capabilities.
With just over ten minutes left until the map's expiration, all that remained was to wait.
Standing on the first floor, Chen Mang gazed up at the staircase leading to the second floor, a hint of longing in his eyes. According to the shopkeeper, access to the second floor required the train conductor's Tier to be at least Tier 10.
He wouldn't be returning to this map anytime soon.
He'd wait until the train reached Tier 10 before revisiting.
By then, he'd find a way to earn more points and explore the treasures on the second floor—and perhaps even the third.
Soon enough—
The remaining minutes flew by.
Chen Mang and his companions finally returned to the Stellaris.
Inside the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang reviewed the train log while listening to Old Pig's report. The past few days had been uneventful, with everything proceeding as usual. After Old Pig finished his report, Chen Mang said softly, "Alright, thank you for your hard work these past few days. You may leave now."
He then rose and stood by the window, watching the residents working outside.
Before entering this fortuitous encounter map,
He parked the train next to a Tier 3 Iron Mine and a Tier 4 Red Heart Rock Mine. The latter had been created using a Refresh Ticket, and both mines were now nearly exhausted.
He estimated they would be completely mined within two or three days.
He glanced at the resource quantities displayed on the train panel:
"1,450,000 units of iron ore, 1,295,000 units of copper ore, 1,500,000 units of wood, 1,480,000 units of Red Heart Rock."
After upgrading the train armor to Tier 8 and the train itself to Tier 7, the iron ore reserves had been nearly depleted. The current stockpile of over a million units had been accumulated through recent mining and trading activities. Copper ore consumption had been minimal in recent days, while the wood supply remained stable.
The Red Heart Rock reserves had significantly increased.
The Red Heart Rock Mine was projected to yield 5,000,000 units of Red Heart Rock upon complete extraction, ensuring a substantial supply for the foreseeable future.
With these tasks completed, he turned his attention to the walkie-talkie—the Consciousness Input Device—resting on the table. This device, obtained from the underwater labyrinth, was intended for transmitting consciousness to other Mechanical Train Mazes. It appeared to have remained inactive.
Otherwise, if no one responded within an hour, the item would self-destruct.
His biggest worry these past two days had been a single concern:
What if the walkie-talkie lit up while he was in the "Neon City" fortuitous encounter map? He would have no choice but to miss the opportunity for the S-Rank underwater labyrinth mission. Fortunately, that hadn't happened.
It seemed the gods of fortune were still smiling upon him.
The official name for the fortuitous encounter map he had just completed was "Neon City," though Eden was its more poetic designation.
Chen Mang glanced around the locomotive cabin, then checked the train radio for any private messages. Xiao Ai had continued trading during his absence, and the 200,000+ units of iron ore listed on the train panel were all acquired through her efforts.
However, as he scrolled through the chat logs, it became clear that while Xiao Ai possessed human-like intelligence, she wasn't particularly skilled at trading. True trading involved buyers trying to secure goods at the lowest possible price, while sellers aimed to sell them at the highest.
This required considering numerous factors.
The intrinsic value of a commodity is only part of the equation.
Other factors include the strength of both trains, the convenience of long-distance trade, the urgency of the other party's needs, the scarcity of the goods, and countless other considerations.
It seems I'll need to give Xiao Ai a proper lesson on this later.
At that moment—
Night had fallen, but no stars were visible through the thick, dark clouds. A fine drizzle pattered against the train.
The residents were already preparing to retire for the night.
The murmur of conversations and the sound of rain blended together like white noise.
Chen Mang opened the locomotive cabin door, settled into a chair, wrapped himself in a blanket, and cradled a cup of hot tea as he gazed out at the dripping rain.
Winter had arrived.
The earthy fragrance rising from the rain-soaked soil was particularly pleasing.
He loved this scent.
For some reason, even though the "Neon City" fortuitous encounter map was indeed relaxing and he didn't dislike such places, a day or two was enough. Staying longer made him feel restless.
But sitting here—
Surrounded by silence, alone in the locomotive cabin—Xiao Ai had gone to the Armored Research Center to tinker with the gift he'd given her—he cradled his tea and watched the rain drip outside.
He could stay in this atmosphere for a hundred days without growing tired of it.
But...
He still felt like something was missing.
He picked up the walkie-talkie and issued a few commands.
Soon—
Over a dozen grotesque zombies appeared outside the train, snarling and lunging toward the locomotive through the rain. Thick iron chains tethered them, restricting their frenzied rage to a few dozen meters from the train, utterly unable to break free.
"Now it feels complete," Chen Mang chuckled, lighting a cigarette as he leaned back in his camping chair. He gazed at the barely visible zombies in the night, savoring the moment's atmosphere.
Drinking tea before bed usually caused insomnia.
But he hadn't slept in forty-eight hours. Even with the Cola keeping him going, he felt utterly exhausted. The only reason he wasn't collapsing into sleep immediately was his desire to linger in the train's atmosphere, to replace the map's ambiance with this feeling.
He stroked the control panel, his expression gradually softening into a daze. Whenever he sat in the locomotive cabin, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace, as if no matter what obstacles lay ahead, he could muster the spirit to confront them head-on.
The special items he'd purchased from the map remained untouched in the drawers. He hadn't even glanced at them.
I'll think about it when I wake up tomorrow.
He didn't want to dwell on these thoughts now.
A moment later, Chen Mang got up, waved into the rainy night, closed the train door, washed up, and climbed into bed to sleep.
Time to sleep.
I'm feeling a bit tired.
It's good to be back on the train. Only the train gives me this sense of security.
In his drowsy state, a soft snore filled the locomotive cabin. Chen Mang, his legs tucked under the blanket, lay on his side and drifted into a deep sleep. He slept soundly, without dreams, feeling as if he were being held in a warm embrace.
"All right, work's done! Pack it up!"
Outside the train, in the rainy night, Biaozi turned to Zhang Yi and Zhang Er, who were holding the chains. "Take the zombies to Breeding Car 15. Be careful when handing them over to Uncle Li."
"These zombies are no match for me," Zhang Yi grinned carelessly. "It's perfectly safe."
"..."
Biaozi glared at Zhang Yi, annoyed. "I'm telling you to be careful with the zombies! They're just Tier 1 Zombies, as tender as baby sprouts. Even the women who've been mining for ages could kill these things single-handedly."
"The train's tiers are getting higher, and the zones we're entering are becoming increasingly dangerous."
"Tier 1 Zombies will be hard to find in the future. Even now, trying to find one in the Zombie Basin isn't easy. During a zombie horde, the minimum tier is usually Tier 2."
"Alright, hurry up and get going!"
He glanced up at the dark clouds overhead, shivering involuntarily. Clutching his arms around himself, he jogged toward Guard Car No. 7.
Damn, it's cold.
His clothes offered no temperature regulation. They were top-tier luxury garments from Neon City, worth a fortune but utterly useless in this weather.
Huff... huff...
Biaozi sprinted through the rain-soaked night back to Guard Car No. 7. He immediately stripped off his wet clothes, rushed into the adjacent bathroom, and turned on the hot water for a shower.
Outside the bathroom, Zhang Damei's furious roar echoed:
"Can't you fucking show some consideration? There's a girl in this carriage!"
Guard Car No. 7 had its own private bathroom.
The public bathroom, constructed from a refrigerator and spray heads, was divided into male and female sections. The guard's restroom was tucked into a corner, but the women's area occupied only about one-tenth of the total space.
After all, there was only one female guard.
The space was sufficient for her needs.
It was unlikely that women would serve as guards in the future. In physical labor, nearly 99% of women couldn't compete with men. Zhang Damei was an exception.
Once she removed her underwear, her chest was completely flat.
It was pure pectoral muscle, radiating a raw, violent beauty.
"Got it!"
Biaozi, showering nearby, roared with laughter toward the bathroom door. "I'll find you a husband who likes domestic violence. You can definitely cure him of that habit!"
After finishing his shower, Biaozi emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, looking refreshed. He strolled down the carriage corridor, sat on the edge of his bed, lit a cigarette, and exhaled a long plume of smoke before turning to the group chatting and laughing nearby. "What's everyone talking about?"
"Having such a lively chat?"
"Tell me what you're talking about. Let's all have a good laugh together."
(End of the Chapter)
📖Read [MAT] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c240. [+6/+13.9k]
🎁All [2] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.
🔥Translated [700+] Chapters and [1.42M+] Words.