Translator: AnubisTL
With his path now clear, Uncle Li worked with renewed focus and energy.
He used tongs to pick up another Red Heart Nut and forcefully shove it into the mouth of the zombie tied to the pillar. He then poked it several times to ensure it went down its esophagus.
In truth, the quickest method would have been to simply cut a hole directly into the zombie's stomach.
But Biaozi had specifically instructed him not to damage the zombies' integrity—Lord Mang wanted them intact.
So this would have to do for now.
Everyone on the train had their own bright future ahead. Uncle Li was no exception!
One day!
He would make Lord Mang remember his name forever!
Even in the seemingly insignificant role of managing the Breeding Carriage, he would find a way to excel. That was his skill!
"Do I really have to wear this?"
In the refrigerator of Guard Car No. 7, Meijia covered her chest with both hands, her voice barely a whisper. "Wearing this makes me feel like a dealer."
"Nonsense."
Wildcat's expression turned serious. "You look absolutely stunning in it, darling. It's... well, a cute style."
"Really?"
Meijia's eyes flickered with doubt, then she hesitantly asked, "I overheard Zhang Qi talking earlier. You really didn't go play?"
"I really didn't go!"
Wildcat raised three fingers solemnly. "I swear on my life, and Brother Biao can vouch for me."
"What I mean is, next time you should join us."
"Why?"
"Otherwise, it'll seem like you're not fitting in, like you're putting on airs. People might not say anything to your face, but they'll probably gossip about you behind your back."
"That won't happen," Wildcat said, shaking his head with a smile. "You can rest assured, Lord Mang and Brother Biao aren't like that. That's absolutely not something they'd do. To be honest, I do have physical reactions."
"But I really don't want to play. It's not about restraining myself; I think such things require a spark of emotion."
"When I kissed you, I felt your body melting into mine, that feeling of being loved. It makes me feel full of energy every day, even in the apocalypse."
"Sex without emotion is like chewing wax in my eyes."
"Wildcat."
"Hmm?"
"You're so good."
"So are you, baby. Now, can you put on this outfit?"
"You're still thinking about that dealer!"
"No, I just... well, I wanted to challenge my own weakness."
"Alright then."
Very quickly, the stars shifted, and the second day arrived.
Dawn broke, the rain stopped, and Mom was getting married.
"..."
In the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang stared at the message on the train radio, his expression complex and silent. The news was too absurd; he didn't know how to respond. He could only reply silently:
"Are you asking me to attend your mom's wedding?"
Yes.
Erdan's mom was getting married.
That is, the AI in the Azure Dragon that Erdan had nicknamed 'Mother'.
The next moment—
Erdan's anxious voice crackled through the walkie-talkie on the train radio.
"Brother, this joke isn't funny at all. We have a serious problem."
"My mom—no, the AI in my train—has a slight issue. I've been in a fortuitous encounter map for the past few days. I accidentally stumbled into it while mining and didn't even have time to tell you."
"It was called the Eternal Imprisonment fortuitous encounter map."
"I failed and exited the map, and the train was cursed. The curse's effect is 'Your AI will enter a mating phase for the next three days.'"
"And ever since my mom came out of the map, she's been in heat."
"..."
Chen Mang was truly at a loss for words. He remained silent, his gaze fixed on the access card lying quietly in the drawer. The name of the fortuitous encounter map, "Eternal Imprisonment," sounded so familiar.
Special Item: Dungeon Access Card
Item Effect: When in the "Eternal Imprisonment" fortuitous encounter map, this card can be used to unlock the door of a specific dungeon within the map.
He had obtained this special item a few days ago in exchange for a murphy stone.
The Neon City Entry Ticket had also been acquired through a murphy stone. He wondered if the ticket's original master would feel some regret knowing that the ticket had remained dormant in their possession for so long, only to flash red within days of falling into his hands.
But there was no need for such regret.
Had the original master not traded the ticket to him and entered the city themselves, they would likely have only managed a brief visit, unable to secure the same wealth of fortuitous encounters he had.
First, the lack of transportation would have been a major obstacle. How could one possibly explore such a vast city on foot?
Fortunately, Erdan happened to possess an access card for the fortuitous encounter map he was about to enter. While he didn't know what awaited him in the "dungeon," such cards typically unlocked hidden quests or rewards.
For example, the hidden reward in the Geocore Nuke laboratory.
With that thought, he picked up the walkie-talkie from the train radio.
"AI... in heat? How does an AI even get horny?"
"My AI displayed strings of code on the control panel screen. She wanted me to tap those codes on the virtual keyboard to relieve her energy."
"That's a... unique way to get horny."
"Tell me about it."
"So why didn't you tap them?"
"How could I? She's the only family I have left in this apocalypse!"
"Then what happened?"
"She just kept acting really uncomfortable."
"She wouldn't press the 'Self-Destruct Now' button, would she?"
"No way. I'm not driving an A-Class Potential Train. My AI isn't that smart. She doesn't think like a human at all. Her programming is pretty basic. She just makes noises through the Vehicle Audio System and uses other methods to show she's in distress."
"If you won't tap them, why not have one of your train thugs do it?"
"Even more impossible! That would be... that would be... that would be like...!"
"So... you're asking me to do it for you?"
"That's even worse!" Erdan's exasperated voice crackled over the walkie-talkie. "Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal. The Curse isn't that severe. But here, it's a serious problem. After thinking it over, I decided to find you. Doesn't your Train AI have its own robot body? I want to ask him for help."
"After all, they're both AIs. That shouldn't be a problem."
"Well, it's not impossible, but doesn't it only last for three days? Since you're so concerned, why not just try to endure it?"
"It's complicated. You'll understand when we meet. Since you agreed, should I come find you?"
"Sure. I've sent you the coordinates. Come on over."
After this somewhat absurd conversation ended, Xiao Ai's clear voice reached Chen Mang's ears. "So, it looks like I'm going to be Erdan's dad."
Chen Mang was about to say something when he suddenly realized something. He turned to Xiao Ai, who was standing in the corner, and asked in surprise, "Your voice sounds different now. It's not just that mechanical electronic tone anymore. It actually has emotion."
"Really?"
Xiao Ai cleared his throat with a hint of smugness before continuing. "How's this? Does my cough sound authentic? I can even sigh. Watch."
"Hoo... hoo..."
"Why did you give the robot the ability to sigh?"
"Because you sigh so often, Train Conductor. With this function, I can sigh with you in the future."
"That's just a habit of mine."
"Your habits are my learning benchmarks, Train Conductor."
"...Are there any other functions?"
"Not yet. I've only added these for now. Oh, right, there's one more. I sewed a garment with built-in storage space into its body. Now, whenever you want something to drink—mineral water, Cola, tea, whatever—I can serve it to you immediately, chilled or piping hot. I also stuffed a miniature energy generator I salvaged from the lab inside its body."
"Let me demonstrate."
"Wait—!"
A terrifying possibility flashed through Chen Mang's mind. His expression darkened as he prepared to speak, but before he could, Xiao Ai produced a cup and held it in the air above the cup. The tips of his fingers curled back against his knuckles, and scalding hot water flowed from between them.
"What's wrong, Train Conductor?" Xiao Ai asked Chen Mang, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Were you waiting for something just now?"
"Nothing, I'm not going to drink this hot water for now." Chen Mang waved his hand awkwardly. "It was just my imagination. Anyway, didn't I give you a Robot Parts Mega Pack? Go see if you can modify your face so you can make expressions. Otherwise, your voice will convey emotions, but your face will remain expressionless, which looks really awkward—like the audio and video are out of sync."
"Oh." Xiao Ai nodded, then a whirring sound came from between his legs. A steel pipe extended, placing the cup of hot water between his legs. The water was quickly absorbed into his body. "Those parts..."
"Wait!" Chen Mang took a deep breath, stood up from his chair, and stared at Xiao Ai's expressionless face. "I knew it! What the hell are you doing?"
"You didn't drink the hot water, Train Conductor. Pouring it out would be a waste. I'm currently recycling it into the water pouch in my clothing pocket."
"I'm asking about that steel pipe sticking out of your crotch!"
"If there's a place for water to come out, there must be a place for it to go in."
"Then why did you put the water outlet on your finger?"
"Because humans might find it indecent and unacceptable to drink from there."
"Even your mom knows that? Does it make it any less indecent to drink from there if the water goes in through the same place?!"
"...Well, generally, the water intake process isn't meant to be seen."
"I'm seeing it right now, damn it!"
"I'll be more careful in the future."
"Careful my ass!"
Chen Mang took a deep breath, slumped into his chair with a weary sigh, and remained silent for a long moment before gently massaging his temples. "Xiao Ai, I specifically bought you the Robot Parts Mega Pack for you to modify your body. But I think you're going in the wrong direction."
"Xiao Fang handles those daily life matters."
"Your mission is to become a researcher. Shouldn't you be focusing your modifications in that direction?"
"I am."
Xiao Ai pondered for a moment with a serious expression before speaking. "I apologize, Train Conductor. I understand now."
"You can go now. Dismantle that water-pouring system as soon as possible. You don't need to handle these things."
"And the cigarette-lighting system?"
Xiao Ai tentatively raised his left index finger. As he folded the fingertip against his knuckle, a flame suddenly shot out. "This was modified to light cigarettes for you, Train Conductor."
"What the hell is this..."
Chen Mang, furious, pointed at Xiao Ai's nose, ready to unleash a torrent of curses. But then he thought of something, his voice abruptly cutting off. After a moment of consideration, he asked, "How much space does this cigarette-lighting system take up inside you?"
"Not much, very little."
"Then keep it. Remove the water-pouring system. Focus less on domestic functions and more on engineering aspects."
"Understood!"
"Add a command: From now on, when I snap my fingers, you'll light my cigarette."
"No problem."
"Alright, you can go now."
After Xiao Ai left, Chen Mang sat alone in the locomotive cabin to inventory his gains from this fortuitous encounter. Erdan was still two hours away, giving him ample time to sort through the vending machine inventory from the fortuitous encounter map.
In terms of value alone, this fortuitous encounter map yielded the greatest rewards of any he had ever completed.
And there were many hidden treasures as well: emotional value, the surprisingly pleasant Sister Qi, and the promising future of Neon City, along with its diverse array of shops offering unique services.
The four Virtual Map Chips were straightforward. Each chip added the same amount to comprehensive physical fitness, and the difficulty of each map was roughly equivalent. Theoretically, the first map was the hardest, while subsequent maps became easier as comprehensive physical fitness increased, creating a snowball effect.
Take Zhang Yi and Zhang Er, for example. They simply brute-forced their way through the maps.
Of course, this strategy required a sufficient number of Virtual Map Chips, which remained relatively rare. Erdan's Azure Dragon train still hadn't acquired a single chip. Without this fortuitous encounter map, he would have only possessed two.
Inside the Stellaris, there were now six Virtual Map Chips.
In theory, if they cleared all the maps, they could gain 12.6 points in comprehensive physical fitness. This would mean everyone could achieve a comprehensive physical fitness score of over 20, essentially turning everyone into a Zhang Yi.
Equipping each person with a "Thunder" mech would be no problem at all.
That was good.
And then there were the five "Random white-grade accessory blueprints."
Chen Mang didn't hesitate.
He immediately placed them all on the control panel and crafted them. He looked forward to seeing what these five accessories would be. The five white-grade accessory blueprints he had obtained from the Black Market Shop last time had been quite useful.
The Cigarette Production Line and the Rice Noodle Roll Production Line, for example, had both come from that purchase. The Cigarette Production Line, in particular, had not only solved the problem of non-renewable cigarette resources on the train but had also earned him a significant amount of iron ore.
He wondered what this time would bring.
The next moment—
Information on the five accessories appeared on the control panel screen.
(End of the Chapter)
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