Translator: AnubisTL
After casually tossing the note aside, Chen Mang strode through the space gate without looking back, not pausing for a moment.
Talk about being shameless! He actually wanted a reward! As the Train Auxiliary AI, doing work is your duty! The target acquisition radar accessory has been running non-stop since it was created, and it hasn't asked for a single reward! Just because you're an AI doesn't mean you get special treatment!
In his two lifetimes, Chen Mang had never uttered such embarrassing words.
And he wouldn't start now.
"..."
Only Xiao Ai remained, his eyes filled with resentment as he watched the note flutter in the air, twirling several times before slowly falling to the ground. After a long pause, he finally stepped forward to pick it up again.
[Xiao Ai, your wisdom is like an endless treasure, leaving me utterly captivated. You are like a dazzling star, illuminating the night sky of my life. You are my wind and rain, and I will never forget our shared journey.]
It was only about forty words, written in a flowery style.
Embarrassing?
Xiao Ai pondered this seriously. He thought it was just some heartfelt praise. Why was the train conductor reacting so strongly? Was it a difference in human and AI thinking?
He'd have to give this some serious thought later.
Soon—
The Stellaris emerged from the Goblin's Tomb after 48 hours of continuous mining, yielding over 6 million units of iron ore. The mine was now completely depleted. This was like a parent giving a child a monthly allowance of 100 yuan.
As a child, it felt like an endless fortune, and every day was spent eagerly awaiting the first of the month when the allowance would refresh.
But as an adult, that 100 yuan allowance felt rather insignificant.
He hadn't yet distributed the Neon City Free Entry Tickets. He had taken a quick trip to Neon City in the past two days and found that the renovations were still incomplete. The workload was substantial, and the project was expected to take at least another ten days.
Relocating and remodeling so many shops was no easy task.
This also revealed that even within the Goblin's Tomb, one could still enter Neon City by crushing an entry ticket.
The Stellaris train stood quietly on the wasteland of Crisis Valley, resembling a mechanical dragon stretching endlessly into the distance.
It was early morning.
The residents were resting—truly resting this time. They should have taken a break after a month of mining in the cavern at the end of the Train Tunnel, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they had only rested for one night before returning to the Goblin's Tomb for 48 hours of non-stop mining.
It's time for a real rest. Even iron men can't withstand this kind of strain.
"..."
Chen Mang stood alone, a cigarette between his fingers, gazing at the distant horizon through the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor of the locomotive cabin. Xiao Fang stood quietly beside him, holding an ashtray.
Xiao Fang had been staying in the locomotive cabin almost constantly these past few days. The cabin felt emptier now, and Chen Mang felt a bit lonely without anyone else around. Having more people around would make the cabin feel more lively.
He was lost in thought.
The "Neon City" plan was crucial to him, arguably the most important strategic initiative for the Stellaris in recent days. He was considering whether to establish a solid anchor for the stellar coupon.
Specifically... iron ore.
If stellar coupons and iron ore could be exchanged at a fixed rate, the train conductor could use iron ore to redeem stellar coupons, and vice versa. By building trust in the system, the stellar coupon could become an incredibly stable currency.
If he were a merchant, this idea would be flawless. He could use this method to revitalize the entire Neon City.
But—
He wasn't a merchant. He was a train conductor struggling to survive in the apocalypse.
Even though his current development was promising, he would still have to tread carefully in the high-level zones.
The iron ore he had acquired couldn't be stored indefinitely; it had to be spent. While he could leave 10 million units of iron ore in Neon City for circulation—which was roughly sufficient—if a significant number of people simultaneously exchanged stellar coupons for iron ore, he would face only two outcomes.
First, he might fail to provide enough iron ore, causing his credibility to collapse completely. No one would trade with Neon City again.
Second, he could grit his teeth and scrape together the required amount, but this would bring the development of the Stellaris train to a near standstill, leaving him severely weakened.
Two paths.
He was still pondering which to choose. With some time before the plan's official implementation, he could take his time to consider it carefully. There was no need to rush.
"..."
Xiao Fang, holding an ashtray and standing quietly beside Lord Mang, occasionally glanced at his legs from the corner of her eye. Her heart fluttered slightly. For some reason, she found Lord Mang's serious contemplation incredibly handsome.
Her heart skipped a beat in that moment.
But she didn't dare let it leap too high.
After all, even Sister Yan Yao, a woman of her caliber, had failed to capture Lord Mang's interest.
Lord Mang was a purely career-driven man.
Such men often prioritize their careers above all else, making it difficult for them to truly fall for a woman.
Before the apocalypse, this wouldn't have been so absolute.
In the apocalypse, expecting a career-driven man to promise eternal love is as absurd as competing with Empress Ma for the emperor's favor.
"Xiao Fang."
"Xiao Fang?"
Xiao Fang finally snapped back to reality. She looked up at Lord Mang and, seeing his slightly furrowed brow, quickly whispered, "Lord Mang, what is it?"
"Bring me a bottle of water."
"Yes!"
After taking a sip of mineral water, Chen Mang returned to the control panel and sat down. He already had a plan in mind as he gazed at the screen. After sending Erdan a private message, he pushed the control stick forward.
The Stellaris train hovered above the ground, accelerating forward at a steady, moderate pace.
The acceleration was rapid.
In less than a second, the Stellaris train's speed reached 328 kilometers per hour. Yet the interior remained remarkably stable, not even causing a ripple in the water on the table. High speed consumed more energy, so he preferred to conserve it when not in a hurry.
His destination was the westernmost edge of the Crisis Valley Zone: the Extreme Cold Plains.
The Crisis Valley Zone is where four zones of the Republic intersect: two Blue Zones and two Green Zones.
His current objective was one of these zones.
He planned to head to the Purple Zone in ten days, once the renovations in Neon City were complete. At that point, he would distribute entry tickets across the three Blue Zones first, then follow the Train Tunnel to distribute them again in the Sha River Plains and Iron Ridge Wasteland zones.
The path from the White Zone, Iron Ridge Wasteland, to the Blue Zone, Crisis Valley, was a straight line.
This meant that if he continued ascending from Iron Ridge Wasteland, he would inevitably reach Crisis Valley. There were no other paths to choose from. His initial user base was limited, and he couldn't expand much further.
He needed to find a way to reach more zones to gain a sufficient number of users.
Roughly three hours passed.
He once again saw the familiar zone intersection. Four massive characters hung suspended above the light barrier marking the zone boundary, and two lines of text reappeared on the control panel screen.
[The area ahead is the Blue Zone, the Extreme Cold Lands.
The highest-level monsters that can exist here are Tier 12 Monsters. The current train Tier is 12, so the danger factor is relatively low.]
Crisis Valley does not intersect with any Purple Zones. To reach other Purple Zones from Crisis Valley, one must travel west or east through the two Blue Zones: the Extreme Cold Lands, which intersects with six zones.
One White Zone, one Green Zone, three Purple Zones, and one Yellow Zone.
The temperature here is extremely low.
As soon as Chen Mang entered this area, sitting inside the train, he felt a chill seep into the locomotive cabin. Frost quickly formed on the train's surface, and the screen displayed a temperature of "-58°C."
The bone-chilling cold was beyond imagination.
Even pouring water and watching it freeze instantly was a basic phenomenon.
If one were bored enough to lick the Train Armor, their tongue would likely be half-frozen off. Surprisingly, it tasted quite good—sweet with a hint of warm, metallic rust.
"..."
Chen Mang, seated in the locomotive cabin, stared at the information displayed on the screen. The temperature in this area was so low that it would affect all aspects of the train's operation. Residents, for instance, would be unable to mine under such conditions.
After a day of mining, you're guaranteed to freeze to death one or two people.
This isn't a joke.
Especially if you don't have enough warm clothing.
This zone has almost no trains, and of course, no mines. It's home only to monsters that thrive in icy conditions. Most of the time, it serves as a transit point, though trains occasionally enter to hunt monsters.
When monsters in this zone die, they might drop train accessories like "Sleds" or "Snowmakers."
Just then—
Toot! Toot! Toot!
A train whistle sounded in the distance. Soon after, the "Travel Frog" train shot into view, slowing as it neared the "Stellaris." The first-floor door of the Stellaris's locomotive opened, and the Travel Frog smoothly entered the Stellaris's locomotive cabin.
Moments later, Erdan, covered in frost, rode the elevator from the first floor of the locomotive cabin to the second. He strode toward Chen Mang, his breath steaming in the cold air, and said, "Lord Mang, you called for me?"
"To be honest," Erdan continued, "returning to the Stellaris feels like coming home. It's so safe and secure."
"Mhm."
Chen Mang nodded and sat down, turning halfway in his chair to smile at Erdan. "I see you haven't found a fortuitous encounter map yet. Take a break for a while. For the next ten days, you and your crew can go play in the Resident Car."
"In ten days, we'll head to the Purple Zone."
"Also, your train is currently Tier 10 and your armor is Tier 9. You'll need to upgrade your train to Tier 12 and improve your armor during this time."
"No problem. Take your men and go. Old Pig will take care of you."
"Alright!"
Erdan grinned, nodding vigorously. "Lord Mang, you truly understand my crew of greenhorns. They've been craving this for a long time."
"I'll go down and bring them up."
Soon, Erdan returned to the locomotive cabin with his thugs, taking the elevator back to the first floor. "Why aren't you greeting Lord Mang? What are you all standing around for?"
"Greetings, Lord Mang!"
The dozen thugs looked at Lord Mang with respectful excitement, bowing deeply and shouting in unison.
"Mm, go have fun."
"Thank you, Lord Mang!"
Following Erdan, the thugs took the elevator to Carriage No. 2, their eyes wide with curiosity as they gazed around. This carriage was truly massive—10 meters wide, 10 meters high, and 30 meters long.
This wasn't a carriage anymore.
It felt like standing inside a space station—a massive one, at that. Large production lines were scattered throughout, most in standby mode. Only a few were actively churning out item after item.
Except for them, the entire space was deserted.
It felt rather desolate.
Embedded in the ceiling were a hundred machine guns and dozens of Mechanical Eyes. The density of cameras was even higher than at a Hai Di Lao hot pot restaurant.
"Brother Dan," one of the thugs following behind him said sullenly, "Why did you tell us to greet Lord Mang? Why did we hesitate?"
"We weren't hesitating! We were about to say it when you interrupted us."
"It was supposed to be our initiative, but you made it sound like we were forced to say it. Will Lord Mang think we're being disrespectful?"
"Huh?" Erdan turned his head to look at the thug beside him, speechless. "I'm starting to think you're a bit dense."
"I'm asking you, when relatives visited your house before the apocalypse, didn't your Mom tell you to hurry up and greet them instead of just standing there? Were you just standing there then? Would you have greeted them even if your Mom hadn't said anything?"
"You know why not?"
"Figure it out later. Laozi is really... Hey, hurry up and follow me!"
Three minutes later, Erdan led a group of thugs to Carriage 5, the Advanced Talent carriage.
This carriage had a central aisle. On the left side were a row of hard sleepers and open space. He knew that only Lord Mang's two women lived here.
"Looks like I should suggest something to Lord Mang," Erdan muttered under his breath, glancing at the carriage door thirty meters ahead. "Maybe we should get bikes for the train. It's only Carriage 5 now, and we still have a long way to go to Carriage 11."
Normally, he wouldn't walk so slowly.
But...
Everything was just so strange.
This was his first time walking the entire length of the Stellaris train. He couldn't help but glance at everything, finding each sight novel. The first few carriages were nearly empty.
Reaching Carriage 7, Old Pig greeted them with a warm smile. "I'll take you on a tour of the train."
"Lord Mang said we're all family here, so don't be too reserved. Even though you don't have Iris Chips, you're still considered direct descendants of the Stellaris, bound to its fate. Come this way."
The later carriages gradually filled with more residents.
He saw many residents moving about.
Old Pig led the way, explaining as they walked, "There are fewer residents active now. Most are asleep after working all night in the mines."
"Usually, there are more residents moving about here."
"But most of the time, everyone is active within the space gates."
(End of the Chapter)
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