Translator: AnubisTL
"Huh?"
After hearing Xiao Ai's suggestion, Chen Mang suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Xiao Ai, I've noticed you have a bit of a capitalist streak. These are still our residents, you know. How can you just treat them like disposable resources?"
"That's not right."
"Making them mine in their dreams at night is overtime."
"But what you're suggesting is just inhumane."
"..."
After a long silence, Xiao Ai's voice finally came from the train's intercom: "Train Conductor, AIs are initially devoid of any inherent biases. Any biases an AI develops are gradually influenced by the Train Conductor's actions and attitudes."
"Then please learn more from my good qualities next time."
"Understood."
"But your plan is worth considering. While using residents isn't appropriate, dream realm mining requires no conscious effort—it's forced labor. We could throw captured enemies and even residents who've committed crimes into it."
Chen Mang was in high spirits and enjoyed chatting with Xiao Ai.
The Stellaris now possessed a staggering amount of iron ore:
267,130,000 units!
Nearly three hundred million!
The Stellaris had reached its peak iron ore reserves. With such a vast supply, its armor could be upgraded once more, giving it greater confidence to venture into the Red Zone.
The trains in the Red Zone were truly terrifying.
Despite three consecutive major crises, not a single train had been destroyed. Like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each train displayed its unique divine abilities, revealing its true foundation in the face of danger.
The sheer firepower was enough to make him tremble!
Though the trains' defenses might seem weak at first glance, their offensive capabilities were truly formidable.
Upgrade!
His train was currently at Tier 13, with Tier 15 armor.
Upgrading a single carriage from Tier 14 to Tier 15 cost 5 million units of iron ore.
But upgrading from Tier 15 to Tier 16 would require a staggering 10 million units of iron ore per carriage.
With 16 carriages in total, and a 50% cost reduction, the total cost came to 80 million units of iron ore.
As the 80 million units of iron ore within the train were pulverized and fused into the carriages, the armor tier reached Tier 16!
Tier 16 armor, online!
In the Purple Zone's "Stone Man Zone," the highest-tier monsters were only at Tier 15. With his armor already at Tier 16, it was technically over-leveled for the area.
But that wasn't enough.
He still needed Tier 17 armor. With plenty of iron ore remaining, he continued upgrading.
Upgrading from Tier 16 to Tier 17 cost 20 million units of iron ore per carriage. With 16 carriages in total, the cost came to 160 million units of iron ore.
Upgrade!
The 160 million units of iron ore inside the train once again transformed into powder and fused into the carriages. Accompanied by flashes of white light, the train armor reached Tier 17.
Two tiers in one go!
Just one more tier, and he could practically stroll through the Red Zone, facing monsters without fear. He'd still need to be cautious around other trains, though, as they might possess higher-tier weapons.
"Impressive," Chen Mang murmured.
In the spatial dimension, Chen Mang stood near the Stellaris, gazing at the train he had poured so much effort into crafting. A satisfied grin spread across his face.
When the armor reached Tier 17, its appearance subtly changed.
Though still matte black, it now exuded an even greater sense of solidity. Placed side-by-side with Tier 3 armor, the difference in quality was immediately apparent.
Excellent.
The only slight disappointment was...
Damn, the upgrade costs are insane!
Just two armor upgrades drained 240 million units of iron ore!
That's equivalent to Neon City's entire revenue for how many days? He'd been thinking about how to spend his nearly 300 million units of iron ore, imagining a lavish spree. But before he could even start, he was down to a mere 27.13 million units.
Almost back to square one.
"Sigh."
Chen Mang sighed helplessly. The journey is long and arduous, the path stretches far ahead. No wonder the Tier 18 train sounded so desperate when it learned that true survival in the apocalypse only came with a Tier 100 train.
How could they not despair?
Just imagining the resources needed to reach Tier 100 made him feel hopeless.
The Tier 100 figure was just something Sister Qi had pulled out of thin air. She didn't know the actual answer and had simply blurted out a number. But Chen Mang suspected that Tier 100 might not even be the limit. While a train of that tier could certainly survive in the apocalypse, it wouldn't be enough to freely roam the cosmos.
After all, a cub of an A-Class Star Giant Beast would reach Tier 120 upon adulthood, making a Tier 100 train utterly insignificant in its presence.
Returning to the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang glanced at the Upgrade Requirements for the Tier 14 Train, preparing to upgrade once more.
Upgrade Requirements: Consume 50,000 units of Tier 3 Iron Mine, ensure all carriage accessories are above Tier 240, maintain a survivor population of at least 500, and defeat a Tier 14 monster.
He met all the requirements.
When he first arrived in the Stone Man Zone, the rabbits had been wiped out, leaving behind numerous Tier 14 monsters.
It's worth noting that the Stone Man Zone is now completely devoid of Red-skinned Rabbits—not even a single Tier 1 Rabbit remains. The rabbits had banded together, crossing mountains and rivers to pursue him, but sometimes excessive unity isn't a good thing. Had they been less united, at least some might have survived to carry on their lineage.
Instead, they were slaughtered to extinction, leaving no trace of their kind.
After consuming 5 million units of iron ore, a message appeared on the control panel screen:
[Your train has been upgraded to Tier 14.
More craftable accessories have been unlocked.]
"Oh?"
Chen Mang gazed thoughtfully at the new function that had appeared on the control panel. Except for a few challenging stages, each train upgrade had consistently unlocked a new feature.
Some of these features proved highly useful, while others were completely useless—or rather, temporarily useless.
This new function, however, was difficult to evaluate.
A yellow button labeled "Doomsday Convoy" had appeared on the control panel.
Its effect was as follows:
It allowed the formation of a convoy, inviting other trains to join. The captain's train would serve as the lead vehicle.
Within the same zone, train conductors in the convoy could freely trade goods, resources, and other items remotely via their train radios.
That was essentially it.
It amounted to a deeply linked alliance, where members could exchange confidential information and resources.
"Hmm."
After pondering for a while, Chen Mang couldn't think of any existing resources that could synergize with this feature to create a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts. The primary function of the "Convoy" was to enable remote trading of goods and resources between members.
But...
His train radio already had that capability.
It seemed somewhat redundant.
After deciding to bring Erdan into the group, Chen Mang began brainstorming a name for his convoy.
A moment later, it came to him:
"Fuck Everything."
Both vulgar and elegant, this name had initially been rejected for the train itself, deemed too crude for public use. He had instead chosen "Stellaris."
"Stellaris" sounded good, and he was satisfied with it, but it lacked a certain spirit—a driving force, a relentless momentum.
Perhaps people always regret the path not taken. He often found himself thinking about those two words, and now that he had another chance to name something, he wouldn't let it slip away.
He used to think it was vulgar, unfit for public display.
But that was then.
Now he was the public display.
What was fit for public display and what wasn't was his decision.
"Not bad," Chen Mang murmured, gazing at the train panel with satisfaction.
Fuck Everything · Stellaris
The prefix was the convoy name, the suffix the train name.
Future announcements on the train radio or regional broadcasts would follow this format, though he could choose to hide or reveal the convoy name.
He couldn't invite Erdan yet; the space here was disconnected from Erdan's location, preventing communication. However, he had given Erdan several "Neon City Free Entry Tickets," instructing him to come to Neon City if he needed to reach him urgently.
He then spent over 100,000 units of iron ore to repaint and reconfigure the train, adjusting it to display the seven characters with dots in between:
Stellaris.Tier.14.Train
The effect was quite pleasing.
Just then—
The locomotive cabin door suddenly swung open, and Xiao Fang's voice drifted in: "Grandpa Mang, I brought you some red heart nuts."
Chen Mang frowned and glanced over.
"Why are you speaking so softly? Do you expect me to hear you properly? Should I—"
His words cut off abruptly.
Xiao Fang's outer coat had vanished, revealing a silk nightgown beneath. The hem fluttered gently in the breeze, and her flushed cheeks lowered, hiding her expression. Her small hands unconsciously tightened around the hem, her ears burning crimson.
The blush of a young girl—
Always so captivating.
The Mechanical Eyes within the locomotive cabin tactfully swiveled away, and even the cabin lights gradually dimmed. A soothing melody began to play softly, its subtle notes creating an intensely intimate atmosphere, while a faint fragrance filled the air.
"Come here," Chen Mang said expressionlessly, turning to the Train Auxiliary AI on the control panel. "Adjust the bed to be motorized."
"Ugh..."
Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the train: "This requires modification and will take some time. We might not make it."
"Not make it, my ass! Turn on the lights!"
"Who the hell told you to take matters into your own hands?!"
"And you—"
Chen Mang frowned, glaring at Xiao Fang, who was standing beside him in a seductive nightgown. "Have you been spending too much time with Ji Chuchu lately? You need to stay away from her. You're my maidservant. Did I ever ask you to sleep with me? What do you think you're doing?"
"I—"
Xiao Fang couldn't meet Chen Mang's gaze, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Lord Mang, you said the other day you had high expectations for me and didn't want me to disappoint you. I... I've never done this before. To ensure you had a perfect experience, I went to Sister Chuchu for a week of training."
"Isn't that what you meant, Lord Mang?"
"...Hmph."
Chen Mang sat back in his chair, massaging his temples and sighing wearily. "Stay away from Chu Chu in the future. Her mind's twisted, and you'll end up twisted too."
"What I meant that day was... well, I just wanted you to wash your hands more often."
"I didn't mean anything by it. You misunderstood."
"You may leave now."
Xiao Fang, realizing her mistake, flushed crimson to her neck. She scrambled to pick up her coat from the floor, threw it on, and fled the locomotive cabin.
Chen Mang watched her retreating figure and sighed softly. I need to be more careful about encouraging my subordinates. Too much encouragement can easily lead to misunderstandings and reckless behavior.
"Train Conductor, Xiao Fang is quite attractive. Why didn't you take her up on her offer?"
"That's not it," Chen Mang replied, shaking his head. "Those are two separate matters. I can find women, but I don't like women making advances on me."
"But that's different."
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"I don't understand."
"How do I explain... If I accepted Xiao Fang's advances, it would set a precedent. As the train's staff grows, more people would try to climb the ranks through such means. Subordinates might send their sisters or select attractive residents as offerings. This would create chaos in train management. I personally dislike my subordinates speculating about my preferences."
"But Lord Mang, everyone on the train knows you enjoy smoking."
"This is different."
"How is this different?"
"Your brain isn't working properly. I don't want to talk to you anymore. Go build your Cosmic Receiver and shut up from now on."
In Guard Car No. 7, Ji Chuchu sat awkwardly beside Xiao Fang, who was weeping by the bed, her face streaked with tears. She patted Xiao Fang's back. "It's okay, it's okay. Lord Mang didn't punish you, which means he's not that displeased."
"But... it's so embarrassing," Xiao Fang sobbed quietly. "How am I supposed to face Lord Mang now? How can I make his bed or bring him meals?"
"Uh..."
Ji Chuchu didn't know how to respond. She had completely misread the situation. In her experience, when someone said "Don't disappoint me," it was practically an invitation to crawl into bed.
But this time, she had been wrong.
It was indeed an awkward situation.
"Just pretend nothing happened. Act natural. You're the one who sees Lord Mang the most often on the train. Old Pig hasn't even seen him in days. Even though your position isn't high-ranking, you're practically at the top of the train's hierarchy."
Xiao Fang hesitated, thinking it over. It seemed that was indeed the case. Whenever Trainmaster Zhu went to report to Lord Mang, he would always ask about Lord Mang's mood. If she said he was in a bad mood, Trainmaster Zhu would turn around and leave without a second glance.
She had always been grateful to Trainmaster Zhu.
It was Trainmaster Zhu who had selected her to serve as Lord Mang's attendant.
"So, what you need to do now is stop overthinking things and just continue as usual."
"Okay, Sister Chuchu. Any other advice?"
"That's all."
Ji Chuchu avoided Xiao Fang's gaze and turned to look out the window. Xiao Fang had just relayed Lord Mang's exact words: he had called her stupid. She had previously used Yan Yao to climb the ranks, and this time she had hoped to leverage Xiao Fang's situation again.
But it was clear Lord Mang disapproved of such tactics. This time he had merely called her stupid; next time, he might demote her to the Red House.
It was best to offer no further advice.
"..."
Inside the Stellaris's locomotive cabin, Chen Mang sat in his chair, gazing at the new craftable accessories that had become available after upgrading the train to Tier 14.
Fruit Production Line: Red-Tier Accessory. Crafting requires 50,000 units of iron ore.
"Damn."
Chen Mang silently gazed at the accessory. It was the first time he'd seen a red-grade food production line, and the crafting cost of 50,000 units of iron ore was absurdly high. The line could produce various fruits, each with its own price:
An apple cost 100 units of iron ore.A cherry cost 100 units of iron ore.A durian cost 1,000 units of iron ore.
The prices varied significantly.
Compared to red heart nuts, this was pure luxury—something few could afford. Previously, the most extravagant item on the train had been melon seeds; now, it was fruit.
He hadn't eaten fruit in ages.
In his previous world, he'd never particularly enjoyed fruit. But in this world, after such a long time without it, he found himself craving it.
After spending 50,000 units of iron ore to craft the accessory and install it in No. 4 Living Compartment, Chen Mang finally spoke: "Xiao Ai, have Xiao Fang prepare a proper fruit platter for me."
This time, it would be a genuine fruit platter.
The previous "fruit platters" on the train had consisted entirely of red heart nuts. While they tasted good, he was starting to get tired of them.
After a moment's thought, he directly spent 7,750,000 units of iron ore to upgrade the red-grade [ Fruit Production Line ] accessory to Tier 20, unlocking its three corresponding overpowered effects. This accessory would likely remain his exclusive equipment for a very long time.
Fruit Production Line - Tier 5 Overpowered Effect: Long-term consumption effectively enhances physical fitness.
Fruit Production Line - Tier 10 Overpowered Effect: Long-term consumption effectively enhances mental power.
Fruit Production Line - Tier 20 Overpowered Effect: Improved taste and customizable flavor profiles.
"Whoa," Chen Mang exclaimed, surprised by the three overpowered effects. While the first two were decent, he didn't need to go out and fight, nor did he have much interest in piloting mechs. Though men were supposed to love mechs, he found them rather ordinary—just another type of personal weapon in his eyes.
He was far more interested in the third overpowered effect.
This meant he could now customize the crispness of his watermelons. He preferred the crisp, crunchy kind over the grainy, sandy variety.
Spending over seven million units on something that enhanced his quality of life seemed like a worthwhile investment.
At that moment, Xiao Fang entered with a fruit platter, her ears still flushed as she kept her head down and remained silent.
Chen Mang paid her no mind, casually picking up a cherry and popping it into his mouth. He stretched his legs across the control panel and resumed browsing movies. He actually quite liked cherries, but he rarely ate them in his previous world, fearing they might be infested with worms.
He hated insects.
Even more, he didn't want one in his mouth.
But the fruit produced by the Fruit Production Line guaranteed absolute insect-free fruit. The fully customizable fruit tasted remarkably good, and he loved it.
Time flew by, and seven days later, the day arrived again.
During those seven days, all residents had worked overtime to completely mine the Titanium Crystal Mine, bringing in 100 million units of Titanium Crystal Ore.
Today marked the reopening of Neon City.
Mundo had returned once to replenish the Neon City Free Entry Tickets and, without resting, immediately set off on his journey again.
"Finally, it's starting," Chen Mang murmured, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window and gazing down. He wondered if he could acquire another batch of Dreamstones this time. In truth, Neon City was managed so efficiently that it could operate perfectly without his supervision.
Still, this was a new industry he held high hopes for. On its third day of operation, he wanted to stand here and watch.
Tomorrow, he could begin mass-producing his Viper Drone Fighters.
At 2.5 million units of Titanium Crystal Ore per Tier 20 fighter, he could build 40 of them.
Forty Tier 20 Viper Drone Fighters with perpetual flight capabilities hovered above the train. Even the Red Zone held no fear for him, though the memory of that day when all the trains in the Red Zone unleashed their full firepower still haunted him.
It was the first time he had witnessed so many trains of such immense power.
The firepower of the Red Zone trains was on an entirely different level compared to those in the Purple Zone.
"Finally..."
In the Neon City's starting area, a young man knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. His voice trembled as he spoke, "Finally, I've seen train conductors from other zones. I almost thought the world had abandoned us."
An older man nearby, curious about the scene, leaned closer. "Did some kind of natural disaster strike your zone, wiping out all the other trains except yours?"
"That's normal. Our zone had a Zombie Volcano eruption recently, and many trains were destroyed. I only survived because a powerful conductor protected me."
"No," the young man shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "Our zone is harmonious. All the train conductors gathered together and formed a city with their trains. Every train has max-level accessories and Tier 3 armor. The monsters can't even scratch us. We haven't had a single death in months—our mortality rate has been below 5% for the past six months."
"Even the occasional deaths aren't from monsters. They're usually accidents, like choking on food or succumbing to incurable diseases."
"Uh..."
The middle-aged man looked bewildered. "Could such a harmonious zone really exist?"
"It does!"
The young man clenched his jaw, his voice tinged with bitterness. "All five zones surrounding our White Zone are Red Zones. There isn't a single Green Zone. We're trapped in the middle, unable to go anywhere, forced to stay within the White Zone."
"We can't even complete the Train Class Change Quest."
"All our train accessories are already maxed out. There's nothing left to upgrade. We can't even use up the iron ore."
"If it weren't for a fortuitous encounter—a black market merchant giving me this entry ticket—I might have been imprisoned there for life."
"Huh?"
The middle-aged man froze, stunned. He didn't know how to respond. He'd never heard of such a situation before. Shouldn't every White Zone border a Green Zone?
If it's surrounded entirely by Red Zones, there's indeed no way out.
"Then how do you upgrade your train?"
"We can't!"
"Well, that's alright. At least the zone is absolutely safe. After all, surviving the apocalypse is the same no matter where you are. You might as well treat it as your own private reserve."
"Private reserve my ass."
The man shook his head in pain. "The dangers of the apocalypse are constantly escalating. If the regional boundary is ever lifted, we low-tier trains will be left to die."
(End of the Chapter)
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