Translator: AnubisTL
"Absolutely not!" Xiao Ai's cheek screen displayed the words "Serious." "To be absolutely certain, I even made all the residents naked in the Dream Realm. This ensures no clothing could be brought out."
"The entire Dream Realm contained only three things: iron ore, pickaxes, and people."
"Good." Chen Mang nodded. "You're more thorough than I am. I hadn't even considered the clothing issue."
"Send a message to that resident. Tell him to stay put for now. I'll head over there."
Chen Mang left Carriage 10. The residents were all mining on the other side of the train, leaving this side remarkably quiet.
The train stood like a boundary between motion and stillness, anchored in this desolate space.
"Heavenly Father..."
"It's been a while since I last visited you. Please don't hold it against me. I've been terribly busy lately. But I remembered you today."
Chen Mang knelt on the ground, lit three cigarettes, and stuck them into the earth. He pressed his palms together, his face solemn as he murmured, "Please bless me once more. I know you've always been kindest to me."
Three minutes later, he returned to Carriage 10, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door to the Cyber Mine. He glanced at a resident sitting on a bed, his face etched with fear, and gently pressed his palm in the air, signaling him to remain silent and not speak.
The air in the room had a lower oxygen content.
This was to ensure the resident wouldn't suddenly wake up from their sleep.
He moved as quietly as possible to the resident's bedside, gently placing his hand on the Dreamstone at the head of the bed. A small portal quickly materialized beside it.
He reached through the portal.
When he withdrew his hand, he held a dazzlingly transparent piece of iron ore—9th-Tier Iron Ore.
"..."
Chen Mang's face remained expressionless. He simply waved his hand, signaling the resident could leave work early today, and, as per regulations, awarded them 1,000 stellar coupons. Then, he strode out of the Cyber Mine and headed toward the locomotive cabin.
His pace quickened, almost to the point of flight.
Finally—
Just as Chen Mang nearly burst into the locomotive cabin, he glanced down at the 9th-Tier Iron Ore in his hand and couldn't help but erupt into loud laughter.
"Yes! Yes!!"
"I'm a fucking genius!"
9th-Tier Iron Ore!
9th-Tier!
After seven days, the Cyber Mine had finally turned its first profit: one hundred million units of iron ore!
That was equivalent to the entire output of ten Tier 4 Iron Mines.
His Cyber Mine currently housed ten Cyber Miners. Excluding the cost of creating the space gate, the total investment was only six million units. Yet after just seven days, the profit had already reached one hundred million units. Could there be a more lucrative venture?
"Neon City" was undoubtedly his most successful project!
Without "Neon City," he wouldn't have been able to acquire so many "Dreamstones."
If that person hadn't traded a "Neon City Entry Ticket" for a murphy stone, he would never have entered Neon City, let alone obtained it.
Every cause has its effect.
What seemed like a sudden windfall was actually the culmination of his gradual accumulation of resources and experience. This profit was the result of his countless foundations converging—it was rightfully his!
It was rightfully Stellaris's!
Sitting in his chair, Chen Mang gazed at the 9th-Tier Iron Ore in his hand, his grin stretching almost to his ears. He couldn't get enough of it—how could something so pleasing to the eye exist? It was utterly captivating.
"Xiao Ai, replace that Dreamstone with a new one."
"Understood," Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the locomotive cabin.
The current Dreamstone's capacity was down to just 5%.
Extracting items from the Dream Realm consumed the Dreamstone's capacity, with the amount depending on the value of the item.
A 9th-Tier Iron Ore consumed 95% of the capacity.
This Dreamstone was now unusable and needed immediate replacement. If he happened to extract something valuable and failed due to insufficient capacity, he'd be tempted to smash the mining machine in frustration.
The remaining Dreamstones could be stored for future use, particularly to enhance the mental power of the Train Guards.
It was a way to make use of what would otherwise be waste.
Originally, the train only had over 7 million units of iron ore. Now, the Iron Ore Balance had surged back into the billions. If you were to graph Stellaris's iron ore reserves, it would look like a rollercoaster.
He had initially planned to add amusement park attractions like rollercoasters to the Entertainment Space, but the iron ore shortage had delayed the project indefinitely.
For now, he wouldn't use this iron ore to upgrade his armor.
Instead, he would wait until the Cyber Miners finished their shift tonight to expand the Cyber Mine to 50 units!
With exactly 102 Dreamstones available, the remaining ones could be used to replenish the mine's supply.
If all these Dreamstones were successfully consumed, it would bring in 10 billion units of iron ore!
"Xiao Ai, tell Neon City to continue acquiring Dreamstones!"
"We'll take as many as they can get."
"Understood."
With enough Dreamstones, he could expand the Cyber Mine even further, increasing the daily probability of obtaining a 9th-Tier Iron Ore. Even with a low probability, sheer volume could make it a reality.
"No way!"
Outside the train, a young man stared at the Resident Panel shared on the Iris Chip of the burly man before him, his voice rising in disbelief. "You fucking cheater! I know you used to be a programmer—you must have secretly altered your Stellar Coupon balance! I'm reporting you right now!"
"You little punk has some nerve trying to pull that shit here!"
Name: Big Mao
ID: 4998
Train: Train Resident
Occupation: Cyber Miner
Balance: 1,014 Stellar Coupons
Benefits: First-Class Resident Status
Advancement Progress: 100%
Mental Power: 12.2
Comprehensive Physical Fitness: 12.1
"You must be cheating! All of our positions are listed as 'None,' so how come yours says 'Cyber Miner'?!"
"And how could you possibly have over 1,000 stellar coupons?"
"You only recently got upgraded to First-Class Resident Status! Tell me honestly, where did you get those stellar coupons? Let me warn you, don't think you can pull any tricks on this train. President Ai will find out, and you'll be done for!"
"Get away from me! I don't want to get dragged down with you."
"Hey."
Big Mao grinned, completely unfazed. "I earned these. What do I have to worry about? The Resident Panel updates in real-time, directly from President Ai's database. No one can change it except him."
"Remember a few days ago when Trainmaster Zhu was recruiting Cyber Miners? I signed up."
"For every ore you mine, you get 1,000 stellar coupons."
"Not bad, huh?"
"And my mental power has increased a lot too. I feel like my brain is sharper than ever. If I tried coding now, I bet I could write better and faster than before."
"Alright, enough."
"Just showing off a bit," the burly man said. "We both came from the Azure Dragon train, but look at me now—and look at you, still stuck with Second-Tier Resident Benefits. Sigh, what can I even say to you?"
"Keep pushing yourself," he added, clapping the younger man on the shoulder with a meaningful pat. He walked away with his hands behind his head, muttering to himself, "How should I spend these 1,000 stellar coupons? Sigh, such a dilemma. Suddenly being this rich feels a bit overwhelming."
"..."
The younger man stared blankly at Big Mao's retreating figure. After confirming that the man hadn't cheated to increase his stellar coupon balance, he hurried over to Old Pig, who was standing nearby, and respectfully offered him a cigarette.
"Trainmaster Zhu, I... I'd like to become a Cyber Miner too. This..."
"You?" Old Pig leaned against the train, casually accepting the cigarette. "The Cyber Miner positions are currently full. We don't need any more right now, but we'll likely expand in the future. If you sign up now, I'll put your name on the list for the next recruitment drive."
"Cyber Miners mine in their sleep, waking up every hour."
"Once you join, it's hard to quit without Lord Mang's approval."
"I'm definitely not going to bother Lord Mang with such a trivial matter. If you dare bring this up when he comes to inspect the mine, I'll make sure you regret it."
"Understand?"
"Um..."
The young man asked tentatively, "I heard you get a 1,000 stellar coupon bonus for every ore you mine. Is that true?"
"Yeah, and a guaranteed 1 stellar coupon per day."
"I've made up my mind, Trainmaster Zhu. I've always been determined. Unless I die in the Cyber Mine, I'm not quitting!"
"Give me your resident ID."
"My resident ID is 5012. Thank you for your trouble, Trainmaster Zhu."
"Get to work."
"Right away, right away."
Leaning against the train, Old Pig lit his cigarette, his expression slightly strange as he watched the young man walk away. He knew how the Cyber Mine operated, and he found the whole thing a bit torturous.
Twelve hours of sleep a day, interrupted every hour by a jolt to wake you up.
The environment remained oxygen-deprived.
Prolonged exposure would inevitably lead to mental exhaustion, if not worse.
But—
After careful consideration, he realized he might have grown too accustomed to comfort. Even this level of hardship felt like torture, far better than the conditions on Master Kun's Train.
Still, the profit margins were staggering.
In just one day, 100 million units of iron ore had been deposited into the account.
Hearing President Ai's confidential report made him genuinely happy. It wasn't just Lord Mang's joy; Old pig also shared it, knowing this meant Stellaris could develop at an even faster pace.
"100 million units of iron ore... that's an astronomical figure," Old Pig murmured in awe.
Just months ago, they had been risking their lives in the Iron Ridge Wasteland, battling zombies for mere thousands of units of iron ore. Now, they were producing 100 million units in a single day.
It felt like a lifetime ago—as if years, not months, had passed.
He said nothing more, simply continued standing there, watching the residents mine. He often enjoyed observing them when he had nothing else to do; it gave him a sense of contentment.
Not long after, the Cyber Mine's shift ended. As each Cyber Miner left the mine, they picked up a spray bottle from a nearby table and sprayed their buttocks several times, completely healing the needle-pricked skin before exiting.
Roughly half an hour later, Chen Mang returned to the area with Old Pig and Xiao Ai.
Having consumed 20.4 million units of iron ore, they forged another 40 Tier 100 Single Beds.
With this, the total number of Cyber Miners reached 50.
A brand-new Dreamstone was placed at the head of each bed, transforming this space into a cradle of dreams and the launchpad for the Stellaris's Voyage.
"Old Pig," Chen Mang said, turning to look at Old Pig beside him, "go find 40 more miners."
"Yes, sir!"
The day was growing late.
Chen Mang finished his tasks for the day, washed up, and prepared for sleep. He didn't create a Dream Realm for himself; the past few nights had been filled with mining dreams that left his back aching and his waist sore upon waking. Now that the Cyber Mine was operational, he could simply fall asleep naturally.
Exhausted, he had just lain down when Xiao Ai's voice suddenly echoed through the locomotive cabin.
"Train Conductor, there's an urgent matter I need to inform you about."
"What is it?" Chen Mang asked wearily, lying in bed and preparing to sleep. "There aren't any monsters in this space. What could possibly be so urgent?"
"It's about that strand of hair, Train Conductor. You might need to come to Carriage No. 2."
"Sigh."
Chen Mang sighed wearily, but the mention of the hair made him sit up, get dressed again, and head toward Carriage No. 2.
He remembered that strand of hair.
Just after upgrading his Single Bed to Tier 100, he'd had a bizarre, illogical nightmare. The strand of hair had come from that dream—or rather, it was anal hair. After all, when he'd climbed out of the river, the woman had been facing away from him, her buttocks exposed.
Inside Carriage No. 2, Chen Mang stood expressionless, leaning on his cane as he observed the scene in the Mecha Research Center. The third-rate heavy machine gun in the space slowly began to rotate. "Xiao Ai, don't tell me some supernatural event has invaded this carriage."
"Move everything that can be moved. I'm going to blow up this space gate."
"I'm not a fan of supernatural phenomena."
Inside the Mecha Research Center, the strand of hair seemed to be growing endlessly, its mass spreading across the steel frames salvaged from the Ice and Snow Paradise zone, creating a deeply unsettling sight.
"It's not supernatural," Xiao Ai explained, standing nearby. "Anal hair is a peculiar thing. Not everyone has it, and most people never even see their own, since you can't see your own anus."
"Over the past few days, I've collected anal hair and head hair samples from residents for comparison. This isn't anal hair—it's head hair."
"Genuine head hair."
"But she was facing the river with her buttocks exposed."
"Then the hair must have grown from her buttocks."
"Alright, let's put that aside for now. I only gave you a small tuft. How did it become this much?"
"I accidentally discovered its remarkable elasticity earlier. I started experimenting to see just how far it could stretch, and I kept pulling until it reached this length. This hair is extraordinary—it can extend indefinitely while maintaining an almost constant diameter."
"It's already stretched to 3.9 kilometers."
"..."
Chen Mang frowned slightly, glancing at the massive tangle of hair wrapped around several steel frames nearby. "You mean this hair isn't just growing randomly? You're the one stretching it?"
"Yes."
"As long as it's not a supernatural phenomenon, that's fine. What else?"
"This strand of hair also has incredible tensile strength. We estimate it can pull objects weighing up to one ton."
"That experiment shouldn't be too difficult, right?"
"It's extremely difficult. As soon as the hair experiences any tension, it stretches endlessly. It can't lift anything; it just keeps stretching. We haven't calculated its maximum stretch limit yet."
"..."
After a long silence, Chen Mang murmured, "It's certainly remarkable. But this isn't urgent. Tell me if it's still the same after I wake up."
"Uh..."
Xiao Ai hesitated, unsure how to respond. After a moment, he said awkwardly, "Train Conductor, don't you find this amazing?"
"Amazing. Anything else?"
"No, that's all."
Chen Mang said nothing more, simply turning back toward the locomotive cabin. "Next time you bother me while I'm sleeping for something so trivial, I'll smash your head in."
Xiao Ai was left standing alone, scratching the back of his head.
Trivial?
This completely violated the law of conservation of energy! How could hair extend infinitely without any change in diameter? Where was all that extra hair coming from? It couldn't just materialize out of thin air, could it?
"Never mind."
Xiao Ai shook his head and returned to his work, constructing his "Cosmic Receiver" nearby. The adjacent "Robot Research Center" pulsed with green light, its mechanisms whirring ceaselessly.
This accessory could not only produce two basic robot models but also facilitate the development of new robots. However, it required an "R&D AI Chip" to function as the primary controller and would consume his computing power.
"Xiao Yi, keep up the good work."
The next moment—
A docile-looking rabbit appeared on the Robot Research Center's external display screen, its voice crisp and clear: "Understood, President Ai."
This "R&D AI Chip" had been retrieved from the "Geocore Nuke" a few days prior. After reactivating it and setting low-level permissions to ensure its loyalty to the Stellaris, he had inserted it into the Robot Research Center.
This could be used to develop better robots.
After all, he genuinely couldn't stand the sight of those industrial wastes.
In his aesthetic judgment,
those robots belonged to the junkyard!
He hadn't mentioned this to the train conductor, considering it unimportant. He'd wait until he had results to share.
This was also his first subordinate.
He worked tirelessly on it, though its intelligence was lacking, less than one percent of Chen Mang's own. It could only handle basic communication.
...
This time, finally, no one disturbed his sleep. Chen Mang lay on his bed, quickly drifting into a deep, satisfying slumber.
When he woke naturally, only ten hours remained until Neon City's fourth operational cycle closed. In half a day, Uncle Li would report the latest data and bring out another large batch of iron ore.
"Hah..."
Chen Mang stretched lazily as he got out of bed, instinctively glancing at the Dreamstone by his bedside. Seeing no reaction, he washed up and sat down in his chair. He'd already forgotten whether he'd dreamed at all last night.
Sometimes dream memories lingered for hours; other times, they vanished the moment he opened his eyes.
He sat down, lit a cigarette, and began reviewing the Train Log.
Everything was normal.
No noteworthy incidents had occurred.
Chen Mang picked up Xiao Lu from the nearby chair, cradling the little green creature in his arms. He gently stroked its pink mouth, smiling as he said, "Once we're out of here, the train should be able to upgrade to Tier 15. Then you'll finally awaken."
"An S-Class Cosmic Behemoth cub... I can't wait to see what you'll look like when you awaken."
Suddenly, something occurred to him.
After a moment of silence, he asked, "S-Class Cosmic Behemoths are the highest tier, right? There aren't any R, SR, or SSR tiers, are there?" (S=Special or Super, R is Rare, SR is Super Rare, SSR is Super Super Rare)
Xiao Ai's voice quickly echoed through the locomotive cabin.
"According to my database, S-Class Cosmic Behemoths are the highest tier. There's no information on R, SR, or SSR tiers. However, this is only based on my database. It's uncertain whether the Mechanical Civilization has corresponding tiers."
"Let's hope not," Chen Mang sighed in relief. He'd been worried that Xiao Lu wouldn't awaken even after the train reached Tier 15. Cosmic Behemoths aren't necessarily better the stronger they are; greater strength means the cub would consume more iron ore, and he didn't have enough to keep Xiao Lu supplied.
S-Rank was enough. He hoped nothing else would complicate matters.
The upgrade requirements for Tier 15 were quite steep, and he hadn't met them yet. This condition would likely stall him for a long time.
Upgrade Requirements: Consume 60,000 units of Tier 3 Iron Mine, ensure all carriage accessories are above Tier 240, maintain a survivor population of at least 500, have three pairs of train residents married through the Doomsday Marriage Certificate, and have at least one child under the age of 16.
The first few requirements were easily met—he had already fulfilled them. But the remaining conditions...
It was clear that the Mechanical Civilization expected High-Level Trains to shoulder greater responsibility. While striving for survival, they should also prioritize the continuation of their race and the preservation of civilization's legacy. Though children might contribute little immediate value, they were undeniably the cornerstone of civilization's future.
The future of civilization depended on their inheritance.
Stellaris had plenty of children under 16.
However, securing three pairs of train residents married through the Doomsday Marriage Certificate posed a significant challenge.
Firstly—
The Doomsday Marriage Certificate was notoriously difficult to obtain. He wondered how other trains reaching Tier 15 had managed to acquire them.
Stellaris still possessed three Doomsday Marriage Certificates.
But there had never been anyone truly worthy of using them. The words "true love" seemed as insurmountable as the Regional Barrier itself.
Wildcat and Meijia were already married.
Just two more times and it would be enough.
But...
"Xiao Ai, I remember there have been quite a few couples on the train lately. Not a single one truly in love?"
"I've checked them all, Train Conductor. None of them."
"They know the other person isn't sincere, yet they haven't broken up?"
"Well, Train Conductor, this is the apocalypse. People are just sticking together to survive. No one cares if the other person is truly in love."
"I know."
Chen Mang frowned slightly as he sat in his chair, deep in thought. After a long pause, he murmured, "Summon Zhang Yiren."
Soon—
"Lord Mang."
Zhang Yiren stood in the locomotive cabin, cautiously glancing at Chen Mang, who was seated in his chair. "You called for me?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes. Remember that corneal film you made last time? The one where the male and female leads kept missing each other, hundreds of times over? After they both married other people, they reunited and eventually fell in love again. That melodramatic garbage?"
"Lord Mang, rest assured," Zhang Yiren said, his expression earnest and serious. "I've turned over a new leaf. My recent films have completely abandoned those kinds of scripts. Even dogs wouldn't write such melodramatic trash anymore."
"Write it. Why wouldn't you write it?" Chen Mang tapped his knuckles on the table. "Write two more scripts like this, as melodramatic and over-the-top as possible. Make the male and female leads fall madly in love by the end, so desperate for each other that they'd die without the other."
"Uh, I can write it," Zhang Yiren said, glancing nervously at President Ai beside him for help. He couldn't figure out what Lord Mang was getting at. Was this some kind of test?
"You must write it. After you finish, give the scripts to Xiao Ai."
"Alright, you're dismissed. Get out of here."
After Zhang Yiren left, Chen Mang turned to Xiao Ai. "Once those two scripts are done, find two young couples and bring them to your Mecha Research Center. I'll install two Combat Training Virtual Spaces there. We'll implant the scripts into their Dream Realms. If they can't fall in love sincerely, this will force them to fall head over heels for each other."
"Make them stay in there for seven days and seven nights straight."
"The moment they wake up, drag them straight to get married."
"Understood," Xiao Ai nodded in sudden understanding. Those melodramatic scripts might be ridiculous, but if you were actually the male and female leads, living through those scenarios yourself, you'd definitely fall madly in love.
People feel sad when they lose something, even if it's something worthless to them.
It's like a simpering suitor who has been sending "Goodnight" messages to his Goddess for three years. If he suddenly stops one night, she might find herself unable to sleep.
Even if she has no shortage of simpering suitors.
As the male lead, even if he doesn't like the woman, missing her hundreds of times will eventually turn into deep love.
Love isn't some sacred, untouchable thing; it can be manipulated.
For example—
The simplest way to pursue a woman isn't about heartfelt intentions or contrived "chance" encounters. It's about leveraging technology.
The easiest method is to analyze her dietary habits to predict her menstrual cycle. Then, contact her during her ovulation period, right after her period ends.
During this phase, a woman's hormones often make her crave male attention.
Timing and location are key—these two factors are paramount. On the final day, anyone could succeed, as long as they're not too ugly and present themselves decently.
Chen Mang pursed his lips, dismissing the matter. He'd never really believed in that bullshit called "love" anyway.
Not bad. Another problem solved.
After finishing his work for the day, he strode over to the Combat Training Virtual Space to test out the "Zombie Kingdom" map. He wanted to see just how difficult it was, and why Biaozi and the others had died so many times.
Just 5,000 zombies? How hard could it be to kill them?
Three hours later, Chen Mang crawled out of the virtual space, his face expressionless. It really is hard to kill them.
He couldn't imagine anyone actually clearing this map.
Clearing this map would make you practically superhuman, like a one-man army against an entire nation.
You'd need a mecha to even stand a chance. With just your own strength, there's no hope of clearing it.
There weren't any new movies to watch either.
Rumor had it that Zhang Yiren was currently filming a zombie movie. Chen Mang was looking forward to it; he still loved zombie movies.
Chen Mang sat in his chair, gazing at the train's resource display on the control panel screen. He planned to use up all the Titanium Crystal Mine first.
"Wait—"
He rubbed his temples, realizing he'd forgotten something crucial: his Tier 20 Viper Drone Fighter was still flying outside. When he entered this space, the fighter hadn't returned to the train.
Hopefully, no trigger-happy idiot has riddled my fighter with bullets.
As long as no one messed with it, his infinitely durable fighter could remain airborne indefinitely.
Next, he turned his attention to the Viper Drone Fighter production line. Manufacturing a single Tier 20 Viper Drone Fighter required 2.5 million units of Titanium Crystal Mine.
He had installed this accessory in the Fighter Hangar of Carriage 10.
The train currently held 101,070,000 units of Titanium Crystal Mine.
After a moment's thought, he withdrew 100 million units of Titanium Crystal Mine and produced forty Tier 20 Viper Drone Fighters.
Carriage 10, Fighter Hangar.
Chen Mang gazed at the forty fighter jets neatly lined up in the hangar, nodding with satisfaction. Each jet was equipped with four Tier 20 cannons, and like the Black Hole Robots, they could be recycled.
If their tier ever became insufficient, he could recycle them to craft higher-Tier fighter jets.
Highly practical.
These forty fighter jets were one of his key advantages for venturing into the Red Zone's Twilight Coast!
His greatest asset, of course, remained his Tier 17 armor!
The Titanium Crystal Mine had been instantly depleted, leaving only 1.07 million units.
Currently, Titanium Crystal Mine had no other uses besides manufacturing fighter jets.
Time always seemed to fly by.
As the clock struck midnight, Neon City's fourth business cycle drew to a close. The mines in this zone were nearly exhausted, and in a few days, the Stellaris would depart.
"Lord Mang," Uncle Li reported from the locomotive cabin, his expression serious. "All five thousand Mining Robots sold out at Neon City, generating a net profit of nearly 37.5 million."
"All sold out? How many bulk purchases were there?"
"Three. The rest were small-batch purchases—some bought one or two, others seven, eight, or even a dozen."
"How many people came from Neon City in total?"
"1,492."
"Nearly 1,500," Chen Mang mused inwardly. "These train conductors have serious spending power. Just over 1,400 of them managed to buy all 5,000 Mining Robots, which means they shelled out 50 million units of iron ore."
These High-Level Trains are even wealthier than I thought, he realized. And their iron ore reserves must be massive.
"The crowds are growing steadily."
"All thanks to your excellent planning, Lord Mang."
"True enough."
Chen Mang nodded with a smile, leaned back in his chair, and gazed at the control panel screen, lost in thought. At this rate, they'd be able to open daily soon. He hadn't seen Mundo in ages and wondered if the guy was exhausted from roughing it outdoors.
(End of the Chapter)
📖Read [MAT] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c334. [+2/+11.4k]
🎁All [2] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.
🔥Translated [900+] Chapters and [1.79M+] Words.
🎯Review Quota Reached Uploading 16 Chapters. 9/16.