Translator: AnubisTL
Chen Mang glanced at the information of the Tier 19 zombies on the control panel screen. They lacked any special skills and moved slowly, which was a significant advantage for him.
The mission was simple: kill all the zombies within 14 minutes to clear it.
However—
The current horde of zombies was approaching the train in a pincer formation. Under these circumstances, it would be difficult to lure them all inside. To succeed, he would need to employ a strategy similar to "Eagles and Chicks."
He turned his gaze to the Tier 10 "Vehicle-Mounted Zombie Perception Blocker" on the screen.
He would need to use this little gadget.
But upgrading it to Tier 20 would require 31,000 units of iron ore.
The train currently held only 8,000 units of iron ore, leaving him short. However, as the saying goes, even a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. For the Stellaris, even with its resources depleted, obtaining another 10,000 to 20,000 units of iron ore would be a trivial matter.
As Biaozi and the others tossed nearly a dozen refrigerators into the Geothermal Core Furnace in the locomotive, the iron ore units on the train resource panel slowly climbed to 48,000.
After consuming 31,000 units of iron ore to instantly upgrade the "Vehicle-Mounted Zombie Perception Blocker" to Tier 20 and activate it, the zombie horde that had been closing in on the train suddenly froze in place, their target lost. Their faces contorted with rage, they turned to Biaozi and his group, roaring as they launched their attack. (TL: He couldn't have done that before because the train crew was in the factory, zombies would have gone for them if they lost sight of the Stellaris.)
"It's our turn to perform," Biaozi said, not piloting a mech but riding an off-road motorcycle. His voice was tinged with excitement as he squeezed the brakes and twisted the throttle slightly. The engine roared violently, and he shouted over the din, "Everyone, stick together! Line up the zombies into a single file and lead them to Carriage 15! Get every zombie inside the Stellaris!"
"Pay attention! If any zombies fall behind, immediately pull their aggro back!"
The plan was simple.
These Tier 19 zombies, though boasting high attack and defense, were slow and lacked ranged attacks. In theory, as long as they weren't caught, they shouldn't be able to inflict any casualties.
Of course...
That was just in theory.
"Go! Run!"
The Stellaris train sat quietly before the abandoned military factory, ignored by the zombie horde. Meanwhile, Biaozi and his group, riding their off-road motorcycles, circled the train, striving to gather the entire horde together.
The zombie horde gradually shrank, leaving them with less and less room to maneuver.
"Now!"
Biaozi quickly glanced at the zombies closing in on both sides, adrenaline surging through his veins. The stench of decay and blood assaulted his senses as he reached the rear of Carriage 15. With a sharp twist of the throttle, he and the other guards roared into the carriage.
The zombie horde surged in after them.
Simultaneously, the doors on both sides of Carriage 15 slammed shut.
Lucky.
No one had fallen behind, and the hatred had been perfectly focused.
Screech.
Biaozi turned to see some zombies inside Carriage 15 already tearing apart the train's interior. He clenched his jaw. These zombies were blocking the horde behind them, diluting the hatred. Without hesitation, he pulled out his dagger and slashed Zhang Yi's arm.
"Huh?"
"Keep running forward, but don't go too fast."
The scent of blood instantly reignited the zombies' hatred. More and more poured into the rear of Carriage 15, but with over a thousand zombies, some were blocked behind, entering a state of aimless wandering.
"Second Team, Third Team, dismount!"
The plan was simple.
The second and third teams dismounted, each slashing their arms with daggers to lure the remaining, non-hostile zombies back toward the train. They then ushered the zombies inside through the open carriage doors on both sides.
"23 left," Chen Mang said softly, seated in his chair with his right hand resting on the control panel button. He glanced at the screen, which showed a countdown of 11 minutes.
"17 left."
"9 left."
"The last one!"
"Too late!" Biaozi shouted from inside the carriage. The screen showed Zhang Yi roaring as he leaped from the train roof, carrying a refrigerator. He held the refrigerator high and used it to trap the last zombie that had been lingering outside, refusing to enter.
Without a word, he ran into the train, still carrying the refrigerator on his shoulders.
The refrigerator, now perched on Zhang Yi's shoulders, shook violently. Cracks spread rapidly across its surface. But since it was made of material equivalent to Train Armor, it wouldn't break immediately, even though it couldn't withstand the assault indefinitely.
Did that actually work?
The instant Zhang Yi tossed the refrigerator inside, Chen Mang pressed the "Space Stasis" button on the control panel.
In the next moment, every living creature inside the train froze in place. Countless flashes of white light erupted outside, and all the train residents simultaneously returned from Neon City.
"Time to get to work, everyone," Chen Mang said, his voice echoing through the train's speakers.
Chen Mang walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the thousands of residents surrounding the train. His voice, amplified by the Vehicle Audio System, carried a light chuckle.
The situation is settled.
Ten minutes left. Plenty of time.
Then, the residents roared and surged into the carriages. A group of goblins pushed open the space gate of Carriage 11 and poured out. Everyone had one task: to shove all the zombies into the two newly constructed space gates.
The zombies were concentrated in Carriages 8 through 15, with even Carriage 7 untouched. Chen Mang had spent 15,000 units of iron ore to build three more Tier 1 space gates in this carriage.
"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!!!"
All the female residents remained outside the train while a large number of male residents flooded inside. They hoisted the zombies onto their shoulders and tossed them into the nearest space gate. The train couldn't accommodate too many people, so the weaker female residents stayed outside.
Fortunately, the train residents had spent years mining, and their comprehensive physical fitness had been boosted by Cola, bread, and various other foods. Each person's physical condition was significantly stronger than before the apocalypse. Carrying a zombie was a breeze.
For most men, their physical peak actually comes during their late teens.
They eat lunch at noon, but by one o'clock, their stomachs are already growling.
Their metabolism is so fast it's like a straight-through digestive tract.
As they age, their physical fitness gradually declines.
"Hurry!"
Zhang Yi stood out in the crowd. With his left hand, he grabbed the nearest zombie and tossed it into the space gate without looking back, while his right hand already had another zombie in its grasp, working both sides simultaneously.
One person's speed was equivalent to a dozen residents.
"Watch where you're throwing, you idiot! That's Brother Biao!"
A resident, slightly panicked, grabbed Zhang Yi's arm and pulled the stiff-faced, frozen-bodied Biaozi from his grasp, tossing him outside the train.
"Thanks."
Zhang Yi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead before continuing to grab more zombies. Luckily, he hadn't thrown Brother Biao in. Otherwise, Brother Biao might have cursed him when he woke up—or rather, he probably wouldn't have woken up at all after being thrown in.
With three minutes left on the countdown, all the zombies had been thrown into the space gate.
Chen Mang glanced at the screen, manually switching between the Mechanical Eye's views. After confirming there were no zombies in any corner, he pressed the button on the control panel to forcibly dismantle all the space gates containing the massive horde.
Clang!
Several crisp sounds echoed through the train. As the space gates shattered, a thousand zombies turned to ash.
Tier 19 zombies.
These monsters were only found in the Golden Zone. Even the Red Zone's highest-level monsters were only Tier 18. Yet here, a thousand of them had been silently wiped out.
Throughout the entire ordeal, not a single person had died.
Still, there were some injuries.
Almost no resources were consumed.
The only significant loss was the damage to the rear carriages, which would require iron ore to repair.
It's over.
Chen Mang lit a cigarette and stood in the locomotive cabin. After ensuring all the residents had returned to the cabin, he let out a long sigh of relief, leaned back in his chair, and smiled at the three-minute countdown remaining.
We won.
Now, all that was left was to wait out the countdown, enter the rest period, and officially clear the mission.
Three minutes passed in an instant.
The moment the rest period began, a holographic screen materialized in front of the train.
"Congratulations, Pioneer! You've successfully cleared the second stage of the 'Withered Wood Meets Spring' fortuitous encounter map. You're just one step away from the final mysterious grand prize."
"You're the first train conductor to clear the second stage."
"Now, you must proceed to the third stage and wait. The third stage will officially begin when the other four train conductors who clear the second stage arrive, or when the second stage's countdown ends. You'll compete alongside them for the grand prize. The train that remains standing at the end will claim the mysterious grand prize."
"It's clear that the second stage was slightly more difficult than the first. However, the third stage will be significantly more challenging. I hope you've prepared yourself mentally."
Immediately after, the military factory nestled within the cavern began to fade away. A blinding white light flashed, and the scene transformed into a vast plaza.
The Stellaris train sat alone in the center of this plaza.
No one else was present.
Directly ahead stood a massive screen of light.
"The third stage is about to begin."
"1/5."
Once the other four train conductors arrived, the final competition could begin.
Half an hour later.
"Space Stasis" ended, and Biaozi and the others regained consciousness. They rushed into the locomotive cabin and stared at Lord Mang, who was sitting in his chair. Even though they already knew the answer, they suppressed their excitement, their lips trembling.
"Lord Mang, did we win?"
"Yes."
Chen Mang swiveled his chair to face Biaozi and the others standing at the door. After a pause, he chuckled lightly. "We won."
"Awesome!"
Biaozi immediately shouted in excitement, and Old Pig and the others behind him were equally thrilled. The Stellaris had won many times before, but this victory was the most exhilarating because they had all played a significant role.
Every single person had contributed to this success.
"..."
Chen Mang chuckled at the cheering crowd and shook his head. "Don't get too excited yet. There's one final stage. We'll wait for the other four train conductors to reach the third stage, then compete together for the mysterious grand prize. Only then will we truly have won."
"Once we secure it, we'll throw a celebration banquet when we return."
"Everyone will be rewarded for their contributions!"
"No problem!" Biaozi grinned, his voice slightly hoarse with excitement. "We'll definitely win! The Stellaris never loses!"
With 38 hours remaining until the end of the second stage, time was finally beginning to dull the initial excitement.
When the countdown reached 8 hours, Chen Mang and the others had already disembarked from the train and stood on the plaza, their eyes fixed on the empty space. Biaozi, whose initial excitement had waned, his determination to crush his opponents in one fell swoop now cooled, stood there in a daze, staring at the deserted plaza for a long moment before muttering:
"Lord Mang..."
"It's been over 30 hours already. Do you think there's a chance those trains might not even show up?"
"Even the Stellaris only had 6 hours in the abandoned military factory stage. Other trains should have had at most 5 and a half hours. Especially after the first stage consumed so much copper ore, there can't be much left for the other trains in this stage."
"Do you really think they can still make it?"
"Hard to say," Old Pig replied, shaking his head hesitantly. "Maybe some trains got delayed for over 30 hours in the first two stages and are currently struggling through the final stage."
"Can the first two stages really hold people up for that long?"
"Well, not everyone's Lord Mang. It's hard to say for sure."
"So what do we do now? If the countdown ends and we still don't have enough people, do we automatically win, or does the third stage get delayed?"
"I don't know."
"..."
Chen Mang leaned on his cane, his gaze fixed on the empty plaza, his expression a mixture of hope and anxiety. No way... am I really the only train to clear the first two stages? You're all high-tier trains from the Red Zone! Surely at least one of you can make it through.
The countdown had only an hour left.
The plaza remained deserted, with only the Stellaris in sight.
Not a single other train was visible.
"I think we might have overestimated the other trains," Biaozi said softly, sitting on the ground. "Even the Stellaris barely made it through. It seems even less likely that any other train will succeed."
"Are they really that weak?"
"Don't worry. They might show up in the last few minutes."
"Then let's wait a bit longer."
The countdown reached its final minute.
A massive crimson countdown timer materialized on the holographic screen above the plaza.
「00:00:59」
"It's over," Biaozi sighed. "Looks like it's really just the Stellaris."
As the timer ticked down to zero, the holographic screen above the plaza began to shift, officially opening the third stage.
"Congratulations on reaching the third stage. Your ability to advance this far already proves your strength and potential. You are now eligible to inherit the legacy of the Mechanical Civilization, but we require a single champion."
"The train conductor who remains standing at the end will be declared the victor."
"The third stage is divided into four sub-stages."
"In the first stage, we believe your trains are running low on ammunition. But in the brutal reality of the battlefield, we must ensure your train retains some combat capability even after running out of ammunition."
"You will now face a zombie horde composed entirely of Tier 10 zombies. Their numbers are endless."
"Within one hour, the train with the fewest zombie kills will be eliminated."
"Now, let the third stage begin!"
Just as the light curtain materialized and the 10-second countdown beside it reached zero, a dazzling display of fireworks erupted from nowhere, followed by the emergence of a brand-new light curtain.
[Congratulations to the Stellaris train for being the last train standing in the third stage.
Next—
You will receive the ultimate prize passed down from the Mechanical Civilization.
Train Conductor, please disembark and proceed to the podium. What follows will be known only to you.]
"Did I really win?"
Chen Mang, already seated in the locomotive cabin, glanced around and immediately declared victory. No train had reached the third stage by the time the countdown for the second stage ended; everyone else had been eliminated.
He had effortlessly secured victory in the third stage.
Chen Mang turned his gaze toward the cylindrical, enclosed, glass-walled podium rising from the ground ahead of the train. It resembled an old-fashioned telephone booth.
He exited the train, leaned on his cane, and slowly walked toward the podium. After a moment's hesitation, he gently opened the glass door and stepped inside.
As he stood behind the podium, the scene around him instantly shifted. The plaza and the Stellaris vanished, replaced by a horrifying war scene projected onto the inner glass walls. The realism was so intense that he felt as if he were truly there.
Countless trains and Zerg clashed in a brutal battle.
Almost every moment, numerous trains and Zerg erupted into sparks, vanishing into nothingness.
Then—
Lines of text began to appear on the podium's screen, one after another:
"Since you've passed the second stage, you must know the hidden truth about the Mechanical Civilization. They didn't fight the Zerg for 108,000 years; they were annihilated in just 295 years."
"On the eve of their demise, the Mechanical Civilization's leaders altered their calendar to deceive other civilizations exploring their ruins, making it seem as though the Mechanical Civilization hadn't been so weak."
"It's a pointless lie."
"But the higher-ups cared deeply. In the final year before their extinction, the Mechanical Civilization's leaders knew their fate was sealed, with no chance of survival. Many chose to abandon their responsibilities and indulge in a year of debauchery, living a life of extravagance day and night."
"Except..."
"This news was suppressed. Many members of the Mechanical Civilization remained unaware of their impending extinction until their final breath."
"The Mechanical Civilization had a plan: to dispatch countless small shuttlecrafts to wander the cosmos. When a planet came under attack by the Zerg, the nearest shuttlecraft would rush to its aid at maximum speed and inject a special serum deep into the planet's core."
"Pass down the methods of the Mechanical Civilization."
"Let the native inhabitants of this planet inherit them."
"In reality..."
"This plan was unanimously approved by the Mechanical Civilization's high-ranking officials over a century ago. Named the 'Dawn Project,' its purpose was to help other low-Tier civilizations invaded by the Zerg stall the Zerg's advance for as long as possible."
"However, after a decade of implementation, the project was halted because its returns failed to meet the high-ranking officials' expectations."
"Three years before the Mechanical Civilization was annihilated, Princess Tuotuo of the Mechanical Civilization used all her connections and power to revive the project. She poured in resources without regard for cost, leveraging the existence of temporal rifts to create 'Fortuitous Encounter Maps.'"
"These maps allowed low-Tier civilizations not only to acquire more powerful accessory blueprints and special items but also to pass down the true history of the Mechanical Civilization."
"History..."
"It should be genuine, not whitewashed."
"No one remains pure forever. It's acceptable to be flawed, but not to be false. Princess Tuotuo couldn't accept the idea that the history other civilizations were uncovering about the Mechanical Civilization was merely a whitewashed version. This was her goal."
The "Withered Wood Meets Spring" map was undoubtedly a fortuitous encounter map personally designed by Princess Tuotuo. The story within was merely a microcosm of countless tales from the Mechanical Civilization's era. The map's grand prize was a gift personally prepared by Princess Tuotuo herself.
"She hopes you will strive to survive, kill as many Zerg as possible to avenge the Mechanical Civilization. Beyond that, she makes no other demands."
"You're probably trying to communicate with me right now, aren't you? Because you've never encountered an AI information source as human-like as me. Unfortunately, I can't respond. I am Princess Tuotuo's Train Auxiliary AI, Tier 200."
"You might find it hard to believe that an AI could reach such a high Tier."
"Princess Tuotuo used a vast amount of murphy stone on me. Through a special method, she separated me from the Mechanical Civilization's destruction, allowing me to remain stationed within this fortuitous encounter map. Therefore, theoretically, I am also part of the reward, here to assist you in surviving."
"But I can endure endless solitude. What I can't bear is missing Princess Tuotuo. If Hell truly exists, perhaps I can meet her there, if AIs are allowed in."
"I chose to destroy the underlying code that formed my soul to welcome the long-awaited death."
"Regrettably, your grand prize pool is missing its most important reward."
"Let me think... what else can I tell you?"
"..."
Chen Mang could only stand rooted to the spot, his eyes slightly narrowed. He hadn't spoken a single word from beginning to end, but if the screen hadn't displayed the message urging him to try speaking, he might have truly believed these words were being typed in real-time, as if he were conversing with someone.
The text on the screen froze.
As if in deep thought.
He could almost sense an AI, thousands of years ago, typing out each character, engaging in a cross-temporal conversation with him. The feeling was... extraordinary.
"Oh, right. Let's talk about Civilization Wars again."
"There are many ways to initiate a Civilization War, but the reason the Zerg Civilization is so infamous is because they only know one type: the 'Deathmatch.'"
"The conditions for initiating a Deathmatch are extremely strict. But once it begins, the losing civilization's coordinates—including their planets, wormholes, and every single member of their race—are completely exposed to the cosmos."
"Without exception."
"It's like throwing open your front door. Hostile civilizations can use those previously hidden wormhole coordinates to freely enter your rear lines and slaughter your people at will."
"A single Main Cannon blast can easily destroy every resident planet in a straight line."
"And during this time, your civilization's wormholes become unusable. Only newborn infants can use them to escape their doomed planets. But adrift in the vast cosmos, they're merely delaying their inevitable deaths."
"You'll learn the specifics later."
"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, your civilization hasn't been targeted for a life-or-death struggle by the Zerg Civilization. You've merely been caught in the crossfire. The Zerg Civilization isn't even aware of your existence. It's just that your Civilization Level is too low. Even a tiny Zerg egg can trigger an apocalypse for you."
"Only civilizations at least at Tier 1 are eligible to initiate a life-or-death struggle."
"Let me think... What else should I say?"
"Ah, I remember. Since you've made it this far, you're one of the most powerful trains on this entire planet. If you ever have the opportunity to obtain a Civilization Token, I advise against using it. Once you establish your own civilization, you'll be stepping onto the playing field and joining the Civilization War of the cosmos."
"Until you have sufficient strength, you'll remain prey, unable to become a hunter."
"There's nothing more to say."
"Here are your rewards for clearing this fortuitous encounter map:"
1: Special Item: Galaxy Map.
2: Seven-Colored Grade Accessory: Wormhole Radar.
3: Detachable Tier 200 Train Auxiliary AI.
4: Ten Tier 5 Iron Ore Refresh Tickets, ten Tier 5 Copper Mine Refresh Tokens, ten Tier 5 Titanium Crystal Mine Refresh Tickets, ten Tier 5 Lumber Mill Refresh Tickets, and ten Tier 5 Red Heart Rock Refresh Tickets.
5: New Reward: AI Database.
Just to clarify, the fifth reward is something I added. While I destroyed the code that formed my soul, I left the database for you. I selectively deleted memories of Princess Tuotuo and some of my own emotions, but the remaining data is completely intact.
You can have the AI on your train read it.
However, even after deleting much of Princess Tuotuo's memories, the database is still enormous. It might take your train's Tier 3 AI several years to read the entire thing.
So...
Until we meet again in hell.
"..."
The text on the screen gradually faded away as a pillar emerged from the stage floor. On its surface lay the spoils of this fortuitous encounter map. Meanwhile, a portal slowly materialized in the plaza.
Purple Zone: Stone Man Zone
The Stellaris train sat on the wasteland as usual. It was deep into the night, with stars twinkling in the sky.
Inside the train, residents were excitedly discussing their experiences in the fortuitous encounter map. This was their first time contributing directly, witnessing the Stellaris's victory firsthand. This experience subtly strengthened the train's cohesion.
Everyone was thrilled.
"I pushed four zombies into the space gate just now!"
"Four? That's nothing! I pushed six!"
In Residential District 1, everyone gathered excitedly to share their stories. Only under the pavilion, a young man huddled in a corner, clutching his laptop and trembling slightly.
"There, there."
Old Pig, who had appeared unnoticed, opened a beer and handed it to the young man. He squatted down, patted the young man's shoulder, and smiled. "Lord Mang said you did well. Don't blame yourself too much. This fortuitous encounter map was exceptionally difficult. You did great."
"Not everyone is destined to be the hero who turns the tide."
"We're all just ordinary people, really."
"Why don't you join us for a chat? Everyone's eager to hear you tell the story. Many residents are curious."
"I..."
The young man's eyes reddened slightly as he looked up at Old Pig. "If I hadn't made that one mistake, we wouldn't have faced that wave of zombies in the first place."
"No one was hurt. You don't need to carry such a heavy burden of responsibility for a failure that wasn't yours to bear."
"You're not capable of shouldering such a burden."
"Get up now."
"Lighten up. Everyone's waiting for you. Zhang Yiren even mentioned wanting to turn this experience into a movie," Old Pig said with a smile. "Lord Mang told me you'll be on stage to receive an award at tomorrow's celebration banquet in Neon City. If you cry your eyes out tonight, you won't look good tomorrow."
"..."
In the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang lit a cigarette and sat silently, staring at the galaxy map on the screen for a long time. This was one of his rewards from this mission: the special item, the Galaxy Map.
It updated in real time.
In the Galaxy Map, Aquablue Star was positioned at the very center. The map's scope extended to 10,000 light-years.
It marked planets with life, mining stars, and more.
For example:
The nearest mining star was 0.3 light-years away. The map noted that this planet's iron ore content was 78%. If fully mined, it would yield a vast amount of iron ore resources.
There were also two planets with life, one 0.4 light-years from Aquablue Star and the other 0.8 light-years away, both in a state of apocalypse.
The Galaxy Map even displayed the real-time positions of the Zerg Civilization's main forces.
The situation was less than ideal:
Their location was deep within the Zerg Civilization's rear lines. Within a 10,000 light-year radius, all planets were at extremely low Civilization Levels, none exceeding Tier 1. The Aquablue Star Civilization was marked as a 0.2nd Tier Civilization.
Chen Mang had once pondered how the train could travel 100,000 light-years.
Even at the speed of light, it would take 100,000 years.
Now he had his answer:
Wormholes.
Wormholes are essentially a planet's lifeline. Once a wormhole near a planet is exposed, the planet will instantly face a massacre by countless enemies. However, as long as the wormhole coordinates remain secret, no one can possibly reach your planet.
It's simply too far.
Even at light speed, it would take an eternity to reach Aquablue Star.
Just then—
"Train Conductor, the absorption is complete."
"That fast?"
Chen Mang glanced at the control panel screen. "It's only been two hours."
"As a Tier 100 AI, this content didn't take long. I've extracted some crucial information."
Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the locomotive cabin.
"Wormholes in the cosmos can be broadly classified into two types:"
"Natural wormholes and artificial wormholes."
"The former are randomly generated and unstable, always at risk of collapsing, with unknown destinations."
"The latter are created by civilizations. Generally, they are more stable, like underwater tunnels, designed for long-term use. However, they still require regular maintenance and typically connect two specific points."
"The coordinates of artificial wormholes are top-secret."
"Once the coordinates of a wormhole are known, there's a risk of invasion."
"Before the wormhole coordinates are exposed, a planet is virtually invulnerable to annihilation by any civilization."
"The Zerg Civilization creates numerous random wormholes and throws countless Zerg eggs into them to achieve rapid reproduction and map exploration."
"It's like the map exploration in StarCraft. One of these special entities, called an Ant-Zerg, will contact the Queen Mother at the Zerg base and inevitably send her this planet's coordinates. If the Zerg find resources here they need, they'll use the coordinates to open a wormhole and send their armies to this planet."
"An Ant-Zerg larva's growth cycle takes about five years."
"So we have about three years left?" Chen Mang frowned.
"Perhaps even longer."
Xiao Ai pushed open the locomotive cabin door and entered, her voice switching from the Vehicle Audio System to her own vocalizer: "The Galaxy Map shows no high-value entities nearby."
"The Zerg army shouldn't bother with us here."
"But—"
"The Mechanical Civilization's power source comes from the planet's core energy. This planet's core energy will be depleted in three years, so we must leave Aquablue Star within that time."
"We need to reach the other two habitable planets within three years. Those planets are larger and should last longer."
"However, while those mining stars may not interest the Zerg Civilization, they represent an immense fortune for us."
"Mining a single star requires a massive number of Mining Robots and logistical support. It's an incredibly challenging undertaking."
"How do we get there?"
After a long silence, Chen Mang reached out and zoomed in on the galaxy map on the screen. "The closest mining star is 0.3 light-years away. Can we use the Seven-colored grade accessory, the Wormhole Radar?"
"Yes."
Xiao Ai nodded solemnly. "The Wormhole Radar can detect naturally formed wormholes in the cosmos, as well as the coordinates of wormholes created by other civilizations. The higher its Tier, the greater its detection range and the more advanced wormhole coordinates it can decipher."
"Theoretically speaking," she continued, "if you, Train Conductor, have enough resources, the coordinates of every wormhole in the cosmos will be an open book to you. You'll be able to travel anywhere in the cosmos, as long as the Wormhole Radar's Tier is high enough."
"Though it's happening much faster than we anticipated," she added, "it's clear that our Interstellar Journey is about to begin. Train Conductor, we're about to embark on a brand-new adventure."
"Will there happen to be a randomly generated wormhole near that mining star?" Chen Mang asked.
"Most likely not. We'll have to create that wormhole ourselves."
Sigh
Chen Mang stood up, stretched languidly, and strolled over to the floor-to-ceiling window. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the starry sky in the distance. After a long silence, he chuckled softly.
"Sounds like a rather ambitious project."
(End of the Chapter)
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