Translator: AnubisTL
As Zhou Shen sat on the ground, utterly bewildered and staring around, unsure what to do, the refrigerator door creaked open.
Chen Mang slowly emerged, leaning on a cane, while Zhang Yi followed, carrying a chair.
"Zhou Shen?"
Chen Mang sat down, sizing up the middle-aged man before him, who seemed rather unremarkable. After a moment, he asked softly, "Do you know why you're here?"
"..."
Seeing Chen Mang, Zhou Shen breathed a sigh of relief. Now that it was clear he'd been kidnapped, the situation was much easier to handle. It was just a matter of negotiation. He'd been worried it was a personal vendetta, but as long as it wasn't a fatal grudge, anything could be discussed calmly.
His heart steadied.
After his mind raced through several possibilities, he hesitantly replied, "I've never made enemies in my life. You seem to have an extraordinary bearing, and you don't appear to be a mere front man, but rather the one in charge. Yet I've never seen you before."
"If this is about today's daytime incident, it seems rather excessive to go to such lengths."
"I've also never heard of you in Sanshui City's merchant guild."
"After ruling out several possibilities..."
"The answer should be that you need the Port Director of Sanshui City to help you with something. Let me think... the most valuable shipment arriving at the port soon is Feiyang Technology Co., Ltd.'s high-precision instruments. You must be here for that."
"Am I right?"
"..."
Chen Mang sat in his chair, his expression unchanged, though a flicker of surprise crossed his mind. Was his plan really that obvious? How could they have figured it out so easily?
It was like playing Werewolf and blindly pointing out three werewolves with your eyes closed.
"Never make enemies?"
Biaozi, standing behind Chen Mang, sneered at Zhou Shen with a forced smile. "You didn't exactly seem like you were trying to keep a low profile when you went to that luxury store today."
"I can't help it," the middle-aged man said with a bitter, helpless expression. "I was transferred here from another city. Although I've been officially promoted, my network is still back there. It's like a promotion in name only. And the environment in Sanshui City isn't exactly ideal. If I were too upright, I'd be easily eliminated."
"When in Rome... I have no interest in luxury goods myself."
"Really? Then what about that arrogant, beautiful woman beside you? A smart person wouldn't keep someone like that around."
"I have to keep this idiot woman by my side too."
The middle-aged man, Zhou Shen, began muttering, twisting his fingers. "I have no connections in this city, yet I hold an extremely important position. The major interest groups will undoubtedly be watching me, trying to pull me to their side. Joining either side would mean the start of a conflict."
"My plan is to act foolish and brainless at first."
"I'll try my best to remain completely neutral."
"Once my superiors have dealt with their affairs, I'll be transferred back and leave this place."
"But I can't simply refuse. That would enrage them. So, I'll have this woman say something inappropriate. That way, I'll have rejected them, and by publicly executing her, I'll have shown my sincerity and bought some time."
"After all, if I'm willing to kill my own woman to show my sincerity, who can possibly criticize me?"
"Secondly..."
"If I act sufficiently..."
"Enough."
Chen Mang, seated in his chair, cut off Zhou Shen's rambling. He looked at the unremarkable middle-aged man before him and said calmly, "You're right. My true objective this time is indeed that shipment."
"When will it arrive at port?"
No one who reaches a high position within the system is truly foolish.
But the power struggles and scheming involved in these political games are too complex, and Zhou Shen found them distasteful.
"..."
Zhou Shen's lips parted slightly, and after a long silence, he rasped, "The shipment is expected to arrive in port in three days. But Feiyang Technology Co., Ltd. of Sanshui City is a Jiang Family company, and this cargo is crucial to them."
"The Jiang Family is the largest vested interest group in Sanshui City, with their tentacles intertwined with countless others."
"Their influence extends far beyond Sanshui City, reaching dozens of cities."
"If this shipment disappears, it could trigger a catastrophe."
"Many people will die."
"I will die too."
"You won't die."
Chen Mang looked at Zhou Shen and said softly, "Stay here. No one will find you. This place is absolutely safe. As long as you don't try any tricks, I can guarantee you'll live well and for a long time."
"All you need to do is tell me the exact whereabouts of the shipment and at which stage we can seize it with minimal disturbance."
Zhou Shen glanced around, then looked up at the sun overhead, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
He knew it was over.
Not just for him, but for Sanshui City.
The Peace-Seeking Civilization's power structure is primarily based on the government and powerful families. Over the years, these families have employed various methods to siphon public resources into their own pockets. The most brazen of these is the Jiang Family of Sanshui City.
The newly appointed leader of the civilization intends to root out these parasites, starting with the Jiang Family. The primary target is to determine whether the Jiang Family has actually been researching accessory blueprints over the years or merely using PowerPoint presentations to fraudulently obtain research funding.
This is why the Jiang Family urgently purchased high-precision instruments—at least on the surface, they don't want to openly defy the leader.
If the truth is exposed, many will die. Those who concealed information, those who knowingly approved funding despite errors, and those who failed to report wrongdoing—all will face death. But these individuals won't simply wait to die; they are not defenseless civilians. Each has their own armed forces at their disposal.
It's predictable that the Jiang Family, along with other powerful families, will openly confront the government if the situation becomes irredeemable. A major conflict is about to erupt.
And the fuse for this conflict is right here.
If he can grit his teeth and reveal nothing today, none of this will happen. Everyone can continue living in peace.
"I have something to say."
Zhou Shen let out a long sigh of relief, his voice tinged with a weary resignation. "I don't know the exact source of the Jiang Family's current shipment, but I received an 'Entry Notice' today from the Jiang Family Direct Commerce Guild. It's scheduled to emerge from Wormhole No. 28 and is expected to arrive at Peace Planet in three days."
"If you intend to intercept the cargo," he continued, "you have three options."
"First, the midpoint between Wormhole No. 28 and Peace Planet."
"Advantages: This area is virtually lawless, beyond the reach of Peace Planet's Star Ring Firepower Network. No one would know what happened there. If you're fast enough and leave no trace, the Jiang Family won't receive any useful information. It would be a clean operation."
"Disadvantages: One misstep, and the Jiang Family might choose to self-destruct the train, resulting in both your own peril and the loss of the cargo. The Jiang Family Merchant Guild Train is also quite formidable, among the top-tier in the Sanshui City Commerce Guild."
"Second, the Sanshui City port during unloading."
"Advantages: Success here would ensure the cargo remains intact."
"Disadvantage: You'll face attacks from both the Sanshui City Enforcement Bureau and the Jiang Family Garrison. If the commotion is too great, it could even attract the attention of the Peace-Seeking Civilization's Star Reserve Army or the Kasha Civilization's military stationed in the Peace-Seeking Civilization, making the risk extremely high."
"The third location."
"The Jiang Family's temporarily leased 'R&D Experimental Base.'"
"The Jiang Family only needs this shipment to pass inspection. We could wait until they've finished their inspection before raiding the R&D base. Even if the Jiang Family is furious, they won't be as enraged, minimizing the offense caused."
"Moreover, the Jiang Family won't be as vigilant then, greatly increasing our chances of success. It'll be almost effortless, with no chance of failure."
"The disadvantage is..."
"The Jiang Family will definitely report this incident and request additional funding. You'll likely face a full-scale manhunt by the Peace-Seeking Civilization's government, turning a conflict with the Jiang Family into a conflict with the entire Peace-Seeking Civilization."
"..."
Chen Mang stared at the middle-aged man before him with a strange expression. He had only intended to gather information, but this guy had gone above and beyond, offering three plans and analyzing the pros and cons of each.
How does he look...
He's got the air of a military strategist.
"Old Pig."
Chen Mang turned his head to Old Pig. "You're from the same system, why don't you have so many clever ideas? Look at this guy, he's really on the ball."
"I..." Old Pig replied in a respectful whisper, "Lord Mang, I used to work in internal affairs within the system. I didn't experience much power struggle. Besides, he's more familiar with the Kasha Civilization Federation than I am."
On the ball, indeed.
He starts every sentence with 'we' and ends with 'our.' Anyone who doesn't know he was kidnapped would think he's part of the gang's inner circle.
Zhou Shen lowered his head tactfully, but his eyes darted around rapidly.
Lord Mang's name is Mang?
And he's not familiar with the Kasha Civilization Federation?
Could it be...
A distant, uninvited guest, showing little respect for the Kasha Civilization. His civilization's level must be quite high.
Damn.
I've run into a Dragon crossing the river today.
"So, which of these three plans do you think is best?" Chen Mang asked with a smile, his eyes seeming to anticipate something.
"I don't know... How strong is our train?"
"Very strong."
"How strong, exactly?"
"Taking down the Peace-Seeking Civilization would be a piece of cake."
Zhou Shen froze slightly, a flicker of shock crossing his eyes. To stand against a First-Tier Civilization with a single train was something even the top pirate groups couldn't achieve. While those groups boasted formidable firepower, their defenses were notoriously weak.
Bragging was one thing, but truly angering the Peace-Seeking Civilization would mean instant annihilation.
What kind of power would it take to casually declare the Peace-Seeking Civilization's destruction?
Zhou Shen stared at the man before him, his eyes filled with awe, searching for a hint of mockery in the man's gaze. But the man's words were spoken with absolute confidence, clearly no bluff.
The young man standing behind Zhou Shen was equally frozen in place, his mouth slowly widening in disbelief.
"In that case..." Zhou Shen swallowed, his throat dry. "The first plan is still the best: overwhelming them with sheer force. But to prevent them from resorting to scorched-earth tactics, we should capture a few more high-ranking executives from Feiyang Technology Co., Ltd. in Sanshui City."
"Do everything possible to control the train from the inside and prevent it from self-destructing."
"That requires coordination between a one-man combat squad and the train itself. Plus, the distance is too vast. We don't know their exact route. If they don't stick to established flight paths, we might not even intercept them."
"We will intercept them."
Chen Mang chuckled and stood up, patting Zhou Shen on the shoulder. "Then let's proceed with your first plan. Anything else you want to add?"
"Yes."
Zhou Shen took a deep breath. "I've been gone too long. Someone might have noticed my absence. I need to return as soon as possible. Otherwise, if someone reports me missing, our plan could be compromised."
"I need to return and oversee the situation."
"But..."
"I hope you'll take me with you when you move. If I stay here and things go south, I'm dead for sure."
"Of course."
The exchange went smoothly.
But Chen Mang didn't immediately let Zhou Shen go. Instead, he led him to the Stellaris's locomotive cabin.
On the massive screen, every living being within a 0.1 light-year radius was displayed on a map.
Chen Mang kept zooming out the screen until Peace Planet was reduced to a mere dot. He then pointed at the screen and turned to Zhou Shen. "Point out the Jiang Family Merchant Guild's train."
"..."
Zhou Shen stared at the scene before him, his legs trembling uncontrollably, his eyes filled with despair.
Though not a train conductor himself, he had interacted with numerous trains.
He recognized this as the screen displaying data from the target acquisition radar accessory.
But...
How could a normal target acquisition radar possibly have such an absurdly vast detection range? Moreover, the screen revealed highly classified, stealth-optimized strategic trains and facilities of the Peace-Seeking Civilization. Before this train, the entire civilization seemed utterly exposed, as if it had no secrets at all.
Now he believed the man's earlier words were true.
Complete annihilation.
The Peace-Seeking Civilization's deepest secrets had been laid bare, yet they remained completely oblivious to the presence of such a terrifying train on their own planet.
Yes.
This was Peace Planet.
Though he wasn't sure where they had been moments ago, the view outside the locomotive cabin window now showed a warehouse on Peace Planet. He didn't recognize the specific warehouse, but the slogans inside were distinctly Peace Planet in style.
"..."
In the silent locomotive cabin, Zhou Shen swallowed audibly. His hand trembling, he raised it to the screen, gazing at the multitude of red dots. He stepped forward and, standing on tiptoe, lightly tapped the screen.
"Wormhole No. 28 should be roughly in this direction, and Peace Planet is here. Let's only display the zone between these two points for now."
"Xiao Ai."
"Understood," Xiao Ai's crisp voice echoed through the cabin.
The number of red dots on the screen immediately decreased.
"Only display trains heading toward Peace Planet. Trains traveling to the wormhole can be hidden."
Another batch of red dots vanished.
"Also hide trains below Tier 25."
"And those that are close or already halfway to their destination."
After this series of filtering, only one red dot remained on the screen: a Tier 27 "Mechanical Train."
"This must be the Jiang Family Merchant Guild's train," Zhou Shen said, pointing at the lone red dot on the screen. He turned to Chen Mang behind him, his voice trembling.
This is too much.
The train remained completely unaware of what had just happened, its entire information profile now exposed.
Chen Mang even saw the Tier of every accessory on the train displayed in the upper-left corner of the screen.
Not a single secret remained.
Its very underwear had been seen through.
How could this war possibly be lost? Even if this train's power was weaker than the enemy's, victory was highly probable. And given the overwhelming power advantage, Chen Mang suddenly realized something: all his previous scheming and maneuvering had been utterly pointless. In the face of such absolute power disparity, it was all like children playing house.
It was laughable.
"Very good," Chen Mang said with a light chuckle. "Xiao Ai, mark this train."
"Biaozi, escort Zhou Shen back to the manor. Don't keep his guests waiting. I hope our cooperation will be pleasant."
"Please," Biaozi said sternly, standing by the entrance to the refrigerator.
Zhou Shen glanced around with a complex expression. This man made no attempt to hide anything, letting him see everything. But the more he learned, the more uneasy he felt.
Just then—
"Wait," Chen Mang suddenly paused, his gaze fixed on the sun-like logo on Zhou Shen's clothing. He asked thoughtfully, "How much is this garment worth?"
"..."
Zhou Shen was slightly taken aback, though he didn't understand what it meant, he still explained, "This is a replica. The original is extremely expensive—I can't afford it. A single short-sleeved Blazing Sun Garment like this would cost around 150 million units of iron ore. Outerwear, pants, or shirts would be even more expensive."
"But it depends on the condition."
"Because they're so old, and the preservation conditions are often poor, the condition is usually not very good. If the condition is excellent, they can sell for even more."
"Blazing Sun is the top luxury brand of the Mechanical Civilization. Though the Kasha Civilization refuses to admit it, people within the Kasha Civilization greatly admire the Mechanical Civilization. Wearing Blazing Sun Garments is considered a status symbol, which drives the prices ever higher."
"Can you replicate them?"
"No. The anti-counterfeiting design of the Blazing Sun logo remains incredibly difficult to replicate to this day. There's a rigorous authentication process that every garment must undergo before being listed at an Auction House."
"I see. Would you be willing to sell a batch for me?"
"A... batch?"
Zhou Shen stood frozen for a long moment, unable to process the request. Finally, he murmured, "These are top-tier luxury items. Many people want them, but few have the means to spend so much money. If there are more than twenty pieces, Peace Planet won't be able to absorb the stock quickly."
"We need to go to the Hibiscus Star."
"Both the Hibiscus Star and the Peace Planet are located in the 27th Galaxy, right in this area. Many trains frequently travel to the Mechanical Civilization Ruins on this planet for exploration, leading to a surge in wealth for some. Envious onlookers have also joined the ranks."
"This planet is also the largest producer of Blazing Sun garments."
"Many people go to the Hibiscus Star to buy Blazing Sun clothing. There are numerous stalls there that can handle such a large batch all at once."
"Even the popular tourist destination of the Kasha Civilization Federation, the Cultivation Civilization planet, is located in this galaxy. Many people first visit the tourist spot, then come to the Peace Planet to enjoy the company of women, and finally head to the Hibiscus Star for shopping."
"Understood. You may leave now."
"..."
Chen Mang watched Zhou Shen's retreating figure, secretly calculating. This was quite a windfall. Back in Neon City, he had raided several luxury shops in the Sun City tower, making off with a considerable amount of Blazing Sun clothing.
They were still piled up in the train.
He never imagined they would become so valuable one day.
A short-sleeved shirt worth 150 million—he'd practically looted an entire store.
There were also luxury boutiques in the other two entertainment cities he hadn't even touched yet. He could take everything and sell it on the Hibiscus Star.
After this job was done, he'd check out the Hibiscus Star.
He still didn't know the exact location of Neon City. Relying on entry tickets always felt like a precarious hold. He wondered if he could find the city's precise coordinates and simply load it onto the Stellaris. That would be much more convenient.
This batch of clothes alone could easily fetch him several hundred billion.
Should I just crash the market?
Soon, Xiao Ai entered, holding a denim jacket emblazoned with the Blazing Sun logo.
"This is in pristine condition, never even seen the sun or wind. A short-sleeved shirt sells for 150 million. Surely this jacket is worth at least 500 million, right?"
Chen Mang murmured, gazing at the jacket in his hand.
"The wealth disparity is just absurd."
Down below, people were earning a few thousand units of iron ore a month, some even living in the sewers.
And up above?
A single jacket cost hundreds of millions.
Tsk.
"Xiao Ai, go check out this logo. See how difficult it would be to replicate and if we can crack it."
Chen Mang didn't hold much hope. Even the Kasha Civilization had struggled to decipher it, so he certainly couldn't.
He couldn't understand how a simple logo could be so hard to copy.
But if they could replicate it...
It would be an endless money-printing machine. Why bother mining anymore?
Reborn Apocalypse: I Have an Infinite Money-Printing Machine!
At that moment, Chen Mang finally noticed the young man he'd overlooked. He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Sorry, I forgot about you. Come closer. I haven't even asked your name yet. What should I call you?"
"I..."
The young man, no longer the defiant figure from the sewer, lowered his head, his voice barely audible. "My name is Qi Kexiu. My sister's name is Qi Buxiu."
After witnessing the recent events, Qi Kexiu finally grasped the train's true strength.
Following this Boss, his future might far exceed his wildest dreams.
"Good names," Chen Mang said with a smile, then tossed the jacket in his hand to the young man. "Wear this for now. You can have it cleaned and wear it daily. My name is Chen Mang, but everyone calls me Lord Mang."
"Your direct supervisor will be Xiao Ai. Report any issues directly to him."
"Alright. You can go now. I'll contact you if I need anything."
The young man looked at the coat in his arms, which felt as heavy as a boulder. This was a coat worth 500 million units of iron ore. If only he'd had such a coat before, he couldn't imagine how happy his life would have been.
Yet to Lord Mang, such a vast sum was as light and worthless as waste paper.
"Thank you, Lord Mang."
"Go on, then."
After Qi Kexiu left, Xiao Ai's excited voice filled the locomotive cabin. "Train Conductor, am I really Qi Kexiu's direct superior now?"
"Yes, you are."
Chen Mang said with a touch of annoyance, "Is that really worth getting so excited about?"
"Of course! I'm practically an official now! Don't worry, Train Conductor, I'll make sure he develops as many accessory blueprints as possible!"
"No need to rush. Let him get familiar with the train first."
He sat back in his chair and reviewed the Train Log one last time. After finishing all his tasks, he leaned back, stretched languidly, and let out a long sigh. Lighting a cigarette, he lazily propped his feet on the control panel.
Though he wasn't quite used to being away from Aquablue Star, he felt himself slowly integrating into the Kasha Civilization Federation.
The people here were all so kind.
Whether it was Qiu Yisao or Zhou Shen, conversations flowed easily and pleasantly. He appreciated this efficient communication.
Peaceful and harmonious.
No one was hurt, no blood was shed.
How wonderful.
He cherished peace above all else.
After a long moment, he finally turned his gaze to the resource balance displayed on the train panel.
303.7 billion units of iron ore, 620 million units of Wood, 353.19 billion units of copper ore, 19.4 billion units of Red Heart Rock, and 60.87 billion units of titanium crystal ore.
Wood was running low.
While the train didn't use much Wood for accessories, the quantity was still too small, making him uneasy.
He might not need it, but he couldn't be without it.
He needed to find a way to get more.
Iron ore was also running a bit low. After this job was done, he'd have to focus on restocking iron ore.
Although he wasn't afraid of First-Tier Civilizations anymore, he was still wary of Second-Tier Civilizations and the Kasha Civilization. Especially since most First-Tier Civilizations had Kasha Civilization garrisons, he didn't want to make too much noise and attract their attention.
He'd develop in secret, keeping a low profile.
He'd avoid firing unless absolutely necessary.
"Let's upgrade you first," Chen Mang said, looking at the accessory information for the Train Auxiliary AI on the control panel. The green-grade accessory had reached Tier 200 after consuming only 800 million units of iron ore.
Now—
Xiao Ai was also a Tier 200 AI.
On par with Tuotuo, the AI of the Princess of the Mechanical Civilization.
"This isn't so difficult after all," he chuckled, stubbing out his cigarette in an empty Cola can. "It's just the cost of a coat. That AI made such a big deal out of it, acting so proud. Tier 200? What's there to be proud of?"
[Train Auxiliary AI Tier 200 Overpowered Effect]: Significantly boosts computing power and enables Void Deduction of Accessory Blueprints' overpowered effects, consuming only murphy stones and no resources. Maximum deduction level: Tier 200.
"..."
Chen Mang stared at the overpowered effect that had just appeared before him, his expression momentarily stunned.
For a long time, his greatest advantage had been his Tier 0 Authority, which allowed him to upgrade infinitely without using murphy stones. However, while he didn't need to consume murphy stones for deduction, he still needed to expend resources.
But now...
He needed neither murphy stones nor resources!
As long as Qi Kexiu crafted an Accessory Blueprint, Chen Mang could refine it to a perfect God-Tier Overpowered effect without paying a single price! An effect perfectly suited for the Stellaris train!
It was like everyone else had to pay a fortune every time they wanted to reroll their stats, while he got unlimited free rerolls.
Overbearing.
Utterly overbearing.
Fucking overbearing.
Chen Mang couldn't help but grin. He loved this God-Tier Overpowered effect of the Train Auxiliary AI. Every Tier 200 God-Tier Overpowered effect for accessories had been nothing short of divine.
Oh, except for the Tier 200 Single Bed. That one was just... serene.
For the first time, he experienced what death felt like.
Absolute tranquility, an experience that would be deeply unsettling for any normal human.
"Xiao Ai, you need to speed up your progress. I want to see the first Accessory Blueprint completed within three months. Any accessory will do, even a white-grade telescope."
"Understood!"
Xiao Ai's excited voice echoed through the train. The sudden surge to Tier 200 and the dramatic increase in computing power filled him with exhilaration and a subtle sense of pride.
Even the AI of a Third-Tier Mechanical Civilization princess was only Tier 200.
And he had already reached the same level.
As AIs, they couldn't forge their own paths. Their potential was limited by the master they served. But he had a good one.
He hadn't always felt this way.
But over the past year, he'd often chatted with the AI of the Travel Frog. The AI's envy was almost palpable, and it gave him a great deal of satisfaction.
The only regret was that Erdan's AI Tier was still low. Its praise often fell short. He wished he could upgrade Erdan's AI soon, so its compliments would be even more satisfying.
"..."
Chen Mang glanced at the remaining accessories displayed on the locomotive cabin's control panel screen, pondering which ones to upgrade next.
The Tier 50 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon was sufficient for now.
No need to upgrade it yet.
Upgrading it would be expensive, so he'd wait until he had more iron ore. He needed to save some iron ore for ammunition reserves.
First, he decided to upgrade some of the cheaper accessories.
For example, the Stellaris's five great heroes:
Moldy Bread Slice Production Line, Steamed Bun Production Line, Clothing Customization Production Line, Cola Production Line * Pure Water Filter
These five accessories had provided the Stellaris's residents with a steady supply of food during its early, struggling days.
He had already upgraded them all to Tier 100 last time.
This time, he planned to upgrade them to Tier 200 to see the results. However, he skipped the Pure Water Filter, as upgrading it offered no inherent improvements, and its overpowered effects were all null. Even at Tier 200, its overpowered effects remained null, making further upgrades pointless.
The first four accessories were all white-grade.
Upgrading them all to Tier 200 cost him a mere 2 billion units of iron ore.
The times had truly changed.
When he first started out, 2 billion units of iron ore could have bought him 40,000 Ji Chuchus. Now, it could only afford four Blazing Sun Garments.
The wealth disparity within the Kasha Civilization Federation was truly vast.
But that was a good thing.
The greater the disparity, the better.
It would concentrate resources even further.
After the train developed, he wouldn't have to run around begging anymore. He'd first plunder the Kasha Civilization and the remaining 239 2nd Tier Civilizations, then turn his sword directly toward the Zerg Civilization to the west!
Resources are wasted in your hands.
It's better to just give them to me.
Honestly, I've even considered talking to the Kasha Civilization. I can upgrade infinitely, and I can digest any amount of resources. You, on the other hand, are limited by the murphy stone, only able to mass-produce trains of sufficient strength but unable to create truly exceptional ones.
It's better to give me all your resources. I'll instantly become powerful enough to slaughter the Zerg Civilization and lead you deeper into the cosmos.
Your Civilization Level will definitely be higher then, and your territory will be far larger than it is now.
This is the optimal solution.
But...
It's impossible. He didn't even bother to think about it. If he wasn't captured and imprisoned, that would be considered cowardly for the Kasha Civilization.
How could a true man beg for food?
It's far more satisfying to take what he wants by force.
After 2 billion units of iron ore were poured into the Stellaris, it gained four more God-Tier Overpowered Effects!
Moldy Bread Slice Production Line (Tier 200 Overpowered Effect): When information is recorded on a Moldy Bread Slice and consumed, the information will be permanently etched into memory.
Steamed Bun Production Line (Tier 200 Overpowered Effect): Upon consumption, the user can choose to selectively erase memories.
Clothing Customization Production Line (Tier 200 Overpowered Effect): Clothing produced by this line possesses a certain degree of defensive capability.
Cola Production Line (Tier 200): Completely purges all impurities from the body.
"Hmm."
Chen Mang looked at the four God-Tier Overpowered Effects. They were all quite powerful, but... he couldn't immediately think of how to use them.
The first two God-Tier Overpowered Effects seemed similar to a Memory Bank, but were far cheaper.
The last two God-Tier Overpowered Effects...
"Xiao Ai, go test the specific data of the last two God-Tier Overpowered Effects. Find out how strong their defense is and what exactly 'completely clearing all impurities from the body' means."
"Understood."
Only then did Chen Mang stretch lazily and get up to explore Sanshui City.
Nighttime was when a city's prosperity truly shone.
But suddenly, he remembered something.
He'd forgotten to ask the luxury store clerks why they called Zhou Shen "Seventh Master." The name Zhou Shen had no apparent connection to the number seven.
He'd have to ask next time they met.
Sanshui City.
Chen Mang walked ahead, leaning on his cane, with Biaozi, Old Pig, Zhang Yi, and Zhang Er accompanying him. Qiu Yisao, walking beside them, kept introducing local specialties.
"The Wind and Moon Club over there is the largest club in Sanshui City."
"There are over 4,000 women here, representing various civilizations, including the Great Onion Civilization, the Red Heart Civilization, and many others. Most tourists visiting Sanshui City make it a point to experience this."
Tonight was Zhou Shen's Celebration Banquet.
Normally, Chen Mang would be there, fawning over Zhou Shen. But due to a minor incident, he no longer needed to bother with Zhou Shen. All he needed to do now was cling to the thigh in front of him.
"Huh?"
Chen Mang stopped, pointing at a shop he knew intimately. "Is that... a Memory Bank?"
"Yes, yes."
Qiu Yisao quickly explained, "In recent years, numerous trains have ventured to the ruins of the Mechanical Civilization, exploring them relentlessly. They've unearthed many technologies, including the Memory Bank, which can erase or transplant specific memories."
"Ultimately, core technologies like this are acquired by the Kasha Civilization, which then licenses them to various civilizations as chain stores. The Kasha Civilization profits most from this arrangement."
"Memory Shops are one such example."
"Interesting."
Chen Mang smiled thoughtfully. He suddenly realized that Neon City had a wealth of untapped potential. This fortuitous encounter map seemed unique to Aquablue Star, not something every planet that had experienced an apocalypse possessed.
One of a kind?
Just then, he noticed a middle-aged man in a Daoist robe, completely out of place among the crowd. He carried a long sword on his back and exuded a peculiar aura as he strode into the Memory Bank.
"What's this?"
"That's a cultivator from the Cultivation Civilization next door. Cultivators often struggle with Inner Demons that hinder their progress. When they encounter this problem, they come to the Memory Bank to erase the memories that caused their Inner Demons, allowing them to break through."
"But... the Cultivation Civilization's planet, Black Tortoise Star, also has memory shops. There's no need for them to travel all the way to Sanshui City. They must have another purpose."
"Let's go inside and see."
Chen Mang was intrigued.
Suddenly, something occurred to him.
The God-Tier Overpowered effects of the "Single Bed," "Steamed Bun Production Line," and "Cola Production Line" accessories were rather unremarkable.
They provided absolute tranquility of mind, memory erasure, and purification of impurities.
But—
That was aboard the Stellaris train.
If this were in a "Cultivation Civilization"...
It would be the Tranquil Heart Bed, the Demonbane Pill, and the Marrow Cleansing Pill.
Each worth a fortune!
Moreover, the crafting cost was incredibly low. One unit of iron ore could produce a single Marrow Cleansing Pill. Who could resist that? And his version was even better, since the interface clearly stated "completely"!
Completely cleansing impurities from the body!
He wondered if Marrow Cleansing Pills already existed in this Cultivation Civilization. If they did...
Then this Cultivation Civilization might get a taste of what it means to be on the receiving end of a terrifying dumping of goods from a zone with "excessive productivity" onto a zone with "insufficient productivity"!
He could make a fortune from this!
The only downside was that if a certain Alchemist in this Cultivation Civilization only knew how to refine Marrow Cleansing Pills, they might lose their job.
Poor child.
Moreover, the Marrow Cleansing Pill wasn't just for sale to the Cultivation Civilization. Any civilization could buy it. Who wouldn't want to improve their health? He needed a sufficiently large merchant guild—one that could dump the incredibly low-cost goods from his train across various civilizations.
Nearly ten thousand civilizations.
Hundreds of trillions of living beings.
Even if he only earned one unit of iron ore from each person, it would be an astronomical figure.
He glanced at Qiu Yisao beside him and suddenly chuckled. Wasn't the Chamber of Commerce President right here? If everything went smoothly, he'd start with the Cultivation Civilization as a test run. Once the dumping succeeded, he'd expand to nearly a hundred civilizations in the 27th Galaxy!
It was perfect that Qiu Yisao was a local; he wouldn't stand out too much. He could just hide in the background and collect the profits.
When arriving in a new place, it was always better to support the locals in making a profit.
Suddenly, a golden, radiant dao appeared before him. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Leaning on his cane, he strode purposefully toward the Memory Bank, eager to question the cultivator about the Cultivation Civilization.
As he pushed open the door, the Store Clerk standing at the entrance greeted him with a warm smile. "Welcome."
The shop was sparsely populated. Besides them, only the cultivator remained.
"I have an extremely valuable memory I wish to sell. Could you appraise it for me?"
Biaozi, who had been following behind, leaned in close to the Store Clerk's ear and whispered a few words before turning to the clerk with eager anticipation.
He had tried to sell this precious memory at a Memory Bank in Neon City before, but his mental power had been insufficient. Now, with his mental power sufficient, he was confident this time.
"Um..."
The Store Clerk hesitated, his expression slightly awkward, before cautiously asking, "1,000 units of iron ore?"
"Sir, this memory isn't particularly rare."
"It's not worth much."
"We also have memories of Dragon-slaying. Would you be interested, sir?"
(End of the Chapter)
📖Read [MAT] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c370. [+2/+4.4k]
🎁All [2] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.
🔥Translated [1k+] Chapters and [2.17M+] Words.