The supplies had been gathered.
Chen Mang didn't linger in Sand River City for long. He steered the Train out of the city and parked it on a plain. Along the way, he encountered another Train, but upon spotting him from a distance, the other Train detoured.
In this world.
Most Trains still prioritized peaceful development. Even if a Mine was detected, as long as another Train was already mining there, they would usually move on to search for a new Mine.
Normally, conflicts between Trains carried far greater risks than rewards. However, if one could secure a victory without risk, the rewards could be substantial.
For example,
The Train that had been lying in wait for him outside the swamp for who knows how many days. He had just upgraded his missiles and some other components, and his Iron Ore reserves weren't abundant. After looting the resources from that Train, the Iron Ore in his Train Panel reached 570,000 units.
With this much Iron Ore, he could venture into the so-called Tower of Heaven.
Even if he had to spend over ten days inside, he wouldn't have to worry about energy or food shortages, though that might be a bit unrealistic.
He also had 1.15 million units of Copper Ore.
Enough to craft three Level 6 missiles or five Level 5 missiles.
His development was more or less complete. It was time to explore.
Night fell quickly.
That night, Chen Mang parked the Train on the Shahe Plain, about two to three hours away from the coordinates. He planned to set off early the next morning.
Inside the Train.
Chen Mang sat in the Train's cabin, organizing the spoils from the past few days. First, there were the crocodiles he had killed in the swamp. The rewards from these crocodiles were pitiful—no blueprints, no Special Items, just some Crocodile Meat, which was similar to Corpse Meat.
Useless, except perhaps for upgrading the Flesh Train or as a special material for certain components, like Spider Silk.
From the Train that had been lying in wait outside the swamp, aside from some Iron Ore, he had also scavenged 100,000 units of Copper Ore. It was thanks to these 100,000 units that his total Copper Ore reserves had reached 1.15 million.
The rest were just everyday supplies and miscellaneous items. No blueprints or Special Items were found.
Only one thing caught his attention.
「Special Item」: Goblin Ruins Fortuitous Encounter Map.
「Item Effect」: Insert this map into the Train Auxiliary AI to view the specific coordinates of the Fortuitous Encounter.
It was a card-like object.
Entirely black with four large white characters outlined in gold: "Goblin Ruins."
It looked... expensive.
Very well-designed, and it felt substantial in his hand.
He tried inserting the card into a slot next to the Train Auxiliary AI on the control panel. Soon, a coordinate appeared on the screen, about five hours away from his current location, at the westernmost corner of the Shahe Plain.
Near the border of the Kunlun Mountains region.
"."
Chen Mang narrowed his eyes slightly. He was very interested in this Goblin Ruins Fortuitous Encounter Map. He felt a strange connection with Goblins. After coming out of the Tower of Heaven, he would check it out.
The planet in this world was much larger than the one in his previous world.
At least.
In his previous world, it was rare to find such a vast plain with only one main city, surrounded by no trace of towns or villages. Every city seemed like an isolated fortress.
The reason that Train had initially evaded his Targeting Radar was likely because it had obtained something valuable from the Goblin Ruins. Back then, Doba's Train had also managed to avoid his Targeting Radar.
After finishing all this, he let out a light sigh, removed his clothes, and went to bed.
"We'll finally meet."
Under the cover of night on the Shahe Plain, inside the Azure Dragon Train, the Bald Man was meticulously checking the integrity of various Train components, including the stored resources.
Fortuitous Encounter Maps were never without danger.
He had to be fully prepared.
He glanced at his Level 5 Energy Shield and Level 3 Armor, both at 100% integrity—perfectly fine. The rest of the firepower components were also in top condition. The Train was stocked with 170,000 units of Iron Ore and 350,000 units of Copper Ore—more than enough.
After all, his Train was a well-equipped Level 5 Train. He was confident about the upcoming Tower of Heaven expedition.
He knew of a dubious method where the levels of the Energy Shield and Armor could be added together to achieve a higher defense level. For example, a Level 2 Energy Shield plus Level 3 Armor could provide Level 5 defense.
This was equivalent to a Level 5 Energy Shield but saved a lot of Iron Ore, as upgrading Energy Shields was expensive. However, the trade-off was significant—it was shortsighted and not a proper path.
And—
Initially, he had invited Chen Mang because, although he knew the coordinates, he had no means to reach the Tower of Heaven Fortuitous Encounter Map. Tomorrow, the Tower of Heaven would officially open, and Train Elevators would descend from the sky to carry the Trains up. He no longer needed Chen Mang.
But he had still shared the information with Chen Mang.
Partly as a gesture of goodwill.
A Train with S-class potential and 57—no, 68 Supermodel Effects was definitely worth befriending.
"Sigh."
The Bald Man looked at the leaderboard showing the Stellar Train's Supermodel Effects, which had now increased to 68, and let out a helpless sigh. This guy was outrageous. Where did all those Supermodel Effects come from?
The Stellar Train had been on the Shahe Plain for a while now, yet no one on the Train Radio had spoken a single disrespectful word about it.
Clearly, even though the Stellar Train was only Level 4, no one wanted to provoke such a monster.
It was indeed outrageous.
As for the other reason, of course... he wanted to subtly settle a small grudge. Goodwill aside, he still had to make Chen Mang aware that he wasn't weak—it was just that Chen Mang was too strong.
Inside the Stellar Train.
Biao Zi looked at Shan Mao Zi and his girlfriend, who were practically fused together, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. "Shan Mao Zi, you lucky bastard. Even in the apocalypse, you managed to find your family."
Shan Mao Zi's girlfriend wasn't stunningly beautiful, with faint freckles on her face.
But the freckles didn't detract from her appearance; instead, she had a delicate, charming look—a beauty among ordinary people.
She'd score a six or seven out of ten, especially since makeup wasn't a thing in the apocalypse. With a bit of light makeup, she'd easily hit seven or eight.
"Heh."
Shan Mao Zi hugged his girlfriend tightly, his eyes filled with excitement. "Biao Ge, I've already explained the rules of the Stellar Train to her. From now on, she'll join everyone in mining, and we'll earn Stellar Coupons together, aiming to buy our own place on the Stellar Train as soon as possible."
"No rush."
Biao Zi shook his head. After being separated for so long, it was hard to say how much of their feelings remained. If they could smoothly receive the Doomsday Marriage Certificate from Lord Mang tomorrow, everything would be fine. Lord Mang might even start them off with Level 1 resident treatment. But if they failed, they'd have to start from scratch.
"Didn't you ask her why she left without a word before the apocalypse?"
"I did."
Shan Mao Zi's eyes flashed with sadness, but he forced a smile. "Just as Train Conductor Zhu guessed, she was diagnosed with ALS before the apocalypse. It's a terminal illness, almost incurable. Now, she has trouble speaking and doesn't have many years left."
"But in the apocalypse, every extra year of life is a bonus. When she can't mine anymore, I'll support her. I'll use Stellar Coupons to buy food for her. Biao Ge, don't worry, she won't drain the Train's resources for nothing."
"ALS?"
Biao Zi frowned as he looked at the woman in Shan Mao Zi's arms. Indeed, her body seemed a bit stiff. This disease was incurable. She was tough—if he had ALS and found himself in the apocalypse, he might have just ended it all. Where did she find the courage to keep living?
"How did you end up in Yan Yao's Safehouse?"
"B-Biao Ge," the woman's voice was hoarse as she whispered, "I don't know. I was in a village in Taiping City when monsters started killing people everywhere. I just remember passing out, and when I woke up, I was in Sister Yan Yao's safehouse."
"Alright, I see. Tonight, you'll share a bed with Shan Mao Zi. We'll discuss further after Lord Mang wakes up tomorrow."
Biao Zi paused, then looked at Shan Mao Zi with a serious expression. "She's been in the safehouse all this time and doesn't know much about the outside world. Shan Mao Zi, you must explain everything clearly to her."
"Many rules from peaceful times no longer apply here."
"The apocalypse has its own rules, and the Stellar Train has its own rules."
"If she breaks any rules..."
"She'll die."
"Understand?"
"I understand, Biao Ge," Shan Mao Zi replied solemnly, tightly gripping his girlfriend's hand as if afraid she might disappear again in the next second.
Meanwhile, in the No. 5 Female Advanced Talent Carriage.
Yan Yao's face was pale, her expression one of disbelief as she stared at Ji Chuchu. "Ji Chuchu, do you realize what you're saying?"
"You're telling me this Train is the best place to be in the apocalypse?"
"Today, I saw many people crammed into a carriage with just a blanket on the floor. Some were even sleeping in the Refrigerator, without mattresses, just lying on the ground. There were even women openly soliciting customers. And you call this Train the only hope in the apocalypse?"
"Ji Chuchu!"
"You weren't like this before!"
"."
Ji Chuchu's expression was complex as she looked at Yan Yao, a trace of jealousy and envy hidden deep in her eyes. She turned to gaze out the window at the starry sky, silent for a long time, before murmuring softly.
"Yan Yao, do you know how jealous I am of you? How envious?"
"This chair you're sitting on, the bed beside it where you can lie down, the clean sheets and pillows, the ample food and water every day."
"Do you know that these things..."
"I only got to enjoy them after coming to the Stellar Train? Do you know what my life was like in the early days of the apocalypse?"
"Worse than a dog's."
"I didn't even dare to sleep, afraid I'd be torn to pieces by monsters in my dreams."
"And you?"
"After the apocalypse, you didn't have to worry about food or monsters, hiding in your safehouse until the Stellar Train came to rescue you. Go ask any member of this Train, even those women you despise for soliciting customers. Ask them, and every single one will tell you how grateful they are to the Stellar Train."
"Before the Stellar Train, there was no such thing as soliciting customers."
"The Stellar Train gave them the right to do so. If you think the people in those carriages are crowded, I really wish you could see the other Trains."
"It's so unfair, do you know that?"
"I've suffered through so much, yet you've experienced none of it. But the fortune I've found, you've gotten it all."
"Before the apocalypse, it was the same. You had an official father backing you, and every time you faced trouble, I'd smile and shield you. After the apocalypse, it's even more so. Lord Mang will favor you even more, just because you're a virgin."
"But..."
"You don't realize any of this, taking it all for granted."
Yan Yao's face was pale but resolute as she shook her head.
"Ji Chuchu, I'm not stubborn."
"Perhaps the Stellar Train's conditions are indeed good in the apocalypse, but I'm still a lady. I can't accept using my body to serve Lord Mang. I'd rather go mining."
"."
Ji Chuchu was silent for a long time before speaking softly. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Of course, the Stellar Train gives everyone ample choice." Ji Chuchu pulled out a walkie-talkie from under the table and spoke into it. "Train Conductor Zhu, please send someone to take Yan Yao to the rear carriages. She's chosen to go mining."
"What are you doing?"
Yan Yao's face changed. "There are so many empty beds here. Can't I sleep here tonight?"
"You?"
Ji Chuchu shook her head, suddenly smiling. "This is Level 3 Advanced Talent treatment. You're currently a Level 3 resident. This isn't where you should be."
"Forgot to mention."
"All residents must mine at least 10 units per day. Only by exceeding this can they enjoy the corresponding treatment benefits."
"If you fall short, Biao Ge will show you just how round his baton can swing."
"I'll mine!" Yan Yao gritted her teeth, watching as several men pushed open the carriage door and entered. "I, Yan Yao, would rather die than rely on my body to survive!"
The smile on Ji Chuchu's face froze slightly before fading, her voice calm.
"No, you've got it wrong. As long as you mine diligently, you won't starve on the Stellar Train, and no one will kill you."
"You won't die."
"This place is much safer than your safehouse."
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