Wait a minute—
A sudden flash of inspiration struck Chen Mang's mind. What if he activated the Car Blade while initiating the Train Stunt "Death Spin"? Wouldn't that significantly amplify the power?
The entire Train would become like a massive, high-speed rotating crossbow bolt, charging straight at the monster!
A level 10 Car Blade, a level 10 Drill Bit, and level 6 Armor.
Combining these, the Drill Bit and Car Blade would achieve a synergy where one plus one equals more than two. Indeed, spinning seems to enhance the destructive power.
"Theoretically feasible."
Chen Mang nodded, though he wasn't sure about the practical effects. He'd have to wait for an opportunity to test it on a larger monster.
Just then, he noticed the group of residents frozen in place in the open area, their bodies stiff. He frowned slightly.
What's going on?
Poisoned?
"Uh…"
After who knows how long, Lao Zhu was jolted awake by the cigarette burning his fingers. He quickly tossed it to the ground and stuck his fingers in his mouth to cool them down, his eyes still filled with shock as he muttered, "Biao Zi… did you see? Did the Stellar Train just… spin?"
"I saw it."
Biao Zi took a deep breath, his throat sore from keeping his mouth open for so long. He swallowed several times before rubbing his throat and hoarsely replying, "It spun. I'm… I'm a bit dumbfounded."
"How do I put it…"
"I've been a Train Conductor before, but in my experience, Trains aren't supposed to spin. This… this is beyond my understanding."
"Could it be a special feature of a level 4 Train?"
Lao Zhu looked dazedly at the Stellar Train, which was now quietly parked on the wasteland, as if it had never moved. If he hadn't clearly remembered the scene just moments ago, he would have thought it was an illusion.
"I don't know."
Biao Zi shook his head. "The highest I've been is a level 2 Train Conductor, and it didn't last long before it was destroyed. How would I know what a level 4 Train can do? But one thing I'm sure of…"
"Even if it's a level 4 Train, I doubt anyone else could do what Lord Mang just did."
"What do you mean?"
"If every Train could do what Lord Mang did, then this resource zone wouldn't be exclusive to us. Others would've come long ago. That drone was probably sent by another Train to see which Train is mining here."
"Makes sense."
Lao Zhu then took a deep breath and shouted at the group of residents still frozen in place, "Stop gawking and get back to work!"
"It's just spinning, no need to make a fuss!"
"Get back to work, all of you! And you, the 400 newcomers, you're on level 3 resident benefits. If you slack off, you'll have no benefits left to lose. Those who can't have their benefits reduced will be sold to other Trains. If that's what you want, go ahead."
At his words, the residents immediately averted their eyes, suppressing their awe, and began working even harder. The more powerful the Train, the better their lives would be protected!
When they were Slaves on other Trains, their biggest concern wasn't food—after all, the Train Conductor wouldn't let them starve, though they didn't get much to eat when they weren't mining.
Their biggest fear was the Train's destruction.
If the Train was destroyed, they might be lucky enough to be accepted by another Train and continue as Slaves.
If unlucky, they'd end up as food for the beasts.
The power the Stellar Train had just displayed filled them with immense reassurance. Who wouldn't want to be on an extremely safe Train in the apocalypse, especially one with such good benefits?
Especially the 400 newcomers to the Stellar Train.
They were now frantically swinging their pickaxes to mine Iron Ore, terrified that if they slowed down, they'd be sold by the Stellar Train. After witnessing the treatment of Slaves—no, residents—on the Stellar Train (they weren't Slaves here, but residents), they realized just how miserable their past lives had been!!!
To think that in the same apocalypse, as fellow Slaves, you all lived so well!
Here, they could eat 20 slices of bread a day to feel full, and it was even the fancy kind with fillings. There was even a promotion system—the more you mined, the better your benefits, and you could even have your own room, buy cigarettes, meat, and many things they'd never dared dream of as Slaves.
This wasn't the apocalypse anymore!
This was paradise!
The 400 newcomers had no thoughts of causing trouble; they just wanted to mine as fast as possible to rise to level 1 resident benefits and earn extra Stellar Coupons daily.
If they were sold to another Train, they'd suffer again.
Well, 300 of them, to be precise. About 40 had chosen to sell their bodies.
Though on previous Trains, it was forced. On the Stellar Train, it was a voluntary choice.
"Public mindset still needs guidance."
Lao Zhu smiled contentedly as he watched the residents mining diligently. When mining, people don't just work in silence—it's boring, so they chat to pass the time.
He had deliberately scattered the 400 newcomers among the crowd.
As they chatted, they talked about how miserable their lives had been before and how good things were on the Stellar Train.
This strengthened the original residents' sense of belonging and pride in the Stellar Train.
It also boosted group cohesion.
And with that, their work motivation improved.
Benefits are relative. The Stellar Train's current benefits might not be number one, but globally, they're definitely in the top 30%.
As Train levels increase, Iron Ore becomes less scarce, and feeding Slaves becomes standard for every Train, but…
Their food isn't as good.
Their bread has fillings; other Trains' bread is just edible, not even comparable in taste.
Not to mention, they have a clear promotion system and various things to exchange.
Though these people already had a strong sense of belonging to the Train, seeing the outside world made it even stronger.
". . . Huh?"
On the Shahe Plain, inside a Train, a middle-aged man sitting at the control panel stared at the suddenly interrupted feed on his screen, utterly bewildered. He instinctively looked up at the empty plain ahead.
He had been driving his Train across the plain, searching for ore.
Suddenly, the Targeting Radar alerted him that there was a Train ahead.
He checked the screen.
That Train was mining in the swamp. The swamp's center had a massive deposit of high-level resources, something almost everyone on the Shahe Plain knew about, given how dense the resources were.
But no one had ever gone in.
The swamp was highly corrosive to Armor, and toxic gases could seep into the Train, posing a significant threat to the lives inside.
But…
He had just noticed that a Train was mining inside it!!!
At first, he thought it might be a Flesh Train out for a stroll. A few Flesh Trains on the Shahe Plain had ventured into the swamp before—Flesh Trains have high corrosion resistance, but they don't need Iron Ore or similar resources.
There was once a Mechanical Train that partnered with a Flesh Train.
The Mechanical Train sent all its Slaves into the Flesh Train, which then took them into the swamp to mine and brought the ore back. In return, the Mechanical Train offered a Murphy Stone.
A generous reward, indeed.
After all, the Flesh Train didn't need to provide anything—just take the Slaves in, stay for a few days, and leave. The Flesh Train agreed readily.
But—
Not long after the Slaves entered the Flesh Train, the Mechanical Train's Conductor received news that all the Slaves he had sent out had died. Furious, he contacted the Flesh Train, which explained that some of its components had malfunctioned and eaten the Slaves.
The Mechanical Train's Conductor couldn't accept this and angrily demanded to know what components could malfunction so badly!
The Flesh Train's Conductor, with a straight face, replied that Flesh Train components do malfunction from time to time. Even he himself occasionally loses control. Keep pushing, and I might lose control and come after you.
Soon, several other Flesh Train Conductors came forward to confirm that Flesh Train components could indeed malfunction under stress. The matter was dropped, and the Mechanical Train gradually disappeared.
Probably because the Conductor mined himself to death.
Since then, no one had been able to enter that area—until today, when he encountered another Train mining inside, and it wasn't a Flesh Train, because the number of red dots on the Targeting Radar was far too high…
A Flesh Train couldn't have that many people.
So he sent a drone to scout and confirmed that it was indeed a Mechanical Train mining there, with an unusually large number of Slaves—at least a thousand, the most he'd ever seen on a Mechanical Train.
Then…
"…"
The man fell into a complicated silence. Next, he saw the Train spin, destroying his drone with unstoppable force. Using a drone to spy was already a provocation, and he hadn't expected it to return.
But…
Was it necessary to use a Train Stunt?
It was just a tiny drone. Didn't you have a Heavy Machine Gun? A few bullets would've taken it out.
This was like him not even using a basic attack, just taking a peek from afar, and the opponent sprinted, flashed in front of him, and unleashed their ultimate.
Crazy!
Train Stunts aren't meant to be used so casually!
Though he didn't know the name of the Stunt that made the Train spin, he was certain it was a Train Stunt. Only a "Train Stunt" could achieve such an unbelievable feat. On the Shahe Plain, the ones with Train Stunts were mostly the Flesh Trains.
So far, he hadn't heard of anyone obtaining a "Train Stunt" through a Fortuitous Encounter or boss drops. The only way was through Train potential, and it had to be B-tier or higher.
On the Shahe Plain, only two Trains were B-tier or above.
One was the A-tier potential "World Weary Train."
He had seen that one, and the Train in the swamp wasn't it. That left only the recent rising star, the S-tier potential "Stellar Train."
"The temper of the strong is always so fierce."
The man sighed helplessly. Since he'd deduced it was the Stellar Train, he could somewhat understand the behavior. After all, it was S-tier potential; being a bit hot-tempered was understandable. But…
It was so frustrating.
He was only a C-tier potential Mechanical Train, which meant he missed out on many benefits.
The Profession Change quests for Flesh Trains and Mechanical Trains were incomparable—they weren't even in the same league. Even a B-tier Mechanical Train's Profession Change quest required a significant number of Murphy Stones. Back when he was a level 3 Train, where could he get Murphy Stones?
Fortunately.
He gambled and won, eventually completing the C-tier Profession Change quest.
The C-tier Mechanical Train Profession Change quest was—
You must transfer the Train Conductor's authority to any member of the Train. If they return the authority to you within 24 hours, the quest is complete.
Just then—
A vicious curse suddenly rang out inside the Train. A man bound in chains in the corner of the control room, covered in wounds, glared at the middle-aged man at the control panel, his voice trembling with hatred as he cursed.
"You'll die a horrible death! Your children will be born without anuses! You'll die! You won't live to see tomorrow!"
"I trusted you so much, handed you the Conductor's authority, and this is how you repay me!"
"Do you deserve my trust?"
"Huh?"
"Do you deserve it?"
"Sorry, and then what?" The middle-aged man at the control panel casually picked his ear. "Back in the white zone, I was also a level 3 Train Conductor, but an accident turned me into a Slave."
"Then I met you."
"I acted loyal, and you trusted me."
"I hid my past as a Conductor, serving as your loyal second-in-command, wanting to develop the Train further. When you chose the C-tier Profession Change quest, you naturally picked me."
"Now the Train is thriving under my control."
"And I haven't killed you."
"Wasn't your wish always to develop the Train to its fullest? So what does it matter who's the Conductor?"
"Right, Xiao Hua Hua?"
The Train's AI soon responded with a cold, emotionless electronic voice.
"You are absolutely correct, my Conductor."
"I will unconditionally execute any command you give."
"See."
The middle-aged man at the control panel nodded in satisfaction, then crossed his legs and looked seriously at the chained man in the corner. "I really think you shouldn't resent me. After all, I didn't kill you. You know, in the apocalypse, that's already a great mercy."
"I just want you to watch me, to see the Train thrive under my control."
"So what?" The man in the corner suddenly sneered. "So you're planning to suck up to the Stellar Train, hoping for some scraps?"
"Suck up?"
The middle-aged man took a full minute to light his cigar, then shook his head with a serious expression. "No, no, no. I'm too stiff to kneel."
"I'll wait here. When he leaves the swamp, it'll be his end."
"His ore, his Slaves, his resources, even his women."
"Will all be mine."
"I'll inherit everything he has and make the Train even greater!"
"Hah."
The man in the corner, covered in wounds, let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with malice as he stared at the middle-aged man. "Then I curse you to die by his hand. I curse this Train and us both to be blown to pieces!"
"I curse the day he leaves the ruins to be your death day!"
"I curse you to piss yourself in terror at the moment of your death!"
"Tsk."
The man at the control panel casually crossed his legs, playing with his cigar, savoring its aroma with closed eyes. Then he opened them, a playful smile in his gaze.
"You're still so naive."
"If curses could kill, you'd have been invincible long ago."
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