Translator: AnubisTL
"Alright."
Chen Mang rubbed his temples with a slight headache, interrupting the duo's back-and-forth. He realized he might be getting soft. Their act was making him feel oddly guilty.
"Xiao Ai, could you grab some nuts and pain-relieving cigarettes? Prepare a set for my brother here too."
"They're all top-quality stuff."
"The cigarettes ease pain, and the nuts make a great snack."
"Keep them for yourself or sell them—either way, they're perfect. Just take them."
"Alright, I've got things to do. I'll take off now. We'll meet again when fate allows."
With that, Chen Mang strode back to the locomotive cabin, sat at the control panel, and pushed the control lever. The Stellaris train slowly approached the light curtain marked "Sky Piercing Tower," preparing to return to the train tunnel.
He leaned out the window, waved, and gave a casual goodbye.
Life is like this: if you part ways with a good friend at the peak of your relationship, you'll always smile fondly when you think of them in the years to come.
But if you spend too much time together, when conflicts inevitably arise, the initial spark often fades.
As they say, "Lord Mang is truly amazing."
The dwarf man gazed enviously at the heavily armored Stellaris train. "That clearly says 'Restricted Area.' Staying there for more than ten seconds triggers a violent attack. How dare Lord Mang venture so deep?"
"You didn't see it earlier."
"Lord Mang flew down from that Sky Piercing Tower."
"Huh?"
The young man froze, staring at the towering Sky Piercing Tower that pierced the clouds. "You can actually go up there? Did you ask Lord Mang how he got up?"
"I did."
"What did he say?"
"Lord Mang said it was a matter of chance. And guess what Tier Lord Mang's Train is now?"
"Last time you said Tier 7. It must be Tier 8 by now. Wait, if Lord Mang's Train is Tier 8, why is it in the Green Zone's Sha River Plains?"
"It's Tier 10!"
The dwarf man sighed with a mix of awe and regret. "A Tier 10 Train... Can you even imagine? I have no idea how Lord Mang did it, but it's not surprising for him to have some special means. After all, he once killed a Tier 3 Boss, the man-eating spider, when he was only a Tier 2 train!"
"When I first saw the Stellaris, it was just a Tier 1 train. How long has it been? I've gone from a Tier 2 train to a Tier 4 train, and Lord Mang has already reached Tier 10!"
"That's an exaggeration."
"Hey, wait a minute."
Just then, the young man suddenly glanced at the distant Stellaris with a puzzled expression. "Why did Lord Mang suddenly leave the Sky Piercing Tower and head west? That direction seems to be the Kunlun Mountain Region."
"I don't know. Maybe something urgent came up."
"Lord Mang is really busy."
"Big shots are always busy."
"You sound like you know a lot about big shots."
"Heh, I've fucked people with Lord Mang before. Don't I know more than you?"
"Lord Mang just told you not to spread false rumors about him."
"Well, I've fucked people in front of Lord Mang. That's not a rumor, it's true."
"But that doesn't sound very impressive."
"Then go fuck someone in front of Lord Mang and show me."
"..."
The young man stared at the dwarf with a blank expression. "Since you insist on competing with me, I'll tell you a secret."
"What secret?"
"I saw you kissing that pornographic magazine I gave you last time."
"So?"
"My dad used that magazine."
"What do you mean by 'used'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
"..." The dwarf remained silent for a moment before quietly asking, "Didn't he... get it in?"
"What do you think?"
The dwarf didn't say another word, but strode toward his locomotive cabin.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Fuck you! Let's fight! One of us is definitely dying today!"
"The gathering's about to start. Are you still going?"
"Fuck the gathering! I'm killing you first!"
"Don't be angry, dwarf bro! I was just joking. It's not true. Think about it—how could it possibly be real?"
"I don't believe it! Your dad's the kind of guy who'd actually do something like that!"
On the Sha River Plains, the Stellaris raced across the plains, heading straight for the Kunlun Region.
Inside the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang silently watched the control panel screen.
The instant he entered the Sky Piercing Tower zone, a countdown timer appeared on the screen, counting down from 10 seconds. This confirmed that using the Train Elevator to appear above the tower was perfectly safe.
However, any other method of entry would still trigger a violent attack.
This was a one-way Dao, like the Geocore Nuke—you could only exit, not enter.
He was currently en route to the Ice and Snow Paradise zone.
But...
As the Stellaris approached the Kunlun Mountain Region, a line of text appeared on the control panel screen:
[This is a low-level region. Your train's tier is too high to enter.]
"Damn it," Chen Mang muttered, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. It felt like he'd glitched himself into a bug!
The Sky Piercing Tower was a one-way passage—you could only exit, not enter. He couldn't go back.
To return, he'd have to go to the secret factory in the Ice and Snow Paradise, enter the Train Tunnel from there, but his high Tier prevented him from entering the Kunlun Mountain Region, let alone the Ice and Snow Paradise.
He seemed trapped in the Sha River Plains zone.
After a long silence, he sighed softly, lit a cigarette, leaned back in his chair, and fell into deep thought. It seemed there was only one option left. Although the Sha River Plains didn't show any Train Tunnel on the scanners, he knew there was one beneath the Sky Piercing Tower. He could drill down, punch a new hole in the tunnel, and re-enter it.
But the problem was—
For some reason, Crisis Valley showed no trains underground, but the Sha River Plains was teeming with trains searching for minerals. He worried that someone would eventually stumble upon the Train Tunnel by accident and discover the hole he'd drilled into it.
And enter the Train Tunnel.
Wouldn't this expose his secret base?
He really liked this Train Tunnel.
In any major crisis, he could just hide in the Train Tunnel. Who could possibly find him? He had already designated this tunnel and the elevator shafts connected to it as his secret base, just like he had done with the Sky Piercing Tower on the Sha River Plains.
Forget Tier 12 monsters—even Tier 20 monsters wouldn't be able to find him!
What did he have to fear?
Never mind.
There was no other option. The probability was so low, he didn't believe anyone would bother searching for minerals 30,000 meters underground. Most mines were only found up to 10,000 meters deep; any deeper, and there wouldn't be any minerals.
The Stellaris, having reached the edge of the Kunlun Mountain range, immediately turned around and headed back toward the Sky Piercing Tower.
Upon spotting the tower, he immediately switched to his drill and burrowed underground. He didn't want to run into those two again—it would be too embarrassing. Besides, he had promised them a gift next time they met. If they met again now, should he give it or not?
He soon located the Train Tunnel 30,000 meters beneath the Sky Piercing Tower.
It didn't show up on the target acquisition radar. He had found it purely by feel.
Fortunately, it was directly beneath the tower, so it wasn't too difficult to find.
After drilling another hole in the tunnel's outer shell, the Stellaris continued its journey forward inside.
He was determined to see what lay at the end of the line today.
Locomotive Cabin
Chen Mang summoned Batan and Mundo, his expression a mixture of complexity and concern as he turned to Mundo. "Who set the rule that you could only use a third of the train's iron ore to buy Murphy Stone? I didn't give you that order, did I?"
"I came up with it myself," Mundo grumbled. "A train without iron ore will soon perish. We're in this for the long haul, not a one-time deal. Only by ensuring the train's continued development can we secure greater purchasing power in the future."
"But... how could a train possibly trade with you... twice?"
"Some of them are goblin-blind."
"That's good," Chen Mang sighed softly before turning serious. "From now on, try to trade with higher-Tier trains. For them, losing a few hundred thousand units of iron ore is nothing. But let's skip the Tier 4 Trains next time."
"Losing a hundred thousand units of iron ore could actually kill them."
"Understood!"
"Alright, go now. You've worked hard these past few days. Doba, remember to reward Mundo properly when you get back. He's earned it this time."
"No problem," Doba Mian said seriously. "Leave it to me."
"Here we go again! Here we go again!!!"
In the Purple Zone's Desperate Island, a colossal train towering over 30 meters high slowly came to a halt. A man with fiery red hair, his face contorted with rage, opened the locomotive cabin door. Two jets of pale blue flames erupted from his backpack, propelling him into the air and allowing him to land safely on the ground.
The moment his feet touched the ground, the enraged man pointed a finger at the black market merchant in a black cloak standing before the train and roared, "You've already swindled me twice! What the hell do you want? Are you trying to scam me a third time?!"
"Huh?"
"Can't you find someone else to cheat? Why are you always targeting me?"
"Do I look like an easy mark?!"
"If it weren't for the rule against attacking you, I'd crush you into a cookie! Get the hell out of here! I'm not buying anything! Get as far away from me as you can!"
"Wait a minute..."
A cunning glint flashed in the red-haired man's eyes. A sly grin spread across his face. "Just wait here a moment. I'm not trading, but I'll call a friend to do business with you. Just wait a moment."
He immediately returned to the locomotive cabin and contacted his Arch-Rival, with whom he'd been at odds for years.
Very soon.
A heavy, all-pink train, accompanied by a deafening sonic boom, roared into view from the distance.
As the train came to a halt, a small elevator descended from it to the ground. When the elevator doors opened, a burly, bearded man led a group of thugs, eyeing the red-haired man with suspicion before cautiously approaching the black market merchant.
"I have some Legacy Value here..."
"..."
Ten minutes later, the bearded man, beaming with satisfaction, turned to the red-haired man. "Well, Brother, I never expected this. I always thought you were stingy, but when it comes to matters of principle, you're anything but."
"I've been sitting on over 1,000 Legacy Value for more than half a year, unable to spend it. Finally, I've found a use for it."
"Thanks, Brother. Let's put our past grievances aside. From now on, you'll see how I handle things. Just watch and see if I'm ever anything less than decisive."
"That's what I call a real man!"
"..."
The red-haired man stared in stunned silence at the departing pink train before hurrying over to the black market merchant. "Um... I already spent all my Legacy Value at your colleague's shop last time. But don't you have a hidden shop where you can buy discounted items with iron ore?"
"I want to buy something from there."
The black market merchant gave the red-haired man a cold, impassive look.
"Foolish human, the great black market merchant only serves one customer at a time."
With that, the black market merchant vanished in an instant.
"..."
Only the red-haired man remained, pounding his chest in regret. Who knew the black market merchant was genuine? Could there be fake and real black market merchants? Next time, he'd have to test it first—maybe it would be real.
He had already spent all his Legacy Value the first time he encountered a black market merchant.
It was just that he had been scammed when trying to purchase from the Hidden Shop.
And...
"Hmm."
The red-haired man, his face grim, made a firm decision. He absolutely had to acquire more Doomsday Marriage Certificates. He realized he seemed to be a magnet for black market merchants. Many trains hadn't encountered one since the apocalypse began, yet he had already met three.
The first two times, though the Hidden Shop was fake, the Inheritance Value Shop had been genuinely real.
If he hadn't encountered those black market merchants, his Legacy Value would still be sitting unused. The Inheritance Value Shop offered Murphy Stones, high-grade component blueprints, and other rare special items.
Meanwhile, inside the Train Tunnel...
The Stellaris was speeding along.
After an unknown amount of time, the tunnel's constantly illuminated white incandescent lights finally flickered back to the flashing red warning lights. The train gradually slowed, and the "Train Elevator" once again appeared on the right wall of the tunnel.
They had returned to the Iron Ridge Wasteland.
Directly to the Newbie Village.
As he inserted another Tier 2 Energy Stone into the elevator's funnel, the elevator doors slowly opened, and the train swiftly entered. The elevator then began its ascent.
Ding.
When the elevator came to a halt, a notification sounded within. The doors slowly opened, revealing the bottom of the Doomsday Abyss. The elevator was cleverly disguised, concealed within the adjacent wall.
He could even see the dilapidated goblin train not far away.
It was the very goblin train Doba had driven that day!
When he had left, he hadn't devoured it but had left it behind as a memento. Several months had passed since then, and the battered goblin train was now covered in dust, bearing the heavy marks of time's passage.
"This... feels like coming home," Chen Mang murmured as he stepped out of the locomotive cabin, leaning on his cane. He gazed at the iron ore mines nearby, which had already respawned, and suddenly burst into laughter for no apparent reason.
Two Tier 2 Iron Ore mines and one Tier 1 Copper Mine.
Still the same three mines.
These three mines had been instrumental in supporting him during his early stages. Now, they had respawned, ready to serve him once more.
(End of the Chapter)
📖Read [MAT] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c284. [+2/+11.7k]
🎁All [2] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.
🔥Translated [700+] Chapters and [1.42M+] Words.