"It is indeed a bit complicated."
Xiao Ai nodded in agreement, walking over to Chen Mang's side and crossing his arms as he gazed into the distance. "Creating a wormhole requires the Train's rainbow accessory, the 'Wormhole Opener.' But we don't have that part right now. It can be obtained in the rainbow zone."
"There's only one rainbow zone."
"It's located at the equator."
"Any Train that successfully enters the rainbow zone can ignore regional restrictions and travel freely to all areas."
"At that point..."
Chen Mang chuckled and finished the thought: "At that point, Neon City will have a flood of customers, and the Train will have many more residents, speeding up Dreamstone production."
"Exactly."
Xiao Ai agreed. "And we can also distribute 'Neon City Free Entry Tickets' on the other two planets currently experiencing their doomsdays... as well as other planets."
"There's something else."
"Go ahead, Train Conductor."
"Those two planets aren't too far from Aqua Blue Star. Why didn't Aqua Blue Star detect life on them before the apocalypse?"
"I'm not sure about that."
Xiao Ai paused briefly before continuing with the wormhole discussion. "There are two ways to enter a 'Wormhole Passage.' One is to enter from the starting point and travel to the endpoint—this method consumes very few resources."
"The other is to know the wormhole's coordinates and forcibly open a passage to that location. This method consumes significantly more resources."
"Besides that..."
"There are many other complicated considerations. For example, some wormholes are bidirectional, while others are one-way—you can go in but not come back, and so on."
"We'll talk about this later."
Chen Mang cut Xiao Ai off. After a long silence, he said softly, "Tomorrow, we'll hold a victory banquet in Neon City, then fully extract all fifty Level 5 mines before heading to the red zone and advancing toward the rainbow zone."
"After completely unifying Aqua Blue Star, we'll prepare to head to that Mining Star."
"So..."
"Aqua Blue Star is the actual starter zone? I always thought Iron Ridge Wasteland was the starter zone."
Xiao Ai shrugged and smiled. "Every stage has its own starter zone."
"Stop shrugging from now on."
"What's wrong, Train Conductor?"
"That gesture is poorly designed—it looks way too sleazy."
"...I'll adjust it later."
Late at night, the residents were still excitedly discussing everything. Xiao Ai went back to the "Mecha Research Center" to organize his database. In a way, the data left behind by this AI might be the most valuable, containing a wealth of information.
And...
"..."
Chen Mang silently stared at the control panel screen. Xiao Ai had just told him that the database contained a highlighted entry marked in red.
"All information regarding the Mechanical Civilization shall be based on this database. Any discrepancies with the data herein are erroneous. This database has undergone no revisions."
The rewards this time were substantial.
So substantial that they surpassed the combined rewards from all his previous Serendipity Maps.
Especially those fifty Mine Refresh Coupons.
He'd checked them.
All were Level 5 mines.
A single Level 5 Iron Ore mine contains 100 million units. Ten such mines would yield a billion units of iron ore!
Not only would this fully replenish his recent expenditures, the surplus would significantly enhance the Train's overall capabilities!
He intended to lead all humans from Aqua Blue Star away from this place, while making contact with as many civilizations as possible—distributing more Neon City Tickets, diversifying their commodities, and trading extensively to acquire resources.
He would establish Human Civilization firmly within this universe.
He possessed an advantage no one else had. Even Tuo Tuo, princess of the Mechanical Civilization, could only upgrade her AI to Level 200—beyond that, she hesitated to proceed further. Yet if he chose, he could elevate his AI to Level 999.
All it required was sufficient resources.
More. More. And more still.
Creating wormholes was an intricate process.
Space in the universe fluctuates constantly, with only certain regions maintaining stability—the sole areas where traversable wormholes could be established. Without coordinates to these stable zones, constructed wormholes would collapse instantly while consuming vast resources.
Thus, two conditions must be met to create functional wormholes:
1: Possess both the capability to create wormholes and adequate resources.
2: Confirm that both origin and destination points lie within stable spatial regions, with known coordinates.
"..."
Chen Mang gazed up at the starry sky, searching for the Mining Star he planned to visit.
He couldn't identify it...
So many stars filled the heavens.
The universe was so vast...
Turning to Xiao Lu beside him, he cradled the creature in his arms, gently pinching its pink nose as he murmured, "Following me has been your fortune. Soon you'll feast on these stars to your heart's content."
The database contained information about Xiao Lu.
An S-class Starry Sky Behemoth—a Star Eater.
It consumed mining stars as sustenance.
Upon reaching adulthood, it would attain Level 180. While its resting form remained identical to its juvenile state, its feeding and combat forms could expand to 0.01 light-years across!
This description might sound unimpressive, making it seem insignificant.
Let's rephrase that.
At 0.01 light-years, three million Aqua Blue Stars could align side by side within that span.
This comparison better illustrates its terrifying scale—devouring minor mining stars like candy, crunching them effortlessly between its jaws.
According to the AI's database, the most powerful Behemoth Car in Mechanical Civilization's history belonged to its final leader, housing a B-class Starry Sky Behemoth.
That creature reached Level 80 in adulthood.
It had dominated battlefields, slaughtering Insectoid Race armies with ease.
As for A-class Behemoth Cubs? The Mechanical Civilization had never encountered one in its entire history. Rumor suggested they'd paid an exorbitant price merely to obtain that single B-class cub.
Yet he...
Had somehow acquired an S-class Starry Sky Behemoth cub?
This cub was originally on Master Kun's train. Just who is Master Kun? He couldn't possibly be some kind of reincarnator, could he? Otherwise, Chen Mang couldn't fathom why an S-class Starry Sky Behemoth cub—something even the Mechanical Civilization didn't possess—would appear on Master Kun's train.
But now, it was his.
"Keep it up!"
Chen Mang patted Xiao Lu's head lightly. "In the future, let's aim for Xiao Lu to pull the train. We'll imitate the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin—that scene would definitely be spectacular."
He had once said that Xiao Lu's value might surpass the entire Aqua Blue Star.
Now, it seemed—
His limited perspective had constrained his understanding. Xiao Lu wasn't just worth more than Aqua Blue Star; if priced openly, it might even exceed the entire Mechanical Civilization. After all, the strongest train the Mechanical Civilization had was only level 91.
His Xiao Lu, once fully grown, would be level 180. It could crush both the Mechanical Civilization and the Insectoid Race simultaneously.
One against two.
Even if those two civilizations went all out, they wouldn't be able to break Xiao Lu's defense.
Just where did this little guy come from? Could it really have fallen out of thin air? Would its parents come seeking revenge later?
Two level-180 adult S-class Starry Sky Behemoths—Star Eaters—coming after the Stellar.
Honestly.
He had no idea how the Stellar would survive that.
The universe was full of dangerous elements. Fortunately, the main forces of the Insectoid Race were busy fighting on the front lines, so he could take his time developing in the rear. Once he reached his peak, he'd emerge and deliver a devastating backstab to the Insectoid Race.
A night passed.
That night.
All the residents were mining inside the Space Gate. Chen Mang used one level-5 Iron Ore Refresh Coupon and one level-5 Copper Ore Refresh Coupon. After all, the victory banquet the next day was to be held in Neon City.
The Stellar was completely out of resources.
If they didn't leave some iron and copper ore in the train,
Xiao Ai wouldn't be able to defend himself if danger struck while everyone was at the banquet.
Though it was exhausting, everyone was in high spirits.
Especially—
Those kids!
The children who had been receiving education aboard the Stellar weren't supposed to participate in the battle. But yesterday was too chaotic, and no one could stop a few of them from rushing into the carriage, grabbing Zombies, and throwing them into the Space Gate.
Though they were only handling cleanup,
And there was practically no risk—the Stellar and the Guardians had taken on the greatest dangers—it didn't change the fact that this was the first time these kids had gotten so close to Zombies, especially high-level ones like the level-19 variants. They were so excited they refused to sleep and insisted on coming to mine with pickaxes.
They said they wanted to fight alongside their brothers.
"I've decided."
A panting little chubby boy grinned. "I'm going to become a Guardian in the future. I want to kill Zombies. I don't want to be in management anymore."
"You?"
A ponytailed girl next to him slammed her hoe into the ground and pouted. "With that belly of yours, you probably wouldn't even fit inside a Mecha cockpit. How did you manage to stay this chubby even after starving through the apocalypse?"
"This belly isn't from eating. I got seriously sick before the apocalypse. After the treatment, I ended up like this."
"What kind of sickness?"
"My parents never told me. They just said it was nothing and not to worry about it."
Just then—
"Hey." A mischievous little boy sidled up, his eyes brimming with anticipation. "I just had a dream where I made a great contribution in the future, and Lord Mang asked me whether I wanted a trillion Stellar Coupons or eternal life."
"Which one do you think I should choose?"
"Definitely the trillion Stellar Coupons," a little girl tilted her head, her eyes full of longing. "A trillion! I could just hand it over to Lord Mang, which would count as another great contribution. Then I could choose another trillion, hand it over again, and keep making contributions over and over."
"This cycle could go on forever..."
Teacher Qiu, who had just walked over, lightly tapped the little girl's head and said with mild exasperation, "If this cycle went on forever, the Stellar would suffer terrifying inflation. Now hurry up and go to sleep—you still have classes tomorrow."
"Aw..."
A chubby boy immediately drooped his ears in disappointment. "Teacher Qiu, today's the victory banquet. We want to go too."
"What are you going for? You haven't made any contributions."
"But we have! We pushed a Zombie into the Portal!"
"That counts as a contribution?"
"Even if it doesn't, we still want to join the fun. Can we skip class today?"
The next moment—
A voice echoed in the ears of all residents.
"The victory banquet is about to begin. All residents are to form orderly groups of ten to receive Neon City Free Entry Tickets and proceed to the venue. Please take your seats according to your assigned numbers."
"The victory banquet is about to begin, all—"
The announcement repeated three times.
All the residents mining in this Space Gate erupted in cheers. Despite having mined all night, no one showed any signs of fatigue.
Neon City Central Square.
A temporary stage had been set up overnight, with rows of benches arranged below it. The ground was marked with resident numbers—the smaller the number, the closer the seat.
"..."
Chen Mang stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sun City, silently gazing down at the gradually assembling residents below, his expression calm as he leaned on his cane.
"This victory banquet is quite large. It seems the Stellar must have made significant progress outside," Sister Qi remarked, swaying her slender waist in a qipao and draped shawl as she approached with a glass of red wine. Following Chen Mang's gaze, a faint smile played on her lips. "Am I right, Lord Mang?"
Chen Mang glanced at Sister Qi, pausing briefly before responding, "Last time I asked if you knew whether the Mechanical Civilization had been completely wiped out, you said you didn't know."
"Now I can give you the answer."
"They've been completely exterminated."
"But exactly how long ago that happened remains unclear. Your Mechanical Civilization's calendar has become... peculiar."
"There are basically no survivors left. After their defeat, the Wormhole coordinates of all their planets were clearly exposed to the enemy. Some high-ranking members of the Mechanical Civilization might have fled their planets upon learning the news, but that would only prolong their suffering for a few more days."
"The master of this city is undoubtedly long dead."
"Exterminated..."
Sister Qi froze momentarily, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. After biting her lip for a long moment, she finally murmured, "Then they must have been wiped out thousands of years ago. Before you arrived, this city hadn't been activated for a very long time."
"The victory banquet is starting."
Chen Mang looked toward the host on the stage—the same person who used to sing otaku songs before he assigned them the daily task of singing to boost the progress of the Token of Civilization. Now, it seemed their hosting skills had been uncovered as well.
Ever since the Mining Robots were created, Lao Zhu had conducted a comprehensive survey of all residents aboard the Train. Every skill, useful or not, was recorded. Who knew when they might come in handy? Sooner or later, residents would retire from the mining industry, replaced entirely by Mining Robots.
When that time came, their roles would be reassigned based on their abilities.
With that thought, he fell silent and turned to walk toward the door, where Biao Zi stood guard with a stern expression.
Lao Zhu, responsible for maintaining order throughout the celebratory banquet, occasionally glanced at a chair in the front row below the stage. The resident number on the ground read: 0002.
Aboard the Train, aside from Lord Mang, he held the earliest assigned number.
Lord Mang's number was—
0001.
When he and Uncle Li had first decided on the numbering system, they debated for a long time whether to assign Lord Mang 0000 or 0001. In the end, Uncle Li convinced him. Uncle Li said four zeros sounded inauspicious, like the void of nothingness.
But 0001 sounded much better—as the saying goes, "One begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things."
This perfectly signified that it was because of Lord Mang that the Stellar existed today.
To be honest, he had always considered himself quite skilled at flattery. But after a few exchanges with Uncle Li, he realized the man was no slouch either—his ideas were fresh, and his flattery wasn't stiff. He could genuinely spin a self-consistent logic around it.
Flattery was an art.
If done too obviously, it would only breed resentment. But if it could be framed with airtight reasoning, then it was the perfect compliment.
While directing others to quickly address any shortcomings in the arrangements, Lao Zhu kept stealing glances at his own chair. He just wanted to admire it a little longer—that number was simply pleasing to the eye, downright satisfying.
In three to five years, the Stellar would likely embark on its interstellar journey.
After all, when he had visited the Train's control room earlier and seen the Galaxy Map, he was utterly stunned.
It was easy to imagine that the Stellar's population would explode in the future. And the first 6,000 residents who had followed the Stellar from the beginning would form its core backbone. Among them, the earlier their assigned number, the higher their status and benefits.
And his 0002 number? That was truly second only to one, above all others. It might even carry more weight than his identity as the Train Conductor. This was his seniority, openly displayed for all to see—he had been the second-in-command when Lord Mang was just starting out.
Just then—
Lao Zhu's eyes lit up as he spotted Lord Mang approaching in the distance, accompanied by Biao Zi. He hurried forward with long strides. "Lord Mang, we've been waiting for you to give the speech."
"Mmm."
Chen Mang gave a slight nod before walking alone to the stage, leaning on his cane. He gazed at the expectant crowd, remaining silent for a moment before smiling faintly.
"A great victory!"
"This is the Stellar's first celebratory banquet, but it won't be the last. I won't waste time with formalities—let's get straight to the point."
"In this Serendipity Map expedition, everyone has made significant contributions. Among them, Resident No. 3778—though many may not recognize his number—single-handedly pushed 12 Zombies into the refrigerator during last night's operation."
"He ranks first among all residents."
"Let's give him a round of applause as he comes to the stage."
Down below, Lao Zhu quickly glanced at his notebook. The list of honorees and the ceremony's procedures had been finalized long before this celebration banquet. He turned to the young man behind him and spoke urgently, "Remember, answer exactly as I taught you. Don't mess this up, understand?"
"Go on stage now, and straighten your back!"
Last night, when he reported the banquet procedures to Lord Mang, the latter had insisted on selecting a resident with notable achievements to take the stage. After much deliberation, this young man was the only barely suitable candidate.
Seventeen or eighteen years old—truly an age of fiery vigor. Lao Zhu was genuinely afraid this young man might blurt out something outrageous. To prevent any missteps, he had drilled the script into him repeatedly. No matter how Lord Mang phrased his questions, these carefully prepared responses would suffice. Lao Zhu understood why Lord Mang wanted a resident on stage—and why this young man had to be the first.
It signified that this young man was particularly important.
Still, it was a bit of a shame.
If only that Resident No. 1999—the young man who wrote novels—had completed his mission at the last moment. He would have been the perfect honoree. But as things stood, it wasn't quite fitting.
"What a fine young man," Chen Mang remarked with a smile, eyeing the youth ascending the stage. "Last night, among all residents, you pushed the most Zombies into the Space Gate—a full twelve. Youth truly brings strength."
"It seems the Stellar's rations are treating you well?"
"More than well," the young man stammered nervously, caught off guard. "On previous Trains, I was always starving, nearly dying of hunger, weak all over. Only after coming to the Stellar did I finally know what it means to be full."
"The Stellar is like a savior in this apocalypse, pulling me out of misery."
The residents below burst into laughter at the young man's flustered demeanor, instantly warming the atmosphere.
At that moment, Xiao Fang stepped onto the stage, holding a tray in both hands. On it lay a medal—one Chen Mang had crafted overnight using the Mechanical Heart.
Its design was striking: entirely black, less ostentatious than gold, yet exuding a steady, domineering presence with its substantial weight.
Chen Mang picked up the medal from the tray, stepped forward, and pinned it to the young man's chest himself. Wrapping an arm around the youth, he addressed the crowd, "This is the first 'Ordinary Medal' awarded by the Stellar."
"I personally forged, designed, and named this medal—one meant solely for our residents."
"Though named 'Ordinary,' it signifies that even the most unremarkable person will one day shine brightly."
"The Stellar is a magnificent platform!"
"Here, everyone can realize their worth and find their purpose in this apocalypse. My own goal is to make this platform bigger, and bigger still."
"Every medal represents the highest honor."
"The contributions of all those who have earned medals to the Stellar will forever be recorded in the 'Train Development History,' for future generations to study and revere."
"Is there any reward you'd like?"
"No reward needed."
The young man shook his head firmly, reciting the words he had rehearsed countless times: "It's my honor to have the chance to contribute to the Stellar. If it weren't for Lord Mang, I might have died in the apocalypse. How could I be standing here today?"
The residents in the audience stared intently at the award ceremony on stage, some casting envious glances at the medal on the young man's chest.
That damn thing wasn't just a medal.
It was practically a get-out-of-jail-free card!
From now on, as long as this kid didn't betray them or occasionally slacked off while mining, who would dare say a word against him?
Many eyes burned with jealousy because they knew better—this was probably the easiest chance anyone would ever get to obtain this "Ordinary Medal." Some nobody had lucked into this opportunity, and it stung more than a little.
Others quietly steeled themselves, believing that Lord Mang saw everyone's contributions, even those of ordinary residents. Sooner or later, they too would earn that medal.
Standing offstage, Lao Zhu nodded in satisfaction. The kid had performed well—definitely worth keeping around for future use.
"Rewards are necessary," Chen Mang said cheerfully before pausing. "Do you have any nagging health issues?"
"Uh—"
The young man hesitated, glancing at Lao Zhu offstage. This wasn't in the script. But seeing the encouraging look in the older man's eyes, he answered truthfully: "I have rhinitis. Whenever I eat hot food, my nose runs and I sneeze nonstop. Before the apocalypse, I tried treating it many times, but nothing worked."
"No problem."
Chen Mang smiled. "Later, go see Lao Zhu and get a full-body repair in the Medical Bay. You'll never have that issue again."
"Oh, no, that's—that's not necessary!"
The young man hurriedly waved his hands. "Thank you, Lord Mang, but I only eat cold bread these days. It's been so long since I've had anything hot—my rhinitis hasn't acted up in ages."
"Really, Lord Mang, I'm fine!"
"..."
Chen Mang's smile froze.
The previously warm atmosphere in the room inexplicably turned dead silent.
"Damn it, damn it, we're screwed!"
Offstage, Lao Zhu pinched the bridge of his nose hard enough to see stars, wishing he could faint and wake up to find this was all a nightmare. Completely screwed.
Bringing this up now?
Might as well have pointed at Lord Mang's face and screamed that the Stellar's rations were garbage—so bad people couldn't even get a hot meal.
Did this idiot not realize how luxurious it was to eat your fill every day during the apocalypse?
If he'd said it privately, fine.
But in front of all the residents? No way this kid survived the night. And now Lao Zhu's record would forever bear this stain.
"I—"
The young man finally realized his mistake, his voice trembling with panic. "Lord Mang, I didn't—that's not what I meant! I meant cold food is great! Perfect for my rhinitis! I don't even like hot food—wait, no, that's not—"
Chen Mang patted his shoulder, cutting him off, then addressed the crowd with a smile. "Is that so? Starting today, all residents may choose between bread or steamed buns for their daily rations."
He then turned to Lao Zhu below the stage: "Heat up everyone's food in the boiler room."
"This is where you messed up, Lao Zhu."
"Everyone has contributed greatly to the Train. They should at least get a hot meal every day, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes."
Lao Zhu, standing below the stage, hurriedly nodded: "I'll take care of it right away. It was my oversight."
His face remained composed, but inside, his heart was filled with despair.
Originally, the residents were given 30 slices of bread daily, which only cost 3 units of Iron Ore.
Now, they were to receive 15 Roujiamo every day, amounting to 15 units of Iron Ore.
The daily basic food consumption alone would be 90,000 units of Iron Ore—three times more than before. Although the Solar Energy Panels could still cover it, and the Stellar Train could fully bear this resource expenditure...
But a decision made by Lord Mang himself and a decision forced upon him while being put on the spot were two entirely different matters.
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Lao Zhu glanced at the silent residents, none of whom dared to applaud or celebrate. Taking a deep breath, he forced a grin and loudly cheered, clapping his hands: "Bravo!"
"Thank you, Lord Mang!"
With his lead, the residents finally erupted into excited cheers. The upgrade in daily food was a significant improvement in their quality of life.
"Thank you, Lord Mang!"
"Long live Lord Mang!"
"Lord Mang is amazing!"
The shouts were varied and chaotic, but the wave of voices was still quite overwhelming.
"Alright."
Chen Mang, standing on the stage, patted the young man's shoulder with a smile. "Now you can go treat your sinusitis. Step down. Next up is Biao Zi—someone everyone should be familiar with. In last night's Serendipity Map..."
"He completed eleven tasks."
"The most out of anyone."
"Without Biao Zi, the Stellar Train might have suffered a crushing defeat in last night's Serendipity Map."
"Lord Mang!"
Biao Zi, who had already prepared a custom-made high-precision Guardian uniform for himself, walked up to the stage with a solemn expression and stood tall before Lord Mang.
"You did well."
Chen Mang picked up a medal from Xiao Fang's tray and pinned it to Biao Zi's chest, brushing off the dust on his collar. "Truly well. You really surprised me this time. Out of everyone on the Train these days, you've improved the fastest."
"One day..."
"You'll be able to stand on your own."
"Lord Mang..."
Biao Zi's eyes reddened as he stared intently at Chen Mang and shouted, "I pledge my life to serve you!"
This was the first time Lord Mang had praised him so formally—and in front of so many people. What he had been striving for all this time had finally come to pass.
"Alright, next—Xiao Ai."
Today, Xiao Ai was also dressed in his finest attire.
His eyes brimming with anticipation, Xiao Ai walked up to Chen Mang and blinked patiently, waiting.
"You did well."
"Last night in the Serendipity Map, you played a crucial role. In fact, calling you the primary contributor wouldn't be an exaggeration."
"Keep it up."
Chen Mang looked expressionlessly at Xiao Ai's eager face as he pinned the medal to his chest. Of course, he knew what Xiao Ai was hoping for—but forget it. He would never say something so embarrassing in his life, let alone in front of so many people.
The award ceremony concluded amidst lively festivities.
Next—
A girl group took the stage, dancing to the music while dishes were continuously served in the background. The banquet officially began—after all, what's a victory celebration without a feast?
"..."
Lao Zhu turned to his assistant with a grim expression. "Take him to the Medical Bay to treat his damn sinusitis. Make sure it's properly dealt with."
"Then—"
The assistant tentatively drew a finger across his throat in a slitting motion and asked, "Like this?"
"Follow procedure. Don't act on things I haven't explicitly ordered."
"Understood."
"P-please..." A young man nearby, his legs trembling, stumbled over and fell to his knees before Lao Zhu, his voice shaking with fear. "Train Conductor Zhu, please don't kill me. Please, I—I've always been bad with words. Give me another chance, please..."
"Get up."
Lao Zhu glanced at the nearby residents who had turned to look, forcing a stiff smile as he helped the young man to his feet. "Alright, alright, I know you're overwhelmed after receiving the commendation. Let's talk in the back."
"What now?"
Chen Mang, seated at a gambling table in Sun City, shot an annoyed glance at Biao Zi and Lao Zhu, who had come to report. "I just handed out medals, and now you want to kill someone?"
"So, Lord Mang means..." Lao Zhu ventured cautiously, "Let him live for a few more days, then have the Guardians deliberately release a monster one night and make it look like it killed him?"
"No, don't overcomplicate it."
Chen Mang shook his head and pushed all his chips forward in an all-in bet, speaking casually. "It's a minor issue. We were already planning to upgrade the residents' meals soon. We're not short on Iron Ore—letting them eat better isn't a problem."
"Young people..."
"Mistakes happen. Give them a chance. No need to jump straight to killing. When you mess up, do I kill you?"
"Train affairs are your responsibility. We're in a phase of rapid development—handle small matters like this as you see fit."
"Yes, understood."
Lao Zhu acknowledged and withdrew.
After leaving Sun City, Biao Zi hesitantly leaned in and whispered, "What does Lord Mang mean by 'handle as you see fit'?"
"It means handle as you see fit."
"But what does that mean?"
"It means handle as you see fit!"
Lao Zhu spat in frustration and stormed off.
Under a sky full of stars, night fell, and the victory banquet naturally came to an end.
After the festivities, all residents retired to sleep—they had been busy all night, after all. The remaining 2,000 Mining Robots, meanwhile, had worked tirelessly all day in the Space Gate within the Carriage.
By afternoon, they had fully extracted the two Level 5 mines.
The reserves of Iron Ore and Copper Ore had once again reached 100 million units.
"..."
Chen Mang sat in his chair, staring at the computer screen. Empty soda cans littered the table. He hadn't slept in a long time, and his mind felt foggy.
-
Wormhole Radar: A rainbow-tier accessory. Crafting requires 1 million units of Iron Ore.
-
Above red-tier were gold, pink, and finally, rainbow—the highest-tier accessory he had encountered so far.
The crafting cost was also outrageously high.
Just the initial construction required 1 million units of Iron Ore, a price that could fully upgrade two white-tier components to level 100.
Infinite Upgrade
This only allowed a specific component to be enhanced indefinitely, with its numerical values continuously increasing. The additional Supermodel Effects would make the component even more powerful.
But it seemed difficult to achieve any qualitative transformation.
For example, even if the "Targeting Radar" were upgraded to level 1000, it might still fail to detect the existence of a Wormhole.
This component was currently the highest-tier one on his Train, surpassing others by a significant margin.
After glancing at his Iron Ore balance and pondering for a while,
he spent 45 million units of Iron Ore to upgrade it straight to level 10.
At level 1, this component could only detect Wormholes within a one-light-year range, and only level 1 Wormholes at that.
Wormholes also had levels.
Higher-level Wormholes tended to be more stable, more concealed, and harder to detect.
A level 1 "Wormhole Radar" could only detect level 1 Wormholes.
Once it reached level 10,
the detection range expanded to 10 light-years. All nearby Mining Stars and inhabited planets now fell within the "Wormhole Radar's" scanning range, with the highest detectable Wormhole level being 10. Upon reaching level 10, it gained two Supermodel Effects.
-
"Wormhole Radar Level 5 Supermodel Effect": Halved Consumption.
"Wormhole Radar Level 10 Supermodel Effect": Can assess Wormhole stability.
-
Unlike the "Targeting Radar," the "Wormhole Radar" wasn't kept running constantly. Instead, it was activated only when needed, as each scan consumed a considerable amount of energy—the larger the scanning range, the higher the energy cost.
If energy consumption weren't a concern, keeping it running continuously wouldn't be an issue.
He checked the details.
The current scanning range was 10 light-years, and each scan required 2 level 5 Energy Stones, equivalent to 10 million units of Iron Ore.
This was no small price.
For now, he didn't have an immediate use for the "Wormhole Radar." Even if he detected a Wormhole, he couldn't travel through it yet—his current goal was to reach the Rainbow Zone.
But—
he wanted to take a preliminary look.
After spending 10 million units of Iron Ore to craft 2 level 5 Energy Stones and loading them into the "Wormhole Radar," the stones shattered, releasing waves of purple light from the control panel that shot into the cosmos.
After a few hundred meters, the purple light became nearly invisible to the naked eye.
"Huh?"
Chen Mang stared at the scene in mild disbelief. Were they really using this purple light for detection? How long would that take? A round trip would take at least twenty years, wouldn't it?
This technology is way too outdated!
However, the next moment—
"Beep beep beep."
On the Galaxy Map displayed on the control panel's screen, a purple dot slowly appeared. Gradually, another purple dot emerged farther away—they didn't all appear simultaneously.
Within a 10-light-year radius, the Galaxy Map displayed three purple dots in total.
In other words...
3 Wormholes.
All three were naturally formed Wormholes.
The closest one was 0.3 light-years away, right next to the Mining Star with a 78% Iron Ore concentration.
-
"Naturally formed, one-way Wormhole. Current location is the exit point. Formation duration: 267 days. Internal stability: 23%. Coordinates of the other end unknown."
-
A line of text slowly appeared on the screen.
Natural wormholes may dissipate after just one second or persist for a billion years—no one can predict when a natural wormhole will vanish. However, one thing is certain: once a wormhole dissipates, everything inside it will inevitably turn to nothingness.
There is no escape.
In the vast cosmic sea, no one would willingly enter a natural wormhole unless truly driven to desperation. Even if one is lucky enough to encounter a stable wormhole, its destination remains entirely unknown—a complete mystery.
Even if the destination is habitable, the chances of ever returning home are virtually nonexistent.
The other two wormholes, however, are artificial.
Located 0.4 and 0.8 light-years away from him, respectively.
Coincidentally, they are positioned on the two inhabited planets.
-
"Artificially constructed, bearing the imprint of the Zerg Civilization. Single-use, one-way random wormhole. This is the exit point, formed 212 days ago. Internal stability: 47%. Destination coordinates unknown."
"Artificially constructed, bearing the imprint of the Zerg Civilization. Single-use, one-way random wormhole. This is the exit point, formed 212 days ago. Internal stability: 51%. Destination coordinates unknown."
-
It's obvious.
These two wormholes were created by the Zerg Civilization as single-use, random one-way passages. Insectoid eggs would emerge through them, landing on the planets and bringing about their doom.
Logically speaking,
Aqua Blue Star should also have had a Zerg-made wormhole nearby.
But since Aqua Blue Star's apocalypse lasted longer than 212 days, it was likely the first to face devastation. After a certain period, the wormhole must have dissipated automatically, suggesting that single-use wormholes last around 300 days.
Even these disposable wormholes endure for so long.
The resource cost for constructing wormholes, ranked from highest to lowest:
Bidirectional stable wormhole, bidirectional single-use wormhole, unidirectional stable wormhole, unidirectional single-use wormhole, unidirectional stable random wormhole, unidirectional single-use random wormhole.
The "unidirectional single-use random wormhole" is the cheapest.
It's also the Zerg Civilization's signature method of expansion.
After all,
No other civilization treats its own people as expendable as the Zerg, callously tossing them into wormholes without regard for survival. Moreover, thanks to some unknown high-tech advantage, the Zerg's wormhole production costs seem far lower than those of other civilizations.
According to the Mechanical Civilization, the leader of the Zerg—the "Mother Empress"—might be a high-tier Starry Sky Behemoth. Though her exact rank remains unknown, as she has never appeared on the battlefield, she is likely at least A-grade, possibly even S-grade.
Generally,
Artificially constructed wormholes have a stability rate of at least 90%.
Wormhole stability ensures that the passage is relatively safe, with minimal risks like "particle storms." Yet, the Zerg's wormholes hover around just 50% stability.
This isn't due to incompetence—
But resource efficiency.
By using the cheapest means, they mass-produce wormholes and offspring, spreading like locusts. Once a high-resource zone is detected, they establish a "bidirectional stable wormhole" to launch a full-scale invasion.
In other words.
The demise of Aqua Blue Star was an utterly unwarranted disaster. It couldn't even be called a declaration of war by the Zerg Civilization. Billions perished, yet in the vast universe, no one knew—like an ant dying unnoticed.
"..."
Chen Mang silently gazed at the three wormholes marked on the galaxy map. Their coordinates had been recorded. Though useless for now, it was good to have them. The universe felt somewhat like...
A honeycombed underground.
Dug through by countless trains equipped with drill bits, carving out tunnels.
Except these weren't three-dimensional tunnels, but four-dimensional ones.
On the surface, everything seemed normal, but who knew how many wormholes existed in the universe? Countless were born every moment, and countless dissipated.
His target was the mining star 0.3 light-years away. Once prepared—with the means to create wormholes and survive in the void—he would head there.
Most importantly...
No one knew if something strange might emerge from those three wormholes one day. Would the matured "Ant Insect" on this planet send its coordinates back, establishing a stable two-way wormhole, followed by an invading army?
He had to hurry.
"..."
Chen Mang lit a cigarette and studied the data on the control screen. Though Xiao Ai's assessment was that the resources here were beneath the Zerg Civilization's notice, and their armies would never come...
He couldn't stake all his hopes on that.
What if?
What if they really came? What would he do?
Wait here to die?
He had to finish mining these deposits, upgrade the train once more, then head for the red zone and push toward the rainbow zone!
Just then.
"..."
Chen Mang froze as he noticed a sudden change on the galaxy map. An anomalous light point had appeared—7,892 light-years away, a civilization had risen.
「God-Slaying Civilization, Tier 1.0 Civilization.」
"What a domineering name for a civilization."
"But—"
"Bro, you're surrounded by Zerg-controlled territories."
"You're doomed!"
"You dare start a fight, but no one will back you up!"
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!