"If we go now, we might catch some survivors fleeing from the city's ruins."
"No."
Chen Mang stood in the pitch-black rain-soaked night, looking out toward the pitch-black wasteland as he shook his head, "I won't wade into these troubled waters. Let's rest tonight. Biaozi, have people stand watch. At first light, start mining. I don't want any surprises before the train reaches level 2."
The train only counts as having the basic qualifications to roam the wasteland once it reaches level 2.
Before that, the train is in its infancy stage, not even to mention lacking offensive accessories, many key components are missing—for example, "high beams." Currently, not a single light in the train is lit.
"Generator" and "Circuit System" have been crafted, but there are no excess Energy Stones.
Without high beams, driving at high speed in a pitch-black rainy night is very dangerous. It's no different from playing parkour blindfolded. Earlier, he controlled the train to use the car blades to kill those Zombie Wolves, being very careful about controlling the train's speed.
But despite this, it still made him a bit tense, as he could only lock onto targets by the faint moonlight, which was very dangerous.
Just then—
A faint DJ music suddenly came from the distance, its decibels rapidly rising. At the same time, a train as long as a dragon could be vaguely seen speeding toward their position under the guidance of two beams of light in the rainy night.
"Everyone on the train, prepare for battle!"
Chen Mang's expression changed slightly as he quickly ran toward the train head. All the thugs immediately returned to their positions, ready for battle. The raincloths over the heavy machine guns above their heads were lifted, and the car blades on both sides of the wagon began spinning rapidly.
But...
Just as he was about to start the train, the train blasting deafening DJ music was already in front of them, with no intent to slow down. However, it didn't crash into them but merely brushed past, speeding into the distance!
As it passed by, that train even honked three times in acknowledgment.
...
"..."
Chen Mang looked on with a somewhat unpleasant expression as the train gradually disappeared into the rainy night until its silhouette was completely out of sight. It seemed to have no malicious intent, or perhaps it was in a hurry to head to the city ruins.
But...
As it brushed past, he saw that the train had a full thirteen carriages, and each carriage's armor was the same as Master Kun's train head armor—an obvious sign of green-grade Vehicle Accessories "Wagon Steel Armor."
Just that amount of armor alone would require 13,000 units of iron ore.
Besides that, every carriage on that train had two heavy machine guns mounted on top, and there were two extremely powerful-looking cannons on the train head, with calibers as thick as an adult man's forearm.
This was the strongest train he'd ever seen.
Much stronger than Master Kun's train. The firepower was not in the same league; he couldn't even compare.
On top of that, the train had already crafted a series of living accessories like high beams and speakers.
Perhaps only such a train could dare to blast DJ music loudly and roam the wasteland without restraint.
His already tense mood became even more urgent upon witnessing this; he must acquire more iron ore by any means. He needed to transform his train into something like that, to roar across the wasteland with impunity and arrogance like that train!
...
Just like that.
Though there were minor hiccups, the latter half of the night passed without incident.
At the break of dawn, all the slaves were driven out of the slave carriage. After each received a portion of food, Chen Mang stood atop the train, looking down at the ragged slaves below. Old Pig and the other thugs, holding guns, stood cold-faced in front of the slaves. After a brief pause, Chen Mang took a deep breath and bellowed.
"I am Chen Mang, your Train Captain."
"Today, whoever mines the most gets to take a break!"
"Also, the top three will get hot steamed buns and pickled vegetables!"
"I have only one requirement from you: dig enough iron ore for me. Whoever mines more, will get treated better. If anyone attempts to slack off, I'll cut them into nine pieces!"
"Now, everyone, get to mining!"
Perhaps Master Kun rarely motivated this group of slaves, or perhaps these slaves had long lost their expectations. At this moment, many slaves' eyes lit truly bright as they wolfed down the food in their hands before grabbing pickaxes and rushing into the mines!
Normally, an average adult can produce 1 unit of iron ore per hour, though that rate isn't fixed. In fact, the logic of mining is—
Once the pickaxe strikes the ore a certain number of times, an iron ore will drop.
It's just that for most adults, completing this takes about an hour.
If one's physical strength is robust, or if they had previously worked demolishing walls and were experienced swinging hammers, the speed of swinging a pickaxe can shorten the production of 1 unit of iron ore to as little as fifty or even forty minutes.
But continually swinging a pickaxe is tough work. If one hasn't done labor work before, it's hard to last even for dozens of minutes before one's arms turn sore.
Overall, the average balance out about the same.
To be first, aside from working harder, the only way is to extend the hours of work.
...
Meanwhile, on the train.
The two women standing behind Chen Mang also gave a rather charming smile.
This wasn't their most satisfied result; they wanted to be the Train Captain's wives, but... many things don't change with one's will.
On the train, losing one's value essentially equates to losing one's life.
It wasn't too bad now, at least better than mining. If they were really made to dig for over ten hours each day, they wouldn't be able to take it, nor were they used to it, especially since they were accustomed to the ease when they used to be the Train Captain's wives.
...
"..."
Standing on the train's roof, Chen Mang rubbed his throat, looking at the slaves rushing toward the mines and the thugs below, while pondering secretly.
He wondered if there would be Vehicle Accessories for mechanized mining in the future; human efficiency was still a bit low.
The reserve of moldy bread on the train wasn't much now.
And making a "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line" requires consuming 100 moldy bread slices, so he couldn't use them all up. He needed to build the "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line" later.
He was just curious.
Since he seized resources from Master Kun, he had the bread slices to build the "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line." But where do other people get the bread slices to make the production line? Is it possible to use those collected from city ruins as consumables?
He didn't dwell on this thought.
Instead, he immediately went to Living Carriage No. 3, consumed 100 bread slices, and crafted the white-grade Vehicle Accessory "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line."
It's about three meters long and one meter wide.
Not too large of a production line.
Thus—
His "Fixed Star" train gained another basic living accessory.
And the panel for this accessory appeared before him.