Translator: AnubisTL
After resolving the matter, Chen Mang didn't resume work. Instead, he set aside all his tasks, glanced at the Doppler Radar screen, washed up, and went to bed. He hadn't slept for three days and was feeling drowsy.
"Xiao Lu, time for bed," he said, looking at the little green creature sprawled on the floor beside him, gazing up at the starry sky. He wondered aloud, "Why aren't you on your bed?"
He had specially prepared a bed for Xiao Lu in the locomotive cabin, which the creature usually loved.
It suddenly struck him that Xiao Lu had been staying in the cabin for days, not venturing out at all. Previously, the creature's favorite pastime had been running to the rear carriage to play with Young Master Li's Cosmic Behemoth, the Star-Treading Sword Tiger.
Could it be heartbreak? he mused. No one ever told me that Cosmic Behemoth was female.
Xiao Lu remained motionless on the floor, offering only a melancholic silhouette. Chen Mang didn't press the matter further. Overwhelmed by drowsiness, he drifted off to sleep amidst his wandering thoughts.
He slept for an exceptionally long time—a full thirteen hours.
He could have slept longer, but sleeping too long would only leave him feeling more tired upon waking.
After washing up, Chen Mang, refreshed and clear-headed, sat at the control panel and exhaled deeply. He lit a cigarette and leisurely began reviewing the Train Log, as was his custom. He checked for recent incidents on the train, the mining progress on the various mining stars, and the development progress on Qi Kexiu's side.
Last time, Qi Kexiu had promised results within three days.
But more than three days had already passed.
Just then—
"Hmm?"
Chen Mang noticed Xiao Lu still lying motionless nearby. He frowned slightly and asked, "Xiao Ai, has he been lying here the whole time I was asleep, without changing his position?"
"Yes," Xiao Ai's voice replied through the locomotive cabin's audio system.
"Strange."
Chen Mang walked over, picked up Xiao Lu, and cradled him in his arms. He gazed at the boy's tender face, puzzled. "Is something troubling you?"
Xiao Lu remained silent, but nuzzled his head affectionately against Chen Mang's chin.
In his normal state, Xiao Lu was undeniably adorable. It was a pity he had no interest in romance; with his looks, he'd make the perfect wingman.
Of course.
If he were in his Devouring State, that would be a different story.
Perhaps he could serve as a wingman when pursuing the Cthulhu Mother Goddess.
"Aba aba..."
Xiao Lu couldn't speak, only emitting peculiar syllables. Chen Mang tried using the translator, but it wasn't a language—there was no system, just meaningless grunts.
Soon, Xiao Lu returned to normal, nuzzled Chen Mang a few times, and then scampered off to the rear carriages to play with Young Master Li's Cosmic Behemoth, his only friend on the train.
"Good."
Chen Mang smiled before turning his attention back to the control panel screen. Over the past few days, the Zerg Civilization had remained relatively quiet, continuing their slow advance with remarkable restraint, showing none of the aggressive tactics they had used against the Heaven-Slaying Civilization.
Perhaps few in the universe even remembered the Heaven-Slaying Civilization anymore.
But he remembered.
Back on Aquablue Star, shortly after obtaining the galaxy map, he had witnessed the Zerg Civilization spare no expense, instantly creating hundreds of thousands of random wormholes leading directly to the Heaven-Slaying Civilization's homeworld, annihilating the newly advanced First-Tier Civilization in a single, devastating strike.
The experience had left a deep shadow on him, causing him immense pressure for a long time.
Now, though the Zerg Civilization still seemed like a formidable adversary, it no longer appeared insurmountable. He believed he could devise countermeasures.
The Mechanical Civilization's most powerful energy attack had been Tier 270.
Since the Zerg Civilization had annihilated the Mechanical Civilization, their strongest methods likely hovered around Tier 300, never exceeding it. Theoretically, if his armor could reach Tier 350 or Tier 400, he could completely disregard the Zerg Civilization's offensive capabilities.
He needed resources and time. Mining such a vast number of mining stars would consume immense resources, so he spent trillions to build countless Mining Robots.
Although many of these extra Mining Robots would remain idle for a long time afterward, resulting in some resource wastage, time was of the essence.
A little waste was acceptable.
The Tier 5 overpowered effect of the Armed Black Hole Robot Production Line allowed for the full-price recycling of undamaged robots and discounted recycling of severely damaged ones, based on the extent of the damage.
This was the effect of the Gold-grade accessory, the Armed Black Hole Robot Production Line, which could only recycle Armed Black Hole Robots and not Mining Robots.
Mining Robots were manufactured by the Robot Research Center, and all the overpowered effects of that accessory focused on reducing manufacturing costs, with no full-price recycling option.
Afterward—
He finally glanced at the train's Total Resource Panel.
[197 trillion units of iron ore,
12 trillion units of wood,
160 trillion units of copper ore,
34.9 billion units of Red Heart Rock,
78.97 billion units of titanium crystal ore.]
And these resource quantities would soon increase again.
The resources mined from the mining stars were temporarily stored on those planets, awaiting transport to the train. This bulk represented the lion's share of their reserves. The current resources on the train were primarily gathered from the Gemini Star.
197 trillion units of iron ore.
It sounded like a lot.
But a single Tier 200 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon blast required 1 trillion units of iron ore.
197 trillion units would only suffice for 197 shots.
197 shots.
In the vastness of the cosmos, during battles between advanced civilizations, this was barely a drop in the bucket. His greatest problem now was that while he possessed weapons of immense destructive power, he lacked the resources to wield them freely.
Warfare has always been the most resource-intensive endeavor in human history, without exception.
Once war begins, it inevitably becomes a contest of attrition, a battle of foundations.
Throughout human history, no period of peace has ever truly been about pursuing peace. Every era of peace has merely been a time for stockpiling ammunition for the next war.
In the cosmos...
Many bizarre events might occur, given the vastness of the universe and its countless variables. Nothing should surprise us. Yet one thing remains certain: the law of conservation of energy.
The greater the power wielded, the greater the resources consumed.
Energy cannot be conjured from thin air.
And—
The "Time Erasure" technique used by the Sixth-Tier Civilization to destroy the Niya Civilization required resources beyond imagination. It's impossible to know if they ever recouped their investment.
Theoretically, since the Niya Civilization was erased and its timeline reversed, it never existed in the universe. Therefore, all the resources they had mined should have been restored to their original state.
In essence, resource zones previously depleted to emptiness would instantly revert to their full, pristine condition.
In reality, the Unknown Civilization did exactly that.
The Niya Civilization spanned four galaxies. Apart from the Niya Star System, the other three had already been seized by the Sixth-Tier Civilization. The Niya Star System was ignored solely because it was too impoverished.
Good.
Poverty has its advantages.
"Xiao Ai," Chen Mang said suddenly, leaning back in his chair after a long period of contemplation. "I just realized something. During their expansion, the Niya Civilization must have destroyed countless other civilizations. If the Niya Civilization was completely erased from the River of Time, as if it never existed, what happened to those civilizations they destroyed?"
"Total resurrection?"
He had already designated the unknown Sixth-Tier Civilization as a hypothetical enemy.
Though he had never encountered them directly, and even their Civilization Level and methods were merely his conjectures, his personal habit was to treat all powerful entities as potential adversaries. He always considered how he would respond if conflict arose.
Approaching the virtuous with malice in mind was better than approaching the wicked with good intentions.
Prepare for the worst possible outcome, then await Fate's decree.
"Highly improbable," Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the locomotive cabin. "The chain reaction wouldn't be that extensive. If it were, it would trigger numerous cosmic anomalies. Most likely, these civilizations wouldn't be resurrected; they would simply vanish completely from the universe."
"We now understand that the universe operates according to its own set of rules."
"While we lack complete knowledge of these rules and their specific details..."
"We can be certain that these rules maintain the universe's equilibrium. The universe cares neither for the extinction of civilizations nor their rise; its sole concern is preserving its own balance. If such a cosmic anomaly were to occur, the Cosmic Rules would likely self-correct."
"But..."
Chen Mang glanced at the control panel screen with a slightly peculiar expression. On it, a middle-aged man was gorging himself in a city on Aquablue Star—the train conductor of the Coco Train. "Such a massive cosmic bug is still alive and well," he remarked.
"Every programmer diligently cleans up bugs, but they can't find them all, nor can they fix every one. And not every bug causes severe consequences."
"Generally speaking, a programmer's workflow is simple:"
"Detect bug."
"Bug too complex to fix. Restart."
"Bug too minor to matter. Ignore."
"Bug neither too complex nor too minor. Attempt fix. If successful, all's well. If failed, restart."
"If we apply this logic to the cosmos, a particularly severe bug would trigger a restart of the affected zone, likely through something like a Cosmic Void. Smaller bugs would be fixed, while trivial ones like the Cocoa Train conductor would likely be ignored or simply go unnoticed."
"After all, the universe is vast."
"Some bugs are inevitable."
"Besides—"
"Most of the time, if something's working, it's best not to mess with minor bugs. Messing with them might just break everything."
"..."
Chen Mang remained silent, his eyes narrowing slightly as he gazed at the middle-aged man on the screen. Reason told him he should cut ties with this man immediately to avoid future complications.
What if the Cosmic Rules discover this bug one day and trace it back to me?
He suspected that his own time-travel was also a bug.
The universe was vast beyond comprehension.
Having encountered countless civilizations, he had never heard of another case of time-travel. No civilization's history recorded such an event. He doubted the Cosmic Rules would kindly send him back to Blue Star when they purged this bug.
Instead, they would likely transform the entire region, including Blue Star, into a Cosmic Void.
Bug eliminated.
Such simple work. I could do it myself.
Just point and click.
Eventually, the entire universe would be a Cosmic Void, devoid of stars and planets.
Though reason dictated this course, his instincts urged him to keep the middle-aged man around. This was a Cosmic Bug—a living, breathing Cosmic Bug! He had never encountered another one before. He didn't count himself; he wasn't yet certain if his own time-travel qualified as a Cosmic Bug.
From a certain perspective, it was a rare find—extremely rare!
Even a Sixth-Tier Civilization might never encounter a living cosmic bug.
For now, it served no immediate purpose.
But—
You may never need a blade, but you can't live without having one.
Keep it for now. Who knows when the opportunity to use it might arise?
"Keep an eye on him."
"Let him do whatever he wants, as long as he doesn't try to rebuild his civilization."
"Understood."
In the end, he decided to keep it. The fact that the Coco's train had managed to return from several light-years away without the bug being erased meant the cosmos hadn't even noticed it.
But what if this guy somehow obtained a Civilization Token and started shouting, "I demand restoration!"?
That would be game over.
If the Niya Civilization were restored, it would be impossible for the cosmos to ignore the bug.
"And one more thing—"
"Issue gag orders to Coco and her train conductor. They must not reveal anything about the Niya Civilization to outsiders. All information we've gathered these past few days is to be classified as top secret."
"No one on the train is authorized to access this information."
"Understood."
In a sense, this secret of the Niya Civilization was their ultimate trump card, currently known only to a select few. The Cosmic Rules remained indifferent, but should a civilization they couldn't possibly defeat ever find them, they could flood the enemy's culture with information about the Niya Civilization's existence.
Once the scale reached a critical point, it would attract the attention of the Cosmic Rules, ensuring mutual annihilation.
"Excellent," Chen Mang chuckled softly. Though this doomsday weapon might never be used in his lifetime, the human civilization had finally acquired its own foundation-level deterrent.
The Niya Civilization's historical records mentioned that all advanced cosmic civilizations possessed such foundation-level weapons, regardless of their energy range. Typically, only Fourth-Level civilizations and higher possessed them.
For example, Fifth-Tier Civilizations could unleash Trans-Temporal Strikes through Cosmic Wormholes.
Or considering, Chen Mang's secret: any method capable of inflicting absolute, catastrophic destruction on an enemy qualified as a foundation-level weapon.
Most of the time, these weapons remain unused, serving as deterrents or never even being revealed. But when a civilization faces existential crisis, its foundation-level killing weapons are unleashed. This is why higher-tiered civilizations engage in fewer wars—mutual destruction becomes far too easy.
The human civilization, a Second-Tier Civilization considered insignificant in the cosmic hierarchy, had already acquired its first foundation-level killing weapon. They desperately hoped to obtain a second, one that could be used effectively rather than one that threatened mutual annihilation.
He thought they really should select a "Sword-Bearer" within the train.
If the Stellaris ever faced imminent destruction, someone would need the courage to press the nuclear button. He himself lacked the resolve for mutual annihilation, always clinging to the belief that one more push, one more desperate gamble, would bring a miracle.
This mindset had saved him countless times, but it also meant that if he failed, he would lose the ability to drag his enemies down with him.
After careful consideration, he decided against it.
Fuck the Sword-Bearer.
If he was fighting tooth and nail at the front, waiting for a miracle, while the Sword-Bearer in the rear simply pressed the button, he might as well die outright. It was infuriating.
...
Aquablue Star, Taiping City.
The planet that had once faced its apocalypse had undergone a complete transformation.
Cities had been rebuilt, their appearance bearing no trace of the post-apocalyptic era. The urban greenery met the highest standards, free of those damned heather trees.
People bustled through the streets, and society had returned to a state of peace.
The economic system operated on "stellar coupons."
At that moment—
Coco walked down the street, her eyes wide with curiosity as she took in her surroundings. It had been ages since she'd last interacted with human society—many, many years. Moreover, she had never possessed her own physical body before, nor had she ever experienced human society firsthand, measuring it with her own two feet.
Everything before her felt novel and wondrous.
On the left screen, a promotional trailer for Zhang Yiren's new film, "Interstellar Exodus," played. The female lead looked stunning, and she was said to be the highest-paid actress on Aquablue Star, having risen to fame since Zhang Yiren's first film, which was shot aboard the train.
On the right screen—
A travel company's seven-day tour advertisement featured the company name "Jimei Tourism Company" and the destination "Black Tortoise Star."
The slogans were particularly striking:
"Ascend to Immortality in a Single Step!"
"Experience Immortal Cultivation—Even Mortals Can Seek the Dao!"
"Protected by a Golden Core True Person, witness sword qi cleave the heavens!"
"Refine Medicinal Pills by hand at the Pill Refinement Pavilion and craft Demon-Suppressing Talismans yourself!"
"Team up to explore Ancient Cultivator's Cave Abodes—fortune and treasures await those destined to claim them!"
"Seven days and six nights in an Immortal's Cave Abode—reside in a Spiritual Vein Cave Abode, absorb the essence of heaven and earth, dine on spiritual fruits and dew at the Jade Pavilion Immortal Hall, and enjoy musical performances by Fairies!"
Beyond the advertisements, the streets bustled with activity, shops springing up like mushrooms after rain, creating a vibrant and prosperous atmosphere. Everything seemed to be progressing in a positive direction.
"The villa I bought is just ahead," Xiao Ai announced, walking at the front, hands on hips, beaming with pride. "I'm probably the first AI in all of human civilization to buy a villa—no, wait, I might be the first AI in the entire universe to own a villa!"
His subordinates trailed behind him.
He often enjoyed cruising through the city with his crew.
Everything he saw—the entirety of human civilization—belonged to Lord Mang. In a sense, he had contributed to it as well.
"President Ai," Coco said, adopting the local custom of addressing Xiao Ai. She glanced at the cold-faced robot beside him and asked tentatively, "Which train is this friend from? What's his name? He hasn't said a word the entire time."
"Oh," Xiao Ai replied casually. "That's Mom. Just call her Xiao Ma. She's from Erdan's train. Erdan's one of the oldest veterans on the trains, practically retired these days. I heard he's running some kind of auto repair city or something."
It's worth mentioning that Xiao Ai had recently upgraded Erdan's Train Auxiliary AI to Tier 100 for less than a hundred murphy stones, after submitting a resource request to Lord Mang. The AI's initial intelligence level had been far too low.
After reaching Tier 100, it was much improved.
The only downside was that, after gaining sufficient intelligence, the robot began to despise its own name.
Especially when interacting with friends, it refused to even mention its name.
"Hmph," Xiao Ma snorted coldly, her voice laced with displeasure.
"Alright, alright," Xiao Ai said with a smile, soothing the "mother." He had designed Xiao Ma's robotic body himself, and after generations of refinements, his creations could now express a wide range of emotions with remarkable clarity—a feat beyond human comprehension.
Humans were naturally capable of such expression.
How truly enviable.
Soon—
At the end of the street.
A lush, green park came into view.
"My villa is inside the park. Let me show you around."
Just then!
"Huh?"
Xiao Ai glanced at a middle-aged man squatting by the park entrance and asked in surprise, "Erdan, do you live here too?"
The man squatting by the park entrance was none other than Erdan himself.
"Hey."
Erdan reluctantly stood up, shaking his head. "This park only has President Ai's private villa. How could I possibly live here? I came specifically to find you, using the coordinates from my Train AI."
"There's something I wanted to talk to you about."
"It's about..."
"Um..."
Erdan scratched his head, unsure how to begin. After a long pause, his cheeks flushed slightly. "My company has been facing some operational difficulties recently. I was wondering if I could borrow some money from Lord Mang."
"Are you sure about this?" Xiao Ai asked, slightly taken aback. "I can ask him, but do you understand what this means?"
"I..."
Erdan hesitated, then suddenly laughed, his voice filled with relief. "I know what it means. It means that even if I leave the Stellaris train, I'll be striking out on my own."
"But President Ai," he continued, "the Stellaris train is developing too quickly. Not everyone can keep up with Lord Mang's pace."
"Just a few years ago," Erdan recalled, "I used to meet with Lord Mang daily, helping him find fortuitous encounter maps. Those were the most adventurous days of my life. But now... I haven't seen him in ages."
"Lord Mang has already begun gazing into the depths of the cosmos."
"I can't really be of much help anymore."
"My train is just a tiny speck in the vastness of space. I can't find fortuitous encounter maps for Lord Mang anymore, and I don't have any other skills. If I stayed by his side, I'd just become a freeloader, waiting for death."
"That's how I see it."
"Human civilization is changing by the day. New buildings rise daily, and new technologies emerge constantly. The pace of development is astonishing. I believe Lord Mang will one day lead human civilization to even greater heights."
"Right now, human civilization is brimming with vitality, with opportunities everywhere. It's the perfect time to start a business."
"Though I can't continue following in Lord Mang's footsteps, if I can establish a successful enterprise within the civilization, I feel I'll still be contributing in my own way."
"But if Lord Mang ever needs me again..."
"Erdan will face any danger, no questions asked!"
His voice carried a hint of wistfulness, but there was no other way. He genuinely wanted to stay by Lord Mang's side, but there was no place for him on the Stellaris anymore. He couldn't force himself to find work like Uncle Li, who always managed to find something to do, even when there was nothing to do.
It wasn't that he lacked the nerve.
It was that he lacked the skill.
Uncle Li, that guy, could do a little bit of everything. Word had it he'd recently found another job on the train and had been so busy he hadn't had time to drink with Erdan in ages.
"Is that so?" Xiao Ai asked, a peculiar expression flickering across his face. "If that's the case, I'm curious. How did you manage to start a business in a thriving human civilization and end up losing money and borrowing more?"
"Thriving, you say?"
"Well..." Erdan's gaze darted nervously. "There were... a few minor setbacks."
"I see." Xiao Ai nodded, fished out a seal from his pocket, and produced a check. After stamping it, he handed it to Erdan with a smile. "I already asked Lord Mang, and he said, 'Of course.' The seal's affixed; fill in the amount yourself. You can redeem the face value in stellar coupons at any bank. The limit is twelve digits. It's not that Lord Mang wouldn't give you more, but if you tried to write eighteen or nineteen digits, the entire human civilization's economic system would probably collapse."
"Lord Mang said that anyone who has contributed to the Stellaris, even if they later leave the train and find their place in human civilization, will never be forgotten. These heroes and their descendants will always live comfortably within human society."
"It's not a loan."
"No repayment required."
"Lord Mang has been too busy lately to focus on this, but I just spoke with him. The train definitely needs a proper retirement process."
"Thank you, Lord Mang! Thank you, Lord Mang!"
Erdan's eyes reddened as he accepted the check with trembling hands, his voice shaking. "I never thought Lord Mang would still remember me."
He used to drink with Lord Mang, their arms slung around each other's shoulders.
But...
So much time had passed. Their positions were now worlds apart. Hearing from Chen Mang again, he couldn't possibly feel as relaxed as he once had.
"Don't worry," Xiao Ai said with a smile. "Your AI is my friend. With that connection, what's there to fear? Just go for it! You won't lose anything."
"Lord Mang said we should drink together again when he has time."
"I'll head in first."
"Contact me if you need anything else," Xiao Ai said.
"Okay, okay," Erdan replied.
Erdan watched Xiao Ai and the others walk away, took a deep breath, rubbed his eyes, and looked up at the sky. As if sensing Lord Mang's gaze, he tucked the check into his chest pocket and strode off into the distance.
Human civilization!
He was determined to make his mark within human civilization!
With human civilization thriving, he believed he could succeed, especially with Lord Mang's favor.
But this was his only chance. If he failed again, he wouldn't have the face to ask Lord Mang for help again. Even if Lord Mang would likely still give it, it would feel like humiliating himself.
On the Stellaris train, many people had recently retired from frontline duties, stepping down from their positions on the train to find new roles within the civilization.
After all, as the train continued to evolve, many found themselves unable to keep up with its rapid development.
The Stellaris was advancing too quickly.
Not everyone could keep pace.
The original residents of the Stellaris had long since retired, leaving only the Cyber Miners. Others, like Zhang Yiren and his group, had also retired early, but they still occasionally returned to the Stellaris.
Part of the reason was sentimental attachment.
Another factor was that not everyone had the opportunity to visit the Stellaris, making it a form of Dimensional Reduction propaganda.
For example, imagine you have a competitor who frequently strolls through the Heavenly Palace. How would you feel? What's the point of competing? Even if the Heavenly Palace doesn't explicitly support them, this alone is enough.
And that's not even mentioning...
If you try any underhanded tactics, you'll quickly understand why the Heavenly Palace is called the Heavenly Palace.
"How wonderful," the dwarf murmured, standing at the entrance of a shop in Taiping City. He watched President Ai and his entourage enter the park from a distance, without approaching to greet them. His voice carried a hint of wistful nostalgia. He had once shared a connection with Lord Mang.
Lord Mang had even personally delivered resources to them and taken them to play in Neon City.
Time flowed relentlessly, and many relationships gradually faded into memory. Lord Mang hadn't contacted him in ages, and he naturally wouldn't bother reaching out himself. Yet whenever he recalled those days, he felt a strange sense of unreality.
It had only been a few years.
But it felt like decades had passed.
Just then—
The motion-sensing lucky cat at the shop's entrance chimed, "Welcome!"
"Coming, coming!"
The dwarf man hastily averted his gaze, forcing a smile as he hurried forward to greet the newcomer. "Browse freely, browse freely."
Yes.
This shop was his.
A "Figure Shop."
Selling all sorts of figurines.
But as soon as he recognized the visitor, he curled his lip. "Oh, it's just you. I thought we had a customer. What a letdown."
The young man before him was a friend he'd made during the apocalypse. When Lord Mang had come to deliver resources to him, he'd brought some for this guy too.
And this guy was something else!
He'd once given Lord Mang an "oxygen generator," and that connection had earned him plenty of favors afterward.
"It'd be a miracle if we got any customers."
The young man sighed deeply, gazing at the towering female figures lining the Figure Shop. "How many times have I told you? Stop projecting your personal tastes onto the market. No one wants to buy three-meter-tall female figures."
"Even if you like them, why not use them as eye-catching displays to attract customers, then sell smaller, more marketable figures?"
"You don't understand. This is called 'vertical niche marketing.' I'm not going to be a small fish in a big pond; I'd rather be king of a tiny pond. The reason there's no one here is simply because the niche is too small—there aren't many potential customers to begin with. But once someone comes, they'll keep me afloat for three years."
"That's not a vertical niche; that's a niche in the underworld."
"Whatever."
The young man waved his hand dismissively, dropping the argument. He turned to the dwarf with a serious expression. "I've found a great project recently. Want to join me? I think you'll be interested."
"What kind of project?"
"The Women's Kingdom."
The young man leaned in close to the dwarf's ear and whispered, "Have you seen the women from Black Tortoise Star? They're all so radiant and ethereal. And the best part? Once they reach a certain cultivation level, they don't even need to poop!"
"A goddess who doesn't poop—do you realize how irresistible that is?"
"Many women from cultivation civilizations have come to Aquablue Star. After experiencing our prosperity, they're reluctant to leave and are actively seeking employment. My idea is to create a 'Daughter Kingdom' where..."
A moment later, the dwarf, having grasped the gist of the plan, hesitated slightly. "How much startup capital would we need? I might not have enough."
"We'll each contribute half—one hundred million each."
"That much? You're practically emptying my entire fortune!"
"Ahem. I might have forgotten to mention earlier that I've contacted a Female Cultivation Sect. They want to relocate their entire sect to Aquablue Star and have been searching for someone to fully accommodate their members' employment. My Daughter Kingdom plan is based on this sect."
"And? Do you think I'm some kind of lecher? I don't let lust cloud my investment decisions. You should at least provide me with a detailed business plan."
"Every member of this Female Cultivation Sect knows the Heaven-Shaking Earth-Transforming technique."
"I already said—"
"Each member can transform into a thousand-zhang giant, towering between heaven and earth."
"You mean...?" The dwarf man froze, his throat bobbing slightly. "A thousand zhang? A thousand zhang tall?"
"Yes."
"Then... then can we... you know... do that?"
"If the money's right, anything's possible."
The dwarf man leaped to his feet, slamming his palm against the counter. His face flushed with excitement as he roared, "I'm in! I have to invest in this project! This is the final battle of my life, where I'll stake my entire reputation!"
He had no particular hobbies in life, except for this one obsession.
It was like a fatal weakness.
He couldn't resist it.
Once a person has a fatal weakness, though it becomes a flaw, it also grants them a unique kind of happiness that others can't comprehend.
The young man couldn't help but smile at the dwarf man's fervor. Finding a true friend in this world was rare enough, but finding one who had survived the apocalypse together was even rarer.
Looking back on their first meeting with Lord Mang, he couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.
Lord Mang had been so decisive back then. How had he been so resolute?
"Oh, right—"
The dwarf man suddenly remembered something and asked, "What about your old man? Still slacking off?"
"Don't even mention him. Just thinking about him makes my blood boil."
The young man waved his hand dismissively. "He's gone completely mad. All I did was make him mine a little longer during the apocalypse, and now he's completely let himself go. He refuses to work and openly mooches off me."
"He keeps saying he worked so hard during the apocalypse and now that it's finally over, he deserves to enjoy himself."
"All he does is eat, drink, and play all day."
"He's living a much more carefree life than I am."
"Well, that's not so bad. Out of all the people on Aquablue Star, only a few still have their parents. If you've got a living dad, you should count yourself lucky."
"True."
The young man chuckled. "As long as he doesn't give me a little brother, he can do whatever he wants. That mining really wore him out back then."
"You're one to talk! How could you make your own dad mine all day?"
"Hey, you're a train conductor—you know things were different back then. Back then, even if Laozi himself showed up, he'd have to swing a pickaxe before getting anywhere."
Just then—
The motion-sensing lucky cat by the shop entrance chimed again.
"Welcome!"
"Another customer!"
The dwarf's eyes lit up again as he looked up at the young man entering the shop. "Welcome! This is a specialty figure shop. Is there anything you're interested in?"
"I'm not here to buy anything," the young man said with a smile.
The dwarf's smile gradually faded, his expression turning blank as he stared at the young man. Is this place some kind of chaotic mess? Why is everyone who comes here not a customer?
"So, what do you want?"
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Zhang Yiren, a pioneer in the human civilization's film industry. I used to be Lord Mang's personal director on the Stellaris train, and I've filmed many movies for the Stellaris."
The dwarf glanced at the business card Zhang Yiren offered, his breathing growing rapid. After confirming the name, he realized he had seen this man's face countless times in videos—it was strikingly familiar.
Suddenly remembering something, his eyes reddened slightly as he spoke:
"Summoned, we return; returned, we fight; fighting, we conquer!"
"Uh, Lord Mang didn't send me. I'm here on my own initiative. I've already gotten approval from President Ai to make a film about Lord Mang's life. To ensure authenticity, I want to invite real people who knew him to participate in the production."
"You knew Lord Mang from the very beginning."
"Lord Mang's autobiography mentions you. It says you were incredibly arrogant back then, driving a Tier 2 train through the wasteland at night, blasting DJ music at full volume. But just a few days later, you were chased back in disgrace by a Spider Boss."
"I'd like you to play that role."
"But brother, I can't act!"
"Just be yourself."
Before the dwarf could respond, Zhang Yiren cleared his throat and said meaningfully, "This film has been authorized and supported by Stellaris. It's an official production, intended for all audiences, and will be used in future interactions with other civilizations."
"Being involved in this film is a civilization-level honor."
"This opportunity isn't something everyone gets."
"Why don't you both think it over carefully and give me your answer later?"
"Huh?" The young man standing nearby perked up. "Is there something for me too?"
"Of course. The autobiography mentions you as well—the guy who delivered the Oxygen Machine. You didn't have a name, though."
"But that doesn't matter."
"I've reviewed Lord Mang's autobiography thoroughly, and you're not the only nameless character. Take some time to consider it. I need to go find someone to play Master Kun next. That'll be a tough one."
"I'll be waiting for your reply."
(End of the Chapter)
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