My Apocalypse Train

Translator: AnubisTL

Accessory Name: Moldy Bread Slice Production Line

Grade: White

Tier: 1

Effect: Consumes 1 unit of iron ore to produce 10 moldy bread slices.

Upgrade Requirement: 100 units of iron ore

"..."

Chen Mang stared expressionlessly at the panel. He finally understood why Master Kun usually didn't feed his slaves to their fill. It wasn't out of cruelty; moldy bread slices were simply too expensive.

Ten moldy bread slices required a full unit of iron ore. If each slave were fed to their fill, that would mean 10 slices per day. With 81 slaves in total, the daily cost of bread slices alone would amount to 81 units of iron ore—a significant expenditure.

No wonder Master Kun wouldn't even invest in Universal Wheels, let alone feed his slaves properly. After all, mining days weren't guaranteed. Without ore, the cost of feeding slaves would be pure loss. Now Chen Mang understood why slaves were only given basic sustenance during mining days.

Quite expensive.

However, Chen Mang had no immediate plans to upgrade this accessory. Since it was only for the slaves' consumption, it was sufficient for now. He couldn't afford to waste iron ore on this. Once the train reached Tier 2, he'd upgrade the production line to see if he could make it produce non-moldy buns. He didn't want his slaves falling ill from eating moldy food every day.

Next, Chen Mang built another production line and placed it in Living Compartment No. 3.

Steamed Bun Production Line

This production line required 100 steamed buns. After testing, he discovered that even moldy buns could be used as materials, so he used all the captured moldy buns as materials.

By this point—

Living Compartment No. 3 was crammed full. In addition to Old Pig's bed, it housed the [Steamed Bun Production Line], [Pure Water Filter], [Moldy Bread Slice Production Line], and various pots, pans, and utensils. It was also where all the thugs lived.

Carriage No. 2, on the other hand, was piled with large equipment: the [Pickaxe Production Line], [Soaring Dragon Assault Rifle Production Line], [Mineral Resources], and [Heavy Machine Gun Bullets].

Chen Mang glanced at the panel of the [Steamed Bun Production Line] once more.

[Accessory Name:] Steamed Bun Production Line

[Accessory Grade:] White

[Accessory Tier:] 1

[Effect:] Consumes 1 unit of iron ore to produce 1 steamed bun.

[Upgrade Requirements:] 100 units of iron ore.

"Hmm."

Chen Mang sighed softly. For the foreseeable future, this would be his staple food. It had to be said, steamed buns were far more expensive than bread slices. He'd upgrade it when he had surplus iron ore.

For now, steamed buns and pickles were enough to sustain him.

It was worth noting that the steamed buns produced by the Steamed Bun Production Line were plump and white, not moldy. This meant that the moldy steamed buns Master Kun had given him earlier were simply old and spoiled.

Notably, the Pure Water Filter in Carriage No. 3 had never been used. He'd been relying on captured mineral water. The filter's effect was to convert any liquid, including urine and blood, into pure water, and it was shaped like a toilet.

He hadn't collected slave urine, mainly because there was only one filter, and he'd have to drink the water it produced. He found that a bit hard to stomach. Once the slaves returned today, he'd upgrade the filter. Then it could directly produce bottled mineral water.

If producing a bottle of mineral water becomes too expensive, we'll build another "Pure Water Filter" specifically for collecting urine and other waste for the slaves.

Once these three production lines are established, the train will have a basic guarantee of food, drink, and waste management. That's why I didn't join the excitement last night. Apart from knowing our train's strength meant we wouldn't get a share of the spoils, I also understood that not every day brings a mine to exploit.

Take Master Kun, for example. He spent three days resting in the wasteland before finally obtaining the coordinates for a mine.

When there's a mine to exploit, it's best to focus solely on mining. Don't scatter your efforts haphazardly; you'll end up with nothing to show for it.

While Chen Mang was planning the train's future inside the locomotive cabin, Old Pig was in Carriage No. 3, organizing the daily routines—seemingly trivial tasks that were actually crucial. This included tallying the daily iron ore contributions from the slaves, distributing food, inventory checks, and other essential processes.

As for Biaozi, he was leading Black Rat and another old subordinate, his expression dark, to confront the thug who had defied his orders the previous day. Last night, when he had ordered other thugs to stand guard, none of them followed his commands, leading to a critical failure that left a poor impression on Lord Mang.

He had clearly become the thug boss.

Yet some still didn't fully acknowledge his authority.

So today, he needed to firmly establish his authority. He couldn't afford to have anyone defy his orders again.

Establishing authority was simple.

Biaozi found the man who had openly mocked him last night and, without a word, punched him hard. Then, with Black Rat and another thug, they proceeded to beat him relentlessly.

Last night, when he gave orders, the others pretended not to hear. But this man not only ignored him, he even scoffed.

A troublemaker?

He was exactly the kind of troublemaker he wanted to teach a lesson!

"Lord Mang!! Lord Mang!!"

The troublemaker clearly hadn't expected such brutal simplicity from Biaozi and his men. Clutching his head, he rolled hysterically on the ground, screaming, "Biaozi is causing an internal conflict, Lord Mang!"

Seeing this, Biaozi instinctively paused mid-punch. After a few breaths, with only the man's screams echoing across the wasteland and no sign of Lord Mang emerging, Biaozi grinned widely and slowly rolled up his sleeves.

"That was just an appetizer."

"Now comes the main course."

"And remember, call me Brother Biao from now on."

"..."

Inside the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang casually glanced out the window before returning his attention to the "newbie guide" on his control console. Much of the information was currently beyond his reach, but understanding it in advance would prepare him for future encounters.

Most of the content focused on beginners, with minimal information about Tier 2 trains, let alone Tier 3 or higher.

For example, he had just learned that after upgrading to a Tier 2 train, one of the unlocked accessories was the "Built-in Security System." This system allowed for the installation of inward-facing heavy machine guns in every corner of the carriages.

With this system in place, a mere thought from him would bury every carbon-based lifeform on the train—except himself—in pools of blood.

It was, in essence, a "Train Reorganization Key." Not only would it allow him to replace his thugs, slaves, and even the deputy train conductor with fresh personnel, but it would also reinforce the train conductor's absolute control over the train. In the event of catastrophic damage that rendered the train immobile and allowed enemies to breach the carriages, this system would serve as the final line of defense.

The more he understood, the more he realized what a lavish luxury it was for Master Kun to possess 300 slaves.

Master Kun's strength didn't even warrant owning 300 slaves.

These 300 slaves could produce approximately 3,000 units of iron ore daily. If they could guarantee a steady supply of mines, it would take no more than a month to acquire a fully equipped Tier 2 train.

However—

When he confiscated Master Kun's remaining resources, he discovered the man's reserves were pitifully meager. It was unclear where all the iron ore had gone, and the train itself lacked any high-grade accessories. Surely Master Kun hadn't been unable to find a mine all this time?

(End of the Chapter)

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