My Apocalypse Train

Translator: Anubis Translations

Time always flew by quickly.

In the blink of an eye, it was already dark. Chen Mang had spent almost the entire day inside the train, studying his newbie guide and examining the train's existing components.

Since he possessed the Infinite Upgrade plugin, White Grade train components were clearly inferior to higher-grade components. After all, his high-grade components could also be infinitely upgraded.

He currently only had two high-grade train components, both Red Grade:

Tier 2 Geothermal Core FurnaceTier 1 Wheel Changer

Both components were auxiliary-type. The Geothermal Core Furnace primarily consumed abandoned trains and other scrap to break them down into iron ore resources. The Wheel Changer allowed him to replace wheels while the train was in motion, enabling it to adapt to different terrains.

However—

Upgrading the Geothermal Core Furnace from Tier 1 to Tier 2 required only 100 units of iron ore, but upgrading from Tier 2 to Tier 3 required 10,000 units. Each upgrade allowed it to break down corresponding-Tier abandoned trains.

Upgrading the Wheel Changer to Tier 2 required a full 10,000 units of iron ore. Each upgrade added an additional Wheel slot.

According to the information in the newbie guide...

The higher the grade of the train component, the more resources are required for each upgrade. Therefore, Chen Mang had clearly mapped out his strategy: in the early stages, with limited resources, he would prioritize upgrading White Grade train components.

He didn't need to upgrade them too high; just to the point where they gained an Overpowered Effect, such as Tier 5 Vehicle Blade, would mark his first qualitative leap.

This way, he could achieve the greatest enhancement with the least amount of resources.

Then, leveraging this enhanced performance, he would plunder or extract more resources, continuously upgrading his train's Tier until he could raise the higher-grade train components to sufficient Tiers.

When that time came—

His train would undergo a true qualitative transformation!

"What a beautiful plan."

Inside the locomotive cabin, Chen Mang sighed deeply, rubbing his slightly dry eyes. The plan was flawless, but the path to its execution was arduous and fraught with challenges. This wasn't a game where he could afford ample time to develop; unforeseen incidents could disrupt his progress at any moment.

All he could do was minimize these disruptions, focusing on steady development whenever possible.

And now!

The last slave emerged from the mine. This mining session had far exceeded the usual ten-hour limit, averaging around twelve hours, with the longest stretch lasting fourteen hours.

The results far exceeded his expectations.

He chuckled softly and immediately stepped out of the locomotive cabin, waving to Old Pig, who was standing by at the train entrance. "Gather all the slaves."

"Understood," Old Pig replied respectfully, nodding and handing over a prepared list. "Lord Mang, here's today's mining ranking for all the slaves."

Night had fallen.

Chen Mang stood alone on the train's roof, braving the wind, while a crowd of ragged slaves gathered below, their eyes shining with anticipation.

Though numerous, their presence in the vast wasteland only amplified a profound sense of loneliness.

Thugs armed with firearms stood guard around the perimeter, vigilant against potential dangers. No slave would attempt escape in the wasteland; sticking together offered a semblance of safety. Alone, relying solely on their feet, escape was impossible—a lifetime trapped within the desolate expanse. The constant threat of death bred a despair so profound it felt like the very definition of hopelessness.

Humans, regardless of circumstances, are social creatures.

Even as slaves, being part of a group was preferable to being abandoned in the wasteland.

Chen Mang's gaze swept over the assembled slaves, feeling the cool night breeze. After glancing at the list in his hand, he couldn't help but smile. "Everyone performed admirably today. Even the least productive slave managed to mine 11 units of Iron Ore."

"Excellent!"

"What pleases me most is that none of you have given up simply because you couldn't compete for first place. Everyone has worked tirelessly. A team's potential is often limited by its weakest member, so I hope you all maintain this mining pace and strive to reach even greater heights."

"Tonight, everyone gets two extra slices of bread."

"Additionally—"

"First place: Zhang Haoping, with 20 ores mined today."

"Step forward. Let me see you."

As the words faded, a weathered middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd and stood in the open space, looking up at Chen Mang. In a somewhat clumsy voice, he said, "Lord Mang, it's me."

"Not bad."

Chen Mang sized up the man. In the dim night, he could faintly see the man's legs trembling—he looked genuinely exhausted from the day's labor. Smiling, Chen Mang waved his hand. "As previously agreed, choose one of these two women."

The seemingly naive man pointed without hesitation at the taller woman, grinning excitedly. "Lord Mang, I'll take this one. She's tall—I like tall women."

A low chuckle rippled through the crowd, but no one dared voice their thoughts aloud.

"She's yours for the night."

Chen Mang waved his hand, and the tall woman standing before the group of slaves immediately slinked over to the burly man. She bent down and nudged his forehead with her nose, her voice carrying a playful tone.

"Still got some strength left?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The exhausted man straightened up instantly, his voice hoarse but filled with anticipation. "I've got nothing but brute strength left in me."

Chen Mang smiled but said nothing more. He glanced down at the list in his hand and continued.

"Second, Li Kui. Today's mining quota: 16 pieces."

"The remaining one is yours for the night."

"And—"

"If everyone maintains a daily mining quota of at least 11 for the next five days, you'll still get five slices of bread per day even when there's no more mining to do. If you can maintain a daily quota of at least 12, we'll add another carriage to the train."

His voice trailed off.

A wave of excited cheers erupted from the crowd, as this directly benefited each and every one of them.

Every additional carriage meant more spacious accommodations, no more cramped sleeping quarters, and no more worrying about slaves returning from the toilet trampling over them.

After completing everything, Chen Mang finally descended from the train roof. Biaozi, standing nearby, immediately waved his hand, signaling the distribution of dinner. Each slave received two extra slices of bread, while the top three were given warm steamed buns and pickles separately.

"Lord Mang," Old Pig said, waiting below with a wistful expression, "I must say that women are often excellent mood stimulants."

"But you're also incredibly generous, Lord Mang. Most train conductors wouldn't easily hand over such a beautiful woman to their subordinates."

"After all, cosmetics are hard to find in the apocalypse, and there aren't many clean, stylish clothes. A woman with such a natural beauty and figure is an absolute rarity in these times."

"A true treasure."

(End of the Chapter)

📚 Read [MAT] on Patreon.com/AnubisTL – Up to c80. [+15]

☕ Support me and Read Ahead for just $5/mo.

🎯 Translated [3] Novels [1.05M+] Words and counting!