My Apocalypse Train

Translator: AnubisTL

Soon after—

Every slave had a Tier 2 pickaxe in hand. Perhaps because this mine was open-air, the train conductor stood nearby, personally supervising. Each slave worked with utmost effort, rolling up their sleeves and swinging their pickaxes in wide arcs, slamming them down hard on the protruding Iron Ore.

For a moment, the darkness was filled with the heavy panting of the slaves.

The next moment!

In the night, Chen Mang, at the control panel, cranked the External Speaker to maximum volume. A thunderous, high-energy DJ track blasted into every slave's ears. Then, a woman stood atop the slave car, swaying her body to the music in the dim light.

The lighting was dim, making it difficult to make out the woman's figure clearly. But this very obscurity, in the lonely darkness, lent a unique, absurd, and deathly beauty.

"See that old hen over there?!"

Chen Mang grinned, standing inside the train, and shouted through the walkie-talkie, "Once we've mined out these two Iron Ore deposits, we'll stew it for you all to eat meat and drink soup! Everyone gets meat, everyone gets soup!"

"Want to eat steamed buns dipped in meat broth?"

The words fell silent.

The slaves, their eyes fixed on the train conductor standing by the locomotive cabin window, couldn't help but imagine the taste of steamed buns dipped in rich meat broth. They unconsciously licked their lips, their throats bobbing with anticipation. Their eyes blazed with excitement as they roared, "Yes!"

Chen Mang's neck veins bulged as he gripped the walkie-talkie and continued to shout with fervent passion, "See that woman dancing? Is she beautiful? But let me tell you, if you work hard, a woman of her caliber is nothing!"

"Yesterday, I went to the Gathering and saw Ji Chuchu, a rising star!"

"Do you all know Ji Chuchu?"

"If you work hard, I'll snatch her for you!"

"Tell me, do you want her?!"

"Does anyone want her?!"

At this, the slaves, already brimming with energy, completely exploded. They exchanged glances in the darkness, their eyes alight with excitement. Raising their pickaxes, they roared in unison, "Yes!"

"I never thought I'd have a chance like this in my life!"

"Are we even slaves anymore? Before the apocalypse, I wasn't a slave, but I never had a chance to play around either."

"Lord Mang, rest assured, we'll work hard. Anyone slacking off will be dealt with first!"

"Lord Mang, is this true? Do we really have a chance?"

"Heh."

Chen Mang chuckled, gripping the walkie-talkie tightly. "I, Chen Mang, have never broken my word. Once we've mined all the Iron Ore and Copper Ore, I'll personally snatch Ji Chuchu and reward you all!"

"Everyone gets a share."

"Even as slaves, you are my slaves. My slaves are not on the same Tier as anyone else's."

"The other train conductors aren't even worthy of playing with her. I'll let you all have your fill until you're sick of it."

"As long as you work hard with me, you'll live a better life than you did before the apocalypse!"

"Now, get back to work!"

The booming DJ music erupted again, deafening and electrifying the slaves' nerves. Especially after this pep talk, their enthusiasm surged.

...

Chen Mang stood before the locomotive cabin window, watching the slaves swinging their pickaxes in the darkness. He rubbed his dry throat and chuckled softly, saying nothing.

Ji Chuchu: A-list actress.

He thought to himself, I've never even met a top-tier female celebrity before.

But...

Rather than paying 50,000 Units of Iron Ore, I'd prefer to take my fully-equipped Tier 2 train and just snatch Ji Chuchu back.

Trading is for building guns, and building guns is for seizing grain. If I have to keep trading after building guns, what's the point of building them in the first place? I didn't go through all this trouble, digging for Iron Ore and Copper Ore in the Doomsday Abyss, just because I had nothing better to do.

"What a beautiful sound," Chen Mang murmured, a slight smile playing on his lips as he listened to the crisp clang of pickaxes striking Iron Ore outside the train. The water glass in his hand seemed to transform into a glass of red wine at that moment. His grand train scheme was officially underway!

One day... my train will become the most terrifying presence on the wasteland.

Among the slaves, a middle-aged man covered in dust was also smiling, swinging his pickaxe with gusto. It was clear he was in a good mood.

"Uncle Li," a young man panted as he approached, winking playfully. "Looks like you're quite taken with this Ji Chuchu, huh? Smiling so happily?"

After spending these days together, he already knew the Middle Class man's name from before the apocalypse, but he preferred to call him Uncle Li.

"Ji Chuchu?"

Uncle Li chuckled and shook his head. "It's the apocalypse now, so I won't hide anything from you. Who wouldn't want to have some fun if they get the chance? But that's not what truly makes me happy."

"It's because..."

"Haven't you noticed that besides our Stellaris train, there are no other trains here?"

"Last night, the train literally plunged straight down a sheer cliff face."

"No one has ever exploited the resources here, and no one is competing with us for them."

"This means the train conductor possesses unique and rare methods."

"That's what truly excites me. With so many resources and the conductor's methods, our train is bound to flourish. Our safety will be greatly enhanced. In the apocalypse, survival always comes first."

"Who wouldn't want to follow a train conductor with such strength?"

"Who wouldn't want to feel a little safer?"

"Especially this train conductor. His willingness to offer the old hen and let us play with Ji Chuchu reveals two things."

"First, he's generous enough to share the benefits with those below him."

"Second, he doesn't particularly value these things. Even Ji Chuchu, who others consider incredibly rare, is just another resource to Lord Mang. His ambitions are far greater."

"These two points are what truly make me happy."

"And also..."

"We're currently Second-Tier Slaves, while the new arrivals are Third-Tier Slaves. Given Lord Mang's temperament, he'll undoubtedly seize more slaves in the future. This means that as the train prospers and more slaves join, we have a high chance of escaping slavery."

"As the earliest members, we'll become the lower-Tier managers overseeing the slaves."

"Shouldn't we be thrilled to have been among the first to join a train with such a clear vision, a generous leader, and a clear path to advancement?"

The young man paused, then murmured in a daze, "Uncle Li, you always think so deeply. I was so fixated on Ji Chuchu, I didn't even consider it that way."

"Keep working," Uncle Li said with a smile, patting the young man on the shoulder. He had a clear goal in mind. With his previous management experience and the train's inevitable development, he was confident he could become a grassroots manager.

He hadn't considered this before, believing there would always be slaves. But after the new batch of slaves arrived, he realized that while someone had to be a slave, Lord Mang would seize enough slaves to ensure there were plenty to go around.

This young man was his handpicked confidant, reserved in advance. He planned to groom him now so he wouldn't be left without trusted allies when he rose to power.

Though not the train conductor, Uncle Li believed the train's crude beginnings would eventually evolve into a miniature society. In this society, everyone would contribute their value in exchange for the train's protection.

All he needed was an opportunity to catch Lord Mang's attention during the train's development. Then he could rise above the other slaves.

One day, he might even become the second deputy train conductor!

There could only be one train conductor. But as the train grew and its population increased, there would inevitably be more than one deputy train conductor.

(End of the Chapter)

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