The above summarizes all the changes and new functionalities after the Stellar Train was upgraded to Level 3.
As for the newly added "Immediate Ejection" button, it's quite straightforward.
When the Train encounters an insurmountable crisis, pressing this button will eject the Train Conductor from the control seat into the sky. Whether there's a parachute or how one would survive in the Doomsday Abyss without the Train is not the button's concern.
Its only job is to eject.
The rest is beyond its scope.
After ejection, the Train will automatically initiate an irreversible 10-second countdown before exploding.
Experiencing a no-rope bungee jump before death might actually be quite interesting. After all, Chen Mang believed that 90% of the world's population had never tried such a niche extreme sport. It would be a worthwhile experience before meeting one's end.
"Phew—"
Chen Mang exhaled deeply, leaning back in his recliner with slight fatigue. Although he hadn't done any physical labor, inspecting each Vehicle Component's information, pondering their usage scenarios, and checking for subtle changes on the control panel was mentally exhausting.
It wasn't physically taxing, but it was mentally draining.
He lit a cigarette, letting it dangle from his lips as he leaned back in his chair. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to relax and picked up the intercom: "Send Ji Chuchu over."
Soon—
"Lord Mang."
The Train room door slowly opened, and Ji Chuchu, looking pitifully obedient, walked in. She knelt on the floor as usual, awaiting instructions.
"Hmm?"
Chen Mang glanced at Ji Chuchu, his brows slightly furrowed. He remembered she wasn't wearing this outfit last time. Today, she had changed into a white strapless dress, low-cut and seemingly without undergarments, giving her an aura of purity, like an untouchable fairy.
This starkly contrasted with her kneeling posture, which exuded submission.
"Where did you get those clothes?"
He hadn't changed his own clothes for days, yet here was a Slave already in fresh attire. Was her living condition better than his?
"I borrowed them from a friend when I heard you were calling for me."
"Why?"
"I was afraid you might get bored. A change of clothes might make things feel fresh."
"..."
Chen Mang didn't respond, only nodding silently. It was a reasonable and thoughtful move. He scrutinized Ji Chuchu kneeling on the floor and beckoned her over.
Ji Chuchu, ever obedient, walked over and knelt in front of him, placing her arms on her legs as she waited patiently.
"Good."
Chen Mang hooked his leg around Ji Chuchu, pulling her under the control panel. He lay back in his chair, patting her head: "Begin."
Three minutes later.
Chen Mang frowned and reopened his eyes. Something felt off. He then spent some time browsing the control panel screen until he found a variety show Ji Chuchu had once participated in. After clicking play, he nodded in satisfaction and leaned back in his chair.
Now it felt right.
On the variety show, Ji Chuchu appeared as a goddess, her eyes sparkling as she covered her mouth while laughing, seemingly untouchable.
Yet under the control panel, she exhibited a completely different demeanor.
This contrast was what he enjoyed.
In his previous life, he had experienced too much, raising his threshold to the point where ordinary interactions no longer stirred him. He preferred these mental and emotional experiences.
Fifteen minutes later.
Chen Mang placed his feet on Ji Chuchu's shoulders as she knelt obediently beside him. He lit a cigarette, relaxed, and chuckled softly: "Speak. What reward do you want?"
"Lord Mang."
Ji Chuchu, still kneeling, massaged Chen Mang's calves with her delicate hands and whispered: "Chuchu is already a Level 1 Slave. I don't need to do any daily chores."
"Moreover, Lord Mang is the strongest and most charismatic Train Conductor I've ever met. Since the Doomsday began, I've never felt as safe as I do on this Train."
"Chuchu is already very content."
"If..."
"If possible, I have a best friend, also a celebrity, named Yan Yao."
"She's even more beautiful than me, and she's still a virgin. Shortly after the Doomsday began, I lost contact with her. The last time we spoke, she said she was hiding in the safe room of her villa in Shahe City, in the Shahe Plain. By now, her food and water reserves should be running low."
"Lord Mang, if you meet her, you'll surely like her."
"..."
Chen Mang's smile gradually faded, and he looked at Ji Chuchu with a calm expression. After a long pause, he exhaled a thin stream of pale blue smoke into her face and said softly: "You want me to travel that far to save someone?"
The Shahe Plain was a green zone.
It bordered the Iron Ridge Wasteland, located at the northernmost edge of the wasteland. Crossing the Doomsday Abyss and heading north for about an hour would lead to the Shahe Plain.
Ji Chuchu didn't dare meet Lord Mang's gaze, lowering her head as she removed Chen Mang's shoes and socks, gently massaging his calves.
Chen Mang didn't say anything more, only speaking nonchalantly after a moment.
"Is there really someone that pure in the entertainment industry?"
"Whenever investors approached her, I would take the fall for her."
"That's quite noble of you."
"She came from a wealthy family, while I didn't. She helped me a lot in the past. One more drop of ink on a piece of paper doesn't make much of a difference."
"So she's not as skilled as you?"
"I'll teach her."
"How?"
Ji Chuchu looked up into Chen Mang's eyes and slowly placed his toes in her mouth, mumbling softly: "Like this. Is this okay?"
"Has she been on variety shows?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Chen Mang nodded, leaning back in his chair again. He waved his hand tiredly: "Go for now. If we ever head to the Shahe Plain, I'll consider stopping by Shahe City."
In Thug Car No. 5.
Lao Zhu, who had been whispering with Biao Zi, coughed lightly and pretended to discuss serious matters by looking out the window as Ji Chuchu returned.
Only after Ji Chuchu walked to the back of the car did the two exchange glances, their eyes filled with concern.
"What do we do?"
Biao Zi looked at Lao Zhu with a complicated expression: "Lord Mang called Ji Chuchu over again. This is the second time. How do we handle her?"
"Didn't you claim to be the best at solving such problems?"
"Think of something."
Last time, he had been ready to make a move.
But Ji Chuchu had eaten too much, so he didn't proceed. Up until now, no one on the Stellar Train had done anything with Ji Chuchu.
"Phew—"
Lao Zhu took a deep breath, his brows tightly knit, and said hoarsely: "Let's sort this out first. Lord Mang has called Ji Chuchu in twice now, which means he's quite satisfied with her service."
"At this point, neither of us can touch her."
"Being in the same circle as a superior, even peripherally, is a big taboo. If Lord Mang had lost interest, it would've been fine. But he called her again, which makes it inappropriate."
"But Lord Mang also promised the Slaves."
"He's likely caught in a dilemma—he enjoys Ji Chuchu's service but can't publicly go back on his promise without losing face."
"Since he likes her, he can't let the other Slaves have her."
"So..."
"So what's the solution?" Biao Zi asked impatiently.
"I don't know."
Lao Zhu scratched his head anxiously: "The main issue is that I can't read Lord Mang's true intentions. Maybe he doesn't care at all, and we're just overcomplicating things."
"Should we ask him?"
"Are you crazy? Even if Lord Mang is in a bind, would he admit it?"
"Here's what we'll do."
Lao Zhu took a deep breath and came up with a solution: "If we let Ji Chuchu go and it turns out we misunderstood Lord Mang's intentions, he might get angry."
"But if Lord Mang doesn't have such intentions and we act on our own, he'll also get angry."
"Choose the lesser of two evils."
"Clearly, the latter would result in lighter consequences. So we'll proceed with the second assumption. Ji Chuchu definitely can't be let go, and in reality, she can't be let go anyway."
"Lord Mang said the Slave with the highest mining output could have her."
"But the top hundred miners are all Goblins. They don't care about women, only mining. They don't even glance at Ji Chuchu. So it works out perfectly."
"This is the best solution I can think of."
"What do you think?"
Biao Zi spread his hands, looking helpless: "Train Conductor Zhu, I'm just a fighter. You're the Deputy Train Conductor. This is your call."
"Fine."
Lao Zhu steeled himself, gritting his teeth: "I'll take responsibility. If Lord Mang questions us, I'll handle it. Let's proceed."
As Biao Zi walked away, Lao Zhu exhaled deeply, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He slumped into his seat and sighed.
Being the Deputy Train Conductor wasn't easy.
Especially since...
He couldn't read Lord Mang's thoughts. Although he wasn't skilled at deciphering superiors' intentions, he usually had a rough idea. But with Lord Mang, he was completely in the dark.
He truly didn't know what Lord Mang was thinking.
As a second-in-command, the primary task was often to read between the lines and handle matters the superior couldn't voice openly.
Staying in the second-in-command position for long wasn't easy. Often, when things went wrong, the fallout landed on the second-in-command.
Soon—
It was time for the Slaves to finish their work for the day.
The Stellar Train was bustling as the Slaves handed in their pickaxes and lined up to receive their evening meals.
Meanwhile, Chen Mang sat in the Train room, looking at the Train Panel.
Before upgrading the Train to Level 4, he needed to complete a Train Profession Change Quest to determine the Train's direction. Only after completing the quest could the Train upgrade to Level 4, and the quest could only be completed in green zones.
Once the quest was completed and the Train upgraded, returning to lower-level zones would be impossible.
He wouldn't head to higher-level zones until all the resource mines in the Iron Ridge Wasteland were depleted.
However—
It didn't hurt to look at the quests in advance.
The Flesh Train had five different quests to choose from. Completing any one of them would allow the Train to upgrade.
"Flesh Train Profession Change Quests."
"S-Rank Difficulty": Kill three Level 6 monsters.
"A-Rank Difficulty": Kill three Level 5 monsters.
"B-Rank Difficulty": Kill one Level 5 monster.
"C-Rank Difficulty": Kill one Level 4 monster.
"D-Rank Difficulty": Kill one Level 3 monster.
The S-Rank quest was absurd. Killing three Level 6 monsters with a Level 3 Train? Honestly, Chen Mang didn't know who could pull it off, except perhaps himself.
If the resource mines in the Iron Ridge Wasteland provided enough materials to upgrade the Armor to Level 6 and the firepower Accessory Level, he could do it.
As for other Trains—
He couldn't imagine how they could complete this quest without the "Infinite Upgrade" Level 0 privilege. Green-tier Vehicle Components could only be upgraded to Level 3, and yellow-tier components to Level 5.
Without blue-tier firepower components, they wouldn't even be able to penetrate the monsters' defenses.
Even with blue-tier firepower components, without sufficiently leveled Armor, the Train could easily be dismantled by a Level 6 monster charging through the firepower.
The S-Rank quest was nearly impossible.
The D-Rank quest, however, was relatively simple. A normally developed Level 3 Train, not one that had been upgraded to the extreme, could easily kill a Level 3 monster.
But the quest could only be completed in green zones, and killing a Level 3 monster in a green zone wasn't easy. While you might avoid high-level monsters, they would chase you down.
The quality of the "Unknown Large Firepower Component" obtained after completing the quest varied based on the difficulty level.
D-Rank would yield a green-tier component, C-Rank yellow, B-Rank blue, A-Rank purple, and S-Rank red.
Additionally, completing higher-difficulty quests would display a higher potential level on the Train Panel.
Higher potential levels could lead to many Fortuitous Encounters in the future.
In higher-level zones, the Train's name on the leaderboard would also include its profession direction and potential level.
This explained why the dozen or so Level 3 Trains in the Iron Ridge Wasteland were reluctant to leave for green zones.
Firstly, the Iron Ridge Wasteland was relatively safe, while green zones were much more dangerous. They wanted to build up their resources before heading there.
Secondly, they aimed to complete higher-difficulty quests to obtain higher-tier "Unknown Large Firepower Components."
After upgrading to Level 3, none of the nine craftable components were external firepower components.
From Level 1 to Level 3, the only firepower component available was the "Makes
hift Heavy Machine Gun."
Even for a Level 3 Train, the "Makeshift Heavy Machine Gun" remained the primary means of attack.
In other words—
The "Unknown Large Firepower Component" was the only firepower component for a Level 3 Train, and it was a heavy firepower component. It was likely the Train's greatest asset when venturing into green zones.
Naturally, the higher the tier, the better.
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