After a moment, Chen Mang pinched out the cigarette that had nearly burned down to his fingertips. He took a deep breath, expelling the heaviness from his chest, and looked up one last time at the sea of stars before turning back to the train.
Against the vast backdrop of the galaxy, that particular string of stars was utterly unremarkable.
So unremarkable that without this Apocalypse Abyss, this planet might have met its end without anyone ever discovering the message it carried.
Back inside the train, Chen Mang sat alone at the control console. It took him a long time to collect himself. The revelation had shaken him more than his transmigration had.
The apocalypse had begun a year ago.
If the countdown started then, he had four years left.
Within four years, he had to build a train powerful enough to fly out of the Nai-Iota System and roam the galaxy. Only then would he have truly escaped this apocalypse.
But...
He looked down at the train's control panel. Could he build the train to that level in just four years? Even if the train had that potential, how many resources would it take? Was it even possible?Still, he had to try.
Chen Mang pushed the doubts aside and focused on the 12,827 units of iron ore displayed on the train's panel. It was time to start building.
His first move was to spend 3,500 units of iron ore upgrading the "Carriage Blades" to Level 10. The resource cost for upgrading white-grade accessories was far lower than for higher-grade ones.
The most obvious change after reaching Level 10 was that the blades had widened again, now extending 120 centimeters, with edges that had grown even thinner. He'd tested them—the thinner blade didn't compromise their hardness at all.
It was worth noting that on the control console, he could see the integrity of each vehicle accessory. So far, all his components were at 100% durability, except for the "Carriage Blades," which had dropped to 97%.
The existence of a visible durability stat meant repairs were possible. However, Lao Zhu didn't know how, the novice guide didn't mention it, and neither the captains of the "Bloodthirsty Bull Train" nor the "Electro-King Train" had any idea.
Their advice was that a 20-30% drop in durability didn't affect performance. If it dropped to 60 or 70%, you had bigger problems to worry about—like staying alive.
And now, at Level 10, the "Carriage Blades"—the very first accessory blueprint he'd acquired from Boss Kun—had finally unlocked its second advanced effect.
[Carriage Blades Level 10 Advanced Effect]: When the Carriage Blades rotate at high speed, countless high-voltage currents will flow across their surface, dealing massive damage to carbon-based lifeforms, but accelerating Energy Stone consumption.
He was quite satisfied with this effect. It would significantly improve the train's safety in close-quarters combat.
Accessories unlocked their first advanced effect at Level 5, the second at Level 10, and the third at Level 20.
So when resources were limited, upgrading to Level 10 was the most cost-effective choice.
For the least amount of resources, you got two advanced effects. Even a white-grade accessory, once at Level 10 with two advanced effects, was no weaker than some blue-grade components—just with a different focus.
The higher the level, the more resources an upgrade consumes.
Of course, although he could upgrade indefinitely, there was no need to keep leveling up many accessories. For example, his "Spider Legs" were at Level 13, which already allowed them to travel freely on 90-degree cliffs.
If he upgraded them to Level 31 in the future, they could travel upside down on ceilings.
Anything beyond that was meaningless. There couldn't possibly be 360-degree cliffs, let alone 720-degree ones. Further upgrades would only unlock advanced effects at their corresponding levels; the accessory's core function would see little improvement, making such upgrades far less cost-effective.
But who knew? Maybe in some higher-dimensional world, 720-degree cliffs did exist.
It was simply beyond his imagination.
After upgrading the "Carriage Blades," he turned his attention to the "Moldy Bread Production Line." He was tempted to upgrade all the "Carriage Steel Armor" to Level 3, which would grant complete immunity to damage from Level 3 monsters.
At that point, even if his train was stationary, the Level 3 Cannibalistic Spider boss would be almost unable to harm him.
But upgrading the armor was too expensive. Just getting one carriage to Level 2 costs a full 5,000 units of iron ore. He decided to wait a few more days before upgrading the green-grade accessories. For the first two days, he would prioritize upgrading some white-grade accessories to Level 10 to unlock their two advanced effects.
Then he would save up resources and upgrade all the "Carriage Steel Armor" to Level 3.
That way, he could mine at the bottom of the Apocalypse Abyss with peace of mind. Even if a monster attacked, with Level 3 armor, as long as the monster wasn't above Level 3—even if it was Level 4—he could easily escape.
After that, he would start upgrading the other accessories.
Chen Mang tentatively upgraded the "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line" to Level 5. When he saw the bread slices it produced and the advanced effect, he froze for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh. His guess had been right.
Prioritizing the upgrade of the "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line" was indeed the correct choice.
Without further hesitation, he upgraded it to Level 10.
Total cost: 4,400 units of iron ore.
Chen Mang walked into Cargo Carriage #2 and looked at the bread slice coming off the production line. The bread was soft and fragrant with a milky aroma, with a jam-filled center. It looked incredibly appetizing.
What did this have to do with moldy bread slices anymore?
It was a shame he didn't have much of a sweet tooth.
Otherwise, his daily meals would have to switch to this bread. It looked much better than his steamed buns.
"..."
Chen Mang picked up a freshly baked, still-warm jam-filled bread slice and popped it into his mouth. A satisfied smile spread across his face. "It tastes pretty good."
Upgrading an accessory didn't change its name, which meant the name and the actual food were now completely mismatched.
But that wasn't the most important part. If that were the only effect, he wouldn't have spent so much iron ore.
The most important things were the two advanced effects.
[Moldy Bread Slice Production Line Level 5 Advanced Effect]: The bread it produces is rich in vitamins, providing a variety of essential nutrients to ensure a balanced diet and maintain good health.
[Moldy Bread Slice Production Line Level 10 Advanced Effect]: Long-term consumption can increase antibodies against viruses in the body, reducing the risk of being infected by viruses such as the common cold and flu, and can slightly improve physical fitness.
For the "Stellar," these 101 slaves were his greatest asset at the moment. If even one of them fell ill with a severe cold and was bedridden, or unable to work for a short period, it would be a painful loss.
And the upgraded "Moldy Bread Slice Production Line" could solve this problem to the greatest extent possible.
Almost perfect.