"..."
Inside the train compartment.
Chen Mang looked up at the fighter jets circling overhead, quietly admiring them. He liked these things—they looked authentic.
For his train to exceed 3,000 km/h, it needed at least Level 10 Armor.
Otherwise, the train risked disintegration.
But in reality, this was because he lacked an Energy Shield. If he had a Level 10 Energy Shield, that would suffice too.
Meanwhile, his fighter jets had Level 0 Defense, capable of reaching a top speed of 5,040 km/h, with no armor restrictions.
They just consumed energy stones, that's all.
Soon, night fell.
Midnight approached.
Residents ranked in the top 1,000 had already entered the Neon City in an orderly manner, while the rest remained on the train.
Inside the Neon City.
Almost as soon as the clock struck midnight, numerous Train Conductors arrived with their Thugs, right on time. Some were newcomers, others veterans.
"So vibrant..."
A Young Man had just appeared at the spawn point. Stunned by the sight before him, he froze in place, eyes wide with awe. He had never seen such a bustling, lively Serendipity Map before.
It even gave him a fleeting sense of pre-apocalyptic nostalgia.
"Hah..."
The Young Man took a deep breath, scanning the shops along the street before setting off to explore. Based on his experience, fortuitous encounters never hid in plain sight.
He had read plenty of online gaming novels.
In those stories, serendipitous encounters were always tucked away in obscure places.
After a full thirty minutes of searching.
His eyes suddenly lit up—a particular shop caught his attention:
「Mechanical Train Confessional」.
The name alone sounded extraordinary!
This had to be something special.
Glancing cautiously around and confirming the area was mostly deserted, he quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The shop had a monochrome aesthetic.
No staff in sight—just a meditation cushion on the floor and a screen beside it displaying the shop's details.
-
「When guilt weighs on your conscience, come here to confess.」
「Confession comes in three tiers.」
「1. Basic Confession: 100 points per minute.」
「2. Advanced Confession: 1,000 points per minute.」
「3. Extreme Confession: 10,000 points per minute.」
-
"Ten thousand points per minute?"
The Young Man glanced at his wrist display—his balance showed 1,000,000 points, freshly exchanged from iron ore. That meant 10,000 units of iron ore per minute. A steep price, but what rewards could it offer?
Gritting his teeth.
He chose the most expensive option—Extreme Confession—and knelt on the cushion, beginning his earnest confession.
Meanwhile, outside the 「Mechanical Train Confessional」, several Train Conductors exchanged glances, amusement dancing in their eyes.
"Ever since I got scammed by this shop, my favorite thing to do when Neon City opens is to wait here and watch newbies fall for it."
"True, who would've thought there'd be such a shady place inside Neon City."
"The main thing is this shop is hidden so well. If you're here for the first time and stumble upon an extremely concealed store, wouldn't you have some suspicions?"
"Absolutely."
"But I don't know if it's just me, but after confessing, I do feel much better. It seems like paid confessions work better than free ones."
"You're just being ridiculous."
A moment later.
"It's been ten minutes already. Isn't this guy coming out?"
"Yeah, what kind of heinous deeds must he have done to need more than ten minutes to confess?"
"He's out, he's out! That scammer beggar just happens to be walking this way. Wanna bet he'll get scammed again?"
"Definitely."
The Young Man walked out of the Mechanical Train Confessional with a grim expression, fists clenched and cursing inwardly. What kind of bullshit place was this? It was literally just paid confession?
No rewards at all?
How about he just smashed this damn shop!
This was pure fraud!
Just then—
A ragged beggar hobbled over on a cane, trembling as he spoke, "Young man, this old man hasn't eaten in so long. Would you spare some Stellar Coupons so I can get a meal?"
"You—"
The Young Man hesitated, his face darkening. Normally, he would've handed them over without a second thought—it seemed like a Fortuitous Encounter. But after being scammed once, he felt something was off.
Still...
After a brief pause, he finally said, "Is 100 Stellar Coupons enough?"
100 Stellar Coupons wasn't much to him. If it was a scam, so be it. After all, this was the first person he'd encountered on the Serendipity Map who could actually talk to him. He wasn't sure if this was an NPC or something else, but he had to give it a try.
"Enough, enough."
"Young man, you're truly kind. This stone has been useless to me, so I'll give it to you."
The beggar shakily pulled a stone from his pocket and handed it over.
"A stone?" The Young Man froze, then his voice rose in disbelief. "Murphy Stone?! Holy shit—!"
He turned to say something more to the beggar, only to find the man already walking away, leaving behind an enigmatic silhouette.
Mom, you won't believe this, but I just bought a Murphy Stone for 100 Stellar Coupons.
Yeah, the one worth nearly a million.
"What the hell?!"
"That's really a Murphy Stone?"
The Train Conductors who had been watching the scene earlier all crowded around in shock, staring at the stone in the Young Man's hand. "How?! I gave him 1,000 Stellar Coupons last time and got nothing!"
"1,000? I gave him 10,000!"
"This is what they call 'good deeds bring good rewards.'"
The Young Man chuckled, tucking the Murphy Stone into his pocket before striding away.
The Train Conductors watched his retreating figure in silence for a long while before finally starting to analyze the situation.
"So... we should only give 100 Stellar Coupons? That's the right amount?"
"Wait, the Mechanical Train Confessional isn't completely useless—it actually boosts people's luck temporarily. We just didn't realize it before!"
"I think it's because after leaving the confessional, your sins are temporarily absolved, which then triggers the interaction with that beggar?"
"So the correct sequence is: confessional first, then meet the beggar, right?"
After aligning their views, the Train Conductors exchanged glances, each seeing the path to fortune in the other's eyes.
They'd had an epiphany!
Meanwhile, in Sun City's seventh floor...
Chen Mang stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at a nearby hotel that had previously been closed but was now renovated into a Wedding Chapel.
A Wedding Chapel offered fixed "wedding setups."
There were two types of wedding arrangements.
The first was custom—event companies would set up on-site, dismantling everything after one use. These were more expensive, starting around 10,000 when including the "Four Pillars" services, with no upper limit.
The second was the Wedding Chapel model, where hotels took over the event companies' role. A hotel would decorate one of its halls elaborately, and every couple would use the same setup. While cheaper, the downside was that if you posted photos online, others from the same county might notice your husband's ex had her wedding there too.
At the same price point, the latter option looked better.
The hotel below had been converted into such a Wedding Chapel for two couples from the Train to marry, with plans to host future Train weddings there too.
"Lord Mang."
Uncle Li stood nearby, holding a "Suggestions Log," and reported: "Operations have been smooth overall, but we've received many complaints. For instance, numerous people criticized the 'Mechanical Train Confessional,' calling it completely useless and a scam."
"How is it useless?" Chen Mang leaned on his cane, speaking calmly. "It provides a private space for repentance. And how is it a scam? When I first came to Neon City, I went in there too."
"Any other issues?"
"Some complained about the beggar."
"That's an Easter egg. Next."
"Others criticized Li Shiji's lottery system."
"Profit margin?"
"17% of total revenue."
"That high?"
"Yes..."
"Is it still pure randomization?"
"Still pure random, but Li Shiji mentioned they might trial pseudo-randomization soon."
"Why?"
"Because some people genuinely get lucky—hitting jackpots within a few tries."
"Handle it as you see fit. For now, have Lao Zhu seat the residents and proceed with the weddings."
"Understood."
In Neon City...
A crowd had gathered outside a hotel, watching the screen display:
-
"Anonymous Train: Two couples will hold their golden weddings here today via 'Doomsday Marriage Certificates.'"
"Ceremony begins in ten minutes."
"Guests from Level 14 Trains receive a bonus gift—limited to the first three arrivals."
"PS: We host golden, silver, and bronze-tier weddings under 'Doomsday Marriage Certificates.' Pricing varies by tier and whether you bring your own residents or use ours. Consult staff for details."
-
"The Neon City is developing better and better."
A middle-aged man stood at the hotel entrance, staring blankly at the young, poised girl beside the screen. When he first arrived in Neon City, there were only a few dozen people in sight.
Hardly anyone.
Yet in such a short time, the population had grown so much, and the variety of shops had increased as well.
He immediately approached the staff and said, "I'm from a Level 14 Mechanical Train, here to show support. Any bonus cash?"
"Yes."
The staff member smiled and handed him a red envelope: "There's a chip inside. Touch it to your wristband, and you'll receive the bonus."
"And how do I book a golden wedding? I'd like to reserve one."
"This wedding is expected to end at 01:00. You can book the slot from 01:00 to 02:00. You'll need to bring your own 'Doomsday Marriage Certificate.' If you need a resident from our side, the price is 580,000 Stellar Coupons."
A golden wedding required 1,000 witnesses.
But it didn't matter which train's survivors they were—the people from the Stellar Train would suffice.
The price wasn't too steep.
The man pondered silently. Essentially, he'd be exchanging 580,000 Stellar Coupons for 500 Inheritance Value and 20 Reputation Points—a pretty good deal. "Book me the 01:00-02:00 slot."
"Certainly, sir. Payment here, please."
Drinks were naturally included.
The flowers were all made of metal, but once painted, they looked quite nice.
Meanwhile—
Inside Carriage No. 2 of the Stellar Train, four Combat Training Virtual Spaces sat quietly. Xiao Ai calmly handed four Doomsday Marriage Certificates to Zhang Yiren beside him and instructed,
"The moment I activate the Combat Training Virtual Space, slip a marriage certificate into each of their hands. Got it?"
One for each man and woman.
"Understood."
Zhang Yiren trembled slightly, his voice uneasy. "Director Ai, is this matter really that important?"
"What's wrong?"
"Lord Mang had me write two romance scripts before, but he never said what they were for. I thought... I thought..."
"Enough nonsense."
Xiao Ai shook his head. "The Train Conductor has already set up the wedding venue. If anything goes wrong now, you might as well go film another movie and play Louis XVI—with you as the male protagonist."
The next moment—
The Combat Training Virtual Space activated.
Two dazed couples stood up from the training space, only to lock eyes with each other. Their eyes instantly reddened as they embraced.
"Xiao Yue, I love you."
"I love you, Xiao Yue."
"Xiao Yue, don't you love me?"
They were hugging, alright.
Except it was all four of them tangled together, making the situation a bit chaotic. Xiao Ai couldn't quite figure out the relationships, but Zhang Yiren didn't have time to dwell on it—he had already shoved the marriage certificates into each of their hands.
Fortunately.
The certificates glowed red in unison, signaling that the marriages were sealed. All that remained was to hold the wedding to obtain the Inheritance Value.
"Good."
Xiao Ai took the certificates from Zhang Yiren, glanced at them, then handed them back. "Take these and the two newlywed couples to Neon City to find Lord Mang. You did alright."
"But what about the four of them... their relationships?"
"Uh..."
Zhang Yiren hesitated for a moment before mustering the courage to speak: "The situation is somewhat complicated. Essentially, in the script, all four of them have had very convoluted pasts—each has loved the other three at some point."
"This isn't my fault. Lord Mang insisted on making it as twisted as possible."
As they gradually regained consciousness, the two couples slowly realized they'd been trapped in a long dream. Their gazes toward each other were complex, lips parting briefly before closing again—some things were better left unsaid.
The wedding ceremony proceeded flawlessly.
With 1000 Marriage Points and 40 Inheritance Values credited to their accounts, the residents of the Stellar barely had time to rest before the second wedding commenced.
However...
The two couples didn't seem to be getting along very well.
"Since we're married now," a Young Man cornered the Woman in a dim alley of Neon City, his expression deadly serious, "that means we're officially family in this apocalypse. We'll be living together on the Stellar for a long time."
"It's the end of the world—I won't ask for much."
"I just want to know if you used to work in hostess bars."
"Just because I have tattoos?" the Woman retorted indignantly.
"Yes, precisely because you have tattoos," the Young Man stated firmly. "I'm not discriminating against women with tattoos, but the overlap between tattooed women and hostess bar workers is too high—70% of tattooed women work in that industry."
"That's bullshit! Don't judge an entire profession based on your limited experience."
Chen Mang handed the tablet back to Xiao Ai beside him. He couldn't be bothered with such matters—they were married now, and there didn't seem to be any divorce procedures anyway. If things became unbearable, they could always hold a trial and select 20 jurors from the residents.
The losing party would face execution by firing squad.
Simple and efficient.
Through the Mechanical Eye, Xiao Ai could monitor every corner of the city.
"From now on, send robots to fine anyone relieving themselves in public."
"This is utterly disgraceful."
"There are public restrooms right nearby—have they no decency?"
"Understood."
Xiao Ai nodded to acknowledge the instruction. "Uncle Li is concerned that imposing fines might drive away potential customers."
"Some attrition is inevitable. We can't relinquish control just to retain customers. Authority must remain with us—only after ensuring that can we consider growth. Fine them when necessary. Losing a few Train Conductors won't affect Neon City in the slightest."
"Noted."
Time passed swiftly.
Soon, the clock struck midnight. Neon City had closed for the day, and it was now leisure time for the Stellar's residents—though given what little they possessed, they couldn't afford much in Neon City anyway.
They couldn't buy a damn thing.
Mainly, they just admired the glittering skyscrapers of Neon City.
That was about it.
The rest was left to Lao Zhu and his team, who organized a large gathering in the square—singing, dancing, movie screenings. The revelry was in full swing, but the crowds made Chen Mang uncomfortable. He never cared for such boisterous scenes.
Chen Mang returned alone to the Train compartment.
The interior felt eerily quiet now. For such a massive Train, the near-empty space felt hollow and desolate.
At that moment—
"Lord Mang, have some fruit."
Chen Mang turned his head to look at Xiao Fang, who had just walked over, suddenly feeling a bit more life in the train's interior. Casually, he asked, "Aren't you going to Neon City to have some fun?"
"I thought that when you returned in the evening, you might need me for something. Otherwise, there wouldn't even be anyone to run errands for you."
"Hmm, you little thing."
He glanced at Xiao Fang again—her delicate face and figure were top-notch, truly excellent. But what he liked most was her personality.
"You've thought quite thoroughly."
"Fetch a basin of hot water and give my feet a massage. Standing all day has left them sore."
"Alright."
Only then did Chen Mang sit back in his chair and turn his attention to the train's upgrade conditions.
「Upgrade Requirements」: Consume 60,000 units of Level 3 Iron Ore; all accessories in the carriage must exceed Level 240; possess over 500 Survivors; have three pairs of Train Residents married via the 'Doomsday Marriage Certificate,' with at least one child under the age of 16.
He had met all the conditions. It seemed that Mining Robots still couldn't fully replace Survivors, as the train's upgrade required a certain number of them.
After consuming 6 million units of Iron Ore, the control panel screen displayed a familiar prompt box.
-
「Your Train has reached Level 15.」
「More craftable accessories will now be unlocked.」
-
"Whew."
Chen Mang exhaled softly as he sat in his chair. The train had finally reached Level 15, placing it in the purple zone. A Level 15 train was already the highest tier—anything beyond would require venturing into the red zone.
Just as the train finished upgrading, an abrupt sound echoed through the carriage.
It was faint yet sticky, like the bleating of a sheep—"baa, baa."
Instinctively, he turned to look at Xiao Lu, who had been lying on a nearby chair in a deep slumber. Now, the little one had woken up, rolling around and mumbling, making strange noises.
"Little guy, you're finally awake."
Chen Mang scooped Xiao Lu up and examined them closely. Perhaps from sleeping too long, their eyes were still half-closed, but their mouth was already emitting soft, bleating sounds. Once nestled in his arms, Xiao Lu began nuzzling their head against his chin.
"Hey."
The ticklish sensation made him chuckle. He gently pressed Xiao Lu's head down. "Stop rubbing—it's itchy."
"Let's see what changes you've got after waking up... Huh, nothing at all? After eating so much of my Iron Ore, you better be useful. What if enemies come—can you protect me?"
This was his special carriage—the Behemoth Car. Every time the train leveled up, a portion of the Iron Ore had been consumed by Xiao Lu.
Honestly, he felt a bit disappointed that Xiao Lu had woken up.
He had initially thought Xiao Lu might be more than just an S-class Starry Sky Behemoth's offspring—perhaps even an R-class. But now, it seemed he'd overestimated. After all, that rank didn't exist; it was just a figment of his imagination.
The next moment—
As if understanding him, Xiao Lu rolled onto the floor, then hopped toward the window. Before even landing, their body suddenly expanded, transforming into a massive green sphere over ten meters tall.
Still fluffy as ever.
It opened its gaping maw, turning to show Chen Mang inside the train compartment a glimpse—its mouth filled with a full 100 heavy machine guns. Then it aimed its jaws at the empty air beside it. With countless rat-a-tat sounds erupting, a storm of steel surged forth like a torrent!
Chen Mang looked down at Xiao Lu in his arms with a complicated expression, prying open its mouth to peer at the rows of miniature machine guns inside. "Doesn't that hurt?"
Xiao Lu shook its head.
The effect of the Behemoth Car was to accelerate the growth period of Starry Sky Behemoth cubs and grant them combat capabilities even during infancy. Normally, Xiao Lu wouldn't have any means of attack at this stage.
But since it had become a Behemoth Car,
it now possessed offensive capabilities through the Internal Fire Control System.
"You can even grow bigger—that's amazing."
"What do you usually eat?"
"Human food?"
"No?"
"Energy Stones then?"
"Not those either?"
"How about iron ore?"
This time, Xiao Lu nodded.
"Got it." Chen Mang lifted Xiao Lu into the air with a laugh. "Another gold-devouring monster. But I don't have much information about Starry Sky Behemoths yet. For now, you'll have to make do. Once I reach level 18 and learn more about them, I'll figure out how to raise you properly."
"Starry Sky Behemoths..."
"Born to live among the stars—sounds impressive."
"Even though you just grew to 10 meters, your ancestors fed on stars. You've got a long way to go."
Xiao Lu pouted, a flash of disdain in its eyes.
"Tsk, look at that pout. Are you saying you'll surpass them when you grow up?"
"Fine, I look forward to seeing that. I'd love to witness how a Behemoth devours a star."
Nearby, Xiao Fang cradled Chen Mang's soaking feet in her lap, carefully trimming them with a blade. She occasionally smiled at the conversation between Lord Mang and Xiao Lu—she had rarely seen Lord Mang so gentle.
"You can even do pedicures?"
Chen Mang held Xiao Lu in his arms, grinning at Xiao Fang as she worked. "My nails have been overdue for a trim. I used to cut them often when I had ingrown toenails, but after the Medical Bay fixed that, I stopped bothering."
"Wait, were you a pedicurist before the apocalypse?"
Maybe it was time to switch attendants.
Xiao Fang might be out of a job.
"No."
Without looking up, Xiao Fang continued her meticulous work. "Lord Mang, don't you remember? When you first asked my name, I told you I was an elementary school teacher. You shouldn't keep cutting ingrown nails—it only makes them worse."
"The deeper you cut, the more awkwardly they grow back, creating a vicious cycle."
"Before the apocalypse, I liked watching videos of hoof trimming, so I picked it up..."
"..."
Chen Mang stared at her blankly.
"Lord Mang..." Xiao Fang tensed, realizing her misstep. "Did I say something wrong?"
"It's fine."
He was in a good mood. The Train was nearly empty except for the two of them—even Ji Chuchu and the others had gone off to play. The Train compartment's window was open, letting in a chilly night breeze that mingled with the warm air, creating a strange mix of comfort and cold.
He liked this feeling.
Winter was almost over.
He lowered his head, idly teasing Xiao Lu's twitching nose. "How was being an elementary school teacher?"
"Not great. A mixed bag."
Xiao Fang had finished trimming her feet by now. After washing them again, she dried them gently and began massaging them: "Elementary school teachers are a very diverse group. Some are fresh college graduates who just started, some have capable husbands who arranged easy jobs for them, and then there's someone like me who just muddled through."
"Among colleagues, there's quite a bit of showing off."
"I've never been very decisive. Since childhood, I've always followed my family's arrangements. When they told me to come here, I came, smoothly passing all the exams along the way."
"What about your parents?"
"They're dead."
"They died in front of you?"
"Yes. My mom was killed by my dad, and then my dad committed suicide."
"Was it despair that drove them to it?"
"No. At the time, my dad drove my mom to school immediately to pick me up. The school gate was jammed with cars. At first, everyone followed the rules, letting those with power and influence leave first. But as the situation gradually worsened, no one cared about that anymore."
Xiao Fang's voice grew quiet: "Later, the car couldn't move anymore. During our escape, both my parents were injured by zombies while protecting me. The injuries weren't severe, but they were afraid they might turn into zombies and attack me. So my dad killed my mom first, then took his own life."
"I remember being injured by zombies doesn't actually turn you into one, right?"
"That's right. But before the apocalypse, almost all movies and shows assumed that getting hurt meant infection. That's why... That's why I really hate those filmmakers. If it weren't for them, my parents might still be alive."
"..."
Chen Mang picked up the bottle of mineral water from the table and took a big gulp before lighting a cigarette. He didn't know what to say. Honestly, he thought... At least wait to see if there are any signs of mutation before killing yourselves. Why so hasty? If necessary, you could have tied yourselves up or something...
The courage to end their own lives was indeed resolute.
Wait, this cigarette doesn't taste right...
He frowned slightly and took another drag. Confirmed—the taste was definitely off. After coughing lightly and swallowing, he felt a faint soreness. Most likely, it was tonsillitis, a throat infection, or maybe a cold.
How strange.
His body should be in near-perfect health. How could he get sick? He'd have to visit the medical bay later for repairs.
For some reason...
Perhaps because the night breeze was so pleasant...
He was actually enjoying this moment—sitting here, getting a foot massage while chatting with Xiao Fang about everyday things. It gave him a sense of relaxation and ease, something rare in the apocalypse.
"My condolences. Your father meant well—"
His words cut off abruptly.
Chen Mang quickly pulled back his right foot, looking bewildered at Xiao Fang, who sat on the stool with her mouth slightly open, leaning forward. "What are you doing?"
"I—"
"Did Ji Chuchu teach you this?"
"Does that Ji Chuchu have nothing better to do all day?"
"I was just trying to find the right words to comfort you. I even said 'my condolences,' and then you pull this?"
Xiao Fang lowered her head without speaking, sitting there in silent panic.
"Forget it."
Chen Mang sighed lightly and waved his hand. "Let's stop here. You can go. I'll call if I need you."
He had genuinely enjoyed this casual conversation.
Because no one usually talked to him about these things.
But...
It was obvious that once he sat in this position, no one would simply chat with him just to pass the time.
"I just..."
"I just thought Lord Mang has been too tired lately and wanted him to relax."
"What tiredness are you talking about?"
Chen Mang waved his hand irritably: "What work do I even have all day? Isn't all the work done by you guys?"
"Mental exhaustion."
"With so many people on the Stellar, including future developments, everything requires Lord Mang's personal attention."
"Nonsense." He cursed, lips parting as if to say something, but ultimately couldn't help nodding: "Well, that's somewhat true. Alright, get going now. Stop hanging around with Ji Chuchu and her group so much."
"Which blogger trims donkey hooves with their mouth?"
"I used to enjoy watching people gnaw on chicken feet too." Seeing Chen Mang wasn't angry, Xiao Fang picked up the foot-washing basin and added softly as she headed for the door.
"You damn well made me laugh in anger."
Chen Mang couldn't help shaking
his head with a laugh as he watched Xiao Fang's retreating figure. That girl was quite amusing. Only then did he turn his gaze to the control panel. After the Train upgraded to level 15, corresponding changes had appeared on the console.
(End of Chapter)