[Food Options]** Damian drank the cola brought by Zi Xing in the cockpit while eating freshly baked pork ribs from the kitchen. The meat came from a pig-like, massive animal that could weigh thousands of pounds, yet a few bullets were enough to end its life.
[Food includes meat and vegetarian options. All meat is thoroughly sterilized and pre-cooked.]
[Vegetarian options are mainly made from processed fern plants shaped into flatbreads. Due to high quantities, these can be sold cheaply.]
[The planet also has several unique fruits, which will be sold as rare delicacies due to limited supply.]
Damian nodded in agreement. Fu Yao always arranged things perfectly. "Pull up the feed. Let me check if anyone's gone in."
The footage came from Market One. Liam walked nervously through the tunnel, terrified of gunfire erupting from the walls. Screens lining the tunnel displayed food options, making Liam's mouth water. "If this stuff is real, I'd die happy just to eat my fill." With renewed determination, he hurried out of the tunnel.
Endless shelves stretched before him, labeled by food type: "Cooked Meat,"
"Veggie Patties,"
"Fruits..." Other sections advertised
"Clothing,"
"Drinks,"
"Medicine..." Besides food, Damian had activated factories for clothing, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. Weapons and special goods would join the inventory later.
"There's food after all. I knew the train wouldn't let us starve." Liam drooled, racing toward the meat section. The glass cabinets held unwrapped meat preserved under lights.
[Premium Meat: 0.5 star coins per pound]
[Standard Meat: 0.2 star coins per pound]
[Basic Meat: 0.1 star coins per pound]
"So cheap! Give me a pound of the best."
A scanner pad popped up, requiring facial recognition. After a quick scan, a glass compartment opened, dispensing a steaming, pinkish slab of meat. Liam devoured it frantically, finishing it in three minutes, but his hunger remained.
A prompt advised: [Eat veggies for a balanced diet.]
He bought five veggie patties for 0.1 star coins but could only eat one. When the chaos settled, he felt like he'd dreamed it all. No hunger lingered.
"Time to check my balance." He left the market for the bank, where 49.2 star coins remained. "I can loan up to 500 star coins. I won't starve now!"
Liam rushed back to the carriage, where Cedric had rallied more people.
"Liam! Where'd you disappear? What's that?"
Liam burped, tossing a patty. Its scent sparked chaos as people fought over it. Cedric grabbed it, stuffing it into his mouth. Others surged forward, shattering their fragile alliance.
"Don't fight! There's more outside—the train has banks and markets..." His explanation sent everyone rushing out, eyes bloodshot.
In the cockpit, Damian watched the chaos, ordering Fu Yao to deploy more security bots. "Three hours' detention for rule-breakers."
"Loans first, repayment later. Daily interest applies. I'm turning into a capitalist..."
Liam's reckless borrowing went unchecked. The more debt, the higher the interest—a detail
Damian didn't bother mentioning. "Stockpile supplies for a month's consumption. No more delays."
For half a moon, the train hurtled straight, refueling once. Then, it stopped.
[Detected potent energy readings ahead. Likely energy crystal deposits.]
Damian's eyes lit up. Energy crystals were his ticket to prolonged space travel. "Refuel here and mine the deposits." Fifty thousand mining bots sufficed for current needs. More would demand ships, but the train couldn't spare resources.
Two hours later, the first load of crystals arrived. Damian inspected the blue, glowing minerals stacked in a hold. "How do I awaken?"
[Absorbing energy crystals triggers potential. Crush them into base units first.]
Each unit weighed 2.5 grams—a fingernail's worth. Robots delivered the fragments. "This tiny thing could work?"
[Any life can awaken, but speed varies. Your talent is off-the-charts. One crystal should suffice.]
Damian clutched a crystal. It melted through his skin, seeping into veins.
"Icy... then hot!"
[Endure the process.]
The pain peaked, then clarity hit. He leaped five meters, tore through furniture with a punch.
"This is 'awakening'? My stats are off the charts! Can I explore any planet now?"
[You're a Level One Ascension Realm being. Only Star Walkers traverse stars freely. But on viable planets, you'll withstand gravity, toxins...]
Damian tested his power, grinning. "How many crystals can we harvest?"
[Estimated 20 million units.]
"If I absorb all, could I become a Star Walker? Just thinking about it..." Fu Yao interrupted:
[Ascension requires cellular perfection. Even with your gifts, cap at ten units daily.]
"Ten? What's the point?" Damian deflated, then snapped back. "Sell crystals for ten star coins each. Passengers need strength to explore. Make them ascend."
Bots couldn't navigate every terrain—electromagnetic dead zones, signal loss. Empowered passengers were key.