Er Dan, who had fled in panic almost immediately, finally stopped to catch his breath after running all the way to the Shahe Plain.
Those two enormous worm monsters.
Their level was clearly high, and his Train was no match for them.
His guess was correct. This was indeed a Fortuitous Encounter map, but it was a Fortuitous Encounter map for the Flesh Train.
"How could it be a Fortuitous Encounter map for the Flesh Train?"
Only after ensuring his safety did Er Dan begin to recall everything that had just happened, his face filled with confusion. He had seen Fortuitous Encounter maps exclusive to the Flesh Train before, but those maps were completely inaccessible to Mechanical Trains.
The entrance he had just seen was clearly drilled by a Drill Bit.
It was undoubtedly created by a Mechanical Train.
Based on this, he had thought it was a Fortuitous Encounter map for a Mechanical Train. After all, why would a Mechanical Train go to such lengths to enter a Flesh Train's Fortuitous Encounter map?
Wait...
His expression gradually turned strange. His level 3 Drill Bit would have had no effect on that fleshy wall. At least a level 10 Drill Bit would be needed. But on the Shahe Plain, the only one who could possess a level 10 Drill Bit was probably that guy.
Could it be that this hole was created by that guy?
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
"Phew..."
Er Dan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, relieved that he hadn't contacted that guy. If he had rushed over excitedly, only to find that the so-called Fortuitous Encounter map was the hole he had just drilled, his face would have turned black instantly.
That guy, really.
Was it necessary to upgrade the Drill Bit to level 10?
But it had to be said, that guy leveled up incredibly fast. Earlier, on the Sandy River Plains Regional Leaderboard, he saw that guy had reached level 5, and his ranking had jumped from 34th to 12th.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he topped the leaderboard.
It was truly absurd. A level 5 Train's ranking was higher than his level 6 Train's. It made him feel utterly humiliated.
"Forget it!"
Er Dan shook off his thoughts and turned his attention to the information on the control panel screen. The green zone called the Ice and Snow World, which was located beyond the Kunlun Mountains, was currently experiencing a blizzard. It was said that after an avalanche on a high mountain, a massive arm had been revealed at the summit.
He decided to go and investigate.
Not every Train could fly. To meet the conditions for flight, it wasn't enough to just have the Bunny Cloud accessory. Many other acceleration components were also required.
And that arm was located at an altitude of 2000 meters.
Aside from him, few people could get close enough to investigate.
"Let's go!"
After taking a deep breath, Er Dan steered his Train back into the Kunlun Mountains area, preparing to pass through it and reach the green zone of the Ice and Snow World. As for the yellow zone beyond the Kunlun Mountains, he had no intention of going there yet. He planned to wait until Chen Mang reached level 6 and then go with him. It would be safer that way.
Maybe they could get a Mecha Blueprint.
It had been so long, and he hadn't come across a single Mecha Blueprint. Were they really that hard to find?
"Hmm..."
Inside the Goblin Tomb, Chen Mang stared at the blueprint in his hand for a long time before looking up at Biao Zi. "So you're saying this Mecha Blueprint was dug out of the ground?"
"Yeah."
Biao Zi nodded seriously. "Not only did we dig up this Mecha Blueprint, but we also found a Train Token, some discarded pickaxes, scattered Iron Ore, Copper Ore, wood, and even Spider Silk. There were also remains that clearly belonged to a Goblin."
"All sorts of random stuff. You can dig up anything."
"Alright, I get it. You can go now."
Back inside the Train.
Chen Mang looked at the three blueprints in his hand. One was a Mecha Blueprint, and the other two were Vehicle Component Blueprints, both green in quality but already damaged. The experiment he had wanted to conduct for a long time had finally yielded a conclusion.
Blueprints could indeed be damaged.
They looked like they had been damaged for a long time, completely faded. However, the Mecha Blueprint in his hand was still intact.
Green Quality Mecha Blueprint——
"Executioner Generation Two."
"Close-quarters burst-type Mecha."
"All firepower configurations removed, with defense and speed maximized."
"External Armor and built-in giant axe are level 4, with a maximum speed of 140 km/h. Equipped with a level 2 Energy Stone, it can fight at full capacity for 100 hours. Detailed Mecha attributes as follows..."
"Requires the pilot's Physical Fitness Index to exceed 13.5. At 14.0 or above, it can unleash its full power."
"No requirements for mental strength."
"Construction cost: 18,000 units of Crimson Heartstone."
"..."
Chen Mang sighed deeply as he looked at the Mecha Blueprint in his hand. He stepped out of the Train, lit three cigarettes, and stuck them into the ground. Looking up at the sky, he murmured, "Heaven, you really are watching over me."
He had just been wondering where to find a Mecha Blueprint, and now he had stumbled upon one.
Mechas couldn't be upgraded.
To get a stronger Mecha, you had to create one using a Mecha Blueprint.
According to the information from Xiao Ai, only Zhang Da Mei on the entire Stellar Train could use this Mecha. Everyone else's Physical Fitness Index fell short. He immediately instructed Xiao Ai to call Zhang Da Mei over.
Before leaving, he stuck three more cigarettes into the ground as a farewell to the Ziyun.
Then, after consuming 18,000 units of Crimson Heartstone, he created the first Mecha for the Stellar Train.
Chen Mang stood beside the Train and tossed a suitcase-like object into the air. It quickly unfolded and expanded, and by the time it landed on the ground, it had transformed into a heavy Mecha, four meters tall.
Not very tall, just four meters.
Smaller than the Mecha he had seen in the Mechanical City, but standing before a human, it still exuded a sense of immense weight.
The overlapping steel composite armor on its chest, with bolts the size of an adult's fist along the edges, and the crimson lines on the armor, resembled molten lava veins on a giant's skin.
The shoulders extended outward with rhino-like armor.
The cockpit was located in the abdomen. The pilot would sit there, controlling the Mecha with joysticks and mental commands. The cockpit was also equipped with various components.
Such as...
"Mini AI," "Mini Oxygen Machine," and so on.
The cockpit's observation window was shielded behind layers of protective grating. The pilot could observe the enemy with the naked eye or use the hidden cameras on the Mecha to view the surroundings on the cockpit's screen.
In its hand was an exaggerated giant axe, with a handle nearly four meters long.
"Whoa."
Chen Mang stood there, staring at the Mecha. Unable to resist, he walked up to it and pressed a hidden red button on its knee. The cockpit in the abdomen slowly descended to the ground.
He opened the cockpit door and climbed in.
The next moment.
Several cables from the back of the seat attached to his neck with suction cups, and the seat contracted inward, firmly securing his body. At the same time, silicone-like molds around the cockpit enveloped his hands and feet.
Simultaneously.
The cockpit's screen began flashing red.
"Warning, warning!"
"The pilot's Physical Fitness Index does not meet the requirements. Forced operation may result in injury."
Ignoring the warning.
Chen Mang glanced at the message. There weren't many buttons in the cockpit. When the four silicone molds fully enveloped his limbs, he felt as if he had become one with the Mecha.
He tried to raise his left arm.
As he lifted his left arm in the cockpit, the Mecha's left arm slowly rose as well.
But...
Chen Mang clenched his teeth, exerting all his strength to lift his left arm. At that moment, all he could think was, "Heavy... so heavy."
But perseverance pays off!
After a few seconds, he managed to raise his left arm into the air, though his back was already drenched in sweat.
"Phew!"
"Not bad."
Chen Mang smiled with satisfaction as he manipulated the Mecha to raise its arm. Then, he prepared to use the left arm to grab the giant axe held by the right arm. He gripped the axe with the left arm and released it with the right.
But the next moment—
"Boom."
The weight of the axe caused the Mecha to stagger and kneel on the ground.
Earlier, the axe had been stuck in the ground, so it didn't feel heavy. But when the Mecha tried to lift it, the weight became apparent.
"So... so cool!"
At that moment.
Zhang Da Mei, who had just arrived, stood frozen, staring at the scene before her. The Mecha knelt on one knee, the axe handle planted in the ground, its head raised toward the sky, like a general returning triumphantly to report to his emperor.
Then.
She saw Lord Mang step out of the Mecha's cockpit, one hand behind his back, calmly walking to the side with a cane.
"Lord... Lord Mang?"
Zhang Da Mei's eyes flashed with astonishment. She had been wondering who the pilot of this Mecha would be. Maybe Biao Ge? But it turned out to be Lord Mang. She had never fought with Lord Mang before, but she had heard from Biao Ge that he was incredibly skilled in life-and-death battles. Now she could see it was true!
"Hmm."
Chen Mang, with one hand behind his back, looked at Zhang Da Mei calmly. "This Mecha is yours from now on. Go and figure out how to operate it. There's a beginner's tutorial inside. It shouldn't be too difficult."
"Go."
Without lingering, he calmly walked back into the Train and headed to carriage number 2. Without even taking off his clothes, he lay down in the Medical Pod.
"Full treatment, quickly."
"It hurts."
He didn't know if it was a bone fracture or a pulled muscle, but it didn't matter. All he knew was that it hurt—excruciatingly.
What kind of crappy Mecha was this?
Did Mecha pilots really need such a high Physical Fitness Index?
It was probably partly because this Mecha was built using Zhang Da Mei's Individual Exoskeleton Armor as its frame, which didn't quite match him. The construction cost for this thing was much cheaper than Train Armor.
Both had level 4 defense.
This Mecha only cost 18,000 units of Crimson Heartstone.
Building one was enough. There was no point in making another, as no one else could use it.
Soon—
After consuming 11,000 units of Iron Ore, Chen Mang jumped out of the Medical Pod and strode back to the Train. He grabbed a few Roujiamo on the way and stuffed them into his mouth. He needed to eat more. His Physical Fitness Index was too low. Every little bit helped.
Back in the Train, he lay down in the Combat Training Virtual Space. He needed to practice more.
Otherwise, he might not even be able to operate a Mecha in the future.
Beside the Train.
Zhang Da Mei sat in the cockpit, her eyes filled with excitement as she controlled the Mecha, dashing across the wasteland. Occasionally, she performed jumps and slashing movements.
"Die!!!"
Caught up in the moment, Zhang Da Mei roared as she hurled the giant axe into the air. Then, with a powerful leap, the Mecha's nitrogen thrusters ignited, propelling it upward to catch the axe mid-air. Gripping the handle with both hands.
She swung the axe in a full circle, like a Noxian guillotine, bringing it down with immense force onto a dry branch on the ground.
"Boom!"
A deafening crash echoed, and a cloud of dust erupted.
As the dust settled, the Mecha knelt on one knee, the axe handle planted firmly in the ground, its head tilted upward. The mechanical eyes in its sockets glowed faintly with a crimson light.
The jet-black surface of the Mecha, adorned with crimson lines, added a touch of血腥 to its appearance.
"So cool!"
Inside the cockpit, Zhang Da Mei couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Lord Mang's move was indeed cool. She decided that from now on, this would be her MVP celebration pose. Every time she completed a mission and returned triumphantly, she would kneel before Lord Mang like this!
A bloodied general returning victorious!
"..."
Standing nearby, Biao Zi watched the scene with a mix of admiration and envy. "You have to admit, she really has a talent for combat. This is the first Mecha on the Stellar Train, and it's just given to her. It's hard not to be jealous."
All the Train Residents were mining.
Even those who usually worked as butchers, shop clerks, or cleaners were now wielding pickaxes, digging in the open space nearby. The ground was full of buried treasures.
No one was idle. Everyone was put to work.
They only had 48 hours. Every able body was utilized.
"That Mecha requires a Physical Fitness Index of at least 13.5 to operate, and 14.0 to fully unleash its power. Even if it were given to you, could you even pilot it?"
Lao Zhu scoffed. He didn't have to work. His job was to distribute all the resources evenly during these 48 hours—things like cola, bread, water, and so on.
He was also responsible for keeping an eye out for any unknown dangers and ensuring that no Train Residents were pocketing any contraband. Especially after the first resident turned in a Train Token, there was bound to be a second.
When you hold a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
The Train Token itself was useless.
But stuffing it in your pocket showed intent. Sooner or later, it would lead to trouble.
(End of Chapter)