Chapter 1: Is This Thing Also Called a Subway?

"What the hell is this supposed to be? A subway?!" 

 Zhao Kuo stared at the rickety handcar consisting of a wooden plank and control panel, his lips twitching in disbelief. 

 The most outrageous part? It was pedal-powered!

Just moments ago, he'd been brooding over his 38th failed job interview. 

 Now he found himself on this absurd railcar, surrounded by impenetrable darkness. 

 The dim headlight barely pushed back the shadows - and even that flickered ominously. 

 [Welcome to the Subway Survival System. Commence operation within 72 hours. Failure incurs unknown consequences.] 

The mechanical voice made Zhao Kuo want to scream. 

 Subway? This rusted death trap qualified as a subway?

 The four-square-meter railcar creaked under the sickly yellow light, its wheels crusted with orange decay. The control panel revealed grim stats through corroded displays:

 [Speed: 0 km/h] 

 [Vehicle Status: Dilapidated Handcar]

A tentative press revealed more depressing details: 

[Wooden Platform: Barely Intact]

 [Undercarriage: Near Collapse]

 [Wheels: Severe Degradation]

 [Light Source: Fading (Warning: Darkness = Death)]

 [Power: Manual Pedaling]

 [Max Speed: 10 km/h]

 [System Comment: Frankly, we're amazed this relic still moves. Prepare for eternal darkness.] "10 km/h? I could outrun this junk!" Zhao Kuo muttered. His eyes drifted to the chat interface blinking beside the stats.

 [Regional Chat 9956/10000]

 "Survival game? I like reading novels, not living them!"

 "10 km per hour? We're all dead!" "Wang Li! Are you here?" 

 "Stop shouting. Wang Li's in my arms now~"

 "Dude I was taking a dump when transported! My plank's covered in... stuff. HELP!"

 "Keep it. Might be useful later."

 Zhao Kuo closed the useless chatter. 44 gone in an hour. How long until his name disappeared too?

 His character sheet offered little comfort:

 [Zhao Kuo (Healthy)]

 [Strength: 7/10]

 [Stamina: 8/10]

 [Agility: 6/10]

 [Sanity: 100/100]

 [Luck: ???]

 The eerie tunnel wind howled as he gripped the pedals. Each rotation sent metallic shrieks echoing through the darkness. 

 1 Hour Later

The odometer showed 8.7 km when Zhao Kuo spotted it - a wooden crate beside the tracks! 

 [Current Luck Points: 60% - Open?]

The system prompt froze his hand.

 [Luck Points determine loot quality. 100% = Guaranteed rare item. Recharges 10%/hour.]

 A golden finger! Zhao Kuo's heart raced. Wait four hours for guaranteed loot?

 Chat suddenly buzzed: "Check track sides! Crates give supplies. Got water+bread! - Ma ShiYi"

 "Lucky! I got roast chicken!"

 "Damn sock here!"

 "Black widow bite... goodbye..."

 [Farewell...] x47

 Zhao Kuo eyed the crate warily. His flickering headlight decided it - he'd wait for 100% Luck. 

 As the pedals resumed their mournful creak, one thought sustained him:

 This system wanted survivors. There had to be hope in the darkness.

Four grueling hours had passed.

Zhao Kuo had pedaled over 40 kilometers through the endless tunnel.

The terrain proved unpredictable - gentle slopes offered respite where gravity took over, while inclines demanded extra effort. Thankfully, no gradient exceeded the railcar's pathetic 10km/h limit. His daily workout routine saved him from complete exhaustion, though sweat soaked through his shirt.

Three wooden crates now sat neatly arranged on the railcar platform. 

The Luck Points gauge glowed reassuringly at 100%.

Showtime.

Zhao Kuo tore open the first crate without hesitation.

[Congratulations! Obtained:]

- Wood Planks x10

- Iron Sheets x5

- Mechanical Parts x10

- Glass Panels x5

- Bread x2

[Rare Item Acquired: 1㎡ Quad-Dimensional Rice Paddy Blueprint]

[Quad-Dimensional Rice Paddy]

- Daily yield: 2kg processed rice

- Growth accelerators compatible

- No maintenance required (watering/planting/harvesting)

- "Enjoy four-dimensional convenience!"

Zhao Kuo's eyes widened. Self-renewing food source on day one? Luck Points OP!

As he collected the items, the crate disintegrated into:

- Wood Planks x4

- Mechanical Parts x2

Munching bread, Zhao immediately crafted a Workbench using 2 planks and 5 parts. The blueprint glowed on the newly materialized table:

[Craft Quad-Dimensional Rice Paddy?]

[Required: Wood x3 | Parts x5 | Glass x3]

How does glass+wood=rice paddy?He confirmed anyway.

A miniature paddy materialized - exactly 1 square meter, water shimmering unnaturally below translucent stalks. Attempts to scoop water failed. *Anti-exploit measures.* Still, 2kg daily meant food security.

Imagine vegetable plots... proper infrastructure...His hand twitched toward the remaining crates. The Luck gauge still showed 100% - with a 15-second countdown!

Maintained effect window! He ripped open both crates simultaneously.

Crate #2:

- Wood x5

- Iron x3

- Parts x7

- Glass x3

- 500ml Water x1

- Silver Ore x3

[Rare Item: Cursed Pendant]

Crate #3 (opened at 00:01):

- Wood x20- Parts x15

[Rare Items: Compact Crossbow x1 | Bolts x20]

Post-unboxing inventory:

- Wood: 42

- Iron:8

- Parts: 28

- Glass: 5

- Silver Ore: 3

The water brought sweet relief, though the pendant gave pause:

[Cursed Pendant]

- Activates 1m sanctified aura (repels spectral entities)

- Sanity drain: 3/sec during use

- Hidden: +2 Luck Points/hour

Specters confirmed. Zhao's throat tightened. The tunnel's darkness felt heavier.

The crossbow proved intuitive - 20 bolts offered defense against... everything. Survival 101: humans were deadlier than monsters.

Crafting a 20-slot Storage Box (Wood x10 | Iron x3 | Parts x15) organized his haul. The system's persistent "subway" designation annoyed him - Call it the Zhao Express already.

Donning the pendant, he felt its chill against his chest. The crossbow stayed within reach, bolts lined like soldiers. Behind him, rice stalks swayed rhythmically.

Back at the controls, Zhao checked the regional chat:Survivors: 9,562/10,000

438 gone in five hours.* The pedals creaked louder as darkness pressed in.

After another four hours of grueling effort, Zhao Kuo's distance had surpassed 70 kilometers. His body was nearing its limit. The two pieces of bread he'd eaten were long gone, and despite rationing his water, only about 100ml remained. 

 Humans can survive for days without food, but without water, three days is the limit—especially under the strain of intense physical exertion. *I can't seriously resort to drinking urine, can I?* Zhao Kuo glanced back at the rice paddy he'd fertilized earlier, suddenly feeling a twinge of regret. 

 However, the system had notified him that the natural fertilizer had slightly accelerated the growth of the one-square-meter rice paddy. A small but welcome surprise. 

 Beside the paddy sat two crates. Their appearance seemed random, with no discernible pattern. The surrounding darkness remained oppressive, broken only by the low, mournful howl of wind echoing through the subway tunnels.

 The console lights, brightened by prolonged use, now illuminated four to five meters of track ahead. Zhao Kuo stopped the railcart, took a cautious sip of water, and opened the System Trading Platform. 

 Notably, the platform wasn't limited to local traders—it connected everyone worldwide. Even the Yankees couldn't regulate it. What a wonderful world! 

 Zhao Kuo wasn't desperate for resources, but he hoped to trade for extra water or food. Shockingly, the cheapest bottle of water (500ml) cost 50 units of materials, and a piece of bread went for **20 units**. Unbelievable! This is truly outrageous!

 He switched to the chat channel. Countless pleas for food and water flooded the screen, some even offering "used stockings" or "provocative photos" in exchange. Clearly, those with weaker constitutions and fewer resources were already collapsing. Over the next 12 hours, deaths would likely multiply—especially among women who'd habitually dieted. They must be regretting it now.

 Then, a post caught his eye: 

 Luo Ping'an: "Seeking 1 silver ore. Offering 500ml of mineral water in exchange."

 Comments quickly followed:

 - "Silver ore? That's high-tier stuff! Who even has that? It's gotta be worth way more than water!"

 - "Who cares about 'worth'? I'm dying of thirst—I'd trade in a heartbeat!"

 - "Haven't seen silver ore listed anywhere. Must be rare or useless right now." 

 Zhao Kuo skimmed the chatter. Thanks to his Luck Value, he'd actually obtained 3 silver ores. It seemed they were indeed valuable. But why did Luo Ping'an need one?

 He opened a private chat. 

 Zhao Kuo: "Hello."

 Luo Ping'an (quick reply): "Hello. Are you here to trade?"

Zhao Kuo: "Yes. I have what you need, but 500ml isn't enough."

Negotiations were inevitable. After a pause:

 Luo Ping'an: "I can offer 600ml max. Take it or leave it."

 600ml could last a day if rationed. But Zhao Kuo wasn't just after water—silver ore's importance intrigued him. 

 Zhao Kuo: "Deal. But why do you need it?"

 Luo Ping'an hesitated, then shared:

 "I obtained a blueprint for crafting Gliders—they slightly boost subway speed. See?"

[Glider Crafting Blueprint]

 - Durability: 3/3

 - Materials: Silver Ore x1, Parts x3, Glass x3

 - Basic Glider: Slightly increases subway speed. Only one installable per train. 

 No secrets, no tricks. *Impressive!* Zhao Kuo's eyes lit up. Faster speed meant reaching the next station sooner. **Zhao Kuo**: *"I have multiple silver ores. I want a Glider. What else do you need?"

Since the blueprint allowed three Gliders (one per train), Luo Ping'an could profit from the extras. 

 On the other end, Luo Ping'an was stunned. Silver ore was scarce—only five responders so far, but Zhao Kuo's offer stood out. *Multiple ores? His luck's insane.* And Zhao Kuo's shrewdness hinted at potential. Forming an alliance with someone both lucky and smart could be vital in this dark subway world. Early bonds bred trust. 

Luo Ping'an: "Fate brought us together. If you trust me, send the materials. Here's the water." He initiated the trade first.

 Zhao Kuo paused. *Is he really this trusting? Or is this a play for partnership?* But in these early days, civilization's remnants lingered—enough to gamble on sincerity. 

 He accepted the 600ml water, then sent **2 silver ores** and other required materials. Soon, a handshake emoji arrived. 

 Zhao Kuo sipped 100ml, savoring the liquid's sweet relief