Chapter 4: Level 1 Iron Mine.

"Big brother, what's your name?"

"My name is Chen Mang."

"Alright, Brother Mang."

After a brief exchange, the two fell silent, continuing to sit cross-legged on the ground, chewing their food.

Chen Mang, however, was already feeling quite full.

He kept two steamed buns and a packet of pickled vegetables in his pocket, planning to eat them later when he got hungry. His pockets were bulging with the stash.

Soon—

They weren't given much time.

At the shouts of the overseers, all the Slaves formed a long line and entered the mine.

The entrance to the mine was just a small cave on a dirt slope, looking more like an animal burrow than anything else. It was unremarkable, but as soon as they stepped inside, its peculiar nature became apparent.

The tunnel inside twisted and turned, descending deeper into the earth.

After walking for about ten minutes,

They reached a fork in the road. Ahead were three paths. As previously agreed, Chen Mang led the Slaves from Carriage No. 7 into the leftmost path, while the other two paths were taken by the Slaves from the other carriages.

Leading the Slaves from Carriage No. 7, Chen Mang marched down the path for several dozen minutes before finally reaching their destination.

The scene before them suddenly opened up.

It was as if they had entered a massive cavern, with a ceiling nearly seven to eight meters high. The space was vast and open, and on the ground were clusters of black, protruding iron lumps.

Each about a meter tall.

Their shape somewhat resembled cauliflower afflicted with AIDS.

Their surfaces were covered in bumps.

"Is this the mine?"

Chen Mang narrowed his eyes, examining the iron lumps growing from the ground in the cavern. This didn't seem like mining as he knew it. It didn't match his understanding of what mining should be.

"Mm-hmm."

Lao Zhu hefted his pickaxe and whispered, "Brother, you know, after the apocalypse, the world underwent some subtle, unique changes—supernatural changes. For example, the existence of 'Trains.' As long as you possess a 'Train Token,' you can summon your own Train out of thin air."

"Resource areas like mines have also become more common."

"Mining in these places is different from before. There's no need for refining or anything like that. Slaves just need to take their pickaxes and keep swinging at the iron ore. An average adult male can gather about 1 unit of iron ore per hour."

"This mine is the most basic kind—a Level 1 Iron Mine."

"We're lucky. Mining here isn't life-threatening, unlike some mines where you have to dig in lava. The danger level in those places skyrockets."

"This material is also the primary resource for upgrading Trains."

"For example, Brother Mang, look at the panel for this pickaxe."

"."

Chen Mang took the pickaxe from Lao Zhu and hefted it. A panel appeared before him.

Tool Name: Pickaxe.

Tool Level: Level 1.

Tool Effect: Can mine Level 1 mines.

This panel was still only visible to him, but from Lao Zhu's explanation, it was clear that whoever held the pickaxe could see this panel. In other words, after the apocalypse, the world had undergone many supernatural changes. This helped him understand.

"What are the ways to obtain a Train Token?"

Chen Mang asked softly.

"There are many ways. For example, killing any monster has a chance of dropping a 'Train Token,' though the probability is low. The higher the level of the monster, the greater the chance."

"Right now, the most common monsters we encounter are Level 1 'Zombies.' A single Zombie isn't strong—an adult with a weapon can handle one. But most of the time, Zombies don't appear alone; they come in waves, forming a Corpse Tide."

"If you don't break through before the Corpse Tide surrounds you, the Train can easily be trapped."

"After all, I've carefully observed the wheels of this Train. They're Level 1 'Wind and Fire Wheels.' The advantage of these wheels is that they can maintain the fastest speed on flat terrain like wastelands, but they can't handle rough terrain. They can only move on flat ground, and these wheels are also prone to getting stuck by Zombies. If they were replaced with Level 1 tread wheels, things would be better in such situations, though the speed wouldn't be as fast."

"It's a trade-off."

"Another way is at the 'Market.' From time to time, some Train Conductors gather there to trade their goods. That's when you might have a chance to buy one, though we Slaves obviously have no opportunity to go."

"Those are the two main ways for now. There aren't any other methods at the moment."

"Got it."

Chen Mang nodded slightly, lost in thought without saying anything. Meanwhile, the Slaves around him had already started swinging their pickaxes at the iron lumps on the cavern floor. No one needed to be told—they were all familiar with the process and began working diligently.

There was no need for him to urge anyone to get to work.

Upgrading a Train required resources, and mining resources required Slaves. From this perspective, these Slaves were essentially the only productive labor force in this world, and their value was self-evident.

"Well... Brother Mang, I'm going to start mining now."

"Go ahead."

Nearly 100 Slaves were now gathered in the mine, swinging their iron pickaxes with fervor, striking the iron ore on the ground.

The countless clanging sounds gradually merged into one.

There was no dust.

The iron ore on the ground remained unchanged.

Chen Mang stood in the middle of the mine, scanning the area, then walked alone to a corner at the back. There, he began studying the Train Conductor Panel that had appeared thanks to his "birthmark."

There were three beginner Train Conductor tasks.

Only after completing these tasks would other functions be unlocked.

The apocalypse had already been ongoing for some time, and surely many people had already upgraded their Trains to high levels. In this clearly lawless, survival-of-the-fittest environment, without a sufficiently secure Train, even basic safety couldn't be guaranteed.

Living under someone else's roof wasn't a long-term solution.

He didn't want to be a Slave.

For him, this "Train Conductor Panel" could be a great help in catching up after a late start.

Of the three beginner tasks, the latter two—recruiting followers and killing 10 Zombies—didn't seem too difficult. Only the first one—owning a Train—felt a bit challenging.

According to Lao Zhu,

Obtaining a "Train Token" was no easy feat. He'd have to come up with a plan.

"."

While pondering this, Chen Mang pulled out the "gls pistol" from his waist and began examining it. It felt heavy in his hand, a standard-issue pistol with a sleek black finish.

The magazine was fully loaded.

Nine bullets in total.