Chapter 172: The Stellar Train Will One Day Soar Through the Starry Seas!

"Once this button is pressed, the nuclear bomb will detonate within 10 seconds. The power of this bomb is enough to flatten the entire city!"

"How can we escape in 10 seconds?"

"Where can we run?"

Shan Mao Zi's eyes were red, his voice hoarse as he spoke word by word: "The only escape route is the glass tunnel outside the city where the Train was flying earlier. It can only be there."

"The Iris Chip has been disconnected, which means Lord Mang has also gone there to investigate the situation."

"That place is at least 30,000 meters away from here. At such a distance, the Train won't be able to make it in time after activating the bomb."

"The teleportation range of the Train Ticket is only 10,000 meters!"

"The only solution is to leave one person here to press the bomb button while the rest of us head to the tunnel to prepare for escape!"

He took a deep breath, his body trembling slightly as he spoke.

"I once made a promise to Lord Mang."

"He saved my woman's life. I told Lord Mang that if the Stellar Train ever needed someone to carry out a suicide mission in the future, I, Shan Mao Zi, would be the first to step forward!"

"I'm not joking!"

"I never joke!"

"Now it's my turn to step forward. Biao Ge, please take care of Mei Jia for me in the future."

"Don't be crazy."

Biao Zi, with a grim expression, jumped out of his mech and walked up to Shan Mao Zi, staring directly at him: "Since when did you have the authority to make decisions for the Stellar Train?"

"Huh?"

"Lord Mang hasn't even spoken. What gives you the right to make decisions? Where's the discipline?"

"Besides, even if someone needs to sacrifice themselves, couldn't we just pick one of the 1,900+ Survivors? Why do you have to play the hero here?"

"That won't work." Shan Mao Zi shook his head with a bitter smile: "This is a suicide mission. You want those Survivors to do it? Since it's certain death, do you think they might harbor resentment, detonate the bomb early, and take the Stellar Train with them?"

"Biao Ge, tell me, who on the Stellar Train is more suited to stand in this position than me?"

"..."

Biao Zi was about to retort, but his lips moved without saying anything. It seemed like Shan Mao Zi was indeed the only one on the Train suited for this position, but...

After a moment, he shook his head.

"You haven't even had your honeymoon yet. Put the gun down first."

"Lord Mang might have another solution."

"If it really comes to it, let me... or Lao Zhu do it."

Shan Mao Zi couldn't help but laugh: "Biao Ge, Train Conductor Zhu is terrified of death. He would never volunteer for a suicide mission."

Just then—

Biao Zi quickly lunged forward, tackling Shan Mao Zi to the ground and snatching the "Tidal Gatling Gun" from his hands. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and couldn't help but kick him, cursing: "Are you fucking insane? At least wait for Lord Mang to speak before you play the hero, alright?"

"Biao Ge."

Shan Mao Zi, lying on the ground, stared at Biao Zi with red eyes, speaking word by word: "Everyone on the Train knows that Lord Mang saved my woman's life, and they also know that I promised him. If someone else dies instead of me in the end..."

"I won't be able to hold my head up high on the Train anymore, and neither will Mei Jia."

"It would be humiliating."

"Face, face, face—is it really that important?" Biao Zi said irritably: "We're in the apocalypse now. How much is face worth anymore?"

"For me, it's very important."

"Get up first. If it comes to it, let Zhang Yi die."

"Huh?"

Zhang Yi, who had just jumped out of his mech and was standing nearby munching on a bun, was momentarily confused: "Where's the candied sweet potato?"

The next moment—

The Stellar Train appeared above the pit without warning, slowly landing in the square. Chen Mang, leaning on his cane, stepped out of the Train and looked at Shan Mao Zi lying on the ground. He calmly waved at Biao Zi.

"Bring Mei Jia down. Let her and Shan Mao Zi press the bomb together here."

"Even in death, they can be a pair of doomed lovers."

"Make it a double blessing."

"Yes."

Biao Zi nodded solemnly and immediately strode toward the Train.

"Huh?" Shan Mao Zi was momentarily stunned: "Can't just one of us die?"

"Come back!"

Chen Mang shouted at Biao Zi's retreating figure in annoyance: "Are you really going to do it?"

Then he pulled Shan Mao Zi up from the ground, dusted him off, and sighed lightly, looking somewhat exhausted: "I just went for a smoke, thinking I'd enjoy the scenery for a bit, and you guys were here putting on a melodrama?"

"Do you need to die?"

"Haven't I told you before? The Stellar Train will never be reduced to a point where someone needs to voluntarily sacrifice themselves."

"You're more valuable to me alive. Stop thinking about dying. Are you constantly imagining in your head how heartbroken I'll be after you die? Do you have some kind of illness?"

"Get up now."

"I'm getting a headache just looking at you. I'm afraid that one day we'll encounter some monster, and you'll charge forward shouting something about dying for Lord Mang."

"Huh?"

Shan Mao Zi muttered awkwardly: "I'm mainly worried that everyone will complain about the resources the Train has spent on my wife. I thought if I died... no one would complain about her anymore."

"But the bomb button is so far from the escape route. How are we going to solve that?"

"Don't worry about it. Biao Zi, take everyone back to the car."

"Yes."

Chen Mang then looked at Doba and Mundo, who had just stepped off the Train. While he was smoking earlier, he had already conducted an experiment—the "Goblin Ticket" could be used normally within this map; there was no spatial blockade.

The "Train Ticket" has a range limit of only 10,000 meters.

But the "Goblin Ticket" has no distance restriction.

The solution is simple.

Just leave one Goblin here to press the bomb button and then return to the Train using the "Goblin Ticket." Everyone can leave alive.

"Doba."

Chen Mang looked at Mundo with a serious and solemn expression: "This member of your tribe hasn't fully regained his intelligence. I've explained the plan to you in detail. You must clearly and firmly relay it to him!"

"Once I'm ready on my end, I'll launch a Level 1 missile that will explode above the pit."

"The moment he sees the missile explode above the pit, he must press the button. Understand?"

The "Super High-Speed Train Tunnel" is currently unusable. Only after the bomb button is pressed will the gate in the tunnel retract, allowing the Train to escape from underground.

"Understood, Lord Mang!"

Doba solemnly accepted the task and pulled Mundo aside: "By the authority of the Goblin King, I command you to remain here until a missile explodes above the pit. Only then can you..."

Soon.

The Stellar Train had left with everyone on board.

Only Mundo remained in place, looking up at the pit above. Even though his neck was sore, he didn't move an inch.

This was the Goblin King's command, a grand plan related to the revival of the Goblins!

He had to carry it out seriously!

"Are we leaving now?"

The Stellar Train, having confirmed that there was nothing left worth exploring in the city, flew over the city and headed straight for the "Super High-Speed Train Tunnel" behind the city, preparing to leave this Fortuitous Encounter map.

In Guard Car No. 7.

Shan Mao Zi stared out the window at the city below, lost in thought. After a while, he awkwardly whispered to Biao Zi: "Biao Ge, did Lord Mang think I was just acting earlier? Trying to show off? I really didn't mean it, I..."

"Enough."

Biao Zi shook his head, interrupting Shan Mao Zi: "Lord Mang just doesn't want you to always approach things with a mindset of seeking death. If someone is always looking for an opportunity to die, they'll eventually die—even when they shouldn't."

"And stop overthinking. No one has complained about the resources the Train has spent on your woman."

"There's no such thing. Stop imagining things."

Shan Mao Zi nodded softly: "I understand."

Biao Zi was silent for a moment before speaking softly.

"Generally speaking, if someone is too concerned about what others think, even to the point of privately speculating, they often ruminate excessively, constantly recalling past painful events and tormenting themselves."

"That's you."

"I'll give you a solution. If you can't stop thinking about those painful things, don't think about the ones close to you. Instead, think about the ones that are very distant. Keep doing this."

"This way, even though you'll still frequently recall those painful memories, because so much time has passed, the pain they cause you will be much smaller."

"Over time, the mental damage you suffer will be minimal. Stop tormenting yourself."

Shan Mao Zi was momentarily stunned before he instinctively began to think. After a while, he looked up at Biao Zi in confusion: "Biao Ge, didn't you used to be a contractor? How do you know this stuff?"

"Hmph."

Biao Zi snorted coldly, somewhat arrogantly: "Don't look down on people. I was still in charge of a team. Keeping an eye on the psychological state of my subordinates was part of my job, you know."

"Biao Ge, what if there were no Goblins on the Train?"

"Then you'd be screwed."

"..."

The Stellar Train had already pulled up beside the "Super High-Speed Train Tunnel" and was slowly entering the glass tunnel. A Level 3 Energy Stone was inserted into the control panel nearby.

Everything was ready.

The lights on the tunnel walls were glowing red, and deep within the tunnel, a gate blocked the way.

The Train wasn't hovering in mid-air but had landed at the bottom of the tunnel.

The next moment—

A missile from Car No. 14, the second-to-last car, slowly rose into position.

"Boom!"

Orange flames instantly engulfed the entire car, and with a deafening roar, the missile shot toward the pit above the city's second anomaly point, exploding with precision.

Almost simultaneously.

The red lights on the tunnel walls turned green, and the Train instantly levitated in the tunnel. A powerful thrust surged forward!

The Train shot through the tunnel at incredible speed!

The gate ahead retracted at the same time.

With all the "nitrogen thrusters" activated, the Train's speed increased further. The intense thrust pressed Chen Mang tightly against his seat. It was the first time he had experienced such speed.

The Train's speed on the screen had reached.

"2120 km/h."

Nearly Mach 2!

"Roar!"

Chen Mang couldn't help but roar with excitement, gripping the control stick tightly, as if trying to vent all the frustrations he had experienced since coming to this world.

He slapped the control panel, and deafening, rhythmically intense music instantly filled every car of the Train.

The rapid speed.

Made the green lights in the tunnel blur into a continuous line.

It felt like traveling through time.

All he could see was the endless tunnel ahead and the green lines on the walls.

He didn't know where the tunnel led. He only wanted to experience this moment of speed and thrill!

Mundo wasn't on the Train.

Instead, he stayed at the entrance of the "Super High-Speed Train Tunnel." Just before departure, he had been ordered to jump off, holding a camera with a Mechanical Eye at its core, aimed at the city above.

When the bomb button was pressed.

The city's hidden backup power seemed to activate, and all the lights turned on. The once pitch-black steel city was instantly bathed in neon lights, resembling a modern city at dusk, stunningly beautiful.

All the searchlights on the rooftops of the skyscrapers shot beams of light into the sky.

Converging into a massive, ever-changing number.

-

"9."

"8."

"7."

-

At the same time, shrill alarms echoed across the steel city. The city's hidden power began to overload, causing the neon tubes in the billboards to burst.

Countless fireworks, hidden who knows where, exploded in the sky.

The scene was so beautiful it didn't look like a nuclear countdown but more like a New Year's countdown.

When the countdown reached zero.

A deafening explosion rang out, and endless flames erupted from the center of the steel city, surging outward like a wall of glass.

Countless skyscrapers collapsed.

Mundo, still in place, recorded the scene with his camera. Just as the shockwave was about to reach him, he tore his "Goblin Ticket."

The scene was breathtaking.

Originally, no one would have witnessed this moment—like a performer putting on a show for an empty audience. But Mundo brought this scene back to the Stellar Train.

If Chen Mang had seen this.

He might have retracted his earlier criticism of this civilization's lack of aesthetic sense. Their sense of beauty was fully displayed in their final, dazzling moment.

Inside the "Super High-Speed Train Tunnel."

The Stellar Train was speeding through the tunnel at incredible velocity. The tunnel behind them was collapsing. As the 10-second countdown ended, Xiao Ai's voice came through.

"The Targeting Radar has detected Zombies on the surface."

"They're still in the Zombie Basin, at the center."

"There are dozens of Trains parked outside, like a gathering."

Xiao Ai's voice was quick, but the Train's speed was even faster. In the blink of an eye, the Stellar Train charged toward the pale yellow light at the tunnel's exit, crashing through it.

Propelled by its speed.

Like a cannonball, the Train shot out of the ground and into the sky!

"Soar high!"

Chen Mang, thoroughly exhilarated, sat in the control chair, pushing the control stick to the limit. The Train switched to Bunny Cloud wheels as it soared into the sky. Chen Mang looked up at the long-missed starry sky and shouted with excitement.

At this moment.

All he wanted was to charge forward.

To reach the starry skies and tell everyone that the Stellar Train would one day soar through the starry seas!

He, Chen Mang, would be the greatest Train Conductor in the history of the starry seas!

(End of Chapter)