It was evening again, time for the slaves to finish their work.

The Stellar was bustling with activity. The slaves had handed in their pickaxes and were lining up for dinner.

Chen Mang, however, sat in the control car, studying the Train Panel.

Before the Stellar could be upgraded to Level 4, he had to complete a specialization mission. Only after confirming his specialization path could he proceed with the upgrade. And the mission could only be completed in a green zone.

Once he successfully specialized and upgraded, he wouldn’t be able to return to low-level regions.

He certainly wasn’t heading to a high-level region until he had mined out every resource beneath the Ironridge Wasteland.

But…

That didn’t stop him from looking at the specialization missions ahead of time.

There were five specialization missions for the Flesh Train path. Completing any one of them would lock in his specialization.

Flesh Train Specialization Missions

S-Rank Difficulty: Kill three Level 6 monsters.

A-Rank Difficulty: Kill three Level 5 monsters.

B-Rank Difficulty: Kill one Level 5 monster.

C-Rank Difficulty: Kill one Level 4 monster.

D-Rank Difficulty

: Kill one Level 3 monster.

The S-Rank mission was absurd. Killing three Level 6 monsters with a Level 3 train? He couldn’t imagine who could pull that off.

Maybe only I can.

As long as the resources in the Ironridge Wasteland were enough to upgrade his armor to Level 6—And upgrade his firepower accessories—He could do it.

As for other trains…

He couldn’t fathom how, without the “Infinite Upgrade” Level 0 clearance, they were expected to complete such a mission. Green-grade vehicle accessories could only be upgraded to Level 3, and yellow-grade to Level 5.

Without a blue-grade firepower accessory, with their level suppressed, they wouldn't even be able to break through the defense.

Even with a blue-grade firepower accessory, without enough high-level armor, a Level 6 monster could easily charge through the barrage and tear a train to pieces.

This S-Rank specialization mission was, for most, nearly impossible.

The D-Rank mission, on the other hand, was straightforward. A normally developed, properly maintained Level 3 train could easily kill a Level 3 monster.

But the specialization mission had to be completed in a green zone—and killing a Level 3 monster there wasn’t easy. Even if you didn’t provoke the high-level monsters, they would often come after you regardless.

The difficulty of the specialization mission you completed determined the grade of the “Unknown Heavy Duty Firepower Accessory” you would receive after specializing.

D-Rank yielded green-grade, C-Rank yellow-grade, B-Rank blue-grade, A-Rank purple-grade, and S-Rank red-grade.

Furthermore, the difficulty of the specialization mission determined the potential level displayed on the train panel.

And the higher the potential, the greater the number of special encounters that could be triggered in the future.

In the leaderboards of high-level regions, a train’s specialization path and potential level were prominently listed before its name—making them badges of both status and strength.

This also explained why the dozen or so Level 3 trains in the Ironridge Wasteland were in no rush to head for a green zone.

First, because the Wasteland was relatively safe. Green zones, by contrast, carried an entirely different level of risk. Most captains preferred to build a stronger foundation before daring to venture there.

Second, they were all aiming to complete higher-difficulty specialization missions—seeking better rewards, particularly a higher-grade "Unknown Heavy Duty Firepower Accessory."

After reaching Level 3, the absence of offensive firepower upgrades became especially noticeable.

Among the nine accessories that could be crafted at this tier, not a single one was an external firepower module.

From Level 1 through Level 3, the only real offensive weapon available was the Tripod-Mounted Heavy Machine Gun.

Even now, that weapon remained the primary armament for most Level 3 trains. This made the “Unknown Heavy Duty Firepower Accessory”—the only other offensive upgrade available at this tier—a decisive advantage for any train venturing into a green zone.

A red-grade "Unknown Heavy Duty Firepower Accessory."

"..."

Chen Mang's eyes narrowed slightly. He would definitely choose the Mechanical Train path. If he could, he would certainly want the red-grade "Unknown Heavy Duty Firepower Accessory." Unfortunately, the specialization missions for the Mechanical Train and the Flesh Train were not the same.

If the S-rank mission for the Mechanical Train was also to kill three Level 6 monsters, it would be much simpler for him.

He could just develop to his full potential in the Ironridge Wasteland, then head to a green zone, kill three Level 6 monsters, and complete the mission.

But the specialization missions for the Mechanical Train were much more complicated.

Most importantly—

You only had two chances to accept a specialization mission. Once accepted, you had to complete it within 24 hours. If you completed the mission without accepting it first, it would be invalid.

For example, with the Flesh Train's specialization mission, even if a train luckily killed three Level 6 monsters, if it hadn't accepted the S-rank mission first, it wouldn't count.

You had to accept the mission first, then complete it.

If both attempts at a specialization mission failed, you would be unable to specialize, forever stuck as a Level 3 train, never able to upgrade to Level 4.

Mechanical Train Specialization Missions:

[S-Rank Difficulty]:

Objective:

Construct a static maze within the train, with a designated starting point and endpoint. After accepting the mission, an “Intelligent Machine Robot” will appear at the starting point. If the robot fails to reach the endpoint within 30 minutes, the mission is complete.

PS: The robot possesses advanced reasoning abilities surpassing an ordinary human, and it moves at the running speed of a normal adult male. The train can have a maximum of 18 carriages during this mission. The robot cannot be attacked, and the maze must have a valid, connected path from start to finish.

[A-Rank Difficulty]:

Objective: Trigger the hidden mission “Human-Machine Romance.” Through verbal interaction, induce your Train Auxiliary AI to develop genuine human emotions. Spend 100,000 units of iron ore to build it a body. After sleeping with it once, the mission is complete.

PS: The AI that completes this hidden mission will permanently possess human emotions. Avoid getting too close to other women on the train, or the AI may press the “Immediate Self-Destruct” button. Each AI’s personality will vary, influenced by the Train Captain during its development.

[B-Rank Difficulty]:

Objective: Obtain enough Mofei Stones to upgrade the “Simple First-Aid Kit” or “Medical Bay,” as well as the “Soldier Exoskeleton Production Line,” all to Level 10. Using the advanced effects unlocked at Level 10, replace all the bones in your body with mechanical ones to complete the mission.

PS: If your internal bones are damaged, mechanical nano-spiders will enter your body through your mouth and nose to begin repairs. There is no need to worry.

[C-Rank Difficulty]:

Objective: Transfer the Train Captain’s authority to any member of the train. If they return the authority to you within 24 hours, the mission is complete.

PS: Blood-related train members are also acceptable.

[D-Rank Difficulty]:

Objective: Craft 18 Tripod-Mounted Heavy Machine Guns and upgrade them all to Level 3.

PS: The “7mm Heavy Machine Gun Bullet Production Line” must also be upgraded to Level 3.