21: Planting carriage

"Train Conductor, go wake everyone else up!" Chen Yujun said, then tore open two more packs of instant noodles and added the seasoning.

As the seasoning dissolved, the entire carriage was instantly filled with a strong aroma of instant noodles.

"No need, I just saw them already washing up! They should be over soon!" Luo Chen said casually, his eyes scanning the silent space outside the window.

Last night, Luo Wan Ning had already told him the information about this stop.

This stop was a place called the Arctic Icefield, a single-track world with a bronze treasure chest inside an igloo.

His gaze fell on the constantly boiling red soup in the pot.

Braised beef flavor.

Too bad there was no beef.

But a few lettuce leaves could be added.

Thinking this, Luo Chen immediately said, "Sister Yujun, put in a few lettuce leaves. It will look better and supplement some vitamins."

"Alright!" Chen Yujun nodded and walked to the other side to get the lettuce.

Seeing that he had nothing to do for the moment, Luo Chen turned and went to the cockpit.

Thinking about the first regional merger yesterday, he felt a bit anxious, both anticipating and fearing it.

He wondered how much the regional merger reward from last night would be and if he could make it into the top ten.

Arriving at the cockpit, Luo Chen opened the control panel screen.

"The first regional merger has been completed, and the merger rewards are as follows: Reward one: 4 * 5 train coins; Reward two: 8 * 50 Star Coins; Reward three: 8 × 100kg of metal, wood, and sand and gravel; (Already stored in the Train upgrade materials library) Reward four: Before the regional merger, your overall ranking was third. Reward: one purple core, two white cores.

Rewards have been issued. Please go to the gift package delivery box to check. For specific reward issuance rankings, please click details to view."

"Regional ranking function has been enabled. Please go to the chat room module to view."

Third?

Luo Chen felt his jaw drop in surprise. He had thought that getting into the top ten would be good, but he didn't expect to directly enter the top three, which was far beyond his expectations.

How were the others doing?

With a question in mind, Luo Chen clicked on the details.

"Train number: ECB08888; Train level: 8 — Bronze; Number of Vice Train Captains: 4; Number of carriages: 14; Core score: 1425" (Considering the potential for ambiguity, the comprehensive score has been changed to core score. If you see any uncorrected instances, please remind me, thank you!)

"Train number: ECB06666; Train level: 6 — Bronze; Number of Vice Train Captains: 4; Number of carriages: 11; Core score: 995"

"Train number: ECB05240; Train level: 4 — Bronze; Number of Vice Train Captains: 2; Number of carriages: 8; Core score: 2310"

"Train number: ECB02222; Train level: 5 — Bronze; Number of Vice Train Captains: 2; Number of carriages: 10; Core score: 755"

"..."

Level 8? How did Qin Mengyue upgrade so fast?

Looking at the list, Luo Chen was very surprised. Qin Mengyue's level was actually twice his.

He then compared the situations of the other few people. He found that his advantage in entering the top three seemed to be his core score.

Core score: 2310. Does it refer to the Train modification core? It actually pulled him into the top three.

Without this item, he might have been fourth.

Next, he needed to quickly raise the Train level; he was already too far behind others.

Having made up his mind, Luo Chen checked the upgrade material situation.

With an additional 8 × 100kg of metal, wood, and sand and gravel, the Train should be able to upgrade one more level.

"Current Train level: 4 (Bronze)"

"Metal: 833 / 500kg"

"Wood: 925 / 500kg"

"Sand and gravel: 2035 / 150kg"

Click upgrade.

"Obtained one bronze carriage"

"Unlocked Core Shop function (Go to Train Shop to view)"

Finally, level 5.

Collecting some more metal and wood should allow for another upgrade.

Luo Chen pulled open the baffle on the right side of the Train, and indeed, the rewards from this regional merger lay inside.

20 train coins and 400 star coins, piled up into a small mountain.

He took them out and placed them in his other box specifically for currency.

Luo Chen then took out the other three cores.

Two white fusion cores, plus the fusion core that Dongfang Yuyao had left over, meant he now had a total of three in his hand. This meant he could still fuse three Trains.

He put the fusion cores into the treasure chest.

Looking at the only one remaining in his hand, Luo Chen was full of anticipation.

He wondered what good things it would bring this time?

"Beep! Detected a medium-level planting carriage (purple): Transforms a carriage into a planting carriage, equipped with a miniature nuclear fusion lamp providing simulated light.

It can automatically adjust the planting environment according to different plants, such as temperature, humidity, brightness, and soil pH. It can clear low-level external pest and disease contamination and slightly increase plant yield. It can significantly shorten the plant growth cycle."

Planting carriage!

Luo Chen was overjoyed!

This was a good item! With the planting carriage and the purification water tank, he would no longer have to worry about food and drink!

The planting carriage required an empty carriage, so Luo Chen had no choice but to convert the newly added 0-5 carriage into a planting carriage.

After the conversion, Luo Chen eagerly went to the 0-5 planting carriage.

Opening the door, the carriage in front of him was no longer level with the other carriages; it was about 50cm lower, and Luo Chen almost stepped into empty space and fell.

Jumping to the bottom of the carriage, Luo Chen scanned up, down, left, and right, finding that this modified carriage was a bit taller, with an additional 50cm above and below.

The outside height of the Train was about 8 meters, and the extra meter should have occupied the unopened space outside the carriage.

On the other wall, a circle of water pipes hung, which should be for irrigation. He just didn't know which water tank it was connected to, the purification water tank or other wastewater tanks.

If it was connected to the toilet's water tank, it might really spray feces.

Then this irrigation work would have to be assigned to someone specifically.

There was also another problem: the carriage had no soil, so planting was temporarily impossible.

However, the three rows of lights overhead made Luo Chen feel warm and sunny, as if he was basking in the sun.

Hmm! For now, it could be used as a sunroom; he could come here to bask in the fake sun when he had nothing to do.

Climbing out of the carriage, he happened to meet Dongfang Yuyao, who had come to call him for breakfast.

The two then returned to the front of the Train... On the ECB02222 Train, four men and women were currently surrounding a bald middle-aged man. Another lewd man stood leaning against the wall, looking as if he was watching a good show.

Mi Jiajia sat on the other side, looking at the chat room screen, not participating.

"Bang!"

A loud table-slapping sound startled several people, and for a moment, the entire cockpit was silent.

"It's that stinking bitch again." The bald man, Wang Mazi, glared furiously at the reward leaderboard on the screen, spitting everywhere.

The few people behind him exchanged glances, a hint of disdain appearing in their eyes.

If you're bad, practice more. Cursing people behind their backs every day, what kind of person is that?

However, they dared not say these words and could only lower their heads, counting their toes.

"Who's that old sixth, 6666? And that 5240, who's that bastard? Stealing my third place?"

The bald Wang Mazi saw Luo Chen, who was ranked ahead of him, and immediately became furious, boiling with rage.

This person's level was lower than his, and he had fewer carriages, yet he was ranked ahead of him. This was clearly a fix.

"Damn it, why aren't any of you talking?" Wang Mazi spewed for a long time, then realized no one was responding, and immediately became so angry that two Buddhas ascended to heaven.

The few people behind him wished they could bury their heads in their chests. Speaking up at this moment would just be asking to be his punching bag.

Wang Mazi pointed at the few people continuously, feeling his head go black.

"Boss! Temporary gains and losses don't matter. Long-term success is the most important. I believe that under your brilliant leadership, Boss, we can definitely create the myth of being number one in the universe." The man who was originally leaning against the wall, seeing Wang Mazi snorting with anger, quickly flattered him from the side.

"Do I need you to educate me?" Wang Mazi seemed to have found an outlet for his anger and slapped the man hard on the head.

The four people with their heads down secretly glanced at each other, unable to help but feel secretly delighted.

This man had been fawning ever since he entered the Train, and by flattering, he had become a Vice Train Captain. He followed Wang Mazi in bullying them, and now he was finally getting what he deserved.

"The Train has docked at the Blazing Desert. A bronze treasure chest is buried 300 meters in front of the Train door, under the sand, guarded by a giant scorpion," Mi Jiajia reminded, looking at the yellow desert outside the window.

"Hmph! I'll settle accounts with you next time." Looking at the cowering few people in front of him, Wang Mazi said angrily, "Let's go! Let's go out and collect supplies."

After speaking, he took the lead and walked out of the front door of the Train.

But as soon as he stepped out of the door, Wang Mazi felt himself step into a pit, and at the same time, a soft, slippery sensation came from his foot.

He looked down at the ground, his gaze falling on the brownish-yellow substance on his right foot, and a wave of nausea surged through him:

"Damn it, which bastard just urinated or defecated anywhere?"