5: Chapter 5 Braised Beef Noodles, Making All the Women Mouthwater.

"Clang-clang—Clang-clang—"

The dilapidated green-skinned train traveled steadily through the murky gray mist.

Outside the window was an endless expanse of crimson and eerie shadows.

But inside this narrow carriage, it was filled with the relief of having survived a disaster.

Over thirty stunningly beautiful girls from the dance department were slumped ungracefully on the hard wooden seats.

Their originally bright and beautiful clothes were now stained with black coal ash and dark red mud.

The air was thick with the smell of sweat, blood, and the lingering scent of their expensive perfumes.

These scents mixed together to create a unique, highly stimulating, and decadent atmosphere exclusive to the wasteland world.

Su Chen paid no attention to the exhausted beauties in the carriage.

He walked straight into the driver's cab at the very front of the train and casually closed the heavy iron door.

Inside the cab, the flesh and blood coal in the furnace was burning fiercely.

Although this unique wasteland fuel emitted a faint, fishy stench, its burning efficiency was staggeringly high.

With only five or six pieces thrown in, the entire furnace radiated a dazzling red light.

The train's power gauge needle rested steadily in the safe zone.

Su Chen nodded with satisfaction, then focused his attention on the spoils he had just acquired.

With a thought, he opened his system inventory.

A parchment scroll emitting a faint blue light lay quietly in a storage slot.

[Primary Train Water Purifier Blueprint (Black Iron Mid-grade)].

Su Chen's eyes instantly became incredibly fervent.

In this wasteland world where even the air smelled of rot, what was the scarcest resource?

It wasn't weapons, nor was it food.

It was pure, unpolluted drinking water!

In extreme environments, a person could barely survive for three days without food.

But if they didn't drink water for three days, they would definitely turn into a shriveled corpse.

"Check blueprint requirements," Su Chen commanded in his mind.

[Materials required to manufacture Primary Train Water Purifier: Refined Iron Scraps (5/5), Any Plastic Product (0/10), Charcoal (0/5).]

Looking at the material list, a relaxed smile played on the corners of Su Chen's mouth.

He had just gotten the Refined Iron Scraps as a drop from the Mutated Giant Strength Ghoul.

Charcoal was even simpler; the ash left over from the furnace could be used after a bit of processing.

As for plastic products...

Su Chen pushed open the iron door of the cab and looked toward Su Xiaoxiao, who was rubbing her calves in the front row of the carriage.

"Su Xiaoxiao, come here."

Su Chen's voice, magnetic yet carrying an unquestionable authority, rang out in the carriage.

Hearing her name, Su Xiaoxiao shuddered and immediately sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Present! Train Master, what are your orders?"

Su Xiaoxiao trotted over submissively.

She adjusted her slightly crooked black-framed glasses, her shrewd large eyes full of a desire to please.

Although her pleated skirt was currently covered in mud, her well-proportioned legs clad in white knee-high socks still showed youthful vitality as she ran.

"Go through the carriage and collect all the empty plastic bottles and discarded plastic packaging everyone has on them."

"Within five minutes, I want to see at least ten plastic items."

Su Chen instructed in a flat tone.

"No problem! Mission guaranteed!"

Su Xiaoxiao didn't dare ask Su Chen what he wanted this trash for; she only knew that this was a perfect opportunity to prove her value.

She immediately turned around and charged into the group of girls like a diligent foreman.

"Did you all hear that? The Train Master wants plastic bottles!"

"Zhang Man, hand over that empty mineral water bottle!"

"Teacher Liu, don't hang onto that plastic cosmetic case, hurry up!"

Under Su Xiaoxiao's bossy scavenging, in less than three minutes, she ran back to the cab clutching a large pile of colorful discarded plastic bottles.

"Train Master, fifteen plastic bottles in total. Is this enough?"

Su Xiaoxiao piled the plastic bottles at Su Chen's feet as if presenting a trophy.

When she bent over to put the things down, her short pleated skirt rode up slightly.

An alluring, rounded curve flashed through Su Chen's vision.

But Su Chen's eyes didn't flicker at all, as if he were looking at a piece of wood.

"Well done. Now get out, and close the door behind you."

Su Chen waved his hand, directly dismissing her.

Su Xiaoxiao pouted with a bit of disappointment, but she still obediently retreated and carefully closed the iron door.

The materials were all gathered.

Su Chen took a deep breath and unhesitatingly activated his server-unique SSS-rank talent!

"Omni-Modification!"

[Ding! Detected that the blueprint and all materials are ready!]

[Starting Omni-Modification manufacturing process... Consuming 15 Mental Power!]

In an instant, a brilliant dark-gold light erupted from Su Chen's palm.

This light seemed to have a life of its own, instantly enveloping the plastic bottles, Refined Iron Scraps, and pieces of charcoal on the floor.

Under the illumination of the light, the laws of physics were once again completely rewritten.

The cheap plastic was crudely decomposed and reorganized, turning into transparent filter pipes.

The Refined Iron Scraps melted into a solid black metal outer shell.

In just a few seconds.

The light dissipated.

A machine about half a meter tall, precisely designed and filled with a cyberpunk style, stood steadily in a corner of the cab.

[Ding! Manufacturing successful!]

[Obtained Facility: Primary Train Water Purifier (Black Iron Mid-grade).]

[Facility Attributes: Can purify polluted water sources, toxic rainwater, and even monster blood from the wasteland into 10 liters of absolutely pure, sweet drinking water daily.]

[Current Water Storage: 0/10 liters.]

Looking at this machine emitting a faint, ghostly light, Su Chen's heart surged with excitement.

With this thing, he essentially controlled the source of life in this wasteland world!

Su Chen immediately picked up a rusty iron bucket from the corner of the cab.

He opened the window and used the bucket to catch half a bucket of the red rainwater mixed with mist toxins that was everywhere outside.

Then, he unhesitatingly poured this turbid, foul-smelling red liquid into the water purifier's inlet.

"Buzz—"

The water purifier emitted a slight humming sound.

The filter pipes inside the machine began to flicker with a faint blue light.

Less than a minute later.

"Drip—"

A drop of clear, crystal-clear water slowly dripped from the purifier's outlet valve, landing in a glass Su Chen had prepared beforehand.

Immediately after, the clear water began to flow out like a trickling stream.

Su Chen picked up the glass and brought it to his nose to sniff.

There was no odor; instead, it had a fresh, sweet scent.

He tilted his head back and drank it all in one go.

The cool, sweet pure water flowed down his throat, instantly soothing the irritability and thirst caused by the earlier battle.

"Good water."

Su Chen wiped the corners of his mouth with satisfaction.

Just then, with a thought, he clicked on the icon that had been flickering with a faint light on the system panel.

[Heavenly Dao Trading Panel (Initial Glimpse)].

This was an exclusive function that only a Train Master could unlock.

As the panel expanded, countless messages scrolled frantically across his vision like a waterfall.

[Chat Channel (Area 6)]

[Help! Who has water! I'll trade a gold bar for a sip of water!]

[Damn! You can't drink the water outside! A brother of mine couldn't take the thirst and drank a mouthful of the red water outside; his intestines rotted and he turned into a monster!]

[I'm starving... My train is full of rough men, not even a single pretty girl to look at, someone save me.]

[Big shots, I have an E-grade Strength Enhancement Scroll, I want to trade it for a 500ml bottle of mineral water. PM me if you have one!]

Looking at these bullet messages filled with despair and wailing.

A cold curve formed on the corners of Su Chen's mouth.

In less than a day, the cruelty of the wasteland had been shown in full.

The gold and jewelry that were worth a fortune in the real world couldn't even buy a drop of water here.

Su Chen glanced at the water purifier next to him, which was still continuously producing pure water, and made a decision.

"Don't show your wealth; now is not the time to expose the water resource."

"When these people are so thirsty they go crazy and are willing to trade their lives, that's the time to maximize profit."

Su Chen decisively closed the trading panel.

His stomach also let out a very unpromising "growl" at this moment.

High-intensity combat consumed physical strength.

Su Chen turned his gaze toward another piece of loot in his system inventory.

It was a beautifully packaged, enticingly red [Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles (5-pack)].

In this wasteland where you couldn't even find tree bark to gnaw on.

This thing was absolutely a nuclear-grade ultimate temptation!

Su Chen didn't hesitate at all and tore open the packaging.

He found a discarded iron pot from the corner of the cab that was originally used for storing junk.

Using [Omni-Modification] consumed 1 point of Mental Power, instantly cleaning the grease and rust off the iron pot.

Next, he filled more than half the pot with pure water from the purifier.

He set the iron pot on the roaring furnace.

Before long, the water in the pot began to tumble, making a "glug-glug" boiling sound.

Su Chen luxuriously threw in all five noodle bricks!

Next were the soul-satisfying powder pack, sauce pack, and dehydrated vegetable pack.

"Sizzle—"

The moment the bright red, rich sauce touched the boiling water.

An overbearing, intense aroma of braised beef exploded like a volcanic eruption!

That ultimate fragrance, a mixture of industrial flavorings, fats, and carbohydrates.

Under the catalysis of the high temperature, it instantly filled the entire narrow cab.

And, following the gaps in the iron door, it barged into the carriage behind like an all-pervasive ghost.

Inside the carriage at this time.

The thirty-plus girls were so hungry their stomachs were sticking to their backs.

It had been a full five hours since they were pulled into the game this morning.

They had not only experienced extreme panic but also performed high-intensity physical labor.

At this moment, everyone's stomach was protesting wildly.

"Growl—"

Someone's stomach let out a loud cry.

As if a signal had been blown, a symphony of stomach growls instantly rang out across the entire carriage.

Just then, that rich aroma of braised beef noodles drifted over.

"Sniff—"

Zhang Man, the physical education major, twitched her nose exaggeratedly, her eyes instantly widening like copper bells.

"Holy crap! Am I smelling this right? This is... the smell of instant noodles?!"

"It smells so good! It really is braised beef noodles!"

"Oh my god, I can't take it, I'm salivating!"

The entire carriage instantly erupted into an uproar.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

All the girls stared at the tightly shut iron door of the driver's cab with eyes gleaming like hungry wolves.

Counselor Liu Ruyan swallowed hard with difficulty.

A seductive flush appeared on her mature and charming face.

Because she was so hungry, she could only helplessly cover her flat stomach with both hands.

But this action only made her already explosive bust even more prominent, with a deep cleavage that seemed capable of sucking a person's soul in.

Even the usually cold and rational Chu Qingxue couldn't help but slightly open her moist, cherry-red lips at this moment.

She swallowed discreetly, and a glimmer of desire flashed in her beautiful eyes.

In the face of hunger, all restraint and aloofness became the most ridiculous of disguises.

"Click."

Just as the girls were about to be driven mad by the torture of this aroma.

The iron door of the driver's cab was finally pushed open from the inside.

Su Chen slowly walked out, steadily holding that large iron pot.

In the iron pot, red oil bubbled, and golden noodles floated up and down in the boiling water.

The rich steam, mixed with a maddening aroma, swept through the entire carriage like nuclear radiation.

Over thirty pairs of eyes were glued to that iron pot, unable to look away even a fraction.

"Gulp."

A synchronized sound of swallowing saliva echoed through the carriage.

Su Chen placed the iron pot on a wooden crate in the middle of the aisle.

He looked down at the group of hungry wolves with green eyes, a cold curve forming on the corner of his mouth.

"Do you want to eat?"

Su Chen's voice was not loud, but in the quiet carriage, it sounded like a thunderclap.

"Yes!"

The girls answered in unison, their voices even carrying a hint of pleading.

"Very good."

Su Chen picked up a large stainless steel ladle from the iron pot and tapped it twice against the rim.

"I said before, my rule is distribution based on labor."

"Now, I am announcing the food distribution plan."

The entire room held its breath instantly, everyone nervously staring at Su Chen's lips.

"Anyone who went off the train earlier to collect coal can receive half a bowl of noodle soup, plus a small chopstick-full of noodles."

As soon as this harsh distribution plan was announced, a look of obvious disappointment flashed in the girls' eyes.

Half a bowl of soup and a few noodles would not be enough to fill them up.

But even so, no one dared to stand up and protest.

Because in this wasteland where one could starve to death at any moment, even a mouthful of hot noodle soup was a luxurious gift.

"As for Chu Qingxue."

Su Chen's gaze suddenly turned to the cold school beauty leaning by the window.

"She not only took the lead in getting off the train to collect supplies but also used her talent in battle to blind a Ghoul, making the greatest contribution."

As Su Chen spoke, he pulled a perfectly packaged Wangzhongwang sausage from his system inventory as if by magic.

He deftly peeled off the casing and tossed the sausage into a large bowl filled with noodles and thick soup.

"Therefore, Chu Qingxue gets a full bowl of noodles, plus a sausage!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar.

The looks all the girls cast at Chu Qingxue were instantly filled with intense envy and jealousy.

A full bowl of noodles!

And meat!

At a time like this, this was simply supreme, emperor-level treatment!

Chu Qingxue herself was stunned.

She stared in disbelief at the large bowl Su Chen handed over.

The rich aroma of meat wafting from the bowl brutally destroyed all her rationality.

"Thank you... thank you, Train Master."

Chu Qingxue's voice trembled slightly.

She solemnly took the large bowl with both hands, as if she were not receiving a bowl of noodles, but a sacred faith.

Chu Qingxue could no longer care about her image as the school beauty.

She carried the bowl and walked to the corner, unladylike.

Her red lips parted slightly, and she began to slurp the noodles in small, quick bites.

The scalding steam flushed her beautiful cheeks, and fine beads of sweat seeped onto the tip of her nose.

She took a small, precious bite of that ordinary sausage and chewed it slowly in her mouth.

That satisfied and unexpectedly adorable way of eating made the surrounding girls painfully clutch their stomachs.

"For the rest, line up and bring your own cups or bowls to get the soup."

Su Chen commanded coldly.

The girls immediately swarmed forward like crazy, terrified that if they were a step late, even the soup would be gone.

Su Xiaoxiao shrewdly grabbed the first spot, holding a cute thermos, and greedily caught half a cup of noodle soup.

She took a careful sip and closed her eyes in enjoyment, as if drinking precious nectar.

Zhang Man, on the other hand, boldly held a lunchbox, drank the small portion of noodles and soup she received in a few gulps, and licked her lips, unsatisfied.

Just as this harmonious distribution based on labor was coming to an end.

A petite, delicate figure walked timidly in front of Su Chen.

It was Lin Momo.

This popular sweet girl from the dance department looked pitiful at this moment.

The exquisite Hanfu she was wearing had been torn in several places during the previous escape.

Where the hem of her skirt was torn, a section of her slender, lotus-root white thigh was seductively exposed.

Her fair skin was stained with a few stark black coal smudges, creating a intense, ravishing aesthetic of abuse.

Lin Momo had also received a little noodle soup earlier, but for a growing girl, that amount wasn't even enough to get between her teeth.

She was still hungry, and because she had been working hard to release her talent and sing earlier, her throat was now parched, as if it were smoking.

"Brother Train Master..."

Lin Momo's soft, sweet voice rang in Su Chen's ears, carrying a hint of obvious flattery and pleading.

Su Chen raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at her indifferently: "Whether you're full or not is none of my business; rules are rules."

"No... that's not it."

Lin Momo waved her hands in a panic.

She carefully looked around, and after confirming that no one was paying attention to this side.

She mysteriously reached her fair, small hand into her full neckline.

This sudden action caused even Su Chen's eyes to fluctuate, which was rare.

But he quickly realized that Lin Momo was not using some cheap honey trap.

He saw her struggle to pull out a transparent crystal, about the size of a quail egg, emitting a faint cyan glow from that deep snow-white expanse.

"Brother Train Master, I accidentally picked this up earlier at the edge of the mine shaft in the deepest part of the mining area."

Lin Momo nervously handed the crystal to Su Chen, her large eyes filled with a glimmer of desire.

"I... I didn't dare tell anyone else."

"Look, can I trade this... for a mouthful of clean water? I'm really thirsty."

Su Chen's gaze fell on the crystal emitting the cyan light.

His pupils contracted violently for an instant!

His heart even started pounding uncontrollably!

Because under the investigation of his insane [Omni-Modification] talent.

Above this inconspicuous crystal, a few lines of golden text were dazzlingly flashing:

[Item: Wind-Attribute Elemental Core (Rare).]

[Characteristic: Pure wind-element energy crystal, can be used to craft powerful wind-attribute extraordinary equipment, or as a high-level power source for the train!]

Top-tier material!

This was definitely a rare, top-tier material!

Su Chen never imagined that this delicate sweet girl could actually be lucky enough to find a treasure of this level during the chaotic escape!

Su Chen quickly suppressed the ecstasy in his heart, his face still maintaining a cold expression.

He calmly took the elemental core from Lin Momo's fair, tender palm.

"Not bad."

Su Chen evaluated it plainly.

Subsequently, under Lin Momo's shocked gaze.

He acted like a magician, generously pulling a large bottle of pure mineral water, a full 1.5 liters, from behind him (actually from his system inventory)!

Not only that, but Su Chen also rarely showed a hint of "generosity."

He precisely unwrapped a piece of silky Dove chocolate and stuffed it directly into Lin Momo's slightly parted, cherry-red mouth.

"Pure water, plus a piece of chocolate to replenish your energy."

"This is a special reward for you."

Su Chen's low, magnetic voice rang in Lin Momo's ears.

Feeling the rich, silky sweetness of the chocolate in her mouth.

Looking at the huge, precious bottle of pure water in her arms.

Lin Momo was completely stunned.

In this cruel wasteland world where one has to risk their life just for a mouthful of noodle soup.

Pure water and luxurious chocolate were simply like unreachable, dreamlike divine items!

"Wuwuwu..."

Lin Momo's eyes turned red instantly, and large tears rolled down like pearls from a broken string.

She excitedly hugged the bottle of water tightly, sniffled hard, and said indistinctly:

"Thank you, Brother Train Master... You are so good... Mo Mo will listen to you from now on..."

Just when Lin Momo was moved to tears.

A deafening Heavenly Dao notification sound suddenly rang in Su Chen's mind!

[Ding! Detected that player Lin Momo's favorability towards you has soared!]

[Current loyalty has exceeded 80 points (devoted)!]

[Powerful passive skill: [Monarchs Halo] has been triggered!]

Su Chen's eyes instantly became sharp.

He decisively issued an order in his mind: "Appoint Lin Momo as a train attendant immediately!"

[Ding! Appointment successful!]

[Lin Momo (Top-tier Support) has become the first attendant of train no. 0099!]

[Powerful Monarchs feedback is in effect!]

[Congratulations to Train Master Su Chen, successfully obtained partial core attribute feedback from attendant Lin Momo!]

[Permanently increase: Agility attribute +5 points!]

"Boom!"

A light, mysterious energy instantly and violently surged into Su Chen's limbs and bones!

Su Chen only felt his body instantly become as light as a swallow.

His previously heavy muscles now seemed filled with explosive power.

Even his nerve reaction speed had terrifyingly improved by a huge margin!

If his agility before was only at the level of an excellent athlete.

Then now, he had definitely surpassed the limits of humanity, comparable to an agile cheetah!

"Awesome!"

Su Chen secretly enjoyed the feeling and patted Lin Momo's delicate shoulder with satisfaction.

A sweet girl is truly a top-tier ATM.

Just when the harmonious and ambiguous atmosphere here was thick.

A discordant voice harshly shattered this beautiful scene.

"Su Chen!"