That invisible force appeared again, but this time, Ye Qiyan felt his stamina draining several times faster than when he had used Ascension on the knife.
"Whew."
[Stamina: 90 → 30]
He slumped to the floor, and as he watched the train change before his eyes, Ye Qiyan could not help feeling delighted.
[Train upgrade complete!] [Current level: 2] [Materials required for the train's next upgrade: 200 kg of wood, 200 metal parts, 400 kg of metal] [Upgrade options unlocked] [Congratulations on breaking the record for the fastest train upgrade! You have received one Special Module Card]
He calmed himself and carefully examined the train's current condition.
After reaching level 2, the chassis, frame, wheels, and workbench had all upgraded along with it, and its speed had increased from twenty kilometers per hour to forty.
But that was not the main point. What mattered was that Ye Qiyan could clearly sense he could still use Ascension on this train. Unlike the knife, which had exhausted almost all its potential after a single use of Ascension, the train could undergo more. However, even if his current stamina fully recovered, it would not be enough.
Unless he used his mental energy as well.
However, the description of mental energy made Ye Qiyan shelve that idea for now.
Two rather special things had appeared after upgrading the train.
The upgrade options and the Special Module Card awarded for breaking the record were what truly deserved his attention.
[Level 2 train upgrade options are as follows] [1: Low-Level Carriage Blueprint (zero Train Coins)] [2: Low-Level Water Reservoir Blueprint (one Train Coin)] [3: Train Burst Acceleration Device Blueprint (five Train Coins)] [4: Increase Train Stopover Time by One Hour (two Train Coins)] [All options can be acquired by spending Train Coins]
"Train Coins? Are those this world's currency? I don't have a single one right now. Does that mean I can only pick the first option?"
Ye Qiyan frowned slightly. If that really was the case, had he lost out by upgrading early?
"Can I keep the options and choose once I have enough Train Coins?"
[Yes. The options can be retained for three station arrivals.]
Slightly relieved, he retrieved the blueprint that did not cost any Train Coins.
[Low-Level Carriage Blueprint] [Requires: 100 kg of wood, 150 kg of metal, 60 mechanical parts] [Optional additional submission: 20 kg of glass and 10 kg of fiber to modify the carriage]
It required a lot of materials, and they would not be easy to obtain right now, at least. As for using Ascension on this blueprint too, he would put that off for now.
He had yet to secure even the resources required for the basic blueprint. If Ascension increased the material requirements, building it would be even further out of reach.
"A special module? How special?"
He put away the blueprint, and a diamond-shaped card wreathed in pale blue particles appeared, hovering above his palm.
[Special Module Card]: Open to obtain a special module.
The simple description revealed nothing particularly special. Only by using it would he find out what kind of module he could obtain.
"This thing should be able to undergo Ascension too, right?"
Once the thought arose, he could no longer suppress it.
Although using Ascension on the train had already consumed a great deal of stamina, he still had mental energy.
Besides, after he had consumed that bread and water, his stamina had miraculously recovered to fifty.
"I'll give it a try. It should be fine."
Ye Qiyan murmured to himself, then silently recited the word in his mind.
Ascension.
The invisible force appeared once more, and in an instant, the card above his palm released countless blue particles that streamed out around it like shooting stars.
If someone could have stood in the sky at that moment, they would have seen Ye Qiyan's train accelerating continuously, trailing blue flames like a comet streaking across the heavens.
"Hmm..."
Ye Qiyan stared at the card in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.
Finally, the light contracted, and the invisible force dissipated with it, leaving his body feeling lighter.
[Current stamina: 20 points] [Current mental energy: 60 points (mental fatigue)] [Ascension successful!] [Special Module Card] → [Exclusive Module Card]
"Thirty stamina and forty mental energy, so seventy points in total? That cost so much. But what does this mental fatigue status mean? I don't feel anything."
Ye Qiyan lay on the floor, looking at the card in his hand, and shook off the questions in his mind.
Perhaps that was only an illusion, and his physical fatigue had merely overshadowed his mental fatigue.
"Amen, Amitabha, may the Emperor protect me..."
Whether it helped or not, he prayed to a whole host of gods and demons anyway.
"Use the Exclusive Module Card."
A stream of azure light enveloped his entire body, and the train control system's light screen appeared before his eyes.
[Using Exclusive Module Card.] [Congratulations. You have obtained the conductor-exclusive module: Fork in Destiny (unique)] [Fork in Destiny]: A second choice will always appear on your path. Different choices will lead to different destinies.
Before Ye Qiyan could examine it closely, the train's overhead announcement suddenly sounded.
[Ding-ding-dong! Please take your seats and hold on tight. The train will soon arrive at your first station. Good luck.]
"Huh? Has an hour already passed? How did I not notice at all?"
He looked up at the time on the control system. Only one minute remained until they reached the station.
Just then, a second light screen appeared on the control system.
[Fork in Destiny triggered. Please select a station to stop at.] [Station one: Swamp] [Station two: Armory]
"So this is what the exclusive module can do?"
[Please make your decision. A random selection will be made when the countdown ends.]
"I choose the Armory!"
As the old saying went, if my neighbors stockpile grain while I stockpile guns, my neighbors become my granary.
Ye Qiyan did not know whether the other conductors would become his neighbors, but he felt that nothing could give him a greater sense of security than weapons right now.
[Station selection complete] [Please take your seat and hold on tight. The train's first stop will be...] [Armory]
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
A deafening roar came from ahead.
Ye Qiyan saw the space up ahead constantly twisting and distorting, like a beast opening its gaping maw to devour someone.
"Hooooonk!!"
The whistle sounded!
As the train passed through the distorted space, the surroundings completely changed.
[Current station: Armory] [Remaining stopping time: 2:59:59] [Good luck] [This station has no dangers]
Before you continue