Jiang Chen gripped the rusty entrenching shovel, his heart filled with anticipation.
The problems of food and water had been initially solved through Infinite Amplification, and their quality far exceeded expectations. So, what would this entrenching shovel, which looked like scrap metal, become under the blessing of the Infinite Amplification talent?
"Amplify!"
The familiar pale golden light shone again, enveloping the entire entrenching shovel.
Unlike the fleeting flash when amplifying mineral water and compressed biscuits, this time the light seemed a bit more intense and lasted a fraction of a second longer.
The light dissipated.
Jiang Chen looked down, and the entrenching shovel in his hand had transformed completely!
The dull surface, originally covered in rust, was now smooth and gleaming, shimmering with a cold metallic luster. The edge of the shovel head was incredibly sharp; with a slight flick, it seemed capable of slicing through the air. The somewhat loose wooden handle had also transformed into some kind of tough black composite material, providing an excellent grip and a sense of power.
【Name: Multifunctional Tactical entrenching shovel】
【Type: Tool/Weapon】
【Attack Power: 10-15】
【Functions: Efficient Digging, Powerful Chopping, Cutting, Prying, Simple Hammering】
【Characteristics: Sturdy, Sharp】
【Remarks: A qualified doomsday survival tool, capable of fighting monsters and digging earth, an essential item for home and travel. Be careful not to cut your hand!】
"Holy moly! This is awesome!" Jiang Chen couldn't help but exclaim.
The improvement was too significant!
The attack power directly soared from a pathetic 2-4 to 10-15, several times higher!
The functions also changed from simple digging and chopping to efficient digging, powerful chopping, cutting, prying, and simple hammering, plus two practical characteristics: sturdy and sharp!
The remark also changed from "a bit better than your fist" to "an essential item for home and travel."
Jiang Chen casually picked up the hard plastic packaging bag that had contained the compressed biscuits earlier and lightly sliced it with the edge of the new tactical entrenching shovel.
"Swish!"
Without any resistance, the packaging bag was neatly cut open as if a hot knife were slicing through butter.
"This sharpness, tsk tsk." Jiang Chen nodded in satisfaction.
With this tactical entrenching shovel, whether digging for resources or encountering any danger, he would have a stronger ability to cope.
Didn't that bring a sense of security!
He also put the tactical entrenching shovel into his backpack. Now, his backpack contained Energy Spring Water, High-Energy Nutrition Bars, and the Multifunctional Tactical entrenching shovel.
Starting with these three items, he was directly taking off!
"The Infinite Amplification talent truly lives up to its reputation!" Jiang Chen felt delighted.
He glanced at the talent description on his attribute panel. The talent granted him 10 basic amplifications and 1 special amplification daily. He had used 3 basic amplifications for the mineral water, compressed biscuits, and entrenching shovel.
This meant he still had 7 basic amplifications left for today, as well as the 1 unused special amplification opportunity.
"Special amplification sounds much more powerful than basic amplification," Jiang Chen pondered, stroking his chin.
However, he currently didn't have any items worth using a special amplification on immediately.
"No rush, take it slow." Jiang Chen had always been a patient person, especially in such life-threatening moments (though he felt good now).
Meals are eaten one bite at a time, and roads are walked one step at a time.
What he wanted to do most now was to thoroughly examine his initial carriage.
His attention had previously been drawn by the transmigration and his talent, so he hadn't had time to observe carefully.
The interior space of the carriage was indeed not large, about ten square meters. Besides the cold metal seat he had been sitting on, the glass window in front that offered a view outside the carriage, and the tightly closed metal door, there seemed to be nothing else.
The walls were cold, dark gray metal, without any warmth to the touch. The light bulb overhead emitted a dim yellow light, making the entire carriage feel somewhat oppressive, but at least it provided illumination.
Jiang Chen stood up and first went to the glass window.
The window was not large, roughly the size of a computer monitor, and the glass was covered with fine scratches, somewhat affecting the view.
Outside the window, the dark red wasteland was still rapidly receding.
The sky was an unsettling blood-red dome, with no sun, no moon, and no stars. The light source seemed to come from this eerie sky itself.
The land was barren, with no signs of life, only rugged strange rocks and sand blown up by the wind. Occasionally, he could see the huge skeletons of unknown creatures, half-buried in the sand, adding a touch of desolation and horror.
"This godforsaken place is truly barren," Jiang Chen grumbled.
He tried to open the window but found it completely sealed, without even a handle.
"It seems to be a fully enclosed structure."
He then walked to the tightly closed metal door. The door was very thick and also made of dark gray metal. On the door was a small, circular observation window, about the size of a fist, embedded with thick glass.
Jiang Chen peered through the observation window.
Outside was a narrow metal corridor, stretching as far as the eye could see, with similar carriage doors on both sides. The corridor was also lit by dim yellow lights, making it somewhat eerie.
"Is this train very long? Are there many survivors?" Jiang Chen guessed.
The system prompt, "Global survivors have been deployed," indicated that the number of survivors was definitely not small.
He didn't go out immediately; caution was the better part of valor. Although there was a novice protection period and the train would not be actively attacked, who knew if there were other dangers outside.
For example... other ill-intentioned survivors?
People's hearts are unpredictable, and in a doomsday environment, all sorts of strange things could emerge.
Jiang Chen temporarily put aside the idea of going out to visit; he felt it was better to hunker down in his own carriage first and improve his strength and equipment.
Develop stealthily, don't be reckless!
He closed the door and pressed the red button again, and the door locked with a "click."
"Next, let's see if there are any other secrets in this carriage."
Jiang Chen began a thorough search.
The metal seat was fixed to the floor and couldn't be moved. The space beneath the seat was empty.
He tapped the walls; they were all solid.
The floor was too.
Just as he was about to give up, his gaze fell on the wall directly opposite the metal seat he had been sitting on.
On that wall, the one with the glass window, a section of the color below seemed slightly lighter than the metal elsewhere.
It was hard to notice without looking closely.
Jiang Chen walked over and tapped that area with his hand.
"Thump thump." The sound seemed somewhat hollow.
He carefully felt around and soon found a tiny gap at the edge of that area.
"A secret compartment?" Jiang Chen's heart stirred.
He hooked his finger into the gap and pulled hard.
"Creak—"
A metal plate, about half a meter square, slid open, revealing the space behind it.
Inside wasn't gold or silver treasures, nor divine weapons, but a... small control panel?
On the panel of the control console, there were a few simple buttons and a small LCD screen, which was currently dark.
"Train control system?" Jiang Chen guessed.
He tried pressing one of the buttons that looked like a power switch.
"Beep—"
With a soft sound, the LCD screen on the control panel lit up, emitting a gentle blue light.
Several lines of concise text appeared on the screen:
【Train ID: K8888 (Initial Model)】
【Current Status: Autonomous Cruise】
【Energy Type: Coal】
【Energy Reserve: 94% (Estimated travel time: 68 hours)】
【Carriage Connection: None】
【Communication System: Inactive】
【Upgrade Module: Unlocked】
Jiang Chen carefully read the information on the screen.
"The energy reserve is 94%, so it seems this train has been consuming coal." He remembered it was 95% at the beginning.
"Carriage Connection: None. This means I only have this single, isolated carriage right now."
"Communication System: Inactive. This thing should be very important; I need to find a way to activate it."
"Upgrade Module: Unlocked. It seems to upgrade the train, I need to unlock this module first."
On the control panel, besides the power button, there were several buttons with icons.
A flame icon, labeled "Fuel Compartment" next to it.
A gear icon, labeled "Crafting Station (Unlocked)" next to it.
A signal tower icon, labeled "Communication (Inactive)" next to it.
And an upward arrow icon, labeled "Upgrade (Unlocked)" next to it.
Jiang Chen tried pressing the fuel compartment icon.
"Buzz—"
The wall behind him, the one next to the metal door, suddenly slid silently to one side, revealing a half-meter square input port. The inside of the input port was dark and emitted a wave of heat.
【Please input fuel.】 A prompt popped up on the LCD screen.
"So this is where the fuel is added." Jiang Chen understood.
But he didn't have any coal now. Nor was there any in the novice gift pack.
It seemed that fuel would also need to be found by himself in the subsequent survival process.
He then pressed the crafting station icon.
【Crafting module unlocked, cannot be used.】
Communication and upgrade showed the same prompt.
"It seems that this control panel's main function right now is to check train status and add fuel." Jiang Chen stroked his chin.
However, finding this control panel was already a good discovery. At least it gave him some initial understanding of his ride.
"Oh, right, my talent!" Jiang Chen's eyes suddenly lit up.
Does this initial train carriage count as a building unit I own?
The talent description clearly stated: 【Any item, skill, attribute, building unit, etc., that the host touches or owns can be amplified.】
If he could amplify the train carriage... wouldn't the effect be... Jiang Chen's heart once again started beating faster, uncontrollably.
He walked to the metal wall of the carriage, extended his hand, and gently placed it on the cold metal.
"Basic Amplification!" he silently chanted, trying to amplify the entire carriage.
However, no pale golden light appeared, unlike when he amplified items before.
No prompt came from his mind either.
"Hmm? It doesn't work?" Jiang Chen was stunned for a moment.
【Prompt: Target volume/complexity too high, current mental strength insufficient for basic amplification. You can try special amplification on specific modules or attributes of the carriage, or try overall amplification after increasing mental strength.】
A system prompt sounded in his mind.
"So that's how it is." Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief; it wasn't that he couldn't amplify it, but that his current ability wasn't enough. This basic amplification attempt failed, but fortunately, it didn't seem to consume any uses.
"Specific modules or attributes... special amplification..."
He glanced at his attribute panel, confirming that he still had 7 basic amplifications and that one precious special amplification opportunity.
"Should I try a special amplification on a certain module?" Jiang Chen hesitated a bit.
For example, amplify the inactive communication system? Or the unlocked upgrade module?
This sounded very tempting.
Once the communication system was activated, he might be able to contact other survivors and obtain more intelligence.
Once the upgrade module was unlocked, he could start strengthening his train, laying a solid foundation for a future comfortable life.
Just as Jiang Chen was weighing the pros and cons, considering whether to take a gamble and use up his only special amplification opportunity for today...
"Ding dong!"
A clear and pleasant notification sound suddenly rang in his mind, interrupting his thoughts.
This sound was different from the previous cold, mechanical system prompts; it carried a hint of... playfulness?
Immediately after, a brand new interface popped up on the translucent light screen in front of him.
It was a chat box!
At the top of the chat box, several prominent large characters read: 【Regional Chat Channel (Zone 666)】.
Inside the chat box, messages were already scrolling wildly!
"Holy crap! Finally I can talk! I was stifled to death!"
"Is anyone there? Is anyone there? What the hell is this place? Wuwuwu I want to go home!"
"Mine is K1234! Brothers, report your IDs!"
"This is Zone 666? Sounds awesome, does that mean all the survivors in our zone are awesome?"
"Are there any ladies? Big brother here is strong and healthy, I can protect you!"
"Get lost, upstairs! Still thinking about picking up girls at a time like this? Survive first!"
"Novice protection period is 72 hours! Everyone, take this chance to get familiar with your train!"
"Does any big shot know how to get food? I'm starving to death, the stuff in the novice gift pack isn't enough at all!"
"Same question! Only one bottle of water! How can we live like this?"
"I found a control panel! I can check the train status!"
"My carriage has nothing, just a broken knife, I'm falling apart!"
Messages scrolled by rapidly, with all sorts of comments: panicked, pleading for help, bragging, seeking information... A microcosm of human society was fully displayed at this moment through this small chat channel.
Jiang Chen looked at these messages, his eyes flickering.
"Regional Chat Channel... opened so quickly?"
It seemed this so-called train survival game had a faster pace than he had imagined.
His gaze lingered on the desperate cries for food for a few seconds, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward.
While you guys are still worrying about a mouthful of water and a piece of biscuit, I've already achieved food freedom, and the quality has been upgraded.
How to describe this feeling?
It was just great.
He didn't rush to speak, but silently lurked, gathering useful information.
For example, many people mentioned train IDs starting with 'K'.
For example, indeed many people found the train control panel.
And also, most people's initial supplies were very scarce, even worse than his before amplification.
"It seems my Infinite Amplification talent really is a god-tier start." Jiang Chen sighed in his heart.
Just then, a bolded, red, pinned message suddenly appeared in the chat channel.
【System 666: Attention, survivors of Zone 666! First train stop information has been updated! Arriving at a small abandoned Supply Station in 1 hour. Please prepare for exploration!】
【Stop Information: Small abandoned Supply Station, estimated stay time 30 minutes. This area contains a small amount of basic supplies and unknown dangers. Please proceed with caution.】
As soon as this message appeared, the entire chat channel exploded instantly!
"Holy crap! Stop? Are we going out already?"
"Abandoned Supply Station? Sounds like there are good things there!"
"Unknown dangers? Brothers, I'm a little scared, I'm unarmed!"
"Anyone want to team up? Big shot, take me with you! I can shout 666!"
"Only 30 minutes of stop time, looks like we need to hurry!"
Jiang Chen looked at the message, his eyebrow raised slightly.
"An abandoned Supply Station, huh..."
This indeed gave him a clear objective.
Moreover, it also gave him an excellent reason to use his special amplification.
His gaze once again fell on the small train control panel.
That button with the signal tower icon, labeled "Communication," now seemed to emit an alluring glow in his eyes.
If he could activate and amplify the communication system before reaching the Supply Station, would there be any unexpected gains?
For example... scanning for detailed information about the Supply Station in advance? Or being able to communicate more effectively with other survivors?
Jiang Chen licked his somewhat dry lips, a glint flashing in his eyes.
Take a gamble, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!