Chapter 887: Train Level: 23

The gains from the last Station World had already been fully tallied.

Apart from those basic resources, he hadn't spent those extra dozen or so days entirely slacking off.

He'd also picked up some interesting mechanical steam devices and blueprints.

He threw some of them into the black market to sell.

Things like steam mechanisms that could be equipped by ordinary people.

That kind of stuff always sold quickly.

Adding the Great Dragon Card's daily five coins, his Train Coins had reached exactly six thousand.

Mm, to make it that exact round number, he'd deliberately held back from selling two more items.

This kind of haul could hardly be called anything but generous.

With this amount, plus his current Spirit and Stamina, Ye Qiyan felt he could do something now.

For example.

Sublimating the Train.

"This time it was fast enough, only one station and it can break through in level again. It really is nice to have money, no need to worry about being unable to afford the upgrade options."

Inside the locomotive section.

Ye Qiyan sat leisurely in his swivel chair, toying with a black card.

That was a member perk the black market's Customer Service lady had provided free of charge for him as a senior VIP customer.

Put plainly, it was just a spatial item for storing Train Coins.

"Then let's begin. Lisette, prepare to accelerate!"

A deep azure stream of light spread outward from his fingertip.

The Imminent Demise Drill began to spin faster and faster.

Lisette stood by his side, using the Surpass the Stars that her Master had given her.

The tide of monsters still appeared.

Within this sky-full of heavy snow, they were devoured by the drill.

The Train began Overclocking acceleration!

[Sublimation]

Blood and snow merged.

Crimson ice formed beautiful, dazzling frozen roses along both sides of the Train.

The Hunt's barrier and the moonlight's illumination made it utterly impossible for these monsters to touch even a fraction of the Train.

Advance, surpass, never ending, .

Until there were no more obstacles ahead.

Until all the monsters were left far, far behind!

Sublimation successful!

[Stamina: 500→300] [Spirit: 600→100]

[Congratulations! Train Conductor ID: E-3-1102-Ye Qiyan]

[Your Train Level has been raised to: Level 23]

[Speed increased to: 460 km/h]

[Frame, chassis, wheels, processing station, overall upgrade]

[Materials required for next level: ......Lanshi Ice]

[Upgrade options have been prepared. Would you like to view them?]

"I remember last time Miatira said she temporarily couldn't interfere with my upgrade options. I'd guess this time is about the same as the previous level, right?"

Ye Qiyan muttered softly to himself, pressing the button to open the options.

[Option One: System Authority · Appraisal Blockade (5,000 Train Coins)]

[Option Two: Train Armament · Turbine (900 Train Coins)]

[Option Three: Conductor Module Card · Drawing Slash (100 Train Coins)]

[Option Four: Tradable Module Card · Barista (350 Train Coins)]

"?"

The Ye Qiyan in the swivel chair immediately sat up straight, rubbed his eyes, looked at the text above, confirmed he hadn't misread, and parted his lips.

"Miatira?!"

[Ding-dong! Miatira's Interference Authority over upgrade options has not yet been restored!]

"...."

Ye Qiyan rubbed his brow.

Right.

Even if it wasn't Miatira.

The main System itself was a cheating, money-grubbing bastard.

Setting the authority aside for now, the name did sound like a good thing.

But among the three behind it, especially that Drawing Slash and Barista, there was no way those two weren't deliberately cooked up by the System to make him spend money!

Miatira's Light Screen was shoved to the side.

The main System's Light Screen quietly surfaced, and an emotionless voice replaced Miatira's from the broadcast.

[Upgrade option contents are entirely random. Please do not misunderstand, Train Conductor. It has been detected that you possess a card-form Train Coin storage item, and a payment method suitable for such an item has been designed for you.]

[Furthermore, given that your current total Train Coins amount to only 6,000, it is recommended that you sell some of the useless items you obtained at your previous station to make up the Train Coins.]

[Because you have previously purchased all upgrade options, the Train system issues you a special reminder: please, by all means, do not be stingy with your wealth.]

A slot similar to the one on a card reader appeared on the Light Screen.

Looking at the Light Screen hovering before him, Ye Qiyan confirmed one thing.

Whether or not the main System itself was emotionless.

When it came to greed for money, Miatira had absolutely inherited it!

"I really am at my wits' end with you."

People really do laugh when they're rendered speechless.

Ye Qiyan once again opened the black market and threw up the last few items he'd been holding onto from the previous station.

But it wasn't enough.

No choice, he could only sell off some more GT Memory Metal.

Only then was the remaining three hundred fifty deficit finally filled.

The money hadn't even warmed his hands before Ye Qiyan, covering his eyes, swiped wildly forward.

The system interface very thoughtfully adjusted the position to ensure that black card could complete the transaction.

Though it wouldn't have mattered even if he hadn't actually swiped the slot.

Dark gold specks poured out from the black card.

When the number displayed on it returned to zero.

Ye Qiyan silently tossed it next to the Great Dragon Card, not wanting to look at it.

Mm.

Now.

His Train Coins.

Had returned to zero.

Ye Qiyan had once again become a wealthy pauper.

"Forget it, forget it. Just pretend I never earned money. Sigh, I might as well first see what's inside these options. Maybe those cheap ones aren't bad either."

He consoled himself like that, and with a trace of melancholy, tapped open the first, and most expensive, option.

[System Authority · Appraisal Blockade]

[After obtaining this authority, you may freely set what appraisal content regarding yourself can be displayed]

[Example: Only name/title can be shown]

[This authority can be synced to all Train members belonging to you, including but not limited to, servants/contractors/manufactured objects/lifeforms/non-lifeforms...]

[And, Eternal Binders]

[Please note, if a Train Conductor possessing a [System Appraisal]-type authority simultaneously triggers this type of effect, then it shall be determined by the Train Conductor's own ability.]

[Items you currently possess that can affect appraisal-type authorities: [Demon Card · Arrogance]]

"Would this authority overlap a bit with Arrogance?"

After reading the appraisal information, Ye Qiyan's brows furrowed slightly. He thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"No, it doesn't really count as overlapping. This authority never stated its range of influence, which means as long as it's set, it can keep extending indefinitely. Not bad."

Five thousand Train Coins to buy this authority was undoubtedly a bargain.

After all, as the system prompt said, there would definitely be some Train Conductors who possessed different System Appraisal authorities.

Although his Arrogance was powerful, and combined with the Wandering Star Holy Sigil's protection, up to now, no one had been able to touch him and activate appraisal information.

And the System itself had always been extremely crude when appraising a life and a claimed item.

Apart from the name, it was just the title and the most basic effects.

But given this System's nature of selling anything, who knew if some Train Conductor might simultaneously possess numerous appraisal-type authorities, and by extension see detailed information as well?

Ye Qiyan couldn't be bothered about the others.

But [Sublimation] alone was absolutely unacceptable.