Chapter 188: Chapter 134: "Not bad, Mr. Li, this truly shows that having more skills doesn’t weigh one down.
Since we’ve already found the mine.
The day is getting late, let’s rest tonight and start mining again tomorrow morning.
However, the next second—
"Whoosh."
The doors of the last few carriages suddenly opened, and a bunch of train residents excitedly rushed down with pickaxes. They hurried straight to the mining area, spat on their hands twice, and began mining.
"...Hmm."
Standing below the train, Chen Mang gazed at this scene. After a moment of silence, he sighed softly: "At this rate, Doba should soon stop saying that goblins are the most hardworking people."
Then he shook his head and walked back to his train compartment.
Let them mine.
Anyway, the train’s current living facilities are all maxed out. The Level 10 supermodel effect of bread slices and mineral water is a long-term intake to mildly improve fitness. The Level 5 supermodel effect of bread slices can also supplement vitamins, and the Level 5 effect of mineral water is to clear kidney stones. There’s also cola that can replenish stamina.
With so many life-support facilities complete, at least no one will be worked to death.
As the saying goes, first prepare your supplies before you send out troops - the Constant Star Train’s supplies are all maxed out at the moment.
Except...
Except that eating the same thing every day can get boring.
Sitting inside the train compartment, Chen Mang looked at the four meat buns Fang brought in. He waved his hand to signal Ai to find the person who claimed to be a five-star hotel chef, and make him cook with the remaining vegetables and the four smoked ribs that were captured last time for a small treat.
"We have the basic pots and pans inside the train, ask him what else he needs."
If he needs something like a spatula, he can make it with the Mechanical Heart, just using a bit of iron ore. But if it’s... spices, salt, pepper powder, etc., the Mechanical Heart can’t make those.
Although Mechanical Heart doesn’t give a clear manufacturing scope, it mainly produces electronic products or iron-made household items like pots and pans. It can’t make food and tobacco.
If it could make spices.
Then it wouldn’t be a Mechanical Heart, but something called "Manifestation Incarnate."
"I asked him, he said besides pots and pans, he lacks a lot of side ingredients and condiments, so the taste probably won’t be good."
"Then forget it."
Chen Mang sighed softly: "Don’t waste those smoked ribs, save them for later."
"I have built another carriage, have Old Pig arrange people to deal with the batch of livestock and food seeds found last time in Shahe City."
"Got it."
...
The Constant Star Train has a total of 14 carriages, with the 14th carriage being the Missile Carriage.
Now there’s another carriage.
The 15th carriage, "Breeding Carriage."
"Can you handle it?"
Old Pig slightly frowned and looked at Mr. Li standing nearby: "Weren’t you a senior executive before? One who earned millions annually and was proficient in accounting and management yet also started a business, can you handle this?"
"There are 6 chickens, 5 ducks, 4 pigs, 2 cows, and 3 sheep here."
"Each livestock requires different care, what was your major in college?"
"No problem."
Mr. Li stood upright and replied seriously: "I studied Civil Engineering in college. Before college, I came from the countryside; my family raised pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, and ducks, all of them."
"When I was young, I went to school every day smelling of pig odor."
"Feeding these livestock is nothing. Leave it to me. No problem whatsoever."
"And those seeds can be entirely entrusted to me as well. My family used to farm and have an orchard. I’ve been helping out back home since childhood; I know how to handle this."
"Amazing..."
Old Pig’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise: "Well done, Mr. Li, you’re truly a jack of all trades."
"Alright, then I’ll leave this area to you."
"See the spray in the corners of this carriage? That’s the train accessory ’Reproduction Spray,’ Master Mang installed a manual button at the carriage entrance for you. Just press this button, and the livestock inside will enter the mating period. Press again, and they’ll return to normal."
"You can trust me, Pig Train Captain."
...
The 15th Breeding Carriage.
Mr. Li looked at the twenty-some livestock in the simple carriage and the two refrigerators filled with soil, let out a long sigh of relief, and the anxiety vanished from his eyes, looking quite relaxed.
Then he leaned against the carriage, lit a cigarette, a hint of smugness hidden in his eyes, and casually said.
"Not bad, easy job."
"Just managing one carriage for now, accumulating some experience, and I’ll advance further later."
"Awesome, Mr. Li!"
The young man standing nearby excitedly gave a thumbs up: "Just this noon, Master Mang announced the Iris Chip leading to your unemployment, and now that it’s just dark, you’re employed again so quickly?"
"I knew you could do it."
"And Mr. Li, you know way too much. Earning millions a year and you even know how to raise pigs, you know quite a variety of things."
"Know?"
Li sighed heavily, then tossed the cigarette butt at his feet: "What do I know? Any rural family that farms, has an orchard, and raises chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, and pigs would be rich landowners, wouldn’t they?"
"If they don’t have a few slaves, they’ll tire out the elderly couple and bury them in the ground sooner or later."
"My family only ever raised a few chickens and a dog when I was young."
"Huh?" The young man’s smile slowly froze: "Mr... Mr. Li... you don’t know anything and still dare to take on this responsibility? If it fails, won’t it be your head that falls off?"
"Rest assured, if I lose my head, you definitely won’t keep yours either."
Li embraced the young man’s shoulder after inhaling deeply: "Take out our Fixed Star Coupons, put them together, buy a few packs of cigarettes, and I’ll bring you to meet two people I used to chat with when I was a slave; one farms, the other raises livestock."
"Go chat and catch up, and basically, we’ll learn it together."
"This position, you see."
"There’s a lot of room for error, just learning some experience is enough. As long as we don’t starve them, no major issue will arise; let’s just get into the position and learn as we go."
"..."
The young man remained silent for a long time before speaking hoarsely: "Mr. Li, can you tell me how a civil engineering graduate ended up in accounting?"
"Oh, you’re asking about that."
"When I graduated, I was working as a safety trainee on a construction site. The building collapsed, and I ended up serving time in prison for a few years. I met a bunch of accounting elites inside, studied for a while, came out and got an accounting certificate, and then slowly made my way into this circle after those people were willing to help me."
"Mr. Li, you are quite something."
"Well, sort of, got lucky enough to eat."
"Is that true?"
"Sure it is."
"I feel like there’s no truth in what you say."
"Trust me."
"But Mr. Li, I know why I was only earning a few thousand before Doomsday."
"Why’s that?"
"Because if it were me, I wouldn’t dare to ask the Pig Train Captain to sit in this position without knowing anything. Even if no one finds out temporarily, I’d be very nervous inside, unable to pass the hurdle in my own heart."
"It’s better to die of daring than starvation from timidity; do you think the Pig Train Captain, sitting in his position, really knows that much about management?"
Li smirked.
"I think if I were the Deputy Train Captain, I could certainly do better."
"Given time, I could sit there too."
"But..."
Li glanced outside, and whispered: "This carriage is newly built and hasn’t installed cameras yet, we can chat here, but outside do not speak carelessly."
"One step at a time, starting with this breeding carriage. If there’s an important position needing someone in the future, I’ll go apply to the Pig Train Captain."
"Yeah, yeah."
The young man seriously nodded his head.
"Mr. Li, I trust you."