◎ Maxing out [Driving the Train], using players as labor, and activating skills again ◎
As soon as her guard slipped, Jiang Qi felt a tide of exhaustion wash over her, making even breathing feel laborious.
She forced herself to speak coldly, “I’ll leave this to you—arrest everyone. Anyone who dares resist, kill them on the spot!”
The players: !!!
If an NPC had said this, they might have felt indignant or dismissed it.
But coming from a player they considered extremely formidable and ruthless, they knew he meant it.
The intimidation factor instantly doubled.
They dared to be angry but not speak, let alone move—who knew if the next move would cost them their heads?
Since he hadn’t killed them yet, they figured he didn’t intend to, so they’d better behave and lie low for now.
One by one, the players surrendered. Even the few who resisted were restrained—hands and feet cuffed, heads covered, and once sedated, they couldn’t scheme anymore.
Jiang Qi finally relaxed completely.
Through her earpiece, Commander Zhao’s voice came: “Well done, Xiao Jiang. Come back first. Leave the scene for them to handle.”
Jiang Qi turned and walked out of the warehouse. A car was waiting outside. Dong Shengfeng helped her in, and as soon as the doors closed, they drove off.
Once in the car, Jiang Qi removed her helmet and mask, shedding the heavy gear. Her clothes underneath were soaked from the rain, clinging to her body. She was freezing; her lips were dark blue, and her hands and feet trembled—whether from cold or sheer exhaustion, she didn’t know.
Seeing this, Dong Shengfeng reported to Commander Zhao, who immediately said, “Everything is ready on this side.”
So, as soon as Jiang Qi got out of the car, she was wrapped in a warm blanket and escorted into a room.
The room, warmed by underfloor heating, radiated comfort. A bathtub of steaming water with some unknown herbs waited, along with a bowl of hot ginger soup. After all the exertion, she felt fully revived. Finally, clad in fluffy pajamas, she curled up on the sofa, letting someone dry her hair, and fell asleep to the hum of the hair dryer.
Dong Shengfeng dimmed the room lights and stepped out to report to Commander Zhao. “She’s asleep, completely exhausted.”
Commander Zhao nodded, “Let her sleep. We can handle matters after she wakes. Her health is the priority now.”
Indeed, if she collapsed or fell ill, that would have been a serious problem.
…
Jiang Qi slept for a full seven hours, only waking because her mind was still preoccupied with unfinished tasks.
Upon opening her eyes, she saw the bright morning light.
Lying in bed, she blinked a few times, then suddenly sat up.
She still had to drive today. What time was it?
Dong Shengfeng walked in, “You’re awake. Any discomfort?”
“What time is it? Why didn’t you wake me? If I have to drive, I’ll be late!”
Dong Shengfeng replied, “It’s 6:30. Don’t worry. The first train won’t depart until 8:00.”
“Eight? I thought it was six?”
Jiang Qi got out of bed and looked for clothes. Stepping onto the floor, she realized it was warm. It was underfloor heating.
As someone from the south, this was her first experience with floor heating. It was incredibly comfortable. Normally cold tiles felt warm underfoot, so much so that she wanted to roll around on them. Nothing beats this kind of warmth.
No wonder she had slept so deeply and comfortably.
Dong Shengfeng handed her clothes while saying, “No rush. The train will run all day, nonstop, until nine in the evening.”
Jiang Qi moved a bit slowly. “That late?”
“Yes, to accommodate the players’ off-duty hours.”
“Off-duty?”
“Oh, by the way, Commander Zhao is waiting for you. Commander Zhang is at the command center, ready for video conferencing anytime. You’ll need to report on last night’s operation.”
Jiang Qi didn’t dwell on the ‘off-duty’ comment and nodded, “Of course. Besides last night, I need to properly report yesterday’s full-day gains as well.”
As she nodded, she felt her head slightly dizzy and her nose a bit congested. A cold?
Still, considering all the exertion yesterday, it was surprising that it was only a cold. She had expected a fever at least.
Dong Shengfeng asked, “Do you want the doctor to take a look?”
“Alright,” she replied.
Dong Shengfeng opened the door and let the doctor in. The doctor took Jiang Qi’s temperature, performed an examination, and diagnosed her with a cold caused by wind and chill, which could be treated with some medicine. Her right arm had some soft tissue bruising and muscle strain from repeated gun use, and her fingers, toes, ears, and cheeks had mild frostbite, but otherwise, there were no major issues.
Although minor, to ensure smooth follow-up operations, medication and ointments needed to be applied without neglect.
After a hearty breakfast, Jiang Qi dressed warmly and set out for the meeting, carrying all her ointments.
She sat with Commander Zhao at the table, the screen showing Commander Zhang and others at the command center.
Jiang Qi greeted everyone. “Thank you for waiting. Let’s get straight to the point, starting with the train operation. Over the course of a full day’s train operations, I triggered four projects, which are…”
“During last night’s warehouse operation, I triggered five more projects, including [Ruthless and Loveless Truth] completed in one go. Along with a previously unfinished project, I currently have nine ongoing projects.”
After some discussion, Commander Zhang asked, “Regarding the three projects for the train conductor—Contempt, Mystic Eye, and Home Field Advantage—what are your thoughts?”
Jiang Qi replied, “These three projects are special. I believe they are not merely skills but more like innate talents or additional attributes of the train conductor. Contempt allows me to face enemies fearlessly and stay calm in danger. Mystic Eye should let me discern enemy weaknesses and predict attack paths. Home Field Advantage likely makes me invincible in my domain or grants power boosts.”
Shaking her head, she continued, “This is all I can speculate for now, but I believe that once these three projects are fully developed, they will bring fundamental improvements. They are very valuable projects.”
In fact, Jiang Qi was quite pleased to trigger these three projects.
“These three are hard to max out.”
Jiang Qi nodded, “Contempt and Mystic Eye require me to face off against players, ideally when they use their innate abilities to attack me. Home Field probably requires suppressing player brawls to gain experience. There are still 28 days left, so I don’t expect these three to max out soon—no need to rush.”
“My plan is to max out the other five projects within the next two to three days, excluding these three and [Precise Strike on Passenger Vital Points], and then trigger other projects afterward.”
The command center staff quickly took notes. One expert spoke up, “Comrade Jiang, I have some questions, though they may be somewhat bold to ask.”
The camera focused on the expert. Jiang Qi looked at him. “Go ahead.”
“First, you have triggered 18 projects in total, nine completed, nine ongoing. Have you noticed any significant changes in your body or abilities? Second, you claim your shooting is average, but last night in the warehouse, you were perfect—are you hiding something from us? Third, when you were shooting players last night, your condition seemed abnormal. Can you elaborate? Fourth, you took down a player called Wolf Sai with one strike, showing considerable strength—can you explain that as well?”
Jiang Qi thought to herself that they really had studied her thoroughly. While she was sleeping, these people had probably scrutinized every angle of the warehouse surveillance footage from last night.
However, she didn’t mind. Compared to guessing and doubting things in her mind, it was better to ask questions directly. Just as she would openly ask the command center for help when she needed it.
Being straightforward like this maximized efficiency.
But some things she wouldn’t say, like the sudden fragments of memories that surfaced.
She remained expressionless and answered each question one by one. “Regarding any changes in my body, I don’t think my physique has changed, but mentally, I’m indeed different. The main difference is that I’m now more confident and view players from a more superior perspective. You probably already know that last night I activated a skill and obtained a drone.”
She took the mechanical owl device of her backpack and placed it in front of the camera on the table. Everyone leaned in with wide eyes to take a closer look.
“This item functions as a drone and is currently powered off. Using the [Passenger Offering] skill, I took it from a player who was two hundred meters away.”
“Through successfully activating this skill, I felt that my consciousness completely dominated the player while using it. This is likely the main reason my mindset became stronger.”
Jiang Qi handed the mechanical owl to Commander Zhao to have someone study it, then continued: “I entered the warehouse in this state, so at that moment I was full of momentum and confidence. When I realized that Plan A couldn’t trigger the event, I immediately prepared to confront the players personally. However, my close-combat abilities are almost zero, so I could only rely on firearms.”
“When I picked up the gun, that momentum made me feel capable. After firing a shot, the Train Conductor panel immediately warned me that I had harmed a player, violating the principle of [Caring for Passengers].”
Jiang Qi recounted the dispute she had with the panel—or more precisely, how she unilaterally argued against it, risking punishment just to keep shooting.
“That state was very special. I felt like I truly was the Train Conductor. I should command unquestioningly. My mindset and strength were enhanced, which allowed me to shoot with perfect accuracy. Eventually, the panel compromised and triggered a new event for me.”
An expert from the command center said, “So you’re saying that because you insisted on your choice, the panel opened up a new path for you. Even the annotation of [Care] evolved from a minor benefit to what could control life and death—the so-called [Great Love].”
Jiang Qi nodded. “That should be the case.”
The experts whispered among themselves, likely confused by this panel as well.
Finally, they summarized, “Choices create outcomes. For this panel, there are no wrong choices, but when later choices conflict with earlier ones, that itself is a challenge. Congratulations, Comrade Jiang, you successfully overcame this hurdle. This could be considered an advancement.”
What was originally just a duty of caring for passengers had now transformed into the idea that even killing them could count as care.
In other words, she had transformed from a virtuous service provider into a high-ranking figure without restrictions. By stepping forward, her horizons expanded—a genuine transformation.
Jiang Qi nodded in agreement and continued, “The reason my state was somewhat abnormal when shooting, and why Wolf Sai seemed stronger, all comes from this. At that moment, I was influenced by the panel, entering a ‘I am supreme’ Train Conductor state, and even felt a slight enjoyment in the battle and the act of killing.”
She wasn’t lying; that was exactly how she felt at the time.
The experts quickly took notes: the Train Conductor panel may influence Jiang Qi’s personality and temperament; her mental state should be closely monitored.
They didn’t want to end up raising a dark, twisted Train Conductor.
It was fine if she acted dark toward other players, but toward her fellow citizens and her country, they hoped she would retain a pure heart.
Afterwards, they asked more questions, which Jiang Qi answered one by one, and then the upcoming plans were discussed.
…
After the meeting, Jiang Qi had another blood sample taken and sent back to the command center for study.
She then hurried to the high-speed rail station.
Sitting on the train, she looked outside at the thick snow. Only two lanes had been cleared; the ice on the other side was piled up to knee height.
It was May 12, the third day since the dungeon appeared, and the temperature had dropped to below minus twenty degrees.
She wondered how ordinary people were coping.
In her previous life, at this time, she would have spent her days shivering indoors. Even if she braved the cold to find food, it only caused more frostbite.
Fortunately, the government eventually began distributing supplies, allowing her to barely survive—until she killed the neighboring player and opened another path for survival…
Looking back now, that previous life felt distant and blurry, but no matter how blurry, could it really erase a crucial living person?
Who was the one who said they would be her target to practice shooting with?
That person must have been the same as the one who jumped off the train to save her. In her fragmented memories, she couldn’t see their face clearly, nor even their gender, but she could sense they had been with her for a long time and were important. How could she not remember them at all?
She looked down at her hands, red and itchy from frostbite. They had once been hands that never missed a shot. To have mastered that marksmanship, she must have endured a lot. Even relying solely on “muscle memory,” she could take out a crowd in seconds last night.
Could someone forget survival skills of that level?
A terrible suspicion suddenly arose in her mind: in that survival game of her past life, she must have spent more than a few months and entered more than three dungeons.
She might have even encountered other train conductors; otherwise, she wouldn’t have felt that “all train conductors are abnormal.”
Yet she had forgotten all the later events, the people she met, and the skills she learned.
…No, that’s not right. If she met that person later, how could they have jumped out to save her when she was left behind on the train?
Jiang Qi clenched her hands, sighed, and shook her head, her mind full of unanswerable questions.
Soon, the high-speed rail station arrived. She put all her thoughts aside and fully immersed herself in gaining experience.
…
At 7:50, she stood at the ticket inspection entrance and saw a group of players in the waiting hall, looking utterly dejected, holding brooms, shovels, and similar tools.
Jiang Qi: ?
What are they doing?
“Did you hear? Last night at Jiuwan District Dock, hundreds of players were captured!”
“Hundreds? I heard there were thousands!”
“Anyway, it was a lot. I heard they were trying to steal supplies and got completely wiped out! Some of them were from the Special Carriage too!”
“Near where I live, there was a group trying to rob something last night as well, and they got caught too.”
“The NPCs in this dungeon are terrifyingly strong!”
“That’s why I said, if there’s a chance to work for supplies, better come quickly. Earn whatever you can.”
“Exactly. The enemies are strong, we’re weak. Best to lay low and survive.”
Listening to the players’ chatter, Jiang Qi’s questioning gaze fell on Wang Minxing.
Wang Minxing silently handed her a form listing all the players to be transported today.
The first batch in the morning was going to clear snow on a certain street.
The second batch was assigned to clear ice from power lines.
The third batch was going to dismantle high-altitude billboards.
The fourth batch would harvest crops somewhere.
Others were sent to fish in a breeding farm, produce honeycomb coal at a coal yard, or process hand warmers at a clothing factory…
Jiang Qi twitched her mouth. They’re really treating players as labor, huh?
No wonder Dong Shengfeng said they had to coordinate with players’ off-duty times. Looking at the last train tonight, the players to be transported were coming off a late shift at a certain factory.
Everything was clearly scheduled: which batch took which train, when to assemble, when to check names, when to inspect tickets—every detail was visible at a glance. This ensured that Jiang Qi could run every train fully loaded and on time.
Jiang Qi asked, “How did you manage this? Are players really this obedient?”
Wang Minxing replied, “Those willing to work for supplies are generally obedient. And after being terrified last night, they naturally follow our arrangements.”
Indeed, hearing that thousands of players had been captured last night did sound frightening.
Alright, then, today she wouldn’t have to worry about her labor force for gaining experience.
Seeing this diverse group of players, Jiang Qi’s mood unexpectedly lifted. Having a strong and reliable support behind her really was reassuring.
From 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., a full 13.5 hours, thanks to precise scheduling at the station, Jiang Qi didn’t waste any time. She completed a full 20 round trips on the railway, gaining 0.4 internship experience in the [Driving the Train] project.
That night, with no other work assigned, Jiang Qi slept soundly. The next day, she resumed driving the high-speed trains. Around seven in the evening, she finally heard the panel announcement:
[Ding! You have now completed 100 actions of [Driving the Train]. Congratulations on fully mastering this skill. When you see the Survival Train, you will know how to operate it. Congratulations on moving one step closer to becoming a real Train Conductor. Keep up the good work.]
Jiang Qi smiled brightly. Great! Just as she thought—she could operate the Survival Train.
At this point, she had completed all five projects she needed to grind. Only four remained in progress: [Train Conductor’s Contempt], [Precise Strike on Passenger Vital Points], and two others.
…
Five minutes later, Jiang Qi changed out of her train conductor uniform, changed her face, and left the station, feeling as if she had graduated and been freed.
She didn’t want to come back to the station anytime soon.
As usual, Dong Shengfeng came to pick her up.
“Congratulations, you’ve completed another difficult task.”
Jiang Qi smiled. “Same to you.”
“The food is in the insulated box. Shall we eat first?”
Jiang Qi sighed. “More medicinal cuisine?”
“Yes, but today there’s an extra portion.”
“Let’s eat on the train then, while we go. You can tell me what’s new these past two days.”
“Even with time this tight, you’re not relaxing?”
“Hmm… I guess I’ll relax for one meal.”
On the train, Jiang Qi unfolded the small table and began eating the nutritious stew, which tasted reasonably good.
By the time she finished the meal, the train hadn’t reached its destination. The snowstorm had worsened, the road was slippery, and the train was moving slowly.
Jiang Qi wiped her mouth, poured herself a bowl of sweet soup, and looked at Dong Shengfeng.
Dong Shengfeng: “…” Her workaholic nature was truly impressive.
Dong Shengfeng briefed her:
“Over the past two days, we’ve captured more players. Currently, over a thousand players have been caught, with more than two hundred identified as suitable targets for identity seizure. Since you’ve been busy and requested to personally handle the killing of players, the first identity-seizure operation is scheduled for tomorrow morning at the command center. You will be there.”
“Additionally, the captured players are being held separately in isolation cells that block all information, smells, and sounds. They’re under round-the-clock observation. Some may have so-called talent abilities—you can decide whether to use them to work on [Contempt] and the other projects.”
“The blood sample you drew the day before yesterday has undergone in-depth testing. It is indeed somewhat different from previous blood—there seems to be a strange new component. We’re not sure what it is yet.”
“And the person we asked you to pay special attention to—the owner of the owl drone—is called Mi Fei. He’s from the second-class carriage. He accidentally acquired the owl drone in the last dungeon, which is his only advantage. Because of this, he was recruited by the first-class carriage team. When Mi Fei woke up, he kept shouting that the Train Conductor had arrived.”
Jiang Qi listened quietly, glancing at Dong Shengfeng when she heard this.
Dong Shengfeng understood and elaborated:
“So we interrogated Mi Fei. He seems to have assumed that the person who captured his owl drone was the Train Conductor—that is, he believes you are the Train Conductor. When he was caught, there were two other first-class carriage players with him—trusted aides of Old Shi, the leader of yesterday’s first-class carriage team. These three were responsible for scouting outside. Mi Fei’s shouting was heard by the other two, who fully believed him.”
Jiang Qi stirred her soup. “These three can’t be released.”
Dong Shengfeng nodded, “The command center agrees. If they go out shouting that the Train Conductor appeared in this dungeon, whether other players believe them is secondary. If the real Train Conductor learns of this, it would be troublesome. They can’t return to the train. Only those stripped of their player panels can’t return—that is, these three cannot survive.”
Jiang Qi asked again, “Why did he think I’m the train conductor?”
“He said he was slapped from a distance by the train conductor and sensed the conductor’s terrifying aura.”
Jiang Qi pondered. So, when using [Passenger Offering] and other skills, she also had to hide her aura? How could that be done?
Hmm, she’d practice on Mi Fei.
…
Twenty minutes later, in a basement, Jiang Qi saw Mi Fei.
She watched him through one-way glass. He had been confined for two days, appeared listless and haggard, leaning against the wall, scratching at it, and muttering to himself.
Dong Shengfeng said, “As per your instructions, we emptied almost everything in his backpack but left some of his personal items. That wallet next to him is his own, filled with money—both ours and so-called train currency.”
Jiang Qi nodded, planning to activate [Passenger Offering] while keeping her eyes on the wallet.
Next moment, her consciousness extended outward like fine, long neuron-like threads, passing through the glass to reach for Mi Fei.
She glanced at her reflection on the glass, noticing a faint purple glow emanating from her eyes.
Huh, activating a skill gives a colored contact effect too?
…
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