[System Alert: Fuyao AI has been activated and bound to the host.]
[Detected train carrier. Would you like to load?]
In the spacious cockpit, Damian finally came to his senses. "Where is this? How did I get here?"
He peered out the porthole at the purple planet below, trembling under the scorching sunlight like a toy filled with joy.
"Wait, this looks like a space perspective. Wasn't I at school just now?"
[Congratulations, Host. You have been selected as the Train Conductor. You are now responsible for the operation of Train D1314.]
"Train Conductor?" He shook his head, trying to clear the fog. "Does this mean I'm inside an interstellar train?"
A massive holographic screen unfurled before him, displaying a 3D model of the Purple Star and the entire train.
[4,000 trains are transporting passengers.]
All trains hovered in the atmosphere, with countless shuttles crisscrossing around them.
It took Damian some time to accept the reality. "Are there other Train Conductors?"
[No other trains have conductors.]
So, he was the only Train Conductor on the entire Purple Star, yet he could only control this single train.
"What's this Fuyao AI? Where did it come from? Did my 'golden finger' awaken after four years?"
The mechanical voice ignored his questions, repeating the prompt.
[Would you like to authorize Fuyao to interface with the train? Refusal will permanently forfeit the AI.]
"Authorize it. Do it now."
As soon as he spoke, dense data streams flowed from Damian's mind to the train's systems, spreading like tentacles into every component.
[Fuyao has taken control of the train. Settings are being adjusted to the Host's preferences.]
[Time calculation: Purple Star Calendar 2024-04-12, 16:24:07]
[Time reset: Resurrection Calendar Year 1, Month 1, Day 1, 00:21:35]
[All Purple Star data acquired. Archiving into historical database. Host can access it anytime.]
... The prompts were just the tip of the iceberg; most information flooded back into Damian's mind as data streams.
"This is incredible. If I could go back half a day, I'd write the perfect dissertation and leave Marcus speechless."
Smack! He slapped himself. "What's wrong with you? Still thinking about that stupid paper?"
"Fuyao, show me the train's info. Wait, simplify it—too complicated."
The simplified data appeared as a list on a virtual screen:
[Train] Fuyao (AI)
[Number] D1314
[Grade] Bronze (0-Star)
[Owner] Damian (Human)
[Capacity] Humans
[Current Passengers] 0 (Excludes Conductor)
[Defense] Level 0
[Firepower] Level 0
[Power] Level 0
[Energy] 20% (Remaining)
[Status] 100% (Perfect)
... Over a hundred entries followed, such as ten carriages, each holding 100,000 people, and a private Conductor's quarters next to the cockpit. Damian skipped the details.
"What should I do now?" Everything happened too fast—the selection of the Train Conductor, the arrival of the train. He hadn't had time to think. Luckily, Fuyao could display all tasks on-screen instantly.
[The Purple Star will explode in two and a half hours. You must dispatch all shuttles to the surface to transport passengers until the train is full. Note: More passengers enhance the train's potential.]
[This train will head to the Azure Continent. Seventy-two thousand, eight hundred, and forty-three star routes are available. Confirm the route to upgrade the train's grade and attract more passengers. Note: Fixed stations cannot be changed, but star routes can be altered mid-journey.]
"What's the Azure Continent?"
[Fuyao lacks relevant info but can generate 30,000 plausible guesses.]
The screen filled with endless text, dizzying Damian. "No need for guesses. Prioritize sending shuttles to Yuan City in Xia Nation."
After the command, nodes along the train's carriages opened, and shuttles flew out en masse toward the Purple Star.
Damian stretched, scanning the cockpit. Only one Conductor's seat—no co-pilot. He glanced at the complex control panel, deciphering every button's function effortlessly. But he didn't need to act; Fuyao handled everything.
"Let me see the rest." He left the cockpit, crossed a silver hallway, and entered his private quarters. A living room dominated the center, flanked by rooms in warm hues—fitting his aesthetic.
"Bedroom, kitchen, study... What's the big round room for?"
[That's the gravity chamber. You can train there.]
"Training?"
Ignoring it for now, Damian inspected his space. It was vast and fully equipped but felt empty.
"No food in the kitchen, no books in the study—just a hollow shell."
He walked further, descending a spiral staircase into a grand lobby. Passing long corridors and mysterious rooms, he reached a tall glass door.
[Welcome to Hangar 1]
Damian turned to see "Passengers Strictly Forbidden" emblazoned on the door. "What if passengers storm in?"
[Passengers have no access to the Conductor's private area. Violators will be executed.]
The hangar was empty except for a floating platform. Stepping onto it, he soared over barren zones to the first carriage. Seven steel gates stood open, revealing rows of seats like hard-class train benches.
"Passengers can only sit here?"
[Upgrade to Silver level to add passenger cabins on top.]
"Not prioritizing that. At least they have seats."
[Alert! The first batch of passengers is about to board.]
Damian hurried back to the cockpit. No need to reveal himself—not out of fear, but caution.
Half a minute later, Shuttle F returned, docking at the hangar.
[Welcome to Train D1314. Proceed to carriages immediately. Do not linger in hangar or corridors.]
From the cockpit's monitor, Damian watched passengers disembark. Terrified yet curious, they flocked down the silver ramp.
"This is the train? Marcus, your story doesn't match reality."
Marcus, amid the crowd, scowled at the challenge to his authority. "Bronze exterior, so the interior shouldn't be fancy... but who expected silver decor?"
"You bragged about your brilliant student. Looks like hot air."
Marcus muttered, rushing to secure a seat, terrified of missing out.
Damian smirked, letting it play out. "Old man makes it onto the first batch—lucky. Fuyao, monitor the train. Alert me if a girl named Lilith boards. Also flag Wilson and others."
With survival assured, protecting his people became priority—no doubts.