Surviving the Apocalypse with My Magical Train! - Chapter 41: No Free Meal in This World

Author's message to webnovel readers:Hello everyone, I am Morning Star LL, and I am delighted to meet you all in this way!To be honest, I never imagined that my work would have such a large readership outside China. I was absolutely astonished when my editor told me there were thousands of comments. Before this, my writings were primarily aimed at Chinese readers, and it never crossed my mind that my words would one day be translated into another language.I am both humbled and grateful.I am also extremely honored that my recent work, “This Game is Too Real,” has been given the opportunity to reach an international audience.Unlike my previous works, this book is probably the one into which I've invested the most time and effort. It is set in a fictional post-apocalyptic wasteland.The story mainly revolves around a once-thriving civilization that collapses overnight after a disaster. The MC from Earth uses a legacy system to disguise the entire world as a game, leading players on a quest to save civilization. It intertwines the fates of the struggling survivors in the wasteland with mutual redemption, while also uncovering the historical truths buried beneath the dust.This book contains several easter eggs with “Scholar's Advanced Technological System,” but mentioning them might spoil the story, so I'll leave it to the readers to discover!Moreover, the overall tone of the book remains cheerful and light-hearted. Despite the world being harsh and full of danger, I believe that even in the darkest moments, the warmth and resilience inherent in humanity will continue to shine brightly, emitting the power to dispel the darkness.It would be my greatest honor if my words resonate with you! And the word “resonate” is also a major clue within the story itself.Thank you!by Morning Star LL——————————————This game is too freaking realistic!Bricklaying, running errands, picking up trash, delivering parcels... At most, the company lets you experience the hardships of a 996 schedule, but here you can feel the extreme bonus of 007.Alright, enough chit-chat, the great Manager has called me to lay some bricks.That Manager said that as long as we work our livers off, he can get a brand-new set of power armor next month, and then he'll take us to explore a brand new map, picking up even more trash in the vast Wasteland!...After teleporting to the Waste World, Chu Guang discovered that he had unlocked the “shelter system” and could summon creatures called “players” from a parallel world.From that day on, nothing in the Waste World was normal anymore.

Kang Min-hyuk, the loser of the checkpoint, gained a high-level magical civilization and everything changed.

After being killed by a high-velocity tree-hug, Arlo is transported to a new world of skills, stats, and levels where those brave and talented enough to conquer ancient Delves are rewarded with incredible supernatural power. Unfortunately for Arlo, there is no tutorial, and he is immediately forced to tackle a Delve set to the highest difficulty with a party of adventurers who are not only strangers to him, but strangers to each other as well. Arlo has no armor, no weapons, no knowledge of the world at large, and his party is growing increasingly suspicious of his lack of preparation and paper-thin excuses for how he got there.There's also the fact that the System seems to be treating Arlo's situation like a big, cosmic joke.Determined not to die again, Arlo forgoes putting any points into his highest stat, Intelligence, and instead dumps everything he's got into Fortitude. After all, who needs equipment or fighting skills when you can eat fireballs for breakfast and still ask for more hot sauce?Mage Tank is a comedic LitRPG adventure set in an epic fantasy world that is rapidly evolving as new and powerful secrets of the Delves are uncovered. There are strong horror themes, graphic violence, overindulgent use of naughty language, and poorly constructed jokes. Mage Tank features slow progression and intelligent characters who spend time making intentional build choices. It’s not action all-the-time, but Arlo’s life is replete with danger and, more importantly, consequences.Cover art generated with MidJourney and Canva.Maps and world-building support by Sir Raiu Koren.

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.