Chapter 203: The Little Train
The next morning, bright and early, several large delivery trucks slowly made their way towards Bai Family Fortress.
Meanwhile, Li Daoxuan began preparations for the "Valley of Exiles," where he planned to settle Zhao Sheng's group.
First, he dug a pit in the middle of the valley, buried a plastic box inside it, and filled it with water, creating a pond within the valley.
Next, at both ends of the valley's exits, he placed two small plastic castles, which perfectly blocked the entrances on either side, providing complete protection for the valley's interior.
Then, he arranged a large number of plastic miniature houses throughout the valley, filling the entire space. Of course, for the physical and mental well-being of the little people, the space couldn't be too cramped. He even designated several spots within the residential areas for pocket parks, adorning them with a few plastic miniature trees and flowers, which made the whole valley feel vibrant with the breath of spring.
Next came the main event: the laying of the miniature railway tracks.
The miniature tracks, purchased from a certain online store, were all short segments, just a dozen centimeters long, extremely flexible and combinable at will. They included straightaways, curves, and even ascending and descending slopes. With enough imagination, one could arrange the tracks into any configuration.
When Li Daoxuan was a child, he had desperately wanted to play with these. Unfortunately, he hadn't had the money then. By the time he could afford the toys he'd coveted most as a kid, he realized he had grown up.
The toys in his hand no longer held the same thrill as they would have in his youth.
When you desire something, you must strive for it with all your might. Never tell yourself you'll buy it when the price drops or when you finally have enough money... because you can't be sure you'll still yearn for it with the same intensity then as you do now.
With a series of clicks and snaps, Li Daoxuan assembled the tracks, connecting them one after another, from the entrance of the "Valley of Exiles" all the way to Gao Family Village.
At first, there was no one around, so his actions went unnoticed.
However, the closer he got to Gao Family Village, the more people began to witness his work. The labor-reform prisoners and short-term workers employed on the outskirts of Gao Family Village were the first to spot this extraordinary sight.
Strange, vividly colored tracks continuously descended from the sky, landing on the ground and connecting with the tracks already laid out below, with a crisp "snap."
Falling, connecting, falling, connecting—in this continuous rhythm, the vibrant tracks steadily extended towards Gao Family Village.
Anyone with a sound mind knew that the Heavenly Lord was once again conjuring some wondrous "Immortal Treasure." The labor-reform prisoners and short-term workers all stopped what they were doing and turned to watch the spectacle.
The tracks pressed onward!
Villagers ahead of the tracks' path instinctively moved aside, watching as the rails continued to be laid on the ground not far from them.
They stretched across the open land between two wheat fields, all the way to the entrance of Gao Family Village.
The villagers stared at the long, peculiar tracks, their minds filled with endless questions.
Then, with a whoosh, a strange, large vehicle descended from the sky and settled onto the tracks.
This vehicle was far larger than the public solar cars, even surpassing Solar Car No. 3, the massive cargo transporter.
And it wasn't just a single section. Behind one engine, car after car was coupled, a string of over a dozen cars, and then, astonishingly, another engine was attached at the very end.
The villagers were even more bewildered. A vehicle with two engines? What could this mean?
Then Gao Yiye hurried out from the main keep, grinning as she announced, "The Heavenly Lord has commanded that the little train requires two drivers, working in shifts. Their wages will be the same as those for the public solar car drivers. Are there any volunteers?"
"Me! Me! Me!"
A large crowd immediately surged out of the Short-term Workers Village, eagerly vying for the position.
Seeing the sheer number of applicants, San Shier, the strategist, had to step forward to manage the selection. He first eliminated those with slow reactions, then dismissed others who clearly lacked diligence or attention to detail. Finally, he selected two quick-witted and sharp-minded individuals.
The two selected individuals cautiously approached the engine.
Gao Yiye, listening to Li Daoxuan's instructions, taught the two how to open and close the switches, and cautioned them to watch for people or animals on the tracks ahead while driving, among a series of fundamental safety requirements.
After explaining everything, the two drivers were ready for their trial run.
Li Daoxuan sat by the edge of the box, ready to reach in and intervene at any moment.
One driver flipped a switch. The little train let out a "woo" sound, mimicking a steam whistle, which was quite pleasant. Then came a "chug-chug-chug" sound...
The vehicle, now powered, began to move slowly along the tracks at eight centimeters per second.
From Li Daoxuan's perspective, this speed was quite slow.
However, eight centimeters per second in the box translated to sixteen meters per second in the late Ming world, or 57.5 kilometers per hour. That was by no means a slow pace. The little train, following the tracks, swiftly sped towards the Valley of Exiles.
The two rookie drivers screamed in fright...
But it was only a momentary shock. After a minute or two, their nervousness subsided. They discovered that although the vehicle was fast, it stayed perfectly on the rails, never straying, and felt remarkably stable, even more so than riding in a public solar car.
Soon, the Valley of Exiles came into view.
Gao Yiye smiled, "We're almost at the final station ahead. When you see that train station building up there, you'll need to prepare to stop."
The two drivers acknowledged her and got ready to stop the train.
At Gao Yiye's command, they quickly switched off the power. The little train screeched to a halt, stopping precisely in front of the platform.
"Alright!" Gao Yiye chirped. "Now, the little train will begin boarding and disembarking passengers. You two can also get off. Lock the door of this engine cab to prevent unauthorized people from entering. Then, move to the engine at the other end of the train as quickly as possible.”
The two drivers initially didn't quite grasp her meaning, but they quickly understood. If they went to the other engine at the back of the train, wouldn't the vehicle be able to run back along the tracks? Ah, that's why this strange little train had two engines!
The two, along with Gao Yiye, ran to the other engine.
Then, using the same method, they started the train. The little train let out another "woo" and began its "chug-chug-chug" journey.
The two drivers burst into laughter. "This 'train' contraption is quite simple to operate, isn't it?"
Gao Yiye's expression turned serious as she stated solemnly, "The Heavenly Lord has said that if this thing gets into an accident, everyone in the dozen or so cars behind will be in mortal danger. As its drivers, you must be extremely careful and absolutely cannot afford any mistakes. Never think that just because it's simple to drive, you can neglect observing the track conditions. You must stay absolutely vigilant. If you see any unknown object on the track ahead, you must stop immediately, observe it clearly, and then proceed. Do you understand?”
The two drivers quickly affirmed, "Understood! But... who exactly will be riding this train? There's no one in that valley, is there?”
Gao Yiye smiled, "Perhaps, very soon, there will be.”
Comments