Wasteland Development Diary

Envoy Feng Che was a golden owl, covered in dense golden feathers.

"Mr. Zhou, the magnificent power you displayed in Clockwork City was truly awe-inspiring and deeply impressive."

Its tone was gentle and appropriate: "His Majesty the Black Emperor has been following your company for a long time and instructed me to report specifically on it. His Majesty believes that Wasteland Development Company has strong creativity and execution. Moreover, unlike other purely profit-driven groups, your company has been steadily committed to improving the living environment of ordinary people, improving everyone's quality of life, and promoting the increase in the fertility rate of various intelligent life forms."

"His Majesty the Black Emperor highly appreciates this series of universal values you advocate."

Zhou Yi also said politely: "His Majesty the Black Emperor is too kind. Our company's idea is very simple: everyone being well is truly well. If there are fewer and fewer humans, Photonians, and mechanical life forms in this world, the company will not be able to stand alone."

"You speak so well."

Feng Che opened its big eyes and shook its feathers with a smile: "During this visit, I am under His Majesty's order to extend a formal invitation to you."

"The Heavenly Kingdom sincerely invites you and Wasteland Development Company to participate in the annual 'Exposition of All Things' in the Heavenly Kingdom this autumn. This year's exposition will be held in Xianzhi City in the Panda Autonomous Region. If you have time, please be sure to attend. His Majesty the Black Emperor hopes to chat with you alone then."

This was the first time Zhou Yi had heard this name, so he couldn't help but ask, "What is the Exposition of All Things?"

Feng Che said: "This is a large-scale event with a long history. At the beginning of the founding of the Heavenly Kingdom, many territorial sea lords would visit His Majesty the Black Emperor once a year and offer some gifts."

"His Majesty set a specific time to meet with the visiting territorial sea lords every autumn to strengthen ties through gatherings."

"During this period, the territorial sea lords would exchange gifts and display the specialties of their respective territories. His Majesty eventually turned this behavior into a public exhibition, which is the Exposition of All Things."

"In simple terms, various organizations that have received invitations from the Heavenly Kingdom will be given an area at the exposition to display their various goods and curiosities, which those who are interested can directly purchase. The Heavenly Kingdom does the same."

"This event is very large in scale, and the most influential organizations and groups in the world will have the opportunity to attend. There are often items that catch the eye, thus becoming the craze of the year, so the commercial effect of the exposition is very good."

Zhou Yi understood.

This was originally a tribute activity, but later it was turned into a trade fair by the Black Emperor, where everyone buys, buys, buys.

The Exposition of All Things is hosted by the Black Emperor, and those who are qualified to be invited to participate are the top tycoons and rulers of the wasteland world.

It can be seen as a club for the powerful and wealthy created by the Heavenly Kingdom.

The bombing of Clockwork City directly gained the Black Emperor's approval and granted an admission ticket.

Zhou Yi thought this was a good opportunity.

He really had to take a trip this autumn to bring goods to the tycoons of this world.

Zhou Yi said, "Thank you for His Majesty the Black Emperor's invitation. Then I will come and bother you this autumn."

"That's great!"

Feng Che said in a low voice, "If you are going, then I don't have to stay in the Shuanghe area. As your guide, I can accompany you along the way."

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "That's great. It's not boring to have an acquaintance along the way."

"Hehe, I'm also taking advantage of your face."

The owl stretched its wings: "Then allow me to take my leave first and not waste your time. I will come to pick you up in the autumn."

"Take care."

Zhou Yi watched Feng Che leave.

Then he turned his attention back to the armed vigilante team.

"Continue. Do you have any other discoveries about the 'Giant Killer'?"

Ice Cube said: "Chairman, the Giant Killer has a very dangerous characteristic: it can intercept and capture external consciousness. When fighting against it, it cuts my consciousness into fragments and then captures them one by one."

"It will be very dangerous if ambushed in an encounter."

Zhou Yi thought, of course.

This is the technology of the Celestials, a device made with their gem cells.

Black gems are tools specifically for affecting consciousness.

"Another thing is, I reverse-engineered the source of the Giant Killer. In the base connected to its crystalline body, there is a part of residual consciousness."

Ice Cube continued, "It comes from a creature called 'Photon Core Giant,' from which an arm was separated and transformed into this appearance. But I can't find out more than that."

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow.

No wonder it's called Giant Killer.

The prototype of this device is the arm of a Photon Core Giant.

Just then, Red Falcon suddenly flew over: "Zhou, there are new visitors."

"Who are they?"

"Old King's envoy."

Zhou Yi thought, everyone is really realistic.

After the bombing of Clockwork City,

First the Black Emperor invited, and then the Old King visited.

I didn't have this treatment and recognition in the past.

"Bring him in."

A few minutes later, Red Falcon led a person up.

The visitor was a sword-carrying iron warrior wearing a black robe, with two dark eye holes in his copper long mask.

Zhou Yi looked the other person up and down: "Ding Ye?"

"Wow! Mr. Zhou, how did you recognize me?"

The other party was taken aback.

"I'm too familiar with the Beiyang sword on your back. The way the double-stranded cloth strips are wrapped around the hilt is your style."

It subconsciously touched the hilt of the sword on its back.

"So that's how it is... An hour ago, I suddenly received a special instruction from 'Sword Tomb' to send a flying machine to visit you."

"After arriving here, I received subsequent orders, knowing that it was personally ordered by the Old King. I felt a little inexplicable and thought something was wrong."

Ding Ye moved his arms: "But this is to avoid information leakage, so I was sent on this trip."

Zhou Yi said, "What does the Old King want you to bring?"

"It's not to bring a message. The Old King wants to use me as a carrier to talk to you," Ding Ye said.

"Then contact it."

"Okay."

The iron warrior suddenly stiffened, and the eye holes on the mask flickered with red light, which stabilized and turned green.

"Hello, Zhou Yi."

The same tone and voice.

But Zhou Yi knew that the other party was no longer Ding Ye, but the Old King, who led tens of thousands of satellites.

"Hello, Old King."

The other party said: "The Sky Survey Telescope has conducted observation and analysis of Clockwork City. The explosive weapon you threw was a level 4 photon core substance, which shows that you already have the ability to handle photon core level affairs."

These older generation rebels have a high degree of understanding and mastery of photon cores.

Zhou Yi said: "I can't say I can handle it, it's just that I couldn't bear it. We young people are inevitably impulsive and aggressive."

The Old King said: "It's a good thing to be impulsive. It's a pity not to have impulsiveness and courage. You did the right thing. If you have the strength, you should show it. The mechanical cities have infringed on your interests, and attacking is the best way to negotiate."

Although it was only the first contact, Zhou Yi found that the Old King's personality was quite to his liking.

It praised: "The floating heart you manufactured is very useful, an outstanding invention."

Zhou Yi said: "This is the invention of the engineers in the company. It is their ability."

"Individuals and groups are never clearly divided. Individual creations and inventions cannot be separated from the environment of the group, and the group needs the individual's fighting spirit and further self-development to continue and grow."

"Without the stage built by Wasteland Company, they would not be able to turn their ideas into reality and leverage changes on the material side."

"This is undoubtedly a high-quality invention of the individual, but it is also a successful incubation of Wasteland Company."

The Old King's speech has a straightforward and clear engineering temperament, which is very pragmatic.

Completely different from what Zhou Yi expected.

"Enough with the small talk. The reason I came to you this time is because you are capable enough. I hope you and our Star Pivot Matrix will develop outer space and other planets together."

Huh?

Zhou Yi's smile froze.

Develop outer space and other planets...

Isn't this a bit too big of a step?

The Old King said: "With the mastery of controllable photon core power, whether it is a photon core body or a photon core-level device, you already have the foundation and qualifications to go out of this world."

"The Celestials cover this world, and this situation will exist for a long time in the foreseeable future. So no matter how much you develop or change here, the upper limit of the world is always locked."

"So I have always believed that we need to go out and find another place. Otherwise, the higher the level of development on the ground in this world, the more restrictions we will receive."

Zhou Yi's expression was solemn.

This is indeed true.

He asked, "Is Star Pivot already developing extraterrestrial projects?"

"Yes."

The Old King said: "Currently, our main focus is on 'preliminary Mars exploration and camp development' and 'extraterrestrial ultra-small controllable toroidal flow'."

Zhou Yi hissed.

Star Pivot Matrix's extraterrestrial expansion is probably unique in the wasteland world.

He immediately asked: "Controllable toroidal flow... are you going to create an artificial Dead Sea? Have you reached this point?"

"Still under development. Although this project has been going on for 74 years, there are always too many new problems, and it will take a long time to push it forward."

The Old King said: "Both of these projects are being carried out on Mars."

"The two celestial bodies closest to Earth—that is, this world—are Venus and Mars. In comparison, Mars has richer resource potential and is more suitable for future development and utilization."

"The surface of Mars is rich in metal minerals such as iron, nickel, aluminum, and titanium. Iron oxide gives Mars a red color, which can provide enough metal for manufacturing various devices and facility foundations."

"The crust contains a large amount of silicates, which can be used to manufacture glass, ceramics, and building materials."

"There are large amounts of water ice at the poles and underground on Mars, which can be used to support life and produce oxygen and fuel. The atmosphere is rich in carbon dioxide, which can be used to produce oxygen and methane fuel."

It concluded: "So we chose Mars as the first extraterrestrial base."

"The basic camp is already in operation, but there are still many problems with drilling resources."

"The average temperature on Mars is about -60°C, and the lowest can reach -125°C, which is a great challenge for equipment. The Iron Warriors we use will be greatly affected by long-term low temperatures there."

"The local atmosphere is about 1% of Earth's, and the intensity of cosmic radiation and solar radiation is high, so the service life of both early engineering machines and current Iron Warriors will be greatly reduced..."

Zhou Yi couldn't help but interrupt: "Are you using Iron Warriors to develop Mars?"

"Yes."

The Old King did not hide anything: "In fact, the Iron Warriors are completely developed by the Star Pivot Matrix. The Bone Men and the Beiyang Legion are promoted as the inventors just to reduce unnecessary trouble."

Zhou Yi's eyes were solemn: "What is your relationship with the Bone Men?"

The other party laughed: "The Bone Men have always been the main ethnic group absorbed by the Star Pivot Matrix."

"We will select outstanding individuals from the Bone Men and grant them Star Pivot citizen status. On the premise that they are willing, we will help them become Iron Warrior forms, which can walk on Earth and Mars, and can also enter satellites to live as data citizens."

It sounds like the Beiyang Legion is just a cover for the Star Pivot Matrix on the ground.

Like the Spring and Autumn Merchant Guild to Recursive City.

"According to our observations and investigations, we have confirmed that there is life on Mars, and there is more than one type."

The Old King paused: "In particular, we have discovered a large number of Terror Claws there—that is, electric cats."

"Is Wasteland Development Company interested in developing Mars together?"