Wasteland Development Diary

Ice Jug knew little about the snowman in the glass palace.

"Chairman, the intensity of that void has reached the level of a Transformer, I can't get close."

"All I can observe is the snowman walking back and forth inside the glass building."

This employee, who returned from Mars, said, "I consulted two Light Nuclei from Star Hub. They said that the creature should not be made of snow or ice. It's conductive, and Electric Cats can pass through it."

"It's just that the temperature in that area is extremely low, below -260℃."

"They also can't get close to the void, but the void's impact on the outside is obvious."

"The area below is shrouded in the power of the void. Dust storms can't approach, and the Dead Sea and radiation are severely suppressed. That's why Star Hub chose it as its base camp to build a base."

Zhou Yi frowned.

Not a white, low-temperature solid like snowflakes, but also conductive? He had never seen such a creature.

"What's the background of the two Light Nuclei from Star Hub?"

Ice Jug said, "The two I contacted include a Sky Survey Telescope—you could also say it's part of the Old King. It's connected to satellites, providing us with a lot of local intelligence about Mars through ultra-long-range observation."

Zhou Yi asked, "A Light Nucleus of a mechanical and electrical life form?"

"Yes."

Ice Jug added, "The other one is Alonzo, who was originally a Bone Man and participated in the United Resistance Army's world war against the Celestials."

"During the fight against the Light Nucleus Giants, the satellite Alonzo was on deployed signal interference and consciousness shock, but it also became entangled with the Light Nucleus Giant's consciousness…"

Zhou Yi couldn't help but interrupt, "Alonzo is a Bone Man, how did he get into a satellite?"

"It's like this, Chairman."

The atmospheric creature explained, "In the early days, Star Hub absorbed new members by using Light Imprint Rockets to propel the Old King's Shenzhou manned spacecraft, sending selected Bone Men into the Old King's body."

"This method was extremely costly, and there was also the risk of rocket launch failures or even crashes. So at that time, the Bone Men who could be sent into space were the elite of the elite among Star Hub's chosen."

"After entering the Old King's Heavenly Palace space station, these Bone Men participated in the most core matrix operations, receiving direct guidance from the Old King. They were also the earliest converted data chosen, controlling their respective satellites to fight against the Light Nucleus Giants."

"During the war, Alonzo became entangled in consciousness with a Light Nucleus Giant. The satellite and the Light Nucleus Giant remained relatively stationary in orbit. Sometimes the Light Nucleus Giant controlled the satellite, and sometimes the satellite controlled the Giant."

"This was common at the time. Usually, the satellite would fall into chaos and develop self-destructive tendencies, and the only way to maintain signal stability and independent consciousness was to continuously increase the number of data chosen."

"But Alonzo was an exception."

Ice Jug said, "I don't know how it happened, but he directly merged with the Light Nucleus Giant. The satellite and the Giant became two sides of the same coin. Alonzo took the Light Nucleus Giant and flew as far away from the satellite cluster and Earth as possible."

"After running out of energy, Alonzo crashed onto the nearest Mars. Later, after the war ended, the Old King, based on Alonzo's signal, found him in a mountain on Mars, which is below that void. It's the safest place there, and the Light Nucleus Giant is also the most stable there."

Zhou Yi listened carefully.

There was such a history behind the development of Mars.

He further confirmed, "In other words, Alonzo has actually become a Light Nucleus Giant now?"

"Yes."

Ice Jug said, "He is mainly responsible for guarding the camp there, sending the collected Light Seeds to Earth."

"But Alonzo himself doesn't cross the boundary. He uses the Giant's arm to carry the Light Nano Box through the passage, and someone on the Earth side will pick it up."

Zhou Yi had a rough idea of the Mars base in his mind.

Under the void, the Light Nucleus Giant acts as part of the Star Hub camp. It's the territory of the Golden Elephant Herders, and even the Celestials can't set foot there.

That's a good thing.

Zhou Yi pulled his thoughts back, "Tell me about our situation over there."

"Pikachu should report to you on this."

After Ice Jug finished speaking, a ball of electric arc窜了出来 from its body and landed on Zhou Yi's shoulder.

"Chairman, Pikachu has completed the mission."

"In this Mars mission, none of our eight Electric Cats were injured, and we have initially established cooperative relationships with some Mars Electric Cats."

Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows, "How did you do it?"

The Electric Cat made a crackling sound, which was its way of laughing.

"Mr. Ice Jug took us there, and we arrived at the Star Hub base to understand the basic situation. Then we found a local dust storm near the base and jumped into it."

"When we first went in, everyone was very apprehensive, but fortunately, it was safer and more stable than we thought. The voltage was very high, making it a high-quality, high-energy charged environment."

"The high-speed friction between dust particles in the dust storm leads to charge transfer, causing the particles to become charged. The extremely dry and thin atmosphere is conducive to static electricity accumulation, which is not easily dissipated."

The Electric Cat vividly described, "We met the local Electric Cats inside. On the other side, at the base, Mr. Ice Jug and Mr. Alonzo used local sand to make glass, creating curved houses, cat houses, and electrolytic cat boxes."

Zhou Yi questioned, "Electrolytic cat boxes need water. Did you find water on Mars?"

"There is some over there!"

Pikachu said, "There are ice caps at the north and south poles of Mars, with a lot of water ice and dry ice. Mr. Ice Jug moved a lot of ice back to make electrolytic cat boxes, but the hydrogen and other chemical products produced could not be collected and could only dissipate naturally."

"The key is that cat houses and electrolytic cat boxes are living equipment that Electric Cats like. The local Mars Electric Cats don't have these things, so we invited them to come and experience them."

"Some of them came with us and immediately became obsessed with our equipment."

"I said that if they work with us, we will provide them with independent cat houses, electrolytic cat boxes for playing and relaxing, and the opportunity to become official company Electric Cats, to enjoy a better living environment in our world."

"In that dust storm, 21 Electric Cats helped us collect the flowing Light Seeds swept up by the dust storm. We collected 1.1 million Light Seeds in one month."

Pikachu happily took credit, "Chairman, after splitting it with Star Hub, the company also has 550,000 Light Seeds! And this is just a small dust storm. If we collect from medium and large dust storms, or even global dust storms, the profits will be terrifying!"

Zhou Yi was a little surprised.

Things on Mars were going smoother than expected, and the profitability of Light Seed mining was quite amazing.

What he was more concerned about was, "Are the Mars Electric Cats so easily persuaded? It doesn't feel the same as on the Spark Plains."

"Chairman, you've hit the nail on the head!"

Pikachu seemed to have been tickled, and said triumphantly, "The Electric Cats on the Spark Plains are all low-voltage, high-current types. They have a high birth rate, a large population, high requirements for the electrical environment, and large transmission losses."

"The company's working Electric Cats are high-voltage, low-current, good at long-distance transmission and running, have lower requirements for conductors, and have a high level of intelligence. The biggest disadvantage is the low birth rate."

"The Mars Electric Cats are of the same branch as us. The Martian environment is only suitable for Electric Cats like us that can transmit and run over long distances, otherwise, they won't be able to jump to other dust storms before the dust storm dissipates."

"The Electric Cats there are smart, most of them have lived for hundreds of years. They can distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of the information and things we give them, and communication is also very easy."

The Electric Cat stretched its electric arcs and said in a light tone, "Chairman, can this method of finding partners locally be continued? This is beneficial to the development of Mars dust storms, but we need to give the Mars Electric Cats the opportunity to become official company employees."

"Just do it. The company will give quotas."

Zhou Yi stated on the spot, "As long as they are excellent Electric Cats, regardless of their origin or level, the company wants them. They can overcome the harsh Martian environment, which represents strong stress resistance and adaptability, which are also qualities that the company values."

"It's great that you agree!"

Pikachu's electric arcs flickered and crackled, and it laughed electrically again.

"Chairman, there's a very good guy among the Mars Electric Cats, it's called Ninety-Seven. It's very good at collecting Light Seed ore in dust storms. This time, it completed more than 30% of the Light Seed collection alone."

"With Mr. Ice Jug's approval, I brought it here. I highly recommend it to you!"

Ice Jug's golden sphere flickered, and another electric arc appeared.

Unlike Pikachu, this Electric Cat had two electric arc structures shaped like triangular ears, and below its cat head was a vortex composed of electric current, looking like a small lightning tornado.

Zhou Yi reached out to approach it.

The other party first took a step back subconsciously, then hesitated for a moment, slowly came over, and made contact with Zhou Yi's hand with its electric arc.

Energy input, consciousness synchronization activated.

"Ninety-Seven, hello, I'm Zhou Yi. I've heard about you from Pikachu. Welcome to the company."

"I am honored to be received by you, the master of this place."

The Mars Electric Cat's voice was very polite.

Zhou Yi cut to the chase, "I would like to invite you to join our Wasteland Development Company. If you are willing, you will receive all the benefits of a company employee. Working Electric Cats enjoy free medical care, at least two rounds of training and enhancement, independent cat houses, electrolytic cat boxes, and floating generators. If you can make inventions and creations, you will receive long-term patent dividends…"

He explained the company's employee benefits.

"Very willing!"

The Mars Electric Cat said, "I came here to see what another world is like. After being brought here by Mr. Ice Jug, I found that I can run around everywhere without worrying about dust storms disappearing and the threat of death."

"There are conductors everywhere here, it's very comfortable, and there's no need to worry at all."

"I like it here, and I hope to return to my hometown and tell my kind everything about this place."

Zhou Yi laughed, "No problem. But before that, take a rest first."

"You've all been working hard for a month. According to the company's vacation system, take an 8-day vacation first. You can wander around these days, and let Pikachu accompany you. If you have anything you don't understand or want to know, just ask it."

"Okay, thank you."

Pikachu also said, "Leave it to me! I'll take you around!"

"Mining on Mars is hard work, you guys take a vacation first. Work hard when you work, and enjoy yourselves when you play, that's what life is all about."

Zhou Yi waved his hand.

Ninety-Seven didn't fly far before turning back into a ball of electricity and flickering back.

"Chairman, actually, we on Mars… are free-range. Behind us, there is some kind of controller."

Zhou Yi wasn't surprised, "The Golden Elephant Herders?"

"You know of their existence? So that's what they're called?"

The Electric Cat was surprised.

"We have traces of them here too," Zhou Yi told the other party, "But they seem to have left a long time ago, and I haven't seen them either."

"Chairman, there are still echoes of their voices on Mars."

The Mars Electric Cat said with utmost seriousness.

Zhou Yi's heart tensed, "What are they saying?"

"They say…"

The Mars Electric Cat said, "You guys just make a fuss, I'm not serving you anymore!"

"…"

Zhou Yi was stunned.

Did the Golden Elephant Herders get tired of raising Electric Cats and just abandon them and run away?