Wasteland Development Diary

The confirmation of the sedimentary belt stirred Zhou Yi's thoughts about moving.

Relocating Emerald City next to Mushroom Forest and the farmland would allow direct access to the Exploding Mushrooms of Mushroom Forest, better radiating the surrounding land and enhancing the security of the company's industries.

However, after careful consideration, Zhou Yi dismissed the idea.

The underground sedimentary belt of Mushroom Forest was indeed valuable, but his unique advantage lay in the relics of human civilization; proximity to the Dead Sea facilitated extraction, and that was where the greatest treasure trove lay.

After discussing with the Bone Man, Sun Chonglai, Zhou Yi decided to have the Black Hand Mushrooms periodically send a batch of mushrooms to Emerald City, using edible mushrooms to conceal the Exploding Mushrooms within.

Only the Black Hand Mushrooms could safely transport the Exploding Mushrooms.

After completing the collection, they would bring back the Exploding Mushrooms, which had reverted to Carpet Fungus, and place them in Mushroom Forest for the next round of cultivation.

Due to the remoteness and harsh environment, transportation was actually very safe.

"Rest assured, Chairman, we will definitely do this well."

Sun Chonglai patted his chest bone in guarantee.

Zhou Yi did not doubt the Bone Man's years of expertise in Mushroom Forest; he simply raised a question he had wanted to ask for a long time: "Does your red scarf have any personal commemorative significance, or is it a special item?"

The Bone Man tugged at his scarf: "Chairman, I just think it looks more stylish this way."

So it was a matter of personal style.

Zhou Yi nodded: "Indeed, it's quite eye-catching."

"Actually, I used to have a whole set, with a cloak, long pants, a vest, and a hat, but it's been too long, and they're all too damaged to wear; this one has been relatively well-preserved," the Bone Man explained.

"Next time I go to the Dead Sea, I'll find you two sets."

"Then thank you so much! I'll await your good news!"

Sun Chonglai was overjoyed and shook Zhou Yi's hand vigorously.

……

For the next two weeks or so, life returned to a peaceful routine.

After days of reconstruction and repair, Emerald City was no longer a mottled, dilapidated old place. From the outside, it had evolved from a semi-demolished neighborhood into a somewhat dated apartment building.

Within the walls, stone slabs and pebble paths had been laid, stone chairs and a pavilion had been built, and streetlights made of Diamond Lightstone had been installed.

If some trees and flowers were transplanted, it would be no different from the residential areas Zhou Yi remembered.

One night, Gong Zheng rushed over to report.

"Chairman, Mao Valley Town has recently been harassed by looters again."

Gong Zheng said with a solemn expression: "Today, as usual, I went to trade and purchase materials that they found in Mao Valley Town… Cao Dayuan told me something."

"He said that in the past three days, four people in the town have been attacked and captured by looters. They were all released, but the looters asked about our company's situation, and it seems they are coming for us."

Zhou Yi immediately became vigilant.

Looters mainly prey on the weak and fear the strong. Under normal circumstances, they would never want to provoke a monster army and a Dead Sea Aberrant.

He immediately concluded that this was at the instigation of the Dead Sea Knights.

Gong Zheng continued: "The captured townspeople, although their heads were covered with cloth bags, couldn't see outside. But they all said they heard bird calls, and this group may have raised sentry birds, which are good at reconnaissance."

Zhou Yi asked: "Sentry birds are?"

"Chairman, sentry birds generally refer to auxiliary birds that can be raised and tamed, and there are many types. They are mostly small, fast, and agile, able to detect danger from a distance and issue warnings."

Gong Zheng said: "Sentry birds were first trained and used by knights, and later they could be bought on the market. However, the training of sentry birds is very strict, requiring them to overcome fear and not be tempted by food or instinct, so they are not cheap. Bringing a few sentry birds at least shows that this group is experienced."

So they were animal-type reconnaissance guards.

Zhou Yi issued instructions through synchronous consciousness: "Kestrel, find them."

The drone immediately took off.

"Also, the townspeople saw some unfamiliar outsiders in the oasis, disguised as scavengers, but they were just pretending to dig on the ground and didn't even look at the dried dung; it was obvious they were disguised looters."

Gong Zheng paused and said, "Cao Dayuan was pushed out as a representative, requesting us to drive out these looters. The townspeople will support the company as always; whatever we need, they will find."

Cao Dayuan?

Zhou Yi had an impression of this person.

Cao Dayuan, A Feng, and Gong Zheng were recommended by A Jin; the latter two came, but Cao Dayuan stayed in Mao Valley Town.

"Chairman, this person is a bit stubborn and old-fashioned."

Gong Zheng said with a smile: "But he has a high reputation among the locals. It's just that Mao Valley Town doesn't have a mayor, it's very loose, otherwise Cao Dayuan would definitely be the mayor here."

"Cao Dayuan's family has been in Mao Valley Town for three generations and is one of the earliest residents. He went to Chicken Head Town when he was a teenager, and because he was good at growing mushrooms, he could have settled there. But for his sick father, he came back."

"Chicken Head Town only allows capable outsiders to settle down; those who are not capable have to pay a large settlement fee. Cao Dayuan didn't have money and didn't want to abandon his father, so he returned to Mao Valley Town."

"Then he worked for twenty years and is now the oldest person still alive here."

"Cao Dayuan told me that the problems of Mao Valley Town can only be solved by the people of Mao Valley Town. If everyone can eat their fill and become rich, then they will no longer be looked down upon, be pressured by merchants, and have to abandon their families to go elsewhere; the key is to stand up for themselves."

Gong Zheng slightly put away his smile: "I have dealt with him a lot; this person is not very flexible, but his advantage is also this."

"He has been doing the mushroom farming thing for many years and has taught everyone many methods he has figured out, which has significantly increased the mushroom production of Mao Valley Town. Without him, even more people would have run away."

Zhou Yi nodded as he listened.

Even in a place like Mao Valley Town, there are still people with ambition.

Zhou Yi thought for a while: "What kind of trade exchanges does the company currently have with Mao Valley Town?"

Gong Zheng took out a notebook he carried with him, flipped to a certain page, and said: "We use Diamond Lightstone, jerky, bones, and the batch of clothing you gave to trade."

"According to your request, the company regularly purchases Mao Valley Worms from them and then hands them over to A Feng to cultivate Armored Beetles. We also select some of the natural materials or tools they find and purchase them at prices higher than the previous merchants. In addition, after the two major battles in Mushroom Forest and by the sea, the townspeople have great awe of us and are increasingly dependent on us."

"Because the value of our traded items is very high, we also exchange for a large amount of materials."

"Another situation is that several people in Mao Valley Town have been asking if they can come to the company to be scavengers… but I have refused them all."

Zhou Yi nodded.

This was also an adjustment he had made.

Initially, Zhou Yi lacked manpower and hoped to recruit people from Mao Valley Town to reclaim land and farm. Later, he found that this was somewhat wishful thinking; the locals didn't know how to farm and were nocturnal by nature, so hiring them was useless.

After the Farm Machine Brothers arrived and Mushroom Forest joined the company, the labor shortage in farming was immediately filled.

Compared to the local New Humans, the Farm Machine Brothers and the Black Hand Mushrooms were far more professional.

So Zhou Yi didn't recruit any more people, unless there was a talent like A Feng to consider.

"Tell Cao Dayuan and the residents of Mao Valley Town."

Zhou Yi said to Gong Zheng: "I know about this and it will be resolved soon."

"Yes, Chairman."

……

Gong Zheng left with his crutch.

The Kestrel's investigation was also completed.

"Three sentry birds are active to our west and north, keeping their distance from us and observing our situation."

"Based on the sentry bird coordinates, I expanded the search range to the limit and found the settlement of this group behind them."

On the remote control's display screen, 14 kilometers northeast of Emerald City, that was the territory of the Claw Boar tribe. And on the local Dead Sea beach, there were two ships parked.

They were both small wooden sailboats, much smaller than the Accordion, but the hulls were also painted black.

But being able to sail in the Dead Sea was definitely not an ordinary vehicle.

Under normal circumstances, throwing wood or stones into the Dead Sea would cause them to fall to the bottom. After all, the so-called Dead Sea is just a photic fluid environment formed by the fusion of dead light and air.

The two wooden boats floated very steadily.

Zhou Yi gave the order.

"Activate [Bird's Eye View]."

The Kestrel's ability unfolded, and the mental activities of the looters on the ship became clear.

—This job is really not for humans. Being watched by these Claw Boars every day, I can't even sleep peacefully.

—The Dead Sea Knights are really something; wouldn't it be more useful for their warships to come and bomb once than for us? Could it be that they want us to come and die so they don't have to pay us rations? Damn, these bastards are the real thieves.

—Boss, I said I would quit last time, but now I can't even if I want to. If you don't retire, how can I get promoted…

—Is that company really that weird? Five strengtheners were killed without leaving a corpse? When we encounter such tricky ones, they send us to die. Damn, it's hard to make money!

……

As expected, it was an outpost sent by the Dead Sea Knights.

Speed is of the essence.

Zhou Yi immediately mustered his troops and launched a preemptive strike!