Wasteland Development Diary

After washing the dishes, Qian Su took out a thin rope from her backpack and skillfully tied the several bowls together. Then, she wrapped a thick layer of sponge-like material around them, ensuring they wouldn't be bumped or damaged.

Only then did she wipe the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, a look of joyful satisfaction on her face.

Zhou Yi noticed that she never seemed to take off her hat, only switching from a white sun hat to a warm brown felt hat in the winter.

He took a hat from his own cabinet and handed it to her.

"Here, take this."

It was a retro purplish-red wool hat with a bit of a British style, which Zhou Yi had long kept idle in his closet. Mainly, the hat was too thick and felt a bit stuffy and hot to him.

Giving it to Qian Su, who liked hats, was like using someone else's flowers to present to Buddha.

"Thank you!"

Qian Su happily accepted it, admiring it from left to right: "As expected of Dead Sea creations, surface cities can't make such fine stitching, and the methods for processing wool are also different."

She took off her felt hat, and Zhou Yi was stunned.

Because Qian Su's head was bald, her scalp a smooth bronze color, the top of her skull made of metal, with small screw studs fixed on it. Her hair was also a wig, just hidden under the hat, so it wasn't visible from the outside.

She was actually a bald girl.

Zhou Yi suddenly felt a little guilty: "I didn't know you were…"

"It's okay, really."

Qian Su patted her metal head, making a clanging sound: "Although it's a bit different from normal people, this way my head's defense is stronger. A few times I was hit in the head by weapons, and if it weren't for this modified skull, I'd probably be dead. Switching out wigs is actually fine, washing my hair is very convenient, washing long hair is actually a hassle."

Although he felt a little bad, Zhou Yi couldn't help his curiosity: "Why did you become like this?"

The girl in front of him had artificial limbs for arms and part of a metal skull. It was hard to imagine what had happened to her.

Qian Su first put on her wig, then placed the new hat Zhou Yi gave her on top: "When I was little, there was a severe explosion in Fengdu City where I lived. When my grandfather found me, my hands and feet were crushed by collapsed pillars, and my head was also smashed with a big hole. Then my grandfather installed new hands and legs for me, and also cut off the necrotic parts and replaced my skull. I was very lucky, many people died back then."

She took out a small mirror and adjusted the angle of the hat brim until she was satisfied.

"The hat is very beautiful, the pattern and style are very special, thank you."

Zhou Yi hummed in acknowledgement: "Good thing you were rescued in time. Is your grandfather a craftsman or a Fang Shi (alchemist)?"

"The grandfather I'm talking about isn't related to me by blood."

Qian Su waved her hand: "Actually, it was several senior craftsmen from the Craftsman Guild, I just call them grandfathers. At that time, they found many injured people like me, and since we were all on the verge of death anyway, no one objected to using us as human test subjects. I was very lucky to survive, the success rate of this kind of large-scale physiological modification is very low, I would have died without them."

After chatting for a few words, Zhou Yi picked up the product list in his hand and said, "I want all your light barrier devices."

"All of them?"

Qian Su confirmed again: "Currently, there are 2 medium-sized light barrier devices in the back of the car, each priced at 150 light seeds, and 4 small light barrier devices, each priced at 30 light seeds. If you buy them all, the total will be 420 light seeds."

"All of them."

Zhou Yi asked again: "What's the difference between the medium and small ones? Just the difference in the number of light barrier boxes?"

Qian Su explained: "Multiple light barrier boxes allow the chain-link to cover a larger area, and the actual power is about 4 times that of a small light barrier device in the same period of time."

"Also, medium-sized light barrier devices are encapsulated by registered craftsmen, and they will be marked with their own mark, so the quality is more guaranteed. Small light barrier devices are actually handed over to ordinary craftsmen or assistants to process and assemble. So it's normal for the price to be 5 times more expensive."

That's good.

As long as the thing itself is worth the money.

Zhou Yi thought for a moment: "How many more light barrier devices can you get?"

This made the other party stunned.

After thinking for a moment, Qian Su said: "There should still be a chance to buy small light barrier devices in Jitou Town, and for medium-sized ones, you have to go to cities like Shagang to purchase them through the Craftsman Guild's store. I can't be sure of the exact quantity."

"Now it's winter, and all cities will reduce outdoor work. Whether it's raw material mining, collection, or processing, it will be affected, and all industries will have a certain degree of cyclical contraction... So the production of enhancement devices will also decrease, and inventory will usually be seasonally tight."

"I have to go there in person to inquire before I know how much stock can be bought, I really can't guarantee it casually."

Qian Su explained the current market situation.

Zhou Yi thought again that he actually had another option.

Recursive City.

He immediately muttered in his heart: "Kestrel, check the light barrier devices for sale in Recursive City."

A few seconds later.

The drone's voice replied in his mind: "There are 422 light barrier devices for sale in Recursive City, including 7 large light barrier devices, with prices ranging from 1000 to 1850 light seeds, medium-sized light barrier devices are priced at 145 light seeds/piece, and small light barrier devices are priced at 25 light seeds/piece."

Zhou Yi sighed in his heart.

Online stores are still cheaper.

It is impossible for Qian Su's offline physical store to beat this kind of large group in terms of price to make money.

But Kestrel also said: "If you need delivery, the cost is very high, starting at 100 light seeds per order, and tiered billing for more than 1000 kilograms. You need to pay first, then schedule the delivery, which usually takes a month, but now it's a busy winter, and delays of two or three months are possible. In general, Recursive City always advises customers to pick up their own goods."

Recursive City is short of deliverymen, and labor costs are very high.

Zhou Yi had a bit of a headache.

This delivery time is too outrageous.

In the current uncertain environment, he couldn't possibly run to Recursive City, which is 2000 kilometers away.

He collected his thoughts and turned his attention back to Qian Su, who was sitting across from him: "Is there anything you recommend?"

There were various weapons on the product list, but there were no detailed descriptions, only a price tag was given.

Qian Su frowned and thought for a while: "With your current configuration here, most of the things in my cargo hold are useless. But there is one thing that might be a little useful to you."

"It's this."

Her silver finger pointed to a name on the paper.

Kestrel translated it.

"Anti-freeze Oil Sprayer", 2 light seeds/piece.

The price is not expensive.

Qian Su said: "Now it's winter, and the temperature will be very low for a long time. In this case, the light barrier device will be affected by the low temperature, which may cause scale, rust, local bursting, and freezing of the cylinders and covers inside."

"With anti-freeze oil, it can play a protective role and allow the light barrier device to operate normally. It's very simple to use, just spray the anti-freeze oil from the outside and let it cover the surface."

"For the batch of light barrier devices you purchased, the medium-sized ones need to consume 2 anti-freeze oil sprayers in winter, and the small ones only need 1, so a total of 8 is enough to get through this winter."

Zhou Yi immediately said he would buy them.

But he was also curious: "Then what about when it's hot in the summer? Do you also need coolant?"

"Yes."

Qian Su gestured with her fingers: "The light-seal structure inside the light barrier device itself is made of copper and iron. Long-term use in summer will cause accidents or even damage due to high temperature overload."

"Give me a batch of coolant too."

In this way, Zhou Yi took down the two sets of maintenance accessories for high and low temperatures.

The transaction came to an end.

Qian Su suddenly said: "There's one more thing."

"The lord of the Shagang area, "Sand Sea Duke", entrusted me to say hello to you. He said, welcome to be his neighbor, and he hopes to have mutual cooperation and trade in the future."

Finally met the lord.

Zhou Yi looked at the girl: "Tell me about this Sand Sea Duke."

"Mr. Zhou, Sand Sea Duke is the real owner of the Shagang area. With Shagang City as its core, including the three towns of Qingcong Town, Oasis Town, and Jitou Town surrounding the city, as well as a large area of the Dead Sea in the west, are all within the territory of Sand Sea Duke."

Qian Su sat upright on the sofa, looking serious: "But like most lords, Sand Sea Duke doesn't interfere much with the internal affairs of Shagang. He only sets the general direction, collects taxes, and ensures local order is stable. His focus is on the Dead Sea area, because the real threat to the lord is usually another lord."

"Shagang is bordered by the sea on the east and west, and the north and south are desert areas, which looks like a long belt. In the early days, it was extremely dependent on mining minerals in the desert for trade. After Sand Sea Duke took over, he transformed Shagang into a foreign trade port, existing as a trade transit station. The past dangers and disadvantages have become advantages."

She said softly: "Whether it's land resources or comprehensive strength, Sand Sea Duke is not considered strong. But relying on years of recuperation and adherence to neutral trade, Shagang has won a living space, and now it is considered a little famous."

"When I was staying in Shagang, Sand Sea Duke sent his confidants to find me, expressing his friendship and goodwill to you, hoping that if you have anything to sell here, you can hand it over to Shagang to sell it abroad, and you can also do further exports. Shagang will provide you with the most favorable conditions…"

Sand Sea Duke's meaning this time is very simple, everyone should value peace and making money and development are important.

Zhou Yi has a good first impression of this lord he has never met.

Everyone's direction is the same.

Zhou Yi suddenly thought again: "He is showing goodwill to me because of the Wind Organ?"

Tianjin Knight Cui Mao is in Shagang. After he goes back and reports, Sand Sea Duke will naturally know the situation here.

"The Wind Organ and the Emerald City must have an impact, but Sand Sea Duke's quick statement is more related to the one outside."

Qian Su looked out the window.

Outside, the Sea Hunter was transforming into a flower shape, floating in the air to absorb the little dead light in winter.

"The Spine Hunter is patrolling here at high altitude... Everyone has to weigh it carefully." The girl said with a smile.

Zhou Yi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He didn't expect that after the Spine Hunter joined, the first to be deterred was the lord who had been sitting on the sidelines.

No matter what.

Give this kid credit.