Wasteland Development Diary.

Chapter 18 Tianjin Knights
Cui Mao was tall and strong, with stern eyes. He wore a black robe with leather armor inside. He had a flintlock pistol and a dagger tied around his waist, and a crossbow on his back.

He had a dark face, wore a felt hat, and had a large burn scar on his neck, but he apparently didn't mind showing it.

Zhou Yi estimated that the other party was less than 30 years old, and his spirit and energy were completely different from those of the people in Canggu Town.

Only with adequate nutrition can you maintain a good physique.

"It is an honor to be received by you, the master of this place."

Cui Mao smiled humbly: "I was originally in Jitou Town in the west. I heard that the people in Changu Town are very good at digging things everywhere, so I came here to see if I can find some rare little things."

"I didn't expect that there is a hero like you here. Not only does he have a monster guard, but he also built a complete and special camp. This trip is really worthwhile and it really opens my eyes..."

Zhou Yi interrupted the merchant's polite chanting: "Let's trade first."

The other party was stunned, then nodded.

Cui Mao drove a two-humped camel, which was carrying two boxes. He put the boxes on the ground and pulled them up, opening a small shelf.

Under the diamond-shaped lights, Zhou Yi looked at the merchandise on display.

The box shelf on the left is basically filled with tools, including sickles, scissors and knives of various sizes, iron needles and hooks, and underneath are several stacks of linen of different colors, and two white hoods with eye holes sewn with multiple layers of cloth.

On the right shelf are some small cloth bags that exude the scent of spices.

There were two books placed under the shelf. The first one was the thickest. There was no text on the wooden cover, but there was a picture of a man in a bottle. This represented the symbol of the Alchemist Society, and it was most likely the Dead Sea Atlas.

At the same time, Zhou Yi heard the thoughts of the merchants read by the Red Falcon's [Bird's Eye View].

——The right hand is already thirsty and eager for a fight... The reaction when facing the captain has never been so strong. What level of enhancer is this guy?
——The information error is too large, I can’t subdue him by myself.

——But...if I retreat, the hundred people in Changu Town will be completely abandoned. I must test them and get more information.

Zhou Yi was a little surprised.

He originally thought that Cui Mao was a member of a robbery gang, but judging from what the other party was thinking, it seemed that they were not from the same group.

The Red Falcon also gave further scan results: "This man's right arm has been strengthened and has special strength. Based on the physical signs and behavior he exhibits, I suspect he may be a knight."

A knight among the enhancers?
Zhou Yi asked in his heart: "How is strengthening achieved?"

The drone replied: "Most knights will undergo partial body enhancement, some for arms and legs, some for hearts and bones. This is to give them stronger resistance and destructive power, so that they can compete head-on with other light nano species on their bodies."

"The technical means are quite diverse and it is difficult to judge."

The efficiency of synchronous communication with the Red Falcon is extremely high, and a large amount of information exchange can be completed in just a moment.

Zhou Yi pulled away and turned his attention back to Cui Mao: "Excuse me, what are these two books about?"

Cui Mao took out a book from the bottom of the box and introduced it, "The one above is the Dead Sea Atlas, which was revised by the Alchemist Association last year. However, there are many alterations and stains on it, so it is a defective product, so it can be released."

"This book is priced at 10 jin of copper, which is 10 mushrooms. However, I cannot carry this amount of dried mushrooms, so I can only ask for other equivalents in exchange. It would be best if it were exchanged for precious metals such as gold and silver, which are light in weight."

Zhou Yi learned about it from Gong Zheng.

Copper is a higher level currency unit than mushroom, but it is basically not used in Changu Town.

Although the exchange rate varies slightly from place to place, the standard price is generally 100 mushrooms = 1 copper (about 5g). In other words, 1 jin of copper is equal to 1 mushrooms.

Because cave mushrooms have poor satiety and nutrition, the residents of Changgu need to eat 70 to 100 mushrooms a day. The price of this defective version of "Dead Sea Atlas" is so high that a person would have to go without food or water for three years to afford it.

Books are quite expensive.

Cui Mao took out the thin book at the bottom and promoted it: "There is also this one, which is "Simple Tool Manufacturing" produced by the Craftsmen's Association. It talks about the methods of making various simple tools and detailed decomposition diagrams. If you have the raw materials, you can follow the steps and drawings above to make axes, chisels, picks, shovels, scissors and other tools."

"This one is cheap, only 3 coppers."

Zhou Yi took the book and flipped through it.

On the cover of the book is a cross-hammer and wrench symbol, representing the craftsman's office. Inside, comic strips are used to describe the production process, so even illiterate people can understand it.

This book really wants to teach people how to make tools, but unfortunately the prerequisites are a problem.

The required wood and stone can be processed by oneself, but it is almost impossible for an ordinary person to make the related iron parts.

Zhou Yi opened his bag and took out two storybooks he had read.

"How about this trade?"

Cui Mao carefully flipped through it and showed a look of surprise: "This, this is... the Dead Sea Scrolls!"

"Did you get it from the Dead Sea? It's very rare to preserve it so well. But this is not an equal exchange. The value of the Dead Sea documents is immeasurable, but even the simplest document costs 1 gold..."

He hurriedly searched his pocket and took out two gold grains. Then he weighed them with a small portable scale and motioned Zhou Yi to look at the number on it.

"Look, this is 2 gold, or 10 grams of gold. This is all I have. I'll give you the book and the gold. Do you think this is a good deal?"

Kestrel read the thoughts in the knight's mind.

——This guy just took out the Dead Sea Scrolls like that... He must be testing me.

——Which organization is he a member of?

——I have never seen such a person before. He has a warrior crab as his guard, acts alone, and spends lavishly. The two mechanical life forms in the oasis seem to be hired by him. Strange, too strange. I need to observe them more.

"make a deal."

Zhou Yi nodded and signaled with his eyes. Gong Zheng next to him took the gold from Cui Mao and took down the two books.

"Goodbye, I won't send you off."

Seeing Zhou Yi turning around to go into the house, Cui Mao behind him was dumbfounded. He quickly said, "Sir, please stay."

Zhou Yi turned his head: "Anything else?"

Cui Mao took a deep breath and said seriously, "Excuse me for disturbing you. To be honest, I am a knight of the Third Squadron of Tianjin Knights. I am currently stationed in Shagang with the Third Squadron and responsible for the local defense mission."

"I came here in disguise this time because I got news that a foreigner had built a camp in Changu Town, and he has a legion of Light Na monsters under his command. So I came here to visit secretly to check for any danger."

"But judging from your conversation and the financial resources you have shown, you don't seem to be one of those people who traffics in human beings or experiments on living people. May I ask your name?"

Zhou Yi said: "Zhou Yi, Chairman of the Wasteland Development Company."

He couldn't help muttering in his heart.

Tianjin Knights? I wonder if they can do a skit.

"You belong to..."

"I used to be a scavenger." Zhou Yi said, "I have been doing this for many years and don't want to move around anymore, so I decided to find a place to start a business and chose this place."

Cui Mao’s smile froze.

The Tianjin Knight said, "Your Excellency's strength is unfathomable. I am itching to fight with you. Would you be so kind as to challenge me?"

Zhou Yi nodded: "Okay."

Cui Mao's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

"But there is a condition."

Zhou Yi raised his right index finger: "After the fight, I have something to ask you."

The other party nodded: "I know everything."

(End of this chapter)