Chapter 44 The Merchant from the Neighboring City

"I should have thought of this earlier!"

"The richest resource of Rhombus Lake isn't just the fish in the lake but the abundant nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on the lakeshore! We're almost there, just ahead!"

Walking toward the lake with Mosquito, Wild Wind spoke excitedly along the way.

The two stopped at a shallow beach by the lake.

The area was lush with vegetation, making it an excellent hiding spot and water source for both humans and animals.

Just as Wild Wind was about to point something out, Mosquito beat him to it, stepping forward and crouching in front of a relatively flat rock.

He extended his index finger, gently rubbed it on the rock face, then brought it close to his nose for a sniff and tasted it.

Wild Wind, undeterred by the sight, asked hastily,

"How is it?"

Spitting onto the ground, Mosquito had a look of mixed joy and woe on his face.

"Ptui, why the hell is there fresh stuff..."

Wild Wind: "..."

Although he inadvertently tasted some fresh bird droppings, one thing was for sure, there were indeed large quantities of Bird Feces Stone present here.

The main component of this ore is Mg(NH4)[PO4]·6H2O, with an orthorhombic crystal structure. It's not hard to see from the chemical composition alone how widely this stuff can be used.

Furthermore, once there is a certain amount of Bird Feces Stone, the ammonia within it gradually oxidizes into nitric acid under the action of nitrifying bacteria, and ultimately accumulates beneath the soil in the form of potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, etc., creating what is known as nitrate ores.

This "byproduct" nitrate ore, with a simple method—such as mixing with lye that hasn't been filtered from wood ash and boiling it—could extract the calcium and magnesium ions and produce saltpeter with a few impurities!

In short, finding bird poop basically meant having control over saltpeter.

And with saltpeter, you essentially had gunpowder!

It wasn't just bird droppings, the shores of Rhombus Lake were covered with large amounts of excrement from Variants. Over time, these droppings weathered, deposited, and compacted to eventually form coprolite mines.

As for why there were so many coprolites along the lakeside, it was quite simple to figure out.

In the early years of the Wasteland Era, the planet went through a long period of severe cold that lasted almost half a century.

During that time, Linghu Wetland Park, being the region with the richest water resources, had a large number of wild animals and livestock that escaped from ranches living here.

These droppings were likely left behind from that time.

It wasn't until the end of the cold period and the formation of a more lush ecosystem in the uninhabited urban areas that this place gradually quieted down.

"With these nitrate ores, making black powder won't be a big problem!" Mosquito stood up excitedly and looked at Wild Wind, "Help me out, let's gather more and take it back."

Wild Wind asked with a puzzled tone,

"We have the nitrate ores and the charcoal, but if I remember correctly, doesn't the formula for black powder also include sulfur? Where do you plan to find sulfur?"

If he wasn't mistaken, sulfur was typically found near volcanoes or hot springs.

However, this area clearly didn't look like it had either of those features.

Mosquito paused for a moment.

Obviously, he hadn't considered this problem yet.

"Uh, if we don't have sulfur, sulfates could work too, it's just that the process is a bit more troublesome... they should still be easy to find, right?"

Wild Wind glanced around and shrugged helplessly.

"Anyway, let's start looking."

...

Unfortunately, there was no sulfur in the forest, nor anything resembling sulfur by the lake.

Think about it.

How could such a thing appear in Wetland Park?

But thankfully, just when the two were about to give up, they stumbled upon a gypsum deposit beside a small river that extended from Rhombus Lake.

This stuff is made of calcium sulfate, and when burned at high temperatures with carbon, it can produce calcium sulfide and carbon dioxide, exactly the kind of sulfate mineral they were looking for!

"How could I have forgotten about this!" Mosquito slapped himself on the back of the head in annoyance. "Just the other day, I saw Old White and the others making cement; didn't they mix in this gypsum powder? Isn't this damn thing calcium sulfate?"

Wild Wind said with a wry smile,

"So this is the so-called darkness under the light."

"Anyway, the outcome is good," Mosquito said as he picked up some gypsum ore and put it into a plastic barrel, washed his hands, and stood up looking toward Wild Wind. "Let's go, now that we've got the materials, we can head back."

Wild Wind nodded and followed behind him.

The two returned to Survivor Settlement, and as they were heading toward their cabin, they noticed a commotion at the entrance.

The players who were working on the construction site had come down from the scaffolding for some reason, each of them carrying tools and surrounding a cow with two heads.

A strange man stood beside the Double-headed Cow.

He was wearing a leather jacket, his face adorned with a conciliatory smile, making weird hand gestures, and babbling in a language that was incomprehensible.

Mosquito, curiosity painted on his face, stopped in his tracks.

"Who is that guy? A new NPC?"

He hadn't heard anything about an update today.

"I don't know, I'll ask..."

Wild Wind was a man of action. He set down the plastic barrel and strode toward Egg Fry Brother, who was standing by the smoking rack enjoying the spectacle, and pulled him aside to ask, out of curiosity,

"What's happening over there? Who is that person?"

Egg Fry Brother crossed his arms and shook his head.

"I'm not sure about the details myself, but from what others have said, it seems like our guys encountered this fellow on the way back from transporting stones at the construction site. Then, without saying anything, he just followed them here."

As Wild Wind moved closer, he overheard the players' discussion.

"How come this cow has two heads?"

"A tamed Variant?"

"This guy followed us the whole way! I bet he's up to no good, probably a spy for the Looters!"

"Not necessarily, what if he's an NPC?"

"That doesn't make sense, if he were an NPC, communication wouldn't be an issue, right?"

"Could it be that we haven't triggered the right conditions?"

"Why don't we lock him up for now and wait for the Manager to return?"

Feeling the increasingly hostile gaze from the surrounding crowd, Sun Shiqi, who was surrounded, felt immense pressure.

Although he had a revolver hidden under his jacket and the safety was off, even if he emptied his chamber, it would only be six bullets.

And these Residents of the refuge closing in on him wouldn't even give him the chance to fire six shots.

One person, one Hammer, and he would be laid out on the ground.

"I'll say it one more time, I have no ill intentions. I am a Merchant, Merchant, you understand? Damn it, even if things were bad 200 years ago, the profession of a peddler couldn't have disappeared, could it? Or have you slept for too long and forgotten?"

"Alright, calm down, let me put it another way, I want to trade the goods on this cow's back for something you have in abundance that I just happen to need... Anything will do! Of course, if you don't want to trade, that's fine too, I'll leave right now, and I won't bother you again!"

Seeing that communication was impossible, Sun Shiqi already had thoughts of retreating.

However, these residents of the refuge had no intention of making way; instead, they pressed in even closer and even produced some ropes.

Despair filled Sun Shiqi's heart.

Just as he was contemplating whether to fight to the death, the blue-jacketed crowd surrounding him suddenly opened a path.

A man appeared, carrying the corpse of a mutant reindeer over his shoulder, walking towards them.

That mutant reindeer must have weighed over a hundred kilograms, nearly the size of a horse, yet the man carried the large prey as if it were nothing, his stride unchanged.

Although he was wearing an innocuous blue jacket, Sun Shiqi still sensed an extremely dangerous aura emanating from him.

This guy...

He is definitely not an ordinary resident of the refuge!

The man dropped the prey heavily on the ground, exchanged a few words with his companions, and then they obediently dispersed.

Watching the man approaching him, Sun Shiqi tensed up, his nerves stretched tight.

In an instant, a thought flashed through his mind. If he could take this man hostage, maybe he could leave here smoothly.

However, his instincts told him that if he really did that, he would die the moment he made his move...

"Who are you?" Chu Guang asked, looking at him.

Hearing the man speak to him, Sun Shiqi was slightly startled and a look of surprise crossed his face.

"You can talk? No, I didn't mean that. What I mean is, do you speak the language here?"

The language here naturally referred to United Human language.

Before the war, this region was part of United Human's territory, and naturally, the unified language was used. Practically speaking, the residents of the refuge should also be using United Human language, but somehow these people seemed a bit different.

Chu Guang slightly frowned and continued to speak.

"I'm the one asking the questions now."

"Answer me, who are you?"

Sensing the unfriendly tone in his voice, Sun Shiqi quickly explained,

"My surname is Sun, my name is Sun Shiqi. I come from the neighboring Red River Town! I'm a merchant!"

Red River Town?

Hearing this unfamiliar place name, Chu Guang's eyebrows slightly raised.

He only knew this place was Qingquan City, located in the River Valley Province, in the heartland of United Human. As for what other cities were in River Valley Province, he wasn't very clear.

"What are you doing in Qingquan City?"

Sun Shiqi spoke cautiously.

"I am a merchant... Of course, I came here to do business."

Chu Guang's expression remained unmoved.

"Merchant? Then why did my companions say that you were following them?"

"It's a misunderstanding, it's definitely a misunderstanding!"

Sun Shiqi gestured with his hands, explaining with a cry of laughter,

"I was originally planning to go to Giant Stone City. I happened to see them wearing blue jackets, and I thought there might be a shelter nearby, so I wanted to trade something with you... I'm just a merchant, I really didn't mean any offense!"

He had not expected these people to be so sensitive.

If it were any ordinary survivor settlement, he definitely wouldn't dare to approach alone so rashly, but a refuge was different.

These adorable folks in blue jackets were known on the Wasteland for being naïvely kind-hearted, easily bullied, and easily deceived.

They were usually the elites of society before the war, or the descendants of the elites, often priding themselves as descendants of civilization, arrogant and disdainful.

At the time, he thought following them was harmless, and at worst, he'd be driven away like a beggar with no loss to himself.

Who could have imagined that after luring him in, they would surround him without a word, neither listening to him nor intending to leave.

This was simply dishonorable!

Despite the man's explanation, Chu Guang's expression remained firm as he continued to speak.

"Regardless of whether you meant any offense, you have indeed offended us. I believe that in any corner of the Wasteland, tracking isn't seen as a friendly act, right?"

Sun Shiqi sweated profusely and nodded reluctantly.

"...You're right."

"Good, it seems you've realized your mistake," Chu Guang nodded, "But don't worry, we are reasonable people. I've already convinced my companions by telling them that you are willing to apologize for your offensive behavior."

Sun Shiqi nodded hastily.

"Yes, yes, I am willing!"

Hearing this, Chu Guang finally showed a trace of a smile.

"That's settled then. By the way, you wouldn't suggest we choose ourselves, right?"

Sun Shiqi froze, looking confusedly at the man before him.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'choose ourselves'?"

Chu Guang said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world,

"Well, you can't apologize empty-handed, right? Otherwise, where would the apology come from? We won't extort you; we'll just pick one thing from the back of your cow."

As he spoke, the smile that had appeared on Chu Guang's face began to fade.

"You wouldn't be... unwilling, would you?"

With a face uglier than crying, Sun Shiqi steeled himself and nodded.

"No, not at all! The goods are on this cart... You pick."

These bandits!

Where's the dignity and pride of a civilized person?

To actually rob a ragged Waste Land Wanderer!

It's like a rich man, adorned with wealth, robbing a beggar on the street—don't these people feel any shame for their actions?

What a shivering disgrace!

Sun Shiqi cursed under his breath, but his face remained welcoming with a smile, not daring to show any negative emotion.

He was gradually starting to realize that this refuge differed fundamentally from any refuge he had encountered before.

As for Chu Guang, he paid no attention to what the merchant was thinking.

Because that was completely unimportant.

Seeing that the man was so cooperative, his face broke into a pleasant smile again.

"Then I won't be polite."

-

(Note: Combined, these two chapters are nearly eight thousand words long. Being honest, although I am still myself, compared to the past when I was known for two chapters a day, I'm doing pretty well now, right? Thus, I boldly ask for your recommendation and monthly votes—doesn't seem excessive, does it?)