Chapter 44: Merchants from Neighboring Cities
Chapter 44 Merchants from Neighboring Cities
”I should have thought of it earlier!”
”The richest resource of Linghu Lake is not just the fish in the lake, but the rich nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on the lakeshore! We are almost there, just ahead!”
Kuangfeng said excitedly along the way as he walked towards the lake with Mosquito.
The two stopped at a shallow beach by the lake.
The vegetation here is lush and easy to hide. It is an excellent water source for both humans and animals.
Kuangfeng just stretched out his hand and was about to point, but Mosquito stepped forward before him and squatted in front of a relatively flat rock.
He stretched out his index finger and gently wiped it on the stone wall, then leaned in to smell it and tried to lick it.
Kuangfeng didn’t care about the stinging eyes and asked hurriedly.
”How is it?”
Mosquito spit on the ground, with a half-happy and half-sad look on his face.
”Bah, why is there still fresh…”
Kuangfeng: “…”
Although he accidentally tasted a mouthful of fresh bird droppings, one thing is certain, there are indeed a lot of guano stones here.
The main component of this ore is Mg(NH4)[PO4]·6H2O, with an orthorhombic crystal structure. Just looking at the chemical composition, it is not difficult to see how widely this thing is used.
Not only that, when a certain amount of guano is formed, the ammonia component in it will gradually oxidize into nitric acid under the action of nitrifying bacteria, and eventually accumulate under the soil in the form of potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, etc., forming the so-called nitrate soil.
This kind of nitrate soil, as an “associated mineral”, only needs a simple method, such as mixing and boiling with plant ash without filtering out potassium alkali water, and precipitating the calcium ions and magnesium ions in it, to produce saltpeter containing a small amount of impurities!
Simply put, if you find guano, you basically have saltpeter.
And having saltpeter is basically equivalent to having gunpowder!
In fact, it’s not just guano. There are a large number of heterogeneous excrement distributed on the shore of Linghu Lake. These excrement gradually weather, deposit and compact over time, and finally form fecal stone mines.
As for why there are so many fecal stones by the lake, it’s actually easy to understand. In
the early years of the wasteland era, this planet experienced a severe cold period that lasted nearly half a century.
During that period, Linghu Wetland Park, as the area with the richest water resources in this area, was once home to a large number of wild animals and livestock that escaped from the pasture.
These feces should have been left behind at that time.
It was not until the end of the severe cold period that the uninhabited urban area formed a more lush ecosystem, and this place gradually became deserted.
”With these saltpeter soils, it won’t be a problem to get the black powder out!” Standing up from the ground, Mosquito looked at Kuangfeng excitedly, “Help me, let’s get more back.” Kuangfeng
asked in confusion.
”We have saltpeter soil and charcoal, but I remember that there is sulfur in the formula of black powder? Where are you going to find sulfur?”
If he remembered correctly, sulfur usually appears near craters or hot springs.
However, this area obviously doesn’t look like there are these two things.
Mosquito was stunned.
Obviously he hadn’t had time to think about this problem.
”Well, if there is no sulfur, sulfate can actually work, but the process is a little more complicated… It should be easy to find, right?”
Kuangfeng looked around and shrugged helplessly.
”Anyway, let’s look for it first.”
…
Unfortunately, there is no sulfur in the forest, and there is nothing that looks like sulfur by the lake.
Think about it.
How could this thing appear in the wetland park?
Fortunately, just when the two were about to give up, they found some gypsum mines beside a small river extending out of Linghu Lake.
This thing is composed of calcium sulfate, which can be burned with carbon at high temperature to produce calcium sulfide and carbon dioxide, which is exactly the sulfate mineral they are looking for!
”Why did I forget this!” Mosquito slapped the back of his head in annoyance, “I saw Lao Bai and his friends burning cement a few days ago, and it seems that this gypsum powder was mixed in! Isn’t this thing just calcium sulfate?”
Kuangfeng said with a wry smile.
”Is this what they call the darkest place under the lamp?”
”Anyway, the result is good.” After picking up some gypsum ore and putting it into a plastic bucket, Mosquito washed his hands, stood up and looked at Kuangfeng and said, “Let’s go, now that the materials are ready, let’s go back too.”
Kuangfeng nodded and followed him.
The two returned to the survivors’ settlement together. Just as they were about to walk towards the cabin, they found that there was a commotion in front of the settlement.
The players working on the construction site had come down from the scaffolding at some point, and they were holding tools in their hands, surrounding a cow with two heads.
A strange man stood next to the two-headed cow.
He was wearing a leather jacket, with a flattering smile on his face, making strange gestures, and mumbling something incomprehensible.
Mosquito stopped with a curious look on his face.
”Who is that person? A new NPC?”
I didn’t hear that there would be an update today.
”I don’t know. I’ll go ask…”
Kuangfeng was a man of action. He put down the plastic bucket in his hand, strode towards Brother Chaodan who was standing in front of the smoked meat rack and watching the fun. He pulled him and asked curiously.
”What happened there? Who is that guy?”
Brother Chaodan crossed his arms and shook his head.
”I don’t know the details. I heard from others that it seemed that our people met this guy on the way back from the construction site carrying stones. Then this guy didn’t say anything and just followed us all the way here.”
Kuangfeng walked closer and heard the players’ discussions.
”Why does this cow have two heads?”
”A domesticated alien?”
”This guy followed us all the way! I bet he is definitely not a good guy. He might be a spy of the predators!”
”Not necessarily, what if he is an NPC?”
”It doesn’t make sense. If he is an NPC, he shouldn’t be unable to communicate, right?”
”Could it be that the conditions have not been triggered?”
”How can we lock him up first and wait for the manager to come back?”
Feeling the increasingly unfriendly eyes of the people around him, Sun Shiqi, who was surrounded by the crowd, felt under great pressure.
Although he had a revolver hidden under his leather jacket and the safety was on, even if he emptied the magazine, there were only 6 bullets left.
The residents of the shelter who were getting closer and closer would not give him the chance to fire six shots in a row.
One hammer from each person would make him lie on the ground.
”I repeat, I have no ill intentions. I am a businessman. Do you understand what a businessman is? Damn it, even if things were bad 200 years ago, there wouldn’t be even the profession of traveling merchants, right? Or have you forgotten it because you slept too long?”
”Okay, calm down. Let me put it another way. I want to use these things on the back of the cow to exchange with you for something you don’t need but I just need… anything is fine! Of course, if you don’t want to exchange, it’s okay. I’ll leave now and promise not to bother you again!”
Seeing that there was no way to communicate, Sun Shiqi had already begun to think about retreating.
However, these residents of the shelter had no intention of giving way at all. Instead, they got closer and closer, and even took out ropes.
Sun Shiqi was desperate.
Just when he was thinking about whether to fight to the death, the blue coats surrounding him suddenly made way.
A man, carrying the body of a mutant reindeer on his shoulders, walked towards this side.
The mutant reindeer weighed at least 100 kilograms, and its size was almost as big as a horse. However, the man seemed to be fine, carrying the prey that could cover himself and walking as usual.
Although he was wearing a harmless blue coat, Sun Shiqi still smelled a trace of extremely dangerous breath from him.
This guy…
is definitely not an ordinary resident of the shelter!
The man threw the prey heavily on the ground and said a few words to his companions, and then these people obediently dispersed.
Looking at the man walking towards him, Sun Shiqi was nervous and his nerves were tense.
In an instant, an idea flashed through his mind. If he could hold the man in front of him hostage, he might be able to leave here smoothly.
However, his intuition told him that if he really did this, he would die the moment he took action…
”Who are you?” Chu Guang looked at him and asked.
Hearing the man talking to him, Sun Shiqi was slightly stunned, and a surprised expression instantly appeared on his face.
”Can you speak? No, that’s not what I mean. I mean you can speak the language here?”
The language here naturally refers to the human language.
Before the war, this area belonged to the territory of the Human Union, and they naturally used a unified language. Logically, the residents of the shelter also use the Human Union language, but for some reason these people are a little different.
Chu Guang frowned slightly, looked at him and continued.
”Now I’m asking you a question.”
”Answer me, who are you?”
Hearing the unkindness in the tone, Sun Shiqi hurriedly explained.
”My last name is Sun, and my name is Sun Shiqi. I come from the next door Honghe Town! I’m a businessman!”
Honghe Town?
Hearing this unfamiliar place name, Chu Guang raised his eyebrows slightly.
He only knew that this was Qingquan City, located in the River Valley Province in the heart of the Human Union. As for what other cities there are in the River Valley Province, he was not very clear.
”What are you doing in Qingquan City?”
Sun Shiqi said cautiously.
”I’m a businessman… Of course I’m here to do business.”
Chu Guang’s expression was unmoved.
”Businessman? Then why did I hear from my companions that you followed them?”
”Misunderstanding, this is definitely a misunderstanding!”
Sun Shiqi waved his hands and explained with a smile.
”I was originally planning to go to Boulder City. On the way, I happened to see them wearing blue jackets. I thought there was a shelter nearby, so I thought about exchanging some things with you… I’m just a businessman. I really don’t mean to offend you!”
He didn’t expect these people to be so sensitive.
If it was a normal survivor settlement, he would never dare to approach it alone, but it would be different if it was a shelter.
These little cuties in blue jackets are notorious for being silly and innocent in the wasteland. They are easy to bully and cheat.
Most of them are usually elites of pre-war society, or descendants of elites. They often claim to be descendants of civilization, arrogant and arrogant.
He thought he would just follow them. At most, he would be chased away as a beggar, and there would be no loss.
Who would have thought that after these people led him in, they surrounded him without saying a word, and didn’t listen to him, let alone leave. It
’s simply unethical!
Chu Guang didn’t relax his expression because of this guy’s explanation. He still looked at him expressionlessly and continued.
”Whether you meant to offend or not, you have indeed done something that offended us. I believe that in any corner of this wasteland, stalking is not a friendly behavior, right?”
Sun Shiqi nodded with sweat on his forehead.
”…You are right.”
”Very good, it seems that you have realized your mistake,” Chu Guang nodded, “but don’t worry, we are reasonable people, I have just convinced my companions and told them that you are willing to apologize for your offensive behavior.” Sun Shiqi nodded
quickly.
”Yes, yes, I am willing!”
Hearing this, Chu Guang finally smiled.
”Okay. By the way, you shouldn’t suggest that we choose it ourselves, right?”
Sun Shiqi was stunned and looked at the man in front of him with a confused face.
”Wait, what do you mean by choosing it yourself?”
Chu Guang said as a matter of course.
”You can’t apologize with nothing in your hands, right? Otherwise, how does the apology come from? We are not blackmailing you, at most we will just pick something from your ox back.”
At this point, the smile that had appeared on Chu Guang’s face before gradually collapsed.
”You can’t… bear to leave, can you?”
Sun Shiqi’s face looked uglier than crying, but he still nodded his head.
”No! Everything is on this car… You can choose.”
These bandits!
Where is the dignity and pride of being a civilized person?
They actually robbed a ragged wastelander!
It’s like a wealthy man robbing a beggar begging on the street. Don’t these people feel ashamed of their behavior?
It’s so cold!
Sun Shiqi cursed in his heart, but he still smiled on his face, not daring to show any negative emotions.
He has gradually begun to realize that this shelter seems to be fundamentally different from the shelters he has encountered before.
As for Chu Guang, he didn’t care what the businessman was thinking.
Because it didn’t matter at all.
Seeing this guy so sensible, a happy smile appeared on his face again.
”Then I won’t be polite.”
–
(The two chapters add up to nearly 8,000 words. To be honest, although I am still the same me, I am already stronger than the former Ergen Beast. It’s not too much to ask for recommendation votes and monthly votes with confidence~)
(End of this chapter)
