Cui Mao was tall and well-built, with reserved eyes. He wore a black robe over leather armor and had a flintlock pistol and a dagger tied to his waist. He also carried a hand crossbow on his back.
His complexion was dark, and he wore a felt hat. A sizable burn scar adorned his neck, but he clearly didn't mind showing it.
Zhou Yi estimated that the man was under thirty, especially noting an energy completely distinct from the people of Mao Valley Town.
Only sufficient nutrition could produce such a robust physique.
"It is an honor to meet you, the master of this place."
Cui Mao revealed a humble smile. "Originally, I was in Chicken Head Town to the west. I heard that the people of Mao Valley Town are good at digging around, so I came to see if I could find some rare trinkets."
"I did not expect to find such a hero like you here, not only in possession of a monster squad but also having built a robust and unique camp. This visit has truly been enlightening…"
Zhou Yi interrupted the merchant's polite chant. "Let's proceed with the trade."
The other party blinked, and then nodded.
Cui Mao led a two-humped camel carrying two boxes. He placed the boxes on the ground and with a lift, opened a small shelf.
Under the light of the rhombic lamp, Zhou Yi examined the goods displayed by the other party.
The left shelf mainly held tools, including various types of sickles, scissors, and small knives, iron needles and hooks, several stacks of different-colored hemp cloth, and two multi-layer cloth hoods with eye holes showing through.
The right shelf held small cloth bags exuding a spice aroma.
Placed underneath the shelves were two books. The first one, the thickest, had no text on its wooden cover but depicted a little person inside a bottle, representing the Alchemist Association's mark—it was probably the Dead Sea Atlas.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yi heard the merchant's thoughts intercepted by Red Kestrel's Bird Eye View function.
—My right hand is so eager to fight… I've never felt this intense even facing the captain. What level of enhancer is this man?
—The misinformation is too great; I can't subdue him alone.
—But… if I retreat now, the over hundred people of Mao Valley Town will be completely abandoned. I must probe further to glean more information.
Zhou Yi was somewhat surprised.
He had initially thought Cui Mao was a member of a raider gang, but it seemed from the man's thoughts that they were not from the same group. Newest update provıded by NoveI~Fire.net
Red Kestrel also provided a further scan result: "This man's right arm has been enhanced, with unusual strength. Based on the physical signs and behavior he displayed, I suspect he might be a Knight."
A Knight among the enhancers?
Zhou Yi inwardly asked, "How is the enhancement done?"
The drone replied, "Most Knights undergo localized bodily enhancements, some on their arms and legs, others on their heart and skeleton. This is to enhance their resilience and destructive power so they can compete head-on with other Guangna Species."
"There are various technical methods, so it's hard to determine."
Communications with Red Kestrel were highly efficient, facilitating vast amounts of information exchange in an instant.
Zhou Yi brought his attention back to Cui Mao. "What are these two books about?"
Cui Mao pulled out the books from the bottom of the box, explaining, "This one here is the Dead Sea Atlas, hand-copied last year by the Alchemist Association. However, it has several corrections and stains, making it a defective copy; that's why it was allowed to leave."
"This book is priced at 10 jin of copper, which is 100,000 mushrooms, but I can't carry that quantity of dry mushrooms, so I must ask for an equivalent exchange. Gold or silver, being lighter, would be best."
Zhou Yi had learned from Gong Zheng.
Copper was a higher currency unit than mushrooms, though it was barely used in Mao Valley Town.
Although the exchange rates varied slightly by location, the standard was 100 mushrooms = 1 copper (approximately 5g). Thus, 1 jin of copper equaled 10,000 mushrooms.
Due to poor satiation and nutrition from cave mushrooms, people in Mao Valley Town needed 70 to 100 mushrooms per day. The defective version of the Dead Sea Atlas was so expensive that it would take a person three years without eating or drinking to afford it.
The books were exceedingly pricey.
Cui Mao took out the thin book from the bottom, promoting, "And this one is 'Tool Simplification' published by the Craftsmen Guild. It details how to manufacture various simple tools and detailed breakdown diagrams. If materials are available, one can follow the step-by-step diagrams in here to make axes, chisels, pickaxes, shovels, scissors, and other tools."
"This is cheap, only 3 copper."
Zhou Yi flipped through the book.
The cover bore a symbol of a crossed hammer and wrench, representing the Craftsmen Guild.
Inside, the manufacturing process was depicted in a comic strip, understandable even to those who couldn't read.
The book genuinely aimed to teach people how to make tools, but the prerequisite was a problem.
The required wood and stone could be processed by oneself, but the forging of related iron components was nearly impossible for an ordinary person.
Zhou Yi opened his bag and pulled out two storybooks he had read.
"How about a trade with these?"
Cui Mao carefully examined them, his face showing astonishment. "This, this is...Dead Sea Documents!"
"Did you obtain these from the Dead Sea? They're so well-preserved, truly a rare sight. However, this isn't an equivalent exchange. The value of the Dead Sea Documents is immeasurable, but even the simplest document is worth 1 gold..."
He hastily searched his pockets, pulled out two pieces of gold, then weighed them on a small portable scale, indicating for Zhou Yi to look at the numbers.
"Look, this is 2 gold, that is, 10 grams of gold. This is all I have on me, I'll give you the books and add these gold pieces, do you think this trade would be acceptable?"
Red Kestrel read the knight's thoughts.
—He brought out the Dead Sea Documents so openly... he must be testing me.
—Which organization does he belong to?
—I've never seen such a person before, guarded by a samurai crab, acting alone, spending lavishly. The two electromechanical lives from the Oasis seem to be hired by him too. Strange, too strange. I need to observe more.
Zhou Yi nodded, gesturing with his eyes. Next to him, Gong Zheng took the gold from Cui Mao and took the two books.
"Goodbye, I won't see you out."
Seeing Zhou Yi turning to enter the house, Cui Mao looked stunned and quickly said, "Sir, please wait."
Zhou Yi turned his head, "What else is there?"
Cui Mao took a deep breath and said in a serious tone, "I apologize for the intrusion. To be honest, I am a knight of the Third Squadron of the Tianjin Knights, currently stationed in Sand Port, responsible for local defense tasks."
"I came disguised for a visit because I received information that an outsider has built a camp in Mao Valley Town, commanding an army composed of Guangna Species creatures. So, I came to investigate covertly to assess the danger."
"But considering your speech and displayed wealth, you do not seem like those involved in human trafficking or experimenting on living humans with Alchemy. May I ask for your esteemed name?"
Zhou Yi said, "Zhou Yi, chairman of the Wasteland Development Company."
He couldn't help muttering to himself.
Tianjin Knights? I wonder if they perform sketch comedy with clappers.
"Previously, I was a solo Scavenger," Zhou Yi breezed past the question, "I've been on my own for many years and didn't want to drift anymore, so I decided to find a place and start a business, choosing here."
Cui Mao's smile stiffened.
The Tianjin Knight then said, "Your strength is unfathomable, and it makes me itch for a challenge. I wonder if you would honor me with a sparring match?"
Zhou Yi nodded, "That's possible."
Cui Mao's eyes sparked with excitement.
"But there is a condition."
Zhou Yi raised his right index finger, "After we fight, I have a question for you."
The other party nodded, "I shall withhold nothing."