133: Black Market Trip Preparations

Shen Xiaochuan sat in the main seat of the council hall. He tapped his fingers twice on the edge of the sand table.

The sun outside the window was setting, and the people in the South Gate Square had almost all left; only a few children were playing with water by the well.

When Karl left with Lilivian, he said, "The foundation of the wall in the residential area is a bit loose," which Shen Xiaochuan noted down, preparing to have the engineering team repair it.

He lowered his head and glanced at the drawer. The purple gold card was still in its original position, with a freshly printed topographic map placed beside it.

Three hundred kilometers was not far, but no one dared to travel fast in the Northern Wasteland. The signal towers were all destroyed, there were many beasts, and several remnants of forces occupied the mining tunnels. On the surface, they were merchant caravans, but in reality, they were highwaymen.

Ling Feng walked in, a layer of dust on his shoulder armor and muddy footprints from his boots. He walked to the east side of the sand table and wiped his face first.

"Just got back?" Shen Xiaochuan asked.

"Yes." Ling Feng nodded. "The eighty miles to the southeast are cleared. Three beast lairs have been dealt with, and flags have been planted in the fields. I didn't see anyone, only the scorched frames of tents remained."

Shen Yan also entered, the hem of his battle robe torn, holding a charred piece of metal in his hand. "Eleven level-four fields on the eastern line have been recovered. They were guarded by a pack of Iron-Clawed Wolves; I killed seven, and the rest ran away. I found this in their nest." He placed the metal piece on the edge of the sand table. "It looks like an old-fashioned irrigation valve and can still be used."

Yang Lie was the last to arrive, striding in, the hilt of his sword hitting the doorframe with a sound. He walked to the south side and rested his hands on the sand table. "The sweep of the sixty miles in the southern suburbs is finished. Five groups of Steel-Bristled Boars were cleared, and the carcasses were sent to the meat processing plant. The village is empty, and even the wells have been filled with soil."

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Shen Xiaochuan looked at the green markers on the sand table. The land had been reclaimed, but it was useless without people to farm it.

"You have all seen it," he said. "The southern district needs to expand by three thousand acres, and the warehouses are full of seeds and fertilizer, but there are less than eight hundred people in the whole city capable of working. In half a month, the spring plowing will be missed, and this batch of grain will be wasted."

Ling Feng frowned. "Didn't five thousand refugees come in?"

"Of those five thousand people, three thousand are the elderly and weak, and the two thousand capable ones have all gone into factories and infrastructure construction." Shen Xiaochuan opened his notebook. "The agricultural group says they need at least two thousand able-bodied people, preferably those who know how to farm and raise livestock."

Yang Lie scratched his head. "There is no one left on the wasteland. Where are we going to find them?"

"The black market." Shen Xiaochuan took out the purple gold card, his finger tracing the crack. "There is an underground market three hundred kilometers away where you can buy people and exchange for migration permits. The card Lilivian brought is the access pass."

Shen Yan looked up. "You are going yourself?"

"I must go." Shen Xiaochuan flipped the card. "That kind of place doesn't recognize status; it only recognizes resources and credit. If I don't go, no one else can hold the line."

Ling Feng said immediately, "I will go with you."

"You can't." Shen Xiaochuan shook his head. "You need to lead a team on a mission. All three of you need to act separately."

The three of them looked at each other.

"Listen well." Shen Xiaochuan stood up and walked to the middle of the sand table. "We leave tomorrow morning, advancing along three routes. Ling Feng, take the Third Legion toward the southeast to find wandering tribes and scattered groups. Focus on those with families who can work, and bring back at least eight hundred people within seven days. If you encounter danger on the road, go around it if you can; don't fight head-on."

"Understood." Ling Feng replied.

"Shen Yan, you are responsible for the new reclamation area in the east. Organize the wall repairs and the construction of the irrigation System. At the same time, send people to issue recruitment orders—'Skydome City is hiring, room and board included, settlement allowance provided'—and post them within a fifty-mile radius. Whoever brings people will be rewarded with five hundred faith points."

Shen Yan nodded. "I will print the notices tonight."

Yang Lie smiled, a bit of mischief in his eyes. "If we run into someone blocking the way, can we just take care of them?"

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "Yes. But don't get bogged down in fighting. We have only one goal: find people who can work and bring them back."

The three of them said in unison, "Yes."

Shen Xiaochuan sat back in his chair and pointed to the red circle on the map. "You will be running around outside, and I cannot sit idle in the city. In the next two days, I will reclaim the surrounding fields and, while I'm at it, solve an old problem."

"What problem?" Shen Yan asked.

"The Evil God altar." He said, "There is an abandoned one thirty miles away on the eastern line. Ancient books say it can be turned into a faith amplification node by sacrificing exotic beasts. The incense value isn't much, but it counts for something."

Yang Lie whistled. "You really dare to touch that thing? I heard that some people went to make a sacrifice and were sucked dry instead."

Shen Xiaochuan was very calm. "As long as you follow the rules, nothing will happen. I have already sent people to watch it for two days; there is no movement, and there are no guardian beasts. Either it's completely dead, or it's waiting for a fool to show up."

Shen Yan laughed. "Then aren't you admitting you're a fool?"

"I am a prepared fool." Shen Xiaochuan stood up. "I will lead a team out tonight to reclaim the fields first, then perform the sacrifice. You go back and prepare, and leave the city on time tomorrow morning."

After the three left, Shen Xiaochuan remained in the council hall alone. He opened the System interface; faith points were increasing by one per second, now at over 176,000. New items appeared in the mall, but he glanced at them and didn't buy anything. There were too many places to spend money, so he had to save.

He walked out the door and headed out of the city.

The storm chariot was parked on the west side of the military camp. The body was gray-black, the wheel hubs were reinforced with anti-puncture layers, and there was a double-barreled energy cannon on top. The mechanic was checking the engine and saluted when he saw him coming.

"How is it?"

"The modifications are done." The mechanic patted the car. "The new ion thrusters are installed, the fuel tank is forty percent larger, and the top speed is two thousand kilometers per hour. You can reach three hundred kilometers in seventeen minutes."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "Fast enough. Remember to install the jamming device so it doesn't get picked up by radar."

"It's already done, Boss."

He walked around the car once to confirm there were no issues. He had redeemed the blueprints for this car with fifty thousand faith points, spent another thirty thousand points on Materials, and modified it for two months. Now, off-roading was no problem, and it wouldn't be strange if it flew.

Returning to the City Lord's Mansion, he entered the secret room.

On the table lay a map of the Northern Wasteland, with a red line marking the fastest route to the black market. He picked up the purple gold card and examined it under the light. There were black patterns in the center, resembling encrypted runes. A line of small text was engraved on the back: "For use only at designated branches; automatic lockout for exceeding distance."

He put the card into a metal box and locked it in the safe.

He opened another drawer and took out the copper gear pendant his parents had given him. Usually, this item was sewn into his cuff, and he would put it away when not on a mission. The place he was going today was not clean, and he didn't want to take any risks.

He put the copper gear pendant into a velvet bag and pressed it to the very bottom of the drawer.

He walked out of the secret room and went to the new reclamation area on the eastern line.

It wasn't dark yet, and people were already digging ditches in the fields. Shen Yan was standing on high ground directing, and he waved when he saw him coming.

"The progress is good." Shen Xiaochuan looked around. "Start laying the drip irrigation pipes tomorrow, and strive to complete the basic infrastructure within three days."

"It won't be a problem if there are enough people." Shen Yan handed over a list. "This is the available labor force registered today, three hundred and twenty-seven people."

Shen Xiaochuan scanned it. "Still too few."

He looked toward the distant ridge, where there was a cluster of gray-brown buildings, the stone pillars crooked like broken teeth.

"We have reached the altar." He said.

The two of them drove over, not speaking along the way.

When they arrived, Shen Xiaochuan got out of the car and put on a mask. There was a foul odor in the air, mixed with the smell of rust. The altar was surrounded by four black stone pillars, half of the middle had collapsed, and there were cracks in the ground, seeping dark red liquid.

He took out a detector, and the needle swayed gently.

"There is residual energy." He said, "But it's very weak; it must have been abandoned for a long time."

The convoy behind them stopped, and a dozen soldiers lined up. They were leading a level-five Split-Horned Deer, its antlers glowing, with a strip of cloth in its mouth.

"Follow the procedure." Shen Xiaochuan ordered.

The soldiers brought the deer to the center of the altar and slit its throat with a knife. Blood sprayed out, flowing along the cracks into the base of the stone pillars. He opened the manual and recited three ancient phrases.

At first, there was no reaction.

Three minutes later, the four stone pillars lit up with red light, which then turned into a pale golden color.

"It worked." He said.

The System prompt popped up: [Completed "Exotic Beast Sacrifice" mission] [Obtained: Faith Amplification Node (Elementary)] [Effect: +50 incense value per day]

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Erect a monument." He said to the people beside him, "Write 'Owned by Skydome City, trespassers will be punished'."

The workers began to move stones.

Shen Xiaochuan stood on the side, watching the golden light slowly stabilize. This bit of incense value was not much, but many a little makes a mickle. He was not afraid of time; faith points were rising every second. As long as he kept expanding, he would eventually turn the wasteland into his own territory.

Early the next morning, the three teams set off on time.

Ling Feng led his team toward the southeast, with green flags fluttering on the roof of the vehicles; Shen Yan led the engineers to guard the eastern line and began building watchtowers; Yang Lie rode at the front, leading the cavalry to sweep the southern line.

Shen Xiaochuan returned to the main city and walked into the Agriculture Bureau office.

The person in charge, Old Li, came up to greet him. "God Shen, the spring plowing supplies are ready, we are just waiting for the manpower."

"I will find a way for the manpower." He said, "You get the seeders ready first, and as soon as the first batch of people returns, get them into the fields."

"How many units are needed?"

"All twenty units, running at full capacity." He paused. "Also, notify the cafeteria that for the next half-month, extra meals will be provided, and meat, eggs, and milk will be doubled. The newcomers must be well-fed."

Old Li noted it down.

Shen Xiaochuan went to the armory to check the inventory. The qualification rate of the Red Flame Guns had increased to eighty-five percent, and the iron armor had new molds, resulting in less damage. He asked Lolia to prioritize giving the new equipment to the agricultural guard team. The people farming must be protected; he couldn't let others snatch their results.

At noon, he received news from the three routes.

Ling Feng discovered an underground shelter and rescued forty-seven people, all women and children; the men were all dead. He had already arranged for vehicles to pick them up, and they would arrive by evening.

Shen Yan reported that three hours after the recruitment notices were posted, sixteen scattered civilians came to apply, bringing hoes and seeds, willing to sign three-year contracts.

Yang Lie was even more ruthless; he encountered a group of bandits, beheaded seven on the spot, captured twelve, and escorted them back to the city for trial.

Shen Xiaochuan approved the note: those willing to do hard labor stay; those who want to run, break their legs and throw them into the wasteland.

At three in the afternoon, the last report was delivered.

"The three teams brought back a total of one hundred and eighty-nine people." The secretary read. "Among them, ninety-seven are able-bodied laborers, twenty-three are skilled craftsmen, and the rest are family members."

Shen Xiaochuan rubbed his temples.

Less than two hundred people; it was far from enough.

He stood up and walked toward the secret room.

He opened the safe and took out the purple gold card and the key to the storm chariot.

On the map, the black dot three hundred kilometers away was very clear.

Seventeen minutes would be enough.

He put on his combat suit and checked his personal items: communicator, first-aid kit, detector, and spare batteries.

Then he walked to the window and looked outside.

The weather was good, and the wind was not strong.

The storm chariot was already waiting at the door, its engine humming quietly.

He picked up the metal box, which contained the purple gold card.

He stepped out the door.