Parked were about twenty men and six two-headed oxen laden with goods.
The person at the head should be a merchant, followed by several mercenaries, and the rest of the people whose hands and feet were shackled were probably slaves.
Looking blankly at everything in front of him, Sun Shiqi's eyes were filled with dullness, and he almost thought he was hallucinating.
"This is... the northern suburbs?"
A wooden fence with a height of one person is wrapped with iron wire. Behind it are busy streets and neat brick and wooden houses. Pedestrians are coming and going on the streets, children are playing, there are also vendors buying things, or people who are going to work in the fields.
Old farmer.
Most of the local residents wear coats made of hyena skin, but the weather has become warm recently, so many people wrap their coats around their waists, and some wealthy people have changed into cloth clothes.
Looking up further, there are tall concrete walls and sentry towers, with soldiers wearing black military uniforms and carrying rifles standing on them.
Looking at the prosperous town in front of him, Sun Shiqi took out the map and repeatedly confirmed that he had not taken the wrong path.
However, it was precisely because of this that he could not believe his eyes even more.
"Weird..."
Sun Shiqi kept mumbling.
"Where did such a large survivor settlement come from?"
He came here twice before winter last year.
At that time, he was still a poor businessman, leading a two-headed cow to make a living in the wasteland. He made a small fortune by doing business with the blue coats in the park.
After earning the principal, he seized the historical opportunity of the continued turmoil in the River Valley Province, sold the slaves in Honghe Town to the Jinchuan Province in the south, and then bought grain and two-headed cattle from the farmers there to transport back
The garbage city, Honghe Town, slowly gained its current size.
Recently, the slave owners in Honghe Town met with their old patron Gu, and they fought fiercely on the garbage mountain. Sun Shiqi, who had just returned from Jinchuan Province, immediately sensed an opportunity to make a fortune, and without saying a word, he sold the grain and excess in his hands to
The livestock were exchanged for slaves and mines, and I planned to go to Boulder City to buy some "good stuff".
However, what confused Sun Shiqi was that he remembered that when he came here last year, it was still deserted. Weeds and shrubs were filled with soil slopes and mud pits. There was also a group of murderous demons living next to the road out of the city. Where did they come from?
What kind of village with a population of 1,000 people and endless farmland?
Two guards with rifles stood at the entrance of the village.
Sun Shiqi stared at them blankly. The two guards obviously noticed his gaze and looked straight this way.
The mercenary next to Sun Shiqi coughed slightly and lowered his voice to remind him.
"Boss, you'd better not stare at them for too long...I'm worried that we won't be able to protect you."
There are only four of them.
No matter what, it is impossible to be the opponent of these people.
When Sun Shiqi came back to his senses, he immediately realized his abruptness, quickly put on an embarrassed smile, and took the initiative to resolve the misunderstanding.
"Friends, we are merchants from Honghe Town. May I ask...where is this place?"
"Long-lasting Farm."
The guard on duty skillfully pointed to the sign hanging on the door, as if he had answered this question countless times.
"This is the west gate, the village where the locals live. If you are doing business, go to the north gate next door, where there is a trading post and hotel."
Sun Shiqi said thank you and quickly left with his team, retracing their steps along the way they came and detouring to the north gate where they should go.
Compared to the villages we saw before, the situation here is even more surprising.
Not only are the streets wider, but the criss-crossing roads are also paved with cement. Several hotels, taverns and inns scattered along the streets must have been built not long ago, and they look to be in good repair.
Sun Shiqi walked to the hotel closest to the trading post.
The house here is large enough, and there is a cowshed in the backyard for tying livestock. Especially the few people lingering at the door are incompatible with the surrounding environment. It is obvious that they are businessmen here like me to do business.
The word "Highway" is scrawled on the sign at the door of the hotel, which probably means road hotel.
The waiter standing at the door saw a group of people coming this way and enthusiastically helped them lead the two-headed cow into the cowshed.
"Does the guest want to eat or stay in a hotel?"
"Stay in the hotel."
Sun Shiqi threw a dinar to the young man as a tip, told the mercenaries to look at the goods in the cowshed and wait for him to come back, and then walked into the store alone.
The space inside the store looks as spacious as the outside. The wooden stairs and floors still have the smell of the forest. There are several rows of wooden tables on the first floor. The back kitchen is busy and a few customers are sitting in the corner eating.
The noodles smell weird.
The old man sitting behind the counter raised his eyes, and a reassuring smile appeared on his wrinkled face.
"Welcome, guests from afar, are you staying in a hotel or having a meal?"
Sun Shiqi stared at him for a while, surprise suddenly showing in his eyes.
"Are you... Hook from Highway Town?!"
The old man looked at him in surprise.
"you know me?"
Sun Shiqi smiled and said: "Of course I recognize it, have you forgotten? I bought resin from you last year...but why did you come here to open a shop? Where are your tribesmen?"
"This store is jointly opened by people from our town. You said the Camu tree... I really miss it." There was a bit of nostalgia in the cloudy pupils, but if Old Hook knew how to plant a tree, he would definitely not know how to do it.
Dry.
Those Camus trees have been transplanted to the planting area in the west, and it turns out that a few young men in the town are helping him take care of them.
He opened this hotel in partnership with Ye Xiao and his father. Originally, Ye Xiao was supposed to be in the hotel, but the young man couldn't sit still and insisted on joining the army. He seemed to have been transferred to Yuanxi Town for duty recently.
Sun Shiqi looked around and felt that the environment here was not bad, and the person looking after the store was an acquaintance - although the old man seemed not to remember him at all.
"Let's stay one night first...how to pay?"
"10 silver coins a night, plus meals."
"Silver coins?" Sun Shiqi was stunned for a moment, "Can't dinars or CRs work?"
"It's okay, but you have to take it to the trading post or bank to exchange it for silver coins. From here to Far Brook Town is the territory of the administrator. We don't want to offend that respected gentleman. It is his grace to open a store here.
Not to mention he is our benefactor."
Seeing Sun Shiqi's embarrassment, Old Hu Ke smiled and said, "You don't have to pay in a hurry. Just settle the account when you leave."
Jiujiu Farm has not been open to the public for a month, so there are naturally no customers with silver coins in their pockets.
A kilogram of two-headed beef costs 7 to 8 silver coins, and a two-headed cow weighs at least 1,200 kilograms. Whether sold to a farm or a slaughterhouse, you can get a lot of money.
Hook didn't worry at all that they couldn't pay the bill. If they really couldn't pay, he could help introduce buyers to them.
Sun Shiqi glanced at the menu on the counter and had an idea of the prices here.
"Bring me five rooms."
Old Hook opened the account book and took a look outside.
"Five rooms? Aren't there more than forty people outside?"
Sun Shiqi said casually.
"That's my slave."
"Slave... that's really not suitable for living in a hotel." Old Hook ticked several consecutive room numbers on the ledger. "Your room is at the end of the corridor on the second floor. By the way, I'd like to remind you, Bei
Slavery is prohibited in the suburbs."
Sun Shiqi was stunned for a moment, and his expression immediately became tense.
"Forbidden slaves? Wait...why haven't I heard of this?"
If slavery was prohibited here, then his itinerary might have to make some adjustments.
"I haven't heard that it's normal. After all, it's your first time here. The territory operated by the blue coats will have some strange rules. But don't be too nervous. Slaves, illegal detention, violence and illegal human trafficking are only prohibited here.
Have you noticed the trading post next door? You can store slaves there for 5 silver coins per person per day. No contact is allowed during the storage period, and you can take them away when you leave."
"Of course, I recommend you sell directly to the trading post. The price they give is pretty good, and they don't force it if you don't want to sell. But don't blame me for not reminding you, slavery is not recognized here, only 'limited ownership' is recognized.
So it’s best not to wander the streets with slaves, and don’t try to take them into the city, and don’t beat them with whips or sticks. If the guards see you, they will not only fine you, but they may also send you in for two days.”
Slaves bought by the trading post will be sent to prisoner of war camps for a period of time, but their status is not prisoners of war, but "supervised persons".
Once they earn enough money to redeem themselves through labor, learn at least one skill to make a living, and are able to recite the Basic Law skillfully, they will soon resume their status as free citizens, even obtain household registration, and be assigned to factories or assigned jobs.
field.
This usually doesn't take long.
If it is fast, it will take three or four months, if it is slow, it will only be one year.
Old Hook didn't know why the administrator wanted to do such a troublesome operation, but when he thought about it carefully, the idea was quite smart.
Most of the merchants in the wasteland have engaged in the slave trade. A complete ban is not feasible. People can choose not to come here. If they buy it and let it go directly, it will easily lead to some people taking advantage of the system, such as selling themselves, or selling their wives and children.
of.
Sparing but not blocking, seeking common ground while reserving differences, centralized supervision can be considered a compromise plan, at least it can prevent merchants with slaves from bypassing this place.
Sun Shiqi felt strange when he heard him mention the word manager before. When he heard the blue coat this time, he was even more convinced of his guess.
he asked in a disbelieving tone.
"This...is the territory of Vault 404?"
"Of course," Old Hook threw the key on the counter and gave him a strange look, "it seems like you haven't been to this area for a long time."
After giving him the key, Old Hook told him a few more words, try not to go into the city these days, as a wave is breaking out here.
When he came in through the door before, Sun Shiqi indeed heard from several other merchants that the roads in Qingquan City were not easy to walk these days.
Arriving at the door of the backyard, Sun Shiqi happened to see his mercenary talking to a merchant.
When he saw his boss coming out, the mercenary immediately pointed at him.
"Our boss is there, tell him, I can't make the decision."
Before Sun Shiqi could ask, the merchant came forward and said with a friendly smile.
"Hello! My name is Zhou Nan, a businessman from Hope Town."
The wasteland is called hope, dawn, beauty, and there are not ten but hundreds of places for tomorrow. Just hearing this place name, Sun Shiqi didn't know where he came from.
But judging from his clothes and accent, he is probably from the south of Jinchuan.
"Sun Shiqi, from the east...what's the matter?" Sun Shiqi looked at him and said.
Zhou Nan continued.
"We plan to go to Boulder City, but a wave is breaking out there. I brought six guards, including the two friends I just found, and it's no problem to make up fifteen people. We plan to go there together as a group, if you plan to go there too
, we can do it together.”
Sun Shiqi asked.
"When will you leave?"
Zhou Nan replied.
"Three days, or if there are enough people, we may start the journey earlier."
Sun Shiqi thought for a while and did not agree to him immediately.
The situation in the northern suburbs of Qingquan City exceeded his expectations. Although the population here is not as large as Boulder City, and it is not as prosperous as Boulder City, the potential shown here is surprising.
For a businessman, it is the same wherever he makes a fortune.
He planned to explore here first before deciding whether to continue to Boulder City.
He is here to purchase weapons.
If he can buy what he wants here, why bother walking an extra 20 kilometers?
And still risk the waves.
"I'm going to take a look and decide."
Not surprised by his answer, the businessman named Zhou Nan shrugged helplessly.
"Okay, friend, I've probably been here for the past three days anyway. If you're interested, you can come find me at the hotel next door... Just tell me your name."
Sun Shiqi nodded.
"Okay, I'll stay at the roadhouse, and we can have a meal together in the evening."
After saying goodbye.
Sun Shiqi didn't waste time here.
He threw the key to the mercenary who had been with him the longest and ordered him to take some worthless packages to the room. Then he took the remaining people and goods to the trading post next door.
The trading post here, like the hotel on the street next to it, has just opened.
Several residents of the shelter were also here, wandering around curiously, wearing VMs and looking for people to say confusing things to.
Sun Shiqi could recognize them at a glance. They were the people in the park. Their expressions and movements were almost carved from the same mold.
Although they don't understand the language, the locals respect them quite a bit, and those in blue coats are also very polite, but some of them look a little dazed.
Without wasting time on those people who couldn't communicate, Sun Shiqi went straight to the stall closest to the door.
The trader on duty here is a good-looking young girl. He prefers to find young people rather than doing business with those old guys with weathered faces.
Firstly, it is pleasing to the eye, and secondly, it is easy to deceive.
Stopping in front of the stall, Sun Shiqi looked at the girl in front of him and whistled.
"I have a shipment here, but I want to see what you have first."
The trader looked up at him.
"From Honghe Town?"
There was a moment of surprise on Sun Shiqi's face.
"Yes, how did you know?"
The trader smiled slightly.
"Guess, the slave behind you couldn't have been caught by yourself."
Sun Shiqi coughed twice.
"How can it be……"
Seemingly realizing that his joke was not very funny, the trader stopped talking nonsense and skillfully handed out a tablet.
"You are here to buy weapons. Everything is on it. I solemnly recommend the LD-47 assault rifle to you. The price is only 200 silver coins. It is very easy to use in jungles, deserts or swamps. The 7X50mm full-power ammunition can
Providing you with firepower comparable to a machine gun, even if the Deathclaw sees it, it will have to move around... But I recommend that you each take a step back."
"In addition, we also provide KV-1 exoskeletons with higher strength and lighter materials, 20mm light rifles from No. 81 Steel Plant, and 88mm mortars from Goblin Technology. If it is a large customer, we also provide 'death'
Screamer rockets and larger caliber 37mm heavy rifles."
Sun Shiqi, who was looking at his tablet, asked casually: "How can I become your big customer?"
the trader said with a smile.
"If you have a deposit of 1 million silver coins in the bank, they will give you a black VM, which can store and identify your identity information. As long as you wear it and are in a place with a signal, you can use it to pay.
"
Sounds a bit like a Boulder bank card.
Sun Shiqi briefly calculated the list of goods and silently calculated the accounts in his mind.
The price of a slave is about 1,000 silver coins, an LD-47 only costs 200 silver coins, and a 7mm bullet costs 1 silver coin.
In other words, one slave can be exchanged for at least five assault rifles!
And in Boulder City, although weapons are very cheap, a drone assault rifle only costs 150 chips, the price of slaves is also not high. According to his past experience, a slave can be exchanged for at most two or three guns.
The same goes for ores.
The 2 tons of copper ore and the large and small bags of sulfur, tin ore, nickel ore, tungsten ore, molybdenum ore and other rare ores that I brought with me could be exchanged for up to 2000~3000 chips in Boulder City.
But you can get at least 8,000 silver coins here!
After calculating the account clearly, Sun Shiqi held his breath for a moment, and his eyes wished they turned into the color of silver coins... although he had never seen what silver coins looked like.
"I have twenty slaves here and a cargo of six cows. Please give me a price."
the trader asked with a smile.
"Are the cattle also sold?"
Sun Shiqi said quickly.
"That one is not for sale."
joke.
After selling the cattle, he carried the goods back on two legs?
Although the prices they offer are indeed quite attractive.
The trader standing in front of the stall quickly called on employees from two trading posts to take his slave's temperature, check his teeth, fingers and toes, and weigh him.
It was the same with the goods. After careful inspection and weighing, the trader gave him a list with a quoted price.
There were 29,724 silver coins in total, which was actually a thousand higher than Sun Shiqi's own estimate. This also made him happy for a while.
"I need a hundred rifles and nine thousand rounds of ammunition. Just settle the rest with silver coins..." Sun Shiqi returned the tablet to the trader and said with eager eyes, "How long will it take to see what I want?"
"
Send this batch of arms that can arm an army of a hundred people to Red River Town, and the slave owners there will definitely regard him as a benefactor!
He can't wait for the second trip!
"Before last night and tomorrow evening, if you hurry up, you can do it in the morning." The trader glanced at the two-headed bull behind him with a pity and said, "Actually, sir, if you are coming from Honghe Town, you might as well consider our service.
'Electronic mule'."
Sun Shiqi was stunned and asked.
"Electronic mule? What is that?"
The trader smiled slightly and said: "The light trucks produced in the Beijiao Industrial Zone have a rated load of 1.8 tons. In fact, there is no problem at all if they are overloaded two or three times. They can even easily cross a one-meter-wide trench with rubber tracks. The sales
The price is only 50,000 silver coins, which is high quality and low price. Although it can’t be driven into the city, it is easy to run around in the wild. We all use this model ourselves.”
"Fifty thousand?!" Sun Shiqi's eyes widened, "I don't have that much money."
Fifty slaves for one car?
Can this be considered high quality and low price??
The trader said with a smile.
"The current discount is 10% off. If you are willing to sell those six two-headed cows, it will definitely be enough."
The ore in Honghe Town is much cheaper than slaves. The lowest denomination of blue stamps starts at 1 ton, and the cost is all in transportation.
If trucks could be used to transport goods, the ore trade could be much more profitable than the slave trade!
And there is no risk of riots...
However, Sun Shiqi was still sober. It was impossible for him to use all his belongings to buy transportation. After all, he was a businessman, not a coachman.
What's more, this car probably consumes electricity, right?
I don’t know how much the electricity bill is here, but it’s not cheap in Honghe Town.
"Next time...I have to leave some money for business."
The trader felt a little regretful, but didn't say anything. He handed seven hundred-dollar bills and twenty-four silver coins into his hands.
"Here are the 724 silver coins for you. Please check them... I just gave you a little suggestion about the truck. The choice is of course yours."
Pity.
The most profitable thing is selling trucks.
It is said that the cost of an e-mule is less than 12,000 yuan. The steel body and wooden cargo box are very cheap, and half of the cost is in the battery and motor.
If she can sell one car, the commission will cover her two months' basic salary.
Sun Shiqi collected the money and was about to leave, but at this moment, there was a sudden commotion outside the trading station, and two groups of mercenaries quarreled.
There were quite a few of them, there were about a dozen of them on both sides, cursing ugly words, making their faces red and thick-necked, some even rolled up their sleeves and were about to do it.
Listening to the content of their quarrel, it seemed that it was because of some grudges outside.
This kind of thing is very common.
Everyone is their own master. Maybe they were drinking and bragging together yesterday, but tomorrow they will be fighting each other in some corner of the wasteland.
In most cases, everyone will treat it as if nothing happened after the commission is over, but it is inevitable that some people will be interested in dead siblings or parallel heads.
The trigger may be just a look or a joke.
These people were quite sane. Although they were making noises and fighting with fists and feet, no one took out their guns.
But it's hard to say whether they can always be so rational.
The four mercenaries led by Sun Shiqi consciously stood in front of their employer, not because they had professional ethics, but because they could only get the remaining money from the trading company if the boss was returned to Honghe Town safely.
"...Are we going to fight again? This is already the second time this month."
The little girl standing behind the stall didn't seem worried that something would happen. Her usual calmness made Sun Shiqi look at her twice.
"How do you usually handle it?"
The trader said calmly.
"If someone pulls out a gun, he's in bad luck. If it's just a fight, the guards will send them to a cell to cool down for two days and then fine them a sum of money."
"What if I can't pay?"
"The brick factory, the cement factory, even the mill or the farmland next door, there are plenty of jobs here, there is always something they can do."
Sun Shiqi suddenly felt that this little girl was quite interesting.
"May I have your name?"
"River of Frost."
"Shuanghe, that's a good name... When will you get off work? You told me so many things, I want to treat you to a meal."
Shuanghe said with a smile.
"We will be sent in for bribes. I heard it starts in three years."
Sun Shiqi smiled sarcastically.
"Then forget it."
He admitted that he had had the idea of in-depth communication. Although he might not be able to get a discount from her, he could at least get some information that ordinary people didn't know.
Doing business.
What you earn is the information gap.
However, judging from her attitude, it was obvious that she was not interested in him, and she was keenly aware of his hidden intentions.
To be honest, this professional ethics is surprising.
Recalling the attitude of the hotel owner, Sun Shiqi silently recorded a clue in his mind.
The manager of Vault 404 has extremely strong control over the place. The local residents respect and thank him from the bottom of their hearts, abide by the laws he has established, and take pride in maintaining order.
If nothing major goes wrong, this dominance will last at least ten or even twenty years, until this generation grows old and their children grow up.
To be honest, Sun Shiqi's attitude and behavior towards these people is not too strange.
The history of the rise and fall of any survivor settlement can mostly be traced back to a glorious beginning. Even a ghost place like Red River Town did not become a paradise for slave owners on the first day.
What really surprised him was that the man... his name should be Chu Guang, actually did all this in only half a year.
Even if there is a large amount of knowledge and talents stored in the shelter, it will not be easy to complete this great undertaking.
Especially in the precarious valley province...
I really want to meet him.
Sun Shiqi couldn't help but recall the last time they met, when the man exchanged dried meat for a jar of ants and several bags of game coins.
How did it snowball to turn those pitiful assets into a colony of survivors?
If possible, he would even want to become a disciple of that man.
But he also knew in his heart that he might not be able to see him now...
The dispute in the trading post attracted the attention of the guards. Five guards in black military uniforms came over carrying sticks, seemingly intending to warn these blind thorns.
However, those mercenaries may have relied on their large numbers and did not pay attention to the guards at all. But what they did not notice was that the blue coats around them were looking at them with bright eyes.
That expression and demeanor didn't look like he was just watching the fun.
It's almost enough to encourage them to take action.
The atmosphere at the scene became increasingly tense. Seeing that the group of mercenaries were about to fight, the merchants in the trading post avoided them one after another.
However, at this moment, a group of soldiers wearing gray coats and steel helmets suddenly walked in from outside the trading post.
They carried automatic rifles on their backs, the sapper shovels and bayonets hung on their waists had shocking blood stains, and they wore gas masks on their faces.
The chilling air that hit his face instantly calmed the scene.
It was at this moment that Sun Shiqi suddenly had an idea.
The arms I bought were worth it!
"The heroes are back!" Shuanghe's eyes were shining brightly as he stood behind the stall, and Sun Shiqi saw the light of admiration in the little girl's eyes.
"……hero?"
"Yes!" Shuanghe nodded vigorously, but did not explain.
Not far away, the mercenaries who had been shouting and clamoring to take action suddenly became silent as if they were mute. They all looked at the group of people with fearful eyes, as well-behaved as sheep.
The mercenary standing next to Sun Shiqi also had a trace of fear in his eyes after seeing the group of soldiers in gray coats, and his expression gradually became serious.
"...Death Corps."
Sun Shiqi was stunned for a moment.
Although he knew that this group of people was not easy to deal with, this was the first time he heard this name.
"...Death Corps?"
"You just returned to Honghe Town from the south, so you may not know..." Another mercenary next to him whispered, "This group of people beat the people of the Bone Chewing Tribe in Lutou Mountain, north of Honghe Town, until they cried for their fathers and mothers.
"
"I have seen it with my own eyes. I was also present at that battle..." The bearded mercenary nodded and said with shock in his eyes, "Twenty of them were chasing more than a hundred plunderers across the mountains and plains.
, that piercing whistle chased into the forest, and the captured predators said that fighting them was a nightmare..."
"I heard that each of them is an awakened one!"
"They are all so ruthless!"
"I didn't expect that the Death Corps actually came from here..."
Looking at the little girl with shining eyes, Sun Shiqi took another look at the group of heroic and high-spirited soldiers not far away, and swallowed unconsciously.
"Why are they back?"
The mercenary next to him whispered.
"Maybe it's the waves."
"...Something big is probably going to happen recently."
He stopped in front of the group causing trouble, took off his gas mask, stared at the man, and said in non-standard couplets.
"I heard someone is making trouble here? Is it you?"
The twenty or so mercenaries shook their heads in unison, and the two strong men who made the most fuss smiled and hooked each other's shoulders, pretending to be on good terms with each other.
"We are joking."
"Old friends meet... let's catch up."
The arm was obviously still struggling.
The guard carrying a stick stared at the two people making trouble and said with a half-smile.
"Reminiscing about old times? How about changing places."
"The location of the security post is large enough."
The two mercenaries were not afraid of the stick in his hand.
But the group of soldiers in gray coats next to them were too intimidating. The blood on the engineer's shovel obviously didn't look like that of a wild animal...
At this time, their boss finally rushed over from the hotel and tried to plead with them, but the guard ignored them and didn't even look at them.
According to the Public Security Management Regulations, those who gather to cause trouble will be taken to be recorded. This is a routine procedure.
The first time was a warning, and you either had to stay in jail for a day or pay a fine of 10 silver coins. The second time was a ten-day tour of the dark room, and there was a fine of 100 silver coins.
With a lot of reluctance in their hearts, the two thorny heads could only follow the guards.
A pop-up window indicating task completion flashed on the VM.
I picked up an experience pack as soon as I came back, and I also pretended to be a dick by the way. I felt very happy while paddling on the edge.
However, this good mood did not last long.
Greetings from old friends came from the side.
Battlefield Atmosphere Group: "WTF, edge?"
Ye Shi: "Hey?! You came back alive?"
-
(Thanks to the leaders of "Qulin", "Yiqianbei" and "Aoao Sesame Paste" for the reward!)