–I just wanted to ask around, but it seems you really know something.–
The old man stared straight into Sue Ching’s eyes. –Think back to your customer, the man with the surname Gu—recall his formula and the process at the time.–
A dull ache throbbed in Sue Ching’s forehead.
–What do you mean?–
[I offset 697N.]
Suddenly, panic seized Sue Ching. He wanted to flee, but his forehead went cold, his body felt frozen, and his brain’s control over his limbs rapidly crumbled.
The old man tugged at the zipper studded with tiny eyes on the front of his clothes. The skin on his face receded like a tidal wave, revealing a red-skinned being beneath—like a demon stripped of epidermis, all muscle.
Rip! The skin on Sue Ching’s forehead split open from the center like a zippered garment, the exposed flesh turning into a dark, turbid liquid.
–Hmph, let me just dive into the memory myself.–
Jingle!
The wooden door, inlaid with frosted glass, was shoved with force.
The red-skinned man glanced back nervously, then swiftly vaulted over the counter with both hands.
Bang! A heavy kick sent the shaky doorstopper rattling.
The irregular edge of the wooden door slipped past the bent metal latch, creaking as it swung halfway open, trembling.
–It’s so late and the door’s still locked. This is the perfect time for business these days.–
A male voice came from the entrance. A young man, with features seven or eight out of ten similar to Sue Ching, stepped in, then sniffed the air with his nose and glanced around the room in confusion.
–What are you doing?–
Inside the room, Sue Ching looked up with a composed expression and replied in a calm tone:
–Wiping the table—can’t you see?–
Moving a few things, the young man at the door scratched his head a couple of times and glanced over at Sue Ching. –What will we have for breakfast today? Don’t just give me a vague answer like ‘anything.’–
[I’ve synced today’s memories. My name is Sue Ching.]
The Sue Ching inside the room watched the figure by the entrance sorting materials into the house.
Watching his back, Sue Ching smiled and said, –If you’re not going to hit me today, I’ve already eaten.–
Su Li by the door gave a subtle twitch in his shoulder.
……
–Look, there’s a forest ahead!–
Shiu Siuchuan pointed toward the trees in the distance.
Having traveled dozens of miles by train, the sky was fully bright by then.
They had to start walking, and now, four hours later, they finally spotted signs of human habitation.
It was a medium-sized shantytown settlement. A team of lumberjack-like individuals trudged out, axes slung over their shoulders.
–Want to check out there for any Abandoned Moxel being sold?–
–We’re not at the Unburdened Goods Trade Zone yet. Even if there were any here, there should be few, right?–
After the three of them asked, the person guarding the door shook his head and said that this place was very close to Carefree’s territory, and most people were saving their goods to trade for supplies there; no one would be willing to sell Moxel.
–Carefree’s turf isn’t far—just follow the forest path and you’ll get there.–
Suddenly, faint sounds of an argument drifted over.
The three of them looked over and saw, at another gate of the uneven shantytown, two people being shoved out by several others.
–These are… rare materials… they can definitely solve your…–
–Get lost now…–
–You old con artist.–
Thump. A brown leather suitcase was tossed like trash onto the gravel ground; the case burst open, and its contents scattered everywhere.
–What’s going on over there?– Yang Zicang nodded toward the scene.
–Oh, probably another bunch trying to pass off fakes as the real deal.–
The gatekeeper said dismissively.
–The Autumn Order is almost here, you know. A lot of swindlers have been hanging around trying to scam resources for making engines. Ha! The stuff they’ve got wouldn’t even catch Carefree’s eye, let alone Hubville’s.–
–These materials of mine can really fix your engine problems, and they’d even be better!– The man pushed to the ground argued, –These are magical equipment from another world!–
–Hahahaha!–
–That cracks me up. Even if we’re desperate for clothes, we wouldn’t fall for your scam.–
The man pushed away in the distance had a face flushed red and blue, looking both aggrieved and furious.
–I used to be famous once, a real celebrity!– he muttered indignantly.
–Haha, look at you, such a miserable sight.–
The scrawny young man beside him picked up the dropped box and said, –Professor Chen, I told you this wouldn’t work. Let’s try our luck at the Great Workshop Area instead.–
–The Great Workshop Area? I can’t even catch a glimpse of those Penglords.–
Yang Zicang walked over and asked, –What effects do your magical equipment have?–
–You can activate the magic array on it with your mental energy to stay warm, boost your stamina, and swing heavier weapons.–
–Even if what you say is true, it’s still useless, isn’t it? People around here don’t fight with ordinary weapons—Chronos is everything, you know,– someone lounging at the entrance spoke lazily.
–At least keeping warm is very useful in the winters here, and Chronos won’t help you grip a hoe any better. It’s a shame no one’s willing to Invest in me with an experimental base.–
The more Yang Zicang listened, the more familiar it sounded. Could this be the formula for those –fossil artifacts– that Matt Chao had collected?
–You didn’t just get that formula from Scarlet’s side, did you?–
Professor Chen and the other man suddenly tensed up and hurriedly started gathering the scattered items on the ground.
–You still want an experimental base?– Shiu Siuchuan asked in slight astonishment.
The assistant took over the conversation: –Doing research requires rare materials from the otherworld—they’re hard to come by, you know. It takes a lot of magic crystals to catalyze ordinary materials, so that they contain the elemental power of magic crystals.–
–Enough, enough,– Zuo Feixian raised his hand to stop him, –Definitely a con artist.–
It certainly sounded like a scam. Even if someone believed it, they wouldn’t have any desire to invest in such a project.
–You’re the con artist! How can you arbitrarily label others like that? If you don’t believe me, take a look at where you’re standing. Were you brought here by a tour guide?–
Professor Chen, who was already feeling upset, burst out angrily upon hearing this.
–Xiao Liu, let’s go!–
He brushed the dust off his clothes, cast a furious glance at Yang Zicang and the other two, then grabbed his bag and headed off toward the woods.
Yang Zicang shot Zuo Feixian a helpless sigh. These two were truly troublesome souls.
–My friends, a few more miles ahead is the Wuyou Trading Zone. Over there, we have a shop that buys and sells blueprints, formulas, and materials—stuff like that. Head over and take a look. It’s called the Li Qing Material Works. The two bosses there have a special knack for building engines.–
One of the gatekeepers spoke, pointing toward the distant woods.
Shiu Siuchuan’s eyes lit up. After rushing for over a hundred miles, this was precisely that they had come for—to buy the Lost Mind Moxel.
–Almost there, let’s hurry on.–
……
The three of them marched with full vigor deeper into this woodland of various trees, already able to see the Cargo Crew heading for Carefree in the distance.
–These woods are also maintained by the Shin Engine; our headquarters will one day be this lush and beautiful too.– Zuo Feixian said cheerfully to the two beside him.
These trees were all transplanted from the various scenes that had appeared across this land, then stabilized using the Shin Engine.
The land left by Chin Mong also needs to be made into an engine to fully stabilize it, otherwise it will disappear. Hence, they are in dire need of vast amounts of Moxel of forgotten thoughts and the corresponding water from Lethe Stream.
Under a tree, Zuo Feixian shook himself twice, turned around to fasten the thin rope around his waist that served as a belt for his trousers, and waved his arm like a great man:
–One day, we will turn this barren wasteland into primordial forests and golden wheat fields!–
Shiu Siuchuan picked at his nose.
–How many people have to die for that?–
Zuo Feixian ran over and kicked this fellow in the ass with his sport shoes, which were as worn as straw sandals.
–You’re always being a contrarian. In your next life, become an ox until you wear out.–
Yang Zicang had brought several pairs of shoes for everyone, but these two were reluctant to wear them. For them, they wouldn’t change their shoes until theirs fell apart, unless the weather was too cold.
Ahead, a group of people marching along a forest path turned to glance at the three of them. The crowd here couldn’t be called a continuous stream, but it was far more lively than a desolate wasteland.
Just then, all three heard the clatter of cargo tumbling to the ground.
The wheel of a cart suddenly broke, sending its load spilling everywhere, and among the wreckage, a stone statue shattered into fragments.
The cart driver stood frozen in place, utterly at a loss.
–What happened?–
The convoy included both human labor and beast-drawn carts. A man in a dark brown coat strode over from the front of the line.
A few other drivers followed to examine the wheel, whispering among themselves.
–That’s strange—this cart was brand new, built just recently. How did the wheel snap after only a few dozen miles?–
Yang Zicang glanced beneath the cart, and behind him, the Pale Shade Wyrm materialized, lunging abruptly toward the ground.
The commotion drew the gaze of the distant men; just as they were about to cry out in alarm, they saw the Great Psionic Wyrm tear out a phantom silhouette resembling a crocodile-like monster.
–There’s a monster!– several of them exclaimed in shock.
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