"I should have thought of this sooner!"
"Ling Lake's richest resource isn't just the fish in the water—it's the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium lining its shores! We're almost there, right ahead!"
Leading Mosquito toward the lake, Gale Force 8 talked excitedly the whole way.
The two stopped at a shallow beach by the lake.
Vegetation grew thick here, offering ample cover. Whether for humans or beasts, it was an excellent spot to draw water.
Just as Gale Force 8 raised an arm to point, Mosquito stepped forward ahead of him, crouching before a relatively flat rock.
He reached out with his index finger, lightly wiped the stone face, brought it close to his nose for a sniff, and then gave it a tentative lick.
Paying no heed to how revolting it looked, Gale Force 8 asked hurriedly, "How is it?"
Spitting on the ground, Mosquito had a look of mixed joy and distress.
"Ptooey... Why the hell is there still fresh stuff..."
Gale Force 8: "..."
Although he had accidentally tasted a mouthful of fresh bird droppings, one thing was certain: a massive amount of guano stone truly existed here.
The primary component of this mineral was Mg(NH4)[PO4]·6H2O, with an orthorhombic crystal structure. Just looking at its chemical formula, one could tell how versatile it was.
Not only that, but when guano stone accumulated in sufficient quantities, the ammonium in it would gradually oxidize into nitric acid through the action of nitrifying bacteria. Ultimately, it would accumulate beneath the soil in the form of potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, and magnesium nitrate, forming what was known as saltpeter earth.
For this kind of "associated deposit" of saltpeter earth, one only needed simple methods—such as boiling it with wood ash from which the potash hadn't been leached, precipitating out the calcium and magnesium ions—to produce saltpeter containing minor impurities!
Simply put, finding guano was essentially securing saltpeter.
And possessing saltpeter was essentially possessing gunpowder!
In fact, it wasn't just bird droppings. Vast amounts of mutant excrement were scattered along the shores of Ling Lake. Over time, these droppings had weathered, deposited, and compacted, eventually forming coprolite deposits.
As for why there were so many coprolites by the lake, the reason was simple enough.
In the early years after this planet entered the Wasteland Era, it had experienced an ice age lasting nearly half a century.
During that period, Ling Lake Wetland Park, being the region's richest water source, had supported countless wild animals and escaped livestock.
These droppings were likely left behind from that era.
Only after the freeze ended and the abandoned urban ruins developed a richer ecosystem did this place gradually quiet down.
"With this saltpeter earth, whipping up black powder won't be an issue!" Mosquito stood up, looking excitedly at Gale Force 8. "Give me a hand, let's haul plenty of it back."
Gale Force 8 asked doubtfully, "We have saltpeter earth, and we have charcoal, but I remember black powder's formula also needs sulfur? Where do you plan to find sulfur?"
If he remembered correctly, sulfur usually occurred around volcanic craters or hot springs.
Yet this area clearly didn't look like it had either.
Mosquito froze.
Evidently, he hadn't considered that yet.
"Uh, if there's no sulfur, sulfates can work too, though the process is a bit more troublesome... They should be pretty easy to find, right?"
Gale Force 8 looked around and gave a helpless shrug.
"Well, let's look around first."
...
Unfortunately, there was no sulfur in the forest, nor any trace of anything resembling sulfur along the lake.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
How could something like that appear in a wetland park?
Fortunately, just as the two were on the verge of giving up, they found some gypsum deposits beside a small river flowing out of Ling Lake.
The stuff was composed of calcium sulfate. Calcined at high temperatures with carbon, it would produce calcium sulfide and carbon dioxide—the exact sulfate mineral they needed!
"How could I forget about this!" Mosquito smacked the back of his head in annoyance. "A couple days ago when Old Bai and the others were firing cement, didn't they mix in gypsum powder? Isn't that stuff fucking calcium sulfate?!"
Gale Force 8 smiled wryly. "They say it's always darkest beneath the lamp."
"Anyway, all's well that ends well." Mosquito gathered some gypsum chunks into his plastic bucket, washed his hands, stood up, and looked at Gale Force 8. "Let's go. Materials secured, let's head back."
Gale Force 8 nodded and followed behind him.
The two returned together to the survivor outpost. Just as they were heading toward the log cabin, they noticed a commotion in front of the gate.
The players working on the construction site had descended from the scaffolding at some point, weapons and tools in hand, tightly surrounding an ox with two heads.
Beside the two-headed ox stood an unfamiliar man.
He wore a leather jacket and an ingratiating smile, gesturing strangely with his hands while babbling unintelligible words.
Mosquito halted in his tracks, curiosity written all over his face. "Who is that guy? A new NPC?"
There hadn't been any news of an update today.
"No idea. I'll go ask..."
A man of action, Gale Force 8 set down his plastic bucket and strode over to Brother Scrambled Eggs, who was watching the commotion by the meat-smoking rack. He tugged at him and asked curiously, "What happened over there? Who is that?"
Folding his arms, Brother Scrambled Eggs shook his head. "I don't know the full story either. From what the others say, our guys ran into him while hauling stone back from the construction site. He didn't say anything, just trailed behind them, following our people all the way here."
Gale Force 8 stepped closer and overheard the players' discussions.
"Why does that ox have two heads?"
"A domesticated mutant?"
"This guy followed us the whole way! I bet he's up to no good—maybe a spy for the marauders!"
"Not necessarily. What if he's an NPC?"
"Doesn't make sense. If he really were an NPC, we wouldn't be unable to communicate at all, right?"
"Could it be that we haven't triggered the conditions?"
"Why don't we lock him up first and wait until the manager gets back?"
Feeling the increasingly hostile glares from all around, Sun Shiqi, hemmed in by the crowd, felt under immense pressure.
Though a revolver with its safety off was hidden beneath his leather jacket, emptying the cylinder would only give him six shots.
And these vault dwellers edging closer and closer wouldn't give him the chance to fire six times.
One hammer blow each, and he would be sprawled on the ground.
"I'll say it again, I have no ill intent! I'm a merchant—a merchant, understand? Dammit, even two hundred years ago, bad as things were, traveling merchants still existed, didn't they? Or did you guys sleep so long that you forgot?"
"Fine, calm down. Let me put it another way. I want to use the goods on this ox's back to trade for some things you have in excess that I happen to need... Anything will do! Of course, if you don't want to trade, that's fine too. I'll leave right now, I swear I won't bother you again!"
Seeing that communication was completely impossible, Sun Shiqi was already looking for a way out.
Yet these vault dwellers showed no intention of stepping aside. Instead, they pressed even closer, and some even brought out ropes.
Despair rose in Sun Shiqi's heart.
Just as he was debating whether to make a desperate gamble, the blue coats encircling him suddenly parted.
A man strode over, carrying the carcass of a mutated reindeer on his shoulder.
The mutated reindeer weighed at least a hundred kilograms, its bulk rivaling a horse, yet the man walked with an easy stride as if carrying nothing at all, bearing game large enough to cover his entire body.
Though he wore a harmless-looking blue coat, Sun Shiqi could still sense an intensely dangerous aura radiating from him.
*This guy...*
*Is definitely no ordinary vault dweller!*
The man dumped the prey heavily onto the ground and spoke a few words to his companions. Obediently, they dispersed.
Watching the man walk toward him, Sun Shiqi felt his nerves go taut.
For a fleeting second, a thought crossed his mind: if he could take this man hostage, he might be able to leave in one piece.
Yet his instincts told him that if he really made a move, he would die the instant he struck...
"Who are you?" Chu Guang asked, looking at him.
Hearing the man address him, Sun Shiqi froze for a second before a look of pleasant surprise washed over his face.
"You can talk? No, that's not what I mean—I mean, you speak the language here?"
The language here naturally referred to the Human Alliance tongue.
Before the war, this entire region had been part of the Human Alliance's territory, so naturally, a unified language was used. Logically, vault dwellers should speak the Alliance tongue too, yet for some reason, these people seemed different.
Chu Guang frowned slightly and continued, "I am the one asking questions now."
"Answer me. Who are you?"
Picking up on the cold edge in his tone, Sun Shiqi explained hurriedly, "My surname is Sun, Sun Shiqi. I come from neighboring Red River Town! I'm a merchant!"
*Red River Town?*
Hearing the unfamiliar place name, Chu Guang raised an eyebrow slightly.
He only knew this was Qingquan City, located in River Valley Province in the heart of the Human Alliance. As for what other cities existed in River Valley Province, he wasn't very clear.
"What did you come to Qingquan City for?"
Sun Shiqi answered cautiously, "I'm a merchant... so naturally I came to do business."
Chu Guang's expression remained unmoved. "A merchant? Then why did I hear from my companions that you trailed them?"
"A misunderstanding, absolutely a misunderstanding!"
Waving his hands, Sun Shiqi explained with a wry, helpless laugh, "I was originally heading for Boulder City. On the road, I happened to see them wearing blue coats and thought there must be a vault or something nearby, so I thought I'd trade a few things with you... I'm just a merchant, I really meant no offense!"
He hadn't anticipated that these people would be so touchy.
Had it been an ordinary survivor settlement, he never would have dared approach alone. But vaults were different.
These blue-coated sweethearts were famously naive across the wasteland—easy to bully and easy to swindle.
Most were pre-war elites or their descendants, constantly vaunting themselves as heirs to civilization, proud, arrogant, and looking down on everyone.
He had figured that tailing them wouldn't hurt; at worst, he'd be chased off like a beggar without losing anything.
Who could have guessed that after luring him inside, they would surround him without a word, refusing to listen to him and refusing to leave?
They had no regard for martial ethics whatsoever!
Chu Guang's expression did not soften at the man's explanation. Still watching him impassively, he continued, "Offense intended or not, you have committed an offensive act against us. I believe that anywhere in this wasteland, trailing someone can hardly be considered friendly behavior. Wouldn't you agree?"
Dripping with cold sweat, Sun Shiqi forced a nod. "...You're right, sir."
"Very good. It seems you realize your mistake," Chu Guang nodded. "Don't worry, though. We are reasonable people. Just now, I persuaded my companions, telling them that you're willing to make amends and apologize for your offense."
Sun Shiqi nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! I'm willing!"
Hearing that, a smile finally appeared on Chu Guang's face.
"Good. By the way, you wouldn't mind if we pick the gift ourselves, would you?"
Sun Shiqi froze, staring blankly at the man before him. "Wait... what do you mean by 'pick it ourselves'?"
Chu Guang said as though it were the most natural thing in the world, "An apology with amends can't be made empty-handed, can it? Otherwise, where does the 'amends' part come from? We won't extort you either—at most, we'll just pick one item from your ox's back."
At this point, the smile on Chu Guang's face gradually vanished.
"You're not... reluctant, are you?"
Sun Shiqi wore an expression uglier than weeping, but he still braced himself and nodded.
"Not at all! The goods are all on the cart... please, go ahead and pick."
*Bandits, the lot of them!*
*Where is your civilized restraint and pride?!*
*Robbing a ragged wastelander!*
*This is like a loaded tycoon mugging a beggar on the street! Don't these people feel any shame for what they're doing?!*
*It makes a man tremble with cold fury!*
Cursing every curse he knew in his mind, Sun Shiqi kept the smiling face plastered on, daring not show a trace of resentment.
He had begun to realize that this vault seemed fundamentally different from any vault he had encountered before.
As for Chu Guang, he didn't care what the merchant was thinking.
Because it didn't matter in the least.
Seeing how cooperative the man was, a pleasant smile resurfaced on his face.
"Then I won't hold back."
Chapter 44