Chapter 575: Chapter 411: Return to Camp
Yara gave Madeline a look, and then Madeline suddenly spoke to Zachary, "I haven’t gone back for a long time, it’s perfect for the two of us to go back together."
Hearing this, Zachary speculated something in his heart, and then casually invited Yara, "Why don’t you come back with us? It would be a good opportunity to see how Pengcheng has developed, right?"
Upon receiving Zachary’s invitation, Yara refused outright, "I won’t be going back with you this time. There are a bunch of things here that need my attention. Besides, I have to prepare the pure metals for the next transaction. I’ll tour Pengcheng with you when I’m free later on."
After Yara’s refusal, Zachary did not say much more, and then Yara and Madeline left together.
Watching the two leave, a playful smile appeared on Zachary’s face. He did not know if he was overthinking it, but he always felt that Madeline’s intention for going back was not as simple as she had said.
Even though Zachary had his guesses, he did not pay too much attention to it. After all, his goods all came from the output of the Cave, so regardless of the situation, they could not bypass Zachary, the master of the Cave.
Although the insect disaster had ended, the Plantation Area outside the city was still occasionally ravaged by Soldier Bugs. Even though ordinary people with firearms had a good chance of killing a Soldier Bug on their own, facing the swarms that arrived every time, unless there was a Martial Artist above the Inner Breath Realm present, a team with fewer than twenty members simply could not withstand the Soldier Bugs’ sporadic surprise attacks.
The contractors of most of the Plantation Areas around the capital did not have much savings. Although crop prices were high, land rent was also expensive. Coupled with the lack of fertilizers and other yield-increasing items, the actual profit per acre was just so-so.
Under normal circumstances, contracting a Plantation Area would not result in a loss. However, now facing the destruction of the Soldier Bugs, without hiring bodyguards, they could hardly defend such a large area on their own. But if they hired bodyguards, the profit from the crops would barely cover the bodyguards’ fees, leaving very little profit, or even a potential loss.
So even though the insect disaster had ended, many Plantation Areas remained desolate. Precisely because of this, the price of food had not fallen but had risen a bit instead.
Just now, when Zachary directly told Yara and Madeline that he needed to return to Pengcheng to replenish goods, it gave them the wrong impression that Zachary was able to obtain so many materials because he had the backing of a major power in Pengcheng. Faced with huge benefits, the two of them were probably tempted, so the intentions of Madeline and Yara were quite obvious.
Even though Zachary’s Sword Flight was not much slower than a plane, the Spirit Power within his body was more than enough to support him on the journey back.
However, unless Zachary had gone mad, he would not give up the comfort of flying back to Pengcheng in an airplane in favor of Sword Flight.
It was not known whether it was due to the insect surge from some time ago, but the round-trip flights that were supposed to go to Pengcheng once a day were now scheduled only every three days.
Zachary and Madeline booked the next available return ticket. When Zachary got off the plane, he looked up and could see the towering figure in the distance and immediately remarked with emotion, "That tree has grown bigger again."
Hearing Zachary’s reflection, Madeline also expressed similar sentiment, "Indeed, it has grown quite a bit since I left. Perhaps what you did was right."
Although Madeline did not specify, Zachary understood that she was referring to the matter of moving houses. Naturally, he acknowledged with a sense of pride, "Of course, I had the foresight, didn’t I?"
Amused by Zachary’s self-admiring words, Madeline teased, "Yeah, yeah, you’re always right, your wisdom is divine, just like Felix reborn. Happy now?"
Seeing Madeline’s perfunctory manner, Zachary simply smiled and did not say more, continuing on his way out.
As Zachary was leaving, Madeline quickly called out, "Zachary, where are you going?"
In response to Madeline’s question, Zachary gave her a look of disbelief and then quipped, "I’m going to look for a ride. How else are we supposed to get back?"
Hearing Zachary’s reply, Madeline pointed to the sign overhead and taunted, "Can’t you look up for a moment? It’s written right up there: there’s a direct bus to the Saxon County Camp."
When Zachary heard Madeline’s words, he looked up, and sure enough, just as Madeline had said, the sign overhead indeed had a signpost guiding to the Saxon County Camp.
Unabashed, Zachary did not mind Madeline’s joke and, after confirming the information on the sign, he changed direction following the sign’s instructions.
Madeline stared blankly at Zachary’s unfazed expression, admiring his extraordinary composure. Noticing that Zachary had no intention of waiting for her, Madeline decisively caught up with him.
The two arrived at the bus station for Saxon County. Contrary to Zachary’s expectations of subways, trains, or buses, the mode of transport here was actually a very primitive carriage. The creatures pulling the carriages, however, were not horses or other livestock but a creature resembling a velociraptor.
