Chapter 604: Chapter 211: Ten Thousand Laws Sky Conch, Ten Thousand Orders Land Conch!
"The runes on it share quite a few similarities with the core runes of our Firewood Track Mountain, which is why I’m willing to offer a B+ level price. Otherwise, just based on a few new runes that we’ve never seen, they would at most be worth B- level. And you simply can’t imagine the amount of resources required to analyze these things; even Natural doesn’t have the edge technology related to analyzing them across the entire Wasteland."
As he finished speaking, the arrogance on his face was completely revealed.
This is the confidence of Firewood Shelter City, and it is also the fundamental reason the Fire Research Institute stands at the pinnacle of the Wasteland’s scientific research community.
In the New Era, Firewood Shelter City was the first to take root in the Wasteland, choosing the right path from the very beginning.
In the following years, various Shelter Cities emerged one after another. Starting late already put them behind and choosing different technical directions further widened the gap.
Firewood dedicated itself entirely to dual-source technology, and years of intensive cultivation have resulted in today’s technological explosion.
Happiness City, on the other hand, has taken the "retro + innovation" route, salvaging technological heritage from the old era while trying to embed and improve Source Rail technology. It’s this accumulation that has secured its position as the dominator of Stone Province.
Rainbow Light Shelter City specializes in new energy sources and has frequently made technological breakthroughs, basically conquering the usage challenges in energy, with the potential to become the new dominator of Guang Province.
On the other side of the Earth, Natural Shelter City stands out in the field of biotechnology and already has the ability to improve those ’treasures’ from the previous era.
Each Shelter City has different focuses, and the differences in direction have ultimately led to divergent destinies.
Those Shelter Cities that were fixated on restoring old-era technologies are now struggling to turn around. The technological systems of the old era can’t adapt to the Wasteland, and lacking talent and foundation, they can only drift toward decline.
Even those like Happiness City, trying to manage both fronts, are beginning to show obvious signs of decline, struggling to sustain themselves with their early savings, continuously searching for a chance to pivot.
While Firewood, Rainbow Light, and Natural—these Shelter Cities that bet on new paths from the beginning—are now experiencing continuous technological breakthroughs, the gap between them and other forces is becoming increasingly large.
Zhang Ming was obviously well aware of this disparity, and the smile at the corner of his mouth became more pronounced: "Director Yu, the Destruction Level infection wave three years from now is actually a good opportunity for you to change course. Take this chance to abandon your foundation in Stone Province and rebuild elsewhere. The geographical conditions of Stone Province aren’t suitable for research; resources are scarce, and trade routes are about to be cut off... I know you’re not the same as Silver City back then, you can withstand the infection wave, but have you calculated the cost?"
"Now’s not the time to play hero; all the Shelter Cities in the Wasteland are quietly developing. If you throw your limited resources into resisting the infection wave, how much will you have left for development? And how much can be invested in new technology research?"
The more he spoke, the more blunt he became. Even when he saw Yu Erlan’s face darkening, he didn’t hold back at all.
This was his duty, and it was his role in Firewood Shelter City.
To be the "bad guy who acquires technology".
If everyone played nice, who would set the base price for scarce technologies? Who would suppress those extravagant and unrealistic demands? Who would maintain the mutual exchange within the Fire Alliance?
Ding.
As he was speaking, a crisp notification sound simultaneously echoed on both parties’ light screens.
Is there feedback from the Cooperation Decree?
Zhang Ming, with some curiosity, opened the message, but upon seeing the label at the beginning, his brows knitted instantly.
[Cooperative Information Source: Canghai Shelter City]
[Information Content: Based on the image and basic data of the Immortal Object fragments provided by Happiness City, we have located the origin and some core information of the Immortal Object. This object was initially created in xx (confidential area), jointly developed by xx (confidential organization) and xx (confidential individual), and its prototype is divided into two types, originally named "Ten Thousand Laws Heavenly Conch" and "Ten Thousand Orders Land Conch." Due to the death of core researchers at the end of the Old Era leading to a suspension of research, it has never been tested in actual combat, so its effectiveness can only be speculated. The specific speculation content: xx (confidential)]
[Note: Detected non-cooperative parties, to view this confidential information, please pay: 240 Firewood Points]
...
"Is there really a record?" Zhang Ming stared at the information prompt on the light screen, his brow instantly furrowed into a knot.
Generally speaking, Immortal Objects created by Extraordinary individuals in the Old Era that have a name or have seen real combat have long been divided among major Shelter Cities in recent years’ containment races.
Only those that died prematurely and weren’t completed—"defective products"—could have possibly drifted to the depths of the Wasteland.
The origins of such Immortal Objects are shrouded in mystery, let alone just a fragment, being able to trace its background is incredibly rare.
And once the specific origins and effectiveness of an Immortal Object are understood, its value would increase severalfold compared to the "mystery box" state.
Zhang Ming was extremely curious, but the cooperative mechanism had strict rules. Such information could only be viewed by the initiating and collaborating parties; even if it’s Firewood Shelter City, to take a peek would require double the points.
A full 240 points, which almost approaches the 300-point threshold of a Level 5 Collaboration Decree.
No matter how curious Zhang Ming was, he couldn’t bear to spend so lavishly, so he restrained his thoughts, keeping a close watch on Yu Erlan on the other side of the light screen, waiting for her to show a flaw after reading the information.
Unfortunately, his plans were destined to fail.
The moment the information was sent, Yu Erlan’s image suddenly froze, and the corner of the light screen popped up with an "automatic hang up" prompt, clearly a self-set confidentiality mechanism by Happiness City, blocking outside interference while viewing intelligence.
