Minerals were the hard currency of Terra.
Lungmen Dollars were currently the most powerful paper currency in terms of purchasing power. That was thanks to Lungmen's backing by the colossal Yan Kingdom, as well as its high degree of autonomy—though the former was the main reason. But paper money was still paper money. Compared with Pure Gold, it was no contest.
Mining, smelting, and selling Pure Gold.
That was how those mobile villages survived. They moved periodically as a community, like nomads dragging their villages along with them.
Hoshino hadn't expected to come across one of those villages.
They had run into the Treasure Hoarders.
The village chief was a somewhat overweight Forte, and the village was mostly made up of Fortes.
"Are you messengers from Rhodes Island?"
"Yes."
Hoshino admitted it without hesitation. A two-woman team certainly had the look of Rhodes Island, and periodically helping mobile villages was something Rhodes Island had always done. Using the identity outright let them skip the step of establishing trust.
As for what would happen when Rhodes Island's people showed up later, Hoshino wasn't worried. The Shrine and Rhodes Island were partners, after all.
By rounding up, Bronya was an operator, too.
"You finally made it. What a relief. You two look like experienced engineers. I'll feel much better leaving the job to you."
The village chief's words were a little baffling.
Hadn't they run into robbers? Why would they need engineers? Wouldn't the normal approach be to call in combatants, then beat the attackers senseless in no time?
The village chief wiped away his sweat and said sheepishly:
"That day, our village's route was exposed. We ran into a bandit settlement chasing us from behind. As the village chief, of course I ordered everyone to go full speed. But our full