Materials

Anrelo left first, but the guards did not leave immediately.

They also raided several habitual offenders and gang leaders in the neighborhood; they couldn't leave empty-handed, they had to make some money before going back.

The latter, as expected, obediently handed over the "protection fee."

These things have nothing to do with Yuye, which are considered worthless at the very bottom of society.

But this commotion also made Su Ming give up the idea of going out to look for supplies again tonight.

He, Yise, Jinxiu divided the night watch duties and began taking turns to rest.

In the middle of the night.

A few drops of cool water landed on Su Ming's forehead and nose, waking him from the dream where he was "walking on the streets of Earth with Zijin when suddenly a torrential rain began to fall."

Jinxiu patted her wet little hands and smiled mischievously.

She crawled into the straw net hanging from the shed beam, curled up into a small ball, and quickly fell asleep.

Su Ming sighed helplessly, sat up, and began his shift.

The surroundings were very quiet, with only the sounds of Qianye and her brother, and Yise's soft breathing.

In this era when lighting was not widespread, the city would quickly die out after nightfall.

Only the occasional sound of wind whistling across the rooftops and the coughing of someone in an unknown house remained.

The White Bone Mark in his mind suddenly stirred.

"Awake?" Su Ming asked hurriedly.

When Zijin opened her eyes, she was still a little dazed.

But she quickly recalled the scene from earlier that day when Su Ming was sucked into the spatial rift.

Zijin jolted awake and sat up in bed.

[Su Ming!]

"Don't be nervous," Su Ming reassured her, then briefly explained the current situation.

Zijin's fingers curled up.

[Are you just going to stay right under You Hairspring's noses now?]

Su Ming sensed the girl's emotional fluctuations.

"It's not that exaggerated," he quickly replied.

Cloud Fang City is very large.

[The enemy didn't even notice my arrival; I'm perfectly safe.]

The distance was too great, and without the help of a "Plane Boundary Nexus" anchor point, the mental communication between the two across tens of thousands of kilometers was extremely taxing.

Su Ming immediately took out his phone.

The signal was still acceptable, so he directly dialed Zijin's contact number.

"Has the rescue plan been finalized?" Zijin then asked.

"Katharine and her team plan to apply external pressure to draw the enemy away," Su Ming replied. "We'll find an opportunity to sneak out of the city, with transport planes providing low-altitude support."

Zijin hummed in agreement, but did not continue speaking.

After that, the two remained silent for a while.

On either side of the communication channel, only the soft sound of each other's breathing remained.

"I'm sorry I made you worry," Su Ming said.

Zijin shook her head.

"What is there to apologize for?"

"Be well, then come back."

"Um!"

****

After hanging up the call, Zijin lay back down on the hospital bed.

Stacy pushed open the door and came in, carrying some food.

"Now that you're awake, have something to eat," she said to Zijin.

Stacy came to the bedside, only to find Zijin wiping the corner of her eye.

And judging from the moisture on her cheeks, she had shed quite a few tears.

Stacy was startled.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked quickly.

Zijin gently shook her head.

Stacy then realized what was happening.

"Is this because you're worried about Su Ming?"

After she finished speaking, she seemed somewhat incredulous.

"This sentimental look is so unlike you!"

Zijin took the handkerchief handed to her and wiped away her tears.

"Whether it's like me or not, it's still me."

"I was surprised myself too, I never expected to do this."

"But the thought of Su Ming being in danger completely overwhelmed my emotions."

Stacy sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to rub Zijin's head.

"Okay, that's easy."

"Get well soon, and then we'll all work together to Plundering Clock."

"Then Su Ming will be safe!"

Zijin's emotions gradually calmed down.

She looked at Stacy, who had a playful smile on her face, and, slightly annoyed, pushed her hand away.

Stacy's smile only widened.

She helped Zijin up and fed her some soup.

It's made with ingredients like eggs, minced meat, and date paste, simmered slowly until it's warm and soft to the touch.

Stacy picked up a cloth and wiped Zijin's lips.

"You asked me just a few days ago what I should do if Su Ming proposed to me."

Stacy said.

"But looking at you like this, do you think you have any room to struggle?"

"That's... that's another matter."

"Zijin stubbornly insisted."

****

The following day, another group of Cloud Fang City guards appeared in the slums.

I don't know if it's because the guards from yesterday received a bribe, or if some administrators feel that the "cloak theft" needs to be investigated further.

In short, the guards caused a ruckus in the slums all day.

Yuye brought over two more sets of pig stomachs and intestines, which he washed outside the shed, making the ground smell bad and the sewage flowing everywhere.

The guards who came to check walked around the shed.

They frowned, fuming at the smell, and forced Qianye to pay them twenty copper coins as a "sanitation fee" before leaving, cursing under their breath.

Su Ming and Yise jumped down from under the roof, deactivating their invisibility.

Among the searchers were spellcasters.

However, the Star Fairy Jinxiu possesses exceptional skill in controlling the dissipation of Magic Power fluctuations.

At most, they are Intermediate Rank combatants; their perception is far from sufficient to detect them.

****

However, although he wasn't discovered, Su Ming didn't have the space to do anything.

He works when there is a signal.

He sleeps when there's no signal.

I slept so soundly I felt moldy before night finally fell.

The guards left, and the slum returned to peace.

The good news is that, judging from their conversation, they won't be coming tomorrow.

"Alright, let's get some material."

Su Ming stretched.

"What are some places to get resources here, the kind with lots of stuff?"

He consulted about Yuye.

After understanding the specific concept of "materials," Yuye answered almost without hesitation, "Black Claw Warehouse!"

What's that for?

"Black Claw" refers to thieves,"Yuye explained.

"The warehouse was where they disposed of the stolen goods."

She quickly corrected herself, saying, "But that's not entirely true either."

Yuye organized her thoughts before explaining the concept to Su Ming.

The thieves here steal like a whirlwind, naturally taking away a lot of worthless, unsellable items.

But it would be a pity to discard it.

Adhering to the principles of diligence, thrift, and frugality, these items would be piled up in a "warehouse" and sold by weight.

Occasionally, poor people looking for bargains would go there to rummage through for their belongings.

"This is exactly what I need!" Su Ming was immediately tempted.

****

As usual, it's time for makeup.

Then Su Ming, wearing patched clothes, and Qianye arrived at "Black Claw's" stolen goods disposal point.

The place wasn't far; it was a dilapidated alley near a slum.

There was no sign at the alley entrance, only a few orcs crouching in the shadows, lazily observing passersby.

Su Ming suspected that they were not doing this to guard the place, but rather to select their targets.

Once inside, you'll see many people setting up stalls, with their goods spread out on dirty coarse cloths.

A small knife, a pendant, leather boots, and various other odds and ends whose original purpose Su Ming couldn't discern were all mixed together.

There were quite a few guests; while it wasn't exactly bustling, it was certainly lively.

The area was checked by guards during the day, so it doesn't affect business here at all.

Of the orcs who frequented the place, only a small portion were poor people.

Most of the guests were well-dressed and clearly not from the slums.

It seems that the idea of "getting a good deal" is incredibly appealing to people from all walks of life.

"This porcelain vase has been 'laundered'," a stall owner said. "The owner won't come after it, and it's worth at least fifty copper coins!"

"Ten copper coins at most, or you can keep it for yourself," the customer said angrily.

Yuye led Su Ming all the way to the deepest part.

Su Ming originally thought it would be a building, but he didn't expect that the so-called "Black Claw Warehouse" was actually just an open-air storage yard.

At the entrance and exit was a rather elderly orc guarding the area, with a scale placed in front of him.

The storage yard has everything.

Broken planks, tattered leather armor, broken pot handles, half-missing basins, broken door locks, animal bones, and empty bottles were all mixed together in piles.

If no one had told Su Ming that this was a place for selling stolen goods, he would have definitely thought it was just a garbage dump.

Su Ming unleashed his Penetrating Vision.

It must be said that he did indeed find several of the necessary materials very quickly.

Bronze, aluminum, lead, zinc, and even brucite.

Most of it is buried deep inside.

Even though Qianye was petite, she was panting heavily as she rummaged through the corners to find what Su Ming needed.

Su Ming continued his search.

He stopped after collecting about thirty items.

Because the orc guarding the warehouse had been frequently focusing his attention on him.

Acting too decisively and with a clear purpose will naturally raise suspicions that you've "snagged" something good.

Su Ming estimated the amount of material he had gathered and concluded that he had achieved his goal for the day.

The two carried their belongings to the checkout.

The guard checked it first.

Unfortunately, with his limited knowledge, he naturally couldn't possibly know the technological uses of this pile of things.

From the perspective of another world alone, they are quite ordinary.

After being packed into a straw bag, weighed, and going through the necessary bargaining process, Su Ming finally paid eighteen copper coins.

This is mainly due to the bronze piece, which contained many impurities.

Because it contained copper, the gatekeeper demanded an extra ten copper coins in addition to the weight.

This place is really nice!

Su Ming pondered in his heart.

It would be great if I could have a reason to come more often, or even bring more helpers!

****

As they left, the two passed by that area of street stalls again.

Many of them sell clothes.

Su Ming glanced at the Yuye.

The weather was hot, and the half-cat was not dressed warmly, but his clothes were full of holes and patches.

At home, her younger brother, Yugan, is also there.

Su Ming took out a dozen or so copper coins and handed them to Yuye.

[Buy some clothes for myself and my younger brother.]

"Thank you!" said Yuye.

Soon, Yuye selected some clothes that weren't particularly eye-catching in the slums, but would be convenient for going to more places in the city.

The two then left the "Black Claw" night market.

"Are you buying food again tonight?" Yuye couldn't help but ask.

"Of course," Su Ming smiled slightly.

Because he was more familiar with the area, Su Ming strolled around the streets more leisurely, found some shops he hadn't discovered yesterday, and bought twenty eggs and several pounds of peanuts.

Su Ming observed along the way.

The standard of living for ordinary orc residents of Cloud Fang City is roughly equivalent to that of townspeople in the Northern Lands.

But this is the capital of Water Chestnut Island.

Compared to other orcs of the same level, it is far inferior to the central Bubing City in the Northern Lands, which gives an idea of the living standards of ordinary orcs.

Su Ming examined the buildings in the central city closely and discovered that many of the older buildings were actually constructed in a rather grand manner.

The thick stone walls, arched doorways, animal head reliefs, drainage channels, and other details that facilitated the daily lives of the orcs all demonstrate the care and attention put into the design and construction in the past.

However, these buildings clearly lack maintenance.

The relief carving was blurred by dust and rain, and the wood was rotten and blackened.

The newer the house, the simpler its structure tends to be.

The walls are thin, the roof is low, and there is almost no decoration; it is obvious that the standard of living is declining.

Clearly, the reign of the Plundering Clock has brought considerable calamity to this place.

****

As Su Ming passed a somewhat old two-story stone house, he saw a sign at the door.

[It reads "House for sale for one hundred gold coins."] Yuye translated.

"You can read?" Su Ming, somewhat surprised.

Yuye paused for a moment.

"I studied for two years and know some characters," she told Su Ming.

[Actually, our family was quite well-off before my parents passed away.]

Su Ming glanced at the Yuye.

[So you were actually a resident of Cloud Fang City before.]

[Did you and your siblings end up in the slums after your parents died?]

[Hmm.] Yuye nodded. [The slums are mostly inhabited by outsiders, but it's not uncommon to see locals like me who have nowhere else to turn.]

"How did your parents die?" Su Ming suddenly asked.

This time, the Yuye remained silent for an even longer period.

My parents used to run a small shop.

[but----]

She was initially hesitant, but then suddenly realized that Su Ming was human, and there were some things she could say without worry.

Don't worry about being labeled a heretic.

Yuye began to tell the story.

After the cult members arrived, my parents' business declined steadily and they kept losing money.

The security situation is getting increasingly chaotic.

[Then one day our house was robbed, which caused a fire.]

[The house and shops were burned down, and a large debt was incurred.]

[My parents were forced into hard labor and died less than a year later.]

Su Ming.

Do you know who the robber is?

Yuye gave a bitter smile.

[Those who are robbed are also the poor who have nowhere else to turn.]

They were also conscripted for hard labor and died there as well.

****

[Oh well, it's already like this.]

Yuye help you get rid of your emotions.

She looked up at the old building in front of her.

[Mr. Graves, are you interested in this theater?]

[theater?]

Su Ming couldn't help but take a closer look.

He then realized that although the stone house was not particularly large, the courtyard was quite spacious.

On one side is a large, flat stage made of piled stones.

A few carvings still remain on the edge of the platform, resembling patterns of intertwined vines and animal claws, but they have been covered by traces of black moss.

On the other side of the stage, there are stone benches arranged in a circular pattern.

The benches were sunken in many places, and weeds grew in the gaps.

Behind the stage, there were also some scattered set props.

Faded flags, rusted iron frames, and curled animal-face masks.

[This place used to be packed every night.]

Yuye described it to Su Ming, a hint of longing appearing in the corner of her eye.

[Lights illuminate half the street, spectators crowd the stone benches, children lean against the railings, their pockets overflowing with snacks.]

[The actors on stage, wearing exaggerated masks, enter amidst applause.]

That wasn't something Yuye had witnessed firsthand; she had only heard about it.

Yet, it was as if through this desolation, one could glimpse the bustling activity of the past.

****

Afterwards, the two returned to their hut.

The siblings started shelling peanuts.

Yise volunteered to cook the eggs.

The method wasn't too complicated. She chopped up some local vegetables that Su Ming had brought back, mixed them with eggs, and stir-fried them.

There was some flour, Yise with water to form a dough, and then fried into thin pancakes.

Finally, wrap the scrambled eggs in a thin pancake and eat it.

Su Ming then picked up the materials he had collected that day.

As the summoning light flashed, a lead-acid battery appeared.

Then, another umbrella appeared in Su Ming's hand.

"Your new umbrella," Su Ming joked with Yise.

But Yise took it seriously.

She took it and examined it closely, only to find that apart from a layer of metallic coating on the inside, there was nothing special about the umbrella.

The umbrella handle is strange; it's shaped like a mushroom head, making it inconvenient to hold.

She tried to pull the umbrella ribs out, but they wouldn't budge.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Su Ming took the umbrella back.

"It's just a joke, it's a satellite dish."

Su Ming disguised the umbrella, then had Yuye open it and placed it upside down on the roof of the shed.

It looks like an old item used to plug leaks and holes.

Su Ming answered the phone, pinched the tip of the umbrella that had pierced through, and adjusted the direction.

Sure enough, the signal strength increased significantly.

Even during periods of weak signal, two-way communication is possible.

Su Ming sent this good news to Katharine.

"Excellent!" Katharine exclaimed happily.

"Tonight we will launch a probing attack on Water Chestnut Island."

Do you watch the live stream?

Su Ming glanced at the device's battery level.

It's fairly ample.

"Of course I'll watch!" Su Ming replied, "I look forward to your performance."