After the installation of the Light Blocker, the energy charging speed of Jade City was visibly accelerated.

Each room was initiated with cyclical lighting, and from a distance, it appeared like a gigantic LED dot matrix screen, where the beads of lights would brighten and then fade, reminiscent of a fluorescent billboard testing its capabilities.

This was actually Jade City conducting a systematic inspection of all its buildings.

After five days, Jade City had achieved 10% of its energy charge.

It raised a circle of tall sandstone walls from the sandy ground, clearly delineating the boundary between the Wasteland Development Company's offices and the external public areas.

Furthermore, Jade City repaired the entire building's wastewater drainage system pipes, began extracting and absorbing groundwater, and started officially supplying cold and hot running water.

Various functions of this high-rise were rapidly reviving.

However, what Zhou Yi was most concerned about was the operation of the Light Blocker.

Since this apparatus had to be placed within the Dead Sea Zone, even if just in the shallow sea areas, it was still exposed to the constant radiation of Death Light. Although guarded by samurai crabs, there were still unforeseen potential risks.

Whether it could operate stably long-term was still a question.

Zhou Yi went to check on it every day.

Currently, the Light Blocker was functioning normally, operating at full power, albeit with a bit of noise.

Once this device was activated, its energy maintenance was managed by Jade City, so there wasn't really any consumption.

One must plan for the future, and Zhou Yi was already considering acquiring another backup set. Any device had a lifespan, not to mention that the Light Blocker was operating at full capacity 24 hours a day, which probably meant greater wear and tear.

Where to purchase another became a new problem.

Jade City also said, "If multiple Light Blockers could be charged simultaneously, the efficiency would be higher and the wear on the devices would be less."

Zhou Yi thought of contacting Cui Mao.

He was a Tianjin Knight, seemed reliable, and was stationed in the only city nearby, Sand Port. Presumably, he should have access—or at least know how to purchase—equipment related to enhancers.

Going to Sand Port meant crossing the Death Dune occupied by Antlions. Without anything to calm them, one would have to fight all the way through.

Since there would eventually be trade dealings with the nearby cities, it was better to act sooner rather than later, to forge a path through the Death Dune first.

It would also provide an opportunity for the samurai crabs to level up.

Zhou Yi began preparing for a western hunt.

Now, with a scarcity of Light Seeds and the Antlions causing desertification, which prevented various plants from surviving, there was no need to consider sustainable coexistence with such creatures. Their absence would be better for others.

Just as he was about to mobilize his troops, Ajin suddenly came to him.

"Chairman, I have something to discuss."

The young man's face bore a slightly embarrassed smile, "Previously, you asked me to go to Mao Valley Town to find people who could grow mushrooms, and I found three people including Mr. Gong. Now, one of them wants to join in, do you think we can let him work?"

Zhou Yi remembered, aside from Gong Zheng, one was called Cao Dayuan, a top mushroom cultivation expert, and the other was Feng, proficient in raising Mao Valley Worms.

Cao Dayuan was conservative and unwilling to leave his cave town. Feng wanted to go to the neighboring Chicken Head Town, having promised their farming team, and had declined the invitation.

"Which one?"

"Chairman, it's Feng. He's like me without a big name, just call him A Feng," Ajin explained.

Just four days ago, A Feng had taken the insect king he had raised and went with some traders to Chicken Head Town. There, a member of the farming team named Bo had said that if he could raise a Mao Valley Worm two arms long, they'd let him join.

After spending most of the year, A Feng had finally accomplished this.

But when he arrived, Bo said, "Brother, I was just joking. Wow, your worm really isn't bad, let it grow a bit bigger and I'm afraid it will molt into an armored shell, just sell it to me? Name a price, but not too high, huh."

A Feng, after several confirmations, realized that the other party had been completely bluffing initially.

Bo told him, "Brother, it's not that I want to criticize you, but though the Mao Valley Worm is a specialty in your area, who eats worms in Chicken Head Town? Just chicken feed. Everyone here drinks chicken soup, at least it has meat, and the worms are used for feeding chickens."

"Your people might think it's something great, but here nobody cares."

"Do you know how precious a spot in the farming team is? Assured harvest whether drought or flood, 3000 mushrooms in compensation per month, two meals included, and living in the farming team's house. There are loads of people in Chicken Head Town watching, every time they recruit, who isn't using their connections trying to get in?"

"How could such a good deal be your turn?"

Bo shook his head with a meaningful smile, then added, "A Feng, you can raise worms, sell them to the farming team as chicken feed, that's an option. According to the rules of Sand Port, endure for three years, and you'll get the chance to settle in the city."

"But even living in the mountains outside Chicken Head Town would be way better than those cave towns in Mao Valley, wouldn't it?"

"That godforsaken place of yours, I'm telling you, even traders don't want to go there, it's so poor there's nothing to say. There are no women there, all the women have followed the traders and left. Why? Because living there isn't like living at all."

"People, we'd better not daydream during the day and keep our feet on the ground. Feng, hang in there for a few more years and maybe there will be a turnaround, right? Also, how much for these insects? We're all brothers here, give me a discount."

"Not selling? Are you foolish? Where else but here in Mao Valley Town can you sell your insects?"

"No brains, destined to be poor for life."

...

Feng returned to Mao Valley Town with his insects.

He found Ajin and asked if the Wasteland Development Company wanted to buy the insect king he had raised.

Ajin didn't dare to decide on his own because Feng had once turned down the company's offer, so he came to consult Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi didn't think it was a big deal.

In the era he lived, it was normal for workers to decline offers, and job-hopping was as common as eating and drinking—if it fits they stay, if not they leave.

"Bring him over."

"Yes, Chairman."

Feng was a young man with a large frame, who was very thin, had long hair, and a scruffy beard. Entering the bright room in Jade City, he was somewhat nervous, hardly daring to make eye contact with Zhou Yi, and instead looked evasively at the floor.

Zhou Yi said, "Let me see the insect king you have raised."

Feng opened the tattered cloth covering the basket and pulled out a large earthworm about 1.5 meters long. This Mao Valley worm was dark brown all over, curled up on Feng's arm, and lazily wriggling its body.

"It has eaten a lot of mushroom stems and leaves to grow this big, the largest insect ever raised in Mao Valley Town."

Speaking of the insect he raised, Feng's face showed a hint of pride.

Zhou Yi saw through the "Alert" that this giant Mao Valley worm exuded a faint white light, already being very close to a Guangna Species lifeform.

"Do you want to sell it?" asked Feng.

Zhou Yi said, "Name your price."

"1000 mushrooms, I'll sell it to you."

"No problem."

Feng immediately smiled: "Good, good."

He carefully placed the insect back into the twig-woven basket and added, "Actually, Mao Valley worms can grow even bigger. They can become Armored Mites, shedding a hard shell, harder than copper and iron, unbreakable, and very valuable."

"Armored Mites haven't appeared for a long time. We don't have enough food here to raise them; they need to eat a lot."

Zhou Yi looked surprised.

A shell material?

It sounded like a good raw material.

"What do Mao Valley worms eat?"

"Mushrooms, bones, leaves, rotten flesh—they eat them all," Feng said. "But they eat a lot, and I can no longer afford to keep them. They also excrete a lot of feces, which is really stinky and can knock you out; it needs cleaning every day."

Zhou Yi had a plan in mind and looked at the young insect breeder: "Are you willing to come to the Wasteland Development Company? I would like to employ you long-term."

"Ah? You want me to raise insects?"

"Yes."

"I can, I can raise insects." Feng was initially excited, but his face soon turned bewildered and fearful. "Really? You seriously want me? You aren't joking, are you?"

"I don't joke."

Zhou Yi earnestly said, "You will have the same treatment as Ajin and Gong Zheng. Your job will be to raise Mao Valley worms and grow them into Armored Mites. As for the feed needed for raising, get it from Gong Zheng."

"Okay... okay."

Feng nodded vigorously: "I will definitely raise Armored Mites for you, as many as you need."

Zhou Yi smiled: "I look forward to seeing the Armored Mites you raise."

He extended his hand.

Feng hesitated for a moment, then lifted both hands to shake it.

"Welcome to the Wasteland Development Company, Feng."

"Okay, okay, Chairman!"