The two merchants were very satisfied with Jade City, but they said they needed to go back and prepare. Many things had to be moved in for the move, and with the heavy snow in winter making the roads treacherous, they agreed to come over in a month.

Qian Su, on the other hand, stayed behind directly.

"Business is tough nowadays. I plan to rest for this winter."

The young female merchant smoothed her faux bangs and discussed the state of the industry, "There's a natural distrust of small merchants among customers; many people think that as soon as we complete a transaction, we'll take off, which could very well be the case."

"The city is also wary of us, often calling us behind our backs 'tax thieves.' But that makes no sense. When you sell goods, you have to set up your stall at designated market spots and pay a stall fee upfront. There are specific patrol officers, and taxes must be paid on the spot for every transaction."

"Running a store, if it's not inside the city but rather in a market town, it's very difficult for someone like me who deals in weapon goods to recoup costs. This kind of business requires going out to find opportunities, to actively seek out customers…"

Opening a store in a large city is the best choice.

Those places have a large population, organizations with spending power all have outposts in the big cities, and there are also many enhancers… there's just one small problem.

Too expensive.

But this was a big problem for Qian Su personally.

Zhou Yi didn't understand, "Your business targets enhancers, so the profit should be good, right? How come you don't have enough funds to open a shop?"

"That's just the way it is."

Qian Su sighed, a hint of worry on her face, "Goods involving the Light Imprint Skill are regulated trades, not only are the taxes exorbitant, but opening a store can only be in special shops, and maintaining such a shop is terribly expensive."

"If it weren't for necessity, who would want to run around endlessly every year? If your place becomes popular and turns into a big city, my business would be easier… I believe that day will come eventually."

Zhou Yi now understood.

Here in Jade City, she was a co-owner and didn't have to pay rent, which saved a good amount of money. She also believed that the population in Jade City would continue to grow, so she came early to get a foothold.

But bringing in Qian Su to settle also benefited the promotion and development of Jade City.

It was another form of talent attraction and resettlement.

"May I ask a question?"

Qian Su suddenly said, "Mr. Zhou, you want to create an entirely new settlement here, right?"

Zhou Yi didn't hide his intentions, "That's the plan."

"No wonder," Qian Su said, "first cultivating farmland, then encouraging people to try living here during winter."

Qian Su did not seem surprised at all; she looked over sincerely, "Since you truly want to build a new settlement, I believe that with your resources, you can definitely make it happen."

After all, this person in front of her was one of the Heavenly People.

Zhou Yi took her firm belief as business flattery and simply said, "We still need to explore step by step."

"Mr. Zhou, I do have a small suggestion."

"Please, do tell."

Qian Su suggested, "Why not consider bringing in some enhancer residents? They have a strong capacity for acceptance and are at the forefront of understanding and awareness of new things."

"Jade City is open to the public, and logically, promoting it to them should yield the best results."

Zhou Yi had considered this.

But he had his reservations.

It would be troublesome to manage if enhancers moved in.

What a headache it would be if those folks got up to outlandish things, with a history of cases against them, using the access control system to evade external capture, or relying on Jade City's power to lure and fight monsters in the Dead Sea.

They were entirely capable of such actions.

Zhou Yi suddenly thought, "Are there retirees like Zheng Tao?"

"Yes."

Qian Su furrowed her brows, pondering for a moment, "Sand Port itself is on the outskirts and relatively stable. There are quite a few aged enhancers who have stepped back from the front lines; they have come here to enjoy their later years… These individuals are only slightly stronger than the average person and may not be of much use."

That was not an issue.

Zhou Yi asked, "Could you find these people? If they're willing, they can move in for free, on a long-term basis. One of my visions for Jade City Building #3 is to turn it into a retirement and leisure residence."

"Retirement… leisure?"

Qian Su suddenly paused, "But can that really be profitable? I mean, these people are past their prime, their influence is limited, they may not really be willing to help Jade City."

"They are resources in themselves."

Zhou Yi patiently explained to the young man from the Wasteland Era, "These enhancers who have retired from the front lines are at least experienced in one area, and that experience itself is valuable. When they move in, it's the equivalent of them becoming advisors for Jade City."

"Another thing is that they have friends and old connections, and these networks are also resources."

"However, this is only a hypothesis. Whether it can succeed still needs to be confirmed through practice."

Qian Su's face showed a sudden look of realization, "No wonder there's such convenient and comfortable basic support there. It was aimed at the elderly from the beginning. For older enhancers who aren't given much consideration, these conditions are indeed very attractive."

"I once heard a proverb, 'He who controls the past, controls the future; he who controls the present controls the past.' As long as we hold onto those people from the past, they will influence the present. This strategy is very insightful."

Zhou Yi, however, was not surprised.

Having managed to do the arms trade alone all over the place, Qian Su was already an excellent Wasteland merchant.

Many things become clear with just a hint.

"I know what to do now," said Qian Su, her eyes twinkling as if she had made some calculations, "I will do my best to give it a try. I won't let you give me a luxurious residence for nothing."

She left in a hurry, driving the heavy truck into the snowy wind.

...

Three days passed.

The Red Kestrel returned to base, bringing back the upgraded electromechanical mouse.

Nemo's appearance had largely remained the same, except for a pair of round tactical goggles it now wore, and its four feet had become more agile, claw-like appendages. It also had two small white cylinders on its back.

"These are spare claws, Chairman. Claws are tools for me; if there's a problem with them, they can be replaced."

Nemo's synthetic voice was somewhat shrill, "I am now equipped with a voice module and loudspeaker and have a range of basic languages built-in, so I can communicate directly with most humans."

"The Red Kestrel and I have conducted a signal synchronization. Within a 10-kilometer radius, I can communicate quickly with it."

"In addition, the Red Kestrel had this shell custom-made according to my previous design. It's very light and thin but has a D-level impact resistance. My speed, endurance, and body strength have all been significantly improved."

"Thank you very much for your expense! I will definitely contribute all my strength to the company!"

Zhou Yi was satisfied with this result.

The Red Kestrel reported the expenditure list through the remote control screen.

From physical examination to parts replacement, to upgrades of existing functions, there were more than a dozen items in totality.

The total expense was 198 Light Seeds.

The Red Kestrel continued its style of using up as much as the budget allowed.

But there was one member he hadn't seen?

Zhou Yi asked, "Where's the doctor?"

The Red Kestrel answered, "Da Vinci is already at work."

Its lens pointed towards building 2 of Jade City, where a crowd was gathered.

A large mechanical being with four arms was operating on a large, cream-colored spherical object, creating bursts of bright, dazzling light.

The one with four arms was Da Vinci.

The one being operated on was Lie Hai.

Zhou Yi was full of questions, "What's wrong with Lie Hai that he needs surgery?"

"Please hold, I will contact Da Vinci."

After two seconds of silence, the Red Kestrel said, "Da Vinci's scan found shrapnel in Lie Hai's body, caused by a special weapon that can't heal on its own. This has severely affected the operation of Lie Hai's body, with energy consumption far exceeding the normal levels of a Hunter, easily leading to exhaustion and weakness, much less capable than a regular Hunter."

"This underlying damage is ongoing, and without treatment, the Guangna Organ will continue to degenerate until it fails, ultimately resulting in Lie Hai being contaminated by Death Light radiation and becoming a completely uncontrollable monster."

"Da Vinci believes that the shrapnel must be removed as soon as possible, and the Guangna Organ will need suturing and repair,"

"It's performing the excision and suturing now."

Zhou Yi clenched his heart.

The reason for Lie Hai's insufficient strength lay here.

That was close.

Indeed, having a doctor in the team was the right choice.