Chapter Six: Harvest and Exchange

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These weapons were exquisitely crafted, ranging from fold-forged swords to military knives made from special steel—far superior to the cheap knockoffs found on the streets. Due to the quality of materials and craftsmanship, they were naturally expensive, clearly cherished possessions of their original owner.

Tang Zhen examined them carefully and selected two long knives to set aside, intending to gift them to Qian Long.

Tang Zhen had observed closely and noticed that Qian Long seemed to be the strongest among this group. The others were cautious in his presence, and even the organizer treated him politely.

It never hurts to be on good terms with someone like that.

The remaining swords and knives were wrapped loosely in a tattered blanket and placed aside. Compared to the wanderers’ emphasis on weapons, Tang Zhen was not overly attached to these blades—if he could return to Earth, he could simply buy such weapons with money.

After a brief rest, he continued searching.

Perhaps due to a stroke of doubled luck, Tang Zhen found more cash, gold, and silver jewelry in this room, along with a fair amount of tobacco and alcohol.

After thoroughly checking every corner, he began packing up his spoils. Just as he was about to leave to collect brain beads, Tang Zhen spotted a heavy gold chain, nearly a hundred grams in weight, hanging from a zombie’s neck.

Tang Zhen gladly accepted this newfound wealth without hesitation.

As he stepped outside, a thought struck him.

According to Qian Long, these wild buildings typically had a hidden room or basement, where one or more powerful monsters guarded a cornerstone. Obtaining this cornerstone allowed one, through a certain ritual, to establish a personal tower city.

Tang Zhen was eager to acquire such a cornerstone, but he was not yet strong enough to wrest it from the monsters.

Qian Long had explained that the guardians were not only formidable fighters but some possessed strange and magical powers. Ordinary people stood no chance and facing them was tantamount to suicide.

Even Qian Long could not clearly describe just how powerful these monsters were—only that they were extremely dangerous.

Moreover, defeating these powerful beasts and seizing the precious cornerstone did not guarantee the smooth construction of a tower city.

It was said that after establishing the city, one had to withstand monster assaults and endure for a certain period or fulfill specific conditions. Only then would the world’s gods recognize the city, making it legitimate.

Therefore, wanderers, despite knowing about the cornerstone, rarely dared to challenge it, no matter how high its buyout price.

Usually, once explored, wild buildings stood solitary in the wilderness until the cornerstone was taken, after which they gradually collapsed into ruins.

For Tang Zhen, who was determined to seek fortune in this world, the cornerstone was invaluable—it would enable him to build his own tower city and recruit residents to serve him.

In this way, he could continuously amass wealth from this world without needing to act personally.

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In the clearing before the wild building, finished wanderers gathered, some arranging items they found useless for trade. After completing their deals, all quickly dispersed to avoid bandits or tower city troops who might arrive to plunder.

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Tang Zhen noticed two wanderers were missing, likely having met misfortune while searching rooms.

He inspected each trading stall and, after discerning the items exchanged, realized that wanderers placed little value on gold and silver. They rarely picked up such valuables, and even when they did, they paid them scant attention. Paper money was regarded as worthless—no one bothered to collect it.

The three most valuable and sought-after items at the market were clothing, food, and weapons.

Torn clothes were common when exploring wild buildings, but such buildings themselves were rare, so clothing prices among wanderers were moderate.

Food was always crucial. Most wanderers scavenged the wilderness for sustenance, but the barren land made it hard to fill their bellies. Hence, food prices remained high, especially for items sourced from wild buildings, which fetched good prices.

The best-selling and highest-priced goods were naturally quality weapons.

The chance of finding weapons during exploration was low, and most were crude—kitchen knives, iron rods, and the like. Consequently, most wanderers used makeshift weapons. Given these were matters of life and death, when good weapons appeared for sale, wanderers eagerly bought them.

Tang Zhen’s luck in acquiring so many blades at once was extraordinary, thanks in part to his double luck card.

With this in mind, he found an empty spot next to Qian Long and laid out all the items except for valuables, including the knives.

Immediately, the blades drew the attention of the wanderers, who crowded around greedily. Their eyes gleamed with envy at Tang Zhen’s fortune, and some began asking prices.

Qian Long also looked at the knives with longing, but soon regained composure. Seeing Tang Zhen a bit puzzled by the inquiries, he stepped in to state, “This one’s fifty level-one brain beads, that one eighty, and this one’s a hundred.”

Tang Zhen smiled and nodded in agreement, pleasantly surprised that the knives commanded such prices. He hadn’t expected weapons to be so valuable here—definitely something to consider selling back on Earth.

Qian Long’s prices were not unreasonable. Several wanderers immediately produced pouches of brain beads, handing them over to Tang Zhen.

Those with enough beads fondled their new weapons lovingly, while those short on beads were allowed by Tang Zhen to pay with gold, silver, or cash instead. Some even mocked him silently for being naive, yet still traded happily.

Qian Long seemed puzzled by Tang Zhen’s generosity but said nothing.

The trade was brisk; the dozen or so knives and odds and ends sold quickly, netting Tang Zhen at least a thousand brain beads.

After the trade, Tang Zhen called Qian Long aside and gifted him one of the long knives he had set aside.

The knife was slender, likely a Miao Dao. Judging by its pattern and technique, it was made using a combination of fold forging and clay tempering, giving it moderate flexibility and an exceptionally sharp edge.

Qian Long didn’t hesitate. His eyes shone as he accepted the blade, carefully caressing it before handing Tang Zhen a pouch of brain beads.

“Though it’s probably not enough, this is all I have left,” he said apologetically.

“I don’t want it. Keep it,” Tang Zhen replied.

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Tang Zhen pushed the pouch back firmly, refusing Qian Long’s beads. To his surprise, Qian Long was even more decisive—he tossed the knife at Tang Zhen, signaling that if the beads were refused, he wouldn’t keep the knife either.

Left with no choice, Tang Zhen accepted the beads.

With the trade complete and the exploration organizer paid, most wanderers chose to leave quickly.

Perhaps spurred by Tang Zhen’s haul, a few decided to reenter the wild building to search overlooked corners. This time, free to move about, they could even enter the previously restricted room.

Tang Zhen did not miss this opportunity. Having observed Qian Long and deemed him trustworthy, they searched every corner together, leaving no valuable item behind.

When they exited the last room, the backpack was stuffed with cash, gold, silver, jewelry, and assorted antiques.

This haul was substantial. Tang Zhen estimated the cash alone totaled four to five hundred thousand, with the value of gold, jewelry, and other items at least two hundred thousand.

He couldn’t help but marvel silently—this was a windfall overnight!

After ensuring nothing usable remained inside, Tang Zhen and Qian Long quickly left, stepping into the wild grasslands.

No one stayed in wild buildings overnight, for when darkness fell, these places became monster havens. Creatures took over, strange phenomena occurred, and few wanderers survived until dawn.

Thus, spending the night inside a wild building was taboo. Though curious about what transpired at night, Tang Zhen would not risk unnecessary danger.

Though these wanderers had sworn solemn oaths to their gods, pledging not to harm their comrades during exploration, who could guarantee no one would betray such vows, risking divine punishment?

Leaving promptly was the wisest choice.

Qian Long was pleased with the haul and became more talkative on the journey.

He explained that many wanderers never had the chance to explore wild buildings—first, because these buildings were rare and required a group to qualify for exploration; second, because armed factions nearby would immediately dispatch forces to seize the location, forbidding wanderers from approaching under threat of death.

Qian Long had only explored three such buildings in all his years wandering the wilderness.

When it came time to part ways, Qian Long asked if Tang Zhen would join him on further adventures, so they could watch out for each other.

He admitted he liked Tang Zhen’s character—his eyes lacked the apathy common among wanderers, and his conduct was commendable. Otherwise, he would not have asked, as he had been alone all these years.

Tang Zhen was moved by the offer. The impression was mutual—Qian Long was straightforward and loyal, always looking out for him despite their brief acquaintance. Tang Zhen needed a guide in this world, and once he established his tower city, a trusted partner to assist him. Qian Long seemed to fit the bill.

After some thought, Tang Zhen agreed. Having a local ally was advantageous, so they set off together to explore the endless wilderness.