Wasteland Development Diary

What should I do about this situation?

Zhou Yi's mind was a bit stuck.

Should I just kill Sandsea Duke?

That would be a relatively simple solution.

Directly initiate war, declare that I'm here to replace him, and formally annex the Sandport area's rule...

However, this thought was quickly extinguished.

Compared to separatist forces, cooperating with various cities in the form of a company is easier.

As long as a large enough alliance of interests is established, the company can fully act as a shadow force behind the cities without bearing direct pressure, which is more conducive to promoting regional development and transformation.

Although this misunderstanding is a bit big and difficult to smooth over... Sandsea Duke can still be salvaged.

Emerald City stretched out its iron arm, picked up the dying wounded, and Zhou Yi also jumped onto the steel hand, returning to the top floor with Sandsea Duke.

On the rooftop, Zhou Yi changed into the sportswear he had hung there earlier before carrying Sandsea Duke back to 3101.

The high-rise giant began to return at full speed.

The severely injured Sandsea Duke lay on the sofa, still coughing up blood, his eyes scattered, looking like he was in bad shape.

The other two people in the room fell silent.

Qian Su sat aside, staring blankly at the blood-coughing Sandsea Duke.

Zheng Tao, on the other hand, frowned, wondering what he was thinking.

Zhou Yi was quickly communicating with Red Falcon at this time.

"Its life signs are weakening, and its energy is also rapidly decaying."

"The mech's life signals are decreasing further."

Red Falcon suggested: "Zhou, give it some energy to maintain its consciousness."

Zhou Yi immediately did so.

Energy was inputted little by little.

Sandsea Duke's originally unfocused eyes suddenly regained their senses.

"You... you..."

Its claws firmly grabbed Zhou Yi's arm.

However, speaking seemed to become difficult.

So Zhou Yi tried to synchronize with its consciousness: "Communicating in this way will be easier, Sandsea Duke."

"This is... direct dialogue on the consciousness level?"

The other party was a little surprised.

Zhou Yi solemnly told the other party a story he had just made up: "Sandsea Duke, listen to me, I am Zhou Yi, the chairman of Wasteland Development Company. I brought Emerald City here to pay a friendly visit to Sandport City and wanted to discuss cooperation with you face-to-face."

"However, when I arrived outside the city, a mysterious force suddenly controlled my body. I was subjected to strong mental interference and control, and then I couldn't control my body... When I came back to my senses, I found it had become like this."

Zhou Yi couldn't be sure whether Sandsea Duke believed it or not.

He tried his best to make it up.

"..."

...

This situation made Sandsea Duke also confused.

The flesh and blood body was too severely damaged, almost in a dying state. If it weren't for the person in front of him continuously inputting energy, he would have entered that dangerous death march state... It felt like his brain was turning slower than ever.

What exactly happened before?

Sandsea Duke tried hard to recall.

That's right.

It was an attack.

The mech-electric thugs have been wandering outside Sandport City for a long time, causing great pressure to the residents who go out to work.

They attack transport teams delivering goods from Oasis Town, Green Onion Town, and Chicken Head Town, but never confront Light-Na'vi warriors head-on. As soon as the Tianjin Knights and Sandport Guards arrive, they quickly escape into the Dead Sea.

These mech-electric thugs have clear targets, specifically attacking and intimidating humans, but they are too fast to be easily captured and killed.

Even the Sea Lord cannot ensure that every sea area is under constant surveillance.

Sandsea Duke has dispatched guards to encircle and intercept them several times, but not only did they escape, but they were also attacked by some ambush-undersea seahorse shooters, resulting in further damage—enough to prove that this is a planned and deliberate intimidation campaign.

On the other hand, the Red-haired Monster also ran from the Dead Sea to wander around the settlements, putting great pressure on the various towns, greatly affecting the breeding, planting, and mining work done by the locals.

Although the mastermind behind the scenes has not made any statement, Sandsea Duke knows who it is.

Hundred-Li Duke.

The Sandport area is adjacent to Steel Refining City to the northwest, which is Hundred-Li Duke's territory. The two are separated by a not-so-wide Dead Sea Strait, with a straight-line distance of only 270 kilometers, which can be crossed in a day.

Hundred-Li Duke's overall strength is much stronger than his own.

The Steel Refining City and Shell City it controls are both manufacturing cities, producing a large number of steel, shells, and related processed products for export. However, they lack accumulation and layout in agriculture, and have long relied on external imports to supplement the food gap, resulting in high price costs.

This also makes the settlements around there difficult to operate, the number of humans grows slowly, and they are very dependent on the migration of foreign populations, and the labor force grows very slowly. Unlike Sandport City, which is mainly agricultural, population can grow naturally as long as it remains stable.

Hundred-Li Duke had approached Sandsea Duke twice before.

The first time it wanted to buy Oasis Town, which produces the most mushrooms, to solve the food problem.

Sandsea Duke naturally refused.

The second time, it condemned the issue of Sandport area transport ships crossing the border, and believed that the Sandport area was using chicken, cattails, beans, and other commodities to invade and plunder the territory and property of the surrounding Sea Lords, and demanded that Sandsea Duke compensate the surrounding three Sea Lords with 15,000 Light Seeds.

Sandsea Duke refused again.

Hundred-Li Duke took the opportunity to blockade the northern area, forcing Sandport area transport ships to detour through the west or east to enter other northern cities, further increasing costs.

It has long coveted the Sandport area.

This winter, Sandsea Duke has been very vigilant, deploying defenses with guards on the northwestern line of the Dead Sea, and has been subjected to continuous small-scale harassment.

But as soon as winter ended, Hundred-Li Duke suddenly launched an attack.

First, maritime transport ships were sunk and plundered, and various settlements were attacked by Light-Na'vi in succession. Then, mech-electric thugs also appeared in groups, starting to run rampant on the territory—they were equipped with Light-imprint weapons for strafing, which has resulted in 15 guards deaths and nearly a hundred injuries.

Sandsea Duke's secret ambush this time was to wipe out this group of roaming thugs in one fell swoop.

At the critical moment, it entered a combat stance, wanting to deliver a fatal blow.

Then he saw the Emerald City coming head-on, and was knocked unconscious by Zhou Yi's blow. If his life force hadn't been strong enough, he would have died on the spot.

Sandsea Duke racked his brains but couldn't figure out why he had taken this punch.

He hadn't offended that Wasteland Development Company, had he?

On the contrary, he had been showing goodwill all along... actively trying to win over this suddenly appearing mysterious powerhouse.

But the fact is that he was almost beaten to death by the other party.

It was simply inexplicable.

Reality is always so unpredictable.

"...The situation is like this." Zhou Yi narrated the reason while trying to save him.

Sandsea Duke thought.

Zhou Yi had absolutely no reason to almost kill him and then save him.

Then there is only one possibility.

Hundred-Li Duke used some kind of ability or device that could interfere with the minds of powerful individuals, causing this Zhou Yi to lose control and go berserk in a short period of time.

Wait.

If it wasn't Zhou Yi who happened to be here who was controlled just now, but himself... then he would have personally caused huge damage to Sandport City, which was close at hand, and the stable situation that had been built up over many years would be ruined.

What a vicious trick!

Thinking about it, Sandsea Duke felt sweaty and a little suffocated.

"It's Hundred-Li Duke, Mr. Zhou, we can't fall for its provocation."

It earnestly appealed: "Mr. Zhou, I understand your situation. Hundred-Li Duke is targeting not only me, but also you. The current situation is more dangerous, there is a great enemy outside..."

"It's good that you understand." The other party seemed to breathe a sigh of relief: "Who is that Hundred-Li Duke again?"

Sandsea Duke described it to him.

"...Hundred-Li Duke is very strong himself. He has 2 B-level strong subordinates and raises a powerful army composed of Thorn Birds, Red-eyed Vultures, Seahorse Archers, Phantom Fish, and Sea Fighters. It rules 2 cities, 5 settlements, and 2 ports. Whether in terms of military strength or logistical financial resources, it is superior to me."

"It lacks population and needs humans to engage in mining and steelmaking, as well as shellfish farming and processing. A major purpose of Hundred-Li Duke's war is to plunder the population to supplement the territory, and it is very envious of the 40,000 residents of the Sandport area."

"My condition may not be good."

"Mr. Zhou, if I die, please lead Sandport City and be sure to stop Hundred-Li Duke!"

Sandsea Duke made the worst plan.

If you want me to die, then no one will live.

Hundred-Li Duke, next your opponent is the Alien! I will make you bleed into a river!

Sandsea Duke thought fiercely in his heart.