Wasteland Development Diary

After listening to the report from the Red Falcon, Zhou Yi became very interested in the Pandaren, Tuo Zhu.

However, when he saw Zhang He, who had come to deliver the message for Tuo Zhu, his attention was drawn to this thin and small man.

Zhang He, twenty-six years old, with dark skin and a beard, had a somewhat restrained and shy smile. Sitting in the chair, his hands seemed a little out of place.

Yet, he was a slave trader with ten years of experience.

Zhou Yi asked, "How did you do that kind of business before?"

Zhang He habitually showed a smile: "I was a slave myself at first. Because my parents died, I had nothing to eat. I was seven or eight years old at that time, and I couldn't find any work. When I ran errands, I was bullied by adults. Later, the slave trader Zai Gou came and said that if any children were willing, they could go with him and have enough to eat."

"And then I followed him. Later... thank you."

The assistant, Yuan Xiao, handed him a cup of tea.

Zhang He held the paper cup with both hands: "When I was a kid, I was very courageous, so Zai Gou let me assist him, run errands, deliver messages, manage slaves, carry things, fetch water, and cook. When I was sixteen, he was shot dead by looters, so I learned from him and became a slave trader."

"I know it doesn't sound good to be a slave trader, but I didn't have anything else to do at the time. If I hadn't gotten on that slave ship, I might not have survived the winter. My hometown is a small town in the mountains. That year, heavy snow blocked the mountains, and many people froze to death. I didn't have money to buy firewood, so I couldn't survive there."

"So I am very grateful to Brother Zai Gou. Following him, I learned a lot and survived."

He was very open about his past.

Zhou Yi nodded: "How profitable is the slave trade, and are there many practitioners?"

"Not many."

Zhang He shook his head: "This industry requires hands-on guidance. How to find slaves, how to identify real and fake slaves, how to find buyers, where the market is relatively stable and safe, how to set prices, and how to manage along the way—all of these require long-term learning."

"So slave traders are more like Brother Zai Gou, who would choose a few from the slaves as successors, like how he brought me out. Even if he hadn't died, these assets and work would have been handed over to me in the future."

Zhou Yi was thoughtful: "Is this a tradition?"

"Yes, Chairman. We trade slaves, and the money we earn is dirty. What we can do is give the slaves a little hope. Although we can't do other things, at least let them see that it is possible to become us. Many slave traders were slaves in the past; slaves understand slaves."

Zhang He relaxed at this point and took a sip of tea: "Most slave traders have a ship and go around buying those who are willing to sell themselves, selling them as slaves to places where they are needed. It depends on the weather and luck."

Zhou Yi asked, "What about real and fake slaves?"

"Among the slaves who voluntarily sell themselves, some are disguised as looters to cooperate from the inside and betray us, and some are disguised as soldiers to crack down on slave trafficking... There are even some people with very dangerous identities who deliberately use this method to sneak through and escape capture."

Zhang He sneered: "We are not good people either, so the people we encounter are not good people either."

"I am already content to wash my hands of it and live ashore."

In Zhou Yi's mind, the image of a slave trader became vivid.

He raised a question: "In your opinion as a slave trader, why does slave trafficking persist despite repeated prohibitions?"

"Because of poverty."

Zhang He said without hesitation: "The key is poverty; there is no other way. People always have to find a way to survive. If they have nothing and are afraid or unable to rob, they can only sell themselves."

"Slave traders make money from slaves. We are just small fries; the real money is made by some nobles and big merchants behind the scenes, but we are the ones who do the work."

"Although I personally think that slavery may never disappear... but if there is work that can allow people to survive, like the company-led Sandport, where anyone can do some work to support themselves, the scale of the slave trade will be much smaller."

He looked at the paper cup in his hand: "As far as I know, there is almost no slave trade in the Development Alliance. I think the most important reason is that everyone has become richer."

"Because there are other safe ways to make money and support themselves, like gliders, refrigeration boxes, and mushroom houses... people will not sell themselves cheaply."

"And those in power also have more worthwhile things to invest in and do. In this environment, personal prestige and credit are highly valued, and the slave trade itself is despised here. Because of this series of reasons, the slave trade is almost invisible here."

"Ultimately, it is because everyone has money. Ordinary people have money to live, and powerful people have money to earn more money and have better ways to make money."

Zhou Yi said, "Continue."

Zhang He chuckled: "Don't laugh at me. When I was a driver for official cars and horn cattle before, I still had a bit of occupational disease and would observe passengers and potential candidates for slaves, or whether there were any clients or anything like that."

"Then I found that the people in our Sandport are chasing new things. Even the old people picking mushrooms by the roadside are talking about how to resell refrigeration boxes, or go to the glider parking area to sell gloves, hats, and food to passengers. Everyone's minds are very active; there is no such situation in other places at all."

"I have also contacted a few rich people. Like Boss Sha, who is well-known in Sandport, he often holds private banquets, using beautiful women and fine wine to attract talented people from all walks of life. The purpose is also to gather people and look for new business opportunities."

"Do you know what he is doing now?"

Zhou Yi remembered this person.

The nephew of the former mayor of Sandport, who was introduced by Qian Su, said to specialize in black market trading.

When I was planning to develop the elderly care industry, Boss Sha wanted to come to Emerald City to open a silver party and was rejected by me. He was very sorry.

"Tell me about it."

Zhang He revealed a strange smile: "Boss Sha has now invested most of his family property in Sandport, specializing in the development of luxury gliders."

What he said reminded Zhou Yi.

Because Sandport also participated in the manufacture of gliders, and Sha Haigong also obtained authorization and was also engaged in research and development. However, the direction there was different from the company's vigorously promoted inclusive direction, and they were pursuing more comfortable flights, belonging to the development of high-end models.

"In the currently test-flown luxury gliders, there are beautiful female attendants, various fine wines, freshly baked delicacies, and spacious and comfortable velvet beds... I was invited to test fly, and I have to say, the conditions are very good."

"Now merchants and territorial sea lords from the outside are staring at luxury aircraft and want to buy them. Such luxury gliders are in line with their status, show themselves, and can also entertain guests and discuss business."

Zhou Yi thought that to some extent, Boss Sha could be considered not forgetting his original intention.

It's just that the Emerald City silver party has become an aerial silver party.

"Boss Sha runs to the R\u0026D center every day to stare at it, wishing he could rush up to tighten screws and plane wood. I have to say, the company's changes here are really too great."

"Other merchants are similar. Some invest in refrigeration boxes in the neighboring Steel Refining City, and some invest in building wood factories in the Tree Monster Territory. Many of the company's products now require wood as raw materials. The demand is large and the profits are guaranteed."

"Compared to these, slave traders have low profits and high risks in Sandport, and it is already an eliminated industry."

……

The latest novel is first published in 69shuba!

After Zhang He left, Zhou Yi contacted Metatopia.

"You said a captured Pandaren?"

"I have to ask about this."

After waiting for a while.

Metatopia said: "Found it. It is indeed controlled by the Celestial Citizen Department. It refuses to fulfill its reproductive obligations and has repeatedly refused mating service."

"There is another thing. It applied for a special fund of 30,000 Light Seeds, saying it was for construction design. As a result, nothing was produced, and it was discovered that almost all of it was used to buy food."

"Now it is charged with two counts of embezzling public funds and refusing to fulfill reproductive obligations. It is initially estimated that it will be sent back to the Panda Autonomous Region to serve a sentence of more than 5 years and will be restricted from traveling."

Zhou Yi frowned: "Is there any way to get it out?"

"Yes. First settle the 30,000 Light Seed embezzlement. Then, in terms of reproductive obligations, let it mate or pay a fine to postpone this time."

"I don't quite understand. Is this reproductive obligation fulfilled by having the Pandaren marry and have two children? They don't seem very willing?"

"Of course they are unwilling."

Metatopia said: "Pandaren are not easily pregnant, so external technology is needed to assist in cultivating offspring using in vitro fertilization technology."

"Fulfilling their obligations means having the required sperm and eggs sucked out by a sperm-collecting machine and then combined in a petri dish."

"This process requires multiple collections until it is determined that a normal offspring is born... The whole process will be observed and filmed by many doctors and citizen department supervisors to ensure that the entire process and various indicators are normal and that data is archived."

Zhou Yi hissed.

Pandaren have to be watched and filmed while masturbating... many times.

It's really difficult.

"The Celestial Kingdom is doing this to ensure that the population of Pandaren does not decrease, because this group is very precious."

Metatopia said: "They only have one ability, called 'Longevity'. According to cell measurements, the limit lifespan of ordinary Pandaren is 300 years. If they can break through to become B-grade, then the cells will mutate significantly, which can increase the lifespan to 600 years. If they reach A-grade, the lifespan limit will be further raised to 1000 years."

"To some extent, they have the strongest talent. As long as they don't want to die, they can live forever."

"This group has survived the Age of Gods to this day, lasting at least 8 million years in this world. The cell samples they provide are important research materials to find ways to break the limits of lifespan."

Zhou Yi listened with emotion.

Pandas are the real children of destiny.

No matter how times change and heroes are washed away by the waves, they are still people above people, and their status is unshakable.

Metatopia added: "But there is another reason why they can get this treatment. His Majesty the Black Emperor is a Pandaren, so Pandaren can be considered royalty."

Zhou Yi thought no wonder.

"Tuo Zhu's situation is a bit sensitive. I can stabilize the people in the Citizen Department. It's best if you come over for a face-to-face meeting," Metatopia said.

Zhou Yi said: "I'll leave right away."