It's hard to believe that anyone would actually give away something so lucrative for nothing.

It is a town with a population of more than tens of thousands, not a shopping mall, a shop.

"Value" is not a difficult thing to measure. If you accidentally pick up a leather bag containing 10,000 bills on the street and spend a lot of time and energy to earn the same amount of money, the former will never cherish as much as the latter.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Qiao Tianyu is the founder of Konoha Town. Many of the old mercenaries, including Kenson and Mo Xingkui, still remember the scene when construction had just begun. Logs were sawn from nearby mountains, large rocks were brought from quarries, and small wooden houses and stone houses continued to appear, and trade routes connecting the empire were opened. Building materials such as reinforced concrete continued to arrive, and daily necessities such as food, medicine, and cloth began to accumulate. The walls were no longer foundations, but became taller and heavier, and various fortifications were constantly improved. When the first qiē basically showed its embryonic form, more and more immigrants came from various places. No one can remember who the first woman in Konoha Town was? But she did bring a lot of joy to the men who built the town. Here, no one dislikes a woman's profession. The premise is that she is not too greedy and not clever.

Su Hao had never been to the inner region of the empire, and he was not very clear about the price of goods such as furs there. However, this did not prevent him from speculating on the approximate price. In Konoha Town, a high-quality werewolf fur is usually purchased for fifty silver coins. Of course, not all werewolf furs can be sold for this price. Excluding the quality of the fur itself, as well as the imperfections caused by careless extraction and tanning, the value of a werewolf's skin generally fluctuates between five silver coins. The inner realm of the empire is very far away from here, and the normal income should be about three to five times the normal expenses on the road.

Qiao Tianyu is a shrewd businessman. Of course, he wouldn't leave a lot of currency to the residents of Konoha Town. There was a market for all kinds of necessities from the inner realms of the empire. The trade of goods between the two places made Qiao Tianyu earn a lot of money, no matter who he changed, it was impossible to be willing to give up such a lucrative benefit.

If it weren't for Su Hao's stay in Konoha Town for a long time, if it weren't for his thinking consciousness detection skills, and if it wasn't for the previous contact with Qiao Tianyu, maybe Su Hao might have been moved by Qiao Tianyu's performance, thinking that he really wanted to transfer all the qiē here to himself.

Su Hao stretched out his hand to take the transfer Wen Jiàn, but his eyes were fixed on the other party, and he said calmly and seriously: "What is going on?" I want to hear the truth, not a lie used to deceive. Whatever you say, I'll believe it. ”

This kind of calmness surprised Qiao Tianyu.

At first, Qiao Tianyu did not believe that Wang Hu was killed in battle.

After coming to Konoha Town, Su Hao made too many unexpected moves. Especially his incomparably clever medical skills, which directly made Qiao Tianyu suspicious.

Even in the inner realms of the Empire, doctors are members of the upper middle class. Only a well-educated person can become a doctor. In particular, good surgeons are usually favored by the military. They either held important positions in the field hospitals of the regular army, or they were absorbed by the main army and re-trained to take on important positions such as corps pharmacists.

In the routine communication, Wang Hu reported to Qiao Tianyu what happened in Konoha Town. For Su Hao, Wang Hu was full of praise. This is not his opinion alone, but the praise of those who were rescued by Su Hao and picked up a mercenary with a name. Qiao Tianyu had to be suspicious: when he was in Red Rock City, Su Hao was still an ordinary guy. Why is it so eye-catching when you arrive in Konoha Town? Could it be that he was a spy sent by other forces, or by his greedy brothers and sisters?

The trusted henchman Wang Hu is dead, and the most suspicious Su Hao is still alive. If Qiao Tianyu doesn't feel that there is a problem with this situation, then he is a pig who escapes alive.

However, what happened next showed that Qiao Tianyu's idea was wrong. At least, Su Hao had no connection with the Qiao family.

"I want you to take over the town."

Qiao Tianyu gritted his teeth, bared his teeth and said, "As long as it remains in my name, it will be taken away by those guys." I can give you sixty percent of the proceeds. I need a surrogate, a new mayor. Wang Hu is dead, you can completely replace him. ”

Su Hao smiled faintly: "You want me to cover for you?" ”

Qiao Tianyu thought for a while and replied, "I'm afraid you have to take on more responsibilities." I'll do my best to support you, but you'll have to withstand pressure from other quarters. ”

This sentence is said very plainly and resolutely.

Of course, Su Hao understood the meaning. The pressure comes from the Qiao family, as well as those nobles who want to get it, but don't get anything.

A strange brilliance flashed in his eyes, he looked at Qiao Tianyu again, stretched out his right hand, smiled and nodded: "Sixty percent, this employment price is not bad." ”

Su Hao knew that even if he proposed seventy percent, or even higher, Qiao Tianyu would agree to these conditions. After all, according to his method, Konoha Town has become Su Hao's personal property. But Su Hao understood that maintaining a settlement of tens of thousands of people in the border area was not as simple as being recognized by the empire. If Qiao Tianyu blocked the trade road in a fit of rage, it wouldn't be long before this place would be deserted, and he wouldn't get anything.

Sixty percent, this price is already very generous.

The palms of the two men clasped together firmly. Su Hao's slenderness, delicacy, and indescribable smoothness. Qiao Tianyu's warm and thick, fat short and thick fingers are very white and powerful.

……

Su Hao spent a whole night making the final preparations.

Counting people, taking inventory, revising plans to deal with all kinds of emergencies, all kinds of trivial things, always solve the same thing, and then another appears, almost no end at all. Su Hao even felt that "everything is ready" was a deceptive nonsense. Although he didn't sleep all night, he didn't feel tired at all, and even had an indescribable excitement and anticipation.

Where will the space converter take itself?

Dai Xiaolou said that it was not another world, but an additional part of the current world. It's just that because it can't be reached by normal means, it's only accessible using a space converter.

It's like the sea on earth, and the depths of the land.

Su Hao didn't plan to take everyone away. Kenson, the experienced and veteran mercenary captain, will be left behind, as will Cookmock. Mo Xingkui and Heng Gray are the other two team members who have undergone modification surgery and can wear power armors. They will become Su Hao's companions and go to that strange and unknown area together.

The first exploration is the most difficult. Who knows what kind of danger will be encountered there? Maybe it's an area that contains a lot of poison, or maybe the geology and environment are extremely harsh, or it's full of all kinds of dangerous and powerful creatures...... In short, this past is just an exploration, as long as the relevant coordinates are recorded, it is convenient to pass at any time.

By dawn, the three of them were ready to go.

Kenson set up the space teleporter. Under the guidance of professional sergeants sent by the Iron Warriors, the mercenaries built a hexagonal concrete base next to the 22nd squad station. This is mainly to consolidate the bottom foundation and maximize the release of operating energy. When Su Hao and the three of them, who were wearing power armors, walked into the energy control area, Kensen, who was full of solemnity, had already opened the space converter hatch and put in three white spars that had been specially selected and were the size of hazelnuts.

Pressing the start button, the space teleporter suddenly ran at high speed, and a huge amount of energy poured out from the hedron furnace, realizing a predetermined coil along the ground, forming a dazzling and dazzling light. It looked like the ground had been cut through by some invisible blade, turning it into a hexagonal notch. The bright white light continued to rise, and finally formed an oval-shaped, balanced and stable energy gate in front of Su Hao and the others.

The mercenaries stood on the perimeter of the white coil, looking at the three departing companions with complicated expressions.

Exploring the unknown is the dream of every imperial soldier. There are abundant resources and can be rewarded with great merit and rewards. However, death threats have also accompanied them. No one knows what is stored on the opposite side of the space door. Maybe it's a dark creature, or maybe it's an unknown monster that's even more ferocious and powerful. Chance and death are always twins, it depends on how you understand and how you face it.

He Dong's face was tense until Su Hao was about to raise his feet and enter the space door, He Dong opened his mouth and shouted reluctantly.

"Good luck, doctor! Be sure to come back alive! ”

Su Hao smiled and waved at him: "Of course, you have to invite me to drink when the time comes." ”

The others also looked solemn, but no one spoke, just raised their arms and saluted these friends who were about to leave.

Who doesn't know how big the unfamiliar space area is? How many blocks are there, exactly?

The first explorers of the past are especially important. They had to use the supplies they had brought with them to establish a solid base for advancement. However, exploration may not yield anything, and if sufficient valuable resources and species are not found, the target space will be of no use.

In the history of the Empire, it is not known how many people have disappeared on the path of space exploration.

Whether it is a nobleman or a commoner, no matter what kind of dreams they once had, they should be regarded as excellent imperial pioneers.

Su Hao, the same is true.

……

When passing through the oval light curtain, Su Hao felt that there was a big difference from the first two times he had entered the pyramid portal. There was no dreadful darkness behind him, and all the qiē was enveloped in a blinding light. The naked eye has no vision at all in this situation, and cannot see anything, it is completely pushed by a wave of energy, slowly moving forward.

The energy faded away, and the soles of the boots felt like they were in contact with a hard object. Su Hao slowly opened his eyes and looked at this completely unfamiliar world.

There are no red flowers and green trees, no blue sky and white clouds, everything is shrouded in deep darkness and fog.

The sky was covered with black clouds, with only a slight reddish glow, released from behind the clouds. The difference between the volume of clouds and light is too great, like a burly and sturdy giant man and a newborn baby. Regardless of the latter's desperate efforts to release the light, it was still firmly blocked by the clouds standing in front of it, and only a very faint light reflected off the canopy, making the ground scene not look pitch black.

Su Hao turned on the spotlight on the shoulder of the power armor, and a snow-white light shone directly in front of him.

You can see a forest in the distance, and there are several strangely shaped plants at your feet. Whether it was on Earth or in the Third Stage World, Su Hao had never seen a species of this form. They are dark gray in the light, the plants are about twenty centimeters in size, have no leaves, only bare stalks, and are covered with sharp needles, as if they were shaped steel needles growing between the soil.

The word "soil" is clearly wrong. There are only hard stones and sand here. Hengri bent down and grabbed a handful on the ground, spreading it out, his palms showing no signs of softness soaked with moisture, but gravel and sand that rubbed back and forth against the surface of the metal gauntlets.

Mo Xingkui glanced at the gas detector on his wrist, and the tight skin on his face became slightly relaxed: "The air here is okay, the oxygen content is 0.72 percent higher than the normal value, and there are not too many toxic substances." The only drawback is that there is too little water, and it is an extremely arid zone. ”

Su Hao nodded, clenched the standard short-barreled rifle with a thick caliber in his hand, and said lightly: "Bring your equipment and move forward in search formation." It is necessary to do everything possible to find an area that is safe enough. Let's hope we're lucky enough not to be fresh meat in the mouths of some monsters. ”

After more than forty minutes of walking in the empty darkness, the light behind the clouds gradually increased, although it was still dark between heaven and earth, but it was enough for outsiders to see the world clearly.

All qiē are gray and light brown. Both rocks and sand grains are shrouded in these two colors. There was almost no vegetation, and the forest in the distance was illuminated by the light: it was just a pillar of rock standing on a wasteland. Although it is hard, it cannot withstand the wind and sun, and many parts of the surface have been sandified, and if you touch it lightly, it will "plop" and roll down.

"I didn't like this place. Damn, there's no water at all, it's like a huge dry sponge, and I'll be sucked clean by the sand when I pee casually. Hey! Maybe for them, that's the best drink in the world! The finest champagne! ”

Hengrey grumbled as he walked forward. Just as he finished saying this, less than five seconds, a small creature about ten centimeters long suddenly popped out of the sand. The thing looked like a mouse, but it had no fur and a smooth exterior covered with fine scales. Obviously, it had been lurking under the sand, and the vibration from Su Hao and the others stepping on the ground disturbed it. Just as the creature jumped out and wanted to escape, a needle-like plant next to it suddenly stretched out its branches and plunged a dozen hard and sharp needles deep into its body.

Su Hao and the three of them stopped and silently watched the scene in front of them.

The poor little creature couldn't struggle at all, and was directly pierced through its body by countless needles. Its body shrunk rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye, with no blood flowing, and the needle-like plant seemed to absorb the flesh through the guò plant. In just a few minutes, the prey had shrunk to only a quarter. It is firmly attached to the surface of the plant like a sun-dried skin.

The plants become more alive and even taller.

Mo Xingkui was curious about this change. He drew his fighting knife and provoked the plants with the sharp tip of the knife, and the hard needles immediately met him, stabbing back and forth on the blade, making a "clanging" sound. Perhaps sensing that the fighting knife was not a flesh and blood creature, the plant quickly lost interest, and the ferocious hard thorn shrank back and regained its static state.

Heng Gray glanced at the environmental tester on his arm, and his expression was very surprised: "There is a slight radiation index here. From stones to sand, there is also this plant. It's just not strong enough to hurt us. ”

Su Hao nodded silently, raised his hand, and made a move to move on.

Under the control of the muscles, the power armor maintained a speed of about twenty kilometers per hour. It's the equivalent of an adult running. Although there was still a set of small maglev thruster parts in the backpack that could be spliced, Su Hao didn't plan to spend time on it. I was a stranger to this place, and until I found a real safe area, there was no need for any extra movements.

In front of a huge mountain rock tens of meters high, the three people stopped.

The rock has an unusual brownish red color with dense pores on the surface. According to the geological standards of the third stage world, this rock should be rich in metals, and in fact it is. When Mo Xingkui scraped off a bit of rock powder and carefully poured it into the test solution, the metal detector immediately showed an exhilarating blue glow.

"It's blue! It turned out to be blue! ”

Heng Gerui and Mo Xingkui were both attracted by the faint blue light on the detector, and it was difficult to contain it, and they shouted one after another with surprise on their faces.

Only ores rich in "zirconium" belong to the third stage of the World Important Minerals classification standard. That's the same division as the color of the hedrons: the most prevalent and most common metallic minerals, which appear as white light on the detector. Minerals such as zircon are scarce and belong to the higher grade of blue. If it's rarer rare gold, it's violet and red.

Even white standard veins have a high mining value. Ores from unfamiliar spaces are usually of high quality and of very high grade. As long as he finds a white vein, Su Hao can establish a new settlement and base here. Even if there was nothing here, and there was no water necessary to sustain life, Su Hao could maintain it through the exchange of materials between the Guò Space Domain and the Empire, and profit from it.

The value of zircon is much higher than that of ordinary white ore.