Wasteland Development Diary.

Chapter 537 Qi-Seeking Technique

"Actually, whether it's searching for stone fragments or selecting dzi beads, it's all related to my abilities."

Zhang Zhi pointed to his chest: "Mr. Zhou, I have two light-emitting organs, one is my heart, and the other is my lungs."

"My heart is just much stronger than the average person's; it hasn't evolved any fundamental active characteristics. My abilities mainly come from my lungs, which are the organs that underwent surgery at Maria Hospital to repair."

"I call the lung's ability 'Qi-seeking technique.'"

"Most of the matter in the world is constantly breaking down, but to a very slight degree, so much so that it is difficult to see with the naked eye. Unlike fragments of consciousness, which have good compatibility, material fragments are mixed together and scattered in the air."

"The air I inhale can be filtered and identified by my lungs, allowing me to recognize various foreign objects and microorganisms, such as plankton, smoke particles, and ash. My lungs are a special kind of identification organ for me."

“During my years at sea, I conducted many tests and applications of the air-finding technique. Dzi beads are identified by this method, through the inhalation of air.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi raised a question: "The Heavenly Bead uses a mirror-sealing technique to seal fragments of consciousness within a spherical mirror, and consciousness also generates a specific kind of energy?"

"Or is it that the fragments of material that were peeled off from the dzi bead itself are different?"

"You're absolutely right."

Zhang Zhi explained, "The spherical mirror will also shed fragments. As the number of consciousness fragments increases, they will react with the material side, which will cause subtle differences in the spherical mirror fragments. It took me a long time to confirm that this method of screening is possible."

"Matter and consciousness influence each other."

Zhou Yi felt a surge of emotion.

Even lungs can be used in creative ways.

Zhang Zhi relied on inhaled material fragments for reverse comparison and identification, thus developing a research characteristic from a survival ability.

The other person continued, "Later, while I was out at sea, I found another special type of material fragment that emits a certain amount of radiation energy and is accompanied by a distinct burning sensation. These particles are very special and easily identifiable."

"After years of searching and comparison, I pinpointed the source."

"Those particles gathered in large numbers near the light banner."

Zhou Yi's memories were immediately triggered: "The light banner of the disaster at the outer sea?"

When investigating the biological origins of atmospheric phenomena, Shi Gandang mentioned the light flag.

These banner-shaped clouds have a highly compressed energy structure and extremely strong adsorption force, somewhat like the turbulent currents of an inland sea.

Whether they are Skywalkers or atmospheric creatures, once they are caught in the blast, they will be torn apart and converted into energy.

The Skywalkers expended considerable manpower and resources to construct arrays of light banners to block atmospheric creatures and protect Cirrus Mountain, their settlement in the outer seas.

"Yes, that's the light banner."

Zhang Zhi nodded.

He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.

"However, it's not inside the light banner; that place is extremely dangerous, and I dare not go near it."

"I observed that there were a large number of fragments of highly concentrated radioactive material around the light banner. These fragments may have been produced by the light banner breaking up some kind of material."

"Later, I waited there for a long time and inquired around. Finally, I found out that the source was an atmospheric creature. It expelled fragments of its own matter, like a snake shedding its skin. It compressed these fragments into a solid and then threw them into the light banner."

"That is what you call stone molting."

Zhou Yi listened attentively.

Unexpectedly, after the architectural life evolved into atmospheric organisms, it retained the characteristic of excreting stone molts.

Are they using the light banners as a toilet?
"I dug deeper in this direction and found that not all atmospheric creatures would throw the stone molts into the light banner to destroy them. Such creatures are actually a minority. The vast majority of atmospheric creatures would excrete them in their own territory."

"In the outer sea territories occupied by atmospheric creatures, there are stone deposits along the edges. These are used by them to declare their power and territory, and also as a warning to the outside world. They have strong animalistic characteristics, and some animals will leave their feces and urine on the boundaries of their territories."

Zhang Zhi slowly said, "So I collected these stone fragments and accumulated a large stockpile. The Free Army still has more than 2 in stock."

Zhou Yi asked, "Has no one collected stone erosions in the open sea before?"

“This is dangerous, Mr. Zhou.”

Zhang Zhi explained, "The value of the stone itself is not high. For Skywalkers, something worth 10 light seeds per piece is not only difficult to sell, but it may also be attacked by atmospheric creatures."

“Those who can operate in the open sea are at least territorial water owners. Rather than risking their lives wandering in the territory of atmospheric organisms, it would be better to find something to do on Cirrus Cloud Mountain. There are at least several thousand light seeds a year, which is much more cost-effective and safer than looking for this kind of thing.”

"I did it because I have the ability to detect qi. The qi of the stone molt is consistent with the qi of the atmospheric creatures that are its source. If an atmospheric creature gets close, the qi diffused by its huge body will be detected by my lungs. That's why I dared to do this."

"For safety reasons, I also pick up items selectively to avoid taking too much from one place. I take a little from the edge of each territory, which reduces the risk."

“After arriving at the inner sea, I also found traces of stone erosion, but they were all buried underground, and unlike the outer sea, the inner sea was much more disturbed. So usually I would conduct the survey and then let the Free Army brothers dig them up. They are now very skilled at this process.”

“The existing underground reserves in the inner sea are no less than those in the outer sea, so we are focusing our efforts on excavating the inner sea.”

"The stone-cutting technique was also developed by us, because mutants are not afraid of mild radiation and can directly come into contact with this substance. Previously, it was mainly sold to the Mechanical Knights, Mirror City, and Wing City."

"The mechanical knights use the stone molt for research, while Mirror City uses it as a backup energy reserve. Wing City is a bit special, using it to provide some light nano species with energy for breeding—because some flying light nano species require continuous high energy to hatch their offspring, and the stone molt can just serve this purpose."

"Since there are few competitors, this field is essentially a monopoly of our Free Army. It is also through the selection of dzi beads and the extraction of stone that the Free Army has been provided with the necessary funding."

Zhou Yi nodded in agreement.

In that sense, Zhang Zhi is also in the same line of work, except that he made his fortune by scavenging in the open sea.

Little by little, they accumulated their wealth.

It's not easy.

"We have nothing else to offer but this insignificant skill in return for Mr. Zhou's great help."

Zhang Zhi said this.

Zhou Yi said with a serious expression, "This is not insignificant. For our company, Shi Tui is of great significance and will be an indispensable part of the new energy system."

"From now on, all the stone slabs unearthed by the Free Army will be handled by our Wasteland Development Company. We'll take as many as you have."

"Ok!"

Zhang Zhi looked grateful.

He was a decisive person and immediately said, "Mr. Zhou, I'd like to go to Mars to mine right now and see how effective the wasteland armor is. If possible, get the guys here to work as soon as possible." "That way, they'll have stable jobs, more career options, less financial pressure, and peace of mind."

Zhou Yi immediately ordered Hei Fu to take them to the Mars base.

……

They saw Zhang Zhi and the other man off.

Zhou Yi finally felt a little relieved.

Things have been happening one after another lately. But a crucial opportunity has presented itself, and we must seize it.

The root cause is actually the retrieval of the plastic fire platform.

He sank into the outer core space.

Beside the Electric Cat Building, the ring of fire atop the Fire Platform continues to rotate slowly. On the white platform below, the former White King, who had left for the moon, now sits as the Cat God in the form of an electric ball.

Zhou Yineng could clearly sense that Cat God had changed somewhat.

Its strength has increased significantly.

Its energy core has changed from a regular tetrahedron to a hexahedron, officially entering the LV2 stage of the energy core body.

A series of arcs of light shone from the top of the cat god's head. These arcs formed rays of light with different paths, connecting to the cat god. This is a typical circular flow device energy structure.

It looks like a spherical motor being continuously welded and built.

"Well? Great Zhou, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

At this moment, Xiaofu appeared next to the bonfire.

It remained in the form of a black human figure, tilting its head back to look at Zhou Yi, who was looking down at them.

"Cat God has installed the [Energy Decomposer] and [Fire Seed Tentacle], and is now connecting to the [Heart of Danger]."

"Once the Heart of Danger is fully synchronized and tested, its strength will reach LV3!"

Zhou Yi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed: "Wasn't it supposed to be able to reach the Transformer level? How come it's only LV3? That's a huge reduction..."

"Great Zhou, it's incredibly difficult for a Light Core Body to advance even one level. Transformers are at the pinnacle of life!"

Xiaofu gestured with his arms and said, "Cat God was only LV1 to begin with, so being able to level up two levels is already a huge leap! This is because the Fire-Sculpting Platform integrates a powerful circular flow device."

Zhou Yi yawned: "I think the Leshan Giant Buddha is being upgraded pretty quickly."

"...It's an exception, an exception!!"

Xiaofu argued, "Under normal circumstances, the way the Great Buddha challenges itself by leaping several levels would only hasten its own demise! It's only because it has strong logistical support and you provide it with enough energy blocks that it can maintain this abnormally high growth rate!"

"If it had acted alone, it would be fragmented and sleeping on the seabed by now, even if it wasn't dead."

"It is essentially a mechanic monster, but without a super resource-biased mechanic monster, its ability characteristics cannot be displayed."

It is true.

Zhou Yi thought about it and realized that the Great Buddha was indeed constantly teetering on the brink of death. If the Lord of the Dead Sea were a person, the Great Buddha would have been instantly reduced to ashes the moment it encountered him.

"The Cat God itself was cultivated according to the path of the Fire Seed Civilization concept."

Xiaofu added, "It integrates the power of the spark of life, but it still needs to form a path of consciousness. The so-called path is the way to a certain destination."

"If you set a goal for it, it will adjust itself around that goal and continuously move closer to achieving it."

"So, you're giving it a mission?"

"Yes. This mission could be to protect every life of the Fireseed, to make as much money as possible for you, or to train a Fireseed army for you..."

"Transforming the world and humanity."

"what?"

Zhou Yi said, "The goal is to transform humanity and nature. This is my goal, and it is also its goal."

Xiao Fu was taken aback: "Da Zhou, I thought you were just saying that to them... Are you serious?"

"I always speak the truth."

Zhou Yi grinned: "Scared?"

"..."

Xiaofu sighed, "But this is too difficult."

"The Celestials can create a large number of Transformers. Our limit as Retrograders is only barely at the Transformer level, and we are extremely dependent on the Fire-Shaping Platform... Even in mid-to-high-level civilizations, Transformers are renowned life forms, but they are merely tools created by the Celestials."

“Great Zhou, this is far too difficult. The Travers are not adept at fighting against groups they excel at. We are merely a group of scavengers of civilization, nothing special.”

Zhou Yi knew this. Xiao Fu was only good at playing when he had the advantage. His confidence came from the technical and informational advantage of the Flowers. When he was at a disadvantage, he would panic and retreat.

The accident involving the plastic fire station threw it into chaos.

This is especially true when facing celestial beings.

Zhou Yi said, "This is not something that only the two of us are doing."

"You mean there are also companies and life forms in this world? No, they're too weak. Even combined, they can't help much. The hierarchy of civilizations is strict and insurmountable..."

"No. They are fire gatherers."

Zhou Yi said calmly, "This is the Fire Collector's intention; they will take action against the Celestials."

"Huh? The Fire Collector... finally speaking to you?"

Xiao Fu was greatly surprised.

"Ah."

(End of this chapter)