Chapter 27 I Choose Myself! <TOC> Chapter 29 The Bone Man's Offering
Translator: SumTLMan
Ding.
The elevator doors slid open on both sides, halting at the 31st floor.
Zhou Yi led his group out.
Now, the 31st floor had transformed into the rooftop of Jade Emerald City. However, at Zhou Yi’s request, Jade Emerald City had meticulously cleared the area. Debris and soil had been swept away, leaving only a few resilient patches of moss, giving the appearance of a sophisticated eco-structure.
The top floor housed two remaining houses facing each other directly, adjacent to an elevator that had lost its ceiling.
The high-rise was visibly dilapidated.
Despite this, Zhou Yi remained untroubled.
Jade Emerald City had disclosed its structural status publicly.
“…The damaged area exceeds 31%, but overall operations remain within normal parameters, with no risk of collapse or structural failure.”
“Current energy charge stands at 3.32%. Once it reaches the 10% safety threshold, structural renovations using natural materials can commence.”
It required a substantial amount of metal, various inorganic substances, or natural building materials for repairs. Having existing materials would be even better.
Zhou Yi planned to wait until Jade Emerald City was somewhat settled, allowing company employees to gain a basic understanding of it, before re-entering the Dead Sea to search for building materials.
At the seabed sealed by Dead Light, the abundance of reinforced concrete was overwhelming.
Zhou Yi approached the corroded security door of unit 3101.
The main gate creaked open slowly.
Inside was spacious; furniture and flooring had long decayed, and after clearance, it resembled a pristine, unadorned residence, totaling 122 square meters with three bedrooms and a living room, the main structure intact.
The house enjoyed excellent lighting and high visibility, with walls and ceilings emitting a soft, non-blinding white light source naturally being Jade Emerald City.
According to Zhou Yi’s specifications, the interior could activate soft lighting at any time, featuring both cool and warm light settings.
Since Jade Emerald City gained self-awareness, this was the first time it had welcomed an owner.
It did not charge for utilities like water, electricity, or gas, which caused Zhou Yi concern.
He did not want to see this architectural lifeform deplete its own energy and encounter issues. Sustainability was paramount; freeloading might be enjoyable for a while, but with Jade Emerald City now part of their team, if the building collapsed, everything would be lost.
“Is your energy reserve sufficient?”
“Please rest assured, the internal energy conversion rate is exceptionally high with minimal loss. Lighting consumption is almost negligible.”
Jade Emerald City stated that it could absorb Dead Light energy from nature during the day, which was ample to meet these needs.
Seeing the bright-as-day interior, the young A Jin glanced around: “Where are the lights here? Why is it so bright? Is it entirely made of prism stones?”
He wanted to touch the walls but hesitated.
Gong Zheng looked thoughtful: “So the Dead Sea Abomination is like this inside. It’s not that once you enter, you’re swallowed and digested. You can also remain and live inside its body…”
He asked: “Chairman, will Jade Emerald City still move around?”
Zhou Yi replied: “Under normal circumstances, it will remain stationary for the long term.”
“That’s excellent!”
Gong Zheng was immediately excited: “I think we can transfer all company assets here.”
“Previously, A Jin and I were concerned because of the sand rats here. They are ordinary small animals, but these creatures are highly adept at digging and stealing. People in Grub Grain Town have been robbed by them. They steal mushrooms, branches, soft leaves, and feces.”
“They are very cunning, stealing just a little each time, making it hard to detect. With Jade Emerald City, they can’t climb up, and it will greatly deter external marauders.”
Zhou Yi was silent.
The true value of Jade Emerald City was not about such trivial matters.
But he reconsidered.
Indeed.
Since they had Jade Emerald City, a building lifeform integrating offense and defense, with self-charging and recognition capabilities, they needed to fully utilize it.
He first communicated with Jade Emerald City.
Jade Emerald City expressed concerns about the safety risks of unauthorized constructions. Zhou Yi considered that this was the corridor of the 31st floor, a public area, and merely storing cabinets posed no safety hazards.
Finally, Zhou Yi proposed to raise a maintenance fund, including 10 Light Seed funds and various raw materials, to adopt a co-construction and maintenance, and abandoned area reuse approach. He and Jade Emerald City finally reached an agreement.
“Gong Zheng, your suggestion is excellent. However, we need to take it a step further and move the company directly here to the rooftop for office operations, right next to my room. Later, you and A Jin will handle this. I will have Jade Emerald City assist you in moving the box-type house structures. But for smaller items, you’ll need to bring them up in batches via the elevator.”
Zhou Yi’s words made the two employees both surprised and pleased.
A Jin immediately beamed: “I didn’t expect I could live in such a high place! No longer afraid of monsters attacking, Chairman is truly powerful!”
Gong Zheng was more reserved; he tried to suppress his rising smile and slightly trembling hands, taking a deep breath: “It’s the Chairman’s wisdom.”
Zhou Yi heard a hoarse voice.
“Mr. Zhou, may I boldly ask, what exactly are you planning to do?”
The speaker was Cui Mao.
This knight, with a sling on his right arm, had a somewhat stern expression.
“Although I cannot know your true identity and background, having a guard composed of Warrior Crabs, even able to control and subdue Dead Sea Abominations, claiming to develop land here, reclaim farmland, and build houses, it sounds unbelievable.”
The Tianjin knight paused: “You want to conquer all nearby towns, right?”
Zhou Yi’s expression turned strange: “Then tell me, what will I gain?”
“Of course, various resources and wealth, as well as a large amount of manpower…”
As he spoke, Cui Mao suddenly found himself speechless.
Zhou Yi said softly: “You realized it yourself, didn’t you? The towns you mentioned are not that I have any objections or target them; it’s just the fact that they are too backward.”
“To my knowledge, the only city nearby is Sand Port.”
“Sand Port still hides by day and emerges at night, with ordinary people forbidden to enter or leave the city during the day. They also have to regularly offer a large amount of resources to the maritime lord there for the city’s protection.”
Zhou Yi looked at the injured Enhancer, smiled: “Even so, Light Absorber species still roam the city, damaging buildings and causing casualties. Your knights can only expel or capture them but dare not kill directly, because Light Absorber species are inherently superior.”
“I have no interest in such places.”
This was all Zhou Yi had heard from Gong Zheng.
Sand Port’s productivity, infrastructure, and population surpassed Grub Grain Town, but it was just a city colonized by monsters.
Marauders regularly raid Grub Grain Town, and the maritime lord commands Sand Port to make offerings; essentially, there’s no real difference.
Cui Mao listened, his expression somewhat embarrassed.
“Sorry, I’m rather direct. I know Sand Port is just an ordinary medium-sized city. We must first consider survival before thinking about anything else. They don’t have many choices.”
Zhou Yi stood by the window, pointing outside: “So our company plans to start the transformation here, to create a different lifestyle model.”
“To use so much land just for sunbathing is too wasteful.”
Cui Mao seemed to want to say something, but ultimately he just nodded: “Your situation is truly astonishing. I need to return to Sand Port to make a detailed report. If you need to find me, go to the Sand Port City Defense Office, or find any knight or knight guard. They can find me.”
“Take care.”
……
Outside Mushroom Forest
On a hill.
Sun Zhonglai put down the old telescopic binoculars in his hand.
He clenched his neck vertebrae with his knuckle bones.
A Black Hand Mushroom hurriedly ran over and said: “Lord, Lord, something’s wrong! The Chairman of that company really tamed the Dead Sea Abomination!!! That Abomination doesn’t move when it approaches him, allowing him to freely enter and exit its body!”
“Also, it specifically lit up the indoor cave on the rooftop!!”
“Perhaps that Abomination is really his subordinate…”
The Black Hand Mushrooms murmured in low voices, filled with unease and worry.
“Will they attack us?”
“Hard to say. Maybe the Chairman is petty… I heard the higher the position a human has, the smaller their mind. He just pretends to be magnanimous but secretly carries out mad reprisals.”
“Too bad our Exploding Mushrooms are almost all used up, making it hard to resist the Abomination, sigh.”
“We should just surrender, surrender!”
“Shut up, you loser, you’re asking for a beating!”
The Bone Man Sun Zhonglai slowly spoke: “Everyone, don’t be anxious or worried.”
Upon the lord’s words, the mushroom people instantly quieted down.
“That Chairman proactively reminded us, hoping we cooperate with him; otherwise, he could have started a war then. We made a costly attempt; although it failed, I don’t think it was the wrong choice.”
“In terms of strength, he far surpasses us, but since we are engaged in agricultural reclamation and planting, it aligns with our strengths in Mushroom Forest.”
“We just need to show enough sincerity and skill to move him. Ability and value are key to survival and stability…”
“Wait for my news.”
The Bone Man tidied his red scarf, tugged at his tattered coat, and walked towards the distant high-rise illuminated by lights.
Chapter 27 I Choose Myself! <TOC> Chapter 29 The Bone Man's Offering