Chapter 17: Market Construction Blueprints [Please bookmark and recommend]

The unknown is what truly captures the heart.

Zong Shen approached the treasure chest and reached out to touch it lightly.

Looking at the [Click to Open] prompt appearing before him, he clicked it directly.

Immediately, the chest slowly opened.

Several glowing orbs of reward emerged.

[Black Iron Chest Opened Successfully]

[Market Construction Blueprint ×1] [Fine Wheat Bread ×10] [Crafted Rum ×10] [Sharp Germanic Sword ×1] [Wooden Shield Blueprint ×1]

There were five rewards in total.

Two were food.

Two were blueprints—one for a building and one for crafting.

The last one was a longsword.

Zong Shen first picked up the longsword to inspect it.

[Sharp Germanic Sword] [One-handed/Two-handed] [Quality: Common] [Slashing Damage: 29/33 (One/Two-handed)] [Piercing Damage: 23] [Attack Range: 80] [Attack Speed: +8%] [Durability: 120] [Strength Required: 8]

Good heavens, it was much better than the damaged, low-quality rusty sword in Zong Shen's own hand; not only could it be used one-handed, but it could also be used as a two-handed sword.

He immediately put away the rusty sword and equipped the Sharp Germanic Sword.

Next, he began his routine inspection.

[Wooden Shield Blueprint] [Can be used to craft simple wooden shields]

[Simple Wooden Shield] [Quality: Common] [Shield Defense: 35] [Crafting Requirements: Wood ×6, Hemp ×2] [Crafting Time: 10m]

The attributes were quite mediocre basic equipment, not even comparable to Zong Shen's damaged, low-quality kite shield. However, the crafting was simple and the required materials were few; he could consider making a few as transitional gear for the farmers to defend themselves.

[Fine Wheat Bread] [Delicious Fine Wheat Bread] [Effect: Restores 50 points of satiety]

(Good food. It would be even better if there were milk.)

...

[Crafted Rum] [Refined Rum] [Effect: Attack +10%, Defense -20%, Duration: 30m]

(Rum brewed through multiple processes. If you encounter the Dwarven race, offering them a glass of rum can earn you their friendship.)

Food was also one of the resources Zong Shen was currently short on, especially with the rapid increase in the territory's population. Food was a particularly vital basic resource guarantee.

Second was water.

Water, food, and safety—these were the three most fundamental elements of survival.

He had to remember that his main purpose for this trip was to find a water source.

But it didn't matter; he planned to ask the Guide on his way back.

He stowed all four rewards into his storage slots.

Next, only one building blueprint remained.

[Market Construction Blueprint ×1] [Quality: Common (White)] [Requirements: Wood ×20, Iron ×8, Hemp Rope ×3, Trading Market Construction Blueprint ×1] [Construction Time: 1h 36m (Reduced by 20% via Engineering)] [Footprint: 10 sqm] [Durability: 500] [Armor Value: 10] [Market: Can trade with other Lords. Current level allows a maximum of three items to be listed for sale simultaneously.]

The market blueprint had dropped, and the resources required for construction were not excessive. In the future, he would be able to trade with other Lords who had also built markets.

After stowing all the rewards, Zong Shen stood up and looked at the now-empty treasure chest.

[Black Iron Chest] [Click to Decompose]

"Decompose."

[Obtained Iron ×10]

Another wave of resources in hand.

"Is there any other material in this camp?" Zong Shen asked in his mind.

(You are practically a passing locust. Without my guidance, you would have stripped this place clean.)

Looking at this backhanded compliment, Zong Shen rolled his eyes.

"Fine, then the next question."

"Where is there drinkable water? The closer to the camp, the better!"

(This is not a difficult question. In fact, north of your territory, less than three miles ahead, there is a small stream that is clear and safe. Forty-seven miles to the southwest, there is a lake, though some bad-tempered fellows have occupied it. Continuing fifty-two miles south from this camp, there is a swamp that is neither very clear nor very safe.)

The Guide provided several options at once.

Zong Shen scanned them briefly; it turned out there was a small stream not far from the territory. It seemed returning to the territory first was the most reliable option.

"Are there any treasures or precious materials worth looking for near this camp?"

(Below the camp lies a massive Isara Ruin containing some very interesting things, but the workload is immense. You can consider excavating here once you have sufficient manpower.)

(Thirteen miles west of the camp is a small patch of jungle containing a Silver Treasure Chest, but there are several strong Bugbears inside.)

(Walk out of the camp to the right, walk one hundred steps, and dig down; you will find a little surprise.)

The Guide instantly offered three suggestions.

With the Guide module, Zong Shen felt like operating an excavator, transforming into a true "dirt digger."

Where to dig? Dig, and you get a sack. Less talk, more action.

Among these three options, the only one Zong Shen could handle alone was the "little surprise" one hundred steps to the right of the camp. The other two were not things Zong Shen could solve single-handedly.

Thus, following the prompt, he walked out of the camp and proceeded 100 steps to the right.

He swung his pickaxe down.

To his surprise, he dug up a leather wallet.

Zong Shen picked up the wallet and looked closely.

[Traveler's Wallet] [Money +430]

Well, it really was a little surprise.

Speaking of which, since being chosen, he had obtained some "money." However, so far, he hadn't discovered where this money was supposed to be used. It would likely only be usable after making contact with the indigenous factions of this continent.

He put the money away. Money did not occupy storage slots; it had its own separate storage space. However, once manifested, it appeared as individual copper coins.

Zong Shen glanced down at the watch on his wrist. This was the only object that had come with him when he landed.

It was already past three in the afternoon.

He had better hurry back. Once he finished collecting water, it would be dark.

Next, he would build some basic structures. When the Wolf Cavalry returned, he would see if Colby had discovered anything valuable during this outing.

Tomorrow, eleven farmers would be collecting resources simultaneously.

Zong Shen mounted his old traveling horse and headed back toward the territory, thinking about his upcoming arrangements and plans.

This was the first day of landing!

It seemed to have gone quite successfully. Not only did he secure food and water, but he also gained two powerful soldiers and eight farmers.

With the increase in population, the 230 square meters of usable area in the Lord's Courtyard was starting to feel cramped. It seemed that tomorrow or the day after, he would need to expand the territory's boundaries.

With his current strength, he should be able to handle ten random hostile targets within a five-kilometer radius.