"Isis?"
"I'm here."
"Prepare to mobilize all reserves at hand."
Ji Jue made up his mind, "I want to initiate a new project—"
"As you command."
The Spirit of Workshop bowed subserviently.
The Doomsday Special Train started running once more.
.
.
Ten days?
Since learning about it, Ji Jue hadn't stopped moving.
Even before this, Ji Jue had spread his eyes and ears throughout the Seven Cities, secretly disseminating the Fly King's creations and the many appliances and devices enlightened by chanical Descent. Even before Ji Jue ca to the Seven Cities, they had already silently infiltrated the market and ford a considerable scale in various places.
The infiltration plan had begun long before Ji Jue intended to find the Wolf in Central Earth.
It was quite convenient anyway.
No matter how the various factions strictly guarded their secrets now, given the haphazard organization of the Seven Cities, how could they possibly trace back several months?
If the Rotten Ape indeed decided to act within these ten days, it would surely not escape Ji Jue's watchful eye.
But unfortunately, Ji Jue's observations yielded nothing.
Completely fruitless.
Not a trace of the Rotten Ape could be found.
Throughout the Seven Cities, there were no abnormal changes, nor did anything unexpected occur.
Or rather, the insects continued as usual.
Under the pervasive plunder, the stench continued to emanate.
Everyone delightedly raced down the long road of incurable decay, each indulging in the rotting revelry…
Enjoying every sweetness of fishing in an exhausted lake, regardless of whether the grease in their mouths ca from blood and death.
Until finally waking from this beautiful dream.
.
"Hey? Hey! Is that Lei Wang?"
A hoarse voice ca through hastily from the other end of the phone: "It's Reidwan, can you hear ? Hey? Hey!"
In the apartnt building by the Coast, the man who answered the phone had a slight change of expression. His wife, busy with chores, looked up in puzzlent, wanting to ask whose call it was, but the man waved his hand, instantly silencing her.
He heard the desperate voice from the phone: "Can you lend so money?"
"Money?"
Lei Wang was stunned: "Didn't you call a few days ago saying you made quite a bit, enough to buy a house? Why suddenly…"
"Fraudsters!"
In a fatigued sigh, the anger and sadness in his chest were awakened, and he couldn't help but choke and shout: "They're all damn fraudsters, all damn deceiving, where's the damn money? It's all been taken by them!"
No longer could the previous bragging pride be heard.
Impossible to imagine what he had encountered.
In the frenzy of Disaster Beasts spreading across the Seven Cities, indeed many overnight riches erged, but who cares about what happens afterward?
Moreover, the vast majority involved inevitably had less fortune, not to ntion the blood-draining devastation, with more only getting scraps.
Even if you did earn a sizable and unimaginable sum, money is ultimately ant to be spent.
The easier it cos, the simpler it goes.
What's more, after several encounters with dire situations while gambling on lives at sea, returning sailors required massive venting and retaliatory spending.
After initial days of lavish spending, those waking up had to confront reality.
Money, money, money, everything required money, and more than double the cost compared to before!
Every single thing was a major expense.
The agents against Mutants, weapons against small Disaster Beasts, ship repairs, and Fuel Elent replenishnt… Each was a bottomless pit.
Not to ntion the essential drugs and alchemy creations.
By comparison, crew compensation and indulgent revelries are hardly worth ntioning.
When urgently needing money, even originally promised bounty bonuses were delayed unless collateralized, forcing dealings within designated loans…
In and out, it vanished by three-tenths just like that!
This was considered good; others lost five-tenths, facing severe undervaluation.
Even possessing theoretically large sums of bounty money, if truly needed, shipowners had no choice but to borrow from various lenders, paying substantial bribes to join fleet operations and hire escorts.
Hence, once realizing it, debts were already mounting.
"But that's not right." Lei Wang was bewildered, looking at the mobile phone: "Weren't they regulating drug prices and compensation just days ago, alongside various subsidies…"
"What a load of crap!"
Reidwan's voice grew increasingly indignant, almost tearful: "Completely useless, they're all in on it, they're all… everything received was devoured and resold by the Captain.
I can't even afford a purification drug now, Lei Wang, please help, not much, I just want a little… I… I…"
"…"
Lei Wang remained silent for a long ti, sighing in resignation: "You left too early, Reidwan, recently the Coast stopped issuing salaries."
"Even vouchers will do!"
Reidwan's voice grew agitated: "Coastal vouchers are highly sought after on the black market now! Just one is enough! Just one…"
"A new regulation just dropped yesterday stating all vouchers issued in the factory are now personalized." Lei Wang shook his head helplessly: "I truly can't help you, better think of other ways…"
"Hey? Hey! Lei Wang, lei…"
Reidwan beca agitated, wanting to ask more, but all he heard was a busy tone.
The phone hung up.
Instantly furious, he shouted, unleashing a torrent of curses.
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