Chapter 84: Water Well Trial Version

Yang Zicang smiled and waved at Ning Yang. “We’re heading off to rest now.”
On the way back, “Please wait.” Left Feixian, walking through the narrow alley between two walls, stopped, blinked his dry eyes, and turned to look at the young man behind him.
Jiazi stretched out his palm, offering the small, exquisite engine he had been dragging forward.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s for you. Those chosen by a divine artifact are always somewhat extraordinary, right? I was planning to leave this engine on this land anyway.”
Left Feixian stared blankly for three or four seconds before snatching it into his hands.
“I was going to be polite and refuse, you know.”
After a pause, both of them let out a few sly, low chuckles.
……
The next day, Yang Zicang woke up and ate the plainest gray buns here—food that the shed leader had traded from a medium-sized shed area. They ate these for more than half the month, three in total for lunch and dinner.
“Once we become at least a medium-sized shed area, everyone’s life will be much better.”
A passerby outside the doorway remarked.
Before long, a lively commotion came from the main entrance.
“Selling clothes! Summer’s coming! Trade materials for clothes, for sleeping mats!”
The loud shout cut through the bustle and reached people’s ears.
The trading team at the main entrance had quite a few members. The deputy leader, pulling a cart, glanced at the people coming out of the doorway; several of them were wearing clean, intact coats of various styles, and looked mildly surprised.
“Well, well—didn’t expect that our gathering spot doesn’t have many people, but you folks are stocked with so many new clothes.”
Niuwa at the entrance puffed out his chest and said:
“Of course, folks here aren’t poor.”
“Has a trading caravan been here at your place?”
The vendor spread out his goods on the board, letting people browse as he asked. Since everything was uniformly crafted by the Lost Mind Engine, the clothes in his cart were only standard, plain designs.
“Well, it so happens your team is the first to arrive here this month.”
Squad Leader Jia led a few young men to keep order nearby.
The trading caravan couldn’t help but think this way because those complex-style clothes could only be traded for from the Hub Town.
“Truly, talents hide in unknown places, even in your sheltered community.” The caravan members flattered.
Before long, Yang Zicang came out to watch the excitement. Suddenly, one of the team members exclaimed joyfully, “Hey, it’s you!”
Yang Zicang looked up. The young man had a thin face and long hair, with yellowish, dry ends from a lack of vitamins.
He didn’t recognize this person at all.
“Don’t you remember me? I was from Minchi High School—you’re my junior, right! If we can find a basketball, we could play a game here.”
“Oh, ah! It’s you, what a coincidence.”
With this reminder, Yang Zicang did find him somewhat familiar. Maybe in school, since the guy liked playing ball, he had remembered Yang Zicang’s face.
“How about we invest in each other?” The man said.
[Since more than ten people have recognized my moniker as ‘Jiazi Jian’, I, the Great Quadrilateral, have decided to adopt it as my nickname.]
[I have invested 1R in him.]
[Li Shangxiang returned my 1R and invested 1R for me.]
[I returned the 1R that Li Shangxiang invested.]
“Jiajian?” Li Shangxiang came over to Yang Zicang, casually draping his hand on the young man’s shoulder like an old friend.
“Yeah, that’s the name I gave myself. Not bad, you’ve even joined a caravan.”
“Just lucky, heh heh, the past is too painful to recall.”
The thin-built Li Shangxiang sighed with emotion:
“Anyway, life is barely manageable now. Our shelter area has goods selected by Hub Town merchants, so we’re eligible to connect with folks in town. So, how are you finding it here? Settling in okay?”
Although Li Shangxiang’s words were modest, a hint of pride couldn’t help but show on his face.
Here, being able to supply Hub Town meant access to daily necessities that only Hub Town could easily obtain—it was like having the qualifications to supply both inside and outside the town.
As the two chatted, a commotion broke out in the shelter area.
“What, a new well?”
“Wow, what a beautiful lost engine.”
“I told you, our Master Explosive Feces is no joke!”
Hearing the cheers coming from inside, the captain with thick eyebrows yanked his rope-bound bundle of clothes tighter, slanting a glance toward the person beside him, giving a meaningful look.
The team member read the cue and quickly stepped up to Captain Jia, respectfully saying, “Brother, I heard them raising a ruckus about a new well inside. What’s this? You folks have a good well now?”
Captain Jia had already sent Niuwa in to check what was going on.
At this moment, Niuwa emerged with a delighted expression: “It’s Zuo Fen, ugh, I mean Master Zuo, who created an amazingly awesome well-forgetting engine!”
Captain Jia was a bit stunned: “That Zuo Fen kid finally succeeded?”
“Everyone who’s touched it says they can feel a sweet spring flowing in their hearts.”
“Oh my, congratulations.” The merchant caravan members stepped forward to offer their greetings: “May we go in and witness its creation?”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
The burly goods caravan boss, whose muscles bulged from beneath his collar, strode out from behind, smiling:
“We can provide a free opportunity to use a ‘trial version.’ Presumably, you’ve heard of this item, something that allows local shopkeepers in town to test out the capabilities of the forgetting engine.”
Hearing this, Captain Jia’s face lit up with joy: “Hold on! Let me go talk some sense into my brother first.”
Upon hearing about the trial version, Ning Yang, who had been hesitating about directly installing the forgetting engine into the former well, immediately dismissed that idea.
He beamed with excitement: “Then why not invite them right in?”
Inside the room, Ning Yang clasped Zuo Fei Xian’s hand and gestured for him to sit down: “Good brother, we have a double blessing here—a free trial qualification.”
“A trial version? It probably won’t last more than a couple of days, right?”
“At least it can be used to test the quality of this well. I feel like it’s a product so good that even the greenhouse district couldn’t produce one. I’ve tasted the water from those greenhouse springs, and none of it is as pure and sweet as this.”
After hesitating, Ning Yang whispered into Zuo Feixian’s ear: “If its quality is really high, we could actually switch it out for ordinary well water.”
“You…”
Before Zuo Feixian could get angry, Ning Yang quickly added:
“We should focus on development now, shouldn’t we? We have to hold back on that indulgent lifestyle that only the greenhouse districts can afford. With this engine, we could trade for many precious formulas in the greenhouse settlements.”
Zuo Feixian clenched his jaw, glancing around the room, where Aya and Zhang Yuanxin, who had arrived on hearing the news, were also present.
“But this engine is someone else’s…”
“Once we secure a purchase order from the hub town, that’ll be when our settlement transforms from the ground up. After that, we can think about enjoying life.”
Zhang Yuanxin, sitting nearby sipping water, felt a mix of emotions in his heart.
Seeing how Master Zuo, who he had previously looked down upon as “the manure scientist,” was now soaring high and gaining the encampment chief’s approval once again, he felt a burning urge to successfully develop his own boiler soon.
Suddenly, he heard Zuo Feixian’s voice.
“I didn’t make this engine.”
He turned to Zuo Feixian in shock.
“Not you?” Ning Yang looked at him, bewildered. “Then who?”
“He won’t let me tell. Anyway, someone else made it.”
After thinking it over, Ning Yang let out a hearty laugh. “Master Zuo, from now on, you’re one of the owners here, alright? Keep the formula for yourself, don’t tell anyone, but don’t even think about leaving either. Let’s work together to bring everyone a better life.”
Zhang Yuanxin realized what was happening, then pursed his lips in disdain.
Stop pretending. You just don’t want to hand over the formula.
“Sigh.” Zuo Xianxian slapped his knee, unsure how to explain.
With the arrival of Zhao Qi from the cargo fleet, the rowdy crowd followed the encampment leader and his people to the only well with murky water on the north side of the shed area.
No matter how long the water in it settled, it always had an earthy taste, but this was already the best well Master Zuo had ever made.
……
The trial sample was a flat copper plate inlaid with golden magic patterns. When powered by a magic crystal, the Inert-Mind Engine placed on it reflected a solidified shadow on the copper plate.
Zhao Qi couldn’t put down the engine; he had never seen one of such high quality.
Reluctantly, he returned the engine to Ning Yang.
Seeing the other man’s undisguised envious look, Ning Yang felt incredibly proud inside—his encampment finally had something attractive to offer.
“Alright, now just lower this copper plate into the well.”
Zhao Qi lowered the plate by rope, and as the model shimmered, the ground quivered lightly as energy surged.
“Such a refreshing coolness!”
“I can hear the sound of water!”
Yang Zicang and his companions watched all this with beaming smiles, while Wang Chong and the others were deeply impressed by Yang Zicang’s choice.
A few minutes later, the five-colored radiance dissipated, and the once shabby rocky wellhead had turned into a sturdy cyan stone wellhead.
“Success!” Ning Yang exclaimed with joy.
Before he could say more, someone had already brought over a bucket.
Splish-splash~
Ning Yang, holding a wooden bucket, reached his hand into the cool well mouth. The bucket bottom swayed left and right on the water surface, then was pressed down into the water by his arm, as clear sweet spring water surged into the bucket.
“Let me have a taste.” As soon as it was brought up, Zuo Xianxian rushed over with a ceramic bowl.
“I’ll have one too,” Ning Yang said with a smile.
A single gulp refreshed the spirit, and they couldn’t help closing their eyes, as if the stagnant air lodged in their chests had been cleared away.
Looking around, Zuo Xianxian didn’t mind the stares of others. Carrying the bowl, he pushed through the crowd and came to Yang Zicang.
“Here, taste our water.”
The crowd looked at Master Zuo in bewilderment, then at the young man before him, with dozens of eyes landing on them.
Ning Yang’s brows twitched slightly, casting a deep glance at Yang Zicang.
“It’s… it’s truly delicious.”
On the other side, Zhao Qi, holding up his bowl, turned to Zuo Xianxian with disbelief and asked, “Did you make this?”
The people around joined in the commotion, saying, “Master Zuo failed dozens of times finally crafting such a great well.”
So that was it—it was the result of dozens of attempts before succeeding. Zhao Qi nodded.
After tasting the water, Yang Zicang gave a thumbs-up: “Well done, Master Zuo!”
“Damn, go to hell,” Zuo Xianxian shot him an annoyed glare.
He thought to himself that this fellow truly knew how to keep a low profile.
Still, in a place like this, before having the strength to protect oneself, hiding one’s abilities was understandable.
What a good kid.
Let Uncle bear the burden for now, and later I’ll let everyone know who the true creator is.
“I want a taste too.”
The crowd jostled forward eagerly.
“Give me a sip as well.”
Suddenly, Yang Zicang seemed to sense something and looked up at the sky, as if a gaze had crossed through time and space to fall upon him.
[You have given birth to renown in the Land of Lost Frequencies.]
Yang Zicang, with his arms crossed, stood stunned.
That works too? I didn’t expose myself, did I?