noveldrama
Chapter 737: 539: Lord, We've Struck Something Good!
Chapter 737: 539: Lord, We've Struck Something Good!
Chapter 737: Chapter 539: Lord, We’ve Struck Something Good!
Although, at times, one’s own kind can appear more detestable than an Alien Race, most of the time, one’s own kind can at least huddle together for warmth.
A High-level Relics site is enough to plunge the surrounding cities into a state of war!
When it comes to that, it will become a large-scale melee, divided along racial lines. A century ago, the discovery of a Medium-level Relics site caused upheaval among several surrounding cities for 20 years, leaving millions dead or injured!
Understanding this point, the faces of the leaders from both cities subtly changed.
“The sight of this Mirage is too astonishing, and it’s bound to alarm many races. If it truly is a High-level Relics site… war may not be far off.”
“Are you suggesting cooperation?”
“It’s better than starting a war between us, isn’t it? A High-level Relics site—how could we possibly take it all for ourselves?”
“Fine. Let’s proceed together for now.”
After some deliberation, given the looming shadow of war, they decided it was better to head there first. If they could scavenge anything, they would take what they could.
And so, both parties set off in mighty formations once again, one group ahead of the other.
…
Several hours later, both armies halted on a small hill, gazing into the distance toward Green City.
Night fell, and the temperature plummeted further and further.
The Double-horned horses shivered, their stamina pushed to the limit after running continuously for two days. Even their breath escaped as faint wisps of frosty air.
Yet, everyone’s minds were drawn to the distant sight.
The city wasn’t particularly large, yet its preservation was remarkable, with the majority of its buildings still intact and undamaged.
The green plants inside the ruins had been frozen into large, blocky chunks of ice.
The most eye-catching sight was the fluorescent cars! All over the streets and alleyways lay cars from the Lanpeng Civilization.
The sheer number was overwhelming; at a glance, there might have been tens of thousands!
Most of the mechanical vehicles, having been left unattended for so long, appeared shrouded in a thick layer of dust and grime, with some even riddled with rust.
Yet it was well known that technological artifacts were exceedingly rare and valuable in this icebound region.
Due to the high cost of fuel, coupled with coal being a necessity of life, prices were always exorbitant. The cost of smelting steel was even more astronomical!
Whether it was Wulan City or Maige City, they were all aware of the existence of technology—after all, how could such a diverse collection of races not have at least one civilization focused on technology?
However, the primary reason technology hadn’t seen widespread development was: this godforsaken place was just too cold. The highest temperatures reached only -20°C, while the lowest winter temperatures plunged to a bone-chilling -80°C! Even extreme cold snaps were too much for Level 6 Experts to withstand!
In such freezing conditions, pipes, equipment, and storage tanks often froze, fuel thickened, and equipment failure rates skyrocketed.
With factory operations severely limited, technological progress naturally became an uphill battle.
“Does anyone still have strength left? Should we rest here, or push through to the ruins today?”
“Commander, the last stretch of mountain roads is treacherous. It might take five or six hours.”
“Our mounts are on the verge of collapse. They must rest, or else the Double-horned horses will die.”
“Then find a sheltered mountainside quickly. We must reach the site tomorrow, without fail!”
Both groups of people, eyes bloodshot, urged their mounts forward, their hooves leaving deep impressions in the snow as they pushed ahead.
The sun set in the west, and night fell. Green City was within sight—only thirty kilometers away.
At this moment, no one was thinking about dividing the spoils. If a single city were to seize tens of thousands of vehicles, it would be an astronomical fortune. Even though most of these cars were likely broken, the materials and parts alone were priceless, and could be traded with other civilizations.
Car headlights, electric motors—just about everything could be repurposed for use.
“Whoa! Stop, everyone halt! This area is suitable for rest!” Suddenly, the City Lord of Wulan, “Ta Gang,” reined in his horse and shouted loudly.
His team quickly sought cover behind a small hill, where they began constructing igloos.
The igloos were hemispherical, their roofs layered with thick straw and draped with clothing. Inside, the spiraling walls were hung with animal skins, creating a highly effective insulation. The Double-horned horses exhaled plumes of white vapor as they munched on beans, gradually regaining some stamina.
The Maige City team was no less resourceful, tasking their soldiers with pulling out small metal shields to place atop their igloos.
The engravings on these metal shields had properties of concealment and insulation, providing even greater warmth than ordinary animal hides.
Ta Gang couldn’t help but sigh, “This is what we lack. Without the wealth to engrave such scripts, we’re forced to carry extra warm supplies.”
Gazing down from their higher ground, their longing for the riches within the ruins intensified, and they wished desperately for the sun to rise at once.
Just then, the ground began to shudder faintly, “rumble, rumble.”
Everyone snapped to attention, their eyes wide. Ta Gang even took out a telescope—though crudely made, it was undeniably a telescope.
Two enormous black figures suddenly emerged from nowhere, racing at high speed through the ruins!
One resembled a turtle, with four legs, one head, and one tail.
But this turtle was unimaginably huge—its shell was three stories tall, and its neck stretched to five stories high.
The other creature was even more nightmarish!
No one could tell what it was, but its size made it larger than the “Spider King” found in low-level ruins. Its massive pincers snapped audibly, “clack, clack.”
The two colossal beasts collided dramatically as they ran, making strange sounds as they roared and clashed.