C10 A Process

Zhou Xuqing surveyed the area.

The people of Calcheth had taken every usable material, leaving nothing but worthless yellow sand and shattered stones.

"Yes, this is it."

Chen Cheng nodded, having double-checked the location.

As they were about to proceed, the distant rumble of a convoy approached.

"Brother Chen, I've arrived with all the goods you requested."

Xue Gang hastened to Chen Cheng's side.

"I've got your items ready, too."

Chen Cheng said, retrieving two boxes of canned food from his pickup truck.

"Mr. Chen, it's a pleasure doing business with you."

"And, I have a little something extra that I hope you'll appreciate, Mr. Chen."

The soldiers from the armed truck set two hefty boxes at Chen Cheng's feet.

"Seeing how much you enjoyed these yesterday, I put together a collection overnight, hoping you'd accept them."

Xue Gang flipped the lids open to reveal two boxes brimming with gold and jewels, including thumb-sized gemstones.

Chen Cheng's heart leapt with joy. It was as if whatever he needed just appeared. With these treasures, returning to the modern world would easily make him a billionaire.

"Hahaha! Mr. Xue, I absolutely love your gifts."

His visit was as brief as it was brisk.

Xue Gang arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly.

Observing the slightly fearful slaves, along with an array of weapons and supplies, Chen Cheng felt a sense of command.

The slaves appeared either resigned to their fate or accustomed to it, as if awaiting Chen Cheng's directives.

In this post-apocalyptic society, the lower classes had no time for advanced learning; survival took precedence. Soldiers were a dime a dozen, but technicians were as rare as needles in a haystack.

Chen Cheng had chosen slaves who were former mercenaries or soldiers, an even mix of men and women, adhering to the adage that teamwork between the sexes makes the work lighter.

"From this day forward, you're mine. Stay obedient, and I'll ensure you're well-compensated."

Yet, there was no applause, no excitement, no eager eyes—nothing like he had envisioned.

"Maybe this is the apocalypse," Chen Cheng mused as he opened a box of nutrient supplements, observing the numb figures around him. "Perform well, and you'll get your share of nutrients. Slack off, and you'll get nothing from me—I don't keep freeloaders around!" Food was the ultimate motivator for this group.

These enslaved individuals subsisted on the lowest quality nutrition paste daily. For them, access to nutrient supplements was worth more than a thousand words. Watching them toil, Chen Cheng approached Zhou Xuqing and suggested, "The ruins are vast. We'll start here and gradually expand outward."

"That's a sound plan, but with our current manpower and resources, we'll be okay for a short while. If we're discovered later on, you'll be dealing with not just a horde of desperate souls but also the attention of zombies and mutated creatures," Zhou Xuqing replied, her brow furrowed with concern.

"So, any advice? Or perhaps you could give me a list of what we need, and I'll see if I can procure it."

"You're planning to go back?" Zhou Xuqing asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Don't worry, I'll return shortly," Chen Cheng reassured her, gently caressing her face.

"I'll keep our base secure," Zhou Xuqing declared with conviction.

"Silly girl, staying alive is what matters most. If things get too tough, retreat to Calcheth. I'll come for you. And one more thing—our base will now be known as Dawn Corporation." Handing over the last of the food from his system space, Chen Cheng watched as Zhou Xuqing accepted it.

"Ding! Mission completed. The arsenal is now operational. Please check," announced the system notification in his mind.

After bidding farewell to Zhou Xuqing, Chen Cheng vanished into the desolate landscape. The system space had doubled in size, resembling a command center, with the arsenal connected alongside. Spanning about ten acres, the arsenal housed an array of sci-fi tech and transparent cultivation tanks. At the front stood a control platform, which Chen Cheng approached with curiosity. Displayed on it was a single type of soldier.

Mercenary: Muscle Strength: 60, Bone Strength: 80, Reflexes: 30, Cell Activity: 10, Brain Development: 10. Skills: Basic Combat Technique, Basic Firearms Handling.

The armory's most basic soldier came with a production cost of 30,000 white crystal nuclei.

"Damn! This mercenary is barely stronger than me, and with thirty thousand white crystal nuclei, I could buy a ton of slaves in the apocalypse," Chen Cheng grumbled to himself.

"What's this function?"

Chen Cheng accessed another interface.

It listed numerous biological materials and elements, many of which were unfamiliar to him.

For instance, protein: 0, calcium: 0, iron: 0, amino acids: 0, and the like.

The mercenary's tag revealed they provided 500 grams of protein, 1,000 grams of saline, and calcium... with a production cost of 15,000 white crystal nuclei.

"Wow, I didn't know you could do that. Looks like I'll need to start collecting these elements," Chen Cheng mused, sensing that the armory would eventually offer a variety of soldiers, not just this one. How to expand his forces, though, would have to wait until the system issued new missions.

"Ding! Mission issued: Manufacture 10 mercenaries. Reward: 10 points of bone strength."

"Seriously? They've issued it already? I haven't even returned to the present day!"

"Huh! I can return to the present even during a mission."

Realizing the function wasn't locked, Chen Cheng's spirits lifted.

The familiar scent in the air nearly brought him to tears.

The wall clock read 11 AM on July 28th, confirming that time in the apocalypse matched that of the present world at a 1 to 24 ratio. That meant spending 24 hours in the apocalypse equated to just one hour on Earth, and vice versa.

Chen Cheng massaged his temples, which were beginning to throb, and took a deep breath.

He hastily retrieved the shimmering gold jewelry from his space.

The two boxes were mostly filled with gold, over 100 kilograms worth. By Chen Cheng's rough estimate, at 200-300 yuan per gram, the haul could be worth upwards of 20 million yuan – and that didn't even account for the jewels.

Chen Cheng, who had never seen his bank account swell beyond a five-digit sum, could hardly fathom the windfall now laid out before him.

Yet there it was, glaringly tangible.

The stark disparity left him feeling bewildered.

What to do with such a fortune? Splurge on a villa, a luxury car, and ascend to the ranks of the elite?

But then, the mission on the system crossed his mind, casting a shadow over his excitement.

The origins of this wealth were murky; converting it to cash would surely invite a host of complications. Strengthening his abilities remained the prudent path.

In a world where the apocalypse had rendered gold less precious than a vial of nutrients, only collectors driven by passion sought such treasures. He pondered the breadth of this new reality.

Hahaha! After a grueling month of toil, it's time to indulge myself! Off with this gear.

A shower and a change into comfortable clothes were in order, though adapting to this new life would take some time.