C18 The Black Gold Treasure

The woman with black hair gazed at Shen Wuyou. Bereft of any memories from her past and uncertain about how to survive in this world, she found some solace in Shen Wuyou's willingness to keep her by his side, offering her a temporary haven.

Yet, the name...

She knew, however, that she was not in a position to choose.

Noticing her prolonged silence, Shen Wuyou inquired, "What's the matter? Are you unhappy with my decision?"

"Thank you, Lord Crown Prince, for bestowing upon me this name. From this day forward, Nanba will serve you loyally."

Hold on.

Something seemed amiss.

But Shen Wuyou had no desire to dwell on such minutiae. He turned to Xiaoliu and Lili and instructed, "Henceforth, you two are responsible for my daily needs."

"Yes, Lord Crown Prince," the maids replied with a bow.

They then approached Nannan, guiding her through the necessary etiquette and duties of a maid. With that, Shen Wuyou exited the room and made his way out of the courtyard.

Stepping outside, a guard promptly joined him.

"Lord Crown Prince! General Chiying has ordered us to accompany you and ensure your safety."

Shen Wuyou nodded, asking, "Where is Chiying now?"

"General Chiying is overseeing the sulfur and nitrate mining operations at Lely Hills."

"Nitrate!" Shen Wuyou corrected the guard's terminology, then casually gestured, "Lead the way."

Under the guard's protection, Shen Wuyou reached Lely Hills and ventured into the natural cave where sulfur and nitrate were mined. Prior to the development of Shen Wuyou's gunpowder formula, the locals from Redrock had steered clear of this place, wary of the natural sulfuric acid that could cause severe corrosion upon contact. They dubbed this place the Death Cavern and the sulfuric acid, Skybane Venom.

The cave, rich in sulfur and nitrate, was permeated with the pungent odor of sulfur, hardly a pleasant scent.

Upon entering the cave, he encountered a group of Redrock villagers emerging with baskets of freshly collected nitrate. Spotting Shen Wuyou, they quickly bowed in respect.

Upon hearing the sound, the miners inside the cave ceased their work.

"Greetings, Lord Overlord."

"Greetings, Lord Overlord!"

"Don't mind me; please continue with your work," Shen Wuyou instructed.

"Lord Crown Prince!" Chiying approached.

"How is the mining progressing?" Shen Wuyou inquired.

Chiying began her report, "The sulfur and nitric acid on the rock surface..."

"Potassium nitrate."

"The exposed materials have been fully collected. To find more, we'll need to chisel into the rock. At this rate, we can extract over 70 pounds in three hours. However, if we include the nighttime work, extending to six hours, we can mine approximately 150 pounds."

With the ability to mine 150 pounds a day, it would take roughly three days at this pace. The composition of gunpowder isn't solely sulfur and potassium nitrate.

"Understood. Keep overseeing the work here; I'll check on the other areas."

"Yes!"

After leaving the mine, Shen Wuyou swiftly made his way to the wastelands outside Redrock Town.

A large workforce was busy there, tasked with digging trenches and setting traps.

Observing their diligent efforts, Shen Wuyou reflected on the past when Redrock Town had resigned itself to fate, never considering erecting defenses against the devil tide. Whenever the threat loomed, they would abandon their homes and flee. This defeatist attitude stemmed from a lack of hope, guidance, and someone to show them the way.

It reminded him of his past life's dedication to controllable nuclear fusion.

There was no certainty that controllable nuclear fusion was achievable, an endeavor with no visible end. Yet, Shen Wuyou had persisted. Regrettably, just as he was on the brink of success, an unforeseen event occurred, and he found himself in this world.

Now, with Shen Wuyou providing clear direction and a glimmer of hope, the people of Redrock Town were equally determined to defend their homes.

Overseeing the trench and trap construction on the wasteland was Zhang Qi. Upon noticing Shen Wuyou's arrival, Zhang Qi promptly came forward to welcome him.

"How much time is needed to finish this?" Shen Wuyou asked.

"Lord Overlord, everyone in the town, men and women, young and old, are all hard at work digging. We should be finished in just two days," reported Zhang Qi.

"Excellent," Shen Wuyou replied. "Is there a boat in the town?"

"A boat?" Zhang Qi shook his head. "The sea near the North Sea is covered with a murky substance. Nothing grows in these waters, no fish nor shrimp. Since there are no fish, we've never needed boats for fishing."

"No boat is no problem. Have someone build a raft and prepare around a hundred wooden barrels. Then, assemble a team of about fifty people to accompany me to the sea," Shen Wuyou commanded.

"Very well, Lord Overlord. Please give me a moment."

Though they didn't understand Shen Wuyou's purpose, they had learned that his unconventional methods had brought them several surprises recently. So, they trusted that following his lead was the right choice.

Zhang Qi worked swiftly. In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he had dismantled several door panels to construct a raft and gathered fifty robust young men, each carrying a wooden barrel, to present themselves to Shen Wuyou.

"Come with me," Shen Wuyou said.

He led the group of young men towards the shore.

Redrock Town was only a short distance from the sea. Upon reaching the coast, they were greeted by the stench of rotten eggs—a smell that usually kept the townspeople at bay.

However, Shen Wuyou seemed almost entranced by the odor.

This was the scent of petroleum!

The similarity to rotten eggs was due to the sulfur content in the oil. When oil was first discovered on Earth, it was hailed as black gold, a substance of immense value!

Oil wasn't just for burning; it was an organic compound that could be refined into a myriad of chemical products—rubber, plastics, dyes, explosives, sweeteners, soap... all derived from petroleum. Even the leftover residue, asphalt, could be used to pave roads!

Others may not grasp the value of oil, and thus can't fathom why our Overlord would break into a smile upon catching a whiff of that rotten egg scent.

Could it be that our Overlord has... unusual tastes?