Castle of Black Iron

This was a city. From the remains of the collapsed buildings, Zhang Tie realized that it was a medium-sized city.

As there was no road in front, they could barely access to it. The fluorite lamplight brightened up a part of the darkness. Through the indistinct mistiness, those ruined tall corridors were like a beast lurking in the darkness.

Some pioneers were seemingly wandering in the darkness. Holding green fluorite lamps, they looked like swaying ghost fire[1], which terrified Zhang Tie’s team for some reason.

Feeling the tense atmosphere behind him, Zhang Tie switched his dark vision with the common vision and found that this ruined city was absolutely like a graveyard. It brought a great stress to humans. However, in dark vision, Zhang Tie could only see the desolate wildness.

Seeing those remaining tall buildings, Zhang Tie could sense the development of human civilization before the Catastrophe.

Within his vision, Zhang Tie saw many collapsed skyscrapers. Zhang Tie saw numerous exposed steel bars and huge twisted steel structures at the intersections of skyscrapers, which looked like terrifying fish bones or skeleton of monsters.

At least in architectural field, the human achievements before the Catastrophe could not be matched by those today. After making a comparison between the cities that Zhang Tie had seen before and this city, Zhang Tie found that, even those tallest buildings in Yiyang City, which was the most prosperous city in Zhang Tie’s eyes were dwarfed in front of the remains of this city.

When they moved inside, Zhang Tie’s team was always obstructed by concrete blocks which fell down from those buildings. As a result, they had to make a detour.

On the roadsides, Zhang Tie also saw many traffic tools before the Catastrophe, which had already become nothing but rusty iron shells. Some were buses, some were like railed trains which contained a lot of carriages.

As to some eccentric remains, even Zhang Tie could not identify them.

For some reason, these remains suddenly reminded Zhang Tie of the old man, the teacher of his nature class in the No. 7 National Middle School in Blackhot City. It was the teacher’s last dream to make an investigation in such a relics. However, pitifully, this was too unrealistic for a commoner.

”Ah...” a soldier uttered a miserable cry in front before falling down the ground. Hearing this, everybody else took out their weapons and formed a defense formation while looking around. They were afraid of being attacked.

Zhang Tie hurriedly walked over there. He found the warrior was hugging his foot while a sharp thing like a nail penetrated through his instep.

The soldier’s wound was soon bound up. It was indeed a nail before the Catastrophe. One end of the nail touched a concrete block while its sharp end faced upwards. The soldier stepped onto it carelessly.

After the nail was drawn out of his foot and cleaned, Zhang Tie took a look at it. He found that the nail was still pitch-dark and bright, except for a bit rust. Undoubtedly, it could indicate the scientific and technological level of humans before the Catastrophe.

”Watch out your feet!” Someone warned loudly.

...

”We can find a place to settle down!” Zhang Tie said while looking at O’Laura. As they had already arrived at the relics, they had already reached their first target. Even though O’Laura and Nurdo had other plans, unless they had already known the concrete location of the possible super relics, it would waste too much time to search for that place with so many people. If a powerhouse could find that super relics in one day, it would take so many people about 10 days to find the target.

O’Laura exchanged glances with Nurdo.

”As our team has walked for a few days, they indeed should take a rest. As we’ve already found the relics, if our soldiers don’t search over here for a while, their morality will be shaken! If they’re lucky, they can make some money here.” Nurdo agreed with Zhang Tie firstly.

O’Laura glanced at those soldiers who were looking around with curious and excited looks before nodding, ”Fine, let’s find a place to pitch tents!”

”I can finally find a place to take a bath!” Sabrina revealed a smile. In these days, although women paid attention to their tidiness, men had already been smelly. The man who smelt best was Zhang Tie. Zhang Tie didn’t know whether it was because of the fruits that he had eaten or the effect of the all-purpose medicament, although he also looked as dirty as other men and oozed sweat, he didn’t smell sweaty. Sabrina said he smelt like the fresh grass under sunlight in the summer.

Now that the most influential 4 figures in the team had reached an agreement, the team chose to settle down after another few kilometers beside a collapsed skyscraper.

The skyscraper occupied over 6000 square meters. As it had collapsed, of course, it was safer. Zhang Tie’s team chose to settle down in the relatively open spot between the collapsed part and the part that had not collapsed of that skyscraper. As it had barriers on two sides, it was relatively hidden and safer.

Soon after he pitched his tent did Zhang Tie see Sam and Gerri walking towards him. After exchanging glances with each other, they left the camp. Finally they stopped at a hidden place hundreds of meters way.

”Sam and I found that ham package not far from here!” Gerri looked around and he told Zhang Tie in a low voice.

”Wuh, near here?” Zhang Tie asked.

”Yes, it was in a mountain cave on the east border of this city. It’s less than 40 km away from here!” Sam added as he pointed at a direction.

”Given the allied forces’ firm decision to enter the underground relics and the attendance of Golden Roc Bank, I’m afraid that they might have known the existence of the super relics. It could be said that wild bear tribe and our team were here for the super relics. Therefore, your intelligence would help them a lot; at least could shorten their time to find the super relics. As you two found the intelligence first, you have the full right to dispose it! If you decide to trade this intelligence with them, you will be safe under my protection; if not, I won’t reveal your discovery to anyone else!”

Zhang Tie gazed at Sam and Gerri in a sincere look. Sam and Gerri had never imagined that Zhang Tie could say these words to them as they were slightly moved. At this moment, Zhang Tie could still restrain his temptation facing the allure of the super relics. This made Sam and Gerri feel lucky befriending Peter.

”I know, but Sam and I have well prepared this time. We plan to find a chance to go deeper into the cave. If it doesn’t work, we will consider to trade them with the intelligence!”

Zhang Tie nodded. As Sam and Gerri were seeking for wealth here, their plan was reasonable. If they didn’t try it, they were not real pioneers, ”When do you plan to go there?”

”2 days later!” Gerri put it straightforward, ”We can go there together!”

Zhang Tie nodded again, Gerri is indeed cunning. As it was still about 8 hours away from going to bed, it would be too eye-catching if they instantly rushed towards that place after pitching their tents. However, if they went there after wandering over here for 2 days, they would be not that noticeable.

”Actually, this city relics has a great potential to discover. If not the existence of that super relics, there may be a perfect treasure trove for pioneers!” Gerri added.

”Oh? You mean there’s something precious yet not discovered here?”

”Of course, the bank vaults in this city have not been discovered yet. Additionally, there are something else which were very valuable, such as jewelries in the jewelry story which are still buried in the ruins, those items in the safes of rich families, even those top-class crystals which were used as common ornaments and ceiling lamps before the Catastrophe. Compared to those artworks before the Catastrophe, these item are more valuable!” Sam sighed with feeling.

”If there were some museums in this city, the items in the museums would be too valuable!” Gerri added, ”The well-preserved books in libraries could also be sold at high prices!”

Zhang Tie had not imagined that so many valuable items could be discovered in this relics. Looking around the city which occupied over 100 square kilometers, Zhang Tie started to believe in Gerri’s words. However, at the sight of those big blocks of buildings that collapsed in the ruins, Zhang Tie realized that the great physical strength was demanded to excavate wealth out of there.

”Do you have a target now? Where is the most valuable in this city in your mind?”

”Generally, according to people’s customs before the Catastrophe, tall architectural complex is always the prime commercial area in the city where we probably find high-end stores and banks. Although common banks have no vaults, they have safe leasing service, which is also very profitable. By comparison, rich people always live in villas in the suburb where they could enjoy beautiful scenery, except for some special situations!”

Listening to Gerri’s words, Zhang Tie glanced at the place in the far which was covered with most wandering fluorite lamps. ”That must be the right place which gathered the most skyscrapers in the city, some have already collapsed while some 100-m higher skyscrapers are still standing there, making them very eye-catching. It seems that no pioneer is silly.”

”Do you mean there? That place seems to have more fluorite lamps!” Zhang Tie pointed to that place which was only about 10 km away.

”I remember that the most prosperous commercial area in this city was over there when we came here last time!” Sam recalled for a short while as he nodded firmly.

”How about taking a look over there? It’s still early now. It will not take us too much time to make a round trip over there!” thinking of that treasures that might be hidden in the relics, Zhang Tie became thrilled at once. No matter whether he could find wealth or not, at least it was a very interesting treasure-exploration experience for him.

After exchanging glances with each other, Gerri and Sam nodded at the same time.

Therefore, under the leadership of Zhang Tie, they trotted towards there.

...

Actually, Nurdo always had an eye on Zhang Tie. Seeing Zhang Tie running away with his friends, Nurdo instantly raised his arm, closely after that one of his subordinates appeared beside him. Without saying anything, Nurdo just raised his chin towards the direction Zhang Tie was heading for. Seeing this, his subordinate instantly disappeared in the darkness.

...

After relieving the 80-kg luggage, Gerri and Sam’s moving speed increased sharply. As a result, although having to detour a lot of ruins and obstacles, they only took about half an hour to reach there.

When arriving there, Zhang Tie saw many pioneers wandering over there. Many of them were striking something among the collapsed buildings using tools.

”Why don’t they search over there. I feel something might be buried over there!” the moment Zhang Tie arrived, he had pointed at the debris——a relatively short building between two skyscrapers which were only about 20 m in height. The upper part of this building had collapsed while the greater part of it remained buried by some debris and concrete blocks of the ruined two skyscrapers.

”There might be something, might be nothing. However, it’s really time and energy consuming to clean the debris around that short building. It might require 10 people to work over 1 week. Additionally, we are not sure what’s buried inside. If we cannot find something valuable, we will suffer a great loss. It’s not reasonable to waste time on uncertain spots like this.” Gerri explained.

Zhang Tie found it was in the location of ”waistband fengshui” which was always mentioned by Donder. In Eastern Continent, businessmen usually chose their stores in an obtuse angle or an arc at a road junction, which was called ”waistband fengshui”. According to Donder, stores at such locations usually had good fortunes. Donder’s grocery was right at a location of ”waistband fengshui” beside the railway station.

Actually, Zhang Tie didn’t know the basis about ”waistband fengshui”. However, at the sight of the debris in front, he knew that the location was a ”bandwaist fengshui” using his instinct. Therefore, he wanted to have a try. Zhang Tie thought that the building at such a ”waistband fengshui” location in the prosperous commercial district could never be a steamed bun store or a public toilet; otherwise, it would be a great waste and would not fit the principle of maximizing the commercial value of everything before the Catastrophe.

”If you want to have a look in other places, just do that. Remember to not leave far away from here. If you need any help, just let me know. I’m going to clean this debris, no matter what.” Zhang Tie said casually. ”Now that there’s no target, it’s better be here.” Soon after saying that, Zhang Tie had rolled up his sleeves and started to work hard.

”Ah? Peter, are you crazy? Even if you work for half a month here...” the moment Gerri wanted to persuade Zhang Tie, his eyelids jumped heavily as he caught sight of Zhang Tie’s movements.

The moment he arrived at the debris, Zhang Tie had grabbed a 600-kg concrete block with one hand and thrown it 30 m away like throwing a banana skin, causing a loud noise.

Sam and Gerri were dumbfounded by what they saw.

”Pinch me. Am I dreaming? I saw...”

In a wink, another piece of cement formwork of almost the equivalent weight was drawn out of the debris rudely by Zhang Tie and thrown aside casually.

After a short while, huge blocks were thrown out of the debris one after another.

Sam and Gerri were totally stunned. They saw the same doubt in the opponent’s eyes, ”Is this guy a humanoid steam-driven excavator? His efficiency is even higher than that of an excavator.”

27 seven-strength fruits, plus his powerful strength as a LV 7 fighter and his flexible limbs as a human, making Zhang Tie’s efficiency extremely higher at the moment.

The loud noises also attracted many pioneers from afar. The moment they saw Zhang Tie casually throwing away a 1-ton block, they all became completely shocked.

With the help of the dark tore gloves and his iron-blood battle Qi, Zhang Tie could easily break in stones with his hands and shatter them into pieces or lift them and throw them away.

Only after half an hour, a small part of the debris and the concrete blocks covering that short building had been cleaned.

Finally, an over 8-ton concrete block appeared in Zhang Tie’s way.

Zhang Tie ran away...

When many people let out a sigh and thought that they could finally rest their hearts, they saw Zhang Tie running back with an over 3-m long flange steel. After that, Zhang Tie put another smaller block under that super heavy concrete block; he then used the flange steel to move away the block on the way.

In the next 5 hours, Zhang Tie kept digging. With the help of the pair of dark tore gloves and that super hard lever and under the unimaginable gaze of so many pioneers, he finally opened up a path which could allow one person to access to.

Finally, a wall of the low building was exposed...

Zhang Tie instantly pounded his flange steel onto the wall...

In the rising dust, a cave appeared...

...