Chapter 555

Zhao Chi and Tang Ruan used a total of 45 Quick-Work Talismans to produce 315 pairs of super-improved high-heeled shoes.

Not only enough for all the female villagers, but also 135 extra pairs in reserve.

Zhao Chi did some quick calculations.

Using 15 Quick-Work Talismans takes 150 minutes.

Then he needs to sleep for 2 hours to recover his physical condition — that's another 120 minutes.

During that time, he also has to squeeze in a trip to the Carefree Spring to top up his buffs.

Overall, each cycle of crafting plus rest takes about 4.5 hours, give or take a little.

In 4.5 hours, he can produce 105 pieces of fashion gear.

The cost is 15 Quick-Work Talismans, 10 Stamina Pills, 10 Energy Pills, and 105 portions of rare materials.

Safe to say, the profits are insane.

If he really tried to sell them, Zhao Chi wouldn't dare.

After all, in this kind of era, what fate befalls a master craftsman?

Expert-level craftsmen, master-level craftsmen — every faction needs them.

Everyone would fight over them, no question about that.

And they'd live very well too.

If that craftsman happened to also be a lord, he might even found a clan.

Becoming the first-generation head of that clan.

Plenty of clans were founded exactly this way.

Starting from a trade and the occasional discovery of rare materials, building up a fortune, growing into the powerful clans of today.

But what if it went one step further?

What if his skill reached an even higher level — a height no one else could match?

And what if that craftsman happened to be a tailor, capable of producing fashion gear with extremely high stat bonuses?

Then that would count as a strategic resource.

It could be classified as a military-grade product.

The nobility would certainly forcibly conscript him, making him produce exclusively for them.

Of course, he'd still live very well.

But his freedom would definitely be gone.

But more likely, he'd be taken away by the alien races, made to produce exclusively for them.

Whichever side he ended up with, he'd live well — but without any freedom either way.

And Gu Qing and the others would naturally no longer belong to themselves.

And by then, the women around him probably wouldn't be few either, but they'd all be women loyal to the nobility, loyal to the alien races.

If he was taken away by the Resistance Army, the outcome might be a little better — but he'd still be hunted by the nobility and the alien races.

In short, he'd absolutely never have the life he has now.

These super-improved fashion items can't be sold.

At least, they definitely can't be sold right now.

Even if he sells anything, it can only be the old kind — the castrated, rough-quality version.

Or maybe he should just stick to selling fire oil.

Fire oil is highly replaceable, so its strategic value isn't that high, and surely no one would have their eye on it.

Zhao Chi felt a bit depressed.

It felt like sitting on a mountain of gold he couldn't convert into money.

A black market really would be nice.

The 315 pairs of high-heeled shoes sat piled beside him, fluffy and white, nearly filling up the tailor shop.

"Tang Ruan, later distribute all these shoes, and just store the extras in the warehouse."

"Yes, my lord."

He'd originally expected it to take several days, but after equipping two new fashion pieces, his speed skyrocketed, and he finished all the high-heeled shoes in just one day.

There are still 4 days left.

Judging by this pace, the new-style silk stockings, the new-style shirts, and the craftsmen's shirts can all be finished too.

Not bad!

Zhao Chi was also feeling pumped.

Click to teleport to Penglai Village.

Bang bang bang bang bang!

The moment he arrived at Penglai Village, he heard the steady thwack of chopping wood.

The 20 woodcutting women of the Plum Forest Squad had also worked through the entire night here.

A large swath of trees in the vicinity had all been cut down.

Neatly stacked to one side.

The ground was dotted with pits of various sizes, left over from digging out the tree stumps, not yet filled in.

Digging out stumps doesn't require pulling up every single root — they're not transplanting the trees.

Just dig out the main body, then chop through the remaining excess roots.

It saves time, and the leftover roots become nutrients in the soil.

Qi Yue was chopping away in the distance, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Zhao Chi had only just arrived here a few seconds when Qi Yue appeared beside her.

Zhao Chi looked at her.

A thin layer of sweat on her forehead.

Her temple hair clung tight to her cheeks.

One look told him she'd been chopping trees with great effort.

She hadn't drunk blood for over ten hours, yet her face was still rosy and her lips a delicate red.

It seemed she'd already drunk blood.

"Good morning, my lord."

"Good morning — you've drunk blood already?"

"Mm, Sister Gu Qing gave me quite a lot in the early hours of the morning."

Gulp!

Even as they spoke, Qi Yue couldn't help swallowing her saliva.

Zhao Chi sighed: "Go ahead, it's fine."

Qi Yue shook her head: "No, Sister Gu Qing isn't here, so no one can treat you. It's all right, I'm not hungry right now."

As she spoke, a bead of sweat rolled down and splattered onto the ground.

Zhao Chi laughed: "It's fine, the wound you make is so small it can heal on its own without treatment. Seeing you work so hard, here's a reward — go ahead."

Zhao Chi extended his finger.

Though Qi Yue was still refusing, her gaze couldn't look away again.

"Don't be polite, go ahead."

"My lord, then I'll make the wound a little smaller, but it might delay you by another minute — is that all right?"

"Of course."

"Hehe, good."

Qi Yue's eyes curved into crescents.

She hugged his arm and slowly drank.

Eyes closed, she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it.

A little over a minute later, she pulled away reluctantly.

The wound this time was indeed very small.

There was almost no pain at all.