Chapter 517

"Are you really leaving?"

"Yes."

"Do you have to leave?"

"Please, Master Xuanzang! You asked us to send you, we sent you, you asked for a Gatling, we gave you one, you asked for bullets, we bought them for you, you asked for money, we gave it to you!"

Zhou Heiya knelt down with a "thud" in front of Tang Luo, "We really have nothing left!"

"Is it that bad? I thought you guys were rich." Tang Luo said.

Heiya wanted to cry but had no tears: "We're just small merchants, running a tiny business, we really have no money, Master. All the money we made on this trip went to buying you bullets!"

"Alright, really, we got along well for over half a month, I thought we were friends, didn't expect you to be so stingy." Tang Luo said.

Heiya didn't speak, but his aura screamed, "If you don't let us go, I'll just ram my head into a wall and die."

"Are you sure this settlement can let me go to the Heaven's Grace Headquarters?" Tang Luo changed the subject and asked.

"Mm." Heiya nodded vigorously, his messy hair flying wildly, "Black Obsidian Mine, this place provides ore and such for Heaven's Grace, they come and go near Heaven's Grace's core city every three days, Master, you have an A-level pass, just hitch a ride."

"Won't you get robbed?" Tang Luo mused.

His A-level pass was stolen.

"..." Heiya stared at Tang Luo carrying a Gatling, really wanting to ask what standpoint he was speaking from to say such a thing?

"No, this is Heaven's Grace's territory." Heiya said, "Black Obsidian Mine is basically equivalent to Heaven's Grace's outer forces."

Heaven's Grace's territory isn't only the settlements they built; many settlements don't belong to Heaven's Grace.

But without a doubt, these forces are definitely inclined toward and close to Heaven's Grace.

Like Black Obsidian Mine, calling it an outer force is not an exaggeration.

If it were elsewhere, the pass would definitely be robbed, just like what Tang Luo and his group did.

But here, only crazy outlaws would do that... there are many wasteland outlaws, but crazy outlaws are still fewer.

Besides, who would be stupid enough to rob someone who has a Heaven's Grace A-level pass and is also carrying a Gatling!

Having both of these is practically like having "Don't mess with me" written on your face in big characters.

"Alright, then I'll go, Black Duck, we'll meet again someday, maybe we'll see each other again." Tang Luo said.

"No, no." Zhou Heiya shook his head repeatedly in his heart, putting on an ugly smile on his face, "Master, take your time, I won't see you off."

Tang Luo turned and left.

Heiya's caravan collectively saw him off, waiting until his figure gradually became smaller.

"Go, go!"

Zhou Heiya was overjoyed, ecstatic, finally seeing off this old man!

Black Obsidian Mine.

Its living environment is the worst settlement Tang Luo has ever seen, not even as good as a small settlement.

The air is filled with grayish-white dust, filled with a pungent smell.

The entire settlement is a dull gray.

The miner residents inside are also dull gray, with a thick layer of grayish-white grime accumulated on their hair, skin, and clothes, feeling like it's becoming part of them.

As Tang Luo approached the mine, several red dots immediately appeared on his body.

The gun barrels on the watchtower had already been aimed at Tang Luo.

Besides rifles with red dot sights, there was also a Gatling... the same as the one Tang Luo was carrying on his back.

Its power, let alone a human body, even if it were part of Heiya's caravan's vehicles, would be torn to shreds by its bullets.

"Pass!"

A muffled sound came from the broadcast.

Tang Luo took out his A-level pass and held it up.

After a moment, the red dots disappeared, the Gatling's barrel also moved aside, someone walked over and said, "Honored guest, what are your orders?"

Heaven's Grace's A-level pass, in this territory, is a symbol of identity and status.

"I want to go to Heaven's Grace Headquarters." Tang Luo said.

"There just happens to be a convoy in two days, but we can't go to the headquarters, we'll only stop at a settlement near the headquarters." The man said, "Guest, you..."

"Then I'll just hitch a ride there, that won't be troublesome, right?" Tang Luo said.

The man said with a smile: "No trouble, no trouble, please follow me." He also didn't ask Tang Luo about his identity.

Actually, the A-level pass is identity itself; as long as the other party doesn't make excessive demands, Heiya's caravan will satisfy them.

And judging by his appearance, he's at least a normal person.

It's just that he's carrying a Gatling, who knows what he's thinking, this thing, once you take it off, fix it, and start shooting.

The enemy's bullets would have already turned you into a sieve.

Only an idiot would be intimidated by this thing.

Carrying a Gatling really is telling others you're stupid and rich, come on over.

But if you think deeper about it, you're already "stupid and rich" standing there perfectly fine, and you also have Heaven's Grace's A-level pass.

It also means this person is not someone ordinary people can provoke.

A pack of wolves surrounds, a sheep walking among them will be torn to shreds.

But this sheep wasn't torn to shreds, so you really have to consider, is this really a sheep or a tiger in sheep's skin?

Just as Heiya thought, "Don't mess with me."

Black Obsidian Mine minded its own business, had no intention of testing, brought Tang Luo to the guest's residence and arranged it properly.

The environment here is better than other places.

At least you won't see dust everywhere.

Besides Tang Luo, there were several other guests; judging by the reception standards and class, Tang Luo was undoubtedly the highest A-rank, and was assigned the best room.

Basic food and supplies, even, did not require payment of "money".

Dinner was delivered to the room by the server; after taking it, Tang Luo asked: "What local specialties do you have? I'd like to buy some."

"Ah?" The server was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly said: "What does the guest want to buy?"

"Local specialties." Tang Luo repeated.

The server said: "The ore business... we cannot privately sell."

All the ore excavated here that is useful is the exclusive business granted by the Heavenly God's Grace.

Tang Luo smiled slightly, clearly not taking this seriously.

You say on the surface it can only be sold to those blessed by the Heavenly God's Grace, and really not sold to anyone else—who would believe that?

Those blessed by the Heavenly God's Grace would not think so.

"Rest assured, I only want to purchase a little." Tang Luo extended two fingers, gesturing a size less than two centimeters, "As a souvenir."

"Ah?"

The server was stunned for a moment.

The wasteland's ore is precious but unsuitable as a souvenir, as much of it is harmful to the human body.

Black obsidian ore also does not produce any stone suitable for decoration; the ore they excavate are all important resources.

To purchase stone suitable for decoration, one must go to the "Steel City" of major powers.

That is a luxury item belonging to the upper class.

"The ore here is not for decoration." The server explained.

"No matter, you must have some small ore fragments or the like, right? I'll buy them all." Tang Luo waved his hand, the aura of a nouveau riche unmistakable.

Already far away, driving the Black Crow King, the surrounding black crows suddenly shuddered, feeling a sharp pain in the heart, almost unable to hold the steering wheel.

Soon, Tang Luo obtained several small pieces of ore.

In the Black Obsidian Mine, these things are the most abundant.

There are three types in total; one is grayish-white, called ash stone, similar to real-world coal.

Another is a rare metal, a necessity for various manufacturing industries.

The third is the most precious, a rare companion mineral to ash stone, named obsidian.

The Black Obsidian Mine is named after obsidian.

It is said that the energy stored in this stone is tens of thousands of times that of ash stone and petroleum.

Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to utilize; only major powers purchase this stone, as they possess technology bestowed by gods and buddhas, enabling them to use this obsidian as a power source.

The obsidian before Tang Luo was only the size of a finger joint.

It is the most expensive of the three stone types; he reached out and lightly rubbed it.

Thumb and index finger pinched the obsidian, beginning to apply gentle pressure.

Under Tang Luo's force, the obsidian faintly emitted a sound, cracks appeared, and before he could completely crush this small piece of obsidian,

a violent force burst forth from the obsidian.

The Glazed Nirvana Great Hand Seal instantly appeared, enveloping the obsidian and this force completely within.

Not the slightest leakage to the outside.

Otherwise, everything in the room besides Tang Luo would be shattered.

The entire building would become a pile of ruins.

"Very hard, very fierce." Tang Luo gave this evaluation: "And, poisonous..."

"Yes, Master, I have never seen such a 'spirit stone' before." Ao Yulie said.

Tang Luo's acquisition of these ores was not out of boredom.

But based on an incidental discovery by Ao Yulie.

This obsidian greatly resembles the spirit stones of the Mountain-Sea Realm.

What is a spirit stone? When certain places have extremely concentrated heavenly and earthly qi, spirit stones may appear, containing vast amounts of heavenly and earthly qi within.

Those of high cultivation can directly absorb it, or use it as a "power source".

Like the use of petroleum and coal.

In this mission world, heavenly and earthly qi is almost zero; unexpectedly, spirit stones exist.

But this spirit stone is extremely special, excessively violent; the heavenly and earthly qi contained within is extremely fierce, like blazing fire.

There is almost no possibility of normal absorption.

If the process of absorbing the qi contained in spirit stones is like an ordinary person drinking water, then the "water" inside this obsidian would be boiling water.

It would only scald a person, even to death.

Moreover, Tang Luo looked at his fingers; the two fingers still had a slight black tint, that color gradually fading.

"Boiling water" is not only scalding, but also toxic.

This spirit stone is truly the first time I have seen.

"A poison to quench thirst." Tang Luo said, "But it can still be utilized."

"Those gods and buddhas, I estimate, are just using these obsidians." Ao Yulie speculated.

Cannot be directly absorbed, but that does not mean it cannot be used; if used properly, obsidian can play a great role.

This obsidian can be understood as "nuclear energy".

"Interesting." Tang Luo laughed.

Two days later, Tang Luo joined a caravan, heading to a settlement near the headquarters of Heavenly God's Grace.

That place belongs to Heavenly God's Grace, is this power's "industrial zone", a large factory.

Producing all kinds of weapons, equipment, and vehicles, it is one of the Wasteland's major arsenals.

The name is very simple, just called "Grace District One"; besides that, there are District Two, District Three, and so on.

And the headquarters of Divine Grace, that steel metropolis which can be called magnificent, is called "City of the Gods' Gaze".

"Gaze City" for short, not far from Grace District One; on foot it takes about a day for a normal person.

Driving is much faster.

After hitching a ride to Grace District One, Tang Luo did not linger long.

With an A-Class Pass holder's privileges, most equipment and vehicles in Grace District One were for sale to him.

Tang Luo spent all his money to buy a transport vehicle — the Rampager Type II.

A black motorcycle, except the rear has two wheels; the overall styling closely resembles Cloud's Fenrir from Final Fantasy.

Type II is the mid-range version of the Rampager model; before it is the Type I civilian version, after it the Type III luxury version.

Of course, even the so-called civilian version is impossible for ordinary civilians to afford.

This motorcycle thing has too low a cost-performance ratio on the Wasteland.

For the same money, one could completely buy a more practical vehicle.

In the end, the Rampager is just a toy for the upper class.

In Grace District One, the true sales staff of Divine Grace also treated Tang Luo's behavior as a wealthy man with solemn respect.

By comparison, the A-Class Pass was instead not important.

Those able to live in Gaze City are actually all A-Class Pass holders.

But those who can throw away a fortune to buy a toy like the Rampager are few — Zhou Heiya, thousands of miles away, felt another pang of heartache.

Driving the Rampager, Tang Luo headed for Gaze City; the vehicle's onboard display was still LCD, with a detailed map of this area; moreover, the car sped along with almost no engine sound audible.

The technology it employs is worlds apart from the crude vehicles common on the Wasteland.

The gods' grace can also be called "Divine Technology".

Tang Luo felt this vehicle's power source was Obsidian, but he did not take it apart to look.

He would take it apart very fast; the problem is he couldn't put it back together after.

Consuming merit power would be too wasteful, and if it exploded, it's not like consuming merit power alone could restore it.

No helmet, no goggles, not even narrowing his eyes; white hair fluttering in the gale.

In under an hour, Tang Luo arrived near Gaze City.

Here a steel city built on a great lake; there are no islands in the lake.

Just a massive steel platform standing on the lake surface, the city built atop the platform; at a glance, it looks like an offshore drilling platform.

Also like a mountain of steel.

Four lake roads in total connect to the outside world.

Each is a broad sixteen lanes, and all are metal roads.

The lakeshore is not bustling; the surrounding "satellite cities" are not especially close to Gaze City — walking takes one or two hours to reach.

The lake water overall presents a deep, azure blue like the sea.

Making it impossible to see the scene inside.

Gaze City undoubtedly has order; before entering, Tang Luo was informed of some precautions.

For example, driving speed in the city cannot exceed thirty yards, no shooting or causing trouble, and the like.

Offenders: light punishment — pass revoked and expelled from the city; heavy — executed on the spot.

Even if one luckily escapes, on the uncovered wilderness, see that "Wrath of God" in the sky? Within half a minute its Vulcan cannons can tear you to pieces.

Entering Gaze City, it seems like instantly going from the wild, lawless Wasteland into civilized society.

Mm, just seems like it.

Tang Luo looked at the "roadblock" before him and couldn't help falling into thought: "I'm clearly carrying a Gatling gun; does it really have no deterrence?"

The one blocking Tang Luo was a young man with a pale face, sunken eye sockets, and reeking of alcohol.

Looking like he had indulged in excessive debauchery, with several lipstick marks on his body.

He just stood in front of the Rampager, demanding Tang Luo return his vehicle to him.

Yes, this drunk claimed the Rampager was his, and Tang Luo was a thief.

Isn't this bullying an honest person?!

A vehicle bought with real hard-earned money, the power gauge needle is still at max, the protective film on the display hasn't even been peeled off.

Just entered the city and it already became someone else's.

Tang Luo expressed this kind of thing, cannot be tolerated!

Absolutely cannot encourage this social trend of bullying honest people; it must be curbed!

So Tang Luo took off the Gatling and aimed at this drunk: "The sea of suffering is boundless; turn back and you'll find shore. Young man, you need to be saved."

Namo Gatling Bodhisattva, six roots purified great barrel, one breath three thousand six hundred revolutions, great compassion ferries all beings.

What, what happened to the agreed low profile?

This is already very low profile.

Using a Gatling to blast enemies is a basic operation on the wild Wasteland; along the way, Tang Luo has seen many Gatlings.