Chapter 503, It's All Yours
"Kristo?" Wen Mansa repeated softly, then shook her head.
After thinking for a moment, she shook her head again—she had no impression of this person.
Wu Heng explained, "I got the intel through [Speak with Dead]. The one providing information and plans to the Level 15 Professionals is Kristo, a male merchant."
Wen Mansa raised an eyebrow.
"Since he's a merchant, it shouldn't be hard to investigate. Recently, a few new caravans have arrived in the city. I'll have someone look into it. It shouldn't be difficult to track him down."
Wu Heng nodded and left this matter to Wen Mansa.
Finding such a person shouldn't be difficult.
After finishing the conversation,
the two ate while discussing the situation at their respective locations.
Wen Mansa showed great interest in Gold-Silver Island.
"Master, Madam! The room has been prepared." The housekeeper came downstairs in small, quick steps and spoke softly.
Wen Mansa nodded and turned to Wu Heng. "This is my housekeeper, Hartel."
Wu Heng shifted his gaze to her and studied her carefully.
She appeared to be around 28 or 29 years old, with brown hair tied back, no visible accessories, an oval face, and black-framed glasses.
Her serious expression gave off a composed and intellectual aura of a mature woman.
"Hello, Hartel."
"Master!" The housekeeper bowed again.
Wen Mansa rested her chin on her hand at the table, smiling as she watched Wu Heng.
After dinner, Wu Heng took a walk with Wen Mansa in the courtyard.
Then they returned to the living room and slowly went upstairs.
"Pick a room near your bedroom. I'll set up a communication device for you."
Wen Mansa smiled and asked, "What's a communication device?"
"It's a magical item that allows you to stay in touch with Gold-Silver Island at any time," Wu Heng explained.
"Alright!"
Together, they went upstairs.
Wu Heng set up a radio in the room next to the bedroom.
Picking up the microphone, he demonstrated its use to Wen Mansa and said, "With this, you can send messages to Gold-Silver Island without needing to write letters. You can also chat whenever you want."
Wen Mansa, sitting nearby, asked, "Is this a magical item? Does it have any side effects?"
"You can think of it as a magic tool. You should also assign a skeleton investigator to keep records in case any messages are missed," Wu Heng explained.
Wen Mansa nodded with a smile. "Alright!"
After explaining the radio's function,
the evening darkened, and Wu Heng escorted her back to the bedroom.
...…
On the bed.
Wen Mansa, wearing a nightgown, sat at the edge of the bed.
Wu Heng rested his ear against her belly, listening to the heartbeat within.
Wen Mansa smiled gently and asked in a soft voice, "Master, do you prefer a boy or a girl?"
Wu Heng raised his head and sat beside her. "I like both."
"What about Minnie and Andviel? No news from them?" Wen Mansa continued.
"Not yet. It seems we're the most compatible!"
"Master, you're teasing me," Wen Mansa said, snuggling into his embrace.
Wu Heng held her and lay down on the bed. "Rest well. Sleeping early is good for your health."
After turning off the lights,
Wu Heng held her as they both drifted into sleep.
...…
The next morning.
After breakfast,
Wu Heng spoke briefly with Wen Mansa before going upstairs to choose a room and heading to the zombie world.
After all, the journey had taken quite a bit of time.
It was time to check on the situation there.
Stepping outside, he noticed that the number of survivors in the factory yard had increased.
No unusual incidents had occurred.
Soon, Qi Hancai approached from a distance, her boots clicking on the ground. "Your Majesty!"
After being called that for so long,
Wu Heng had grown used to it, and it no longer felt awkward like before.
Wu Heng nodded and asked, "Has the Provincial Rescue Team caused any trouble?"
"No, but I heard that Boss Huang died," Qi Hancai said, glancing at his expression.
A few days ago, after capturing the spy sent by the rescue team,
Wu Heng had promised to handle the matter, but he hadn't shared the specifics or the outcome.
Not long after, the rescue team sent over a group of people.
They hinted at strengthening cooperation and even offered to provide technical personnel to maintain and train on other factory equipment.
They also subtly mentioned that Boss Huang had committed suicide in his study.
He had already been buried, and the matter wouldn't be pursued further.
Even though the incident had occurred within their refuge, Qi Hancai was certain that Wu Heng was responsible.
Someone who posed a threat to the refuge
had "committed suicide" in his own study.
The rescue team's change in attitude likely stemmed from this realization.
Wu Heng didn't elaborate and instead asked, "Are there any issues with bullet production?"
Qi Hancai thought for a moment before answering, "There are two issues. First, the gunpowder is running low, and what you brought is almost used up. Second, the power supply is unstable. The solar panels' storage capacity is inconsistent, making it difficult to maintain 24-hour production."
In the end, it all boiled down to the power supply.
Setting up a power plant was still a priority.
"Any progress on finding talent for the power plant?" Wu Heng asked again.
Qi Hancai replied, "There are two leads. One is the survivor base in this city, located in the 'Jinjiang Apartment District.' They reportedly have relevant technical personnel, but I checked the map—it's in the central region. The other is from the main station; they said they could provide the necessary blueprints."
Wu Heng raised an eyebrow.
One option was local survivors, while the other was obtaining blueprints from the main station.
As things stood,
rescuing the local survivors seemed more feasible. However, whether they could draft the blueprints after being saved was uncertain.
After all, engineering blueprints like this weren't something one person could complete.
Meanwhile, retrieving the blueprints from the main station wasn't an option either.
"What are their terms?"
"The survivors want to join us, while the main station is still negotiating. They also mentioned transportation issues and suggested air-dropping the blueprints to us," Qi Hancai said.
Air-dropping?
That was indeed a viable solution.
"Keep negotiating with them and figure out the exchange terms."
"Understood!" Qi Hancai stood nearby, watching the busy crowd. "It's half a month until the New Year. I never thought I'd live to see it."
Her tone carried a hint of emotion as she spoke.
Wu Heng understood her feelings.
In this world and environment, most people lived day by day.
There was no future and nothing to strive for.
Over here, it's already like this. In smaller refuges, it's even worse—surviving is surviving, and if you can't, so be it.
"It'll get better in the future, trust me."
Qi Hancai smiled. "Okay."
"Make some arrangements for yourselves and have something nice to eat at the party later."
"I'll discuss it with Sister Yanhong and see what we can plan."
"Alright."
The two stood at the entrance chatting for a while.
Wu Heng returned to his room.
The plan to kill zombies and level up would wait until he got back to Gold-Silver Island.
A few days wouldn't make much of a difference.
...…
Back at the Lord's Manor.
Wu Heng came downstairs.
Wen Mansa was standing in the living room, instructing skeletons to adjust a hanging painting.
Unlike her decisive and ruthless demeanor as a gang leader, Wen Mansa now appeared much more gentle and approachable.
Seeing Wu Heng coming downstairs,
Wen Mansa handed over the skeleton instructions to the housekeeper and took Wu Heng's hand. "Come, let me show you the results of these past few months."
Just after coming down, she was leading him back up again.
They entered the study, where Wen Mansa opened a hidden door inside.
Inside hung some jewelry and ornaments, along with a large chest of gleaming gold coins.
Wen Mansa smiled and said, "It's all yours."
Wu Heng raised an eyebrow.
Rentam City was even more lucrative than he'd imagined.
No wonder so many people had their eyes on this city.
"I'll take half. Leave the rest to continue developing the city."
Rentam City was developing nicely, and it was likely to improve even further.
Leaving the gold here would aid city construction,
but bringing it to Gold-Silver Island would barely be enough to outfit a few ships and buy some goods.
Wen Mansa nodded. "Alright, I'll do as you say."
Wu Heng took half the gold coins.
Sitting at the desk,
Wen Mansa sat beside him and softly explained the city's ongoing developments
and the industries the Lord's Manor had invested in.
Beyond the Golden Cat, investments included taverns, inns, and a brewery in the city.
Wen Mansa, as a gang leader's wife, was indeed overqualified.
...…
In the afternoon.
The door was knocked on.
The housekeeper's voice came from outside.
"Master, Madam, Captain O'Cote is here."
O'Cote was one of the former "Spikes Gang" members who had brought back a body the previous day.
Wen Mansa tidied her clothing and said, "Let him in."
The door opened.
A subordinate dressed in leather armor walked straight in.
"Lord, Madam!" The subordinate saluted and immediately said, "We've found some information about this 'Kristo' person."
Wen Mansa asked, "What kind of person?"
"He's a steward of the 'White Ram' Caravan. He was found dead today in a private room at an inn, with his tongue cut out."
Wen Mansa frowned, her face turning grim.
This was clearly an attempt to prevent further investigation.
"Don't worry," Wu Heng said, holding Wen Mansa's hand. He turned to the subordinate and asked, "Were there any items left behind by the suspected killer?"
"Yes, we found a bloodied hood nearby."
"Bring it to me."
"Got it!"
The subordinate quickly left.
On Gold-Silver Island, murdering someone and cutting out their tongue was already passé—they'd even take the entire head.
Here in Rentam City, few people had spatial rings,
so carrying a severed head away would certainly attract attention.
"Do you have a plan?" Wen Mansa asked.
"Depends on whether the hood belongs to the killer."
Before long,
the subordinate returned quickly.
He brought a blood-stained hood.
Wu Heng took out the Tracking Pendant and placed it next to the hood.
The skeleton pendant began gnawing on the edge of the hood, and a bluish ethereal figure emerged, writhing and surging.
It flew off in a specific direction.
...…
In the outer district, along a road leading out of Rentam City,
the assassin attempting to leave the city was pinned to the ground by skeletons.
His face was pressed into the snow, his breath scattering the flakes in front of him.
"Master, what should we do?" O'Cote asked.
They had chased the assassin all the way out of the city and had almost let him escape.
Wu Heng glanced at him. "Kill him."