Chapter 334, Printer
Flesh fell away, revealing gleaming white skeletons rising from the ground.
Twelve humanoid skeletons, along with twelve skeletal horses.
Wu Heng examined the skeletons one by one, checking their levels.
[Skeleton Cavalry (Level 7)]
[Skeleton Cavalry (Level 6)]
[Skeleton Warhorse (Level 4)]
This time, it was a new unit type, called cavalry.
The highest level was 7, corresponding to the squad captain who gave the attack order.
"The levels are a bit low," Wu Heng said, slightly disappointed.
But on second thought, this level was reasonable.
It wasn't fair to compare ordinary soldiers to leaders or elites.
These were cavalry units, not a team of commanders.
Besides, the pirate sailors converted recently were also around Level 5.
The professions differed, but they all fell under the category of soldiers.
If there had been a high-level professional among them, they wouldn't have been killed so easily in just a few minutes.
Wu Heng continued to examine the cavalry's attributes.
Their type leaned toward warriors, with proficiencies in [Mounted Combat (Basic)][Swordsmanship (Basic)][Lance Proficiency (Intermediate)].
This indicated that the unit's combat strength was largely based on mounted combat.
However, against zombies, cavalry might not have as much of an advantage.
Most of the time, zombies would quickly form hordes.
In such cases, the mobility of cavalry would be significantly hindered.
Still, it wasn't a major issue. They could prove useful in unforeseen ways. Having them was better than not, especially since skeletons didn't need food or resources.
"Equip yourselves with the gear on the ground. Arm your skeletal horses as well," Wu Heng commanded.
The twelve skeleton cavalry bent down to pick up the equipment and donned it.
They then equipped their horses with leather armor, saddles, and stirrups.
Once fully armored,
they picked up weapons and mounted their horses.
The cavalry's weapons were divided into two types: longswords and lances. Sitting astride their horses, they looked imposing.
"From now on, you're Cavalry One, you're Cavalry Two, you're Cavalry Three..." Wu Heng named them one by one.
After completing the naming, Wu Heng led the skeleton cavalry back to the compound.
...…
Entering the yard,
the sight of the imposing skeleton cavalry immediately captured the attention of all the survivors.
They paused their work, staring wide-eyed.
They had already seen skeleton warriors, skeleton archers, and even the skeletal dragon in the sky.
Now, Wu Heng brought back a unit of skeleton cavalry.
It truly felt like assembling an ancient army, with nearly all types of cold-weapon units complete.
The crowd stood at a distance, murmuring among themselves.
Even Qi Hancai came out of the dormitory upon hearing the news.
Looking up at the towering skeleton cavalry, she instinctively took two steps back.
A sense of inexplicable pressure arose within her.
Diverting her gaze, she looked back at Wu Heng and asked, "Any plans for today?"
Wu Heng glanced at the sky.
Having just returned from Netarei City, it was already late.
"Nothing planned for today. Tomorrow morning, come with me to the military market. Prepare two carts of grain," he said.
"Got it!" Qi Hancai replied, heading off to prepare.
Wu Heng stationed the skeleton cavalry with the rest of the skeleton army.
Then, he returned to the dormitory, opened the portal, and returned to Gold-Silver Island.
...…
The next morning.
In the zombie world,
Wu Heng stepped out of the dormitory to find Qi Hancai ready with the vehicles.
He climbed into the passenger seat.
Three military trucks started up, heading toward the military market.
"The market's walls are nearly complete. Should we operate it like the bus station, or more like the military's open market?" Qi Hancai asked as she drove.
The two locations had slightly different operational models.
The bus station under Li Yanhong acted more like a collection center, exchanging grain for materials brought in by various shelters.
Meanwhile, the military market not only exchanged guns and ammunition for resources but also provided a platform for people to set up stalls and sell goods.
Of course, the military charged fees for the venue and for maintaining safety.
Qi Hancai wanted to know if the new market should be open to the public.
Wu Heng thought for a moment. "I think the bus station's model works well. What do you think?"
His setup differed in purpose from the military's.
The military needed a system to maximize resource intake,
while Wu Heng, with abundant grain, aimed to trade for goods and let people leave promptly.
There was no need to complicate the process.
Allowing many outsiders to linger in the market would only increase the burden of maintaining order and security.
"I think so too. Should we match the military's pricing?" Qi Hancai asked.
Pricing required careful consideration.
The military's prices were based on their resource needs.
Wu Heng didn't necessarily need to follow them but also couldn't set prices too high, to avoid provoking conflict.
Even if he wasn't afraid, it was best to avoid unnecessary clashes.
Modern weapons still posed a certain threat.
"Lower the price of guns and ammo by a third compared to the military. Keep the prices of corpses and special equipment the same. For gold and silver, lower the price by a third compared to the bus station."
"Understood." Qi Hancai added, "There's also a proposal to offer 50 kilograms of grain for a specialized worker or professional sent by another shelter. If they come on their own, the grain goes to them directly."
"That works."
"Do we still need to trade resources at the military market today, since ours is about to open?" Qi Hancai asked.
"We should still go. Let's stock up on ammo, just in case they stop selling to us once the market opens," Wu Heng explained.
"Good point." Qi Hancai added, "I'll have Zhao Yanqiu announce it over the radio when we return."
"Mm."
After finalizing the market plans,
Qi Hancai discussed her checkpoint arrangements.
With zombies cleared around the old factory, Qi Hancai planned to block off side roads and set up checkpoints on the main routes.
These checkpoints would detect approaching survivors or migrating zombie hordes in advance, allowing time to prepare.
Wu Heng had no objections.
Since he wasn't always present, security measures needed to be managed independently.
The rest of Qi Hancai's proposals were approved.
Pleased, she spent the rest of the trip sharing lighthearted stories from the base.
Tales about old members pairing up,
and even cohabiting.
Both the bus station and the old factory avoided the issues of abuse or exploitation, thanks to female leadership.
No cases of forced relations or "comfort rooms" had emerged.
...…
Arriving at the military market,
Wang Chengang and others stayed with the trucks to guard the goods.
Wu Heng entered the market with Qi Hancai and two skeletal attendants.
The market was as lively as ever.
Stalls displayed all kinds of goods.
Many offered homemade explosives.
"Need dynamite? Guaranteed to work. Great for taking out zombies. One blast clears a wide area," a vendor shouted, thumping his chest. "I supply the open-pit mines nearby. Trust me, I'm experienced!"
Wu Heng glanced at the wares but walked on.
Explosives in the other world were far superior, with better effects and ignition methods, even if they were crude.
Continuing down the stalls, Wu Heng suddenly stopped at one.
The vendor was a scruffy middle-aged man, puffing on a hand-rolled cigarette.
The stall was cluttered with goods: machetes, battle axes, makeshift armor, and a cabinet-sized device resembling a vending machine.
Wu Heng eyed the contraption and asked, "What's that?"
"A 3D printer. You young folks should know what it is. It prints stuff. Want it? I'll sell it cheap," the man said, puffing away.