After washing the dishes, Qian Su took a thin rope from her backpack and swiftly tied a few bowls together, then wrapped them with a thick layer of sponge-like material, ensuring they wouldn't be knocked or damaged.

She then wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, her face beaming with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

Zhou Yi noticed she seemed to never take off her hat, previously wearing a white sunhat and swapping it for a warm brown felt hat in the winter.

He took a hat out of his own closet and handed it over to her.

"Here, this is for you."

It was a vintage purple-red wool hat with a touch of British style, long neglected in Zhou Yi's wardrobe because it was too thick and warm for his liking.

Giving it to Qian Su, who liked hats, was like offering borrowed flowers to Buddha.

"Thank you!"

Qian Su took it with glee, admiring it from all sides, "It truly is a creation from the Dead Sea Zone, the cities on the surface can't produce such fine stitching, and the processing of wool is also different."

She then removed her own felt hat, and Zhou Yi was stunned.

Because Qian Su's head was bald, shiny brass-colored on the top with a metallic material for a skull, complete with small threaded screws affixed to it. Her hair was all wigs, just pressed under the hat, not visible from the outside.

She turned out to be a bald girl.

Zhou Yi suddenly felt a bit guilty, "I didn't know you were..."

"Actually, it's not so bad."

Qian Su patted her metallic forehead, producing a clanging sound, "Although it's different from normal people, this way my head has stronger defense. I've been hit on the head by weapons a few times, and if it weren't for this modified skull, I would probably have been killed by now. Changing wigs is actually quite convenient; washing normal hair can be very troublesome."

Although Zhou Yi felt a bit remorseful, his curiosity got the better of him, "How did you become like this?"

It was hard to imagine what had happened to the girl in front of him, with prosthetic arms and a part metal skull.

Qian Su put on a wig and then covered it with the new hat Zhou Yi had given her, "When I was young, a severe explosion occurred in Fengdu City where I lived. When my grandfather found me, my hands and feet had been crushed by falling pillars, and my head had been severely dented. Then, my grandfather installed new hands and legs for me, cut out the necrotic parts, and replaced my skull. I was very lucky; a lot of people died at that time."

She took out a small mirror and adjusted the angle of the hat's brim to her satisfaction.

"The hat is very pretty, both the pattern and the style are unique, thank you."

Zhou Yi hummed in acknowledgment, "It's good that you were rescued in time. Was your grandfather a craftsman or an alchemist?"

"He's not my biological grandfather."

Qian Su waved her hand, "Actually, he's one of the senior craftsmen from the Craftsmen Guild; I call all of them grandfathers. At the time, they found many injured people like me, and since we were all on the verge of death, no one objected to using us for human experimentation. I was lucky to have survived; the success rate for such extensive physiological modifications is very low, and without them, I would have been dead already."

After a brief chat, Zhou Yi picked up the catalog in his hand and said, "I'll take all your Light Blockers."

"All of them?"

Qian Su confirmed once more, "Currently, in the trunk, there are two medium-sized Light Blockers, each priced at 150 Light Seeds, and four small-sized Light Blockers, each at 30 Light Seeds. If you buy all of them, the total will be 420 Light Seeds."

"All of them."

Zhou Yi then asked, "What's the difference between medium and small size? Just the number of Light Blockers?"

Qian Su explained, "More Light Resistor Boxes allow the Chain Line to cover a larger area, and the actual power is about four times that of small-sized Light Blockers."

"Also, the medium-sized Light Blockers are sealed by registered craftsmen and marked with their personal seal, ensuring better quality. Small-sized Light Blockers are made and assembled by ordinary craftsmen or assistants, so it's normal that they are five times more expensive."

That's good.

As long as the items are worth their value.

Zhou Yi thought for a moment, "How many more Light Blockers can you get?"

This question took her by surprise.

After a moment of thought, Qian Su replied, "Small Light Blockers might still be available for purchase in Chicken Head Town. For medium-sized ones, you'd have to go to cities like Sand Port and buy through the stores of the craftsmen's guilds. I can't be sure of the specific numbers."

"Now that it's winter, all cities reduce their outdoor labor. Whether it's raw material excavation, collection, or processing, it's all affected. Industries tend to have a degree of cyclical contraction... so the output of reinforcement devices also drops, and shortages in stock are usually seasonal."

"I'd have to ask in person to know how much stock is available for purchase. I really can't make any promises."

Qian Su outlined the current market situation.

Zhou Yi quickly thought of another option:

Recursive City.

He immediately said in his mind, "Red Kestrel, check how many Light Blockers are for sale in Recursive City."

A few seconds later.

The drone's voice replied in his mind, "There are 422 Light Blockers for sale in Recursive City, including 7 large Light Blockers priced from 1000 to 1850 Light Seeds, medium-sized Light Blockers priced at 145 Light Seeds each, and small Light Blockers priced at 25 Light Seeds each."

Zhou Yi reflected internally.

The online marketplace was still cheaper.

Qian Su's small offline shops like this one couldn't possibly beat big conglomerates in pricing.

However, Red Kestrel had also said, "If delivery is required, the cost is very high, starting at 100 Light Seeds per order, and over 1000 kilograms would be calculated on a tiered pricing system. Payment must be made in advance, followed by scheduled delivery, which typically takes a month. However, given the busy winter season, a delay of two or three months is possible. Overall, Recursive City always advises customers to pick up their goods themselves."

Recursive City was seriously short on delivery personnel, and the labor costs were high.

Zhou Yi felt a headache coming on.

This delivery time was also outrageous.

Under the current uncertain conditions, he couldn't possibly travel to Recursive City, 2000 kilometers away.

He gathered his thoughts and turned his attention back to Qian Su sitting opposite him, "Do you have any recommended items?"

There was a variety of weapons on the product list, but without detailed descriptions, only a price tag.

Qian Su furrowed her brows in thought for a moment, "With your current setup here, most of the things in my warehouse won't be of much use. However, there is something that might be slightly beneficial for you."

"This is it."

Her silver fingers pointed to a name on the paper.

Red Kestrel translated it.

"Anti-freeze oil spray can," 2 Light Seeds each.

The price wasn't expensive.

Qian Su said, "Now that it's winter, temperatures will remain very low for a long time. In this condition, the Light Blockers will be affected by the cold, leading to potential issues like scale, rust, local swelling, cracking, and freezing of the cylinders and covers inside."

"With the anti-freeze oil, it can provide protection, allowing the Light Blockers to operate normally. It's very simple to use, just spray the anti-freeze oil from outside, making sure it covers the surface."

"The Light Blockers you bought, the medium-sized ones will need two anti-freeze oil spray cans each during winter, and the small ones just one, totaling eight for you to get through this winter."

Zhou Yi agreed to buy them immediately.

But he was curious, "What about in the hot summer? Do they need a coolant?"

"That's right."

Qian Su gestured with her fingers, "The Light Blockers themselves have copper and iron structures that bear the Light Imprint Structure. During long periods of use in the summer, they can have accidents or even damage due to high-temperature overloads."

"Include a batch of coolant for me too."

Just like that, Zhou Yi acquired both types of maintenance accessories to protect against high and low temperatures all at once.

The trade negotiation came to a pause at this point.

Qian Su suddenly said, "There's one more thing."

"The local sea lord of the Sand Port Region, 'Lord Sha Hai,' has asked me to extend his greetings to you. He says he is pleased to have you as his neighbor and hopes for potential cooperation and trade relations in the future."

Zhou Yi finally encountered a sea lord.

He looked at the young woman, "Tell me about this Lord Sha Hai."

"Mr. Zhou, Lord Sha Hai is the true master of the Sand Port Region. Centered around Sand Port City, including the surrounding Green Onion Town, Oasis Town, Chicken Head Town, and a vast swath of the Dead Sea Zone to the west—all of it is Lord Sha Hai's territory."

Sitting upright on the sofa, Qian Su said with a serious face, "However, like most sea lords, Lord Sha Hai doesn't interfere much with Sand Port's internal affairs. He only sets broad policies, collects taxes, and ensures local stability. His focus is on the Dead Sea Zone because it's usually another sea lord who poses a real threat to a sea lord."

"Sand Port is bordered by the sea on the east and west, and deserts to the north and south, looking like a long strip. Initially, it heavily relied on extracting minerals from the desert for trade. After Lord Sha Hai took over, he transformed Sand Port into an external trade port, existing as a trade transshipment point. The past dangers and disadvantages have turned into advantages."

She said softly, "In terms of territorial resources or overall strength, Lord Sha Hai is not considered strong. But by adhering to years of recuperation and maintaining neutral trade, Sand Port has managed to carve out a living space for itself and is now somewhat famous."

"During your stay in Sand Port, Lord Sha Hai sent a trusted envoy to find me, expressing his friendliness and good intentions toward you. He hopes that if you have goods for sale, you can pass them to Sand Port for external sale, and even further exports are possible. Sand Port will offer you the most favorable terms..."

Lord Sha Hai's intent was simple this time—peace is most valuable; money-making and development are important.

Zhou Yi had a favorable first impression of this sea lord he had yet to meet.

Their goals aligned.

Suddenly, Zhou Yi thought, "Is he reaching out to me because of the Red Kestrel?"

The Tianjin Knight Cui Mao was in Sand Port, and after reporting back, Lord Sha Hai naturally became aware of the situation here.

"The Red Kestrel and the events in Jade City definitely had an impact. But Lord Sha Hai's quick stance had more to do with that person outside."

Qian Su looked out the window.

Outside, Lie Hai was transforming into a floral shape, floating in mid-air and absorbing the sparse Death Light of winter.

"The Hunter patrols the high skies here... Everyone needs to weigh their options carefully," the young woman said with a smile.

Zhou Yi couldn't help but laugh and cry.

He hadn't expected that the addition of the Hunter would first intimidate the sea lord, who had been watching from the sidelines.

In any case.

Credit where credit is due for the young fellow.