water plant

Time seemed to slow down in the monotonous Badlands.

Although only a week had passed, Panam Palmer felt as if a month had gone by.

Perhaps it was also because her heart was filled with hope and anticipation.

"It's ready!"

Scorpion's voice came through the radio.

Panam Palmer took a deep breath, reached out, pressed down on the faucet in front of her, and with a slight force, turned the valve.

As a burst of static sounded.

After waiting a moment longer, clear tap water gurgled out of the pipe, making a rushing sound.

Panam Palmer cupped some clear water in her hands, lowered her head, and extended her tongue. What she tasted was a cool freshness, not the bitter, fishy stench she remembered.

So this is what unpolluted clear water tastes like? Panam Palmer felt like a new world had opened up to her. She quickly took out test strips for a final check, confirming that all the biological contamination in the water had indeed been purified.

Panam Palmer felt like a new world had opened up to her. She quickly took out test strips for a final check, confirming that all the biological contamination in the water had indeed been purified.

Only then did she step aside, and the children, who had long been impatient, cheered and swarmed forward.

When Chen Nuo first mentioned purifying contaminated groundwater, Panam Palmer thought he was dreaming, but she never expected that it would actually be accomplished in just one week.

This completely exceeded the limits of her imagination.

Because ever since Panam Palmer could remember, the water she drank was full of strange odors and bitterness, not only harming her health but also being difficult to swallow.

Therefore, most people in the Badlands drank alcoholic beverages.

Using various additives to mask the taste of the filtered water itself.

Pure, tasteless water was a luxury only enjoyed by the most elite in Night City.

"How is it, Panam Palmer, was it successful?"

Scorpion's anxious voice brought Panam Palmer back to her senses, and she quickly replied, "It's a success, he really did it."

"It's a success, he really did it."

Actually, it was Tony who truly solved the basement contamination problem. Chen Nuo's external brain was indeed useful, and the price paid was not to bother Pepper unnecessarily.

(Tony: Get out of Pepper's office with your roses, if you have something to say, say it to me!!)

Tony's furious roar still echoed in all of Chen Nuo's minds, showing that the guy was truly desperate.

To push the usually narcissistic Tony to such an extent, Chen Nuo could indeed be a little proud in the field of picking up girls.

Of course, this also partly due to Pepper's deliberate cooperation.

After all, Tony secretly went to a nightclub again last week.

A leopard never changes its spots, and he was even photographed by reporters.

As for what Chen Nuo did during these seven days?

Actually, not much, just hollowing out a mountain and constructing the framework for a large Arc Reactor.

Chen Nuo only needed to provide inspiration, blueprints, and requirements; the rest was left to Dove and Big White to consider and execute.

Delamain's fully automated smart factory could produce a large number of mechanical laborers for Chen Nuo. They could work 24 hours a day without interruption, making the entire project progress as if an acceleration button had been pressed.

And what Chen Nuo had to do now was to light up the Arc Reactor in front of him.

He had previously tested Tony's Arc Reactor theory in Delamain's factory, and it was indeed applicable to the Cyber world. The second-generation miniature Arc Reactor inside the king kong-class titan's body was the best result.

But building such a large Arc Reactor was Chen Nuo's first time, and he lacked experience.

So he proceeded with extreme caution every step of the way.

If any mistake led to failure, it would take an unknown amount of time to gather all the materials and equipment again.

"Attempting first ignition... energy output stable... rotation speed normal..."

Dove's gentle voice sounded, and a faint, cool arc of light slowly appeared, dispelling the previously dim environment.

"Recording all experimental data..."

"Excellent, that's enough for today."

As Chen Nuo announced, the arc of light, symbolizing technology, gradually dissipated.

Successful ignition only initially verified that his design was sound. To ensure the stable operation of such a large Arc Reactor, much more work remained to be done.

However, for Chen Nuo, he could relax a bit; many tasks could be entrusted to Dove and Big White.

"The underground water plant test is fine; it can start operating."

Lucy came to Chen Nuo's side, reporting on the situation elsewhere.

Building the underground water plant wasn't difficult. After Chen Nuo completed the most critical purification device, he handed it over to Lucy and her team. From the results, they indeed did a great job.

"Now Saul and the others can rest easy."

Chen Nuo smiled faintly.

Although Saul never said anything, he actually had concerns about Chen Nuo building a factory nearby. After all, they had only known each other for less than two weeks.

The internal disputes within the tribe had also been considerable. If Saul hadn't been balancing and mediating, things probably wouldn't have progressed so smoothly.

Trust was one aspect, but more importantly, Saul knew very well that the Aldecaldos currently needed change, or they might fall apart tomorrow.

He had previously seen Biotechnica as an opportunity, actively pushing the tribe to align with the corporation, but it failed. Now Chen Nuo had become a new opportunity, and Saul had gone all in.

Fortunately, this time, Lady Luck favored him.

Simply relying on this unpolluted purified water was enough for the Aldecaldos tribe to move towards new glory.

"Saul is looking for you."

Lucy added.

"What does that Hammer want with me?"

"What does that Hammer want with me?"

Hammer, that was the nickname Chen Nuo gave Saul. Very fitting, wasn't it?

Unfortunately, only he thought so.

Saul was already waiting outside. When he saw Chen Nuo emerge, he eagerly went up to him, his face filled with excitement and joy.

"What's up, Brother Hammer?"

"You're my brother, my real brother!!"

Saul opened his arms for a hug, but Chen Nuo wasn't interested in his embrace and pulled Jackie in front of him to block it.

"Speak quickly, what's wrong? Are you very idle now?"

Chen Nuo could tell with his toes how busy the Aldecaldos would become after the underground water plant started operating.

According to their previous verbal agreement, the water selling business in the Badlands would be contracted to the Aldecaldos tribe, and they would get 30% of the profits.

With the Aldecaldos' current armed forces, it would be quite difficult to fully protect this business, but with money, the Aldecaldos tribe could expand rapidly.

It should be known that the most valuable asset of the Aldecaldos tribe was the Aldecaldos brand itself.

After Saul led the main force away, the nearly century of connections and prestige accumulated by the Aldecaldos tribe in the Badlands were inherited by the Aldecaldos led by Saul.

This included Rogue, the Queen of Afterlife.

If Saul went to seek help in the name of the Aldecaldos, she would certainly not refuse.

Similarly, other nomad tribes in the Badlands would also give Saul face.

Entrusting the water plant business to him, it wouldn't take long to open up the situation.

With the name of Aldecaldos as a guarantee, no one would refuse cheap and unpolluted purified water.

Biotechnica tried to control the Badlands with food and water.

Chen Nuo could do something similar, just in reverse.

"I think the previous agreement needs to be changed."

Saul said to Chen Nuo with a serious expression.

"How do you want to change it?"

"Thirty percent is too much; one-tenth is actually enough for us, but I hope you can guarantee priority water supply for the Aldecaldos tribe."

Saul was indeed a smart and responsible leader; he had considered both long-term and immediate benefits.

Chen Nuo couldn't help but smile upon hearing this, and patted Saul's arm.

"Thirty percent means thirty percent, but on top of that, I can also guarantee priority water supply for your tribe."

"From now on, I'll change my name to Hammer. If anyone calls me Saul again, I'll get mad!"

Saul said excitedly, completely devoid of his previous resistance and rejection of the name Hammer.

No choice, Chen Nuo had now become the Aldecaldos' benefactor.

How could one not accept a name given by their benefactor?

"The water transport team will be formed by you and Falco. As for weapons and equipment, I'll have Jackie provide you with a batch first. I hope to see the water plant's convoy speeding across the Badlands next week."

Chen Nuo said, looking at Falco, who was smoking a cigarette nearby. Falco looked up and greeted Saul.

This matter had been discussed with Falco in advance, and he was quite happy to work in the Badlands.

Probably because there were no traffic lights in the Badlands.

As for weapons, they were actually provided by V. He could retire a batch of "scrapped" weapons every year, which was his personal investment.

This water plant business naturally also included V's share.

Those with money contribute money, and those with strength contribute strength.

Common interests are the strongest bond in relationships.

Chen Nuo didn't distrust V's character; he just felt that their relationship had reached a point where it needed to be elevated.

"Understood, I will definitely cooperate well with Falco."

Saul didn't care at all that someone was going to share power with him. In fact, he had already prepared to hand over power, but he didn't expect Chen Nuo to arrange things this way.

This was definitely not because Chen Nuo didn't understand power structures, but because he possessed absolute strength.

Saul naturally recognized this very clearly.

After all, he had been watching when Chen Nuo drove the king kong-class titan to compact the hollow ground inside the mountain.

A gravity weapon that could sink the ground by three meters—this level of technological disparity was enough to prevent Saul from having any ill intentions, not to mention that Chen Nuo had also fully considered the tribe's interests.

The carrot and stick approach made Saul completely submissive.

With that, Saul left with Falco, looking invigorated, to immediately begin setting up the water transport convoy. His energetic demeanor made it seem as if he had been wound up and couldn't stop.

"So, what about you, Panam Palmer? Do you want to join the water transport team?"

Chen Nuo looked at Panam Palmer, who was pretending to be an outsider.

"What, are you inviting me?"

Panam Palmer actually desperately wanted to contribute to the construction and future of the Aldecaldos tribe, especially now that hope had arrived.

However, awkwardly, she was still in a state of having run away from home.

Damn Saul, no wonder he was called Hammer. Couldn't he have given her a way out?

Heaven knows, Saul didn't not know; he simply forgot about Panam Palmer altogether.

"No, I just casually..."

"I agree."

Before Chen Nuo could finish, Panam Palmer raised her hand and answered, making the atmosphere a bit awkward.

"Alright, go report to Falco yourself."

Chen Nuo stopped teasing Panam Palmer and waved her away. She was already in her thirties, why was she still as childish as a little girl?

"Hmph, you said it."

Panam Palmer patted the dust off her backside and, in a few strides, caught up with Falco ahead.

"The Badlands business is settled, so who will you put in charge of the Night City business?"

Lucy asked from the side.

She had been looking for a new role for herself recently, to integrate more deeply into Chen Nuo's work and life.

Her Netrunner work had largely been taken over by Sasha.

Although she didn't want to admit it, the latter's Netrunner skills were indeed superior to her own.

This wasn't a gap in talent; it was just that Lucy deep down had always resisted cyberspace.

Moreover, Chen Nuo now had Dove, so Lucy had even less room to display her Netrunner skills.

So Lucy was considering what other areas she could help Chen Nuo with, and the current water plant business was a good entry point.

"You wouldn't be thinking of cooperating with the Moxes, would you?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, and before Chen Nuo could answer, she found the answer herself.

How could a Netrunner not be smart?

"The Moxes are indeed the most suitable choice."

Chen Nuo explained.

Most gangs in Night City had corporate backing; only the Moxes were relatively cleaner, as they were a product of intense conflict between the lower class and gangs.

They had only survived until now because the Tyger Claws didn't want another public uprising against them.

And because of this, the Moxes' reputation among the lower class was decent, and they already did business with the lower class, so there was no need to rebuild existing business channels.

Don't be fooled into thinking Night City's water resources are much richer than the Badlands'; the pollution in open-air water sources is far more severe than the Badlands' groundwater.

One sip of water and you'd be ingesting an entire periodic table.

The demand for drinkable water resources among Night City's lower-class residents is equal to or greater than that of the nomads in the Badlands.

"How about I communicate with them?"

Lucy offered her suggestion. She didn't really like doing such things, but helping Chen Nuo was her greatest happiness.

Of course, Lucy also had her own little thoughts.

How could she not know that those little bitches from the Moxes had always been trying to get Chen Nuo's attention?

This was also one of the reasons why Lucy could accept Sasha.

The competitive pressure was too great; she needed someone to share it with.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Chen Nuo raised his hand and stroked Lucy's smooth cheek. Such a good time shouldn't be wasted without doing something.

Lucy smiled suggestively, and with a gentle flick of her slender fingers, she unbuttoned Chen Nuo's collar...