From Robinson Crusoe

"Dear Mr. Chen, please allow me to address you in this way."

I had long heard of your illustrious reputation, and today I am fortunate to meet you. Indeed, as the rumors say, you are the true king and monarch of this sea..."

……

In the cement factory's second-floor office, an indigenous girl fluent in the indigenous language, Spanish, and Chinese stood to one side, diligently translating Kilian's words.

Sitting in the ergonomic chair, Chen Zhou watched the old man in the purple robes hunch over, adopting a subservient posture, and couldn't help but feel a strange, indescribable feeling—

He felt no pride in it, nor did he experience the so-called pleasure of being in a superior position; he only felt somewhat disgusted.

Perhaps it was power, or something else, that crushed the dignity of this maritime overlord, causing him to stoop down and utter these hypocritical words.

Killian's apparent compliance was not genuine, unlike that of the rescued islanders; he was merely seeking personal gain and was only spouting these high-sounding words because he wanted to achieve his goals.

Of course, considering that the island had quietly "swallowed" Killian's sailors and Monidez's three armed merchant ships, the old man's decision to go there knowing the danger was indeed quite courageous.

Seeing that this man, who lived deep in the ocean and wielded supreme power, had patiently listened to the translation, Killian continued.

“Mr. Chen, I know that the natives here are all your people, and this land also belongs to you.”

I had never been in contact with your steel fleet before, nor did I know of your existence. That is why I rashly cooperated with the tribes on the island and invaded your territory.

The gold and silver buried in your territory rightfully belong to you.

I have come here to express my apologies, and for this purpose, I have brought many precious treasures and goods, hoping to gain your forgiveness..."

After translating the sentence, Chen Zhou nodded, pondered for a moment, and told Killian that he was willing to accept his apology, but would not hand over the prisoner to him.

“The cost of an apology is one thing, the ransom is another.”

That's what Chen Zhou was thinking.

He waved his hand and asked Kylian if he could send someone to unload the treasure and cargo from the ship.

Killian quickly replied that it was no problem.

He was currently on someone else's turf, and his own life was in danger, so naturally he had no objections. Moreover, he had come here with good intentions. If he could close this deal, he could rise to the top and step on Monidez's head.

……

Seeing that the cunning old fox was behaving so obediently, Chen Zhou didn't stand on ceremony and told Saturday to find a Spanish prisoner who was good at Chinese to act as a translator, lead a team of guards onto the ship to unload the cargo, take inventory at the same time, and then bring back the cargo list as soon as possible.

"Sincerity is not just about talking; it must be shown through concrete actions."

Even though Chen Zhou doesn't have much social experience, he has, after all, been through the social melting pot of the 21st century.

The interpersonal relationships in the 21st century are far more complex than those of merchants in the 17th century, and he could tell at a glance that Kylian needed his help.

As for what this guy wants, it's actually quite obvious—

Whether it's advanced weaponry, large ships that can sail without sails, or all the rare things Kylian has seen along the way, these are all things he wants to obtain.

In the 17th century, gold and silver were not rare commodities.

It is said that the gold looted by the Spanish from the Inca Empire was equivalent to the total amount of gold in the world at that time. Because of the large amount of gold imported from abroad, Spain even fell into severe inflation, which shows how much gold there was.

Superior firearms, artillery, and navigation technology were things that no amount of money could buy in this era.

What business in the world is the most profitable?

Is it drugs?

No! The Americans already gave the answer: it's weapons.

Selling arms is extremely profitable. Metals and raw materials imported from other countries are processed into weapons, which can then be resold for hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of times the original price. This also allows for the manipulation of world affairs, making it a truly lucrative business.

Clearly, Killian is a very shrewd businessman, and he came here hoping to obtain something from this island that would bring him immense profits.

……

He left with his men on Saturday, leaving only Chen Zhou, the translator, and four guards responsible for his protection in the office.

Killian fell silent, and the atmosphere became somewhat serious for a moment.

Chen Zhou smiled and gestured for Killian to sit in the wicker chair. Then he asked the translator to pour two cups of milk tea and get some fruit.

The island's original resources were not abundant, but after the challenge began, a lot of plant seeds were sent to make up for the island's lack of resources.

The milk tea served to Killian was iced.

This ice isn't made with saltpeter; it's ice cubes frozen in the refrigerator, cut into small cubes and placed at the bottom of the glass, making it incredibly refreshing.

In addition to ice, freshly squeezed juice is added to the milk tea, making it sweet and refreshing during the dry season, with a unique flavor.

As for the fruit on the plate, there were many kinds, including citrus fruits, lemons and grapes native to the island, as well as white apricots planted by Chen Zhou, and watermelons and bananas sent as part of the 1666 anniversary gift package.

The anniversary gift package also included a durian tree that thrives in tropical environments. It has been planted in the orchard, but it did not bear fruit this year, perhaps because the tree was not mature enough.

……

Kilian sat in the wicker chair, appearing unusually reserved in the face of the completely unfamiliar environment and the tall, muscular Chen Zhou, who exuded an aura of mystery.

He carefully lifted the silver cup containing the milk tea with both hands, a hint of surprise appearing on his face—

Because the cup contained ice, and metal has excellent thermal conductivity, the touch from his palm felt exceptionally cold.

Killian was a worldly man and quickly realized that there was ice in the glass.

He took a careful sip, and the milky aroma and the unique sweet and sour taste of the juice were refreshing. Its slightly cool taste confirmed Killian's guess that there was indeed ice in the drink.

In 17th-century Europe, while commoners could not enjoy cold drinks, they were not a rarity among the nobility.

As early as the 16th century, the courts of France, Italy and other countries began to drink chilled wine, chilled fruit juice, or a chilled beverage called "Charsin".

In the sweltering summer, ordinary people would put beer into deep wells and use the well water to turn the beer into ice-cold beer, which would not only improve the taste but also help them cool down.

However, Europe is, after all, close to the Arctic and has four distinct seasons.

Having spent most of his life at sea, Kylian knew very well where the ice the nobles used in the summer came from.

During the Roman era, people harvested ice from volcanoes in Sicily.
In winter, Nordic countries harvest large quantities of ice and store it in deep ice cellars or basements, so that it can be wrapped in cotton blankets and exported to Southern Europe in the summer.
Kylian knew many professional ice cellar operators who made money by supplying ice to nobles and cities, with the Dutch being the most numerous among them.

Ice in summer is a luxury that ordinary people simply cannot afford.

……

In Kylian's understanding, ice was a rare commodity limited by temperature. It was plentiful in winter, but finding solid ice in summer was harder than climbing to heaven. Europe, with its geographical advantage, could obtain a large supply of ice from the cold Northern Europe, so it was not surprising.

But this is the tropics, a tropics that are hotter than summer in Europe all year round.

The closest ice-producing region is at least a month and a half away by boat, and a round trip would take almost half a year.

How do they make ice in such a hot place?

Savoring his iced milk tea, Killian was deeply shocked, but he didn't show it, after all, he had encountered too many strange things on this trip.

Compared to ships that can sail without sails, lamps that can light without fire, and houses that can be built without bricks, tropical ice is really nothing.

While enjoying the food provided by Chen Zhou with the most proper manners, he praised it half out of politeness and half out of genuine feeling. Not long after, Saturday returned to his office after counting the "gifts".

He didn't say anything, but handed over a long report.

……

Chen Zhou took the report and quietly browsed through it. He saw that in addition to boxes of gold and silver, there were also high-quality tobacco from Brazil, wine specially supplied to Spanish nobles, exquisite silverware and glassware, and rare specialties such as silk from the East. He nodded in satisfaction.

"Mr. Killian, I really like your gift."

I must say, your honesty has made me like you a little more.

Traveling all the way from Brazil must have been exhausting!

"Perfect timing! You can stay on the island tonight, and I'll show you around tomorrow."

With that, Chen Zhou got up from his chair, walked to his desk, and saw Killian out of the office.

The guards inside the factory, acting partly to monitor and partly to escort Killian, led him to another reinforced concrete building next to the factory.

This building was specially constructed by Chen Zhou for Sunday, originally intended to be used as a future military and political building.

Unfortunately, the building was too close to the factory, and routine shooting practice often disturbed Chen Zhou's sleep. Moreover, there were islanders frequently coming and going in the vicinity, and there was a risk of accidentally injuring islanders during live-fire shooting. In the end, it was forced to be used for other purposes.

Chen Zhou originally intended to convert this three-story building into a government building, but later, considering that the island would definitely receive many merchants from various countries in the future, he simply turned it into a "guesthouse".

The renovation project is currently only half complete. The first floor is mostly finished, while the second and third floors are still under renovation.

As the first outsider to arrive on his own initiative, Killian was the guesthouse's first guest.

……

To showcase the island's advanced technology, all rooms in the guesthouse are equipped with electrical wiring, electric lights, solid wood flooring, and huge floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.

Kylian felt much more at ease when the guards brought him here.

This place doesn't look like a prison at all, which suggests that the island's king truly treated him as a guest or friend.

In any case, this is a good start.

……

After walking around the room and staring blankly at the incandescent light on the ceiling for a long time, Killian still couldn't understand how this thing could emit such a bright and stable light.

He wanted to move a stool to touch the light bulb, but he was afraid that its intense light would hurt him, and he was also afraid of violating the taboo of the island's lord. Although he was itching to touch it, he never did so.

After pondering for a while how the light should emit light, I ultimately had no answer.

Sitting on the bed in the bedroom, stroking the unpainted wooden bed that had only been hand-polished, Killian recalled the dreamlike encounter of that day. His doubts did not lessen, but rather increased.

Over the years, he had traveled this route at least seventy or eighty times, and had never heard of such a force entrenched here.

Moreover, judging from what I saw and heard on the island today, it doesn't seem like a place with a long history; it seems like it just recently appeared.

Around the port on the edge of the island, most of the people live in wooden houses.

The island's ruler and his current residence, however, used a different building material he had never seen before. The entire building was seamless, with no visible seams on its surface.

In addition, some houses with wooden and stone structures can be seen on the island.

These building materials clearly divided the island's people into different classes. The lowest class lived in wooden houses, the middle class lived in houses made of wood and stone, and only the rulers at the top had the right to live in such sturdy and beautiful houses.

While observing the houses, Killian also took note of the island's layout and design.

Although he was under surveillance by armed personnel on the island and could not openly visit, even a fleeting glance was enough for him to see that the town was well-organized.

Drawing inspiration from modern cities, Chen Zhou planned wide and straight main roads that connect all parts of the island.

The island has a sense of openness unique to modern town construction. Although the buildings are not as exquisitely crafted or ornate as those in medieval European towns, the overall layout creates a unique aesthetic.

Hospitals, schools, police stations and other public buildings are located at the junction of residential and commercial areas, allowing islanders to reach their desired destinations in a short distance.

After bicycles appeared, their price gradually decreased as the number of carpenters on the island increased. Now, most workers on the island own their own bicycles, and islanders can be seen riding bicycles and speeding along the roads every morning and evening during their commute.

This strange machine was also something that Killian was quite curious about. He had a feeling that if he could introduce this machine to Europe, he would make a fortune.

Putting all that aside, looking at the three steel ships in the sea outside the island, Killian felt as if he were still half asleep, lost in a long dream.

"The world's most backward buildings and the world's most advanced technology are both found on this small overseas island."

It sounds absurd, but it happened, and it was truly happening right before our eyes.

Ultimately, Kylian placed all his focus on that tall ruler.

Chen Zhou, like the islanders, has yellowish skin, but anyone with worldly experience can tell at a glance that he is not the same kind of person as the islanders.

In terms of appearance, his skin was fairer, his facial features were more rugged than those of the other islanders, and his teeth were white and even. He did not have the uncivilized, savage features of the natives, such as a slightly protruding mouth like a monkey and a wide jaw.

In addition, he was tall and strong, a rare strongman physique even in Europe, and had a ruddy complexion, clearly indicating that he came from the upper class.

What is even more striking is the temperament of the rulers.

Temperament is something that is hard to describe. Kylian had seen all sorts of people, but no one had ever given him the same special feeling as this ruler.

Neither the high-ranking members of the royal family nor the clergy serving the church possessed the air of someone who seemed to take everything lightly and despise everything, which is unique to rulers.

Others may be superior because of their high position and power, or because they are influenced by divine will, and thus look down on ordinary people.

This ruler, however, exuded an air of genuine indifference towards the world, even prompting Kylian to harbor a bold suspicion—

"He doesn't belong to this world at all." (End of Chapter)