Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Entrance fee!" After nearly two hours, Zheng Yifan arrived at the main gate of the base. He casually pulled out a cigarette and tossed it into the box next to the guard.
The base was called Howling Wind Base, its name painted in crooked white letters on the large iron gate. The gate stood over three meters high, towering like twenty factory doors stacked together. Beside it was a wall that rose to three and a half meters, thickly built at over two meters, encircling this Gathering Place in a semi-circle. To the south of the Gathering Place lay nearly two thousand seven hundred acres of land, sustaining over four hundred thousand people.
This area had once been a renowned and prosperous village, captured by the leader of Howling Wind Base, Zhang Xiao, and transformed into a Survivor Base. Accompanying this was the village's vast farmland, which had already been planted with sweet potatoes.
Now, with the laws of the world shifting in an instant, everything had been reshuffled, placing greater emphasis on Jungle Law. Those who survived were almost all strong individuals; even the elderly or children attached to various survivor bases were not ordinary people. They had all escaped from the jaws of Zombies, and each person bore no qualms about getting their hands stained with the blood of their kind.
Upon entering Howling Wind Base, rows of three-story buildings greeted his eyes. Atop these three-story structures were metal shanties, where only the poorest could reside.
The value of housing depended on its proximity to the center of the Gathering Place; the closer one was to the center, the more expensive it became.
During his last transaction, Zheng Yifan had explored every corner as if he were Liu Laolao visiting the Grand View Garden. He had familiarized himself with everything except for the innermost city center. Now he was here to sell off the goods he had brought.
As for his clothing, it was no different from those rugged hunters returning from their expeditions—his outfit was caked in dirt, paired with faded cowboy pants and a pair of travel shoes covered in dust.
Everything about him blended into the crowd.
This was his meticulous preparation. Only by appearing ordinary could he reduce his chances of drawing attention.
"Sir, do you need to sell your spoils? Our Furen Family Grocery Store will offer you a fair price."
"Sir."
After seeing Zheng Yifan's attire, a crowd of over a dozen people surrounded him, eager to sell their goods.
"Sorry! Our team has its own shop, excuse me, excuse me." These individuals were all middlemen, primarily targeting customers who ventured out in search of supplies.
It was already considered good fortune if anyone managed to find one or two items.
As for Zheng Yifan, the backpack he brought back was undoubtedly filled with carefully selected items. Before the mysterious Storage Space was unlocked, he could only rely on such simple methods to make a profit.
Walking forward for about four hundred meters, he reached a large market that used to specialize in wholesale agricultural products from the nearby villages, covering several thousand square meters.
Now, this place had transformed into a hub where search teams battling Zombies sold their spoils.
Upon entering the main gate, one could see a vast hall bustling with countless people searching for what they needed at every stall.
Particularly at the stalls selling food, everyone’s eyes sparkled as they stared at the grains and provisions. Unfortunately, even though they drooled at the sight, few were willing to spend any money.
Typically, their means of obtaining food were extremely limited. Even the potatoes and Sweet Potatoes grown on their own land were mostly supplied to the Gathering Place's Combatants. With over ten thousand Combatants in the Gathering Place, it was crucial that they received adequate nutrition to ensure the safety of the area.
Others simply had no way to secure enough food.
Two thousand seven hundred acres of farmland could barely sustain the diet of tens of thousands of people. Without supplementary food sources, grain consumption would accelerate even more rapidly. The little grain scattered among the four hundred thousand people in the Gathering Place barely kept most alive.
In the market, grains, fire-starting tools, and Salt had become the most sought-after items. Cold Weapons had turned into an unattainable luxury; possessing even one weapon could significantly enhance the survival chances of those Combatants within the Gathering Place.
"Uncle Bo! Set me up with a stall!" Zheng Yifan handed over half a box of cigarettes at the management office by the entrance.
At the entrance, a large bald man, still half-asleep, casually pulled a wooden sign from the drawer of the counter and placed it on the table. He then carefully inspected the half box of cigarettes before satisfiedly stuffing them into a prepared wooden box.
"Wrap it up by five o'clock!" Uncle Bo said, closing his eyes again and continuing to doze off.
Number 179 glanced at the sign in his hand and smiled slightly. Zheng Yifan had already gathered information beforehand; paying with tobacco for a stall often secured a better position.
Uncle Bo relied on these loose cigarettes to make a living.
Tobacco had become a luxury item here, serving as hard currency. This time, Zheng Yifan brought two full cartons of cigarettes. Those who could spend in the Trading Hall were indeed the wealthy of the Gathering Place.
Of course, they weren't any high-end tobacco; it was all Hongta Mountain brand. In this world, it was uncertain if such cigarettes even existed, but no one bothered to investigate. As long as they could smoke, even if it was just straw, they didn't care at all.
Positioned near the main entrance, stall number 179 enjoyed heavy foot traffic, and the items sold were generally neat and somewhat rare.
Dried blood could still be faintly seen on the ground, while blackish-gray liquid flowed through the gutters on either side—no one knew what it was, but the pungent smell was quite overwhelming.
This stall was located right at the front of the market, boasting the best position and selling naturally expensive goods. The most common items were grains, and occasionally someone would display a few cans on the wooden table of their stall.
Those were extremely luxurious items. Only the Big Shots from the Gathering Place could afford to indulge in a can every now and then.
"Hey! Buddy, got any good stuff? If you have cigarettes, I can trade you these two catfish for a box," said the boss of stall number 180 on the left, glancing at his electronic watch with a flattering expression.
It was already past two in the afternoon, and with closing time approaching, the fish vendor clearly wanted to wrap things up quickly.
Zheng Yifan opened his backpack and first pulled out two cartons marked with a marker indicating their origin and date—Hongta Mountain—followed by packages of pure white salt and sugar bought loose from the market without any packaging. Finally, he began pulling out cans one by one.
The vendor selling fish slowly opened his mouth wide enough to fit an egg inside, while on the other side, he eagerly promoted the various scraps he had scavenged from the ruins.
These items were too eye-catching here; it was rare to see a team with such a bounty in this place.
Salt and sugar—how long had it been since they had touched even a bit of them? Ten days? A month? Or even a year? They had long forgotten the taste of seasonings. They could only get a small amount of salt from the junk food that used to cost mere cents in the supermarkets of the post-apocalypse.
Those tobacco products were especially favored by the big shots in the Gathering Place. Just offering a single pack could almost guarantee a connection with them, allowing one to walk freely throughout the entire Gathering Place.
As for canned goods, only a few people led by Zhang Xiao could regularly enjoy them. For those below, it was already a stroke of luck if they could share even a bite among several people over half a month.
“Hey! Give me a pack of cigarettes, and I’ll trade you these two catfish. They weigh about thirty-odd pounds. I guarantee your team will have a feast tonight,” said the vendor, saliva dripping at the sight of the two fish.
Catching fish wasn’t easy. Although the fish in the water hadn’t been infected by the virus, they were fiercer and stronger than before. Without adequate tools, trying to catch them was risking one’s life.
Countless people had drowned in the water after being dragged down by fish. There were many who had suffered severe injuries from collisions.
“No, I don’t want fish. What good is that? Just sell me Zombie Crystal s; I don’t want anything else,” Zheng Yifan said, glancing at the crowd that was gradually surrounding the vendor.
Who needed those two fish when they could return to a peaceful and harmonious world? Zheng Yifan didn’t worry at all about food or drink.
Comment 0 Comment Count