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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as I entered the Apocalyptic World, it felt as if I had plunged into the Arctic; the cold was beyond description, and even though it was not yet November, a sense of desolation permeated the environment.
Walking down the street, I could hardly see any figures. Occasionally, I would spot a moving silhouette, but it was bundled up like a ball.
Gradually, a strange type of vehicle appeared on the street. Its base resembled a post-apocalyptic car or a chassis made of steel plates, with dozens of wheels awkwardly attached beneath it, resembling some bizarre insect.
On top of the vehicle was what looked like a small house made of yellow mud, with three or four chimneys continuously puffing out black smoke.
Inside, there were sounds of laughter and chatter.
The vehicle moved slowly, much slower than an average person. Upon closer observation, it became clear that its power was entirely human-driven. There was even a window the size of a car window at the front, through which I could see people inside adjusting the angle of the vehicle while others pedaled on what looked like bicycle-like contraptions, propelling the entire house down the road. The road could barely accommodate two such vehicles side by side; when a larger vehicle passed by, others had to yield and retreat to side streets.
These vehicles mostly headed toward the Gathering Place or Hope Mall.
Hope Mall had gained immense popularity and had become the largest trading center in Gathering Place aside from Division One's marketplace. The main reason for this was its exclusive purchase of Essence Fruits and Zombie Crystal s. Additionally, they limitedly bought some top-tier Jewelry, which thrilled the Mercenary groups. Each member owned quite a bit of jewelry, and at designated times, members from various Mercenary groups would gather to draw lots. If someone drew a winning lot, nearly all the jewelry they brought would be purchased.
Every ten people—no more, no less—would gather together to sell collectively. This had resulted in Zheng Yifan's jewelry warehouse being piled high with Jewelry.
All these would eventually be sold by Ladidia; whether or not he suffered losses was the accountant's responsibility. What mattered to him was seeing results. Then both teams from the two worlds would conduct joint reviews.
The inspection system spanning two worlds ensured that even if one team fell victim to Corrosive forces, another team would still oversee them.
Neither side knew about the other but remained under mutual supervision.
Walking down the street, Zheng Yifan felt somewhat out of place. To keep warm, he wore thermal underwear beneath a cashmere sweater and topped it off with a thick down jacket. His lower half was even more exaggeratedly bundled up, and he wore a full-face leather hat.
This outfit was incredibly effective against the cold; Zheng Yifan felt as if he could withstand freezing temperatures like an Eskimo.
Strolling along the street truly gave him that sensation; dressed in so many layers, he felt no chill at all. The wind outside wasn't strong but was biting cold, carrying an icy sting.
Fortunately, Zheng Yifan was the only one who could feel the chill with his eyes.
Looking at the various vehicles, Zheng Yifan couldn't help but marvel at human ingenuity. It hadn't been long since they had developed mobile homes. Each wooden house that was occupied had been reinforced, coated with thick mud on the outside. If they had cement, it would be even better, making the houses much sturdier. Inside, they wrapped the walls with Heartless Cotton Quilts produced by Hope Mall, layering them two or three times. With a warm stove added inside, life truly became a pleasure. As for fuel, they had to chop wood or gather dried grass from the prairie from afar.
After all, since the apocalypse began, plants grew exceptionally fast. The wild grass on the prairie was slowly being turned into grass cakes, which burned well in the stove and provided considerable warmth, with flames that were particularly large. The only drawback was that they burned quickly.
Every street had groups of ten households working together to create their own warm stove vehicles in this cold autumn... or perhaps it could already be called winter. They could venture out to search for supplies in places they wouldn't normally dare to go. If they could gather a complete set of warm clothing, it would be fantastic.
A dozen households would leave Gathering Place in their mobile homes, taking turns wearing this set of clothing to search for resources outside. Their harvests were always plentiful, with an additional one-meter-long cargo area at the back of their vehicles capable of carrying seven to eight hundred pounds of supplies.
In just three or four hours of running around, they could return fully loaded, enough for everyone on the street to have a hearty meal.
These days felt even happier than before, and all of it was thanks to Hope Mall. With their provided quilts, they could fend off the biting cold; with their supplied cement, they could make their homes sturdier; and with their offered cotton clothing, they had a chance to acquire resources.
People who knew how to fight for survival were not afraid of the cold brought by the apocalypse. Every time they ventured out, they could obtain food and aimlessly search the prairie for potential Essence Fruits that could be exchanged for various important supplies.
You never knew when you might find Zombie Crystal s on the ground. Some who had obtained resources early on would exchange them for telescopes and often make unexpected discoveries. These items weren't cheap—one Zombie Crystal each—and not even military-grade.
But that didn't matter; seeing the light reflected from Zombie Crystal s was enough. In just a short time, the investment of fifty Zombie Crystal s could be recouped, and afterward, the telescope would belong to them. Whether searching for Essence Fruits or scattered Zombie Crystal s would become much easier.
As he arrived at the entrance of Hope Mall, he found it bustling with activity. A long line stretched far away from the entrance. On both sides of the door, several houses had been purchased and transformed into mud huts for queuing. Inside, stoves burned warmly; although not very hot, it was much warmer than outside.
Thick quilts hung over both doors along with plastic curtains were truly enviable.
But who could blame Hope Mall for having supplies and Zombie Crystal s? As for money? What good was that? Could it fill your stomach?
The most popular people outside were those holding Discount Cards from Hope Mall. They were among the first customers when Hope Supermarket opened and were indeed some of the luckiest individuals around.
Although the Discount Card has a limit, within that limit, various supplies can be exchanged. Items like blankets and cotton clothing, which are in high demand, are prioritized for those with a Discount Card.
Their income is quite good, with profits several times the difference in price of the Discount Card.
As Zheng Yifan walked into Hope Mall, he noticed the staff were focused and dedicated. This was the best job in the post-apocalyptic world. They had two months left in their internship before officially becoming members of Hope Mall, transitioning from the Counter to the headquarters for further training. After that, they would be dispatched to other locations to take on significant roles. Currently, Hope Mall's status in Han Sui City Gathering Place was second only to the Ice King Mercenary Corps, with the First Division above them.
The Ice King Mercenary Corps was primarily supported by the Ice King himself. However, since the cold wave hit, the Ice King had vanished without a trace, and rumors circulated that he had been killed by an Advanced Zombie.
But these rumors were quickly dispelled. The Ice King Mercenary Corps frequently entered and exited the Gathering Place, and every member wore a cheerful expression, bringing back large quantities of supplies, even using massive flatbed trucks that nearly formed a convoy.
The moment Zheng Yifan stepped into Hope Mall, he immediately felt as if he were being watched—by at least a dozen people simultaneously—each one ready to fire their Repeating Crossbow at any moment.
“It’s me!” Zheng Yifan called out, his voice seeming to float into the ears of the soldiers stationed nearby.
When he removed his hat and took off the hood underneath, everyone finally recognized him.
Anyone would struggle to identify someone bundled up like a ball walking in.
As he peeled off layer after layer of clothing, Zheng Yifan finally let out a sigh of relief. Waves of heat rose from his body; he had almost broken out in a heat rash.
Hope Mall had changed dramatically. While there weren’t any major alterations on the first floor, subtle changes were evident. The Counter now featured some decorations. Wallpaper adorned the walls, and fresh latex paint covered them entirely. The floor was newly laid with marble, giving the hall an impressive appearance.
There were hardly any flaws; Hope Mall was truly thriving—more so than when Zheng Yifan had last been in the real world. A long line formed at the entrance of the mall, where shoppers rushed forward to make their purchases. By the time they reached the front of the line, they already knew what they wanted to buy.
The Salesperson at the front worked even faster; almost everyone completed their transactions in under a minute.
With no lottery segment slowing things down, transactions proceeded swiftly without any hindrance.
Most of the items purchased now are bought in small quantities, no longer like before when people pushed carts filled to the brim.
No one is buying food anymore; the vast majority are coming for warm clothing and bedding. A few are looking for toiletries, but what surprised Zheng Yifan was that the least valuable item he had wholesale imported into this world—the snake oil balm, which cost only three cents a bag—was selling remarkably well. Now, that item was worth zero bags for a Zombie Crystal. Many people were buying a hundred bags at a time, as if they were preparing for the New Year.
Zheng Yifan soon realized that in such cold weather, frostbite could easily occur, and applying some snake oil balm could effectively prevent it. In this era where medicine is hard to come by, being sick is almost equivalent to being dead. Everyone is trying to enhance their ability to withstand illness.
In the cold weather, frostbite has become one of the most serious ailments. It doesn’t kill, but it certainly hinders one’s ability to search for supplies. Using a bag of snake oil balm cautiously, the Exploration Team could make a round trip without using it all.
“Captain, you’re back!” Inside the house, Li Ning excitedly walked into the hall upon receiving the news, then suppressed his excitement and quietly stood beside Zheng Yifan.
Zheng Yifan nodded. “You’ve done well recently. In such a short time, you’ve managed to make the marketplace bustling and even completed the renovations on the first floor. When we return to the Gathering Place, go claim your reward of 10,000 Military Merits.”
“Hehe! Boss, the second and third floors have also been renovated. Why don’t you come inspect them? We can celebrate our success together!” Li Ning said eagerly.
“Brat! Look at you drooling! How are you ever going to find a wife like this?” Zheng Yifan couldn’t help but laugh.
Li Ning suddenly glanced toward a direction on the second floor, his cheeks turning as red as a sunset. (To be continued)
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