pertwk Chapter 44 Trading
Chapter 44 Trading
"I only have one simple hand-drawn map, which marks the main routes and the locations of known large shelters. It may not be very accurate, but the general direction is correct." Zhao Ming carefully took out a notebook wrapped in waterproof tarpaulin from his pocket, opened one of the pages, and sure enough, a simple map was drawn on it with different colored pens.
"We can describe the routes and dangers verbally; we'll tell you everything we know. As for the Jiangcheng Shelter..." Zhao Ming paused, a complex expression on his face, "The information we have is from over a month ago. It's said that management is very strict, but most supplies no longer need to be handed over. However, a physical examination is required to obtain temporary residency. It's not paradise inside; there's supposedly a lot of factional infighting and supply embezzlement, but at least you're guaranteed not to freeze or starve to death, and there's a certain level of armed force to defend against zombie hordes."
Xu Mo listened intently, his brain working like a high-speed computer, recording and analyzing every word. The hand-drawn map, though rudimentary, was enough to help him construct a basic spatial framework. Route information and the condition of the shelter were even more crucial.
"Okay." Xu Mo nodded. "You provide a map and tell me the route and details about the shelter. In exchange..."
He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the three of them again, noticing that they were unconsciously holding their breath.
"I can give you five packs of compressed biscuits," Xu Mo stated his price. The compressed biscuits were scavenged from the "emergency food warehouse"; they were small in size but high in calories, making them perfect for the trade.
This offer demonstrated his "strength" in possessing resources while remaining within a reasonable range, preventing the other party from developing a greedy and risky mentality.
Upon hearing "compressed biscuits," Zhao Ming and the other two's eyes visibly lit up. Da Niu, in particular, even involuntarily swallowed. Five compressed biscuits, if eaten sparingly, would be enough for the thirteen of them to barely last another day or two.
"Deal!" Zhao Ming agreed almost without hesitation.
"That's too high!"
Hearing the other party say "deal" without hesitation, Xu Mo knew he had quoted too high a price. High-calorie items like compressed biscuits seemed to have a good market in the apocalypse.
Afraid that Xu Mo would change his mind, Zhao Ming carefully tore the page of the map from the notebook. After thinking for a moment, he borrowed a pen from Xu Mo and added several dangerous areas that they had just passed through that were not on the map.
Over the next ten minutes or so, a peculiar transaction took place on this chilly street. Zhao Ming and Sun Xiaoyun took turns recounting their experiences, their route choices, the dangers they encountered, the harsh terrain, other groups of unfriendly survivors, and all the information they knew about the Jiangcheng Shelter, telling Xu Mo as much detail as possible.
Xu Mo listened intently, occasionally interjecting to ask a question or two about a key detail, appearing extremely serious.
After the information exchange was completed and Xu Mo confirmed that everything was correct, he turned around and went back into the shelter. A moment later, he handed over five vacuum-packed compressed biscuits and a strip of fever reducers with only three pills left.
"These five packs of compressed biscuits are what you deserve, and these three pills are a gift from me, as a way of forming a good relationship," Xu Mo said.
"Thank you, friend." Zhao Ming's voice became excited and even trembled slightly. The two people beside him also turned their attention to the supplies that Xu Mo had just handed over.
"It's just a transaction," Xu Mo replied casually, carefully folding the map and putting it into his pocket.
Both sides fell into a brief silence again. The atmosphere seemed to have eased a bit, but the basic wariness remained.
"Then... we won't disturb you any longer," Zhao Ming said, glancing at the sky.
Xu Mo nodded without saying anything more, simply watching the three of them turn around and carefully retreat along the way they came, their figures gradually disappearing behind the ruins at the street corner.
Only after confirming that the other party had truly left did Xu Mo slowly breathe a sigh of relief, and his right hand, which had been resting near the trigger guard, relaxed slightly.
This encounter was thrilling but ultimately fruitless, and he gained a valuable map and much-needed information from the outside world.
But Xu Mo knew that things were probably not over yet. The leader of this team of survivors had not yet appeared, and the overall attitude of the team needed further observation.
Clutching the simple yet significant map in his hand, he turned and walked back to his shelter.
Back at the shelter, Xu Mo immediately reinforced the door, then eagerly sat down by the fire and began to carefully study the map by the flickering flames.
The map was indeed rudimentary, hand-drawn on a notebook sheet, with rough lines and an imprecise scale, but the key information was immediately clear. He first located his position—Qingsongling Town. This name finally gave Xu Mo a clear sense of belonging to the ruins where he had lived for months.
Xu Mo's gaze moved eastward, following a winding line marked "Road 201" until he saw a location specially marked with a red circle, next to which was written "Jiangcheng Shelter." This was the team, and also the destination mentioned in Liu Ning's diary.
Besides the Jiangcheng Shelter, the map also shows the names of several other towns and two or three shelter names written in smaller font, some marked with an X and others with a question mark, seemingly indicating that those places are abandoned or their status is unknown. The map also marks some known danger zones with simple symbols, such as "zombie horde areas," "roadblocks," and "landslides."
Although the information was limited, the map was like a few dim lights in Xu Mo's mind, giving him a macroscopic and directional understanding of his location and surrounding environment, instead of complete darkness and confusion.
"More than two hundred kilometers... 201 roads..." Xu Mo muttered to himself, already beginning to plan his future route. Of course, all of this was predicated on his decision to leave this place and the Jiangcheng Shelter being truly worth visiting.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xu Mo stood on the rooftop to greet the rising sun and begin gathering and refining the purple energy. The process went smoothly as usual, and his internal energy and blood became even more vigorous and lively under the nourishment of the rising sun's energy.
Just as he finished his practice and was about to go downstairs for his daily workout, his gaze swept across the street, and he paused again.
Sure enough, here we go again.
There were three people walking towards him from the direction of the town center. He had seen two of them yesterday, but the man in the middle was a complete stranger.
This man was taller and also wore a bulky old overcoat, but his steps were steady and his posture upright. Even from a distance, one could sense an extraordinary air of competence. He walked in the middle, while the two from yesterday deliberately lagged behind him by half a step. Xu Mo immediately deduced that this man must be the true leader of this survivor team.
The three men stopped voluntarily at the location where they had made their transaction the day before, about twenty or thirty meters from Xu Mo's shelter at the street corner. This action impressed Xu Mo with their sense of boundaries and propriety, at least indicating that they were not the type to push their luck or disregard the rules.
After a moment's thought, Xu Mo put on his training uniform and stab-proof vest, slung his machete over his shoulder, checked the ammunition for his AK-47, and went out the door, facing the three people in the distance.
Upon seeing Xu Mo appear, Brother Wang's gaze immediately focused on him. His eyes were calm and sharp, carrying a sense of scrutiny and assessment, but without any obvious hostility. He took a few steps forward and stopped about ten meters away from Xu Mo—a position that allowed for clear conversation while maintaining a safe distance.
"Friend, excuse me." Brother Wang clasped his hands in greeting, his voice low and hoarse, yet possessing an inherent power that commanded respect. "My name is Wang Meng, and I'm the leader of this team. Yesterday, my team members made a deal with you, and I thank you for providing the supplies."
His self-introduction was concise and direct, reflecting a military style.
"Xu Mo." Xu Mo introduced himself as a basic courtesy, then cut straight to the point, "Captain Wang, are you here today because you still want to make a deal?"
Wang Meng nodded, looking at Xu Mo with an honest gaze: "Yes. We'll leave Qingsong Ridge first thing tomorrow morning and continue our journey to Jiangcheng. Before we leave, we'd like to exchange some information that we believe is valuable for some urgently needed supplies."
He paused, observed Xu Mo's expression, and continued, "I see you are quite skilled and well-equipped, presumably to better survive in this apocalypse. Are you interested in information about mutated zombies?"
Mutant zombies.
These four words, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirred up ripples in Xu Mo's heart. Although he had previously suspected that something more dangerous might exist, it had never been confirmed.
"Mutant zombies?" Xu Mo raised an eyebrow, his face showing just the right amount of surprise and interest. "Tell me more." He didn't immediately appear too eager, but the focus in his eyes said it all.
Seeing Xu Mo's interest, Wang Meng felt reassured and began to explain in a deep voice: "This is what we learned along the way from the north, while exchanging information with other survivor teams. Unlike ordinary zombies, these mutants are more difficult to deal with and pose a greater threat. Currently, we know of three main types:"
The first type is the agile type. This type of zombie is relatively smaller than ordinary zombies, but it is extremely fast and agile, especially adept at climbing and ambushes.
The second type is the strength type. These zombies are exceptionally large and muscular, possessing immense strength, capable of easily overturning cars and smashing through walls. Ordinary clubs have little effect on them, and rifle bullets, unless hitting a vital organ, are unlikely to kill them instantly.
The third and most troublesome type is the venomous type. These are relatively rare but extremely dangerous. They are similar in size to ordinary zombies, but their skin often has an eerie blue-green hue, and their mouths and nails may contain highly corrosive venom or unknown viruses. If scratched or bitten, the wound will fester rapidly, infecting much faster than ordinary zombies, and may cause more serious symptoms such as high fever and organ failure, which are essentially incurable.
Wang Meng's description was clear and specific, clearly not just something he had heard about; it was likely a bloody lesson learned from personal experience, perhaps even at a cost. Zhao Ming and Sun Xiaoyun listened, their expressions growing serious, unsure whether they were hearing it from Wang Meng for the first time or if it brought back some unpleasant memories of the past.
Xu Mo silently memorized this information, especially the description of the "venom type," which made him particularly wary. Could the defenses of the Bullhide Realm withstand that corrosive venom? He wasn't sure.
"This information is very valuable." Xu Mo nodded, acknowledging its worth, and then asked directly, "What do you need?"
What do we need?
Wang Meng was taken aback when he heard Xu Mo say that, clearly not expecting Xu Mo to ask such a question.
However, Wang Meng only hesitated for a moment before saying, "Food, preferably high-energy. And medicine, especially antibiotics and fever reducers." These are their most urgently needed survival supplies.
Xu Mo didn't answer immediately, but instead pretended to think. He noticed the startled look on Wang Meng's face when he asked "what do you need?" and he realized the meaning behind his words.
"Five packs of compressed biscuits, three cans of meat, and I can also give you a strip of fever reducer. I don't have much left," Xu Mo quoted the price, while also covering up what he had just said. This price was slightly higher than yesterday's, but it wasn't unreasonable considering the crucial information about mutated zombies.
He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and added casually, "By the way, do you guys... want some cigarettes?"
"cigarette?!"
The moment that word was uttered, the three people opposite reacted even more intensely than when they heard about food and medicine! A hint of emotion flashed across Wang Meng's usually composed face, Zhao Ming subconsciously pushed up his glasses, and even Sun Xiaoyun, who always had a cold expression, had a glint in her eye!
"Yes! Of course I want it!" Wang Meng answered almost immediately, his voice tinged with urgency. In the precarious apocalypse, cigarettes, a pure luxury, played an irreplaceable role in relieving mental stress and even serving as a form of "hard currency" for small-scale exchange.
Xu Mo said no more and turned back into the house. A moment later, he came out with five packs of compressed biscuits, three cans of luncheon meat, and also took out most of a pack of cigarettes from a common brand and a plastic lighter, and handed them over.
Wang Meng took the items, especially the large pack of cigarettes, his hands trembled slightly. He carefully tucked the cigarettes and lighter into his innermost pocket, then sincerely said to Xu Mo, "Brother Xu Mo, thank you so much! I, Wang Meng, will remember this favor!"
The transaction was completed, and the atmosphere was somewhat more relaxed than yesterday.
Wang Meng looked at Xu Mo, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Brother Xu Mo, you're here alone. Although you're strong, you're still outnumbered. We're going to the Jiangcheng Shelter tomorrow. Although there are many rules there, at least there's strength in numbers and basic order. Would you like to come with us?"
This is a common invitation among survivors in the apocalypse, a gesture of goodwill.
Xu Mo shook his head almost without hesitation, his tone calm but firm: "Thank you for your kindness, Captain Wang, but I'm used to being alone and have no plans to leave for the time being."
Wang Meng seemed to have anticipated this answer and didn't press the matter, simply nodding: "Everyone has their own ambitions. Brother Xu Mo, take care! I hope we'll have the chance to meet again in the future."
"Take care." Xu Mo nodded as well.
Wang Meng said no more, and led Zhao Ming and Sun Xiaoyun back along the way they came, their figures quickly disappearing behind the ruins.
Watching them leave, Sun Xiaoyun couldn't help but whisper to Wang Meng, "Brother Wang, this Xu Mo really doesn't seem afraid of us double-crossing him. He traded so much good stuff for just this little bit of information..."
Zhao Ming adjusted his glasses and analyzed, "He's either extremely confident, with absolute certainty about his abilities; or he possesses far more than we can see and doesn't care about this little effort. Either way, it shows he's definitely not simple."
Wang Meng's gaze was deep. He glanced back at the direction of Xu Mo's shelter and said in a deep voice, "This guy is very cunning. He gave us the stuff so readily, not because he's stupid, but because he doesn't take our threat seriously at all. And the gun he has is real; it's not something to be trifled with. Pass the word down: everyone stay away from this area and don't have any improper thoughts. We're leaving first thing tomorrow morning; let's not cause any trouble."
"Yes, Brother Wang." Zhao Ming and Sun Xiaoyun responded in unison, their hearts filled with a complex mix of curiosity and apprehension towards Xu Mo, who occupied a corner of Qingsongling Town all by himself.