Inside Oasis Base, within a dimly lit tent, the atmosphere was as oppressive as a heavy lead weight, suffocating everyone present.
The base’s high-ranking officials gathered around a worn and mottled long table. Above them, an old pendant lamp emitted a faint, flickering light, its unstable power threatening to go out at any moment, casting an even gloomier shadow over the meeting.
A large fan swayed its head as it blew air through the tent, only turned on sparingly during meetings. Though it barely alleviated the heat, it was still better than nothing.
Exhaustion and anxiety were etched on everyone’s faces, their brows furrowed, eyes revealing deep helplessness and worry.
The base commander sat at the head of the table, his fingers tapping lightly on the table in front of him, producing a dull, monotonous sound.
He rubbed his temples, his voice hoarse and heavy, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth. “We must face reality,” he began slowly, his tone filled with resignation. “The food and water reserves in the base are nearly depleted.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the meeting room plunged into an even deeper silence. Everyone knew what this meant.
Once supplies ran out and the base could no longer function, resources would become utterly scarce and priceless. Everyone would be left to fend for themselves, relying on their own abilities to see who would starve first.
The logistics director shook his head with a bitter smile, the wrinkles on his face deepening with worry. “The supplies we can find are dwindling, and the difficulty of the tasks assigned by the higher-ups no longer matches the rewards. This isn’t something we can solve.”
Their small base was stationed in the underground parking lot of a residential area, with a population of around a thousand people. They obtained food and water in two ways.
One was by completing officially issued tasks, such as clearing out Mutant Beasts or exploring buildings, in exchange for official supply rewards. The other was by venturing out to search for supplies themselves or attempting to cultivate edible crops.
As a small base, they lacked the technology for farming, couldn’t obtain drought-resistant seeds, and had no surplus water for cultivation. Relying solely on supply provisions was becoming increasingly difficult.
Everyone took turns describing the hardships of their current situation. The stifling air hung heavy in the meeting room, and each breath felt labored and oppressive, as if the cruel Post-apocalypse had them by the throat.
Some even began to give up hope, thinking it would be better to die sooner and be reborn sooner. In such a life, there seemed to be no glimmer of hope.
Just as they were overwhelmed with headaches and had no solutions in sight, the door to the meeting room was suddenly slammed open with a loud “bang.”
A young man rushed in frantically, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath. His face was flushed with uncontrollable excitement, and his voice trembled slightly with tension. “Report! Commander, a team just returned driving a truck loaded with food and water!”
The previously despondent and hopeless group instantly perked up, as if injected with a shot of adrenaline.
The base commander shot to his feet so abruptly that his chair scraped across the floor with a sharp, grating sound. “What did you say? Are you sure you didn’t missee?”
The fact that he could obtain such a large amount of supplies at once meant he had access to some channel or had discovered a place where food was stockpiled in bulk. Either possibility could solve the urgent problem at hand.
The base leader’s eyes sparkled with hope as he hurried toward the door. The other leaders immediately followed suit, and the group rushed anxiously toward the base’s parking area.
Before they even reached the spot, the clamor of a bustling crowd reached their ears—everyone had gathered to watch the spectacle.
“They brought back so much water and food, and even fresh Toast bread!”
“In this Post-apocalypse, where did they find so many precious supplies? Did they discover some underground warehouse?” “Who knows where they got it? Whatever, we can’t afford it anyway. We’re just looking to quench our thirst by thinking of plums.”
“So many barrels of water! Do you think if I sell myself to their captain, I could get one in return?” “Auntie, wake up! Stop dreaming!” The crowd’s discussions rose and fell, filled with shock, confusion, and anticipation.
The base leader pushed through the dense crowd and finally saw the vehicle, shining like a beacon of hope.
Li Yang and his teammates stood beside the truck, which was loaded with bags of Toast and huge barrels of water. The freshness of the food stood in stark contrast to the surrounding desolation, drawing envious and longing gazes from the residents. Gasps of amazement erupted intermittently from the crowd.
Some starving individuals eyed the supplies with red-eyed greed, itching to snatch them by force. However, Li Yang’s team consisted of six people, each armed with knives and weapons, making them a tough target. Moreover, the base’s personnel would maintain order, preventing any such attempts.
“Where did you get so many supplies?” the base leader asked urgently, striding forward and looking at Li Yang with a serious expression.
Han Qingying glanced at the group. She still harbored some resentment toward the base—if the guard hadn’t doubted her back then, she wouldn’t have been treated so poorly. It was only because Li Yang believed her that the issue was resolved.
Li Yang glanced at Han Qingying and, seeing her reluctance to speak with them, spoke on her behalf. “We discovered a Store nearby, less than twenty minutes away by car. It sells water and food at reasonable prices. These supplies were bought with the money we pooled together.”
“Han Qingying found this place yesterday. She reported it to the guards on duty, but no one believed her. Our team trusted her and went to check it out—and it turned out to be true.” Li Yang continued, determined to stand up for Han Qingying, who had been wronged despite her contribution.
The base leader and the other leaders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock and confusion. In unison, they exclaimed, “There’s actually such a place?!”
The logistics director, whose eyes had turned red with excitement at the sight of the supplies, flared up upon hearing about the earlier mishap. He roared angrily, “Don’t you realize how many people in the base could die if supplies are delayed by even a day? Why didn’t you report the situation? Who was on duty yesterday? Deduct their wages!”
Two individuals not far away turned pale, their vision darkening. Their wages were already meager, and now they faced a pay cut. Who could have imagined it was actually true? She had no evidence and came empty-handed yesterday, so they hadn’t reported it to avoid bothering the leaders. How could they have been wrong?
But they didn't dare utter a single complaint, shrinking their heads like quails, trembling as if sifting chaff. After all, they were indeed in the wrong—if they had reported it yesterday, they could have hauled back several truckloads of supplies today.
Han Qingying's anger subsided, and she sighed. Stepping forward, she recounted the entire detailed process of encountering the Store and purchasing the supplies, leaving nothing out. After hearing her story, everyone was stunned by this miraculous experience, their faces filled with expressions of disbelief.
The onlookers whispered among themselves.
"Oversized products, invisible giants? How could something so fantastical be real?" "But those bottled waters on their truck really are oversized versions of mineral water, as if made for giants…"
"If the apocalypse can happen, what's so strange about people from another world opening a Store here? It's just like something out of a novel." "That makes sense. As long as they mean no harm, it's fine."
"Regardless, these supplies have arrived just in time, like sending charcoal in snowy weather." The base leader cleared his throat, looking at the mountain of supplies piled on the ground, finally revealing a long-lost, relieved smile. "You won't be able to use all of these supplies yourselves. The base will buy the excess. How much do they cost?"
"Not expensive. We bought the extra-large barrels of water—ten Points per barrel, and Toast is one Point per bag." Li Yang told everyone the Store's prices, but then he changed his tone, raising three fingers. "If the base wants to buy them, I'll charge three times that price."
He had risked his life braving attacks from Mutant Beasts and wasted so much precious gasoline—of course he wasn't going to sell at the original price. In the base, a single bottle of water could sell for over ten or even twenty Points. Charging just thirty for such a large barrel was downright generous, wasn't it?
Everyone was instantly stunned, exchanging glances. For a moment, the entire area fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the gentle breeze rustling through the surrounding tattered tents.
After a few seconds, exclamations and discussions erupted from the crowd. "The Store's prices are way too cheap!"
The logistics director widened his eyes, his face filled with disbelief. "Toast for one Point per bag? That's practically giving it away for free!"
His eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he could already see the hope of the base overcoming its difficulties thanks to these supplies.
People began whispering among themselves. Though their voices were soft, they were clearly audible in the relatively quiet environment.
"What's the deal with this Store? How can they sell things so cheaply? Is the owner a reincarnated Bodhisattva, here specifically to save us?"
"Who cares? As long as the stuff is cheap and useful, we should just count our blessings!" another voice immediately chimed in.
The base leader pondered for a moment, his slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxing. He looked at Li Yang, his gaze carrying a hint of approval. "The base will buy all the excess supplies."
He turned to the logistics director. "Arrange for someone to inventory the supplies immediately and prepare the payment."
The logistics director quickly nodded and hurried off to assign personnel. Soon, a group of base employees jogged over and began systematically unloading the water and Toast from the truck, stacking them neatly to the side.
"You've performed a great service this time! We'll send people to thoroughly investigate this Store right away. If it's reliable, we'll establish cooperation immediately."
The base commander remained cautious. He instructed the head of the Field Operations Department, "Select some skilled and experienced team members, and bring enough weapons to guard against Mutant Beasts on the road."
The head of the Field Operations Department accepted the order and left, quickly beginning to select team members, striving to set off at the fastest possible speed.
Meanwhile, others also developed a strong interest in the Store. If the authorities could go, those with the ability naturally could too…
Compared to buying the marked-up versions brought back by others, going to buy in person was cheaper and more practical. Moreover, they could sell to others at a high price.
Why not go and take a look themselves?
Author's Note: