Ye Yunyi squeezed his legs, then led the group away.
The people nearby overheard Ye Yunyi.
’The inner sanctum of the barrier!’
’A big house!’
’Huh?!’
Instantly, their eyes went red with envy!
They glanced back at their own homes.
It was enough to make them go insane!
In a flash, a potent brew of envy, jealousy, and hatred fermented in their hearts.
But there was nothing they could do about it.
Atop the Wind-Chasing Leopard, Zhou Huaiwei sat with a tense expression, her entire body rigid.
After all, this was her first time riding an Exotic Beast!
For anyone who had lived through the early days of the apocalypse, the fear of Exotic Beasts was etched into their very bones.
The next moment, Ye Yunyi wrapped his arms around her from behind, helping her body to gradually relax.
「A short while later.」
The group arrived at the Crystal Core marketplace within the Nebula Barrier.
Here, you could trade using Crystal Cores.
Of course, the only people who came here were Mutants.
At that moment, Big Gold Teeth and his group were standing before a trading counter.
He sighed as he looked at the prices of the medicines.
’Damn it all!’
’How is everything so expensive?!’
’This medicine costs an entire Crystal Core from a Mid-Bronze Stage Exotic Beast!’
’Even the lower-grade medicines require several Crystal Cores from Early-Bronze Stage Exotic Beasts!’
He gritted his teeth and looked down at his injuries.
’Fuck this! I’ll just tough it out!’
Just as he was cursing under his breath and about to leave, he suddenly caught the strong scent of blood.
’So thick?!’
He immediately spun around to look.
He saw Ye Yunyi, covered from head to toe in blood, walk in with three beautiful women.
’Is that...?!’
Big Gold Teeth looked at Ye Yunyi and recognized him in an instant.
’Isn’t that the kid who rejected us this morning and left the barrier by himself?’
They had all thought he wouldn’t make it back.
’Who would’ve thought!’
"I can’t believe that kid actually made it back, and he doesn’t even look hurt," a man from Big Gold Teeth’s squad remarked slowly, having also recognized Ye Yunyi.
Thinking of his own disastrous losses, Big Gold Teeth snorted. "The kid probably just got lucky. Damn it, it’s so dangerous outside the barrier. We got our asses handed to us, but this guy came back in one piece."
"Don’t worry, just wait. His luck will run out eventually. He might’ve dodged a bullet today, but he can’t dodge them forever!"
The moment Ye Yunyi appeared, many people nearby quickly moved away from him.
After all, he was practically bathed in blood, and the stench was overpowering.
Zhou Huaiwei, however, simply held onto his arm.
Behind them, the sisters Han Bingxue and Han Bingyu followed close.
They walked up to the trading counter, where a man saw Ye Yunyi and smiled. "Young man, what can I get for you?"
"I’d like a large house in the depths of the barrier. Something big, quiet, and in a nice area," Ye Yunyi stated his request directly.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the man sized up Ye Yunyi. Noting the coarse, homespun clothes strained to the point of tearing, he offered a well-intentioned reminder, "Young man, a house like that isn’t cheap, you know."
Many people nearby overheard Ye Yunyi’s request.
All of them stared at him.
If houses were expensive before the apocalypse, then after the apocalypse, their cost was something people from the old world couldn’t have even dreamed of.
Every inch of land was literally worth its weight in gold.
Just as they were shaking their heads, thinking Ye Yunyi was some country bumpkin who had no idea what he was getting into...
CLATTER!
The sound of Crystal Cores spilling onto the counter rang out.
Everyone looked over.
Instantly, their eyes widened, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Big Gold Teeth: "..."
The onlookers: "..."
The trader: "..."
’Holy crap?!’
’What is all this?!’
’Are these... all Late-Bronze Stage Crystal Cores?!’
’Then he must be...!’
’What Level is he?!’
’Huh?’
Everyone was instantly dumbfounded.
Big Gold Teeth stared at Ye Yunyi. ’This kid... he’s a Silver Tier Mutant?!’
In the Nebula Barrier, that was considered a top-tier expert!
He then recalled how, just that morning, he had tried to recruit Ye Yunyi, assuming he was just an Early-Bronze Stage Mutant. And the things he’d said just moments ago.
At this thought, Big Gold Teeth’s mouth twitched, and he quickly shuffled back into the crowd.
The trader’s expression did a complete one-eighty. The rather indifferent look on his face was instantly replaced by a beaming smile.
"Sir, we have just the house you’re looking for! I’ll take you there myself! Just give me a moment to grab the files and the keys!"
He then bustled out from behind the counter, produced several cups, and placed them in front of Ye Yunyi and the three women.
"This is our finest tea. Please, help yourselves while you wait."
The trader said, pouring a cup for Ye Yunyi.
He then poured cups for the three women in turn.
"And for you, madams, please have a taste."
’Madams...’
Hearing that word, all three women blushed.
They quickly picked up their teacups and took small sips to hide their embarrassment.
Watching the trader’s change in attitude, Ye Yunyi sighed. ’It’s true what they say: money makes the man.’
As they waited, a clamor erupted not far away.
The uproar grew louder and louder.
Everyone began chattering excitedly.
"The City Lord! The City Lord is here!"
"She’s been coming here a lot recently!"
"Yeah, I heard she’s looking for some kind of hot-natured medicine. Offering a really high price for it, too!"
"Yesterday, she supposedly put up a bounty of one Early-Silver Stage Exotic Beast Crystal Core!"
"Ah, forget it. That bounty is way out of my league. I’ll just settle for feasting my eyes on the City Lord!"
"Keep your damn voice down! You can look, but you can’t just say that shit out loud! You got a death wish?"
...
The murmurs of the crowd drifted over.
These words also reached the ears of Ye Yunyi and his three wives.
They turned around.
Truth be told, despite having been in the Nebula Barrier for five years, Ye Yunyi had never actually seen the City Lord.
Based on what he’d just overheard, the City Lord was apparently a woman—and a very beautiful one at that.
’This I’ve got to see.’
「A moment later.」
The crowd parted.
A few figures slowly emerged.
A woman appeared.
With just one glance, Ye Yunyi’s eyes lit up.
’So young and beautiful?!’
Her eyes were bright and captivating, her lips like peach blossoms.
A cascade of black hair flowed down to her waist.
Her skin was as flawless as ice and jade, complemented by a long white dress.
She gave off an untouchable aura, a beauty to be admired from a distance, never to be defiled.
She seemed to possess an aura that subdued everyone around her the moment she appeared.
Even the Mutants who had just been boasting about feasting their eyes now lowered their heads, not daring to stare.
However, this aura had no effect on Ye Yunyi.
He was currently watching with a cheerful grin.
He was making a quick comparison in his head.
’This woman, while not overly... stacked, is perfectly proportioned. A kind of natural, effortless beauty!’
’Not bad at all!’
As if sensing Ye Yunyi’s intrusive gaze, Bai Zhixi looked over in his direction.