Meanwhile, Clara set a coal stove in the car, put an iron pot on top, and dropped in the mutton and the mutton offal. She added water and a braising spice packet, then let it simmer. The spice packet had come from a trade. Logs worked as fuel, so she shoved in 30 at once. That was enough to cook the meat through.
She salted the rest of the mutton so it would keep for a few more days. Once the meat was dealt with, Clara got back on the road with the window cracked open. She had no intention of dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. She drove for about half an hour.
Ahead, a woman stood squarely in the middle of the road. She wore a business suit and flawless makeup, and a pair of curved ram horns grew from her head. Anxiety flickered across her face. Not far behind her, a black SUV sat parked. Clara frowned, slowed down, and stopped the car over thirty feet away.
She didn’t turn off the engine. She just put it in neutral and gripped the Repeating Crossbow on the passenger seat. In the apocalypse, people were scarier than monsters. Out here there was no law, no order, only the most primal law of the jungle. Any carelessness could cost you your life.
When the woman saw Clara’s car stop, her eyes lit up and she hurried over. The moment she got a clear look at Clara stepping out, amazement and envy crossed her face. Blonde hair, purple eyes, a stunning face, and perfect hourglass curves. Even women envied her deeply.
“Stop,” Clara said in a low voice. “One more step, and I won’t hold back.”
The woman stopped and put on a warm, friendly smile.
“Oh, come on. Don’t be so cold. Every one of us is a survivor. We should help each other out.”
Clara sneered inwardly. Here we go again. She opens her mouth and it’s a guilt trip.
“Speak up, shit or get off the pot. I’m in a hurry.”
Seeing that Clara was completely unmoved, the woman’s smile stiffened for a moment, but she held on to her patience.
“Here’s the thing. My name is Bonnie Clark. My car ran out of gas. Could you... lend me some gas?”
Clara frowned.
*So she’s out of gas. No wonder she’s stranded out here.*
But this woman had thrown out the word “borrow” so casually, like she was asking a neighbor for a cup of sugar.
“Sure,” she said flatly. “How much do you need?”
Bonnie’s face lit up. “Not much. 2.6 gallons is enough. Thanks. You’re a really good person.”
*2.6 gallons of gas?*
Clara remembered that when she traded meat earlier, she had also picked up 21 gallons of gas. If this woman had a good blueprint, it would be worth trading.
Bonnie’s smile froze on her face.
“What? Trade? Didn’t I say ‘borrow’?” She stared at Clara like she had grown a second head. “It’s just a little gas. Do you have to be so stingy? We’re surviving the apocalypse now. Resources are public. They should be shared. You’re hoarding so many supplies. Can one person even use all that?” Her gaze drifted to the pot of stewed meat by the rear window. A breeze blew past, and the smell of braised meat filled the air. Bonnie swallowed hard, then spoke with complete self-righteousness. “Look at you. You have so much meat in your car. You’re definitely not short on supplies. Once I find supplies later, I’ll pay you back double.” She paused, as if she thought her words carried weight. “I’m telling you, my dad is the CEO of a publicly traded company. When we get back to civilization, I’ll give you one million... no, ten million dollars. That’s enough for you to spend for the rest of your life.”
Hearing that whole speech, Clara was so angry she laughed. The world had already ended, and this woman was still making empty promises and throwing her status around? What, did she fall on her head? With a mocking smile, Clara looked at her like she was an idiot.
“Your CEO dad and his ten million dollars can’t even buy you a loaf of bread now. If you have nothing to trade, then move out of the way.”
Bonnie’s face went red, then pale. Then her eyes found the crossbow bolt in Clara’s hand and the dress she wore, torn in several places. A flicker of superiority flashed in her eyes.
“I see your clothes are all torn. How about this? I’ll trade you this designer business suit I’m wearing, and throw in a pair of high heels. That works, right?”
Clara was completely speechless.
“I only want supplies. Blueprint, materials, food. Any of those will do. If you don’t have one, get out of the way right now, or I’ll run you over.”
She made a move to open the car door. Seeing that Clara really was about to leave, Bonnie finally panicked. Her talent was only C-rank, Sheep Girl, and her single skill was Impact.
“Wait, I have a blueprint.”
She hurriedly took a blueprint from her wristband.
“This is a B-rank car body steel frame blueprint. It can increase a vehicle’s structural strength by 50%.”
Greed flickered through Clara’s eyes. A B-rank blueprint, and it boosted structural strength by 50%. The value of this thing was obvious. For a moment, she even thought about killing the woman and taking the loot.
She pushed the thought down. The woman didn’t seem malicious, just a bit of a princess. There was no need to wipe her out. That was her bottom line, and her principle as a human.
“Fine.” Clara forced down her excitement, her voice still cold. “2.6 gallons of gas for your blueprint.”
“No!” Seeing the blueprint had worked, Bonnie immediately gained confidence. “10.5 gallons!”
Clara didn’t even look at her. She opened the car door.
“Wait, wait, wait.” Bonnie panicked and hurried in front of the car. “5.3 gallons, 5.3 gallons, okay?”
Clara did the math in her head. 5.3 gallons of gas for a B-rank blueprint. That price was actually fair. But she had the upper hand.
“2.6 gallons of gas, plus 2 loaves of bread and 2 cups of water. This is enough for you to search for supplies. Whether you survive is up to you. Take it or leave it. If not, I’m leaving.”
Bonnie hesitated, then sniffed the tempting smell of meat in the air.
“Can I... trade for some meat?”
“Sure.” Clara nodded. “Half a pound of mutton, or bread and water. Your choice.”
Bonnie: ...
She wanted the meat badly, but bread and water were what she needed most right now. In the end, reason won out.
“Bread and water, then. Oh, right. How do we trade?”
“Tell me your ID and I’ll search for you.”
“Okay. The ID is Snow Pear.”
After searching, Clara sent a private message, of course anonymously.
MerchantItemTrade💧 Purified Water 2 cups, 🍞 Bread x2, ⛽ Gasoline 2.6 galB-rank Car Body Steel Frame Blueprint
Bonnie clicked confirm. When she saw the items arrive, she immediately ran back to her car. Clara learned the blueprint right away. Seeing the new crafting option in her wristband, she was thrilled. Then she drove off.