Su Qingqing packed up the things she would need for several days outside. A small piece of dry, hard rations that had cost one Level 3 crystal core, along with half a bottle of water, were all stuffed into her bag. Only then did she step out of the tent where more than a dozen people lived together.
“Qingqing.” Behind her, a girl who shared the same tent called out to her. “You really shouldn’t go. It’s already hard enough for a girl to survive in the apocalypse, and this time you’re going to take the horn of an eighth-level mutated rhinoceros. You won’t survive.”
“As long as I succeed this time, our family of four will have enough food for a month. My little sister will also finally get to drink the rice soup she’s been craving.” Su Qingqing’s tone was firm.
In this base, those who made no contribution received no supplies. If one wanted food or a place in a tent, the only way was to accept missions issued by the base. Only after completing them could one exchange for a small amount of resources.
In Su Qingqing’s family of four, she was the only one with combat ability. Her father had lost a leg, and her mother’s health had been damaged when giving birth to her younger sister, leaving her unable to do heavy or exhausting work.
Su Qingqing had gone to great lengths just to secure a place for her family to stay in this base.
“There is… actually another way.” The girl hesitated before speaking. “You know, Brother Wang has always liked you.”
Brother Wang was the deputy head of the base’s logistics department. He was fat and coarse-looking, but because logistics managed the base’s supplies, he was quite popular. He had made his interest in Su Qingqing very clear, both directly and indirectly, several times, but she had rejected him every time.
Su Qingqing glanced back at her. Her gaze fell on the slightly cleaner clothes she wore compared to others, as well as the crystal hairpin in her hair. “I don’t want that. Maybe relying on someone could make life easier, but I can’t get past that in my heart. Xiao Li, relying on others will never be reliable. In the end, you still have to rely on yourself.”
After saying that, she left without looking back.
…
Three days later, Su Qingqing hid inside a garbage bin in a corner. The rotting trash covered her body, completely masking her scent. Outside, the roars of mutated beasts could be heard from time to time. She held her breath, her brows tightly furrowed. An eighth-level mutated beast was indeed far too difficult to deal with. Its hide was as hard as iron, and ordinary cold weapons could not cause it any harm at all.
She had overestimated her own strength. Her food and water had already run out, and her abilities had been exhausted as well. All she had left was the dagger in her hand.
And all she had managed to do was injure one of the mutated rhinoceros’s eyes. Its tough outer hide had not been damaged in the slightest, and she had only enraged it further.
The roars outside gradually grew distant. Su Qingqing knew she could not keep hiding here forever. If she attracted mutated rats, she would have no chance of escape at all.
This area was located in a suburban industrial park. Everything was wide and open. Any factory buildings that could be used for shelter had long since been occupied by mutated vines or mutated beasts. Su Qingqing carefully poked her head out. The mutated rhinoceros was currently entangled by a vine. This was a good opportunity.
Without hesitation, she climbed out of the garbage bin and ran in the opposite direction.
It did not take long for the mutated rhinoceros to break free from the vine’s restraint and chase after her.
She could clearly feel the ground trembling behind her, but she dared not look back. She ran forward with all her might. Her lungs burned as if on fire, and her vision began to blur. In the end, it was because she had not eaten that her stamina failed her.
At that moment, a large open area appeared in front of her. It was surrounded by railings, and there seemed to be a sign set up near the gate, though she could not see it clearly. She quickly scanned the area. There were no vines here, and no mutated beasts running rampant.
She decided to take a gamble. For now, she just needed to find some cover to catch her breath, otherwise she truly could not keep running.
No matter the outcome, she could only gamble once. She hoped the ring of railings outside would buy her a little time.
The moment she stepped through the gate, the oppressive feeling behind her disappeared.
Su Qingqing did not notice. She continued running on instinct until she could no longer move. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.
She closed her eyes in despair, waiting for the final blow from the mutated rhinoceros. Images of her parents and younger sister surfaced in her mind, and sorrow filled her heart. If she died, they would likely have no way to survive.
After waiting for a long time, the expected pain never came. The surroundings were completely silent.
Su Qingqing opened her eyes and looked behind her. The mutated rhinoceros, as massive as a small hill, was standing at the gate she had just entered. Having lost its target, it wandered around aimlessly like a headless fly.
What… was going on?
“Are you okay?”
A sudden voice startled Su Qingqing so much that she almost slashed out with the knife in her hand.
She turned her head and met the eyes of Miao Suisui, who was holding a bowl of noodles.
“Don’t get agitated, don’t get agitated.” Miao Suisui took a step back. “I’m the mayor here. I came out for a walk… no, to conduct an inspection, and I saw you lying here.”
Miao Suisui deliberately softened her tone, trying her best not to sound like a big bad wolf coaxing a little lamb into a wolf’s den.
She had been here for three days and had finally seen a living person. Although she liked staying indoors, she was still a social creature. The feeling of having no one to talk to was truly unpleasant, so she had rushed forward in excitement when she saw Su Qingqing.
Only now, seeing the cold glint of the knife in the other woman’s hand, did she realize she had been too rash. This was no longer the peaceful era she was familiar with.
“Mayor?” Su Qingqing’s puzzled tone made Miao Suisui blush slightly. With only two or three lonely buildings, it really did not look like a town.
“Ahem, well… the scale is indeed a bit small right now.” Miao Suisui coughed lightly.
Perhaps seeing that Miao Suisui did not pose much of a threat, Su Qingqing slowly lowered her knife. The blade was no longer pointed at Miao Suisui, though she still held it tightly. Miao Suisui let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude on your territory. I was chased here by that mutated rhinoceros. I’ll leave now.” Su Qingqing struggled to stand up, intending to leave this somewhat strange town.
But the moment she stood, her legs gave way uncontrollably. At the same time, her stomach let out an untimely growl.
“You’re hungry? I have noodles, do you want some?” Miao Suisui said. “It’s almost nightfall now, and that mutated beast is still guarding the entrance. If you go out, you’ll definitely be eaten without even your bones left. You saw it too, those things can’t get in. This place is very safe. Why not rest here? Those thatched huts over there are all livable. It only costs twenty Level 1 crystal cores per night for maintenance. If you stay for a month, there’s even a discount, five hundred and eighty Level 1 crystal cores.”
“Twenty Level 1 crystal cores?” Su Qingqing was shocked again.
“Is it too expensive?” Miao Suisui frowned. “But that’s the set price, I can’t change it. Still, you’ll understand once you see it. It may look simple on the outside, but our houses are definitely worth the price.”
Miao Suisui had no idea about the price standards here and tried her best to persuade her. This concerned her own survival, so she naturally put in all her effort.
Su Qingqing shook her head. “No, it’s too cheap.”
In the base, the kind of tent they lived in, where more than ten people were crammed together, cost one Level 4 crystal core per person per day. Those who could afford tents were considered to have some ability. As for more people, they were packed into basements, where there was no sunlight all day. There were so many people that there was barely any room to stand. Eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving themselves all happened in the same space, and the entire basement was filled with a nauseating stench. Even so, it still cost one Level 2 crystal core per person per day.
Level 1 crystal cores were the least valuable in the apocalypse.
This place was so perfect that it felt like a scam, which made Su Qingqing even more cautious. The thought of leaving gained the upper hand in her mind, but the mutated rhinoceros outside had not gone far. If she remained outside after nightfall, she would not live to see the next sunrise. Whether before or after the apocalypse, night was always far more dangerous than day.
After weighing her options, and thinking of what would happen to her parents and younger sister if she died, Su Qingqing gritted her teeth. She took out twenty Level 1 crystal cores from her pocket and handed them to Miao Suisui, silently resolving that if anything felt wrong, she would leave immediately.
With her first batch of crystal cores received, Miao Suisui’s eyes curved in delight.
“Come on, let’s go to my place first and get you something to eat, then I’ll take you to see the room.” Miao Suisui reached out to support Su Qingqing, but Su Qingqing refused. She was simply too filthy. The stench of rotting garbage mixed with sweat was enough to make even herself want to vomit.
But as soon as she stood, she lost control and began to fall to one side. Miao Suisui still reached out and steadied her.
Su Qingqing’s body stiffened instantly. Ever since the apocalypse, aside from her family, she had never been this close to anyone. Yet the soft, sweet-smiling girl beside her made it impossible for her to feel any disgust.
Meanwhile, Miao Suisui was doing her best to suppress a grin that resembled that of a profiteer.
Hehe… crystal cores… hehe.
She helped Su Qingqing into her own house. Compared to the thatched huts, her house was much better. There was a separate large bedroom, a fairly spacious living room, a bathroom with separate wet and dry areas, and even a kitchen where she could cook for herself. The seasonings in the kitchen were all provided by the system, with an unlimited supply, though limited to one person’s share. Not only seasonings, but all kinds of daily necessities were always prepared in a single-person quantity.
Su Qingqing looked around the house in a daze. After so many years in the apocalypse, could there really still be such a clean and beautiful home? There was even a faint floral fragrance in the air. She noticed a bouquet of freshly picked flowers placed on a cabinet in the living room.
Seeing the clean and bright house before her, Su Qingqing stopped in her tracks. She was simply too dirty. If she went in, she would probably leave a trail of footprints.
Miao Suisui noticed her hesitation and immediately understood her concern. “It’s fine. If it gets dirty, the robot will clean it. Just come in. Go take a shower first, I’ll cook some noodles for you. By the way, do you eat spicy food?”
“N… no.” Snapped out of her thoughts as a clean towel and a set of fresh clothes were handed to her, Su Qingqing replied.
She walked into the bathroom and turned on the tap. Clear, clean water flowed down.
Su Qingqing stood there blankly. She cautiously reached out her hand. The cool touch confirmed it, this really was clean water.