The sun was already setting in the west, but the temperature remained scorching.
Xu San San had been lying stiffly in the same spot for nearly forty minutes…
“Ugh, I was too impulsive today! I should’ve made a run for it the second time the Mutated Bullfrog loosened its tongue!”
Xu San San was filled with regret, but in the post-apocalyptic world, there was no such thing as a pill for remorse!
She blinked her eyes—the only part of her body she could still move…
Another half hour passed, and she noticed the numbness in her limbs was gradually fading. Slowly, her hands seemed to regain mobility, though they still lacked strength.
Whew! Being able to move was good news!
Xu San San let out a sigh of relief, comforting herself.
She immediately checked her Optical Brain—it was already 16:52.
Only an hour left. Even if she fully recovered in another half hour, walking back from here might not guarantee she’d catch the Spaceship… Not to mention, she still had the Handcart and the Mutated Bullfrog to deal with…
Staring at her Optical Brain, Xu San San began to worry…
Don’t panic, stay calm, stay calm…
…
A minute later, she dialed Lao Qin’s contact number…
“Hello? What do you want? I don’t have any new stock today!”
Lao Qin’s dismissive voice came through the Optical Brain.
Xu San San breathed a sigh of relief—she had been afraid he wouldn’t answer her “call.”
“I’ve got something good. Interested?”
Lao Qin was sitting by the counter, tallying accounts on his calculator. At her words, he paused.
But he quickly shook his head and resumed punching numbers. It had only been a day—what could a young girl possibly have that was worthwhile?
Then he remembered the giant egg he’d acquired yesterday morning. By afternoon, he’d resold it and made a clean 1,200 Contribution Points!
Unable to resist the lure of Contribution Points, he stopped what he was doing and asked indifferently:
“What is it?”
Xu San San: “Fruit…”
What?!
Lao Qin froze again, thinking he’d misheard. He dug at his ear: “Be specific!”
Xu San San: “Watermelon.”
Lao Qin’s hands trembled slightly. He ventured cautiously: “Unpolluted?”
Xu San San rolled her eyes: “Dream on! Where would I find unpolluted fruit? It’s only lightly contaminated!”
A flicker of disappointment crossed his mind, but—but—but it was still edible fruit!
He hadn’t seen fruit in ages!
Lao Qin’s heart raced, but his tone remained cool: “I’ll pay 20% above the official Exchange Office rate. How’s that?”
Xu San San: …Alright. Though she didn’t actually know the exact official price, her situation was urgent, and she had no other options.
After giving her confirmation, she ended the call.
Then, without delay, she dialed another contact.
The other party answered quickly:
“Hello, this is Shunfeng Security Firm—Chief Jin at your service!”
“I’m currently in Wasteland 13. Can you provide services here?”
“Absolutely! What a coincidence! I happen to be in Wasteland 13 today! Whatever you need, just say the word!”
…
Twenty minutes later, the sputtering sound of an engine gradually approached from the distance.
Soon after, a message popped up on Xu San San’s Optical Brain:
Arriving in 10 seconds. Please confirm the code phrase.
Xu San San immediately replied:
Gui Feng, I call your name—do you dare to answer?
The code phrase was something Xu San San had insisted on.
Inspired by Xie Yuan and Lao Qin’s advice—after all, it’s better to be cautious when traveling—Xu San San soon found herself facing a heavy-duty truck. From the driver’s cab, a shiny bald head popped out.
“Well now! Didn’t expect it to be you, miss! See, I wasn’t wrong yesterday! Our Shunfeng Security Firm always comes through when you need us…”
Xu San San’s head throbbed. She raised a hand to cut off Jin Gui Feng’s endless sales pitch and pointed at the gigantic Mutated Bullfrog nearby. “Just load it up, quick!”
Jin Gui Feng’s jaw dropped. “Holy crap! That’s huge!”
He then glanced incredulously at Xu San San’s slender frame and her blood-stained appearance, before giving her a thumbs-up and hurrying to inspect the Xeno-beast. Not forgetting to remind her, “We agreed, right? We take a 50% cut of this bullfrog!”
Xu San San rolled her eyes. She hadn’t expected that merely asking for on-site pickup would spike the price from 30% to 50%.
Of course, she wasn’t one to take a loss lying down:
“We also agreed earlier that you’d haul my handcart and everything on it to the specified location for free!”
Jin Gui Feng, completely absorbed by the giant frog, nodded repeatedly.
Soon, he operated the crane to load the frog into the truck bed and drove Xu San San to the melon field.
By now, Xu San San had mostly recovered. She hopped out of the truck, dashed to her beloved handcart, gathered the scattered ancient branches, and swiftly tied them to the log. Then, grunting with effort, she rolled the large watermelon over to the handcart and waved at Jin Gui Feng in the truck:
“Hurry up! Use the crane!”
Jin Gui Feng stared, bewildered, and asked Xu San San:
“This… this is what you meant by ‘things on the handcart’?!”
Xu San San grinned widely:
“Yep! There’s quite a bit, but see? It’s all on the handcart!”
As she spoke, she briefly lifted her hand off the watermelon, as if to lend credibility to her “bluff.”
Jin Gui Feng clicked his tongue, his eyes darting around, and complained:
“You never mentioned there was a giant watermelon!”
Had he known there was an edible fruit involved, he would’ve insisted on a 50% cut no matter what!
Seriously, it was a fruit!
He hadn’t seen one in years!
Xu San San shrugged, clearly unwilling to let him profit from it:
“You didn’t ask! Besides, wasn’t it agreed you’d take these handcart items along for free?”
Jin Gui Feng choked back a retort, feeling outmaneuvered. A surge of frustration welled in his chest—he couldn’t swallow it.
He, Jin Biaotou, was always the one setting traps for others! No one had ever dared swindle him in broad daylight!
Narrowing his eyes at Xu San San, he thought, Hmph! Since you’re picking a fight, don’t blame me for turning hostile!
His expression hardened, displeasure evident as he spat and tore off the polite facade:
“You’re messing with me!”
Tch! He’d even dropped the formal “you”—seems he meant business.
Xu San San frowned. Her test had failed; it seemed Shunfeng Security Firm was indeed not to be trifled with!
Fortunately, she’d come prepared and didn’t overestimate her position. She promptly conceded: “This watermelon’s already reserved. How about this: I’ll give you the pair of eyes and the entire tongue from the Mutated Bullfrog.”
Although fruit was a rare commodity, those eyeballs and tongues…
Jin Gui Feng rubbed his bald head, thought for a moment, and reluctantly agreed.
By the time they returned to the spaceship, it was already 17:58.
Sitting in the private cabin of Shunfeng Security Firm, Xu San San looked around. Behind the glass partition were piles of various supplies—clearly, Shunfeng had taken on many orders for this trip. A few other Scavengers were scattered around the cabin, likely clients like her who had hired the firm’s services. The cabin layout was thoughtfully designed, with seats spaced at least two meters apart to ensure the safety of clients’ personal belongings during the flight.
Hearing that this cabin would open its doors 30 seconds ahead of the main group after landing, Xu San San couldn’t help but click her tongue in admiration. No wonder they could offer Insured Value services.
On the spaceship, she also requested that the Mutated Bullfrog not be sent to the official Exchange Office but delivered along with the Handcart to a designated location.
Upon hearing this, Jin Gui Feng realized the workload had decreased. He nodded, feeling that the sting of being extorted was finally offset, and his dignity somewhat restored. He then flashed his signature eight-tooth smile and said:
“Miss, if you have similar needs in the future, remember to come find me!”
His expression changed faster than flipping a book!
Xu San San nodded perfunctorily. We’ll see!
With no Handcart to pull, Xu San San returned to her small shack before 18:10.
Lifting the plastic sheet, Xie Yuan saw the girl standing at the door covered in bloodstains and empty-handed.
His heart tightened:
“What happened?”
“Ugh! Don’t even ask!”
Xu San San shook her still somewhat sore and numb arm, plopped down recklessly on the straw mat, and said weakly:
“What a long day today has been!”
She pulled a fist-sized Yellow Nucleus Crystal from her small cloth pouch and tossed it to Xie Yuan:
“Take a look. How much do you think this is worth?”