Shen Cheng brought Xiang Ge over to meet the other two team members. Before they even had time to introduce themselves, they first went together to accept the orchard mission.
Coincidentally, the mission was being assigned at the very same building Xiang Ge had just left.
And the person issuing it was none other than Wu Mei.
Seeing the girl she had just met standing among the team members, Wu Mei handed over the mission details but couldn’t resist adding a warning:
“There are a lot of mutant beasts in that orchard. Think carefully before you go. I don’t want to be left waiting for the rest of my payment a week from now.”
Hearing Wu Mei personally confirm that there were many mutant beasts only made Xiang Ge more satisfied.
She was definitely going.
“This is a privately owned wild orchard. The owner is providing the location.”
“You must turn in three hundred jin of medium-radiation fruit. Anything beyond that, you can keep for yourselves or sell to me.”
“But all low-radiation fruit must be turned over to me. The client estimates there should be at least two hundred low-radiation fruits. Any beyond that amount, I’ll buy at two hundred points each. Any objections?”
Seeing that Xiang Ge had already made up her mind, Wu Mei began explaining the mission requirements.
“The fruit in that orchard is very distinctive. If any of it ends up on the market, my people will recognize it immediately. Consider this your warning—don’t try your luck.”
If those low-radiation fruits could have been sold openly, Wu Mei would never have struggled so much earlier trying to find low-radiation delicacies for her client.
“No problem.”
Shen Cheng agreed immediately.
The other team members had no objections either.
“I’ll send you the coordinates now. Come back here in three days to hand in the mission.”
“If your harvesting progress doesn’t reach eighty percent, I’ll reassign the mission to another team.”
The implication was obvious.
Fail this mission, and they could forget about receiving future jobs from Wu Mei.
Fortunately, they successfully secured the assignment.
Shen Cheng let out a sigh of relief and led the team aside to make arrangements.
“This is our new teammate. She’ll be joining us for tomorrow’s orchard mission. Let’s get acquainted.”
“I’m Sang Ya, twenty-six.”
The tall woman wore a black leather jacket. She looked cool and aloof, clearly not someone who talked much.
“Hello, I’m Sang Wan, seventeen. Sang Ya’s younger sister.”
Sang Wan looked like a cheerful young girl. Her round eyes and twin ponytails gave her a lively appearance, and her dependence on her sister was obvious.
“Hello. I’m Xiang Ge.”
Xiang Ge returned the smile.
During the mission briefing, she hadn’t paid much attention. But now she noticed that Sang Wan’s posture while standing and walking was abnormal.
One of her legs swayed loosely inside her pant leg, unnaturally thin.
[Sang Wan’s radiation level: 88. Severe symptoms of radiation sickness have already appeared.]
The system proactively provided an explanation.
And what do I gain from curing her?
Xiang Ge asked inwardly.
Although her own radiation level had already been purified to zero, purification points were still extremely valuable. They could be used on plants to create Purification Fruits.
[You will receive one Good Person Card.]
No thanks. I don’t collect cards.
[Host, you’re so cold-hearted.]
Oh.
[If you help ten people complete purification and lower their radiation levels below 60—the healthy range—you will receive one Pure Gem as a reward.]
Hmm?
Now that got Xiang Ge’s attention.
She immediately calculated her remaining purification points.
Forty-five.
Not many.
Xiang Ge remained outwardly calm.
If she was going to be a good person, she intended to do it when there was something worthwhile to gain.
At present, she had no plans to collect Sang Wan’s Good Person Card.
“I’m Ye Zheng.”
The man standing beside Shen Cheng suddenly spoke.
He only said his name.
A man of very few words.
Got it.
Besides herself, the team consisted of:
Xiang Ge understood the lineup now.
“This mission lasts three days.”
“Everyone go home and prepare properly. To save time, we’ll stay near the orchard and won’t return to the base during the mission.”
“Meet at the west gate tomorrow morning at six.”
After setting the meeting time and exchanging contact information with Xiang Ge, the group dispersed.
Xiang Ge wasn’t in a hurry to leave the Underground City.
She had just earned some points from selling potatoes and wanted to do some shopping.
After comparing prices, she discovered that identical goods were significantly cheaper in the Underground City than in the Protected District’s central store.
She wasn’t rich.
Living carefully and stretching every point mattered.
She bought several sets of underwear and socks, along with two combat uniforms.
The uniforms resembled those worn by the military. They were practical and comfortable, though one was gray and the other brown, making them look less gloomy than black.
She also purchased:
Since the upcoming mission would take place in an orchard, she bought a hooded veil that could completely cover her head and neck.
Survival supplies were equally important.
At present, Xiang Ge only possessed a dagger and the two shovels she had secretly taken while cremating bodies in the potato field.
She stocked up thoroughly:
All of it went into her storage space.
Even if she didn’t need everything this time, it would prove useful eventually.
For food, she once again chose nutrient solution.
The Underground City’s nutrient solutions cost the same—two points each—but came in many different flavors.
Xiang Ge selected several flavors she liked and bought ten tubes of each, enough to last an entire month.
She also purchased various seasonings.
The taste of roasted mutant beast meat still lingered vividly in her memory.
Then there was drinking water.
A large bottle cost only one point.
She bought ten bottles.
All wilderness water sources exceeded safe radiation limits.
For the past few days, she’d relied solely on the liquid contained in nutrient solutions.
Now that she had the means, proper water was a necessity.
While Xiang Ge shopped enthusiastically, a familiar face was walking down the same street with his head lowered.
Ao Guang.
His purpose in coming to the Underground City was to search for information about Purification Fruits.
This mission had not gone well.
The regiment commander had rescued a young girl and, in doing so, increased his radiation level by two points.
Later, he had encountered a mutant beast horde.
After a full day of fierce fighting, he suffered severe injuries.
Although most of those injuries had healed after returning to the base, his radiation level had crossed the critical threshold of ninety earlier that morning.
Base Commander Huo Jin had already issued orders.
As soon as the regiment commander recovered enough to get out of bed, he would be expelled from the base.
Ao Guang simply couldn’t accept it.
He and the commander had struggled against each other for so long.
The commander was such a good man.
How could everything end like this?
Ao Guang’s visit to the Underground City wasn’t for Ark Base’s mission anymore.
It was to save the commander.
Once radiation levels exceeded ninety, Purification Fruits were the only thing he knew of that could reduce them.
But Purification Fruits were treasures so rare that even Ark Base struggled to obtain them.
Even if the Underground City had information, there was no way Ao Guang could afford one.
A disappointing outcome seemed inevitable.
Just as he trudged forward in frustration, he suddenly felt someone tap his shoulder.
He looked up.
“Xiang Ge?”
“What are you doing here?”