Renting a place… How nostalgic, back when we could feast on fish and meat…
The old man took out a detector and began testing the items.
First were the two palm-sized morning glories. Though large, they weighed only about two taels, with a radiation level of 48.
The flower buds were heavier. The first one weighed two jin, with a surprisingly low radiation level of only 27. The second bud weighed two and a half jin, with a moderate radiation level of 57.
Then came the two large potatoes. These were the largest and heaviest among the food items, each weighing three jin, and their radiation level was actually 0.
The old man thought he might have made a mistake, so he switched to another detector and tested again. The radiation level remained 0.
"Where did you…" Realizing his voice was too loud, he glanced outside to make sure no one was around, then lowered his voice and said, "Girl, I’ve never seen food with a radiation level of 0 before. For items with radiation levels below 5, I usually pay 100 credits per jin. I’ll add an extra 10 credits on top of that. If you ever get more of this kind of food in the future, bring it to me, okay?"
It was said that only high-ranking officials in the Safe Zone could eat food with a radiation level of 0. Since the beginning of the Wasteland, they had maintained private cultivation bases, using seeds that were free of radiation and pollution. The yield was extremely low, and only the wealthy could afford such food. Although he didn’t know where this girl had gotten it, he wasn’t worried about finding buyers. In fact, he might even make a hefty profit from it.
Sang Luoluo nodded. The price was acceptable to her.
The two potatoes weighed a total of six jin and seven taels.
The old man showed Sang Luoluo the test results, adjusted his glasses, and said, "You’ve seen the numbers. Let me calculate the credits for you."
One morning glory and two flower buds amounted to only 53.5 credits. Adding the potatoes, the total came to 790.5 credits.
Since this was the first time the shop owner had acquired food with a radiation level of 0, he rounded up the amount and transferred 791 credits to Sang Luoluo.
Sang Luoluo immediately felt more confident now that she had credits to her name.
The old man quickly stored the items away and said happily, "Girl, you’re quite lucky. The food most people scavenge usually has much higher radiation levels."
Sang Luoluo forced a dry laugh and then continued, "Boss, I actually have something else here. Would you be interested in buying it?"
The old man tapped the sign above his head, which read "Secondhand Recycling Emporium," and said, "Just take out whatever you want to sell. I’ve been running this shop for over twenty years, so you can trust my reputation. I never disclose my customers’ privacy."
Sang Luoluo took out a small cloth bag from her basket and rummaged through a corner until she finally pulled out the "rice grain."
Placing it in front of the old man, she said, "This is a crystal core, right? I found it by accident while scavenging."
The old man visibly perked up, then leaned forward with a smile. "Yes, of course I’ll buy it. Although these aren’t common, people occasionally find them, and many bring them here to exchange for credits."
As he spoke, he went to fetch a device specifically designed to test crystal cores.
While walking, he added, "Crystal cores are valuable, but they’re not much use to us ordinary residents of the Shantytown. The Base buys them at high prices to use as energy sources for various weapons."
Sang Luoluo watched as he placed the crystal core into the testing slot. The next moment, a number appeared on the display: 312.
The old man smiled and said, "A lowest-grade D-level Crystal Core with an Energy Value of 312, converted to Credits: 3,120. Transferred to you. Take a look around my shop and see if there's anything you need. You can make purchases here."
Sang Luoluo immediately thought of the Crystal Core inside the tree she had marked. She needed a Chainsaw.
So she asked, "Boss, do you have a Chainsaw? The kind that can cut down big trees."
"Of course. Do you want to rent or buy? I have many styles here. See which one you need?"
Sang Luoluo thought about how the Crystal Cores she had found recently were either underground, inside Mutated Plants, or inside Mutated Animals. Relying solely on her Stone Knife was simply not enough.
She would continue searching for Crystal Cores in the future. Having a usable Chainsaw on hand would be incredibly convenient.
Following the boss to the storeroom, she looked at his inventory of chainsaws. They ranged from palm-sized to several meters long, with prices varying greatly.
She chose one at a price she could accept. "I'll take this one for 1,000 Credits."
Sang Luoluo selected a handheld, rechargeable Chainsaw. It contained a removable, rechargeable mobile battery. The saw body was about 40 centimeters long with sufficient power.
Anything larger would be too cumbersome for her to handle. This one was suitable in both price and size.
The Chainsaw came with one fully charged battery, good for two hours of use. For safety's sake, she bought two replacement batteries for 400 Credits.
The Chainsaw alone cost her 1,400 Credits. She now had only 2,526 Credits left.
"Do you want a solar charging panel as well?"
There are different sizes here. That Chainsaw of yours will need charging, after all.
Thinking about it made her heart ache. Her Shack originally had a small solar charging panel used to store electricity for her Wrist Device and home power supply. Unfortunately, it had also been stolen by that thief.
But then she remembered she still needed to go to the Safe Zone to look at houses. She couldn't let her Credits dwindle any further. Her Wrist Device still had power and could last a week without issue. She could wait until next time.
So she declined, "No, I'll come back to buy it next time. Oh, and I also need a pair of rain boots and a raincoat."
"That'll be 150 Credits total."
The raincoat and rain boots were Wasteland products coated with a special anti-corrosion material layer, effectively isolating them from acid rain corrosion.
Sang Luoluo transferred the Credits. She now had only 2,376 Credits left.
Sang Luoluo placed the items into her backpack basket, covered them with dry grass, left the shop, and headed straight for the Safe Zone.
The old man watched the direction Sang Luoluo went and clicked his tongue twice. Some people really could strike it rich overnight. Finding such a small Crystal Core was equivalent to some people's annual income.
Anyway, she didn't have charging equipment. She'd be back.
Sang Luoluo reached the Safe Zone entrance. A dull thunderclap sounded overhead. Taking advantage of no one being around, she quickly reached behind into her backpack basket, placed the Chainsaw into her Space, and changed into the raincoat and rain boots. Only then did she shoulder the basket and enter the Safe Zone.
Entering the Safe Zone required scanning the Wrist Device to record identity information. After verifying her information, she was naturally allowed in.
The guard instructed, "Be out by 8 PM. No lingering inside the Safe Zone."
Sang Luoluo nodded. Without a Safe Zone residence permit or property, she could only enter for a limited time. Exceeding the time limit would result in the Base Guard Corps coming to arrest her. The Safe Zone was filled with surveillance, so there was no worry about not being able to locate someone.
The outskirts of the Safe Zone looked far better than the Shantytown outside.
The buildings here were multi-story, with clearly divided units for each household. Each door was equipped with a high-tech lock. Of course, there were also extremely crowded residential buildings where many households lived on a single floor, and the rooms were very small.
Due to the rain, there weren’t many people on the streets, but there were still those walking around with umbrellas or wearing raincoats.
Sang Luoluo walked to a purchasing point, took out five large potatoes from her basket—each weighing about three jin—and said, "Boss, calculate the Credits."
The person attending to Sang Luoluo was an ordinary clerk. "Wait a moment, I’ll test the Radiation Level first."
The detector showed a Radiation Level of 0.
The clerk was surprised. "Am I seeing this right? It’s really 0? Hold on, let me switch to another detector."
After switching to another detector, the Radiation Level remained 0. The clerk, looking pleased, weighed them—a total of 16 jin. At 115 Credits per jin, he transferred 1,840 Credits to Sang Luoluo.
Balance: 4,216 Credits.
Sang Luoluo thanked him and headed toward a nearby rental building she had found through her Wrist Device.
Raindrops pattered against her raincoat, and the ground was already flooded with water up to her calves. The Base’s drainage system was quite effective; outside in the Shantytown, the water had already reached knee height.
An hour later, she finally arrived at the rental center following the navigation.
"Hello, ma’am. How may I assist you?" The front desk staff, dressed in a clean professional outfit, did not ignore Sang Luoluo despite her frail appearance. Her businesslike attitude was quite likable.
Sang Luoluo sat down in front of her and directly stated her purpose. "I’d like to rent a place in the Safe Zone."
The front desk staff smiled slightly. "Please show me your information."
Sang Luoluo held up her Wrist Device, and her information was immediately transferred to the other party.
After a brief search, the front desk staff displayed the results. "Ma’am, since you are a resident of the Shantytown, renting in the Safe Zone requires a 500-Credit deposit, which will not be refunded after the rental period ends. Please take a look at these available properties."
Sang Luoluo browsed the online listings. The cheapest single room was about four square meters. People living here had to be highly skilled in space optimization—true masters of organization. It cost 200 Credits per month.
Sang Luoluo immediately dismissed it. She had her eye on a single room, roughly twenty square meters. Though not large, it had a window, an elevator, better security, and was close to the Safe Zone entrance. It cost 1,500 Credits per month.
Sang Luoluo pointed to this one. "This one."
The front desk staff asked, "How long would you like to rent it for?"
Sang Luoluo calculated her Credits. "I’ll rent it for two months first and decide later whether to renew."
The front desk staff’s smile widened. Closing a deal so quickly, and with such generosity—she would earn a commission. She said cheerfully, "Alright, please confirm your identity and make the payment here."
Sang Luoluo watched as 3,500 Credits were deducted from her account, feeling no regret.
Finally, there was a place to live.
"Can I move in right now?"
The receptionist smiled and shook her head. "No, new tenants can only move in seven days after registration."
Sang Luoluo: "…" What kind of ridiculous rule is this?
The receptionist continued with a smile, "Ma'am, we will enter your information into the system. Once your move-in date is confirmed, we will send you a message, and you can move in with just your belongings. If you have any questions about renting, feel free to contact me anytime."
Sang Luoluo nodded.
She glanced down at her Wrist Device. Balance: 716 Credits.
Right now, she wasn't short on Credits—she was short on Crystal Cores.
As night fell, she left the Safe Zone and returned to her Shack. It was already 8 p.m.
The Shack was filled with water, with only a small area on the bed remaining dry. She locked the door, sat on the dry edge of the bed, and listened to the rain outside while taking out a roasted hot potato to eat.
Her last meal had been in the morning, and now she was so hungry that she devoured the entire potato. In the Wasteland, even a plain roasted potato tasted delicious.
Before she crossed over, she used to be picky about food. Now, with nothing to her name, that habit had been cured.
Listening to the pouring rain and rumbling thunder outside, she couldn't help but miss the days of feasting on lavish meals.