Chapter 131: House Hunting
The clerk was a middle-aged man holding a slender wooden pointer.
Seeing Chu Yang and the others approach, he raised his eyelids and spoke in an even, measured tone: “Are you here to look at properties? Let’s get the payment terms straight first. The rules for renting and buying are entirely different.”
He tapped the wooden pointer against the desk. “For rentals, you pay monthly in base contribution points or an equivalent value in survival supplies, depending on the property’s size, location, and security tier.”
“For purchases, transactions are settled primarily in crystal cores. If you prefer to pay with physical goods, you’ll need to visit the valuation office first for an appraisal, and the price will be converted based on current market rates.”
Chu Yang and the group pressed closer, their eyes fixed on the massive map displayed across the wall.
Seeing that he had their full attention, the clerk aimed his pointer at a yellowish sector along the outer ring. “These yellow zones mark the standard apartments located in the outer perimeter. They run around one hundred square meters with a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout.”
“Renting costs 30 Level 1 crystal cores per month. Buying outright requires 800 Level 1 cores.” He paused, adjusting his glasses. “This tier suits small groups or basic family units. The drawback is obvious: heavy foot traffic, high congestion, and very little privacy or real security.”
He then slid the pointer toward the middle ring, indicating a zone highlighted in red. “This is the Peace District, positioned closer to the inner city. These are large, single-floor apartments. Security is far better than the outer ring, complete with scheduled patrol rotations.”
“Rent runs around 100 Level 1 cores monthly. Purchase prices range from 1,200 to 1,500 Level 1 cores, depending on total square footage.” Pushing his slipping frames up his nose, he added, “The residents here are mostly Ability Users or people holding established positions within the base. The neighborhood is respectable and quiet. If you’re short on cores, staple goods like grain or medical supplies can be used for trade after valuation.”
Chu Yang rubbed his chin, running the numbers in his head. Standard apartments are cheap, but they’re cramped and vulnerable; the large flats are decent, but they still lack complete independence.
He looked toward Jiang Jue, who was already turning to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked for a second before drifting simultaneously to the dead center of the map—a distinct, compact zone circled in vibrant green.
Wang Qiang craned his neck, muttering under his breath, “That green zone looks like serious business.”
The clerk caught the shift in their attention and gave a faint smirk, his pointer coming down firmly on the green circle. “This is the Villa District, situated right in the core of the base, directly adjacent to the administrative headquarters and the primary defensive fortifications.”
His tone shifted, carrying genuine gravity. “This sector has the absolute highest security clearance in the base, guarded around the clock. The living environment is pristine, and privacy is top-notch. High-ranking officials and the strongest Ability squads reside here.”
“These are standalone residences featuring private yards. Most units come equipped with reinforced underground shelters, meaning that even if an extreme breach occurs outside, you can retreat below and hold out.”
Chu Yang’s eyes sparkled. Leaning forward, he pointed toward a standalone unit marked within the green sector. “This setup is excellent! Private, quiet, and secure—it fits our team perfectly.”
Looking up at the clerk, his voice carried eager anticipation: “What’s the price?”
The clerk gave him a steady look. “The standalone villas in the central district cover five hundred square meters. The price is fixed: 8,000 Level 1 crystal cores. No discounts, no bargaining.”
“Eight thousand?!” Chu Yang sucked in a breath of cold air.
Wang Qiang’s jaw dropped open. Li Yu and Jiang Lin exchanged wide-eyed looks, both recognizing the sheer impossibility of the number—even if their entire squad emptied every pocket, their combined cores wouldn’t cover a fraction of that sum.
Standing nearby, another staff member who had remained quiet quickly chimed in, offering a polite, reassuring tone: “Don’t worry, folks. If you don’t have enough liquid cores, trading physical supplies is fully permitted. High-value hard currency like grain, antibiotics, gasoline, and diesel are extremely valuable in the base. The conversion rate won’t leave you at a loss.”
Grain? Chu Yang’s heart skipped a beat.
Inside his spatial dimension sat mountainous stockpiles of provisions—quantities so vast that their squad couldn’t burn through them across multiple lifetimes.
Yet a slight frown touched his brow. In an apocalyptic wasteland, supplies were the ultimate bedrock of survival; every box spent was one less in reserve. He had to be careful with how much he exposed.
Turning his head, he looked at Jiang Jue.
Jiang Jue met his eyes and gave a subtle, decisive nod, signaling his agreement.
Catching the message, Chu Yang turned back to the counter with an easy smile. “Thank you both. That’s very helpful. Give us just a moment to discuss it among ourselves.”
The squad gathered in a quiet corner of the hall, forming a tight circle.
Chu Yang and Jiang Jue exchanged a glance before Chu Yang looked around at the team. “What’s everyone’s take? Are we leaning toward an apartment, or should we go all out and secure a standalone villa?”
Lin Xiao spoke up first, his tone sharp and decisive. “Let’s aim for the Villa District. The security is unmatched, it’s quiet, and it suits an active combat unit like ours. Living under one roof makes organizing missions, holding discussions, and watching each other’s backs far easier.”
Wang Qiang nodded vigorously. “Brother Lin is right! We’ve made it through life and death together; we’re family eating from the same pot now. What’s the point of splitting up across separate flats? If anything goes down, one shout gathers the whole squad. It gives peace of mind!”
Li Yu agreed. “Living together is much better. It makes training and sparring far more convenient. Plus, a private yard gives us space to plant crops or keep things down the line.”
Jiang Lin added in a soft, practical tone, “The Villa District has fewer neighbors and a much simpler social circle, unlike apartment complexes where things get messy fast. It saves a lot of unnecessary headaches.”
Young Zhao Yu didn’t say anything, but his bright, wide eyes betrayed his open excitement at the idea of living in a large house.
Su Mubai gave a slight nod, speaking in his usual calm cadence: “From a long-term perspective, establishing a centralized stronghold is beneficial for team management and resource consolidation.”
Seeing everyone on the exact same page, Chu Yang made up his mind. Still, he raised a practical concern: “The villa is great, and I know everyone wants to stay together. But…” He paused, his gaze passing over the eleven people in their circle. “There are quite a few of us. Even with a large villa, if we want everyone to have adequate space and comfort, things might get tight. It’s easy for people to feel crowded.”
The group fell silent, considering the reality of the situation.
Indeed, squeezing eleven people into a single property—no matter how spacious—would inevitably compromise personal privacy and cause friction over time.
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