Chapter 151: Crystal Cores Are Hard Currency
“Buying all types of Mutated Beast materials (pelts, bones, specific organs). Fair rates guaranteed.” [Permanent Stall: East Market No. 23]
Nearly every posting specified that payouts would be settled either in the base’s circulating “Contribution Points”—which could be redeemed for rations, daily services, or long-term residency permits—or explicitly demanded raw crystal cores.
“Looks like crystal cores really are the hard currency around here,” Chu Yang murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“Mm,” Jiang Jue agreed. His sharp eyes scanned several high-paying official clearance contracts, lingering on entries mentioning abandoned subway lines and derelict industrial plants. “Official missions are properly regulated, with clearly defined risks. Private bounties offer more flexibility, but the payouts are far smaller.”
Nearby, Li Yu and Jiang Lin leaned close together, reading through the postings for everyday household goods and packaged rations. They whispered under their breath: “So almost anything can be traded here… We just need to figure out the actual going rates.”
Chu Yang turned to Jiang Jue. “Brother Jiang, should we pick up an easy task to test the waters and learn the ropes, or should we look around a bit more first?”
Jiang Jue considered it for a moment. “No need to rush into contracts. We should figure out the official administrative procedures first. I saw a sign for squad registration over there.” He pointed toward a quieter corner of the hall, where several partitioned service windows stood under a placard reading: Ability User & Combat Squad Registry. The line was short, and the survivors waiting there carried an air of seasoned competence.
Lin Xiao stepped up beside them and chimed in, “Good call, Boss. I wandered over that way earlier and asked around. Once a squad is officially registered on the books, accepting official bounties and exchanging Contribution Points becomes much smoother. It even grants certain base privileges, like priority access to restricted supply stockpiles.”
Su Mubai looked at Jiang Jue, adding in his calm, measured tone, “Should we head over and register our squad now, Boss? Getting our official status sorted will make everything else much easier down the line.”
Jiang Jue nodded. “Let’s get registered first.”
Hearing the plan, Chu Yang waved over Li Yu and Jiang Lin, who were still browsing the civilian requests. “Hey, Little Yu, Jiang Lin! Over here!”
The two women jogged over. “What’s up, Brother Chu?” Li Yu asked.
Chu Yang gestured toward the registry corner. “All combat squads operating in the base need to file an official record with their members’ baseline information. Let’s go get the paperwork out of the way.”
“Right, got it!” both women agreed at once.
The group walked over to the registration counter.
Behind the glass sat a stern-faced woman in her thirties, dressed in the standard dark vest of base administration.
“New combat squad registration?” The registrar glanced up, her voice strictly formal. “How many members? Fill out these basic personal profiles first. Be truthful regarding your ability classifications and current tiers; the base will conduct follow-up assessments.” She pushed a stack of printed forms and a container of pens across the counter.
Jiang Jue took the stack and handed a sheet to each person.
The form was straightforward, requiring basic details: full name, age, hometown, current address within the base, ability classification, tier level, and any notable secondary combat skills. It was essentially identical to the entry declaration they had submitted at the main city gates.
Finding counter space, everyone filled out their paperwork quickly and neatly.
The registrar collected the forms and began skimming through the entries. Her eyes widened slightly when she noted Jiang Jue’s Lightning affinity, Chu Yang’s Spatial capabilities, and Su Mubai’s Wood manipulation, though she quickly smoothed her expression back to professional neutrality.
Her fingers clattered rhythmically across the keyboard as she entered their data. “Squad name?”
Without a single moment of hesitation, Jiang Jue answered calmly: “Dawn.”
“Dawn Squad…” The registrar repeated the name as she typed it into the registry database. “The name is available. Registration is complete. Here is your temporary squad identification card. Present this slip at this window in three business days to collect your official metal identification badges and team insignia. With this temporary pass, you may accept standard missions and exchange points immediately. Follow all base bylaws, and report any changes to your roster promptly.”
“Understood. Thank you,” Jiang Jue replied, taking the stamped card.
Standing off to the side, the moment Jiang Lin heard the name Dawn, her eyes darted back and forth between Jiang Jue and Chu Yang. She silently mouthed the syllables: Dawn… The First Light… Chu Yang…
Her eyes sparkled with sudden realization, as if she had just uncovered an incredible secret. A look of sheer, breathless excitement spread across her face—the unmistakable grin of a shipper catching undeniable proof.
She immediately jabbed Li Yu with her elbow, whispering urgently, “Little Yu! Little Yu! Did you catch that name just now?!”
Li Yu blinked, still trying to keep up. “Huh? What’s wrong with the name? Dawn… it sounds great. It represents breaking through the dark night to welcome the first light of day.”
“Oh, you dense girl!” Jiang Lin hissed under her breath, playfully rolling her eyes. “Dawn—the first rising of the sun! Chu Yang literally means the first morning sun! Look at our Boss’s hidden romantic side… My goodness!”
Once pointed in the right direction, Li Yu’s jaw dropped as the dots connected in her head. Her eyes lit up with delight, and the two women traded an ecstatic glance before turning their gazes toward Jiang Jue and Chu Yang, wearing broad, teasing smiles.
Chu Yang, who was examining the temporary card in his hands, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. Looking up, he found Li Yu and Jiang Lin staring directly at him with unnervingly bright eyes and strange, mischievous grins. A shiver ran through him, and he thought to himself: What is wrong with those two? That smile is giving me the creeps…
Jiang Jue seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere as well. He cast a cool, warning glance in their direction, his dark eyes sweeping over the two women.
Feeling the air grow dangerously heavy, Li Yu and Jiang Lin instantly bit back their giggles. Straightening their posture, they pretended to admire the architecture across the hall, though the corners of their mouths twitched with suppressed amusement.
Wang Qiang hadn’t noticed the silent drama unfolding beside him. Stepping up to Jiang Jue, he asked, “Boss, now that we’re officially registered, should we take on a job? That subway clearance contract had a massive reward attached.”
Jiang Jue looked away from the two women and shook his head. “No rush. We’ve been driving nonstop for weeks, and everyone needs proper rest. Let’s return to the villas first, absorb the crystal cores we have on hand, and consolidate our current power levels. We also need to observe the base over the next few days to get a realistic grasp of the cost of living and the true danger level of these missions. Once everyone is rested and back at peak condition, we’ll take our first assignment.”
He paused, adding with quiet authority, “Sharpening the axe never wastes time in the woods. In a place like this, raw strength is our only true foundation.”
“Understood, Boss!” Wang Qiang nodded firmly, completely convinced by the logic.
The rest of the group agreed without hesitation. Being newcomers in an unfamiliar city, staying cautious was always the safest path.
Tucking away their temporary pass, the squad turned and made their way out of the Mission Hall.
The second they stepped through the glass doors, a wall of blistering heat slammed into them, wrapping around their bodies like a heavy, suffocating blanket.
“Good grief! What kind of hellish furnace is this?!” Li Yu stumbled back half a step from the sudden blast of heat. Shielding her brow with one hand, she fanned herself frantically with the other as beads of sweat instantly dotted her forehead. “It was actually bearable inside, but out here, it feels like stepping straight into an oven!”
Daily Life of Being Turned Gay by the Male Lead After Transmigrating into an Apocalypse
