Chapter 125
After leading Jian Yunlan and Taotie through a maze of twists and turns in the residential area, No. 3 finally stopped in front of a small, drab-looking building.
“Our Eastern Base has been established for forty years,” No. 3 explained proudly. “Among all the bases, our residential zone ranks among the most comfortable and livable. Not only does every household get two hours of electricity per day, but each person also receives a weekly shower ration. There’s even a farming district where you can buy ingredients with credits.”
Following No. 3’s explanation, Jian Yunlan looked around.
Though it was called a “residential area,” as a gathering place for human survivors in an apocalyptic world, the Eastern Base’s living quarters were vastly different from the residential complexes of civilized times.
The most striking impression here was the dimness, crampedness, and suffocating closeness.
Countless small houses were packed tightly together like cells in a honeycomb, and through the windows of each “cell,” weary, numb faces could be seen.
After passing through another dim alley, the three stopped in front of a door labeled “J-108.”
No. 3 took out two keys, handing one each to Jian Yunlan and Taotie, then used a master key to unlock the door. Inside was a tiny one-room apartment, sparsely furnished with just a bed, a table, two folding stools, and a small bathroom separated by a curtain.
“This is your room,” No. 3 said. “Not many units come with a bathroom. I managed to secure this one for you two.”
Jian Yunlan didn’t say much, just nodded in thanks.
Taotie, however, glanced at the single bed, his expression visibly uncomfortable. He frowned. “Just one bed?”
No. 3 paused. “Do you need two? An extra bed requires an application—it might take until next week to be approved. If you really need it, I can submit the paperwork for you.”
He couldn’t help but study Jian Yunlan and Taotie.
In an era like this, the two men’s appearances were almost too striking. Though both looked travel-worn, with dirt and scratches on their faces, No. 3 could tell at a glance that their features under those hoods were extraordinary.
One was tall, with silver hair and an intimidating aura; the other was slimmer, his demeanor aloof yet gentle, with faintly blue-tinged eyes.
Though they weren’t openly affectionate, the familiarity between them was undeniable.
In these times, seeing two people like this together, everyone would assume they were a couple.
Had he misjudged?
No. 3 rubbed his chin.
Jian Yunlan: “Uh—”
But Taotie suddenly spoke up again.
“No need,” Taotie said stiffly, his ears burning red. “Just confirming.”
Jian Yunlan blinked innocently and added, “No need.”
…After all, Taotie can just turn into a dog. Where he sleeps doesn’t matter, right?
The black-hearted Boss Jian pondered internally.
No. 3 nodded. “Alright.”
Not dwelling on the matter, he moved on to explain the Eastern Base’s rules—curfew times, district divisions, where to collect supplies, and so on.
Then, he handed each of them a thin card.
Jian Yunlan examined his card, spotting the number “11324” in the corner—his official ID in the Eastern Base.
“The base’s currency is credits,” No. 3 said. “The nursery costs 100 credits per month per child. Adults must pay 50 credits weekly to the base. As newcomers, your first week is waived, but starting next week, you’ll need to pay on time.”
“What happens if we don’t pay?” Jian Yunlan asked.
“The consequences—” No. 3 gave him a meaningful look. “Anyone who fails to pay for two consecutive weeks will be expelled from the base.”
The Eastern Base was one of the last few safe zones in this hemisphere. Outside its walls lurked aberrations, radiation, and contaminants. Even a single F-grade contaminant could slaughter dozens in seconds—let alone the recent reports from mercenaries about S-grade sightings…
The fate of those expelled was unimaginable.
“Even an S-rank mercenary can’t survive more than three days outside the base, let alone ordinary people,” No. 3 said. “So you’d better start preparing for next week’s credits now.”
“Do you remember when I just asked you if you had any special skills?”
As he spoke, No. 3 took out two flyers and handed them to the two men: “The professions in the Eastern Base are mainly divided into three types. The first is mercenary work.”
The first flyer featured a muscular man in camouflage gear and goggles, confidently grinning as he carried a rifle. Bold letters on the flyer read:
[Eastern Base Recruitment Plan! Join us and become a mercenary to protect your family! Weekly pay starts at 200 credits, with no upper limit!]
Being a mercenary was a high-risk, high-reward profession.
After basic training, recruits could start taking missions. Since the job required daily expeditions outside the base—scouting, resource gathering, and hunting pollutants—mercenaries earned high wages but also faced an extremely high casualty rate.
Taotie took the flyer, skimmed it briefly, and immediately declared, “This one—I’ll be a mercenary.”
No. 3 gave him an approving look:
“Generally, every household has at least one mercenary as the primary breadwinner. For the other family member, I recommend this…”
With that, No. 3 handed the second flyer to Jian Yunlan.
The flyer showed a doctor in a white coat holding a stethoscope. It read:
[Join the Eastern Base Logistics Department and build a better future together!]
The Logistics Department of the Eastern Base was a massive organization. In addition to medical staff, it included cleaners, broadcasters, patrol officers, kitchen staff, and more.
“The pay isn’t high, but it’s safe, stable, and offers great benefits. You can start immediately,” No. 3 said to Jian Yunlan. “No. 11324, you mentioned earlier that you’ve worked as a chef. I recommend you apply for a kitchen position.”
Jian Yunlan wore a thoughtful expression: “What does kitchen work involve?”
“The kitchen is responsible for producing nutrient solutions,” No. 3 replied with a smile. “The work is very relaxed. For someone new like you, you’d likely be assigned to the assembly stage—just packing finished nutrient solutions into portable sealed bags every day.”
Kitchen work was simple and easy to pick up. Though the pay was the lowest at just 20 credits per week, its simplicity and safety made it a popular choice.
Jian Yunlan: “…”
No offense, but was this really a job that required prior culinary experience?!
“Of course, if you work hard, you could get promoted. In six months, you might even transfer to a higher-level department,” No. 3 added. “If there are no objections, I’ll submit your applications—”
Jian Yunlan finally couldn’t hold back and interrupted:
“Um…”
“You just said the base’s professions are divided into three major categories. The first is mercenary, the second is logistics. What’s the third?”
At this, No. 3 fell into an odd silence: “…”
No. 3: “Do you really want to know?”
Jian Yunlan: “Yes, yes.”
“The third profession,” No. 3 said with a reluctant expression, “…is the ‘Black Market.’ It’s a chaotic place—vendors selling sundries, cheap food, and even sex workers. Not a good environment.”
However, Jian Yunlan’s sharp ears caught a key phrase in his words.
‘Cheap food’…
Wasn’t that just the post-apocalyptic version of a street food stall?!
Jian Yunlan’s eyes instantly lit up.
At the same time, a ding sounded in his mind—
[Ding! Your Culinary God System has been activated.]
[Main Quest: Over three days, sell a total of 500 servings of porridge at 3 credits each, with no location restrictions. Note: This is a timed three-day quest. The sales must be completed in exactly three days—no more, no less.]
[Do you accept this main quest? Accept/Reject]
[Quest successfully accepted! Current progress: 0/500]
[Obtained: [Complete Porridge Recipe Collection]]
[Obtained: [Lead-Free Century Eggs] x50, [Pork Shank] x50]
[Obtained: [Clay Pot] x1]
[Obtained: [Insulated Porridge Container] x1]
Half an hour later.
At the entrance of the Black Market in the Eastern Base.
Two patrol officers were squatting by the entrance, idly staring into space. Jian Yunlan, clutching the letter of introduction written by No. 3, didn’t even need to speak—the two officers just glanced at the large insulated bucket he was carrying and waved him in.
Their gazes held a mix of pity and disdain.
—As patrol officers, they were used to seeing small vendors like him, lugging bags and buckets into the Black Market in hopes of making money. But very few actually succeeded.
Compared to the heavily guarded areas of the base, the Black Market was noticeably lax in security.
Of course, its official name wasn’t “Black Market” but “Free Trade Market.” It was a large, square building with entrances on the north and south sides.
No. 3 had taken Taotie to the mercenary camp to register, so Jian Yunlan was the only one who came to the Black Market.
It was currently 9:30 PM, and the market wasn’t too crowded yet, but people were slowly trickling in. According to No. 3, the Black Market only really got lively around 10 PM, when most mercenaries returned to the base after completing their missions.
The market was divided into several sections, and true to its name, the overall vibe was chaotic, dimly lit, and filled with all sorts of people.
The left side was the sundries district, where goods and ingredients not accepted by the base were sold. Most vendors here were relatives or friends of mercenaries, able to get first-hand supplies from them.
Under the flickering lights of small tents and stalls, many yawning vendors—men and women, mostly elderly or visibly disabled—sat around. Unable to become mercenaries or even join the logistics department, they had no choice but to set up shop here.
Among the three professions No. 3 had mentioned, working in the Black Market was the most unstable and lowest-paying. The environment was chaotic, and it was possible to spend an entire day manning a stall without earning much. Most vendors were the weak, disabled, or those with criminal records.
Jian Yunlan hadn’t walked far when a heavily made-up man sidled up to him, oozing enthusiasm. “Sir, first time here? My name is Xiangxiang. Would you like to try my massage service? It’s very affordable—just 10 credits an hour, and you can get a discount with a membership card~”
Jian Yunlan politely declined. “I’m not a customer. I’m a fellow vendor—new here.”
—”Could you tell me where the food district is?”
Jian Yunlan going source his seasoning from this free trade market?