Damn it! Let’s smash the darkness together!
Chapter 547 - 146: Cao Gang Men and Snake Team, Buried Qiansui in the Heroic Society (Seeking Monthly Pass)

Chapter 547: Chapter 146: Cao Gang Men and Snake Team, Buried Qiansui in the Heroic Society (Seeking Monthly Pass)

Xu Shu crossed the sulfur-coated, stench-filled quarantine zone and entered the shelter.

At this hour, it wasn’t too late yet, with people eating in twos and threes in the hall and a few tables where bare-chested men were playing cards.

As soon as Xu Shu entered, the people in the hall stared at him, their gazes scrutinizing.

On the Wasteland, it wasn’t rare to see people seeking lodging in the middle of the night, as some valuable finds could only be encountered after dark, invisible during the day, and some were in it just for such things.

But it wasn’t common to see lone travelers.

Either they possessed remarkable strength and vast experience, enabling them to get by alone and earn the right to travel solo,

or they had lost their mates and were left alone.

Those left alone were categorized as "deflated households" or "oily households."

"Deflated households" referred to those unlucky enough to encounter thieving Wasteland Hunters, getting thoroughly robbed, wallets deflated, managing to salvage only their lives—a down-on-their-luck stray dog.

An "oily household," on the other hand, generally meant someone who had duped their peers, hogging all the benefits, rich and oozing wealth.

Xu Shu had been a Scavenger before, but only for a short while, and nobody had taught him, so he wasn’t too clear on these rules.

Several people looked Xu Shu up and down, considering him to be a greenhorn but seeming like one who had fallen on hard times; they were momentarily unable to determine which category he belonged to.

But that luggage, covered in white paste and dust—bulging conspicuously—caught their eyes.

A middle-aged man playing cards called out to him, "Hey, youngster, alone and lost your companion? Coming to scavenge? You might as well join our Scavenger Association, help each other out, and share the benefits." He seemed very enthusiastic.

A Scavenger Association?

Cyber Beggar Gang?

Xu Shu, covered in sweat and stench, had no interest in entertaining them and courteously declined the invitation, heading to the front desk to book a room.

"Little brother, you look young—returning so late, must have plenty of energy, right? Digging in or staying the night? Eight hundred for a dig, two hundred to stay." The young lady at the front desk, sipping lychee water, cast a flirtatious glance his way.

Digging in?

Wasn’t the original term "stopping over"?

Xu Shu looked at the front desk in surprise, noticing the clerk, lounge languidly in her chair, seductively beautiful—a rarity in the Wasteland—with mature and lovely features, and large.. figures. Middle of winter, and she’s wearing hot pants, showing off her fair, tender, snow-white thighs, blindingly bright, hard to peel one’s eyes away from.

Add to that her teasing tone, laden with allurement, and most people would probably wish they could spill something on the spot.

But Xu Shu, having seen and known much, wasn’t about to be mesmerized by mere beauty. In fact, he was a bit annoyed.

Eight hundred just for a dig?

Like they were trying to rob money.

It was blatant price gouging.

Yet considering the woman’s looks, eight hundred seemed almost reasonable, her figure and face utterly compelling.

However, Xu Shu thought it over. He had run for his life the entire way here and wasn’t in the mood for such pursuits, thus he opted for a room, in the face of the front desk lady’s disappointed gaze.

"Hmph, aren’t I pretty enough? The belle of the town, lots of lustful ghosts would love a spring fling with little Mudan here, and they can’t find a way in. You’re getting a deal for eight hundred, and you don’t cherish the opportunity?" The front desk clerk, declaring herself Little Mudan, seemed intent on making things difficult for Xu Shu, deliberately pressing down on the guestbook, not giving him the room card.

Xu Shu squinted his eyes and chuckled, "Sister, of course you are beautiful, but it’s just that your little brother is incapable, exhausted, afraid he might not stand tall enough."

His words apparently conceding defeat, provoked laughter from the men behind him.

"Little Mudan, this young fella looks but seems not capable, let your brother here take care of you tonight!" A card player, shuffling at lightning speed, seized the moment to speak up.

"Who would want you?" Little Mudan rolled her eyes, then appeared to soften up, turning to Xu Shu she said, "You’re quite the smooth talker, got honey on your lips? There’s just one room left, go and rest. It’s freezing cold, don’t go out tonight."

Xu Shu listened, his gaze quietly sweeping over the group, he smiled and said, "Okay, thanks, sister."

He could tell there were underlying meanings in their words, suggesting something to him, but he wasn’t interested in getting involved or causing unnecessary problems.

Now that the clerk had given in, there was no need to dig deeper.

The shelter wasn’t large, not differentiated into many grades of rooms, so pricing was uniform.

Rooms upstairs were two hundred, and so were those downstairs.

Xu Shu paid the two hundred and got a room, on the third floor.

There were twelve rooms on the third floor; Xu Shu’s was 305. Aside from that, the other room numbers were flipped, signaling they were occupied.

Next door was 307, from which faint moaning and groaning sounds of digging could be heard; Xu Shu shook his head.

Coincidentally, that was the room of the four-legged creature he had seen earlier.

Quite energetic, almost half an hour now.

Pity, not as good as me.

They say even sparrows are small but complete, and this shelter turned out to provide decent lodging services, with a tiny independent washroom, and even free hot water.

Although Xu Shu didn’t have resources to use for his practice tonight, to work on leveling up his Curse Seal’s erosion, having hot water was still better than not having any.

He took a satisfying shower, rolled up a cup, and silently prayed for a peaceful sleep, then drifted off amidst the intermittent moans and shouts.

The night was still.

The cold wind howled.

It made Xu Shu unbearably uncomfortable.

The more he tried to ignore it, the stronger it blew.

Whoo-Whoo! The cold traveled from his ankles to his spine, causing goosebumps on his back.

"Could it be a broken window causing a draft?!"

Unable to sleep, Xu Shu crawled out from under the bed to check.

Strangely enough, as soon as he woke up, the wind stopped.

After checking, everything was tightly sealed, windows and doors fully shut, not even a sliver of a draft.