The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL] -
Chapter 521: Treasure
Chapter 521: Treasure
Society had changed in many ways since the apocalypse, but in others, it remained the same as ever.
Xu Feng kept his head down, following Yujie closely. They passed stall after stall, some offering crude weapons, others showcasing gleaming jade stones that pulsed with energy only Xu Feng could see.
Every now and then, someone glanced in their direction, but most people were too busy tending to their own business to care about their group of four.
Weapons were on display everywhere: guns, swords, knives, and stranger, more primitive tools of survival. The prices for firearms were astronomical—far beyond what Xu Feng had imagined, not that he fully understood the value of this world’s currency, which seemed to be a mixture of gold and crystal nuclei.
Swords, on the other hand, were far more affordable, and the odd assortment of makeshift weapons—crafted from scrap metal, wood, or whatever else people could find—were the cheapest of all.
Xu Feng’s eyes lingered on the guns for a moment, the thought of owning one briefly crossing his mind, but he dismissed it. He had no experience with firearms, and now wasn’t the time to start learning. If he were planning to stay in Dongmen, perhaps it would be worth considering, but not when his goal was to get back to his family as soon as possible.
He had abandoned his makeshift weapon in the car with Zhang Wei and Li Hao, maybe a sword would be more fitting than a gun.
Yujie noticed his interest and leaned in. "It’s not worth it to buy guns right now. Prices will drop after the zombie tide. If you need bullets or guns, I have a military connection back at my base," she said quietly.
Xu Feng nodded, mildly surprised yet again. A military connection? His worries for this family of three continued to shrink. Yujie might not have a father for her children, but she was clearly doing just fine on her own. If anything, she was more prepared than most.
His own situation felt less secure by comparison. His children were missing one of their fathers, and while they had two others, he wanted—needed—to get back to them. Yujie was doing everything she could for her children, and Xu Feng felt that same drive for his own.
Before long, they reached a quieter part of the marketplace. The bustling crowd thinned, and the stalls here were more specialized, offering rare and valuable items.
Yujie led them to a particularly conspicuous stall, where an older man sat behind a table cluttered with jars and boxes. Each container was filled with crystal nuclei, their faint glow catching the light. Behind the man stood two much burlier guards, both wearing gold badges on their chests.
One had a badge showcasing the Phoenix squad—a sign of his earth-based abilities was also in view—while the other had a badge proudly showcasing his allegiance to the Blood squad and identifying him as a fire ability user.
The two men stood tall and proud, their stances suggesting they thought highly of themselves. Xu Feng could feel their condescension as their eyes swept over him and the two cloaked children in his arms.
The earth ability user seemed more thoughtful, giving Xu Feng a longer, more appraising look. Meanwhile, the fire user dismissed him almost immediately, his eyes drifting to Yujie—and, of course, to her chest.
Xu Feng rolled his eyes in exasperation. Really? Even in an apocalypse, some men couldn’t resist staring.
’Haven’t they ever seen breasts before?’ He thought with irritation. Before all of this, he was just a college student, and even he knew how to behave better than these supposed "adults."
Despite the fire user’s disrespectful stare, the two guards kept their distance, refraining from any unnecessary interaction. That was good because Xu Feng wasn’t in the mood for nonsense, the guards at the entrance of the base had drained him of his patience.
If it came to it, he’d gladly deal with them—whether by poking someone in the eye or reaching for some mysterious dragon abilities to teach them a lesson. He was flexible enough and open to learning more about himself.
Or better yet, he could let the two boys in his arms handle it for him!
"This is what you’re after, right?" Yujie asked quietly, gesturing toward the display of crystal nuclei. The old man behind the table barely acknowledged them, his focus on polishing the large, red crystal nuclei.
It seemed like larger crystal nuclei had their own meaning. There should be a leveling system, but Xu Feng wasn’t 100 percent sure how it worked. He could only guess.
Either way, the red crystal nuclei likely weren’t up for barter. The way the old man was holding it, was like it was for show. Like it was some sort of ego boost, to make him look... cooler.
It would probably be a great cultivation tool for Mingjun if he was willing to part with it. But, he wasn’t here to rock any boats.
Xu Feng’s eyes settled on the less conspicuous jars filled with crystal nuclei of various colors and sizes. "Yeah, these are what I need," he murmured. Some of the crystals glowed faintly, while others appeared dull and lifeless.
Yujie leaned in closer, her voice barely a whisper. "Remember, don’t seem too eager. If they think you’re desperate, they’ll charge you double."
Xu Feng nodded, carefully masking his expression. He couldn’t afford to attract too much attention or give away just how much these nuclei meant to him.
This was just before a zombie tide, and most people were focused on acquiring weapons, food, and medicine. The crowds at those stalls were a show of what was most valuable right now. Plus, after a zombie tide, if a base survived, there would be spoils—most of which would be crystal nuclei.
Crystal nuclei, while important for ability users, weren’t in as high demand since most people could only absorb a limited amount at a time. Xu Feng, on the other hand, had an advantage—he could absorb them like candy.
But he wasn’t here to be greedy; he was here to gather enough for his family. He had a purpose beyond simply stockpiling or hoarding treasure like a dragon.
Xu Feng gently set Mingjun and Mingyue down, making sure their small bags were still securely fastened. Yujie carried her own share of baggage, but it was clear this family was used to preparing for such situations.
Xu Feng’s two bags were hefty as well, though he wished he had brought more to use as decoys. If anything, his space was filled with jars of wine and jam, though he wasn’t sure how useful those would be in trade.
’Jam should be valuable, right?’ He thought, hoping the sugar content would make it a hot commodity.
Yujie began negotiating with the stall owner, her voice steady and confident as she selected the nuclei she needed. She offered military biscuits and chocolate bars in exchange.
’Where did she get all this chocolate?’ Xu Feng wondered, amused. He could picture her and her sons raiding a chocolate factory in his mind.
After some haggling, Yujie came away with several crystal nuclei of her chosen elements, just what she had come for. Now, it was Xu Feng’s turn.
But instead of stepping forward immediately, Yujie found herself watching a greedy dragon in action. Xu Feng eyed the display like a dragon eyeing gold, ready to hoard as much as he could.
He was in the heart of the unofficial trading area for crystal nuclei, where ability users from various squads came to barter. It was a well-guarded trading point for all the squads and ability users without any affiliations—perfect for someone like Xu Feng.
He moved toward the table, keeping his expression neutral as he offered some of the canned food he’d scavenged from the library apartment. However, as soon as the trader’s interest began to wane, Xu Feng changed tactics.
He reached into his "bag" and pulled out fresh vegetables—specifically, large, healthy potatoes.
The effect was immediate. The stall owner’s eyes lit up, and even the two guards behind him straightened up, their interest piqued.
Plant or wood-based ability users weren’t unheard of, but they were often considered weak and expendable. Most organized bases used them for agricultural purposes, keeping them as logistics staff to grow food for the more powerful ability users and base owners.
Xu Feng’s skill level, even without his dragon inheritance, was far beyond what most had seen. He nurtured his skills and his starting point was a lot higher than the average ability user.
When he pulled out the normal-looking—but unusually vigorous—potatoes, the old man behind the table got serious, appraising both Xu Feng and the produce with a gleam of greed in his eyes.
Xu Feng saw the look and shifted his strategy. Less was more in this case, and fresh food was a hot commodity. Fresh and non-mutated food was a treasure.
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report