"What were you just saying?"
"Is there something behind the clouds?"
Zhang Chen walked over curiously and asked.
"It's... it's just a..."
The man's words were cut short as if something had lodged in his throat.
Watching him struggle to breathe, his face flushed red, yet he couldn't utter a single word.
"It's just what?"
Zhang Chen pressed again.
The man, unable to speak, merely writhed in pain.
At that moment, a young woman quickly walked over.
She apologized profusely, saying:
"I'm so sorry, I scared you. My boyfriend suffered a mental attack while fighting infected people a few days ago. He had a breakdown, and ever since, he's been acting this way. Please don't mind him..."
With that, she pushed the wheelchair into the alley.
From a distance, the woman's soft voice could still be heard comforting the man:
"Don't worry, it's okay now. We're safe here..."
Zhang Chen stared blankly at the woman's receding figure.
The man was already in such a state, yet this woman remained by his side, unwavering. That was quite rare.
Just then, a vendor from a nearby stall leaned in and said:
"This woman is pregnant. Did you notice her belly? She's at least four months along, you can tell visually!"
"A woman, pregnant, surviving in the apocalypse... she's got some skills!"
Zhang Chen wasn't very interested in gossip. He turned and asked:
"What's wrong with this man?"
The vendor looked as if he was perfectly suited to answer this question, and rattled off the details:
"Situations like his aren't uncommon anymore. You're probably heading towards the Tengxiang Nation's interface city too, right?"
"You must have seen the Tengxiang Nation's promotional videos, haven't you?"
Seeing Zhang Chen nod, he continued mysteriously:
"That's right. It's not just you; many survivors come from all over every day, wanting to go to Tengxiang Nation!"
"Some want to build a new human civilization there, while others want to scavenge for the original inhabitants' high-tech products!"
"Whatever their reasons, they all end up gathered in this city. There are easily eight thousand to ten thousand survivors here."
"But the road to Tengxiang Nation is blocked by monsters, and no one can get through!"
"Monsters? What kind of monsters? Level-something mutated creatures or infected ones?" Zhang Chen asked.
The vendor chuckled, turned his head, and rubbed his thumb and index finger together in front of Zhang Chen.
The latter understood; this was a demand for payment.
Zhang Chen took out a thousand energy crystals and stuffed them into the man's hand.
Ever since the arrival of the new world, prices had skyrocketed once again.
A bag of instant noodles had risen to 100 energy crystals, and a bottle of purified water to 500 energy crystals!
The price of canned meat had surged the fastest, breaking through the high price of 2000 energy crystals and still climbing.
Prices changed almost every few hours.
After all, survivors' demand for food and energy had increased, and hunger became more frequent.
The energy and protein provided by instant noodles were far inferior to that of meat.
It was estimated that before long, energy crystals would exit the trading scene, and everything would be settled using "Gathering Energy Crystals."
The vendor accepted the crystals and then continued:
"No one knows what's blocking the road, because almost no one who has gone has returned!"
"The few who have miraculously returned are all like that man earlier, becoming疯疯癫癫 (fēng fēng diān diān - crazy/mad), mentally unstable!"
"Some talk nonsense while looking at the sky, some are afraid of women, and others hide in their rooms, refusing to come out. In short, they are all strangely affected!"
"A team came the day before yesterday, and they looked quite capable. Disbelieving the stories, they headed straight for the interface city."
"Last night, only one member returned, and in front of the reception staff, he snapped his own neck..."
After these incidents, the leaders of the city's major camps and organizations deliberated and decided to select a group of elite warriors to head to the interface city!
"But I suspect their fate won't be much better!"
"Do you remember what the reporter said at the end of the video?"
Zhang Chen nodded and said, "The reporter's final words were 'he has arrived.' I don't know if 'he' refers to a male, a female, or something else entirely..."
The vendor nodded and said:
"Exactly. Look how terrified those original inhabitants are; you can tell the visitor isn't friendly!"
"Perhaps this very being is blocking the path between the interface city and Pingze City!"
"If even the original inhabitants with their powerful technology can't handle it, wouldn't we be sending ourselves to our deaths by going?"
"If you ask me, instead of going to die, it's better to stay here peacefully, live a few more days, and enjoy a few more days of comfort, isn't it?"
As the vendor spoke, he smiled and waved his hand.
A smiling waitress walked over and leaned into the vendor's embrace.
To Zhang Chen's surprise, this woman's belly also seemed slightly rounded.
He wasn't sure if it was due to her clothes.
Zhang Chen nodded again and asked:
"Do you know where the city lord of this city lives?"
The vendor pointed to the television tower in the distance and said:
"See that television tower? There's a library next to it, and that's where the city lord lives!"
"Isn't that strange? Others prefer luxurious hotels or residential areas, but she likes living in a library. Even in the apocalypse, why study? Do you think this city lord is crazy?!"
Zhang Chen smiled noncommittally and, pulling Xiao Bai along, walked towards the library.
"Daddy, look! I found something pretty! Can you buy this for Xiao Bai?"
Xiao Bai was holding a white mask with red patterns.
As she spoke, she held the mask up to her face, covering her upper half, revealing only her pair of ancient, mischievous eyes, with her delicate mouth and chin below.
She looked quite cute, with an added touch of mystery.
"Energy Equipment"
Seeing the description, Zhang Chen quickly nodded.
"One hundred thousand energy crystals!"
The seller asked for an exorbitant price.
"Five thousand energy crystals!"
Zhang Chen countered.
The seller exclaimed, "Young man, how can you bargain like that? Are you here to cause trouble?"
Zhang Chen: "Four thousand energy crystals!"
The seller: "Are you crazy? Bargaining like that? I won't sell it for less than ten thousand crystals!"
Zhang Chen: "Three thousand crystals!"
The seller: "...Deal!"
Zhang Chen smiled slightly, paid, took the item, and left.
It wasn't a high-end item, nor did it have any additional attributes.
If other survivors activated a rage and then calmed down with the mask on, it would be hilarious.
It was only useful for Xiao Bai.
Zhang Chen paid 3000 crystals, and the seller had still made a profit.
Xiao Bai, witnessing this bargaining session, quietly nodded: "So that's how it's done! I learned something!"