Chapter 104 - 90: Selling the Loot

Chapter 104: Chapter 90: Selling the Loot

The next morning, Xu Mo woke just as the sky was beginning to lighten.

After a night of deep rest, Xu Mo felt completely refreshed and back in peak condition. He washed up, checked his gear, then went downstairs to check out of his room. He headed straight for the vehicle lot.

The SUV’s front windshield had been completely shattered during the ambush, and it needed to be repaired as soon as possible.

When he arrived at the vehicle lot, Wang Qi was, sure enough, already in the guard booth. Seeing Xu Mo approach, he immediately stood up, a smile even more enthusiastic than yesterday’s plastered on his face. "Xu, you’re up early? If there’s anything I can help with, just say the word!"

Xu Mo laughed to himself at how Wang Qi addressed him. He was obviously the younger man, yet he was being shown the deference typically reserved for an elder.

However, Xu Mo didn’t object. He simply nodded and got straight to the point. "My SUV’s front windshield is broken. Is there a reliable repair shop in the base?"

"A repair?" Hearing this, Wang Qi’s smile widened. "Xu, you’ve come to the right person! This lot has its own maintenance service. We’ve got connections to the logistics department, so our workmanship and parts are way better than those shady operations outside. The prices are fair, too. I’ll take you to the mechanic right now!"

Wang Qi was highly efficient. He quickly summoned a middle-aged mechanic from another part of the lot. The man, dressed in greasy overalls with calloused hands, carried a toolbox and followed Xu Mo and Wang Qi to the SUV.

As Xu Mo led them to the SUV and gestured for the mechanic to inspect the windshield, the sharp-eyed Wang Qi and the veteran mechanic noticed something else at almost the same time: a clean-edged bullet hole just above the driver’s headrest, piercing straight through the thick foam and leather.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

The veteran mechanic’s expression turned grim. He carefully examined the angle and position of the bullet hole but said nothing, silently beginning to measure for the new windshield.

Wang Qi, however, felt his heart skip a beat as a cold sweat beaded on his back. He knew exactly what that bullet hole meant. Zombies and mutated creatures couldn’t use guns. This was clearly from an attack, a shot fired from outside at a moving vehicle.

And here was Xu Mo, standing before him completely unscathed. What did that imply? It meant that in a vicious ambush, Xu Mo had not only survived, but had apparently escaped without a scratch and even managed to drive the vehicle back to the base.

’Holy cow...’ Wang Qi inwardly sucked in a sharp breath. His threat assessment of Xu Mo shot up several levels in an instant. This man was a decisive, powerful, and absolutely ruthless individual. He was incredibly relieved that he had returned the bullets yesterday as a show of goodwill. If he’d gotten on the bad side of someone like that over a bit of petty greed, he felt like he’d have to sleep with one eye open.

"Xu..." Wang Qi’s voice held a barely perceptible trace of awe. "We can replace the glass. We have reinforced glass in stock. It’s not as good as the factory original, but it’ll hold up against impacts and general scrapes. The price is just... a little steep."

"How much?" Xu Mo’s tone was calm, as if the bullet hole were nothing more than an irrelevant blemish.

"Well, a normal windshield replacement costs about three cans of meat. For this one... it’ll probably be five." Wang Qi quoted the price, carefully watching Xu Mo’s expression. It was definitely more expensive than you’d find elsewhere, but the quality and speed were guaranteed.

Xu Mo didn’t hesitate. "Fine. How long will it take?"

"If things go smoothly, we can have it done by this afternoon!" Wang Qi promised, slapping his chest. "Don’t you worry, Xu. I’ll personally oversee the work and make sure it’s done right!"

"Good. I’ll leave it to you, then." Xu Mo took six perfectly sealed cans of fish from the trunk and handed them to Wang Qi. "Five cans for the repair. The extra one is for your trouble. Please keep an eye on the car for me."

"No problem! You can count on me!" Wang Qi was overjoyed, accepting the cans with a series of vigorous nods.

With the repairs arranged, Xu Mo opened his trunk and began sorting through the loot and other junk he didn’t need. The main item was the civilian hunting rifle he’d taken off the three ambushers.

There was also some miscellaneous ammunition that didn’t match his own firearms, an old military-issue canteen, a worn-out tactical vest, and a few unopened but mismatched brands of compressed biscuits.

These items were of little use to Xu Mo and just a burden to carry. He might as well take this opportunity to get rid of them in exchange for some Contribution Points to prepare for his entry into Jiang City.

Looking at the loot, Xu Mo’s thoughts drifted back to the ambush. The three attackers’ Identity Cards... At the time, he hadn’t known what they were for, so he hadn’t taken them after the fight. Now he realized their Contribution Points were probably stored on those cards. It was a significant windfall he had unfortunately missed out on.

’Oh well, what’s done is done. I’ll just have to be more careful next time.’ Xu Mo shook his head, pushing the distracting thoughts aside.

Shouldering a large backpack full of goods to sell, Xu Mo left the vehicle lot and headed for the trading market once more.

The market was even more bustling this morning than it had been yesterday. Crowds of people milled about, and the cries of vendors filled the air. Xu Mo found a relatively empty corner, spread a thick canvas on the ground, and began neatly arranging his wares. The hunting rifle, which was in decent condition, was particularly eye-catching and immediately drew a lot of looks.

However, before he could make a single sale, a market official arrived.