Chapter 108 - 92: Guide

Chapter 108: Chapter 92: Guide

Standing on a bustling street in the Inner City, Xu Mo was in a bit of a daze. The afternoon sun shone down on the clean pavement. While most of the buildings had clearly been modified, they were all well-maintained. The windows along the street were polished bright, and some balconies even held flowering potted plants.

If not for the occasional patrol passing by and the towering silhouette of the city walls in the distance, Xu Mo might have thought he had returned to some small town from before the apocalypse.

In stark contrast to the outer city and the forward base, the residents here rarely wore the perpetually tense and vigilant expressions he was used to. Instead, they had an almost mundane sense of calm. Old men sat on street corners playing chess, women haggled over prices at vegetable stalls, and young people strolled by in small groups, laughing and chatting. It all painted a picture so peaceful that one could almost forget the world outside the walls was fraught with danger.

Xu Mo took a deep breath. The aroma of food and a faint floral scent drifted through the air. The smell of disinfectant was so light it was nearly imperceptible. This deliberate "normalcy," however, only made him more clear-headed. ’The order in this city isn’t natural,’ he realized. ’It’s the result of some powerful force meticulously maintaining it.’ He needed to learn the rules here and find his place as soon as possible.

Just as Xu Mo was looking around, wondering where to begin, a slender but nimble figure sidled up to him.

"Hey there. Judging by your gear, I’m guessing this is your first time in the Jiang City Inner City, right?" The speaker was a young man in his early twenties. He had an eager-to-please smile, but his eyes were clear, so he didn’t come across as annoying. He was dressed in old, faded clothes, but they were still clean and neat.

"Need a guide? The Inner City isn’t exactly small, and it’s divided into a lot of different zones. Plus, some places are military restricted areas or high-security research facilities. If you don’t have someone who knows their way around and you accidentally wander into the wrong place, it could be a real hassle."

Xu Mo sized him up for a moment without answering right away. ’He was right, I do need information. A local guide would definitely save me a ton of time and energy, not to mention help me avoid unnecessary trouble.’

Seeing that Xu Mo hadn’t turned him down, the young man immediately perked up and introduced himself at a measured pace. "The name’s Xing, like a star in the sky. I was a student in Jiang City before the apocalypse and I’ve been here since the Jiang City Shelter was founded, so you could call me an old-timer. I know every street and alley in the Inner City, every government office—oh, uh, I mean department—and all the shops like the back of my hand. If you can trust me, just pay me whatever you think is fair for a day’s work in Contribution Points or supplies of equal value. I guarantee I’ll get you up to speed on this place fast, no wasted money, no wasted steps."

"Xing?" Xu Mo repeated the name. Seeing the young man’s eagerness for the job and hearing the genuine familiarity with Jiang City in his voice, he nodded. "It’s my first time here, alright. What do you charge?"

Seeing he had a shot, Xing’s smile grew more sincere. "Sir, the going rate is five Contribution Points per day. Or the equivalent in food or ammo works too. If you think I’ve done a good job, you can just give me a bonus at the end, whatever you see fit."

’Five Contribution Points.’ The price was within a range Xu Mo could accept. He was a newcomer and definitely needed a local who knew the ropes to show him around.

"Alright. First, give me a general tour so I can get familiar with the main functional areas—like where to resupply weapons, accept missions, and get information. After that, help me find a decent place to stay," Xu Mo said. "If I’m satisfied with your service, I’ll make it worth your while."

"You got it! Rest assured, you can leave it all to me," Xing replied happily, then asked with professional poise, "What should I call you, sir? And where would you like to start?"

"My surname is Xu."

"Xu!" Xing said, not missing a beat. "Alright then, let’s start on ’Peace Street.’ It has the most shops and is the liveliest part of town. It’ll give you the best feel for what Jiang City is like these days. Besides, the Armory is over there."

With Xing as his guide, Xu Mo began to explore the Inner City.

"The Armory?" Xu Mo asked, confused.

"Oh, right. It’s a shop that sells weapons. The store itself is just called ’The Armory’," Xing explained as he led the way.

After they rounded two corners, a strikingly modern building came into view. It had silver-gray exterior walls, clean lines, and a massive neon sign that flashed the word "Armory" alongside a stylized image of an assault rifle. If not for the two armed guards at the entrance, it could have passed for a high-end sporting goods store from before the apocalypse.

As he stepped inside, the mixed scent of gun oil, steel, and leather hit him. Compared to the "peace" of the streets outside, this place instantly yanked him back to the reality of armed survival in the post-apocalyptic world.

The interior was spacious and well-lit, decorated in a simple, practical, industrial style. Cold Weapons were neatly displayed on alloy shelves to the left, with a full range of options from mass-produced, standard-issue machetes to exquisitely crafted custom battle blades.

The right side was the firearms section. Various pistols and submachine guns were displayed inside glass counters, while racks on the wall held long guns like assault rifles and sniper rifles. All the firearms were polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the light with a cold, metallic glint.

Most of the guns were well-maintained. Some were clearly stock from the pre-apocalyptic era, while others were reproductions or modified designs from the Jiang City arsenal. Prices ranged from hundreds to thousands of Contribution Points. Compared to the hunting rifle Xu Mo had sold, the standard-issue weapons here were clearly more expensive, but their quality was also more reliable.