Chapter 99 - 88: First Entry

Chapter 99: Chapter 88: First Entry

The SUV’s engine emitted a low rumble as Xu Mo followed the vehicle ahead, slowly driving into Jiang City’s Sixth Forward Base.

Passing through the shadows of the gateway felt like crossing a threshold into a completely different world.

A wave of clamor and heat washed over him.

What met Xu Mo’s eyes was not the grim and orderly base he had imagined under military rule, but a bustling scene teeming with a coarse vitality. The wide main road was flanked by a motley collection of makeshift shacks, tents, and even shops converted from abandoned vehicles.

People milled about on both sides of the road. The sounds of hawkers crying their wares, haggling, tools banging, and the occasional car horn blended together, creating a strange "marketplace" symphony unique to a post-apocalyptic settlement.

"Compressed biscuits! Official supply, honest prices guaranteed!"

"Water purification tablets! Last pack!"

"Professional weapon mods! Ten free rounds with every job!"

"..."

The hawkers’ calls were varied, but all were closely tied to survival. The only difference from a peacetime market was that nearly everyone here carried a weapon. They ranged from crude, sharpened rebar and machetes to well-maintained, standard-issue rifles. People’s eyes held a wary alertness and a craving for supplies, and they unconsciously maintained a safe distance from one another as they walked. The air was thick with the smells of sweat, dust, faint motor oil, and an almost imperceptible tang of blood.

Xu Mo drove on, moving slowly through the din. The tall SUV attracted plenty of stares—some envious, some appraising, and some openly greedy. He could feel those eyes sweep over the vehicle before finally settling on him in the driver’s seat.

’This is too conspicuous,’ Xu Mo thought.

He’d have to leave the vehicle eventually, but aside from his "Gate" dimension, this SUV was his most important mobile asset and shelter. There was no way he could just park it anywhere. It was easy to imagine what would happen if he left it in an unguarded spot. After one night, forget the supplies inside—even the tires, seats, and windows would be stripped clean.

Xu Mo slowed down, carefully searching for a sign. After a short drive around, he finally spotted a conspicuous sign in a quieter area near the edge of the base: "Official Vehicle Rest Area."

Xu Mo drove into the rest area. It was noticeably more orderly here. Chain-link fences marked out individual parking spots, surveillance cameras were mounted on poles, and teams of uniformed, armed staff occasionally patrolled the perimeter. A lone, lazy-looking staff member sat inside a simple guard booth.

Xu Mo parked the car, got out, and asked, "Excuse me, what’s the fee for parking here?"

The staff member looked up. He was a man in his thirties with gaunt cheeks and a shrewd, assessing gaze. He glanced at the SUV behind Xu Mo and said slowly, "Five Contribution Points a day. It’s officially guaranteed—if the vehicle or the items inside are lost, we’ll compensate you for their value." He pointed to the nearby cameras and patrol teams. "Of course, that only covers external factors. We’re not responsible if you don’t lock your car or get into some kind of private dispute."

’Contribution Points...’ Xu Mo felt the brand-new Identity Card in his pocket: [Jiang City: 802561]. It was still an empty shell. "I just got to the base, so I don’t have any Contribution Points. Can I pay with supplies instead?"

The staff member was accustomed to this. He nodded. "Sure. Five standard-issue rifle rounds, or a can of meat of equal value. Other goods will have to be appraised."

"’Five rounds?’"

Xu Mo didn’t even bat an eye. The ammunition piled up in his storage dimension was enough to fight a small-scale war. He didn’t even consider the value, simply finding the price acceptable.

"’I’ll use the rounds.’"

Xu Mo took five gleaming, brass-cased 7.62mm rifle rounds from his tactical backpack and handed them over.

The staff member took the rounds, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes. He took a closer look at Xu Mo. The young man’s face was new to him and travel-worn, but his gaze was calm. The casual way he produced five rounds was nothing like the ordinary survivors who would pinch pennies over a single bullet.

’Well now, looks like we have a high roller,’ he thought. His face, however, remained impassive. He expertly swept the rounds into a drawer and handed over a simple paper receipt. "One day’s parking. Hold onto this receipt and show it when you leave."

Xu Mo took the receipt but didn’t leave right away. Instead, he returned to his vehicle and began to sort out his gear. In a place like this, teeming with all sorts of people, being low-key wasn’t necessarily a good thing. A proper show of force could prevent a lot of unnecessary trouble.

He pulled on his combat fatigues, laced up his military boots, and holstered his TT33 pistol in a quick-draw rig at his waist. The Mountain-Cutting Saber was slung across his other side. Next, Xu Mo slung an AK-47 assault rifle across his chest, and finally, he shouldered a long, dark AWM sniper rifle. Fully kitted out, he instantly transformed into a walking, mobile fortress radiating an aura of danger.

When Xu Mo emerged from the parking spot decked out in this luxurious and incredibly intimidating gear, the staff member in the booth nearly choked on his own spit. His eyes went wide as he stared at Xu Mo’s loadout—especially the sniper rifle, an extreme rarity in the apocalypse. He then recalled the man handing over five rounds without so much as a frown, and a cold chill shot straight from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.