allendalepharm Chapter 93 Guidance
Chapter 93 Guidance
Chapter 93 Guide (An extra chapter for sugar-free oolong tea)
Standing on the bustling streets of the inner city, Xu Mo felt somewhat dazed. The afternoon sun shone on the clean streets. Although most of the buildings here had undergone some renovations, they were all well-maintained. The windows along the street were sparkling clean, and some balconies even had flowering potted plants on them.
If it weren't for the occasional sight of patrols passing by and the towering outline of the city walls in the distance, Xu Mo would almost have thought he had returned to a small town before the apocalypse.
In stark contrast to the outer city and the forward base, the residents here rarely displayed the constant tension and vigilance; instead, they exuded an almost everyday composure. Elderly people sat on street corners playing chess, housewives haggled over prices at vegetable stalls, and young people strolled by in twos and threes, chatting and laughing—all creating a scene so peaceful it was easy to forget that beyond the city walls lay a world fraught with danger.
Xu Mo took a deep breath. The air was filled with the aroma of food and a faint floral scent. The smell of disinfectant was very faint, almost imperceptible.
This deliberate "normality" only made him more aware—the order of this city was not natural, but rather the result of careful maintenance by powerful forces. He needed to understand the rules here as soon as possible and find his place.
Just as Xu Mo was looking around, wondering where to start, a slightly thin but agile figure approached him.
"Brother, judging by your attire, is this your first time visiting the inner city of Jiangcheng?" The speaker was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, with a slightly ingratiating smile on his face, but his eyes were clear and not annoying. He was wearing faded old clothes, but they were still clean and tidy.
"Do we need to find a guide? The inner city isn't small, and the various functional areas are divided into quite detailed zones. Moreover, some areas are military control zones or research institute sites. Without someone familiar with the area to guide us, it could cause some trouble if we accidentally wander in."
Xu Mo glanced at him but didn't answer immediately. He did need the information, and a local guide would undoubtedly save him a lot of time and energy, and also avoid some unnecessary trouble.
Seeing that Xu Mo didn't refuse, the young man immediately perked up and introduced himself at a moderate pace: "Brother, my name is Xing, Xing as in star. I studied in Jiangcheng before the apocalypse, and I was here when the Jiangcheng Shelter was established, so I'm considered an old-timer. I know every street and alley in the inner city, every government office—no, every department and shop—like the back of my hand. If you trust me, you can pay me a daily guide fee; just give me some contribution points or equivalent supplies, and I guarantee you'll quickly familiarize yourself with the environment without wasting money or taking unnecessary detours."
"Ah Xing?" Xu Mo repeated the name, looking at the eagerness in the other person's eyes for work and the familiarity with Jiangcheng revealed in their words, he nodded. "This is indeed my first time here. How much would you like to charge?"
Seeing that things were looking promising, Ah Xing's smile became even more sincere: "Brother, the usual rate is five contribution points per day, or the equivalent in food or ammunition. If you think my service was alright, you can reward me as you see fit at the end."
Five contribution points—this price was within Xu Mo's acceptable range. As a newcomer, he certainly needed a local expert to guide him.
"Sure, can you show me around first, familiarize me with the main functional areas, such as weapon resupply, mission acceptance, and information gathering, and then we can find a reliable place to stay?" Xu Mo said. "If I'm satisfied with the service, I won't treat you unfairly."
"Okay! Don't worry, I've got it covered." Ah Xing replied happily, then asked very professionally, "Brother, what's your name?"
Where shall we begin our exploration?
My surname is Xu.
"Brother Xu!" Ah Xing readily agreed, "Then let's start from Ping'an Street. It has the most shops, is the most bustling, and best reflects the current state of Jiangcheng. The armory is also located there."
Guided by Ah Xing, Xu Mo began exploring the inner city.
"Arsenal?" Xu Mo asked, puzzled.
"Oh, it sells weapons. The shop is called the Armory," Ah Xing explained as he led the way.
Two street corners later, a rather modern building came into view. Its silver-gray exterior, clean lines, and huge neon sign flashing the words "Arsenal" and an abstract image of an assault rifle. If it weren't for the two armed guards standing at the entrance, it would have looked like a high-end sporting goods store from a pre-apocalyptic world.
Stepping inside, a mixture of gun oil, steel, and leather odors hits you. Compared to the "peaceful" atmosphere of the streets outside, this place instantly pulls you back to the reality of armed survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
The store is spacious and well-lit, with an overall simple and practical industrial style. Cold weapons are neatly displayed on the alloy shelves on the left, ranging from mass-produced standard machetes to exquisitely crafted custom-made battle blades.
To the right is the firearms section, with various pistols and submachine guns displayed in glass cases, and assault rifles, sniper rifles, and other long-barreled weapons hanging on the wall racks. All the firearms are kept gleaming, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen under the lights.
Most of these guns are in good condition; some are clearly old-era stockpiles, while others are replicas or improved versions from the Jiangcheng Armory. Prices range from several hundred to several thousand contribution points. Compared to the hunting rifles Xu Mo sold before, the standard-issue weapons here are obviously more expensive, but their quality is also more guaranteed.
Ah Xing lowered his voice and said, "Brother Xu, this is an officially backed store, so the quality is guaranteed, although the prices are a bit higher. But the advantage is safety; you'll never buy substandard or tampered products."
Xu Mo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the price tag. Standard rifle ammunition was indeed priced at 1 contribution point per round, with a note next to it stating "Daily purchase limit of 20."
"Shoot." He walked to the sniper rifle section and saw a well-maintained AWM priced at a whopping 6500 contribution points, with its dedicated .338 Magnum ammunition costing 5 contribution points per round.
"This price—" Xu Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Being a sniper is an expensive profession," Ah Xing explained.
Xu Mo walked around and walked to the explosives in the reinforced glass case that interested him the most. There were several different types of grenades, plastic explosives, and armor-piercing warheads for rocket launchers. Their prices were outrageously high; a single, basic grenade cost two hundred contribution points, and rockets were worth over a thousand.
"Brother Xu, these things are powerful, but the price is terrifying, and there are many restrictions on their use. Unless it's for a mission, private purchases and uses have to be reported, which is a lot of trouble," Ah Xing explained in a low voice. "Usually, only large scavenging teams grit their teeth and buy a few when they go out to tackle tough challenges."
Xu Mo nodded. He didn't need these things for the time being, and he already had grenades and the like. His gaze swept over the custom-made melee weapons and high-end sniper equipment, and Xu Mo silently assessed them. The stuff here was good, but the prices were indeed exorbitant.
The armor shop next door is also quite large, selling all kinds of protective equipment, from basic tactical vests and helmets to heavy bulletproof vests with ceramic or steel plates, and armor woven from mutated biological leather, shells, or even special alloys.
"Brother Xu, look, this is an official standard bulletproof vest. It can protect against pistol bullets and shrapnel, and the price is reasonable. The heavy ones are for the city defense elite troops or hunters who deal with powerful mutants. They can withstand rifle bullets, but they are also frighteningly heavy." Ah Xing pointed to a camouflage tactical vest hanging there with many pockets and another black armor that looked much heavier, with thick steel plates inserted in the front and back.
"And these?" Xu Mo pointed to some armor pieces displayed on the other side that looked quite different. Some had a dark leather sheen with strange patterns; others looked like they were made of some kind of shell pieced together, shimmering with a metallic luster; and there was even a piece that looked like it was made of soft armor woven from the scales of some kind of giant fish.
"Oh, those? They're all specially made from mutated biological materials," Ah Xing said in a low voice. "They're said to have amazing defensive effects; some are not only bulletproof but also lighter. But the price—hehe, they're all astronomical. Plus, they're difficult to make and rare, usually only available to order."
Xu Mo nodded slightly. His "Thirteen Protectors' Horizontal Training" provided extremely strong physical defense, making him difficult to injure with ordinary swords and blades, but he was still no match for rifle bullets. Perhaps he could consider getting a lightweight, high-quality armor in the future as an additional layer of protection.
After wandering around for a while, the two arrived at another shop not far away. It was a three-story Chinese-style building, bustling with people coming and going at the entrance. Inside, there was a spacious hall with many glass counters and display shelves, displaying all sorts of strange and wonderful items.
It has crystal-clear bones like gemstones and fur that changes color constantly, each accompanied by a simple description and consignment information.
Xu Mo also saw antiques, artworks, and jewelry from the old era, but in the apocalypse, these could only attract a very small number of nostalgic people or those with other uses.
There were also some strange creations whose purpose was unknown, such as rusted metal parts, stone slabs engraved with unknown runes, and even glowing liquid sealed in containers.
"The Museum of Curiosities is one of the most interesting places in the inner city," Ah Xing said quietly as he led Xu Mo through the exhibits. "Many of the items have unknown origins and functions; it all depends on your eyesight and luck. Some people have found treasures here and become rich overnight, while others have spent a fortune buying junk."
He pointed to the mutated materials and said to Xu Mo, "These things are said to contain some kind of energy," which is useful to certain people.
Rumor has it that those who can vaguely sense something within these materials have a much higher chance of awakening supernatural abilities than ordinary people. Therefore, many people who feel something is wrong with their bodies or want to try their luck often come here to try and sense something.
Ah Xing shrugged and said self-deprecatingly, "Anyway, I can't feel anything. Maybe I'm just not destined for it."
Upon hearing this, Xu Mo also carefully sensed the materials in the counter that were labeled "containing active spiritual energy." Whether he observed them visually or used the Qi and blood of the Bullhide Realm to sense them, they remained completely silent, without any special energy fluctuations.
Xu Mo shook his head; he couldn't detect it either.
After visiting these shops, Xu Mo, led by A Xing, arrived at the Hunter Guild headquarters in Jiangcheng. Unlike the relatively simple mission point at the Sixth Forward Base, the Hunter Guild headquarters in the inner city was a magnificent five-story building with a cross-shaped rifle and hunting knife emblem hanging above the gate.
Upon entering the lobby on the first floor, one is greeted by a bustling atmosphere. Directly opposite is a huge electronic display screen, scrolling through various task information, arranged by difficulty level from the lowest F to the highest S, and by reward amount. Next to it are dozens of self-service kiosks and customer service windows.
"Brother Xu, if you want to take on tasks or post information, you first need to register as a registered survivor in the guild." Ah Xing led Xu Mo to a window marked "Newcomer Registration" with practiced ease. "Registering here only costs 1 contribution point, it's very simple. Don't believe those scalpers outside who say they can help you quickly upgrade your privileges or get high-priced tasks, they're all scammers!"
With Ah Xing's help, Xu Mo quickly completed the registration process. After having his photo taken, his ID card information recorded, and paying 1 contribution point, he received a hard plastic card with his name, number, and initial permissions on it.
"With F-level access, you can only accept the lowest-level F-level and some E-level tasks. As the number and level of tasks you complete increase, your guild evaluation and access will gradually improve, allowing you to access tasks with higher rewards," Ah Xing explained.
Xu Mo then walked to the task display screen and began browsing:
Most F-level missions are collection tasks: collecting the roots and stems of a common mutated plant (10 contribution points/kg), collecting scrap metal (prices vary), clearing small mutated insect nests in a designated area (50 contribution points or more), etc.
Rank E missions begin to involve combat: hunting designated low-threat mutated creatures such as mutated dogs and carrion wolves to obtain their pelts, teeth, or specific organs; escorting individuals to certain locations; exploring an old complex that has been partially cleared but may still harbor unexplored threats. These missions offer relatively more generous rewards.
The rewards for higher-level D and C missions increase dramatically, but the level of danger also rises sharply. These include clearing out small hordes of zombies, exploring unmarked dangerous areas, hunting medium-sized mutants, and even assisting Jiangcheng in carrying out perimeter security missions.
Xu Mo also saw a specially marked B-level mission: [Investigate the suspected new type of aquatic mutant nest in the former "Red Star Industrial Zone" in the northwest], with a reward of 5000 contribution points, but requiring the team to have at least C-level clearance and recommending the use of heavy firepower. This was clearly the high-risk, high-reward mission mentioned in the intelligence.
Looking at these tasks, Xu Mo gained a more intuitive understanding of Jiangcheng's survival model. It provided a relatively standardized platform where survivors could acquire resources through labor and adventure.
While browsing the Hunter's Guild, Ah Xing strongly suggested that Xu Mo buy a copy of the latest map.
"Brother Xu, a good map can save your life in a critical moment. The official surveying team and hunters are constantly updating the situation in the surrounding area. Where new zombie gatherings have appeared, where powerful mutated creature nests have been discovered, and where it is relatively safe, are all marked on the map."
The map sales point is located in a corner of the guild hall, offering both traditional paper maps and digital versions. The digital version requires purchasing a tactical tablet, which costs 120 contribution points.
After considering it for a moment, Xu Mo temporarily gave up the expensive tactical tablet and spent 5 contribution points to buy a detailed paper map.
He unfolded the map and first located Qingsongling Town, where he had previously been. Sure enough, on the map, Qingsongling Town was clearly marked as "explored area," with a striking red caption: "[Resources depleted, worthless, can be used as a temporary refuge]." This confirmed the intelligence report and explained his initial predicament.
On the map, Jiangcheng is the center, and different colored areas radiate outwards. Green represents "relatively safe zones," mainly farmland and thoroughly cleared passages; yellow represents "low-risk exploration zones"; orange represents "medium-risk zones" with known but not yet eliminated threats; red represents "high-risk/unexplored zones"; and there are also "extremely dangerous/restricted zones" marked with a skull.
Looking at the map, Jiangcheng's effective control and exploration area over the past year or so since the apocalypse spanned a radius of approximately 500 to 600 kilometers. Within this area, dozens of "known zombie hordes/mutant nests" marked with red dots were scattered, some marked "monitored" or "cleared," but many more marked "threat remains, detour recommended." Further out, there were patches of chilling red and skull markers.
Ah Xing sighed from the side, "Jiangcheng has recovered relatively quickly, but even so, there are still too many unknown dangers outside. The other large shelters mentioned on the radio, such as Cloud Peak City and Pearl Harbor, are all separated from us by large red zones, making it very difficult to contact them."
Hearing Ah Xing say this, Xu Mo's heart stirred again. These were the names of several other shelters he had recently heard about.
After touring the main functional areas, it was already evening. Led by Ah Xing, Xu Mo found a hotel called "Traveler's Home" in a relatively quiet and safe area of the inner city. The conditions here were better than "Safe Inn" in the outer city, with more spacious rooms and more complete facilities.
With the help of Ah Xing, a local, to negotiate the price, Xu Mo rented a single room for 7 contribution points per day and paid for three days in advance.
With everything arranged, Xu Mo paid the fee, and Ah Xing's service came to an end. Before leaving, he handed Xu Mo a small slip of paper with his address written on it: "Brother Xu, this is my address, the seventh house in Willow Lane, District 3 of the Inner City. If you need any errands in the Inner City in the future..."
For any random errands or inquiries, feel free to come to me anytime. Wishing you all the best in Jiangcheng!
After seeing off the enthusiastic and responsible Ah Xing, Xu Mo had a very good impression of the young man. He was tactful in his actions, his introductions were not exaggerated, which saved him a lot of trouble in figuring things out, and he didn't deliberately lead him to high-end places. He was a reliable guide.
"These five contribution points were well spent," Xu Mo muttered to himself.
After resting briefly in his room, Xu Mo decided to go out for a stroll by himself and experience the night in this desolate, post-apocalyptic city more freely.