Chapter 4: Chapter 4. Lucius and Lollipop

Two hundred years ago.

To be precise, in 2125, a war broke out on this prosperous planet. Both sides in the war are determined to completely destroy each other and almost use all available means. The war lasted only three years. But it only took three years to destroy everything on the surface.

The long nuclear winter nearly extinguished the fire of civilization, and each side successfully sent the other to hell, and also successfully buried themselves. Since then, the wasteland era, which is even more depressing than the Great Depression, has begun. Although two centuries have passed since the doomsday war, and the nuclear winter has basically ended more than a century ago, human beings have not returned to the top of the food chain.

The proliferation of nuclear weapons, biological weapons, and even genetic weapons has caused the ecosystem of the entire planet to evolve in an extreme direction. And those mutants called "heterogeneous species" are also the main threat faced by the survivors struggling in the ruins.

For example, when Lucius first came to this world, the two-headed wolfhound he met was one of them. But even if it is a heterogeneous species, there are strengths and weaknesses. The "deformities" caused by gamma rays, like the two-headed hyena, usually have low combat effectiveness. Except for a few lucky exceptions, the combat effectiveness is not even as good as before the mutation.

In contrast, eaters, crawlers, mutants, etc., which are caused by biological weapons and have mutated to the point where their ancestors cannot be traced, are the real monsters born for killing. Their nervous systems are eroded by mutated fungi, and they usually hide in ruins, sewers, or subways during the day, and only go to the streets to look for food when night falls.

The situation in the suburbs is much better than in the city. Especially the outer suburbs. In the past five months, the most dangerous alien that Lucius encountered was nothing but a mutant brown bear. Although that guy is powerful, his reaction is relatively slow. Before being discovered by it, Lucius avoided it very carefully.

The twilight of the morning sun penetrated the broken concrete walls, and together with the shadows of scrap steel, fell on the street full of car wrecks and gravel.

The time is now eight o'clock in the morning.

There is a time difference of about 12 hours between the time here and the earth.

Looking at the two mutated hyenas wandering the street, Lucius tightly held the pointed water pipe in his hand, and carefully walked around behind the ruins. Although he has the confidence to kill them both, there is no need to make extra trouble. Besides, these beasts are very smart, and even know how to use their own kind as bait. No one knows how many are hiding in the shadow of the nearby ruins.

Follow the path through the run-down neighborhood. When he saw the sign of 'Beit Street Children's Paradise,' Lucius finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In front of it is "Beit Street" a relatively large survivor settlement in the vicinity, with more than a hundred survivors living in it. Before the war broke out, it used to be a children's playground with a lot of amusement facilities and a wide lawn. After the war, it was designated as a temporary refuge by the army and accommodated a large number of citizens who fled from the urban area of Spring City.

It is unknown what happened to those refugees, but today, more than two hundred years later, this place has developed into a 'Small Town'. People used discarded plastic boards, canopies, wood, and metal brackets, and mixed and built simple shacks on the bare muddy ground.

It's very much like the one in 'The Times of Troubles'. The fence of the amusement park is a natural barrier, and after rough repairs, iron wires and wooden boards with nails are attached. In the center of the amusement park is a five-story classical castle, which feels like a fairy tale. It's just that the paint on the surface has long since fallen off, and more than half of the wall facing the city center has collapsed, leaving only the northern half and a crumbling lonely tower.

Even if it is a fairy tale, it is definitely a dark fairy tale. But even if the building is broken like this, it is still the "most luxurious" building on Beit Street. At the same time, it is also the home of the mayor. Although he has lived here for five months, Lucius has never met the mayor. That guy is very mysterious and rarely shows his face in public.

"Yo, You are back so early."

Seeing Lucius coming from the corner of the street, Old Walter asked, who was hanging a pipe, squinted his eyes, and a cloud of turbid white smoke came out of his nostrils. He held a double-barreled shotgun in his hand. Although it looks old, no one will doubt its power.

Lucius once saw with his own eyes that the old man only fired two shots before knocking down a mutated brown bear that was rushing towards the gate of Beit Street. He's been wanting to own one ever since.

"Stayed out all night," Lucius said expressionlessly.

"Outside?" The old man glanced at the pointed water pipe on Lucius's back and raised his eyebrows in surprise. No one knows better than him how dangerous the night is. Every time he was on night shift, he dared not remove his index finger from the trigger, as any slight movement would make his whole body tense up. Although the alien species in the outer suburbs are not as dangerous as in the urban area, there are too many predators eyeing this place. Falling into their hands, the end will not be much better than dying in the hands of alien species.

Old Walter didn't quite believe that this guy spent the night safely on the wasteland with only a steel pipe.

"There was a surprise." Old Walter said with a frown.

Lucius didn't explain, just gave old Walter a tired look for him to experience, and then went straight through the gate of the settlement.

There is only one waste recycling station on Beit Street, and the location is easy to find, next to the main entrance of the settlement. An old-fashioned electronic scale that is never accurate is placed under the rolling shutter door, and beside it stands a memorial archway that reads 'Fair price, no deception'.

This store is the property of the Lord Mayor, and it is the only place on Beit Street to buy used parts and mutant moleskins. In order to monopolize the business of picking up trash, the dictator even enacted an arbitrary law. That is to say, everyone is not allowed to sell the captured prey and garbage to the caravan passing through this place privately. The reason is to ensure that the goods on Beit Street can be sold at a reasonable price, instead of being shamelessly squeezed by 'Cunning Merchants' in terms of price.

The reason why this outrageous and unreasonable rule can be passed is also related to the ignorance of the survivors here to a certain extent. And ordinary caravans would not take the risk of offending the dictator to buy the few poor supplies from the scavengers. They only do big deals. And only do business with people you trust.

"Sell? Or buy?"

The owner of the shop is a fifty-year-old man named Charlie. It is said that he used to be a resident of a refuge in the provinces. The job of dealing with the scavengers was given to him. Most of the residents here are native 'Wastelanders', without any education, and their mathematics is very bad, and it is so bad that addition and subtraction within one hundred may be wrong.

But Charlie is different. He came out of the shelter. While no shelter in this wasteland is exactly alike, there is one thing that is alike. The people who can live there are all the elites of the pre-war society. Their children not only inherited smart minds from their parents but also received a good education from the 'Enlightenment Age.

If the world hadn't been so bad, he would probably have become an engineer, doctor, or scholar just like his parents. Rather than bookkeeping here.

"Sell."

No nonsense, Lucius took out 6 used batteries and 5 tubes of adhesive from his backpack and threw them on the tray of the electronic scale. This is what he found in the wreckage of nearby buildings before he discovered Shelter No.404.

Old Charlie picked up the waste battery on the table, casually checked the model and whether it was flattened or damaged, and then threw it on the scale beside him. This thing must be scrapped, don't even think about it, but it's still possible to recycle the materials inside.

"The quality is not bad. The garbage in this area should be cleaned up. Where did you get the good stuff?"

Can this be called a good thing? Lucius thought with amazement, but he didn't this on his face and said.

"Lucky."

"Hehe, I'm just asking casually. Well, the battery is good, but the quality of the adhesive is mediocre. The seal has been removed, and the situation inside is probably a mess. I can only give you a 50% discount...all add up to a total of 3 points chips."

Lucius did not counter-offer with him and took 3 white chips from him.

This metal-like plastic coin is the 'Currency' issued by Abura City, the largest survivor settlement in Spring City, and can be exchanged for food and supplies in most survivor settlements in Spring City.

The face value is printed on the front of the chips, and there are special anti-counterfeiting codes and printings on the back, which will show a special luster under sunlight. The chip has many advantages such as heat resistance, easy storage, and high recognition degree. Especially the most critical point is that it is basically impossible to imitate with post-war technology.

Small and medium-sized survivor settlements like Beit Street with a small population and no industrial capabilities mainly do business with the caravans in Boulder City, exchanging agricultural products, prey, and picking up garbage for necessary living supplies and even weapons.

Naturally, this currency also circulated in Beit Street. Of course, it doesn't work all the time. If the caravan doesn't come in a certain month, the prices of the entire settlement will be messed up. It's not that the mayor hasn't tried to introduce Beit Street's own currency-a kind of book-entry ticket, but no one admits it at all. Even the survivors of Beit Street know that scraps of paper are just as good as waste paper when you wipe your ass.

"Do you want to buy something? A batch of new products from Boulder City just arrived in the store," Old Charlie Said with a smirk.

Lucius, who was about to leave, stopped and asked back, "Is there a gun?"

"There is but you can't afford it even if you sell your kidney," Old Charlie said with a grinned, and looked at Lucius who turned to leave and continued, "However, there is some food and fuel. If I were you, I would definitely buy more before the price increases."

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Guns, even the cheapest kind, were hard to come by in places like Beit Street.

Because even if a caravan selling arms occasionally passed by here, those weapons usually entered the mayor's own warehouse, and they would not be placed on the shelves here for anyone to choose.

Besides, as old Charlie said, even if there was such a thing, scavengers like them couldn't afford it. Lucius knew why he said that.

As a well-educated shelter resident, Charlie must not fail to see that all the survivors living in Beit Street, whether they are scavengers or hunters, have been exploited by the mayor's family to wipe out their surplus value. Even if the mayor never personally reached out to take even a single chip from their pockets.

"Food and fuel going up?"

Seeing Lucius with surprise written on his face, Charlie smiled lightly and said, "Didn't you notice that the temperature is cooling down recently, and the alien species outside have become more active?"

Lucius frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly thought of something, and said, "Winter is coming?"

"I remember that you came here five months ago. You may not have experienced it. In previous years, the temperature will start to drop slowly at this time. This year... winter will come earlier, perhaps in early October the snow will begin to fall." Speaking of this, Charlie paused for a moment and said meaningfully, "It's going to be winter. Whether it's human or alien, you have to prepare in advance."

When he first came to Beit Street, Lucius was wearing a blue coat, and Charlie subconsciously regarded him as someone from the shelter, so he took good care of him. Although this care was never reflected in the transaction price, the old man did help Lucius in terms of experience. Otherwise, he wouldn't have adapted to life in the wasteland so quickly.

Lucius nodded seriously, "I see, thank you."

"You're welcome," Charlie smiled lightly, "Don't die, kid."

It is already the beginning of September, and if it really snows in October, there is only more than one month left for Lucius to prepare. For the survivors living in this area, snow is definitely not something to be happy about. This means that in addition to food, there is an added fuel expense. The vast majority of people here make a living by picking up garbage and hunting, and the nearby farms only need people during the busy farming season.

In winter, the difficulty of picking up garbage will increase exponentially. No one can predict whether the buried parts in the snow are reusable parts or the fangs of mutant mice. And animals that can provide meat, such as wild deer and rabbits, will also reduce their activity time, and even hide in their dens for the winter. The most terrible thing is that once winter comes, the caravan will not come here. Even if you find something good, you can only pile it up at home and wait until next spring to sell it.

Alternatively, venture to 'Boulder City', ten kilometers away. That is the largest survivor settlement in this area of ​​Spring City, and the market there will not be closed even in winter.

However, it is located on the edge of the Third Ring Road in Spring City, next to the North District of Spring City, and there are countless dangers hidden along the way. Most people want to walk there on two legs, and it is still in winter when the lowest temperature can reach minus ten degrees, which is tantamount to suicide!

...

After leaving the recycle bin, Lucius first went back to his residence. In fact, it is not so much a residence as it is a shack that can barely keep out the rain, without even a decent window or door. Until yesterday, he still wanted to save some materials such as cement and PVC boards, so as to seal the leaky wall before winter came. But now it seems that this is no longer necessary.

A rusty aluminum box was found out of the musty sleeping bag. Lucius struggled to open it and dumped the plastic coins hidden inside on the lame wooden table. A total of 47 white chips with a face value of 1 point. Counting the 3 pieces on my body, adds up to exactly 50 points!

This money was all he saved little by little in order to be able to leave this ghostly place one day and move to Boulder City with better conditions. But now...

He already has a new plan for this 'Property'. Why rely on others when you can stand on your own?

The ruins of the nursing home above the refuge can be used, and the walls around the building are all concrete structures... If there are players who can use it, it should not be too difficult to repair by collecting some materials nearby. Near the sanatorium is a wetland park. It is not convenient to collect metal waste, but the surrounding vegetation is fairly lush, and there should be no shortage of heating fuel. In addition, wood can also be used as a material for repairing buildings and making furniture... an axe! Yes, and four more axes.

Fight monsters and level up?

Nonexistent!

It is said that it is a 100% real hardcore game. Since it is a hardcore game, it is natural to start from the most basic work!
Tools such as shovels and saws are indispensable!" Before the players logged in, Lucius had already figured out how to arrange them.

Of course, in addition to the tools for working, there is also the most critical thing 'Ration'. Once the training cabin is activated, it will immediately consume the active substances pre-stored in the training cabin to synthesize clones for players to use. And these clones need to eat! Although the clone can lie in the cultivation cabin and sleep at a low metabolic level when the player is not online, it is impossible to lie down all the time. It is an eternal truth that people have to eat when they are alive!

"At least enough food for five adults must be stored for a week... If it is calculated as two meals a day, there are 70 wheat cakes for each meal, Lucius thought with frown.

Wheat cakes are the most common food on Beit Street, and one chip can be exchanged for two. This thing is usually the size of a palm, and the taste is very hard and rough when bitten, like soil mixed with sand, but it can fill the stomach and add a little salt. Throwing it in a pot and cooking it can make a paste. 70 cakes, if you buy it, you get 35 chips. Even if you bargain, 30 chips are indispensable. In this way, your own budget will not be enough.

Lucius frowned but soon relaxed again.

He was the one who complicated the problem just now. In fact, there is no need to let those players eat too well. If you replace the wheat cake with the raw material for making the wheat cake—that is, the green wheat produced by a nearby farm, you only need 3 chips to buy a full kilogram! Stock up on 5 kilograms, enough for him to eat for two weeks alone! As for the others, we will figure out a solution at that time.

"Let's prepare these things for now..."

Sweeping the allocated chips into the backpack, Lucius put the backpack back on his back.

Although he didn't sleep all night, he is very excited now, as if he has found the meaning of life again, and he doesn't feel sleepy at all. When he opened the door and went outside, he saw the little girl from the neighbor's house cat at the door of the next shack, looking at him curiously.

Lucius recognized her by name, Yuki. She is the youngest child of the family living next door to his house... Most of the survivors in the wasteland were yellow and thin, and Yuki was no exception. She has long black hair, big round brown color eyes, small arms and legs like a reed stick, and an undeveloped body, It's really hard to imagine that she was old enough to marry.

Seeing that Lucius noticed her, she was not shy and walked out of the room while saying, "I heard movement in your house, so I came to take a look."

Every day at dawn, the men of Beit Street would go out to pick up waste or hunt, while the old and weak women and children usually stayed at home to look after the house or do some profitable work. Although everyone is poor and they eat their last meal without another meal, they can't save money, and there is nothing to steal at home, but no one wants to have someone come to their house to take advantage of it when they go out.

This man named Lucius came from outside. He usually leaves early and returns late, and rarely communicates with the neighbors in the settlement. She didn't know much about him, but she didn't think he looked like someone who could endure hardship. At first, everyone was wary of him, and my mother asked me to keep an eye on this stranger from outside. However, Yuki didn't think he was a bad person, because once he made soup at the door and shared a bowl with her.

"Thanks," Lucius said with a smile.

"You're welcome, by the way, when you go out, I can help you watch the house." Yuki blinked and added happily, "Anyway, I'm idle."

Poor child. If it was in that world, she should still be studying at her current age. Not wanting to offend her, Lucius hid the pity in his eyes, took out a lollipop from his pocket expressionlessly, and stuffed it into the little girl's hand.

"Take it and eat. Don't tell anyone I gave it. Otherwise, it will be gone in the future," Lucius reminds kindly.

Never seen this kind of food, Yuki thought, first take a bite of the wrapping paper, but found that he couldn't open it, and then realized that the outer wrapping was about to be torn. Her big black eyes stared at the red fruit ball stuck on the plastic stick, she cautiously stuck out her tongue and licked it lightly.

What, what is this smell?! So sweet!

With little stars in her eyes, she raised her head happily, wanting to say thank you.

However, the person who gave her candy has already gone far.

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