Chapters 25、Unexpected Event Unlocked! New Trait - "My Faith"!
The more Yi Bai thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He quickly closed the leaderboard data and logged into the trading platform, searching for weapon and ammunition-related orders.
After setting the filters, he was shocked to discover that the prices for these items had skyrocketed several times higher than before!
Just two days ago, he had traded a few bottles of ice water and some medicine for 100 bullets. But today, sellers bluntly replied: "Not enough!"
The lowest offer now required 10 bottles of ice water, 20 pounds of long-lasting food, or 20 boxes of common medicine just for 100 basic handgun bullets.
As for other types of ammunition? Not for sale.
Grenades? Not for sale.
Only handgun bullets, handguns, and bulletproof vests were available!
Yi Bai contacted several sellers, only to find that the prices were roughly the same across the board. It was as if they had all conspired to inflate the prices overnight!
"Strange… Why did the prices shoot up so much?"
Frowning, Yi Bai opened the city's regional chat channel and searched for keywords like "weapons" and "ammunition." Scrolling through the chat logs, he finally found some clues:
"Ugh, bullets are so expensive today! I can't afford anything. I saved up just enough resources to buy a gun for self-defense, but now it's not enough!""They say it's because there's been too much gun violence in the city lately—mostly people fighting over supplies. Some are even massacring weaker shelters. Sellers decided to limit stock to stop humans from killing each other.""Nonsense! They just want to hoard weapons for power!""Not entirely true. There are still good people out there. Just yesterday, my neighbor got rescued by a relief team. Too bad they didn't have enough resources to save more people.""Post-apocalypse, pre-apocalypse—doesn't make a difference. People are still people.""What do you mean?""Think about it. Before the apocalypse, I worked my whole life trying to buy a house, but prices kept going up. I was always just a little short. Now, after the apocalypse, I'm scrambling to gather enough resources for a gun, and guess what? I'm still just a little short.
Tell me, is this post-apocalypse life really any different? I'm still at the bottom of the food chain!""Damn! So this apocalypse was for nothing!"
The city's survivors had already complained about the price hikes yesterday, but Yi Bai had been too busy recovering from a battle to notice.
In the early days of the apocalypse, the survivors had adapted quickly, using the online trading platform to exchange supplies and improve their chances of survival. Some even displayed selfless generosity, giving away supplies for free or selling them at low prices to help others.
But that brief period of goodwill didn't last. Now, the market had completely changed. The selfless ones were gone, low-priced goods had vanished, and the cost of essentials like food, water, and weapons had soared several times over.
The harder the resource was to survive without, the more expensive it became. Non-essential items like toilet paper, toothbrushes, and cigarettes were dirt cheap—but no one wanted them. Survival was now everyone's sole focus.
Yi Bai found himself in a tough spot. His usual bargaining chip—ice water—was no longer in high demand. Despite being the only person capable of producing a steady supply, he could only generate 10 bottles a day. That barely made a dent in the city's desperate market, where ice water was now viewed as a luxury item rather than a necessity.
"Am I really going to have to trade soon-to-expire food for bullets?"
Yi Bai considered it but found the sellers surprisingly picky. Perishable food items were valued at half the price of long-lasting ones.
"Unbelievable. It's only been a few days, and everyone's suddenly a shrewd trader!"
"Fine! You want to drive up prices? I won't buy anything!"
Yi Bai decided to let it go. With his infinite-ammo rifle, he wasn't desperate for bullets or other gear. He refused to be the sucker paying inflated prices.
Still, he glanced at the inventory list on his desk—items of food nearing expiration, prepared by Jiang Xiaoci the night before. Letting them spoil would be a waste, but with only four people in the shelter, there was no way they could consume everything in time.
"Maybe I'll just buy some cigarettes. They're cheap, and I haven't smoked in days…"
Yi Bai hesitated, feeling it might be wasteful. While others were struggling to stay fed, he was considering stocking up on smokes for his own comfort.
Just as he pondered his next move, the noise of a commotion reached him from outside. It sounded like a crowd had gathered downstairs.
"What's going on?"
Startled, Yi Bai rushed to the window, peering through the curtain.
A group of women stood below—women he recognized. They were the same group he had driven out of the shelter days ago, former residents of this building. Among them stood Lin Yue, holding a rifle and speaking to the women. After a moment, she turned and opened the building's door using a method Jiang Xiaoci had taught her.
Soon, Yi Bai heard Lin Yue's footsteps approaching, and a notification popped up before him.
[Notice! Your dispatched talent "Lin Yue" has triggered a special event and returned to the shelter early!]
"A special event? Early return?" Yi Bai murmured, intrigued.
Moments later, Lin Yue entered the room, saluting crisply.
"Commander!"
"It's not even nightfall. Why are you back so soon?" Yi Bai asked calmly. "Did something happen?"
"Yes, Commander," Lin Yue replied, her voice steady but tinged with nervousness. She took a deep breath before reporting.
"While carrying out my mission, I encountered a group of thugs attacking some innocent women not far from the shelter. As a soldier, I have a duty to protect the people, so…"
"So you drove off the thugs and brought the women back."
Yi Bai glanced out the window again, his tone even. "You realize they're the same ones I kicked out."
"I do, Commander," Lin Yue admitted, lowering her head. "I didn't mean to disobey your orders, but… they were truly pitiful."
"I understand that during missions, unnecessary compassion and kindness can be dangerous. But Miss Jiang mentioned last night that if we encountered suitable individuals during missions, we could bring them back to the shelter. She said we need fresh blood here."
"She didn't specify who to bring back… so I made a judgment call. I'm sorry, Commander." Lin Yue's voice grew smaller, her confidence waning. "I'll send them away if you wish."
"That won't be necessary," Yi Bai sighed.
It was clear Jiang Xiaoci had anticipated this scenario and had been subtly preparing him to accept it. She was clever, thinking ahead to the shelter's development and using Lin Yue's sense of duty to her advantage.
"Go find Jiang Xiaoci," Yi Bai said, turning back to his desk. "She'll know how to handle them."
"Commander, will we… will we kill them?" Lin Yue's grip on her rifle tightened, her voice trembling.
Yi Bai noticed her hesitation and smiled faintly.
"Lin Yue, if I ordered you to kill them, would you do it?"
"I… I don't know," she stammered, her wide eyes full of disbelief.
"You're conflicted."
Yi Bai chuckled. "Relax. I'm not giving that order. Go find Jiang Xiaoci. She'll take them in and figure out where they fit."
"Understood, Commander!" Lin Yue's expression brightened, and she saluted again before dashing off to deliver the good news.
Yi Bai watched her leave, muttering to himself as he glanced out the window.
"Am I manipulating them?"
He shook his head.
"Perhaps. But I'm offering them safety in return. It's a fair trade."
His thoughts were interrupted by a new notification.
[Congratulations! You have successfully completed the special event triggered by your dispatched talent!]
[Your talent "Lin Yue" has received a tremendous morale boost, unlocking a new trait: "My Faith."]
[My Faith]: Talent trait. Inspired and deeply motivated, she solidifies her faith and dedication to the one she serves. She now has the potential to ascend to a higher tier of talent.]