Chapter 14: That sassy deceitful merchant from Boulder City

Light Chu was quite lucky. He didn't encounter any challenging dangers along the way.

Not only that.

When he arrived near Bette Street, he happened to see a caravan from Boulder City unloading goods at the entrance of Bette Street.

Old Walter, carrying a hunting rifle on his back, stood aside smoking his homemade dry tobacco. Old Charlie was happily conversing with the leader of the caravan, while the scavengers who were idle were unloading the goods under the surveillance of gunmen.

The leader of the caravan was called Manager Li. Light Chu didn't know his full name, but he knew he came from Boulder city. He had eight gunmen under his command and around twenty mutated yaks.

Every now and then, he would bring people and animals from Boulder City to Bette Street to sell some supplies and collect the "specialty" of this place.

In the wasteland, especially in the urban areas, vehicles were unreliable. The highways were full of abandoned cars and collapsed ruins. In addition, the roads were poorly maintained, with severe cracks on the surface and even vegetation sprouting through. Most wheeled vehicles couldn't move at all.

In comparison, donkeys, cattles, and horses were good assets. Although they couldn't move fast, there were hardly any roads they couldn't traverse.

The most important thing was their low cost, simple maintenance, and they could eat 30 kilograms of grass per 100 kilometers.

Technology wasn't always reliable, at least not here.

Of course, if it was a long-distance journey across provinces, it would be a different situation.

Light Chu had seen a truck with half wheels and half tracks before. It had chimney-like thick gun barrels standing on it, exuding a punk art vibe.

But such bulky trucks generally wouldn't enter the city. They usually unloaded outside the city and traded with small and medium-sized caravans active in the nearby areas before leaving.

Light Chu noticed that among the supplies being transported to Bette Street this time, there was actually a woman wrapped in a robe.

Her hands and feet were shackled, and there were striped codes on her ankles. Her delicate and fair skin didn't look like that of a survivor in the wasteland. She resembled more of an elf that walked out of a movie.

Or perhaps, a "commodity" cultivated in an incubator.

"Clone?"

Light Chu had only heard about it before, that there was slave trading in Boulder City, but it was his first time seeing it with his own eyes. However, this kind of "luxury item" could probably only be afforded by the esteemed Mayor.

Light Chu didn't immediately approach but quietly waited for the transaction to be completed in the shadows of the ruins.

The "cowboys" were busy and didn't stay here.

After the goods were loaded, Manager Li reached into his pocket, took out several white chips, and tossed them to the idle scavengers as if giving alms.

Then, amidst a chorus of grateful voices, he, along with the gunmen, set off with the mutated yaks loaded with large and small packages.

Light Chu followed from a distance, walking through two streets.

However, at this moment, the man who had been walking beside Manager Li suddenly stopped and stared straight in Light Chu's direction.

Light Chu was slightly surprised to be noticed.

There was at least a hundred meters between them. How did this guy spot him?!

But since he had been discovered, following from behind would no longer make sense.

Light Chu raised his hands to indicate that he meant no harm, then carried the black plastic bag and walked over.

From a distance of ten meters, he stopped under a tilted café sign.

For both parties, this was the safest distance.

If a conflict were to occur, the carbon nanofiber bulletproof vest he wore close to his body would provide him at least five seconds to escape.

As long as he wasn't shot in the head...

"I have no ill intentions, I just want to make a deal with you," Light Chu said.

The man named Manager Li squinted his eyes and shouldered his shotgun.

"You're one of the scavengers from Bette Street?" he asked.

"Light Chu," he replied.

"I don't care what your name is, and we don't do small deals," the man said, looking mockingly at the plastic bag in Light Chu's hand. "It would be better for you to give this stuff to that old man named Charlie."

Light Chu remained silent and opened the plastic bag, revealing the goods inside.

The man clearly recognized the value of the items as his expression froze, clearly not expecting to find something valuable instead of just old parts and batteries in the bag.

Light Chu noticed a subtle, barely perceptible greed in his eyes.

"Where did you get this?" the man asked.

Light Chu looked at him calmly without saying a word.

"Just asking out of curiosity, no offence," the man said, his greedy expression fading slightly. He handed his shotgun to one of his followers and walked up to Light Chu.

"How do you want to sell it?"

The recycling price in Bette Street was one chip for every 50 grams, but the true value of these items was definitely worth much more than that!

Light Chu stayed silent for two seconds and decided to take a gamble. He quoted a price five times higher than the recycling station in Bette Street.

"I have 2,000 grams here, and I want 200 chips!"

"Deal."

Seeing the man hesitating only briefly before agreeing, Light Chu immediately realized that he had priced it too cheaply.

Indeed, that damn mayor must have sold it to these merchants for much more!

These leeches who never spit out any bones!

In his mind, Light Chu silently cursed the mayor and his entire family, wishing that he wouldn't be able to get it up tonight.

"Let's be friends. I'm called Lester," the man said, extending his right hand and abandoning his previous arrogance. A smile appeared on his face. "I rarely do business directly with scavengers, but you're an exception... I'm quite interested in you."

Light Chu maintained his composure and shook his hand.

"Thank you, I'm Light Chu."

"I know, you just said that," Lester replied.

Releasing their handshake, Lester stared at Light Chu and continued, "First of all, I hope that the transaction we're about to make today won't be known by that old man Charlie."

Light Chu replied, "He certainly won't know, and I don't want any trouble."

"Haha, you're a clever person," Lester said, nodding with satisfaction and continuing, "I can pay you the 200 chips right now. However... since you'll be using those chips to exchange for goods anyway, why not buy directly from me and save yourself from the middlemen's markup? I still have some leftover supplies here, and I can give you an 80% discount. How about that?"

Light Chu didn't believe his so-called 80% discount nonsense, but he couldn't possibly know how much these goods on the backs of the cattle would sell for in Boulder City.

However, as long as Lester sold them cheaper than Bette Street, he had no reason to refuse.

"I need weapons. Do you have any?" Light Chu asked.

"Of course, what kind do you want?" Lester replied.

"A gun."

"A gun, huh?" Lester stroked his chin. "How about a bolt-action steel pipe rifle with a 9mm caliber? It only costs 200 chips, and I can give you 30 rounds of ammunition for free. If you want to purchase additional bullets, it's 1 chip per bullet, a fair price."

"At an 80% discount?"

"This is already an 80% discount. If you find it expensive, I still have cheaper options here, like a 5mm caliber steel pipe pistol worth 100 chips. It's quite effective against raiders but not recommended for dealing with mutants."

An 80% discount, huh? Yeah, right!

I don't believe you for a damn thing!

Light Chu stared at him and said,

"A bolt-action steel pipe rifle with a 9mm caliber, plus 60 rounds of ammunition. In addition, I want to use 20... no, 25 chips to purchase food and other supplies."

Looking at Lester, who shrugged indifferently, Light Chu continued in a serious tone,

"There are more than 2 kilograms of blue umbrella mushrooms in the mutant leeches' nest, but I could only gather them from the vicinity... Do you understand what I mean?"

"You want me to invest in you?" Lester looked at Light Chu with interest. "Interesting."

Light Chu remained unmoved and said,

"Why not? I bet even at this price, you'll still make a good profit. And if you agree, the next time I come, I can bring you ten times the amount of goods. Aren't you tempted?"

Lester was tempted.

Honestly, it was indeed a good proposal.

With these 2 kilograms of blue umbrella mushrooms carried into Boulder City, he could buy not only one bolt-action iron tube rifle but ten.

These countryside bumpkins living in the outskirts had no idea what anti-radiation and decontamination agents meant for the people in the city.

All the good stuff was hidden near those nuclear bomb pits!

"Usually, very few people can take chips from my hands."

Lester signaled his assistant, who then took a bolt-action steel pipe rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition from the mutant cattle nearby.

"But you're an exception."

Counting out 25 white chips from his pocket, Lester handed them, along with the goods, to Light Chu.

"20 kilo of blue umbrella mushrooms, consider it an investment. I'll be waiting for your message."

"I'll come back here at the end of the month, and most likely it will be the last time this year."

"Hope to see you then."

Mutant leeches.

No one wanted to mess with those things.

Only God knew how many disgusting worms were hiding in their nests. And the most dangerous part was that ordinary piercing firepower was useless against these creatures.

Their terrifying regenerative ability and vitality allowed them to split into two new organisms even if they were cut in half, not to mention a few small holes in their bodies.

As for setting them on fire...

Not only was it uncertain whether they would burn, but even if they did, valuable items would be burned along with them.

Not worth it at all.

"Oh, by the way, 20 kilograms of blue umbrella mushrooms, I'll give you 2,000 chips for that. You can place an order with me, no need to pick up leftovers from others."

Looking at Light Chu handling the weapon in his hand, Lester reminded him,

"Stop for a moment." Light Chu stopped his actions and looked at him, asking, "How do I know what goods you have?"

Lester snapped his fingers.

The person beside him understood and handed over a square tablet.

"There are photos on it. Swipe left or right to choose... I won't teach you how to use it. I guarantee the quality of these goods, but I can't guarantee that the actual items you receive will look exactly the same as the photos."

Taking the tablet, Light Chu quickly glanced at it and found that there were indeed many good things on it.

Especially he saw what he needed the most.

"Have you made your selection?" Lester urged as he watched Light Chu choosing.

"I've made my selection," Light Chu returned the tablet and looked at him. "A 10KW wood-fired generator and a KV-1 powered exoskeleton."

"You have good taste. Although the KV-1 is the basic model, it's the most durable one. But why do you need a generator? Instead of worrying about running out of power, why not buy a few more batteries? I provide a trade-in service here, very cheap."

The generator wasn't cheap; it cost 1,200 chips per unit.

In comparison, the KV-1 powered exoskeleton only required 800 chips, and a matching chemical energy battery was just 150 chips.

Even if the battery was expensive, it wouldn't cost over a thousand.

And where was he going to put that generator?

The exoskeleton could be worn under clothing, but a generator like that wasn't something an ordinary scavenger could afford.

Seeing through Lester's concerns, Light Chu said,

"Don't worry, I won't bring it back to Bette Street."

"I was just asking out of curiosity. How you deal with it has nothing to do with me. Even if you claim I sold it to you, I won't admit it. In the end, you'll be the one in trouble." Lester shrugged and glanced at the sky not far away. "It's getting late, farewell."

Light Chu called out to him.

"Wait, I want to ask, the things I just ordered are discounted, right?"

Lester laughed and waved without turning his head.

"The price you saw is already discounted."

Light Chu: ".....%#$@%"

You son of a bitch!

Watch how I'm going to rip off you and your gang of peddlers in the future!

Watching the caravan fade into the distance, Light Chu's face turned dark, and he turned away as well.