Chapter 119 The Hunting Team of Hope Base
"Anthony, did you hear that? Gunshots,"The young man hiding behind an abandoned mobile cleaning truck listened carefully and whispered to his companion.
Anthony Reynolds nodded in acknowledgment; he had heard the gunshots too.
"Could it be that someone from the base is out hunting?"The first speaker asked again, looking regretfully at the zombies that had been slowly approaching but were now distracted by the gunshots.
A Level 1 Magic Crystal could be exchanged for a lot of rice at Hope Base!
"I don't know, but probably not," Anthony said as he shook his head slowly. Seeing the zombies gradually move away, he relaxed his body, put the entrenching tool back at his waist, and sat down after ensuring there was no danger around.
"Now, you know what's going on in the base, right? Bullets are like gold here, controlled by the artillery battalion and Director Cox. They won't be used to kill zombies outside. Do you think they're not dying fast enough? And Donovan, aren't you a military buff? Can't you tell that these gunshots sound a bit different?" Anthony reminded.
Donovan, prompted by Anthony's words, indeed found the gunshots to be somewhat distinct, particularly crisp.
"If only we had a gun, we could kill zombies cleanly and quickly. In a few days, we could gather enough Magic Crystals to buy Evolution Elixir and become Evolving persons. Then, we could fly around like Superman," Donovan said his daydream.
"Wake up, will you!" Anthony retorted.
Anthony interrupted Donovan's fantasy irritably, "The current price of Evolution Elixir is one hundred Level 1 Magic Crystals. That's killing a hundred zombies. We've been working hard for days and only killed ten, almost losing our lives in the process. Besides, firearms are no longer suitable for small-scale battles; they attract unknown dangers. Blades, swords, and bows are the real deal now."
Donovan, feeling a bit disappointed, sighed, "If only we could spin the wheel freely, maybe we could get Evolution Elixir in one go."
Anthony rolled his eyes dramatically, and said, "Let you spin freely? How would they control you then?"
Just as they were about to continue their conversation, the gunshots, which had stopped, started again and seemed to be intensifying.
Exchanging a glance, Anthony hesitantly said, "Isn't that the territory of the rumored weirdo with a bunch of pigs?"
"Seems like it..." Donovan replied.
"Should we check it out?" Anthony asked curiously.
"Better not. I heard that weirdo let his pigs eat people. The base tried to negotiate, but he didn't care. What if we get eaten?" Donovan said warily.
"But what if there's some unexpected gain?" Anthony suggested.
The two were tempted and decided to go take a look.
"Captain Hernandez, should we keep moving forward?" someone inquired.
A man in his thirties pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and handed it to a young man.
If it were in the past, the man called Captain Hernandez wouldn't accept it. Not only was the brand cheap, but the cigarette was also bent and almost broken, making it unappealing.
But now was different. Although it had only been a little over a week since the apocalypse began, the world had changed drastically. Outside the base, there were man-eating monsters everywhere. A slight mistake could mean death. Food and water were in severe shortage, let alone cigarettes and alcohol, which could help alleviate stress and fear. These were now considered luxury items, more valuable than food.
If William was here, he would tell them that cigarettes and alcohol would only become more expensive in the apocalypse, especially those produced before the apocalypse, which would be ridiculously pricey.
At Hope Base, food prices were skyrocketing. Money had become worthless, gold was discarded on the ground with no takers, and the only valuable commodities were weapons and Magic Crystals. Only these two items could be exchanged for food, water, and even Evolution Elixir.
As for cigarettes and alcohol, the stock at Hope Base was already low. With the recent consumption, prices had been increased. Although not as outrageous as in William's previous life, they were still quite expensive.
People were strange like that; even when they couldn't get enough to eat, they were willing to spend money on these things.
Outside the base, there were zombies and monsters. Normally, no one dared to venture out. Only armed soldiers and some particularly brave residents would occasionally go hunting. Anthony and Donovan belonged to the latter group, while this squad belonged to the former.
Miles suggested, "Chief Flores, don't call me Captain anymore. Now we're all just people from the base, struggling to survive."
Miles Hernandez took the cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag, feeling the smoke spread through his body. He closed his eyes slightly, enjoying the moment.
Only at this moment could he forget the harsh reality of the apocalypse and the constant threat of death.
"Then don't call me Chief Flores either. Just call me Caleb," Caleb Flores said as he glanced at the rifle beside Miles, burning desire flashing in his eyes.
'If only I had a gun,' Caleb sighed inwardly.
'With a gun, I could get Magic Crystals. With Magic Crystals, I could become an Evolving person. As an Evolving person, I could live well and hold endless power at Hope Base!' Caleb mused.
Thinking about the status and privileges of Evolving persons, Caleb felt a surge of excitement.
"Captain Hernandez, we've packed up most of the stuff, but..." A man in a dirty military uniform ran over and whispered, "This place has been overrun by zombies and monsters. There's not much edible food left. The only thing not contaminated is a bag of rice. There's quite a bit of oil, seven or eight barrels, and some scattered pasta."
Miles' face darkened upon hearing this. He had led his men through filthy sewers, avoided the zombie hordes around the base, encountered mutant rats that cost the lives of two soldiers. After all that effort, they had fought zombies for half an hour, losing several more men, just to secure this small grocery store—only to find a bag of rice?
As for the oil... what's the use without food?
Caleb also looked dejected. He had paid a high price to join the hunting team, hoping to gain some benefits. Now it seemed his hopes were dashed.
"At least we got about ten Magic Crystals," the soldier added, but he knew it was pointless. These Magic Crystals weren't their private property; they had to be handed over when they returned. They'd be lucky to keep two.
If they didn't hand them over, their families at Hope Base would be in trouble, and they wouldn't get any ammo replenishment.
Miles' gaze fell ahead. Caleb had asked if they should move forward, and he had thought it was a pointless question. But now, it seemed they had to check out the pig-raising weirdo's territory to make this hunt worthwhile.
As he hesitated, gunshots suddenly came from ahead. Miles listened for a few seconds, then waved his hand, and instructed, "Let's go check it out!"
Natalie timed her jump perfectly, landing just as Landon's pig herd entered her attack range.
Countless whip shadows from her Quadrilateral Dance Spinning fell on the mutant wild boars.
At the same time, Natalie absorbed the energy from a handful of Magic Crystals that she held.
For this mission, William had given her his emerald green necklace. At this moment, the primary Meditation Exchange activated frantically, converting the energy from the Magic Crystals into mental power to replenish Natalie's strength, ensuring she wouldn't collapse from exhaustion after using her skills twice in quick succession.
With an unstoppable momentum, Natalie landed among the pig herd.
