My Apocalypse Territory-Chapter 238 - 235: Information Worth 20 Cents

"Don't be careless. Humans, although frail, some of their technologies can still cause us considerable trouble..."

A hoarse voice echoed in the chilly basement.

The speaker was a young man with a buzz cut who, despite looking younger than everyone else present, seemed to be the leader of the group.

His face was expressionless, and his neck twisted grotesquely more than a hundred degrees as he looked toward a certain spot, his mouth opening and closing:

"This time, we've already caught the attention of the Luoxia humans. From now on, don't directly act within the residential area. Just transport the suitable offerings within range..."

Someone emitted a shrill voice, "They are just a bunch of humans, weak and unaware of how to employ strength. What if we are discovered? With those trash, I could wipe them out single-handedly!"

"Foolish! Before the elder arrives, with just the few of us, we don't have the power to confront a large Sanctuary head-on. Even if we are not afraid for ourselves, remember, our task is to protect and activate the Altar!"

"But... this will inevitably affect the speed at which we collect souls," the shrill voice grew softer, yet still carried a hint of unwillingness, "The lucky bastards of the Evil Eye Clan have opened the Black Door for quite some time, and they've destroyed another Sanctuary. They must have gained tremendous benefits. At this rate..."

Click.

A soft noise.

The basement door opened.

A stoic, burly man walked in, his hands clutching two white canvas bags which he thumped down beside the Rune Array.

The buzz-cut young man approached one of the bags, extended a finger, and lightly sliced through it like a sharp blade, easily opening the sack to reveal an unconscious young woman inside.

He gripped the woman's swan-like neck, lifted her up, and suspend her in the air.

The young woman's complexion was pallid as she finally woke from her unconscious state. Her legs flailed involuntarily in mid-air, her eyes filled with terror.

Rip.

The young woman's clothes turned to shreds.

Her skin was pale with purplish bruises.

She struggled even harder, but the hand gripping her neck was like a vice, impervious to how hard she fought; she could not break free at all.

Rip—

Another sound,

But different from the tearing of silk.

Blood flowed like a stream, pooling on the ground to form a lake, as a flesh-colored one-piece suit, stained with crimson blood, dropped to the floor with a splat.

In that instant, an invisible, intangible wave dispersed from the young woman's body, merging into the Rune Array surrounding the Altar.

"Look, this kind of carefully chosen offering, an Awakener, young, soul still very pure... Although we do not have enough in quantity, the quality is certainly superb. In just a few days, we'll be able to fill this Rune Array. When the elder arrives, and through the Black Door we've opened, we will effortlessly be able to—"

The blue flames in the buzz-cut man's eyes blazed fiercely.

...

...

Territory.

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

Advanced Rune Equipment Factory Area.

Since thirty-some Rune Debuggers had undergone Basic Period training and taken their posts, the other workshops collectively recruited more than three hundred workers.

Many people did not know what kind of Equipment they were producing; only those survivors who had participated in the third-level test could guess.

Every day, plenty of newly forged standard Rune Equipment were taken by the Logistics Department, transported to shops in Green Shadow or Luoxia.

As the competence of Rune Debuggers improved, the quality of these Basic Equipment gradually approached the quality of Equipment produced by previous workshops.

The output also increased.

The workers in the various workshops finally did not have to work day and night.

After finishing work for the day, Pan Tu declined the invitation to have dinner with his coworkers.

He rode a second-hand bicycle he had scored from the free trade market along the highway toward the direction of the holiday resort.

After covering about half the distance, this area was far from the factory area and not close to the holiday resort either.

Pan Tu tilted his head, stealthily glancing around from the corner of his eye.

Moments later, he turned the bike around and proceeded along a dirt road by the highway. After riding a certain distance, he got off the bike and hid it in a clump of weeds about chest high.

He looked around again cautiously, breathed a sigh of relief, and walked along through a not-so-dense thicket...

"This should be the place."

Muttering to himself, Pan Tu surveyed his surroundings and finally stopped under a large tree.

He moved forward a few steps, crouched down, and noticed an inconspicuous cross scratch at the base of the tree.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The sun was gradually setting in the west.

There were no sounds of insects or animals in the jungle, yet as the sunlight faded and darkness was about to envelop everything, the whole thicket seemed like a giant beast ready to devour someone.

He shivered, looking around non-stop, "Why haven't they come yet, why haven't they come..."

Swoosh—

A figure jumped down from a tree.

Pan Tu took several steps back in fright, then looked up and finally relaxed, "It's you... you, you finally... arrived."

"Where's the information?" The figure glanced at him and asked coldly.

"Right... right here." Pan Tu took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over, "This rune, it's Green Shadow's secret."

The figure took a look at the paper and then raised their head, "Where's the rune? Not even a drawing?"

"It's not that I didn't give it, it's just... I really can't draw it. That kind of rune, I don't know... I don't know how to describe it. Even though I've memorized it, as soon as it's drawn on paper, it changes completely."

Pan Tu stuttered, and towards the end, as if feeling himself too weak, raised his voice, "This information was obtained at the risk of my life. Aside from the detailed rune drawing, I've explained everything else very clearly!"

"Where's my payment?"

The figure, somewhat impatient, threw him two Source Crystals.

"Only two? That's too few," Pan Tu said.

The figure gave him a cold glance, "Without even a rune drawing, stop your blabbering or you won't get a half Source Crystal!"

Pan Tu felt intimidated by their demeanor and became afraid to speak up again.

After a long while, the figure softened their tone and said, "Your information is somewhat valuable. If you can get the rune drawing, I can apply to the City Lord. Then you might get twenty or even two hundred Source Crystals, understand?"

Pan Tu's throat worked silently; in the end, he didn't speak.

He suddenly felt regret; the information he had risked so much to bring out was being undervalued.

Even if he could produce a complete rune drawing, given the stingy nature of the other party, they probably wouldn't offer much. Moreover, obtaining a complete rune drawing would be exceedingly difficult.

He might as well have stayed and worked peacefully in the rune workshop, where he could save up fifteen Source Crystals in a month.

With his mind full of concerns, Pan Tu was ready to leave.

The figure was also ready to take the information back.

A voice suddenly came from behind the bushes not far away:

"We've been waiting for several days for you to show up, this efficiency in handling affairs is too slow..."

The figure paused in their stride.

Full of joy at the thought of earning the City Lord's favor by bringing back the report, sweat broke out on their forehead involuntarily.