Chapter 117: Rock Safety Zone (V)
Wang Zhiping and his family of three quickly merged into the crowd and disappeared.
E Shifang leaned close to Xie Mian's ear, his warm breath spraying on his earlobe, and whispered, "Wife, the way you saved that person just now was truly heroic and incomparable. It made my heart blossom and my heart flutter..."
E Shifang chuckled and followed nonchalantly.
The two continued along the main road.
The streets, devoid of sanitation workers, were littered with dirt and garbage, and the air was filled with the stench of sweat, mold, and low-quality food. Survivors set up crude stalls with rags or wooden planks on both sides of the road, selling a wide variety of goods.
A few shriveled potatoes, a small bag of unknown grains, an old hen that can still lay eggs, toilet paper, sanitary napkins...
Different from the orderly situation near the bulletin board.
"The Rock Base divides people into different classes," E Shifang commented. "Those living in the villa area are the upper class. Those living here are the true 'survivors.'"
Xie Mian didn't say anything. He glanced at the goods on the ground with a cold look.
At this moment, Xie Mian paused slightly.
A thin figure ran past him quickly.
E Shifang was about to explode, but was stopped by Xie Mian's look.
Xie Mian remained calm, walking a few steps forward before stopping in front of a stall selling used weapons. He reached into his chest, pretending to pull out the insect stone, then frowned slightly.
"What's wrong, wife?"
E Shifang asked knowingly and cooperated in the play.
"The Wormstone is gone."
Xie Mian said calmly, his voice not loud but loud enough for several people around to hear.
As soon as he finished speaking, the thin little boy who was pretending to look at something not far away suddenly stiffened and ran into the alley.
As soon as he turned around, he felt his ankle tighten, and he instantly lost his balance. He was dragged backwards by a huge force and fell heavily to the ground.
"Ouch!"
The boy cried out in pain and a black bag fell out of his arms.
The crowd around quickly dispersed, leaving a space for them to watch, and looked at this side with eyes that looked like they were enjoying a show.
The boy looked to be about twelve or thirteen years old, with a pale face and thin body. He was wearing ill-fitting, shabby clothes, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. At this moment, he was looking at the two people standing in front of him with horror.
"Why are you running?"
Goose Shifang squatted down, picked up the bag on the ground, and waved it in front of the boy, "Isn't this yours?"
The boy bit his lip and said nothing, just staring at them with eyes full of vigilance and hatred.
"interesting."
E Shifang laughed. He noticed that the boy did not use his hands when he stole just now.
Xie Mian walked over and looked down at the young man on the ground.
"Are you a bug-loving one?"
The boy's pupils shrank and his body tensed even more.
"Show your insect form." Xie Mian's tone left no room for doubt.
A trace of struggle flashed in the boy's eyes, but under Xie Mian's cold gaze, he finally gave in.
He slowly lowered his head, and two slender, black, segmented tentacles slowly stretched out from his forehead and drooped limply.
"Head-knocking worm?"
Goose Shifang was amazed. "Using these tentacles to steal things is quite discreet. Unfortunately, you ran into me, your grandfather."
The boy's face turned pale when his identity was revealed.
In the Rock Base, the Wormstone decides everything.
Whether they are insect followers or ordinary people, whoever has the insect stone is the boss.
Although he is a true insect-loving person, a praying insect like him with almost zero combat power has no ability to kill insects or remove stones. In the eyes of others, he is no different from trash.
"I...I'll return the insect stone to you, please let me go!"
The boy's voice was trembling and filled with tears.
There is no law in the base. How could he be so blinded by greed as to rob the insect stones from these two people? He doesn't want to die.
Xie Mian ignored his pleas and reached out, accurately pinching one of his tentacles.
"ah!"
The boy screamed as the tentacles were caught, and there was no way he could escape.
"What's your name?" Xie Mian asked.
"I...they all call me 'rat'."
"Rat," Xie Mian released his hand, "I need someone familiar with this place to gather information for me. Two low-level insect stones per day."
The mouse was stunned. He looked at Xie Mian in disbelief, suspecting that he had heard it wrong.
He thought he was dead, but he didn't expect that the other party not only didn't punish him, but also wanted to hire him?
"What? You don't want to?" E Shifang said coldly from the side.
"Yes! I do!" The mouse was startled and quickly got up from the ground, afraid that the other party would change his mind, and nodded quickly, "What do you two bosses want to know?
I'll turn the entire Rock Base upside down and find out everything for you!"
"Take us to the most interesting place here first." Xie Mian said.
"The most interesting part?" The mouse rolled his eyes and immediately got the answer.
He lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "That must be the black market! Boss, the open market is for ordinary people to see. The real good stuff, as well as those shady transactions, are all in the black market."
"lead the way."
"Okay!"
The mouse's attitude changed 180 degrees, and a flattering smile filled his face.
He led Xie Mian and E Shifang skillfully through several dirty and narrow alleys and came to the entrance of an abandoned underground parking lot.
There were two strong men guarding the entrance. When one of them saw the rat, he waved his hand impatiently: "Get lost, this is not the place for you."
Mouse immediately put on a smile and pointed at Xie Mian and E Shifang behind him: "Brother Biao, these two are my bosses. I want to go in and see them."
The burly man then looked at the two of them straight in the eye.
When his eyes met Xie Mian's cold eyes, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He couldn't afford to offend this person.
He didn't dare say anything more and silently stepped aside to make way.
"Boss, please."
The mouse led the way in front and led the two of them in.
The ramp leading underground was very dark, with water droplets seeping from the walls and a strange smell in the air.
Every ten or so meters, there is a dim emergency light hanging on the wall.
"Boss, the black market has its own rules."
The mouse led the way, speaking quickly and in a low voice, "First, don't touch anything unless you really want to buy it. Second, don't ask where the goods came from or who the seller is. Third, and most importantly, there are no rules here. Whoever has the bigger fist rules."
He glanced back at the two calm and composed bosses behind him and quickly added, "Of course, this definitely doesn't apply to you two."
E Shifang chuckled and said nothing.
Walking down the slope, the view suddenly opens up.
The entire underground parking lot was transformed into a huge market.
Abandoned cars have become natural stalls and partitions, with all kinds of goods displayed on their roofs and hoods.
The faint light came from the various light sources brought by the stall owners - oil lamps, rechargeable lamps, and even some glowing insect monster organs.
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