Chapter 300: Escaping the Desert 4

By now, Perry Yates had already made a circuit of the small town and gotten a feel for the place.

As far as Perry Yates was concerned, it was more of a way station than a town.

Most people came here to stock up on supplies.

The currency used for trade wasn’t actual money, but rather food and water. Food was the most valuable, followed by fresh fruit of all kinds.

Also, every building in sight, big or small, good or bad, had a "Lodging" sign out front. And every single one looked like business was booming.

Unfamiliar with the local prices, Perry Yates first traded a bottle of water for some local clothes, then another for some information. It wasn’t long before she was being followed.

As Perry Yates walked down the street, she subtly glanced behind her.

Behind her, three dark-skinned, burly men had been following her the whole time, and they were gradually closing the distance.

Just as Perry Yates stopped in a shady spot and took out her newly bought canteen to take a drink, the men finally made their move. They seized the opportunity while her head was tilted back and surrounded her.

"Hey, little lady. How about you share some of that water with us?"

The three men surrounding Perry Yates were tall and imposing. Though they phrased it as a question, their expressions were anything but. Without even waiting for a reply, one of them reached out to snatch it.

But they were fast, and Perry Yates was faster. She sidestepped in a single motion, dodging the man’s outstretched hand.

The people nearby saw what was happening but looked on as if it were a common sight. No one stepped forward to intervene.

After all, this place was a den for all sorts of shady characters. Laws and regulations were nothing more than useless scraps of paper here.

Here, might makes right. If you were strong enough, you could do as you pleased. If you weren’t strong and still chose to travel alone, you had only yourself to blame when you got robbed.

This was exactly Perry Yates’s situation. She was thin and small, wasn’t traveling with a group, and yet she dared to venture out alone. Worse, she brazenly used water for trade. ’If they weren’t going to rob her, who would they rob?’

When the men saw that Perry Yates actually dared to dodge, cruel smiles spread across their faces. "You bitch, choosing money over your life. If you know what’s good for you, hand over everything you have, and we might let you go. Otherwise—ARGH!!"

Before he could finish, Perry Yates sent him flying with a single kick.

’Are you kidding me?’ Her body had undergone Ascension so many times that her speed had long surpassed that of an ordinary person. Even without using her cards, dealing with a few big brutes like these was more than enough.

Immediately after, Perry Yates sent the other two flying with kicks of their own. What followed was a one-sided thrashing.

Since these people wanted to rob her, they had to be prepared to be robbed in return.

Perry Yates straddled them, delivering a barrage of flesh-pounding punches. Each blow was vicious and powerful. She didn’t break any bones, but she made sure they felt gut-wrenching pain.

In the end, under the horrified stares of the onlookers, Perry Yates not only took all the valuables from the three men, but she also forced them to lead her to their home, where she cleaned them out completely.

In addition to food and water, Perry Yates also acquired a considerable amount of treasure: a piece of Dog Head Gold the size of a human head, various gold chunks, golden beans, and an assortment of pure, flawless gemstones.

And on top of all that, eight camels.

The three men were on the verge of tears as they watched Perry Yates haul everything away. That was their life’s savings, accumulated over many years!

But no matter how much it pained them, they didn’t dare make a sound to stop her.

After all, they had no desire to re-experience that earlier agony. The person standing before them was fully capable of beating them to death.

Compared to what others might have done, taking only their valuables was actually an act of kindness.

Perry Yates stored most of the supplies in her Safe House. As for the camels, she immediately took them out to sell, keeping only the strongest one for herself.

"These are some fine-looking camels. Are you sure you want to sell them all?" the camel trader asked.

Perry Yates nodded. "I’m sure. I only need one. Sell the rest."

Seeing her insistence, the proprietor nodded. "All right then. Your camels are in good condition. What do you want for them?

Food, water, or Gold and gemstones?"

Hearing this, Perry Yates gave it some thought. She traded for a set of professional camel-riding equipment, then exchanged the rest for Gold and gemstones.

After all, according to the proprietor, Gold and gemstones were the currency of choice in the desert, second only to food and water.

For those lacking food and water, those necessities were obviously the most important. But for merchants, Gold and gemstones were the real hard currency.

The camels were traded for a small pouch of golden beans and another of high-quality gemstones.

’Looking at the heavy pouches in her hands and thinking back on her haul from the three men, you really have to admit that robbery is the quickest way to get rich.’

’Who would have thought that three such unremarkable guys would have amassed such a fortune at home?’

Perry Yates led her camel to a lodging house.

She chose this particular one because it was the nicest building.

She wasn’t short on money now, so there was no reason to rough it.

’I could just take out my Safe House,’ she thought, ’but that would be too conspicuous. Better to just get a room.’

The proprietor was a gaunt-looking woman, most of her face swathed in cloth, revealing only a pair of shrewd eyes.

"How many people? How many days?"

"One person and one camel, for... two days."

That was right. Perry Yates had decided to leave with that group after all.

After Perry Yates finished speaking, the woman looked up at her, then glanced at the camel by the entrance. "That’ll be one golden bean. That includes care for the camel. Food for you and the animal is extra."

"No, that’s fine," Perry Yates quickly refused.

Perry Yates went to her room. Still worried about her camel, she sent out a Spiritual Body to keep an eye on it and make sure no one led it away.

After what had just happened with the mugging, and seeing how the bystanders didn’t bat an eye, Perry Yates had no illusions about the people here.

Once in her room, Perry Yates first took a moment to survey the layout.

The room was small and had few windows, making the light dim and gloomy, but it was surprisingly cool.