Chapter 28 - 27: The Transaction

Chapter 28: Chapter 27: The Transaction

Ning He knocked on the door. It opened quickly, revealing a red-haired man, as tall and skinny as a beanpole, who looked down at her.

"Who are you looking for?"

"The vegetable shop owner sent me," she said hurriedly.

The skinny man glanced behind her, saw no one else, and nodded. "Follow me."

Ning He followed at once.

The entrance was small, but the place was surprisingly large inside. It was inconspicuous from the outside, but the interior was a world of its own. A circular hall sat in the center, with numerous corridors and rooms branching off from it. The layout was completely different from a standard building.

The corners of the building, the hallways, and the walls all had various decorations.

There were oil paintings, musical instruments, ceramics, and vases. Although they all showed clear signs of restoration, in this post-apocalyptic world, they were priceless relics.

’Good heavens, what is this place?’

Ning He was inwardly astounded, but her expression remained impassive as she followed the skinny man down a corridor, stopping in front of a room.

"Wait for the person inside to come out, then you can go in."

"Understood."

After giving the instruction, the skinny man left. Ning He stood at the door and discreetly observed her surroundings.

Both sides of the corridor were lined with doors, all looking more or less the same. Each door had a different symbol on it, seemingly indicating the purpose of the room.

Someone came out of a nearby room, their head lowered. They also wore a hat and a mask, clearly not wanting to be recognized.

The door they came out of had the symbol of a jewel on it.

Ning He quickly formed a theory.

’This place doesn’t just buy vegetables. Their business is probably very comprehensive.’

Before she could observe any further, the door in front of her opened, and a hunched-over old woman walked out.

Ning He immediately pushed the door open and went inside.

Inside, the curtains were drawn, blocking out the light. Only a single, dim yellow lamp was on.

The room was small, with only a single table. A man in a cloak, his features obscured, sat behind it. Ning He sat down across from him.

"What are you selling?"

The man’s voice was cold and impatient.

"I grew some vegetables myself. I have more than I can eat and want to sell them."

"What kinds?"

Ning He thought for a moment and listed a few common leafy greens, as well as some more expensive ones like green onions, cilantro, fennel, and mint. She didn’t mention any others.

’Root vegetables aren’t suitable for hydroponics, and plants that need support like tomatoes and peppers are also difficult for an individual to grow. Mentioning them might give me away. It’s better to earn a little less.’

"How much?"

"I can harvest once every five days, about five kilograms each time."

Ning He gave what she thought was a conservative number. The man across from her looked up at her. Her heart leaped.

But fortunately, he made no other move.

’It seems that while the amount isn’t small, it’s still within a reasonable range.’

Ning He breathed a sigh of relief, but she also felt a bit curious.

’She could only produce so many vegetables because she had a cheat. How were other people doing it?’

’Not everyone can have a system, right?’

"All leafy greens are sixteen original coins per kilogram. Other types are twenty-four original coins per kilogram. If you can accept that, bring the goods directly next time."

This price was half the market retail price, maybe even a little less.

’No wonder Sister Helen sells her vegetables directly to buyers.’

’What a rip-off.’

’But it’s not like I have any other choice.’

"Fine. Do I need any kind of token?"

The man opened a drawer and placed a round metal disc in front of Ning He.

"Remember to bring this. You won’t get in otherwise."

"Got it."

Ning He put the item away and left the room.

Back in Black Stone Lane, Ning He let out a sigh of relief and broke into a grin.

If all went well, she could earn an extra five to six hundred coins a month. It would definitely be less if an extreme temperature disaster hit, but those didn’t happen often. She shouldn’t be so unlucky as to have one every month.

’With this money, I won’t have to eat gruel for every meal. I can even buy some meat occasionally to satisfy my cravings. Since I can’t go back to my own world anytime soon, I have to find a way to live a little more comfortably.’

Back home, Ning He immediately opened the system to study the first mutated species she had encountered.

Because the collection progress wasn’t at one hundred percent, the Index photo was incomplete, but the system provided a fair amount of text information.

"Mutated Goat: Evolved from the Hanging Sheep. Medium-sized, with adults weighing around 120kg. Extremely adept at climbing. Its entire body is covered in fur that provides excellent heat insulation, making it a superb insulating layer. Primarily lives in mountain forests; herbivorous. Has extremely hard horns on its head capable of piercing a 5mm steel plate. Not to be provoked. Can be farmed. Farming Difficulty: Lv. 2."

"Meat is tender with a unique aroma. Protein content is approximately 20%, fat content approximately 15%. Rich in saturated fats and beneficial heme iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. However, some of its bodily tissues contain a mutation toxin and must be processed before consumption. Processing method: Universal-type, requires 1000 experience points to unlock. Recommended cooking methods: stewing, hot pot, stir-frying, roasting."

Reading this, Ning He shot up in bed, her eyes wide.

’The system means... mutated creatures are edible?’

’No wonder that big guy took the meat to the old man who sells braised pork liver! He must have been asking for help processing it!’

’A chef who knows how to prepare goat meat is definitely no ordinary Third-level Chef. Only an old man who was once a head chef in the First Ring would have that kind of skill.’

Ning He’s heart began to pound.

It was half from excitement and half from her own craving.

’Goat meat... The thought alone made her mouth water. Forget the Index mission—even just to satisfy her own cravings, she had to find a way to get involved.’

’But then she remembered the big guy’s tower-like build and his fierce, demonic gaze, and her enthusiasm was instantly halved.’

’Someone who dared to smuggle a mutated species into the city had to be outrageously bold and was definitely not a person to be trifled with.’

’She’d better think this through carefully. Otherwise, she might end up losing her life.’

’Also, that place she visited today... there was probably more to it than met the eye. She needed to be careful.’

’This Fifth Ring is a murky place!’

* * *

「Monday, in the early morning.」

The Mecha Academy’s breakfast stall opened punctually at eight, which meant Ning He and the others had to be there by three to prepare.

There was no way to get a full night’s sleep with that schedule, but they had no choice. Fortunately, Connie and Ah Huai were already used to it and didn’t complain.

At two o’clock, Ning He showed up at the meeting spot, yawning nonstop. The three of them got on a pre-rented electric vehicle and set off for the Academy.

The sky was still pitch black. Ning He couldn’t fight off her sleepiness and dozed off in the vehicle. Connie and Ah Huai, on the other hand, were a little nervous and hadn’t slept much the previous night.

How could they not be nervous?

The Mecha Academy was the most central institution in Beiluo City—no, in the entire Alliance.

Seventy years ago, the Great Cataclysm erupted, and civilization on the entire planet was nearly wiped out. The cutting-edge technology and personnel that were painstakingly preserved and passed down were brought together to create the Mecha defense and combat systems. Only then did the more than one hundred relatively safe fortresses like Beiluo City emerge within the Alliance.

Every cadet at the Mecha Academy was the best of the best, handpicked from thousands. Ordinary people never had a chance to set foot inside. Even for running a stall in the cafeteria, not just anyone was qualified.

Someone like Ning He, who got to stay by riding on her father’s coattails, was considered lucky.

All residents held a natural sense of awe and reverence for the Mecha Academy.

About an hour later, Ning He was woken up. The three of them entered the most prestigious institution in Beiluo City through a side gate, braving the chilly night breeze.

Everything was silent. Tall streetlights tirelessly poured down their light, illuminating the ground in a vast expanse of white.

The scene left Ning He slightly dazed, as if she had returned to her old days of studying from dawn till dusk.

But then, a fully armed patrol passed by, and the cold Mecha patrol vehicle instantly brought her back to reality.

The cafeteria was in the northwest section of the Academy. Ning He familiarized Connie and Ah Huai with the route. By the time they walked in, the people from the other breakfast stalls had already arrived.

The moment Ning He appeared, all eyes immediately fell on her. Ning He didn’t react, but Connie was startled.

"What’s going on? Why is everyone looking at us like that?" Connie was uncomfortable, her brow furrowed slightly.

Ning He patted her shoulder reassuringly. "It’s fine. They’re all looking at me. It has nothing to do with you two."

Connie understood at once and said irritably, "How do you manage to be so disliked everywhere you go?"

Ning He just chuckled and said nothing.

A young, blue-haired woman in the crowd shot Ning He a contemptuous glance and was about to say something when the sound of a vehicle’s engine cutting off came from outside.

The supplier’s refrigerated truck had arrived.

Everyone immediately put aside their thoughts and waited to unload the ingredients.