Chapter 14: The Profligate Merchant from Boulder City
Chapter 14 The Profligate Merchant from Boulder City
Chu Guang was lucky. He did not encounter any dangers that were difficult to deal with along the way.
Not only that.
When he walked to the vicinity of Beth Street, he happened to see the caravan from Boulder City unloading goods at the gate of Beth Street.
Old man Walter, carrying a hunting rifle, stood aside and smoked his homemade dry tobacco. Old Charlie was happily chatting with the leader of the caravan, and the scavengers who were hanging around were unloading goods under the supervision of the gunmen.
The leader of the caravan was called Mr. Li, but his name was unknown. Chu Guang only knew that he was from Boulder City, with eight gunmen and more than 20 mutant yaks.
Every once in a while, he would bring people and animals to Beth Street to sell some supplies and take away the “specialties” here.
In the wasteland, especially in the urban area, cars are not as reliable as animals.
The roads are full of broken-down cars and collapsed ruins. In addition, a large number of roads are neglected for maintenance, the surface is severely cracked, and even the roots of vegetation have drilled out. Most wheeled vehicles can’t move at all.
In comparison, donkeys, cows, and horses are all good things. Although they can’t walk fast, there is almost no road they can’t walk.
The most important thing is that they are cheap, easy to maintain, and 30 kilograms of grass per 100 kilometers.
Technology is not always reliable, at least here.
Of course, if it is a long journey across provinces, it is another situation.
Chu Guang once saw a half-wheel and half-track truck with a chimney-like barrel standing on it, which has a punk art flavor.
But this kind of bulky truck generally does not drive into the city. It usually unloads outside the city and trades with small and medium-sized caravans active in nearby areas. When the business is done, they leave.
Chu Guang noticed that among the supplies transported to Beth Street this time, there was actually a woman wrapped in a robe.
Her hands and feet were shackled, and there was a stripe code printed on her ankles. Her delicate and white skin did not look like a survivor in the wasteland, but more like an elf from a movie.
In other words, a “commodity” cultivated by a petri dish.
”Clone?”
Chu Guang had only heard that there was a slave trade in Boulder City before, but this was the first time he saw it with his own eyes. However, this kind of “luxury” can only be consumed by the mayor.
Chu Guang did not go forward immediately, but quietly waited for the transaction to be completed in the shadow of the ruins.
The “cowboys” were very busy and did not stay here.
After loading the goods, Mr. Li reached into his arms and took out a few white chips, throwing them to the scavengers like sending away beggars.
Then, he and the gunmen drove the mutant yaks loaded with large and small bags on the road amid a grateful compliment.
Chu Guang followed from a distance and walked two streets.
However, at this time, the man following Mr. Li suddenly stopped and looked straight at him.
Chu Guang was slightly surprised when he was discovered.
There was at least a hundred meters between them. How did this guy discover him? !
However, since he had been discovered, there was no point in following behind.
Chu Guang walked out of the ruins, first raised his hands to indicate that he had no ill intentions, and then walked over with a black plastic bag.
Ten meters away, he stopped under a tilted coffee shop sign.
This is the safest distance for both parties.
If a conflict occurs, the carbon nano bulletproof vest he is wearing will be enough to buy him at least five seconds to escape.
As long as he is not shot in the head…
”I have no ill intentions, I just want to make a deal with you.”
The man named Mr. Li narrowed his eyes and carried the shotgun in his hand on his shoulder.
”Are you a scavenger from Beth Street?”
”Chu Guang.”
”I don’t care what your name is, and we are not doing small business,” the man looked at the plastic bag in his hand with a playful look, “It’s better for you to throw these things to your old man named Charlie.”
Chu Guang did not speak, but opened the plastic bag to reveal the goods inside.
The man was obviously knowledgeable, and his expression froze. Obviously, he did not expect that the plastic bag contained not waste parts and batteries, but such good things.
Chu Guang noticed that there was a trace of imperceptible greed in his eyes.
”Where did you get it from?” the man asked.
Chu Guang looked at him and said calmly.
”The sewer, next to the mutant leech’s nest, but even if I tell you where it is, are you willing to go?”
”Just asking casually, don’t mind.”
The greedy look in his eyes was restrained a little, and the man handed the shotgun in his hand to his follower and walked in front of Chu Guang.
”How much do you plan to sell it?”
The recycling price of Bette Street is one chip per 50g, but the real value of this thing is definitely more than that!
Chu Guang was silent for two seconds, and decided to take a gamble and offer five times the price of the Bette Street recycling station.
”Here are 2000g, I want 200 chips!”
”Deal.”
Seeing that the man only hesitated for a moment and agreed, Chu Guang immediately realized that his offer was still too cheap.
Sure enough, the price that this damn mayor sold to these merchants must be more than that!
These leeches that eat people without spitting out bones!
Chu Guang silently greeted the mayor and his family in his heart, and wished that he couldn’t get hard tonight.
”Let’s be friends. My name is Lister.”
The man extended his right hand, swept away his previous arrogant attitude, and smiled. “I rarely do business directly with scavengers, but you are an exception… I am very interested in you.”
Chu Guang was neither humble nor arrogant, and shook his hand.
”Thank you, my name is Chu Guang.”
”I know, you just said it.”
Letting go of his hand, Lister stared at Chu Guang and continued, “Then first of all, I hope that the old man named Charlie won’t know about our transaction today.”
Chu Guang said.
”Of course he won’t know, and I don’t want to cause trouble.”
”Haha, you are a smart man.”
Very satisfied with Chu Guang’s answer, Lister nodded with a smile and continued.
”I can pay you 200 chips now, but… anyway, you will use these chips to exchange for things, so it is better to buy them directly from me to avoid being cheated by the middleman. There are still some leftover supplies here, I can give you 20% off, how about it?”
Chu Guang didn’t believe his so-called 20% discount. Anyway, he couldn’t know how much the goods on the backs of the cows would sell for in Boulder City.
However, as long as he sold them cheaper than Beit Street, he had no reason to refuse.
”I need weapons. Do you have any?”
”Of course I do. Which one do you want?”
”Gun.”
”Are you talking about a gun?” Lister touched his chin. “How about a 9mm bolt-action iron barrel rifle? It only costs 200 chips, and I can give you 30 rounds of bullets. If you want to buy additional bullets, it’s 1 point per bullet. This price is absolutely fair.”
”20% discount?”
”This is already 20% off. If you think it’s too expensive, I still have cheaper ones, such as an iron barrel pistol worth 100 chips, with a caliber of 5mm. It’s still very useful against predators, but it’s not recommended to be used against aliens.”
It’s already 20% off, which is fine.
I don’t believe you!
Chu Guang stared at him and said.
”A 9mm bolt-action rifle plus 60 rounds of ammunition. In addition, I need 20… no, 25 chips to buy food and other supplies.”
Looking at Lister who shrugged his shoulders with disapproval, Chu Guang continued in a serious tone.
”There are more than 2 kilograms of mushrooms in the nest of mutant leeches, but I can only pick them near the nest… Do you understand what I mean?”
”You want me to invest in you?” Lister looked at Chu Guang with interest, “Interesting.”
Chu Guang said unmoved.
”Why not? I bet that even at this price, you can still make a lot of money. And if you promise me, the goods I can bring next time will be ten times what I bring today! Aren’t you tempted?”
Lister was tempted.
To be honest, this is indeed a good proposal.
Carrying these two kilograms of blue umbrella mushrooms to Boulder City, let alone a bolt-action rifle, even ten can be bought.
These country bumpkins living in the suburbs have no idea what anti-radiation agents and de-radiation agents mean to people living in the city.
The good stuff is hidden near those nuclear bomb craters!
”Generally speaking, few people can take the chips from me.”
Lister winked at his assistant and asked him to take an iron rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition from the mutant yak next to him.
”You are an exception.”
Counting out 25 white chips from his pocket, Lister handed it and the goods to Chu Guang.
”20 kilograms of blue mushrooms, right? Just treat it as an investment. I’ll wait for your news.”
”I will come here again at the end of the month, and if nothing goes wrong, it should be the last time this year.”
”I hope to see you then.”
Mutated leeches.
No one wants to provoke that thing.
Only God knows how many disgusting bugs are hidden in the nest of that thing, and the most fatal thing is that ordinary penetrating firepower is useless in front of them. The
terrifying regeneration ability and vitality allow them to split into two new individuals after a short struggle even if they are cut in the middle, not to mention opening a few small holes in their bodies.
As for setting fire…
not to mention whether it can be lit, even if it is lit, the valuables will be burned together.
It’s totally not worth the loss.
”By the way, for 20 kilograms of blue parasol mushrooms, I’ll give you 2,000 chips. You can order from me. There’s no need to pick up what others have left.”
Looking at Chu Guang fiddling with his weapon, Lister reminded him.
Chu Guang stopped what he was doing and looked at him and asked.
”How do I know what you have?”
Lister snapped his fingers.
The man next to him understood and handed over a square tablet.
”There are photos on it. Swipe left and right to choose… I won’t teach you if you know how to use it. I guarantee that the quality of these goods is fine, but I can’t guarantee that the goods you actually receive will look exactly the same as the photos.”
Chu Guang took the tablet and took a quick look, and found that there were quite a lot of good things on it.
In particular, he saw the things he needed most.
”Have you chosen?” Looking at Chu Guang who was choosing, Lister urged.
”I’ve chosen it,” Chu Guang said to him after returning the tablet. “A 10KW wood-fired generator and a KV-1 powered exoskeleton.”
”You have a good eye. Although the KV-1 is a basic model, it is also the most durable one. But what do you want the generator for? If you’re worried about running out of electricity, you might as well buy a few more batteries. I provide a trade-in service here, which is very cheap.”
The generator is not cheap, and one unit costs 1,200 chips.
In comparison, a KV-1 powered exoskeleton only needs 800 chips, and a matching chemical energy battery is only 150 chips. No matter
how expensive it is to replace a battery, it will not cost more than a thousand.
And where is he going to put this thing after buying it?
The exoskeleton can also be worn under clothes, and a generator is not something that an ordinary scavenger can afford.
Seeing through Lister’s concerns, Chu Guang said.
”Don’t worry, I won’t take it back to Bette Street.”
”I’m just asking casually. What you do with it has nothing to do with me. Even if you say I sold it to you, I won’t admit it. In the end, you will be the one who suffers.” Liszt shrugged and glanced at the sky not far away. “It’s getting late. See you later.”
Chu Guang stopped him.
”Wait, I want to ask, are the things I just ordered 20% off?”
Liszt laughed and waved his hand without looking back.
”The price you are looking at is the discounted price.”
Chu Guang: “…%￥#￥%”
Damn you!
See how I will rip you off in the future!
Watching the caravan go away, Chu Guang turned around and left with a dark face.
(End of this chapter)
