The word "easy to store" was really something.
She honestly had no idea how Brother Zhang could say something like that in such a flat, casual tone.
But she had to admit, the weapons Brother Zhang recommended for the three of them, whether in terms of grade or practicality, were perfectly suited to their individual strengths.
Huang Jinghe barely hesitated before deciding—that was the one for him.
Lao Gao, on the other hand, spent a while looking before concluding that a gun was still his best fit. And right there in the display case sat one that suited him perfectly.
It was called Ashen Blaze. It didn't require bullets. Combined with fire-element abilities, it could shoot fire-shaped projectiles with tremendous destructive power. Classified as a tier-two weapon, it cost twenty thousand contribution points. Its high price came from its materials, but in any case, it was highly practical.
Still… could people from Blue Star really make something like this? Lan Jin found it hard to believe.
"Brother Zhang, why don't you just be honest with us? Has Blue Star already been taken over by aliens? If that's the truth, we can live with it."
"That's right. We know we're not well-informed, but this is way beyond what we've ever seen. It just feels unreal."
"Exactly. Brother Zhang, just tell us the truth. We can handle it."
Seeing the genuine seriousness in their expressions, Brother Zhang couldn't help but laugh. "Come on now… These really are Blue Star products. What's there to doubt? These weapons have high-tech elements built into them. I can't tell you the exact details, but with our current technology, we can produce them."
"But it's just… too unreal. We know we don't have much knowledge, but we didn't think we were this ignorant." Lan Jin still couldn't quite believe it.
Brother Zhang sighed. "It's normal that ordinary people haven't come into contact with certain things, so you can't understand them right away. But the base is big, and it's official. They wouldn't scam you."
Lao Gao said, "Then can I ask, where do the crystals in these rings come from? Before the apocalypse, Blue Star didn't have anything like this, right?"
"You really think the apocalypse came out of nowhere and we weren't prepared?" Brother Zhang cut him off. "That's classified. With my clearance, I can't tell you more. But we discovered these powerful energy crystals before the apocalypse, and we'd already started using them. Anyway, we're leaving the day after tomorrow. Can you give me an answer before tomorrow?"
The four of them stayed silent.
The less they knew, the more their curiosity grew.
And now they'd gotten just a sliver of information—enough to leave them dangling with frustration.
But no matter how frustrating it was, they couldn't risk their lives over it.
They exchanged glances and answered, "Same as before. We'll think it over. This is dangerous, and it's about our lives. We can't agree so easily."
"Alright. Since you've picked your weapons, let's go pay for them."
Lan Jin had enough contribution points in her residence pass, so she paid right there. Brother Zhang wasn't surprised. In times like these, only capable people survive. If she had the skill, paying fifty thousand contribution points was nothing.
Otherwise, why would he be speaking so politely, almost as if negotiating with them?
After they each paid, they headed back to the first floor. The mutated snakes from earlier had already been counted.
One of the staff told Brother Zhang, "A total of 504 crystals, meaning 504 snakes. Some were destroyed during the fight, and to avoid poisoning, those contaminated ones were discarded. In total, 437 are edible, and all crystals are intact."
Then the staff asked, "How should these mutated snakes be distributed?"
Without hesitation, Brother Zhang said, "They killed them all. Just split the contribution points evenly among the four."
The staff had seen everything earlier, so she nodded and turned to the four. "These mutated snakes are very thin, so we count by the snake. One snake is worth ten contribution points. The damaged, inedible ones don't count. That makes 437 snakes, for a total of 4,370 contribution points. All the crystals are intact, though…"
When she mentioned the crystals, she glanced toward Brother Zhang. He explained, "Because you killed them right at the base entrance, and the base provided protection, the base takes half of the crystals. You can keep the other half or exchange them for contribution points, your choice."
Seeing that they might take it the wrong way, Brother Zhang quickly added, "This only applies because it happened at the base entrance. In fact, snake meat should also be split, but if you bring crystals or anything else from outside to exchange here, the base won't take a cut. The rules stay the same."
They understood. If every base had the same rule, it was fine. But if it was just this one…
"They're all the same," Brother Zhang assured them. "At least all the official bases. We held the line for a while, scattered sulfur powder to keep the snakes away, and did the final cleanup. So…"
Well, it was their first time dealing with something like this. They didn't know what to feel, but Brother Zhang's explanation wasn't unreasonable.
And even if it was, what could they do about it?
The rabbits from before hadn't been split like this, so it was probably a one-time thing that Brother Zhang just waved off back then.
If not for this snake attack, they might not have learned the rule for a long time.
Half of 504 was 252. Lao Gao decided to keep all of them—after all, they were fire-element crystals, so it made sense for him to take them.
Once the crystals were packed, their backpacks came in handy again. Each of them carried a bit, and it wasn't enough to tire them out.
Seeing that everything was settled, Brother Zhang said, "How about making your call now? When you're done, we can eat together."
He pointed to the clock behind them. "It's mealtime, but also the busiest time. If your parents are in the base, chances are you'll reach them quickly."
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"苍焰" (Cāng Yàn) = Ashen Blaze