My Apocalypse Territory-Chapter 54 News of the Black Market

Li Xiuming, a university classmate.

The two of them had a good relationship—at least they shared the "Three Iron Bonds" of friendship: staying up all night together, failing exams together, and sharing meals together.

However, Tang Yu almost didn't recognize him. In his memory, Ming was quite refined and gentle, with longer hair than he had now. But at that moment, Ming appeared neat and sharp.

It seemed as if they hadn't seen each other for many years.

In reality, just before the apocalypse erupted, they had met at school. But having gone through the life-and-death experiences of the apocalypse, it felt like several years had passed. Seeing that familiar face again, Tang Yu couldn't help but reminisce about the campus life before the apocalypse, which was filled with youth and scholarly air.

"Come on, come on, by the looks of it, you've just arrived in Lindong. Let me take you out to clean off the road dust."

Li Xiuming saw the beginner's guide that Tang Yu was holding and, without further ado, pulled him into a restaurant on the street side.

This main road had several shops on either side—not many, but a complete variety.

Restaurants, clothing stores, general stores, bars, and more—what existed before the apocalypse still existed now, showing the prosperity of Lindong.

There were also some shops that had an apocalyptic touch, like those selling homemade firearms, Demonized Beast materials, and even a Martial Arts Master from before the apocalypse who had opened a Martial Arts Hall in the Sanctuary—reportedly, business was booming.

…

They chose a seat by the window. Li Xiuming handed the menu to Tang Yu, "Here, take a look at this menu, Tang. These dishes can't be found just anywhere. Don't be shy with me."

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Tang Yu looked at the menu—it was filled with ordinary home-cooked dishes from before the apocalypse, such as braised eggplant, spicy shredded potatoes, and home-style tofu, which indeed were quite luxurious post-apocalypse; many small Sanctuaries couldn't even afford these dishes. Only places like Lindong County, with its variety of ingredients, could afford to make so many home-style dishes.

Of course, the prices weren't cheap. Tang Yu casually pointed to a few dishes, and the nearby waiter did a quick tally and said, "That will be twenty pieces, thank you."

Sensing his confusion, Li Xiuming explained with a smile, "Twenty pieces means the equivalent of twenty pounds of food. Now the common currency in the Sanctuary is food tickets, with denominations of one, two, five, and ten pounds. Unlike the food tickets from decades ago, these resemble more the currency from before the apocalypse with the difference being that food tickets can be directly exchanged for food. Of course, a one-pound food ticket can only be exchanged for one pound of the most ordinary food."

"Also, these restaurants now require payment before serving. There used to be people who would dine and dash; capturing them was futile as they simply didn't have the money to pay, leading to unresolved cases. That's why restaurants now require upfront payment."

Li Xiuming rummaged in his pocket and pulled out two crumpled ten-pound food tickets, ready to hand them to the waiter.

Tang Yu shook his head when he saw this. Although Ming was being generous, Tang Yu could still see a touch of pain in his eyes.

He understood that Li Xiuming was just an ordinary person. In such circumstances, he might be doing slightly better than the average survivor, but not by much.

These two ten-pound food tickets were probably all that Li Xiuming had saved up and were enough for an ordinary survivor to live on for a month. Tang Yu had no right to let Li Xiuming spend so much.

"I'll pay."

He took out a Source Crystal and handed it to the waiter.

Li Xiuming had wanted to speak, but seeing the Source Crystal, his expression became complex. "Wow, you actually have a Source Crystal. Must be an Awakener, huh? It's a shame, despite trying the Awakening Headband initially and later the Awakening Potions, I just couldn't awaken."

Tang Yu didn't know how to start the conversation.

In the apocalypse, everyone wanted to become an Awakener. Even if they didn't venture into the wild, being an Awakener gave them an advantage in their jobs over ordinary people. Who wouldn't want to be an Awakener?

From his perspective, he wasn't in a position to give advice.

Instead, Li Xiuming quickly smiled. "Forget it, I don't mind anymore. Anyway, I at least have a steady job, my life is much better than that of ordinary survivors. Compared to them, I am still quite fortunate."

"You, however, should not waste the talent of an Awakener. If you have savings, it's best to buy some equipment from the official store, like firearms or military-issue alloy swords. I've heard from other Awakeners that they are quite handy."

Tang Yu nodded.

Li Xiuming spoke sensibly, and it was evident he sincerely offered his advice. However, these tips were only applicable to ordinary Awakeners, and Tang Yu had already surpassed this level. Moreover, as good as the military's alloy swords might be, could they compare to what his workshop produced?

Of course, Tang Yu didn't voice these thoughts. After a pause, he asked, "Do you know about the Black Market? I've heard it has many good items."

"The Black Market?"

Li Xiuming thought for a moment. "As for the Black Market, I don't know much. It was originally just a place where a few Awakeners traded some shady items, but gradually, it has grown into a small marketplace, much like the commodity market in the eastern district of the Sanctuary. However, the Black Market deals in goods useful to Awakeners, including equipment and spoils from the wild. Occasionally, some military-prohibited items even appear there."

Tang Yu's eyes lit up. Military-prohibited items meant that a soul power container could potentially be purchased at the Black Market.

"Do you know where the Black Market is?"

Li Xiuming frowned. "The Black Market is said to be in a concealed place within the Sanctuary, but I'm not sure of its exact location. However, I heard someone mention it once... I'll ask around at work tomorrow."

Tang Yu ordered two bottles of beer, and as they chatted leisurely, they shared their post-apocalyptic experiences.

Li Xiuming hadn't encountered much danger after the apocalypse; when it broke out, he happened to be working in Lindong County, which the military selected for a Sanctuary. By sheer luck, he continued working in the factory—a job that was not so great before the apocalypse but now was envied by most survivors.

A fixed job was rare in the Sanctuary, with a steady paycheck allowing him to eat well every day and perhaps save a bit too. Moreover, compared to the relief houses allocated to ordinary survivors by the authorities, the housing for fixed-position staff was much better.

"You wouldn't know, but when the Sanctuary was first established, we could hear gunshots every day. It was terrifying. Yet you managed to survive and thrive in such an environment," he sighed. "I don't know about our other classmates. I've only met the class monitor and two others who also worked in Lindong like me. It's only a coincidence that I met you, Tang, today. I wonder how many made it to the Sanctuary alive."

Survival was a heavy topic.

Every day, survivors arrived at the Sanctuary, but many more died on the way.

Of course, most of his university classmates were around Lin City when the apocalypse occurred. The people who made it alive to Lindong Sanctuary were not necessarily the few Li Xiuming met. But with hundreds of thousands of survivors in the Sanctuary, and life being so challenging, no one really had the means or energy to search for others unless deeply connected before.

In the end, apart from a few close old friends, even without the apocalypse, meeting each other again after several years would make them strangers anyway.

"Forget these depressing topics. Today's your first day at the Sanctuary, Tang. Have you found a place to stay? If you don't want to live in those relief houses, then you might need to visit the Housing Management Center to choose a house."