Natural Disasters Strikes: I stockpiled like crazy!-Chapter 159: Visiting the Market

The new awakenings, while offering hope for survival, also brought out the worst in some individuals.

Some, emboldened by their newfound abilities, began using them for personal gain. A group of young men with enhanced speed started using their powers to steal from people under the cover of night. They waited near dark alleys where people carrying supplies passed by, quick as shadows.

Worse still, some of the awakened began threatening their neighbors. One woman, with a minor fire-based ability, started intimidating a local family into handing over their extra supplies. "If you want your house to stay standing tonight, you’ll give me the rest of your supplies," she hissed, flames dancing on the tips of her fingers. The elderly couple, too frightened to resist, handed over everything they had.

It didn’t take long for the soldiers to catch wind of the growing threats.

During a routine inspection, they uncovered a stash of stolen things in one of the apartments, along with the terrified faces of those too afraid to report what had been happening. The young men who had been using their speed to pilfer supplies were caught, and one of them, in a desperate attempt to escape, was swiftly subdued. They were quickly locked up, spending the rest of the winter in a cold jail.

Those who misbehaved for a third time were escorted out of the base with their belongings.

The criminals’ stomachs churned with regret, and they begged for a fourth chance.

The base might need awakeners, but it didn’t need such troublesome people. The soldiers, however, were kind enough to escort them to the commercial district and hand over the offenders’ belongings.

But in these weather, how long will people without proper shelter last.

These incidents were announced as a warning, and as a result, the number of crimes drastically fell.

Nanzhi had listened to the announcement at that time. It’s just a matter of time before this balance breaks.

However despite the warnings, there were still some misbehaving individuals, and the jade exchange point shop attracted its fair share of opportunistic people.

"What do you mean it’s fake?! This top-grade Hetian jade. Smooth, warm to the touch and—"

Feng Ran snorted. "If this is Hetian, then my boots are made of gold. Look at the color. Too uniform. No natural texture."

"But it’s translucent under the light!" the survivor argued.

"So is cheap glass. See this edge? Too sharp. Real jade, especially Hetian, has a waxy luster and a soft rounded finish over time," Feng Ran explained.

"What about this one? It’s a family heirloom!" The survivor handed over another bangle.

"You’re getting warmer, but still off. This is dyed. See the green veins? Too bright. Natural jadeite doesn’t scream, it whispers."

"What was Feng Ran’s job before?" After listening to the short exchange, Nanzhi asked, curious. He seemed far too knowledgeable about jade.

Lin Weihao replied, "He’s the sub-owner of Jade Dragon, responsible for inspecting the quality of imported and exported jade. The Feng family owns some jade mine deposits in the country, and from childhood, he was taught how to appraise them."

A sub-owner of Jade Dragon?

Jade mines?

Nanzhi’s ears perked, and her eyes changed as she looked at Feng Ran, as if seeing a walking jade vault.

Would Feng Ran agree if I paid him tons of supplies to divulge the jade mines’ location?

Nanzhi didn’t linger around the hub any longer and decided to ask Feng Ran later.

The three of them continued to explore the rest of the market.

The market in the survivor’s camp didn’t support points yet due to the lack of point exchange machines, which were still being mass-produced. If they wanted to buy with points, they had to go to the military-owned commissary.

This market ran on barter.

Those who were able to exchange points for jade and buy supplies were still in disbelief, even after they had the items in their hands. It was only when they returned home and started cooking that the reality finally sank in.

Some asked how long the store would be open, and when Feng Ran said it would remain open as long as it could, survivors—some even soldiers with families to feed—began to venture out, searching for jade to trade, making the most of the available time.

Since Nanzhi and Lin Weihao had already eliminated those with greater threats, only a few weak alien beasts remained. The survivors hunted them down and began trading their meat.

That was why the market was filled with the scent and smoke of those selling wolf meat skewers and soup.

But first, the meat had to be inspected by researchers to ensure it was safe for consumption.

In their tests, it took some time for pathogens in the wolves’ bodies to die off before the meat could be deemed safe.

All the meat that Nanzhi and Lin Weihao hunted went to the soldiers. Though wolf meat was tougher and gamier than usual, it provided the basic protein needs.

People, especially the awakeners, couldn’t survive on vegetables and rice alone.

This allowed Professor Zhang Heng to breathe a little easier. At least they had time to rebuild the farm. Slowly, life was picking up.

Nanzhi, Weihao, and Lin Yicheng roamed the market, buying things. The little boy was especially enthusiastic about the handmade wooden toys he saw—spinning tops, wooden puppets, train cars, tangram puzzles, and dried bamboo leaves woven into dragonflies and grasshoppers.

The stall owners selling these toys were elderly, barely getting by, and their smiles grew wide when Yicheng made emptied their stalls. Now, they could buy supplies and go home.

Lin Yicheng held the bags of toys carefully as though it were a treasure.

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It wouldn’t be good to arrive empty-handed for the New Year dinner. Nanzhi asked Lin Weihao what her mother and grandfather liked.

Lin Weihao didn’t like her stressing over it and reassured her that it would be fine to come empty-handed. But since she insisted, he replied, "My mother and grandfather love tea."

Nodding, Nanzhi engraved it in her mind.

They stopped by a stall selling hair ties, finding them quite pretty.

In an aisle near the jade exchange point shop, Pei Huangyi looked at the line of stalls and narrowed his eyes.

"Boss, what’s wrong?"

That figure of the woman beside the tall man dressed in a black thick coat with an unusual strong presence seemed strangely familiar. He felt as though he had seen her somewhere before.