As Ye Feng and his party traveled, they discovered that ahead lay a vast expanse of intact concrete buildings, likely the settlement of the human survivors they had encountered earlier.
The settlement was encircled by a barrier formed from a continuous formation of massive stones.
“Those giant stones were probably formed by chance during the Great Earthquake,” Xue Yun explained, seemingly sensing Ye Feng’s curiosity.
After a pause, Xue Yun added, “I have to say, the people living here during the Cataclysm were quite lucky.”
Ye Feng smiled faintly. “This place is indeed good, but whether the people inside are lucky is hard to say… It’s unlikely many of the current inhabitants are original residents!”
He knew too well how brutal the long night was, and how greed could lead to disaster. Such a place, blessed by nature, would inevitably become a target of contention for many factions, and the fate of its people…
“This…” Xue Yun shivered slightly at Ye Feng’s calm words.
“Whoa, little brother, your car is really something!”
“Yeah, not only is it so new, but it’s a rare gasoline car too!”
“Brother, where did you get the gasoline?”
…
At this moment, some noisy chatter arose from beside Ye Feng. As Ye Feng approached, many passing survivors noticed his group and gathered around, discussing animatedly. Ye Feng, Xue Yun, and Xiao Xiao paid them no mind and continued driving.
“We deliberately made the car look old and covered it with mud, but they could still recognize it,” Xiao Xiao muttered softly after they had driven some distance away.
“Xiao Xiao, this car is a well-known brand, and this design is probably rare even in the old world. It’s normal for them to find it novel, but we don’t need to worry too much,” Xue Yun replied. “Because the most eye-catching thing isn’t us!”
“Look over there!” Xue Yun pointed in a direction.
“Wow, a military Hummer!” Ye Feng exclaimed in surprise as he followed Xue Yun’s gaze. He had considered hiding his BMW K1600GT triple motorcycle somewhere outside this settlement, but the risk was too great. After all, many people from this settlement ventured out daily on long explorations. If someone stumbled upon his car and drove it away, he’d be ruined. Moreover, Ye Feng had noticed clear tire tracks of off-road vehicles and pickup trucks along the road, and not just one. This was why he decided to drive his vehicle directly into the settlement.
“Look, there’s a military Hummer!”
“Holy crap, really?”
“Has a VIP arrived in our Stone City?”
…
Xue Yun’s judgment was accurate. Moments later, the curious onlookers who had been marveling at Ye Feng’s BMW K1600GT triple motorcycle shifted their attention.
…
Similar to the county towns Ye Feng had visited before, an entry fee was required here. The three of them paid one coarse grain bun, and the guards at the city gate let them pass. Naturally, Ye Feng also paid an additional two electric coins for the guards to keep an eye on his BMW K1600GT motorcycle.
“Hey, little brother, you’re from out of town, aren’t you?” A thin middle-aged man, smoking a cigarette, approached Ye Feng as he parked his BMW K1600GT triple motorcycle alongside military Hummers, off-road vehicles, and pickup trucks, guided by a guard.
“Hmm?” The smell of smoke from the man made Ye Feng frown.
“Ahem~” The thin middle-aged man, clearly adept at reading people, quickly stubbed out his cigarette and carefully put the remaining half back into his pocket.
“Little brother, hello. My name is Xie, known as Teacher Xie. I’m the know-it-all of this Stone City. How about I be your guide?”
“Two steamed buns a day is all I ask!” The thin middle-aged man introduced himself with great familiarity. Xie did not greet Xue Yun or Xiao Xiao, as his observations had made it clear that Ye Feng was the leader of the group.
“Xie… what a name…” Ye Feng felt speechless, then shook his head and replied, “Oh, no need.” A guide? He wasn't here for sightseeing! With that, Ye Feng, Xue Yun, and Xiao Xiao headed towards the inner city of Stone City.
“Don’t go, little brother! You’re new here. In Stone City, if you mention my name for any matter, I can definitely…”
“Definitely solve nothing!” Before Xie could finish, he was interrupted by a young man standing not far away.
“Old Xie, are you at the city gate again trying to trick outsiders for food and drink?”
“Hahaha~”
…
Many people standing next to the young man raised their middle fingers at Old Xie. However, Xie remained expressionless, seemingly accustomed to this.
“Little brother, how about this? I’ll still be your guide, no money needed, just provide me with meals!” Xie obviously hadn't given up and quickly caught up with Ye Feng, who had already walked some distance. His actions were well-considered. Firstly, Ye Feng’s clothes were not patched. Secondly, he was a rare owner of a vehicle. Thirdly, he paid the entry fee with something as luxurious as bread. Furthermore, Ye Feng possessed electric coins, which were almost exclusively held by evolved individuals… Therefore, Xie was determined to latch onto Ye Feng, the wealthy newcomer.
Ye Feng ignored Xie and continued walking. To his right stood a woman who was very thin, with a passable delicate face, about twenty years old. Her eyes were vacant, and her expression was blank.
“Give her a steamed bun, and she’ll let you do whatever you want!” Xie’s voice chimed in.
“Impossible.” Ye Feng replied almost instinctively.
“This…” Ye Feng’s unintentional reply left Xie speechless, unable to utter the words he had prepared. He had considered many scenarios for making money, such as Ye Feng saying the woman was unattractive, too young, flat-chested, or that he preferred men, or was even not interested in humans… As an old hand who had been in Stone City for decades, Xie had ways to handle all of these. But he had never expected Ye Feng to say “impossible.”
Xue Yun, walking beside Ye Feng, looked at him with surprise. Xiao Xiao’s face turned red.
“Little brother, this… this is the truth!”
“Give her a bread, or a chocolate bar, and she’ll leave with you directly. You can do whatever you want!” Xie didn't give up easily. Seeing Ye Feng’s silence, he continued the awkward conversation.
This time, Ye Feng did not reply. His heart felt heavy. Although he had known that human nature had long since collapsed in this apocalypse, experiencing it firsthand and witnessing it with his own eyes had a profound impact on him…
“Stop following me!” Ye Feng glared at Xie, then quickened his pace. Xue Yun and Xiao Xiao followed closely. This time, Xie did not pursue them but watched them from a distance.
…