Free Web NovelChapter 284: The Merchants
The arrival of the merchant caravan sent waves of excitement through Blue Grass Shelter. Survivors gathered quickly... These thirty or so people had never seen anything like this before.
The three wagons rolled into the settlement, each guarded by a dozen heavily armed men. The guards weren’t ordinary fighters... they carried a strange device strapped to their belts, a box with antennae that pulsed faintly with blue light.
Vera and the others exchanged glances.
"Signal jammers," someone muttered. "That must be how they avoid detection from the A.I. Army."
In this apocalyptic world, where flying drones, Sentinels, and other A.I. Units scoured the land for survivors, such a device was priceless. The caravan’s safe arrival meant these merchants had mastered survival in ways few others had.
Two men stepped forward from the lead wagon.
One was tall, broad‑shouldered, with a trimmed beard and squinted eyes. The other was leaner, with a quick smile and a clear voice that could be heard by everyone.
"I am Diego," the first announced with a low voice. "And I am Santiago," the second added, bowing slightly.
Together, they spread their arms as if unveiling a treasure. "We are merchants of fortune, wanderers of the wasteland. We bring goods that many would envy, products gathered from ruins, caches, and forgotten vaults. Today, your shelter will see what others only dream of."
The crowd murmured with anticipation as Vera stepped forward...
Since Atom was watching and they were also well-equipped, they weren’t really scared of these newcomers.
"Show us what you’ve brought." Vera replied.
Diego gestured to the first wagon. The guards pulled back the canvas cover, revealing racks of weapons neatly arranged.
"This," Diego said proudly, "is our armory. Swords, spears, crossbows, and even a few firearms salvaged from military depots. Each has been cleaned, repaired, and tested. We know survivors need strength, and strength begins with steel."
To be honest, none of them really liked swords or spears. After all, they were up against machines. Swords weren’t something they’d normally wish to have when fighting against them.
Blunt weapons, explosives, tasers, or perhaps anything that could fry up the circuits of the machines would be a great option.
Well, unless you were Kai, Farrah, Alfie, Claire, and others who could brute force the A.I. soldiers, swords and spears weren’t really the best out there.
Still, the crowd looked quite excited at the sight of the sturdy bows...
The bolts were thick and seemed like they would pack a punch against the machines. Some of the firearms were rare... They were compact rifles with limited ammunition, but still deadly against mutants and other weaker A.I. units.
Santiago moved to the second wagon, pulling back its cover with a flourish. "And here, the comforts of life. Food, fruits, and supplies that remind us of what the old world once had."
Inside were crates of dried meat, sacks of rice, baskets of apples and oranges, and jars of preserved vegetables.
But it wasn’t just food...
Miscellaneous items filled the shelves... They found items like candles, portable electric fans powered by small energy cells, digital cameras, shoes, hair clips, stacks of paper, and even trinkets like watches and necklaces.
"Whoa..."
"Those shoes... Do you have size 10?"
"Wait... Electric Fan? How many do you have?"
"I want to trade my five C-Grade Energy Cores for a digital camera, that laptop, that stack of paper and that printer..."
Diego heard this and shook his head at the man. "No... For that, it’s actually worth 15 C-Grade Energy Cores. Trust me, it will be hard for you to find these things outside. They’re expensive because they’re rare, even if they’re simple items."
Santiago then cleared his throat before he continued for Diego, "Well, life is more than battle. Instead of just training and hunting, these food and devices we brought might give you warmth, memory, and entertainment. Just like what my friend said, these items may seem simple, but they restore hope..."
Vera’s group exchanged glances. The second wagon was a treasure trove of everyday necessities, things they hadn’t seen in months. frёeωebɳovel.com
Still, they weren’t sure if they would want to actually spend a lot of Energy Cores for that. freewёbnoνel.com
Then Diego and Santiago approached the third wagon. Their voices lowered, becoming almost reverent.
"And here," Diego said, "is what sets us apart."
The guards carefully uncovered the last wagon. Inside were rows of locked crates, each of them were being protected by special materials.
Santiago’s grin widened.
"Gene Enhancements," he declared. "Not just the Alpha, Emerald, or Crimson Serums you’ve heard of. We stumbled upon a secret stash, a vault untouched by the A.I. Army. And within it... were these treasures."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
They weren’t sure if these guys were just trying to make them rare and sell for a high price but if they were indeed better Gene Enhancement Serum from the Gene Traders, they wouldn’t really mind spending a bit more money.
After all, there was a limit to the Gene Enhancement Serums that they could consume.
For example, most of them now had to wait for thirty days before they could consider taking more Alpha Gene Enhancements. It was a safe serum, but the chance of getting Gene Skill was simply too low.
They had obtained high Vitality, Strength, and Spirit Energy from such a serum but it wasn’t enough anymore.
"Does it have better effects than Prime Gene, Super Gene, and others?"
Diego just smiled and nodded. "Of course! But you can say that they have a different way of helping your Genes improve. Ahem... This is our Nova Gene Enhancement Serum... I can guarantee you that if you had at least 5 of these within your body, you’d get an explosive Gene Skill for sure! If you did not get a Gene Skill, we will be paying you back!"
Diege said confidence.
"What?"
"Guaranteed?"
"Now now... I have dibs on that then."
"Don’t worry... We have plenty of them, you will be able to have yours."
"Wait... I thought they were rare? Can you actually produce these Serums?"
"Ahh... No. It’s not like that. We just found quite a lot of them in the process. We don’t make these things."
Well, no one could really confirm this matter.
Still, the fact that they have a money-back guarantee made him sound a bit more trustworthy.
He then changed the topic as he lifted one of the crates, opening it to reveal a cube the size of a fist. It pulsed faintly, dormant but alive.
"These cubes..." he said, "are Gene Weapons. But not the usual kind. These are defensive Gene Weapons, identified and appraised by experts. As you can see, they were all in their dormant cube form, waiting to be awakened. Once bound to their owner, they manifest as shields, armor, or protective gear. Do not expect swords, spears, or guns. These are defensive items..."
The crowd murmured again in disbelief.
Defensive Gene Weapons were rare, and while they lacked offensive power, their value was undeniable.
In a world where survival often hinged on endurance, armor and shields could mean the difference between life and death.
Santiago raised his hands dramatically.
"We have twenty of these cubes! Twenty! Enough to change the fate of a guild, a faction, or a shelter. Imagine your defenders clad in Gene Armor, your scouts protected by Gene Shields. Facing the Sentinels would no longer be impossible!
Vera’s eyes widened. She had her own Gene Weapon after the previous Global Events... but never defensive ones.
She turned to her companions, whispering, "This... this could make Blue Grass Shelter untouchable. We have to get them all. Atom wouldn’t be here forever."
Steven and Juno nodded as they also wanted such an item.
Diego and Santiago exchanged satisfied glances. They knew the impact of their words.
Survivors were desperate for any edge, and defensive Gene Weapons were a rare edge indeed.
"Of course," Diego added, his tone practical, "such items are not cheap. Survivor Medals will be required. But think of what you gain. Protection... Security... and the ability to withstand assaults that would crush lesser shelters."
The guards were clearly impressed and knew that they had to get one.
Seeing their reaction, the merchants’ confidence was unshakable.
Santiago leaned closer to Vera as he believed that she was the leader of this shelter...
"You must have a lot of Survivor Medals... Do you want me to give you suggestions? You should have enough to claim one or two of these treasures... If you want, I can test your affinity and give you better options."
Vera’s heart raced.
The Auction Event was already a golden opportunity to use her Survivor Medals... but this... this was immediate power. She glanced at the wagons again, at the weapons, the food, and finally the Gene Weapons.
"Wait... How long will you be staying here, Sir Merchants?"
Diego’s eyes shifted as if he was recalling their schedule before he answered.
"We’ll only stay here for six hours, Miss..." As he said this, his eyes soon noticed a familiar Sentinel Unit dressed like a normal person.
"Huh? Isn’t that Atom?"
