Apocalypse: I Can See the HP Bar, Killing Monsters Drops Loot-Chapter 1336 - 552: Confusion at the Silver Serpent Base_2

Chapter 1336: Chapter 552: Confusion at the Silver Serpent Base_2

...

Wang Tao had excellent hearing, and the whispers of those people were as if they were speaking right next to his ear, especially when he noticed that many of their gazes held malicious intent, he suddenly raised his eyebrows.

Indeed, it was the chaotic Silver Serpent Base, where even such filthy matters could be discussed openly at the entrance. And it seemed that nobody else found anything amiss with this; occasionally, someone would cast a sympathetic glance in Wang Tao’s direction, but that was all. Evidently, they had grown accustomed or numb to it.

At that moment, a modified off-road vehicle roared up to the gate, and several burly men fully armed got out. Among them was a short-haired woman dressed in a tight leather jacket, looking very spirited.

"Scram, scram, scram, you scum! Trying to swindle the newcomers again! Get lost!"

The woman had a knife scar on her brow which was neither too big nor too small. Normally, it didn’t detract from her appearance, but when she was angry, the scar twisted like a snake, giving anyone who saw it the goosebumps.

Those people who had been appraising Wang Tao, as if they were very afraid of this woman, scattered as soon as she told them to, not daring to utter a single retort.

"Hello, my name is Dong Li! Welcome to Silver Serpent Base!"

The woman strode up to Wang Tao, laughing as she extended her hand.

"Hello, my name is Wang Tao."

Wang Tao shook hands briefly with Dong Li, feeling the thick calluses in the palm of her hand.

This woman was a Fourth Order System Awakener. On paper, her strength might seem inferior to Shen Cuishan’s, but her combat experience was likely quite ample. If she were to fight Shen Cuishan, it was uncertain who would be stronger.

"You’re here at Silver Serpent Base for the first time, right? It’s pretty big and easy to get lost in, plus there are many intricate powers inside—it’s very easy to offend someone... How about I guide you guys in? Of course, it’s free of charge, but only for the first time. If you need anything later on, or run into trouble, you can contact me, but then there will be a fee. Especially if it’s trouble you need to get settled, it won’t be cheap!" fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Dong Li laughed as she handed out a very ordinary business card, which had her name and a number on it.

Wang Tao took the business card, a bit surprised.

The productivity within Silver Serpent Base had reached this level? They actually had the luxury to produce business cards, something quite pointless in the apocalypse.

"Then thank you very much."

Wang Tao didn’t refuse; having a guide was quite convenient, even though this was originally Shen Cuishan’s job.

"Ha ha, please!"

Dong Li led Wang Tao through the gate.

The security check at Silver Serpent Base wasn’t as meticulous as that of Changhe Base but was comprehensive nonetheless. They checked Wang Tao’s eyes, hair, and for internal impurities; after confirming everything was okay and making a casual registration, they let him through.

Even though there was a lot of snow within the base, the temperature was indeed warmer than outside. There were even many people setting up stalls at the entrance—putting up hiring signs and the like—making it quite lively. It had a pre-apocalypse vibe... However, the multitude of weapons carried by those people, bullets at the stalls, and the flesh of indistinguishable beasts made it clear that it was now the apocalypse.

"Never seen such a lively scene, huh? Ha ha, you’ll get used to it!"

Dong Li assumed Wang Tao was someone unaccustomed to such experiences and spoke with evident pride.

"Quite impressive."

Wang Tao praised.

Changhe Base, before activating its barrier, could perhaps only boast of its high walls being stronger than Silver Serpent Base, but in terms of environment, it couldn’t compare. After all, Silver Serpent Base had these natural trees as a barrier, which blocked a lot of wind and snow.

"Ha ha!" Receiving Wang Tao’s affirmation, Dong Li was even more delighted. "Let me give you a brief introduction to Silver Serpent Base, starting with the various basic facilities..."

Dong Li took Wang Tao to a large wooden sign, which had a simple map of the entire Silver Serpent Base drawn on it. She gave an introduction to locations like the police station, the hospital, and other places.

In Silver Serpent Base, the highest authority was the council. All the major and minor decisions came from there.

But Dong Li also mentioned that the council was not unified; its members came from various factions, and the scheming between them was quite severe. It had gotten to the point where the council was almost inactive—not because they didn’t want to govern, but because they were unable to, as there were always people causing disruptions.

Apart from a few particularly important matters that required a full council vote, the council was like an absentee landlord now, in that they had delegated much of their authority. This allowed certain individuals or powers to operate without oversight in certain areas.

So if one wanted to survive in Silver Serpent Base, they had to keep their eyes open and avoid provoking the wrong people. Otherwise, they wouldn’t even have a chance to file a complaint...

Among the places you absolutely shouldn’t mess with, Dong Li kindly reminded Wang Tao of a few.

First is the Silver Snake Public Security Bureau, the lawful violent law enforcement agency of Silver Serpent Base. They theoretically deal with everything related to public security. If you fall into their hands, you either have to pay a hefty bail or spend a lifetime as a reformed labor prisoner.

Second is the Silver Snake Medical Association; most of the hospitals in Silver Serpent Base are affiliated with it. A large number of Healing-Type Extraordinary Function Humans and Awakeners are also registered with the Medical Association. If you provoke the Silver Snake Medical Association, it means that if you get injured or sick, you’ll be unable to access the medical resources of Silver Serpent Base. At best, you could barely cling to life in some shady underground clinic, and of course, you might also "voluntarily" donate valuable organs from your body.

Third is the Silver Serpent Grain Bureau, responsible, as the name implies, for food management. There are two main sources of food in Silver Serpent Base, one is the mutated Tree Insect, and the other is the mutated wild rice. Both are controlled by the Grain Bureau. Although they are hard to eat, they sustain life, and anyone who troubles the Grain Bureau may have to starve.

Fourth is the Silver Snake Mission Information Center. This department is currently the only one with a relatively positive reputation. It’s where everyone shares information, and accepts or posts tasks. Everyone relies on it for livelihood. If someone dares cause trouble here, they’ll become the enemy of all Ability Users and Awakeners at the base.

Fifth is...

Dong Li listed more than a dozen forces you shouldn’t trifle with in one breath.

This gave Wang Tao the impression—that there wasn’t a single power within Silver Serpent Base he could afford to offend!

"As for the individuals you shouldn’t mess with... there are even more, and I can’t explain them all in a moment. You should find a place to stay first, and I’ll explain in detail later. Just remember, you mustn’t provoke any Fifth Order Awakeners, nor should you provoke powerful Fourth-order Awakeners, and the same goes for Ability Users with significant backgrounds..."

...

Wang Tao was somewhat speechless. By coming to Silver Serpent Base, did he have to behave like a scared turtle?

However, Dong Li’s words highlighted one key point—Silver Serpent Base had Fifth Order Awakeners, and not just one or two!

This caused Wang Tao to furrow his brow. Changhe Base’s development was even better than Silver Serpent Base’s, but aside from Wang Tao and the others, there was only Cheng Yiyi, a Fifth Order Awakener. How could Silver Serpent Base already have a number of Fifth Order Awakeners?

Unless there was some incredible stroke of luck, it wasn’t easy to become a Fifth Order Awakener, which made Wang Tao think of the Summoning Altar... He hoped these Fifth Order Awakeners weren’t related to the Summoning Altar.

Dong Li took Wang Tao to a very clean, low-cost inn without many guests, which cost just one Level 1 Crystal Core per night. After settling Wang Tao in, Dong Li left, telling him to definitely contact her if there was anything she could profit from.

"Alright, let’s stay here for a couple of days to get a good understanding of this Silver Serpent Base."

Wang Tao smiled and patted Jiang Shixue’s hair, then tried to contact Shen Cuishan using the radio, as they had previously exchanged contact information.

Shen Cuishan was within the base, and Wang Tao quickly got in touch.

"Liu Bo, where are you? I’ll come find you!"

Shen Cuishan was very eager. Wang Tao had forgotten to tell her his real name last time, and she still thought his name was Liu Bo.

"I’m at Gale Inn."

Wang Tao replied directly.

"...Uh, you don’t mean the Gale Inn on Da Tong Street, do you?"

Shen Cuishan’s tone was a bit odd.

"That’s the one, what about it?"

Wang Tao asked curiously.

Shen Cuishan, unusually, did not reply directly but quickly asked:

"Liu Bo, who took you there?"

"A woman named Dong Li."

...

Shen Cuishan fell silent for a moment, then cautiously spoke:

"Gale Inn is a place often used for trafficking outsiders. Going in means you’re seen as merchandise. And Dong Li, she’s the biggest human trafficker in Silver Serpent Base..."

Wang Tao: "..."