Cuckoo

Gu Xiang Kai cracked his knuckles with a loud pop. Cuckoo shrank back slightly, though he didn't seem particularly afraid.

Nan Yue didn't pay much attention to the intimidation, instead continuing her questioning. "It sounds like you're part of an organization. Tell me about it."

Cuckoo nodded. "Our organization is called Cuckoo. Everyone in it goes by the same name. The higher the city state, the higher the fees a Cuckoo charges, but the information is also more comprehensive. If you need high-level information, I have to earn a commission on top of their base price."

Nan Yue got straight to the point. "I know higher city states have power rankings. I want information on the top 50 scavengers."

Cuckoo froze. Although the letter cities were considered middle-tier, they were still a far cry from the top. Scavengers here generally didn't think about the heavy hitters; they were focused on honing their own skills to survive missions.

Why was this newcomer asking for this information as soon as she arrived? Was she looking for a shortcut to latch onto a powerful patron?

In an instant, Cuckoo figured it out. His line of work required insight into a buyer's mindset to make a profit.

"That... is very expensive."

Nan Yue glanced at him. "It shouldn't be."

"This is all readily available data. Once I reach Eden, I can find it all for free. You're just charging for the convenience of having it sooner, aren't you?"

The boy tried to argue, but Nan Yue interrupted him. "I can't be the only one asking for this. It's an off-the-shelf product for you. If you're looking to make a massive killing off one trade, I can just find another Cuckoo."

The boy bit his lip hard, and only after a long pause did he speak. "30 points, plus my fee of 5."

Nan Yue smiled. "Including the two questions from earlier, 35 points total."

The boy frowned. "Then I'm really not making much at all."

Zhu Xi Ning, who had been listening the whole time, finally interjected.

"That's enough. We didn't complain when you charged points for those first two questions. We're all scavengers here; everyone's points are earned with their lives. Don't push it."

The boy's face flushed with indignation. Nan Yue added leisurely, "If you don't think it's fair, we can cooperate next time. I'm in no rush."

The other passengers on the bus were quiet. They had initially thought these three scavengers from the lower city states were about to be fleeced, but it seemed they had misjudged them.

Nan Yue saw the screen on the bus announce that they had arrived in the North District. She prepared to get off, only to find the boy following them.

"Fine. 35 points."

Seeing the boy's reluctant expression, Nan Yue let out a small laugh.

"You guys are still using standard ID cards. Do you want to upgrade? It's much more convenient."

Zhu Xi Ning became interested. "Really? Is this a specialty of the letter cities? I don't want to buy some high-tech thing only to find out there's something better in the higher city states and waste my money."

The boy patted his chest. "Rest assured. Ask anyone. Upgrading to a Neural Interface is standard procedure once you enter the middle city states. It's the same one they use in Eden."

"You carry your tools on your back during missions, right? With a Neural Interface, it's like having an item inventory. It's much more convenient."

Nan Yue thought back to her last mission; Chang'an and Dongfang Yuelai must have been using these.

"This should be available everywhere. Is your price competitive?"

The boy gave a cunning smile. "Of course. We get wholesale prices. These essentials get cheaper the closer you get to the higher city states. Naturally, the price in the letter cities is higher than in Eden."

"It's called supply and demand affecting the price."

"How much?"

Seeing Nan Yue's interest, the boy's eyes lit up.

"120 points per Neural Interface."

"That's so expensive!" Zhu Xi Ning cried out. That price was enough for someone in the lower city states to live in luxury for months.

The boy shrugged. "It's something only found in high-level city states. Naturally, it's a luxury item, and luxury items are expensive."

Nan Yue was curious. "How much does it cost in Eden?"

The boy shrugged again. "60 points. The big shots in Eden aren't short on money, and basically every scavenger there has one, so you can't get a high price for them."

Nan Yue nodded. "70 points each. I'll buy three from you. You should still be able to make a bit of profit."

Seeing the boy prepare a cold sneer and puff out his chest to mock her, Nan Yue said nonchalantly, "Otherwise, forget it. It's cheaper to buy them in Eden anyway, and points don't grow on trees."

"For us, getting to Eden isn't exactly a difficult task."

The mockery the boy was about to spew got stuck in his throat. He had seen many arrogant fools who thought reaching the letter cities made them the cream of the crop when, in reality, they weren't even fit to shine a master's shoes.

Every scavenger who first stepped into the middle city states went through this phase, thinking their hard climb made them superior.

It was a joke; they just hadn't been beaten down by reality yet.

But for some reason, his intuition told him the woman in front of him wasn't bragging, nor was she delusional.

She really could reach Eden.

The Cuckoo organization dealt in the business of people, so reading others was a required skill.

Never offend a future powerhouse, even if you can't make money off them. This was the consensus among all scavengers.

After only a moment's hesitation, the boy nodded readily. "Deal."

"But I have one condition."

...

Half an hour later, the three of them bid the boy farewell. The ID bracelets on their wrists looked the same, but their operation was no longer limited to the tiny screen.

The Neural Interface connected directly to the scavenger's brain. With just a thought, a virtual screen would pop up in front of them, visible only to the user.

Personal information, points, current city state, team status, item inventory, and awakened ability were all displayed.

"Nan, did you really just give that boy your information?"

Thinking of the boy's request, Zhu Xi Ning's expression was strange.

His request hadn't been too excessive; he just wanted to know Nan Yue's name, age, and team status.

He hadn't asked much about the other two teammates.

Gu Xiang Kai chuckled. "He thinks Nan Yue is a high-value asset. In their line of work, besides selling intel, the most important thing is gathering it."

Nan Yue didn't care. It was just a name. No one would buy it while she was still a nobody, and if she actually reached Eden, people would find out even if he didn't sell it.

The greenery in the North District was quite nice. For the first time, Nan Yue saw trees by the roadside. She stared at them for a long while, finally understanding why the lower city states didn't have such things.

Everyone was too busy running for their lives to appreciate nature.

Because of the bus transfers, City A had separate lanes for vehicles and pedestrians. The sidewalks were wide, lined with various small shops.

Zhu Xi Ning couldn't move once she saw a milk tea shop. She drifted over to Nan Yue's side and whispered like a tempting devil.

"Nan, do you see what they're adding to that milk tea?"

Nan Yue saw it, and she was tempted too.

Zhu Xi Ning indeed knew her very well. While she didn't care much for clothing or housing, anything related to food would always strike a chord with her.