He licked his lips and continued, “On the Outer City black market, a complete set of this combat suit can be exchanged for at least twenty Level 1 Energy Crystal Cores, or an equivalent value in clean food and medicine! Even then, it’s virtually impossible to buy; there’s no supply at all!”
“Only official exploration team members of large Inner City corporations or the elites of certain major factions are equipped with them!”
So that was it.
Su Wan realized that the combat suits provided crucial basic protection, which explained why those three dared to operate in the Non-Safe Zone.
These were indeed hard currency, highly valuable whether used personally in the apocalypse or traded with other factions in the future.
Seeing Su Wan deep in thought, Black Rat quickly pleaded, “Landlord, could you... could you reward me with a set of combat suits? With this, I’ll be much more efficient when I go out to handle matters and collect resources for you. I’ll be able to go much further!”
He looked at Su Wan expectantly, maintaining an extremely low posture.
However, Su Wan only gave him a cool glance and did not agree immediately.
She needed to establish rules and systems, not hand out rewards at her own whim.
Especially to someone like Black Rat, who had a clever mind and a bad track record.
“C1,” Su Wan called for the robot butler, who had been on standby.
“Take all these items to the Star Coin Exchange Machine for a value assessment. Calculate a Star Coin reward based on ten percent of the total appraised value and credit it to Black Rat’s (Tenant-003) account.”
“As for these three combat suits,” Su Wan looked at Black Rat, her tone calm and indifferent, “and all the other items, they will be entered into the System Supply Depot once the appraisal is complete. If you need them, you can use the Star Coins in your account to purchase them according to the prices set by the system. A fair trade.”
Black Rat was stunned for a moment before bowing his head in response. “Yes... Yes! Thank you, Landlord!”
Soon, under C1’s handling, the small mountain of loot was sent into the Star Coin Exchange Machine.
Scanning beams lit up one after another, and dense appraisal prompts scrolled across the exchange machine’s screen.
【Detected: High-purity earth/gold dual-element Energy Crystal Core (Level 2) x1, Appraised Value: 8,000 Star Coins.】
【Detected: High-density Aberrant bio-alloy bone blades (High Quality) x6, Appraised Value: 6,000 Star Coins.】
【Detected: Reinforced Aberrant carapace (Large) x12, Appraised Value: 2,400 Star Coins.】
【Detected: Special combat suit (Panshi-III, moderately damaged) x3, Appraised Value: 15,000 Star Coins (5,000 per set).】
【Detected: ...】
【Total Appraised Value of all items: 39,400 Star Coins.】
【Based on a 10% reward ratio, 3,940 Star Coins paid to Tenant-003 (Black Rat).】
【Remaining Value: 35,460 Star Coins, credited to the host’s exclusive account.】
Almost the moment the Star Coins were credited to her account, the system notification in Su Wan’s mind updated simultaneously:
【Detected a massive influx of resources from this plane; Star Coin account balance has increased significantly.】
【Real-time exchange rate between Star Coins and System Points: 1:1.】
【Current Star Coin/Points balance: +35,460 points.】
【Automatically offsetting a portion of the debt. Current Points: 10,320 points.】
The points were finally in the black! And there was a surplus of over ten thousand points!
Su Wan felt a sudden surge of relief.
The immense pressure of her debt lightened significantly in an instant!
Black Rat also received a notification that the Star Coins had arrived. Looking at the 3,940 Star Coins that had suddenly appeared in his account, a flash of surprise and joy crossed his eyes.
This was more than he had expected!
Although he didn't get the combat suit for free, he could now completely afford to buy one with his Star Coins!
“Alright, go back to what you were doing,” Su Wan said to Black Rat, her tone still flat. “If you want a combat suit, check the prices in the System Supply Depot and buy it yourself.”
“Yes! Thank you, Landlord!” This time, Black Rat’s thanks were much more sincere as he scurried toward the other side of the lobby.
There was a simple inquiry terminal connected to the system where he could check the goods and prices in the supply depot.
With about an hour left before her return to Blue Star, the tenants who had gone out were starting to return one after another.
Most of them had expressions of excitement mixed with exhaustion, but their eyes were bright.
Almost everyone had something in their hands, mostly yellow gold nuggets or jewelry, along with some other odds and ends they had picked up along the way.
Their efficiency was even higher than Su Wan had anticipated!
Clearly, stimulated by the high buying price of “1.5 Star Coins per gram,” these vagrants who had just secured safe housing exploded with incredible initiative.
They didn't just venture deep into the ruins to search for lost gold; more importantly, they used their meager Star Coins to buy the cheapest bread or water from the convenience store.
Then, they took these “luxury items” to trade with other more isolated and starving groups of vagrants or individuals.
A palm-sized piece of bread emitting a tempting wheat aroma, or a bottle of crystal-clear water with no odd smell, was worth far more than gold in the eyes of those struggling on the brink of survival.
Consequently, gold was being collected and brought back in a steady stream.
What surprised Su Wan even more was that many tenants returned with nervous strangers following behind them, their eyes filled with a mix of wariness and curiosity.
These were people the tenants had encountered during their trading or searching, all of whom had heard various miraculous things about the “Terminal Station Shelter.”
Complete protection from the Death Tide, clean air, uncontaminated food and water...
At first, no one believed it, dismissing it as boasting or a scam.
But when the guiding tenants couldn't help but show their completely uncontaminated food and water, all doubts collapsed.
Uncontaminated food!
There really was uncontaminated food!
Then the other descriptions of the shelter were likely true as well!
The massive temptation and the hope for survival drove these originally skeptical vagrants to follow their “guides” to the gates of the Terminal Station.
They gathered outside the fire door, not daring to approach, but craning their necks to peek inside.
A crowd began to form.
From the initial few to a dozen, and then to twenty or thirty people surrounding the gate, the trend was only increasing.
Butler-C1 immediately entered a high-efficiency work mode.
It methodically recovered the gold submitted by the tenants, quickly weighing and appraising it through the exchange machine before crediting the Star Coins to the corresponding accounts.
The tenants who completed their tasks were all smiles. With ample Star Coins in hand, they immediately swarmed toward the convenience store to buy the food and water they had long craved.
For a time, the convenience store was crowded with people, and the robot Clerk-S1 was busy but orderly in handling sales and settlements.
The newcomers watching from outside witnessed the entire process of “trading gold for money, then using money to buy food.” Seeing the genuine satisfaction and joy on the faces of those lucky “predecessors,” their final doubts vanished.
They were eager to join, crowding forward as they tried to communicate with C1.
Rate on N.U.
