Chapter 601: Chapter 601

Therefore, no one wanted it. It was exactly as the saying goes: "The poor can’t afford it, the rich don’t care for it."

And that was precisely how Jing Shu stumbled upon a bargain. What surprised her even more was that it wasn’t just remodeling materials; there were also many other things she needed.

For instance, there were various types of engine oil and antifreeze, snow tires, bumper corners, and similar materials. After the factories shut down, people had to rely on existing inventory. These items were consumables, not one-time solutions. Jing Shu had gathered quite a lot of them during the Initial Stage of Apocalypse, so for consumables, more was always better.

Jing Shu waved her hand and once again gathered all the assorted supplies behind her.

By now, the display stand was essentially Jing Shu’s. She had only brought ham and spices to trade, not expecting to get so much in return.

Ultimately, it wasn’t that food was overly scarce. Rather, good things—whether before or after the apocalypse—were rare and concentrated in the hands of a few, whose values differed from those of ordinary people.

They were willing to trade precious items for those they deemed worthy.

That was why Jing Shu’s ham and spices could be traded for such an abundance of resources.

Her tour of the Imperial Capital’s Black Market complete, Jing Shu had reaped a bountiful harvest, adding another layer of security for the coming apocalypse.

Fan Jianqiang also gained significantly, unexpectedly earning thousands of direct platinum points, which were very useful. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲·𝗻𝗲𝘁

Song Bin didn’t do too badly either. With the reward Jing Shu gave him—a small piece of ham—he exchanged it for many daily necessities. Following Jing Shu’s suggestion, Song Bin especially traded for more Quilts and cotton clothes for warmth, and even some coal.

Jing Shu didn’t have much time left. She returned to her resting place to organize the resources. Since these items were acquired legitimately, she couldn’t privately hide them in her space and thus had to transport them back to Wu City openly.

After disguising herself, Jing Shu went out again. This time, she was unrecognizable, and she went out alone, without even bringing Song Bin.

Of course, she didn’t bring the fat chicken either; it stayed in Tan Ke’s storage room, both to babysit Wanzi and to guard the supplies.

Regarding danger, with Tan Ke present, there was indeed less cause for concern. Nevertheless, Jing Shu had made the necessary preparations, setting up special traps and arranging life-saving measures for the fat chicken. If the worst happened and the fat chicken was in danger, Jing Shu would be alerted. Therefore, she didn’t need to worry about its safety and could proceed to her next destination in the Imperial Capital with peace of mind.

It was so difficult to visit the Imperial Capital, and who knew when she might return? She had to make the most of it and get something good... oh, no, that’s not right. She had to properly understand the culture of the Imperial Capital, of course!

Since arriving in the Imperial Capital a few days ago, Jing Shu had already covered most of it on official business. Now, with time running short and tasks piling up, she decided to seize this last opportunity to do something special before leaving.

Otherwise, this trip would feel so empty...

Jing Shu had her reasons for going alone; she didn’t want to expose certain secrets or her movements.

A plain, unremarkable truck smeared with various unknown black and green substances arrived with a CHUG-CHUG-CHUG and picked up Jing Shu.

The truck was for hauling cargo and had only two seats: one for the driver and one for the co-driver. It seemed like overkill for just picking someone up.

If it weren’t for the mask and the gas mask Jing Shu was wearing, the smell alone would have almost overwhelmed her. Was this damn truck actually used for hauling manure?

The driver was a very amiable old man, wearing rubber shoes and a dirty apron. In one hand, he held an unknown type of Juan Bing, eating it with relish, while with the other, he spun the steering wheel with ease.

Fortunately, they arrived at their destination quickly.

"Hey, little sister, we’re here." The driver flashed his big yellow teeth in a joyful smile. Taking on passengers like her made his boss give him a bonus. This young lady was quite the odd one too, all covered up and carrying two large suitcases. What on earth could be in them? But it wasn’t his business to ask. His job was just to get her there.

The kindhearted driver added, "It’s just up ahead."

Jing Shu nodded, picked up the suitcases, and headed towards the tall wall, where she knocked vigorously on the thick iron gate.

When the heavy iron gate opened, the smell of disinfectant hit her face, and the words inscribed above became clear.

This must be a pre-apocalypse prison! I knew it—where else would you find such high walls in such a secluded place?

Jing Shu stepped through the large iron gate and was escorted onward until she reached an unassuming entrance.

As soon as the door opened, it was like stepping into an entirely different world.

Violent, clashing sounds and roars like those of various monsters echoed. The atmosphere was dim and reeking, giving the feeling of stepping into Hell itself.

"Are you okay?" the staff member beside her asked. "Are you sure you want to keep going? If you’d like to back out..." He hinted that the place was off-limits and indeed dangerous.

But for various reasons, such places needed to exist. Their very existence implied a rationale, a purpose, and thus, research value.

"I’m fine, actually quite good, and this place isn’t so bad. Let’s go, show me the target that I’m taking over." Jing Shu managed a smile. However frightening this place was, it was nothing compared to the despair she’d faced in her previous life.

"Of course." The staff member just assumed the young girl was petrified but too proud to admit it. He didn’t say much more, but to relieve Jing Shu’s apparent nerves, he explained,

"This place used to be a pre-apocalypse prison, which has been converted. It actually facilitates our work. All the creatures you see here are new species evolved during the apocalypse; they’re either failed experiments, excessively vicious, or evolved from animals previously in zoos. Now, they hold no other purpose besides some research value."

Creatures that could breed, provide meat, or had any other real value wouldn’t be locked up here; they’d be treated like royalty elsewhere.

In the cold, dark prison, row upon row of cells contained many unidentifiable creatures.

Jing Shu never knew the apocalypse had triggered the evolution of so many new species. Or rather, they weren’t exactly new species; they were more the result of animals rapidly evolving to adapt to the apocalypse, though most had failed in the attempt, resulting in these failed specimens.

Jing Shu even saw several creatures that resembled hippos and pigs at the same time, all violently slamming into each other. Those killed in these clashes were cruelly devoured. Weren’t hippos herbivores?

"Oh, these? They’re a batch of failed pig experimentations. Ordinary domestic pigs just weren’t suitable. After being injected with large doses of hormones and toxic stimulants, they couldn’t be used for breeding or consumption. They were just left here to die off, after which we’ll write a summary report," the staff member said nonchalantly.

"This... is a pig?" Jing Shu raised an eyebrow. If he hadn’t said so, she would have thought they were hippos. The transformation was too extreme!