"Thirsty... water..."
After being unconscious for who knows how long, Summer Salt gradually woke up and felt intense hunger in her stomach, while her throat felt dry as if a hot iron was stuck in it.
Her arms felt heavy as if they were filled with lead.
Her blurred vision seemed to be veiled by a layer of mist. She tried hard to get up from the ground but gave up after a failed attempt.
Until her gaze landed on the plastic bottle and packaging not far away.
She pounced on them, grabbing the plastic bottle without caring about its contents and tilting her head back, gulping down the liquid.
Her thirst instantly alleviated.
After pouring the last drop of water into her mouth, Summer Salt threw away the bottle and immediately picked up the plastic packaging from the ground, tearing it open like a starving ghost.
Her intuition told her that there was food inside!
However, when she saw the dark stuff inside, her hungry expression clearly froze for a moment.
What is this...
She leaned closer and sniffed it, finding no foul odor.
After some hesitation, Summer Salt finally made up her mind. Carefully, she took a bite.
And at the moment her lips touched it, her expression suddenly froze, followed by her pupils shaking violently.
This!
What is this taste!
She stuffed the dark stuff into her mouth without hesitation, thoroughly devouring it. Summer Salt licked her lips with a lingering taste, not even letting go of the plastic packaging, which she turned inside out and licked all around.
At that moment, the alloy door in front of her opened.
Summer Salt looked up and saw the man standing at the doorway.
"You're awake?"
Instinctively shrinking back in fear, Summer Salt hastily glanced at her own clothes and reluctantly nodded.
"Yeah."
"Is it delicious?"
Although she wanted to show a bit of backbone, her mouth didn't listen to her.
"It's delicious..."
Light Chu smiled faintly.
"Do you want more?"
"I do." Summer Salt nodded vigorously.
Satisfied with her answer, Light Chu nodded.
"The thing you just ate is called chocolate."
"Starting from today, you will work for me. Whatever I ask you to do, you will do it."
"As an exchange, I can provide you with a safe place to live and food. Additionally, if your performance satisfies me, I will give you another piece of that thing you just had."
Summer Salt had never eaten chocolate before. She had only heard that it was a popular food before the war and a luxury item in the upper class of Boulder City.
"... Is this the taste of chocolate?"
She instinctively touched her lips with her index finger, and Summer Salt's expression gradually became bewildered.
Damn it!
If only I had eaten slower!
Of course, Light Chu couldn't guess what she was thinking.
If he did, he would definitely roll his eyes.
It's just a piece of chocolate...
Was it really necessary?
"Yes," Light Chu continued, looking at Summer Salt sitting on the ground. "So, what's your answer?"
"I'm willing."
Summer Salt answered without hesitation, even without knowing what tasks Light Chu intended to assign her.
After all, she didn't have any options to begin with.
Even if she returned to Boulder City with half a leg missing, the final outcome would be nothing more than rotting away in the slums' alleys.
Just like a rotten orange peel.
No one would care.
Being alive, naturally, no one would want to die.
At least she hadn't reached that level of resignation.
Summer Salt turned her head, closed her eyes, and said softly.
"Although I haven't tried it, it should be fine. I know what you want... Please be gentle."
"What?"
Light Chu subconsciously paused for a moment, but after all those years of being an experienced eroge gamer, he understood what she had misinterpreted from her expression. He immediately corrected his face and spoke seriously.
"Miss, please behave yourself. Right now, we are discussing work-related matters in a very serious manner."
If you keep going like this...
I won't be able to be serious.
Upon hearing Light Chu's words, Summer Salt also froze.
What is going on?
Isn't this guy supposed to have brought me back to have a child with him???
Her pupils shook violently, seemingly finally distinguishing between imagination and reality. Summer Salt's face gradually turned as red as a pig's liver.
She turned her head in shame, staring at the crack in the corner of the wall, and said harshly.
"Just kill me..."
Light Chu: "???"
What's going on?
...
It took some time for Light Chu to briefly explain the situation to Summer Salt, who was lying on the ground.
Games were not popular in the wasteland, and explaining it in terms of players would only confuse the other party. Light Chu didn't feel like beating around the bush, so he decided to speak in a language she could understand.
"Simply put, my subordinates and I plan to establish a survivor settlement on the surface, drive away the mutants, accommodate refugees, and restore order in this area."
After listening to Light Chu's words, Summer Salt wore a skeptical expression.
One must be very confident to say something so unrealistic.
Restore order?
Numerous people have tried that over the past two hundred years, but no one has succeeded. On the contrary, the number of mutants and variations in the city has increased, and the living space for survivors has been squeezed year after year.
"Do you think restoring order is as simple as building a wall?" Summer Salt sarcastically remarked, feeling emotionally hurt. "You should go and see Boulder City. There are countless powerful people there, and even they can only wander around the outskirts of the Highway Ring No.3. What do you think you can achieve?"
"I naturally have my plans," Light Chu calmly replied, looking at her. "I have no intention of accomplishing this goal in a few months. I know it will be a prolonged battle, and I am prepared to sacrifice several generations to achieve it."
Enough!
It's just a game setting, can't you let me finish talking?
Light Chu knew very well that restoring order wasn't something that could be accomplished with a simple statement. He had never arrogantly considered himself invincible just because he killed a few poor raiders living in the outskirts.
But that was his character.
Or rather, the game's setting.
At least it had to make the players feel like this NPC was somewhat authentic.
However, the person in front of him clearly only heard the second half of his statement.
Several generations?
Summer Salt involuntarily recoiled in nervousness.
D-Does this mean I still have to bear a child?
"Let's get back to the main topic," Light Chu lightly coughed and continued, "Can you assemble firearms? And do maintenance on the parts?"
Summer Salt nodded.
"Yes, that's basic."
"Good," Light Chu nodded and continued, "From now on, you will be the owner of the weapons shop."
"What?" Summer Salt looked puzzled, not understanding what he was saying.
Because when Light Chu used a certain term, he spoke in the language of a parallel world, not the language of this world.
"The owner of the weapons shop," Light Chu stared at her and repeated it slowly, then continued, "That will be your job. Simply put, you will sell firearms and provide maintenance for them. When someone asks what you do, that's how you answer."
"Sell guns?" Summer Salt asked in confusion, "To whom?"
"The residents of the sanctuary."
"Huh?" Summer Salt was even more confused, "Aren't those people your subordinates?"
"Yes, but it's a bit different from what you understand as subordinates," Light Chu paused and continued, "Simply put, we have just emerged from underground and need to concentrate our efforts on important matters. And resources are scarce, so we will temporarily implement a planned economy. Everyone will work together and eat together around a large pot."
"When the survival crisis is resolved and resources become abundant, they will need to take the initiative to be productive, step out of their comfort zones, and explore. That's when our settlement will have a new set of rules. Things like food, medicine, weapons, and other resources will no longer be free."
"If you mentioned Boulder City, then you should know what chips/tokens are, right? It's essentially the same thing."
Obviously, this woman didn't understand what he was talking about.
In the wasteland, survivors with even a bit of education could become lackeys of the nouveau riche, just like Old Charlie, who scraped by on Bette Street. If they possessed a skill, they could secure a position in a factory, helping the big shots with boiler maintenance, medication preparation, or repairing power suit.
Only the poor would engage in life-or-death transactions for money.
Just like the woman in front of him.
Mercenaries were never a glamorous profession in the wasteland; they were nothing more than cheap cannon fodder without social security or benefits.
But Light Chu didn't mind.
All he needed was a tool to execute his commands.
Knowledge? Experience? Qualifications?
Those could all be learned.
After a pause, Light Chu looked at her and said, "The language we use is a bit different from the people on the surface. But it's not a big problem. I will teach you a few simple lines for daily communication."
"Just follow what I say."