Barely a day into her stay at the base, Ruoyi found herself involved in two altercations. So much for her initial plan to play the part of a low-key, amicable supporting character.
Standing in the headquarters of the base's security team, Ruoyi couldn't help but feel aggrieved. The latest complaint came from the nightgown-clad woman who had answered the door earlier, claiming Ruoyi's activities had severely disrupted her sleep.
Fortunately, Ruoyi was on the right side of the rules. She left with nothing more than a warning from the authorities, while Zhong Lin's camp was fined an additional fifty crystalline cores for repeated violations of base policies.
Ignoring the venomous glare Zhong Lin shot her on the way out, Ruoyi dragged a flushed and remorseful Jiang Xiaodou—who had been lectured for the umpteenth time—out of the security compound just as dawn began to break.
Hah! Ruoyi smirked inwardly. As a novel's ultimate cannon fodder, the foolish supporting character who dared to challenge the female protagonist, Zhong Lin wasn't even fit to touch her shoes.
After a sleepless night, even Ruoyi's enhanced stamina was running low. Looking at the annoyingly energetic Jiang Xiaodou, she couldn't help but marvel at the resilience of youth.
"Xiaodou, where are you from, and how old are you?" she asked. The novel had provided few details about him beyond his martial arts skills and mysterious background. Family matters were best left untouched in a world like this.
"I'm fifteen. Home? I guess you could say Beishan," Jiang Xiaodou replied hesitantly.
Ruoyi raised an eyebrow. "You're fifteen? You're awfully well-developed for your age." She gave him a once-over, noting how his build towered over her by a head.
"Yeah, people say I look older," Jiang Xiaodou admitted with a nod of agreement.
Ruoyi handed him a bottle of water from her backpack, keeping one for herself. She took a sip and promptly choked.
"You're...too honest!" she managed between coughs.
"What about you, sister?"
"Me? Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Ji Ruoyi, from City C, and I'm six years older than you."
Their casual banter accompanied them to the base's housing office.
Ruoyi had no intention of staying in the shared dormitory long-term. With her spatial ability, privacy was paramount. She had only stayed the previous night due to time constraints and regretted it deeply after the incidents that followed.
After checking her options, Ruoyi was disappointed. The prime residences in Zone Six were spacious two-story villas, but at 100 cores per month, renting one just for herself felt extravagant. The ordinary zones had single-unit apartments, but none were available at the moment. The housing office suggested she return in a couple of days when leases might expire due to unpaid rent.
With no immediate solution, Ruoyi left with Jiang Xiaodou. The day was fully bright now, and the base was coming alive with activity. Not wanting to return to the dormitory and face Zhong Lin or the nightgown woman again, she decided to explore the market instead.
Jiang Xiaodou eagerly invited her to stay with him in his housing, which had an empty room. However, upon learning that Gao Rui was one of his roommates, Ruoyi immediately declined.
The market was located in Zone Three, occupying an entire street.
Ruoyi's initial tour left her unimpressed. While the goods being traded—salt, blankets, clothing—were essential to many, she had no use for them. Her spatial inventory was already overflowing with such items. However, the market did give her an idea for collecting more crystalline cores.
The patch of soil she'd cultivated in her space was draining her resources without yielding any results. Nearly two hundred crystalline cores had been consumed in a week, with no sign of growth. When she consulted the Sovereign, it had simply remarked that the energy was insufficient.
Two hundred cores! That was enough to live lavishly in the base for a month. But since she had already invested, she might as well see it through. To replenish her reserves, she decided to set up a stall and sell some of the items from her space that she had no use for.
Sending Jiang Xiaodou off to rest, with plans to meet for dinner, Ruoyi went to the base's administrative office. Using the pretense of unloading goods from her vehicle, she discreetly retrieved two large travel bags from her space under the cover of her truck. After filling them with items to sell, she headed to the market, found an empty spot, and began setting up.
Her stall featured a mix of practical and luxurious items: three men's down jackets, four durable athletic sets, two bottles of aged liquor, a carton of premium cigarettes, three thermoses, and various other knickknacks.
Once her display was set, Ruoyi clipped her ability user badge in place, pulled a sharp dagger from her bag, and began slicing bricks into neat, five-millimeter-thick pieces.
This seemingly idle activity had a purpose. It showcased her precise control and strength, discouraging would-be troublemakers from harassing her for protection money—a problem even the apocalypse couldn't eradicate.
Sure enough, a group of surly men approached her stall not long after. Their expressions shifted upon noticing her badge, and those who saw her deftly slicing bricks quickly backed off.
Ruoyi had already scouted the market and priced her goods accordingly. Everyday essentials like toiletries were nearly giveaways—three items for three crystalline cores. These low-demand items, which she had stockpiled in abundance, quickly sold out to women or ability users who could afford small luxuries.
Higher-value items like clothing and gum took longer to move, but they eventually found buyers. Only the most expensive goods, the cigarettes and liquor, remained untouched.
Ruoyi waited patiently until a buyer finally appeared.
Li Ziyu tossed thirty crystalline cores onto the table but made no move to take the bottle of red wine she'd just purchased. Instead, she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, wrapped it around a piece of brick, and sat down beside Ruoyi as if they were old friends.
Ruoyi spared her a glance before resuming her slicing.
Li Ziyu watched her intently for a moment before breaking the silence. "Let's work together."