Hub Station.
A paradise for the displaced, bandits, scavengers, and smugglers.
Today is the day for recycling waste at the market, and since dawn, scavengers have been lining up outside the tents.
Dressed in rags, gaunt and with sallow faces, they have finally come to exchange their labor from the ruins for a reward.
Then they'll spend their earnings at the market, purchasing some water and the survival staple—cactus chewing sticks.
However, it wasn't until the sun scorched their lips like the cracked ground that the market supervisor arrived, late to the scene, sitting in the shade under the canvas tent at noon.
Facing the eager eyes of the scavengers, this man, who was uncomfortably rotund, lacked any enthusiasm.
"What a bunch of junk!"
He grumbled while rifling through the items, not holding back his disdain.
He knew very well that most of the items brought by the scavengers were just discarded rubbish dug up from the ruins, and they shouldn't expect much.
But recently, a newcomer had appeared at Hub Station, and he always brought something fresh.
After buying his batch, the profit was enough for him to indulge at the town's bar for several weeks.
With the threshold raised, a comparison revealed that the items on the counter were hardly better than trash.
Yet that newcomer hadn't shown up for a while; what was his name again?
Ah, "Lu Meng."
To prevent his merchants from overlooking good finds or mispricing, he personally took charge of the market today, waiting for Lu Meng to show up.
Scavengers changed faces too swiftly; he couldn't remember them easily.
Unfortunately, no one appeared.
Could he have possibly died?
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Huo Buyang shyly looked at the overweight supervisor, waiting cautiously.
The supervisor casually quoted prices:
"Wooden bowl, 6 kai coins; ceramic bowl, 9 kai coins—yours, with that size of opening, can only be a 5 kai coin cup; electrical components are decent, but after so many years, who knows if they're broken? I'll give you 10 kai coins per pound…"
Just then, he caught sight of an ancient book hidden beneath a ragged cloth. His eyes lit up, clearly recognizing something, though his tone remained flat:
"What's this? Haha, it's not even parchment; you'd complain it's hard even as toilet paper. I'm not taking it.
"Total, I'll give you 50 kai coins; is that alright?"
kai coins are the common currency on the mainland, and in the resource-scarce Hub City, 50 kai coins would barely buy a loaf of bread or two jugs of water.
Of course, if traded for dried cactus made into chewing sticks, it could buy several pounds.
Enough to fill a family's stomach.
As for the taste, it resembles a chunk of dried old tire—not crispy or soft; you'd have to put in effort to grind it down with your teeth to swallow.
In comparison, its difficult digestion was somewhat of an advantage.
Because of the strong feeling of fullness, one wouldn't get hungry easily. In an era of nutrient surplus in ancient civilizations, that might have been a popular diet food substitute.
Now, it had become the most inferior food scavengers had to accept to stay alive.
Huo Buyang couldn't help but lick his cracked lips and hesitantly opened his mouth, his voice coming out dry:
"Can't you add a little more? Just a few days ago, it was still selling for 90…"
"You said just a few days ago," the supervisor interrupted indifferently, a hint of cunning flickering in his eyes. "Alright, considering your young age, I won't count this junk at the defective price; with the rags, let's make it a total of 55."
"Oh right, that old book can stay with me as a table leg; don't say I'm not taking care of you."
He stretched out his short, stubby fingers to press down on the book and started tugging it toward himself.
"But I still need to save for my mother's medical expenses…" Huo Buyang voiced his reluctance.
"Kid, hurry and sell or move it!" Those waiting behind began to shout.
"Exactly."
"Stop whining!"
"Hey, big man." Someone tried to flatter the supervisor at the counter. "Can I sell my stuff for that price too?"
"Sure, anyone can. Who told you I'm kind-hearted?" the supervisor chuckled, "See? If you don't sell, plenty of others will."
When this man smiled, wrinkles accumulated on his face like the legendary Maitreya.
Yet paired with his indifferent words and the noisy crowd behind him, Huo Buyang felt a wave of dizziness.
He had forgotten that one mustn't reveal their weakness in the wasteland.
No one would sympathize; weaknesses are like fresh wounds, exuding a sweet scent of blood.
They only attract flies and lurking wolves.
Fueled by frustration, Huo Buyang gathered all his belongings, muttering:
"I'm not selling! I'll come back next time."
"Ha," the supervisor sneered.
"Next time? You know that newcomer has come recently, always fetching good stuff at a low price; I suspect your trash won't even sell for 40 next time."
Huo Buyang turned and walked away with his head down, ignoring the laughter behind him, not even noticing he dropped a piece of electrical component from his bag.
A scavenger saw it, sneakily picked it up, and stuffed it in his pocket, then joined others vying for more kai coins with the market supervisor.
…
When Huo Buyang finally calmed down, the noisy market had long been left far behind.
Hub Station, once a magnificent town, now only displayed desolation and broken walls, with drifting yellow sand as its new normal.
He looked around to ensure no one was following him.
Finally, he slumped down on the ground.
The market traders had been squeezing prices for him for quite some time now, always effectively controlling scavengers' earnings.
It's like dangling a piece of corn in front of a hamster on a treadmill, giving them a glimmer of hope for a better life, but in reality, even to survive, they had to work themselves to the bone.
Yet, for the vast majority of people in the wasteland, being able to survive wasn't something they could complain about.
"But at this rate, when will I gather enough for my mother's medical expenses?"
Huo Buyang felt bleak inside.
He began to regret his impulsive decision earlier. What good will it do not to accept? Angering the market traders would only bring more pressure on him during the next encounter.
What else could he do but submit?
As a scavenger living in the wasteland, all he could do was exert himself a hundredfold, venturing into dangerous ruins and competing for scraps with other scavengers.
Then hope the traders would spare a few open coins after their exploitation.
And then save his mother's life.
Yet, the supervisor's last words seemed to echo in his ears, snuffing out a bit more of the hope ignited in his heart:
"Next time?"
"You know a newcomer has been around lately, always able to get good things at low prices."
"Your junk probably won't even sell for 40 next time…"
Huo Buyang sighed, knowing all too well who the "newcomer" the market traders were talking about.
About three months ago, a young scavenger named "Lu Meng" suddenly appeared in Hub Station, with no one knowing where he came from.
The people in Hub Station were ever-changing; no one bothered to listen to a scavenger's story.
He could be a wanted criminal, a disbanded bandit, or just a desperate ordinary person.
Just as they appeared without a trace, their departures were equally silent. Each morning, several bodies would lie in the corners, never to rise again.
Such occurrences were all too common at the hub station.
But this young man was different; rumors about him were endless and inconsistent with his identity as a scavenger, prompting Huo Buyang to take note:
It was said that he controlled his own water source in this desert, and no one had ever seen him buy water in the market.
They said he was intimately familiar with the terrain, surpassing even the local toughs and seasoned scavengers.
Rumor had it that he was aware of every secret in Hub City, even the bedtime whispers of couples did not escape his ears.
They claimed that despite his youthful appearance, he was an ancient, genetically modified being, now hundreds of years old, his head full of white hair serving as proof.
It was said he even ate children...
They said his name was "Lu Meng."
Unlike most scavengers, Huo Buyang was literate and had read a few ancient texts left over from ancient civilizations.
In his view, most of these rumors were baseless.
Even if they were true, they weren't as extraordinary as claimed.
The less one knows, the more strange tales one hears.
However, one thing was indeed true: Lu Meng always managed to find good stuff.
He had seen merchants in the market, attempting to feign pain while trading with Lu Meng, their fat faces betraying their amusement.
Merchants used to laugh when collecting waste as well, but that laughter was one of disdain and mockery.
Once was luck, twice, thrice, again and again; if someone could always find good items... then it was probable they possessed knowledge unknown to others.
For such a person, Huo Buyang usually kept his distance to avoid trouble.
However, just knowing there was such a figure in the hub station unknowingly uplifted him.
- So, scavengers' lives can hold hope too.
But indeed, over the past three months, the recycling prices in the market had significantly dropped, making life harder for Huo Buyang.
Yet he knew this wasn't Lu Meng's fault.
It seemed the market was merely using the opportunity to suppress purchase prices, conveniently shifting blame and hatred.
"I must save enough money to treat my mother's injury," Huo Buyang steeled himself, preparing to hide his recent finds in his secret base; selling them now wouldn't be enough regardless.
No matter what the market traders said, prices would always fluctuate; it wouldn't be late to sell when a reasonable price emerged.
"If I could find good stuff like Lu Meng, money wouldn't be a problem."
"Just that he attracts attention, making him vulnerable."
As this thought formed, Huo Buyang forced himself to dismiss it.
Someone like him had no right to worry about a stranger's safety.
Being able to care for his mother and himself was already enough.
Two hours later.
Feeling he had settled everything, Huo Buyang stood in front of a makeshift shelter pieced together from metal sheets, wooden boards, and plastic sheeting.
The lean boy wiped his face vigorously and brushed off the dust on his clothes, wanting to appear more presentable.
Finally, he moved his stiff mouth muscles, practiced a smile, and lifted the shelter's covering.
Huo Buyang looked at the frail woman lying on the "bed."
The so-called "bed" was merely a few burlap sacks. It looked simple but was carefully layered.
Facing her kind gaze, a rare smile appeared on the boy's face.
"Mom, I'm back."
——
Late at night.
Unable to sleep, Huo Buyang tossed and turned.
He quietly got up, noticing his mother was still asleep, then stepped out of the shelter.
Their shelter was set up in the wilderness.
Huo Buyang took a deep breath; the air in Hub City at night was cooler and less dusty.
He had secretly checked his mother's leg injury, and the situation was grim.
Even in such a dry environment, the prolonged delay had resulted in the wound beginning to rot; if it continued, amputation might be the only option.
Forget about the money for prosthetics after amputation; the possible infection and severe bleeding during surgery could take his mother's life.
Moreover, he had no money to hire a town doctor for surgery.
He recalled his mother's pained expression hidden beneath her feigned calm during the day.
The most likely scenario was that his only family would pass away due to the worsening wound.
The pressure made his mind whirl, his eyes feeling as if they would burst from pain.
In such a situation, Huo Buyang couldn't sleep; it was better to come outside for some fresh air.
A large and small pair of full moons occupied half the night sky, the pale light filling almost all of Huo Buyang's view, making him feel suffocated.
From ancient texts, he knew there was only one moon, casting its silvery glow and illuminating thousands of miles, serene and beautiful.
It must have just been an ancient romantic imagination.
"No!" Huo Buyang's pupils constricted.
Backlit by the moon, a figure stood silently ten meters away from his shelter, utterly silent.
He hadn't noticed when this person had approached or how long they had been standing there silently.
In this person's hand, a long knife dangled at an angle, a smear of dried blood gleaming dark red!
The visitor was not here for friendly reasons.
Their tiny shelter, even among scavengers, was bare; no one would covet it.
Could it be someone from the market? Just because he hadn't obediently obeyed during the day, they came to save face!
"They would do something like that…"
A fierceness surged from within Huo Buyang; he reached for the iron rod at his waist.
Even while sleeping, it never left his side.
Unexpectedly, the visitor seemed startled when he saw Huo Buyang's movement, as if he had touched a frightened little beast and had been taken aback.
Then, Huo Buyang saw the stranger lower the headscarf he had been using to shield against the wind and sand, revealing his true face.
This was a gesture of goodwill in the wasteland.
The newcomer was a handsome young man, his distinct angular features exuding a sense of heroism. The trials of the wasteland seemed not to have left a mark on his smooth face, yet his eyes clearly bore the cunning unique to seasoned scavengers.
What caught the eye more was his shockingly white hair.
Unlike the silver hair of the elderly, this was an untainted pure color, shimmering faintly under the moonlight.
"Lu, Lu Meng?"
White hair, Huo Buyang recalled the legends, tentatively speaking.
"Oh, you know me? Then I'll get straight to the point." Lu Meng seemed to relax, casually tossing something.
Huo Buyang caught it easily, realizing it was the electrical component he had lost during the day.
This component had been the most intact piece among the waste he had collected, and he was saddened for a while when he later found it missing.
Now it was returned to him thanks to this unexpected visitor.
"A welcome gift," Lu Meng took a few steps forward. "Now, let's talk business."
"I am aware of your situation; now I'm giving you an opportunity."
"I will save your mother."
"Of course, there are conditions." Lu Meng held up two fingers, "First, you must do something for me."
"Second, once your mother gets better…"
His words were filled with confidence: "If you're willing, just stick with me from now on."
Lu Meng's words struck Huo Buyang like a heavy hammer, and in an instant, too many questions surged in his mind.
Why did he come to me? What is his purpose? Is this some kind of conspiracy?
But he said, he said... he can save my mom?
This single point left Huo Buyang unable to refuse.
Too much information left him momentarily stunned, even realizing he had subconsciously nodded.
However, what the boy did not know was that at that moment.
A mechanical sound, only he could hear, echoed in Lu Meng's mind.
["Lone wolf goes alone, yet can also find companionship."]
[Achievement: Found the first companion (1/1) — Completed]
[Reward: 2000 game currency]
[Current permissions upgraded to D, unlocking module installation slots]
"Just as I thought."
Lu Meng's smile was barely noticeable, "Found the right NPC."
"And given Huo Buyang's age, I must have crossed over at least ten years before the game started!"