CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57: SUDDEN CHANGE

Blue Star heard the crack say this and also felt uneasy, so he looked at Qu Jianlei, "Bro, what do you think?"

"A hundred is a hundred," Qu Jianlei replied expressionlessly, "Spying for information certainly requires money."

He already considered whether he should abandon the crack and cross the mountains with Blue Star.

Crack also felt that the other party seemed a bit displeased with him.

But he was already a living dead, and although the Wasteland was vast, there was nothing worth caring about to him.

So he took a hundred silver coins’ worth of Silver Notes and turned away.

Blue Star couldn’t help but ask Qu Jianlei, "Do you have a problem with him?"

Qu Jianlei thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Not really, just... maybe our personalities don’t match."

Then he brushed the thought aside, "Focus on keeping watch, I’m going to buy more materials."

The mecha still needed improvement, and after being abandoned for so long, many parts needed maintenance...

Eighty-seven silver coins, probably not enough, but just make do for now.

When he returned, it was already evening, and he only had three silver coins left.

He handed the three silver coins to Blue Star, "Spend carefully, I’ll go up the mountain again later."

At that moment, Crack also came back, "A month from now, there might be a smuggling team entering the mountain."

Qu Jianlei thought and asked, "How are the costs?"

"Each person costs between one hundred and two hundred silver coins, the price isn’t fixed, life and death are your own responsibility..."

"After entering the mountain, if you perform outstandingly in battles, some costs can be refunded, you might even make money."

Any person in the Wasteland could become a Hunter, so the smuggling escort fees weren’t fixed either.

Qu Jianlei wasn’t thinking about that, "So, as long as someone’s willing to pay a certain price, they can still get over the mountains?"

To him right now, one to two hundred silver coins wasn’t that much money.

The key was this information meant that even if he crossed the mountains, he might still not evade others’ tracking.

"The cost isn’t something the average person can afford," Crack seriously replied.

"Moreover, the danger is too great, nine lives for one... for those who can afford it, why risk it?"

Qu Jianlei pondered for a moment before asking, "Does the influence of Hong Character reach over there?"

"Over there is the Zhou Character Settlement," Crack confidently replied, "Different prefixes, extremely limited influence."

Qu Jianlei stared at him for a long time, then asked, "You knew this long ago, didn’t you?"

Crack showed no expression, pausing before responding, "Blue Star is still a child, too dangerous."

Qu Jianlei shook his head helplessly, and this was the reason he didn’t like the other party.

Crack was in a state of utter despondency, but he truly had strong opinions.

Qu himself wanted to find an expert in wilderness survival who knew the Wasteland well, but this expert only said half and hid half, which was very sneaky.

If Crack had any malicious intentions, there were none.

He didn’t mention the news about the other side of the mountain earlier, simply because he didn’t want Blue Star to follow Qu Jianlei on an adventure.

Now that Qu Jianlei was almost prepared, if anything changed, he would surely want to cross the mountain, and Crack couldn’t stop him, then revealed the truth.

However, Qu Jianlei couldn’t bear this concealment. He was accustomed to planning everything entirely.

He shook his head and didn’t respond to the news at all, directly heading back inside.

After dinner, he meditated until late at night and left with a large batch of supplies.

After he left, Blue Star and Crack had a conversation, "Why didn’t you tell the truth at first?"

Crack was silent for a long time before responding, "For your own good."

Blue Star sighed helplessly, "Black Heaven... Fugui doesn’t like your attitude."

Crack was silent again before replying, "He’s too conceited, bound to suffer a big loss sooner or later."

"He won’t!" Blue Star shouted, as if he had been stepped on.

After pausing, he sighed, "Once we cross the mountain, why don’t... you leave?"

Crack didn’t speak for a while, then finally said, "I can sustain myself, let’s be neighbors then..."

Qu Jianlei returned again, three days later in the morning.

This time, the processing and maintenance were quite successful, and his mood improved a lot.

After breakfast, he packed a large bag and bundle, ready to go up the mountain to hunt again, while instructing Blue Star.

"Keep a good watch, I’ll make one more trip to the mountains, then I’ll be fully prepared."

Blue Star was accustomed to his behavior, simply asking in a low voice, "For sure, leaving?"

"Depending on the situation," Qu Jianlei casually replied, "If I don’t have to leave, I don’t want to roam around."

Blue Star’s eyes slightly lit up, "Being ready... That means we won’t have to go up the mountain often?"

"Not as frequently as now," Qu Jianlei casually replied.

If not going up the mountain, would it mean eating up their stock? "Hope the luck is better this time."

"It will surely be," Blue Star clenched his little fist, "then you can teach me Tai Chi!"

Qu Jianlei smiled, turned, and walked out the door.

Once he was out of the yard, he felt a little uneasy: Won’t this set a FLAG?

Yet again, Crack drove him, dropped him at the foot of the mountain, and then returned.

Qu Jianlei walked all the way into the mountains, and some people he encountered would greet him.

He wasn’t really interested in these exchanges, just nodded slightly, then quickly moved forward: hoping for a good harvest!

However, luck is something that doesn’t hold up to mentioning.

He wandered the mountains for four days and only encountered two C-level mutant spotted wolf weasels.

Although wolf weasels are just C-level, they are exceptionally fierce; their fur is not only tough but they are also extremely combative.

They have a bit of the flair of a "honey badger" from Blue Star.

Qu Jianlei had no intention of making a move on these guys—their meat couldn’t be eaten, and only the fur could be sold for some money.

However, he stepped into their territory and was chased thoroughly, unable to escape the territory.

He maneuvered for half a day before he managed to kill the two wolf weasels.

Then he realized it was because the female wolf weasel was pregnant that these two were acting so crazily.

The value of the wolf weasel fur couldn’t even compensate for his expenses.

But one good thing is that the yet unborn cubs in the pregnant female’s belly are edible.

Better than nothing at least!

Qu Jianlei retreated to the edge of a safe zone and started cooking this "tough dish."

He didn’t know that while he was preparing the dish, a caravan arrived at Hongyi, and it contained his acquaintances...

Three days later, he hunted a den of iron-skinned rabbits, two big and five small ones.

This little gain was somewhat disappointing.

He didn’t continue cooking; instead, he cured the rabbits, planning to stay three more days before going back.

The insufficient harvest was disappointing, but clinging on because of a poor gain was a mindset he didn’t want.

The next day, while he was scouting around, he suddenly felt something was off.

He climbed a small hill, raised his binoculars, and carefully observed.

At a certain angle, he froze; a familiar figure appeared in the binoculars—Flower Scorpion!

Recognizing people in the Wasteland is quite difficult, everyone dresses in gray, and many people cover their faces.

But Qu Jianlei has a good memory and is excellent at recognizing people.

Not to mention, Flower Scorpion’s attire was basically the same as during their last encounter, in both color and style.

Notably, although she was holding a laser rifle, her right hand was placed over her left chest, making a gesture.

On Blue Star, this gesture means "OK," but in the Wasteland, this gesture means "I have no hostility"!

Most wastelanders, like people from Blue Star, are right-handed, with the heart on the left side.

The habitual hand placed on the heart, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle, indeed signaled a very friendly gesture.

Qu Jianlei couldn’t help but frown slightly, feeling a premonition: trouble was coming.

He looked around carefully but didn’t see anyone else.

However, he still didn’t approach Flower Scorpion, instead choosing a bush to hide himself.

Flower Scorpion, however, looked around as she walked in his direction—this little hill should have a good view.

But just as she got fifty or sixty meters from him, Qu Jianlei spoke up, "Don’t move!"

Flower Scorpion was startled but indeed didn’t make any move and spoke in a low voice.

"Is it Black Heaven? I mean no harm."

"Or else you’d already be dead," Qu Jianlei said, holding the Gauss Automatic Rifle, slowly rising from the ground.

The gun steadily aimed at Flower Scorpion, and he asked, "Why are you here?"

"Looking for you!" Flower Scorpion replied while looking around, "There’s no one else around, right?"

"If you didn’t bring people," Qu Jianlei replied casually, then asked, "What do you want with me?"

"I was coerced to find you," Flower Scorpion kept looking around, though the laser rifle’s muzzle never lifted.

"Damn it," Qu Jianlei couldn’t help but curse before asking, "Who coerced you?"

"A big shot from the General Settlement," Flower Scorpion turned her back again, checking her way to see if there was anyone.

"They’re looking for a very important person, and in passing, also for you."

Black Heaven and Sha Qu, haven’t the two identities overlapped?

Qu Jianlei asked keeping a straight face, "A very important person... Who is that?"

"You don’t need to know," Flower Scorpion turned back, replying calmly, "Some information is bad for you to know too much."

"Alright, you’re right," Qu Jianlei answered casually, "Well, you probably haven’t investigated how important that person is."

Flower Scorpion nodded slightly upon hearing this, "I haven’t lived enough yet."

Qu Jianlei sighed slightly, "So... why are they looking for me?"

"Can’t you guess?" Flower Scorpion looked at him curiously.

"If the information is correct, haven’t you exchanged quite a few Mutant Beast Crystals at the settlement?"

Qu Jianlei paused, then snorted coldly, "These greedy scavenging vultures..."

Flower Scorpion watched him with interest, "Some even think you might be that important person."

"Nonsense, I’ve never been important," Qu Jianlei sniffed lightly, "How is my companion doing now?"