Chapter 150 Chapter 144 News of the Chang Beast
Lamp Tree Crystals — these were the most valuable items Guo Du could think of for an exchange. They were also specifically mentioned by Zhu Xiong the last time he took half of Guo Du's supplies.
For him, the Lamp Tree Crystals were just as useful, after all, they were crucial in dispersing fog and sustaining plant growth.
However, unlike Su Han, his camp's expansion rate was limited, his own power was only at the First Order Upper Grade, and he had barely touched upon Divine Initiation. But, he was still a bit away from the racial limit.
Thus, there was a surplus of Lamp Tree Crystals, and with his strength being insufficient, he thought of exchanging items with Su Han.
Of course, to a certain extent, this was also to probe Su Han and his group's intentions.
If they wanted to continue expanding, they could only leave this area. If they didn't join, they could only hide.
Guo Du felt a bit nervous as he looked at Su Han.
"How many?"
Finally, he heard Su Han's response and breathed a sigh of relief, "Over twenty, the biggest are the size of a fist, the smallest the size of a longan."
The number was not small, but it was not accumulated by Guo Du alone, but by the three of them.
Guo Du, Zhao Jijun, and Chen Hushan were all leaders of small camps with similar strengths. Thus, after making contact, they could only choose peaceful exchanges, which led them to band together eventually.
Their respective camps each had dozens of people; combined, they formed a camp of about one or two hundred people, occupying the area previously emptied by Su Han and his group, which was South City No.2 Middle School, and they had gradually stabilized.
"Not bad, how many injections do you want?"
"We want three doses of the injection, enough to reach the limit of First Order Upper Grade."
Devouring monsters could accumulate Spiritual Energy, but the process was undoubtedly longer and more dangerous.
Now, Guo Du and his group wanted a shortcut.
"Not enough."
Su Han's gaze flickered slightly as he said, "I have the injections, but 20 Lamp Tree Crystals are not enough, not to mention they vary in size. Two doses of injections, or you add something extra."
Guo Du's expression changed slightly, three people sharing two doses of injections — this really could mess up their plans.
There were many items that could be exchanged, such as monster corpses, metals, daily necessities, medications...
Guo Du himself was somewhat aware, especially since he had been 'robbed' by Zhu Xiong before, but this time he hadn't brought that much with him.
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"I..." Guo Du looked troubled, then suddenly said, "I want to trade with information. I know some details about monsters, as well as some survivor bases."
Information, in such a fog-shrouded environment, sometimes carried more value than materials, because whether it's avoiding monsters or acquiring resources, information was indispensable.
Su Han's expression remained calm. He simply gave Guo Du an extra glance without speaking, until Guo Du said, "Lord Su Han, we don't build up steadily like you. We move around more, so we have information from other areas of the city's northern parts."
What Guo Du said wasn't false. After all, they weren't capable of completely clearing an area. Thus, they had to be selective, which meant they moved around more.
And Guo Du knew very well that the Shanhu Villa District in the northern part of the city was Su Han's territory, so he generally wouldn't expand in that direction. The places he roamed were exactly where Su Han was less active.
"Let's hear it," Su Han signaled Guo Du to continue, immediate delight flashing across Guo Du's face.
"My main activity range includes Changlin Street, South City No.2 Middle School and the like. After partnering with Old Zhao and Old Chen, we started moving a bit toward the north, around Happiness Road, May Day Department Store, and those places," explained Guo Du.
While stating his areas of activity, Guo Du didn't mention every place he visited, as they were too scattered to list comprehensively.
"Changlin Road Subway Station has a group of survivors. We haven't made much contact, but there are many young people. May Day Department Store also has a group, about a hundred or so..."
Guo Du shared his knowledge with Su Han. Upon hearing these key pieces of information, Ye Kailing, who was nearby, immediately took out a map and started marking it.
There were three locations in total, one being the Changlin Road Subway entrance, another the May Day Subway entrance, and finally, the May Day Department Store, where there were traces of survivors.
"Actually, there's another subway entrance, the Happiness Road Subway entrance. It's filled with monsters, and we dare not explore it, not worth it."
For people without a stable camp, a subway station is definitely a decent shelter.
With concrete enclosing the space, fixed entry and exit points, and a sturdy structure, if one could block the vehicular tunnels and guard the subway entrance, the entire area could be said to be impregnable.
But Guo Du didn't need that because South City No.2 Middle School was already a decent shelter for him.
Su Han, after listening to Guo Du, simply said, "Anything else?"
"Yes, two more pieces of information."
Guo Du paused briefly before saying, "Monsters are gradually forming groups, whether they are beast type or flesh corpses; they're starting to gather, the only difference being the size of the groups. Also, we encountered a kind of monster that can't be contracted. Once killed, they turn into a pool of gore. They don't just hunt people; they also attack other monsters."
The grouping of monsters and the appearance of special monsters were the pressing reasons for Guo Du's group to urgently become stronger.
If their pace of becoming stronger slowed down, under the monster groups, everything they had might cease to exist.
"Hmm?"
Su Han finally reacted, lifting his gaze slightly, and asked, "Completely blood-red?"
Guo Du was startled and immediately nodded, "Yes, that's exactly it, with pitch-black pupils. Although it's also like a monster, it feels noticeably different from other monsters."
"How many times have you encountered a Chang Beast? Where?"
"Three times, the first was on the edge of Happiness Road, and then these... Chang Beasts just felt like they were getting closer and closer, and there were more of them. The second time was on Changlin Road, the third time was near the streets around South City No.2 Middle School."
Guo Du said with a worried look, "Where exactly they come from, I don't know."
Having shared what he knew, Guo Du couldn't help but turn his gaze to Su Han, his decision would determine if they could acquire the third injection.
"Kailing, take them to Qilan and get three injections, First Order Upper Grade."
"Understood."
Ye Kailing nodded, then got up and looked at the three men, "Come with me."
Guo Du and his companions immediately showed joy and hastily got up, "Thank you, thank you."
The three men quickly followed Ye Kailing out, to exchange outside, which was a plan Su Han originally had.
Bai Qilan was thus already prepared, with injections made from the blood of the Mother Nest Ancient Tree and its Chang Beasts, the strength of which was not low.
What was more important, they all contained the bloodline of Su Han's Angel Envoy.
As soon as Ye Kailing left, Su Han leaned against the sofa, his brows however slightly furrowed.
The matter of the Chang Beasts was clearly not so simple, compared to ordinary monsters, they were more ordered, more... purposeful.
The previous assay by Bai Qilan confirmed Su Han's hint, it was clearly blood paste from two different bodies.
But the results of the assay were highly similar, as if they were from the same monster.
Su Han had already suspected that the Chang Beasts might be the familiars of some powerful monster.
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Guo Du and his party followed Ye Kailing riding the Vine Giant Rat back to Shanhu Villa District, on the way both sides were covered with vines extended from the Mother Nest Ancient Tree, and on these vines, Ancient Tree Crystals grew.
The brightness dispersed the surrounding fog, apart from the street being in disrepair, bloodstains dried up, and the surrounding shops desolate, there was not much difference from before the apocalypse.
At least compared to the ever-looming fog and monsters that could burst out of the milky fog at any moment, this place seemed like heaven.
The three men looked around in wonder, especially Zhao Jijun and Chen Hushan, who had never been here before, looking at Guo Du with eyes full of shock and inquiry.
But where would Guo Du dare to speak? The last time he was here, it had not been like this.
The journey ended outside the iron gates of the Shanhu Villa District, which was likewise guarded by a patrol post.
"Wait here."
Ye Kailing didn't let them follow her in, bringing them here and showing them the secure environment, strong armed forces, and the servile giant rats, was enough to intimidate them.
To put it more precisely, it was to further expand influence.
"Thank you, Captain Ye, you've really helped us."
Guo Du quickly took up the conversation, not showing any bad grace, and followed Ye Kailing into the Shanhu Villa.
Zhao Jijun glanced at the members of the patrol and then whispered, "Guo Du, was it like this already when you last came?"
"Last time?"
Guo Du chuckled bitterly, saying, "Outside certainly wasn't like this, but inside was a hundred times better... no, perhaps even more. How long do you think we'd need to develop to create injections?"
Zhao Jijun and Chen Hushan shook their heads, saying, "Impossible, we don't have any scientists... nor equipment."
They wished it were possible, but they lacked the capability to gather those people and equipment.
Guo Du, of course, knew it was impossible, aside from Su Han's strength, just from what Guo Du knew about the entire camp, there was research, medical treatment, breeding, agriculture... basically, production was starting again.
"With their progress, might Lord Su Han be able to reclaim South City?"
Chen Hushan asked in a muted tone, shocking Guo Du and Zhao Jijun into silence for a while before saying, "Who knows."
Zhao Jijun said, "If that day really comes, we'll just surrender..."
"Who would accept us by then?"
Chen Hushan said self-mockingly, Zhao Jijun's expression changed slightly, he said in a low voice, "So are you willing to give up power? Or give up those women?"
Even if no surrender was needed, who wouldn't want a bit more freedom, control over one's fate?
This is the apocalypse, an era without any order, and there were many things one could do.
"Let's not think too much."
Guo Du quietly stopped the two, speaking seriously, "Making a trade is a good thing, let's see the situation at Happiness Subway Station once we break through, if we can make a Contract, great, otherwise, just understand what kind of monsters they are. Monsters, might also be tradable."
"If it really comes to trading, it's not just monsters and Crystals. If they can sustain those evolved animals, we can also think of some ways; these things are worth more than Crystals, and then we can exchange for more injections."
Even if they had never used the injections before, they had already assumed that it was more formidable than them devouring monsters.