The rain had finally ceased, leaving the air thick with humidity and the ground slick with mud.
Thankfully, Shane and Lysandra were able to trek through the mud because of their decent shoes' effects.
At this mont, their eyes were fixed on the imposing structure ahead.
Needless to say, it was the Nightfall Nexus Clan's camp that had appeared before them. It was a small fortress of wood and steel.
From the outside, they could see tall palisades that had encircled the camp, and watchtowers punctuated the periter, each manned by people ard with rifles.
'Ohh… They have access to high-caliber guns…' Shane mused as he noticed their weapons. There were three Watchtowers in front, and all six guards were carrying a rifle.
'Did they raid a police station or sothing?' As he thought of this, Lysandra slowed down her steps and waved her hand.
It was to tell that they were not Walker Zombies but humans instead.
As they approached the gate, two guards were already waiting for them. Soon, these guards stepped forward, blocking their path. The guards were imposing figures clad in mismatched armor from whatever item of clothing they could find in the Survivor Store.
Their eyes were sharp, scanning Shane and Lysandra for any signs of infection.
"Who are you, and have you been bitten by Zombies?" one of the guards demanded, his voice gruff.
Shane t the guard's gaze, his expression was calm as he replied. "We're here to stay for a night and use the bridge," he replied.
"We're not bitten or injured by any Zombies." Lysandra said.
The guard's stern deanor softened slightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Custors, then. Not beggars looking for food. Great…"
The other guard also smiled as their boss was simply too generous that there would be a few people here who would co from ti to ti to beg for Shelter or food. So of them were Survivors, but there were also those local inhabitants of this continent.
"Alright… I can tell from your eyes you're not infected."
He said to the two before he gestured to the gate behind him.
"It's 80 Zombie Cores to pass through the bridge behind the camp. If you don't have enough, you can sell your items to the guards over there. If you want to stay for the night, it's 3 Zombie Cores for a hammock or 10 Zombie Cores for a single bed. However, entering this gate behind will cost you 1 Zombie Core already."
'Whoa, they could really earn a lot on this.' Shane mused. Eighty Zombie Cores was simply too expensive!
They were simply forcing their custors to sell their weapons where they could easily offer made-up prices.
Furthermore, he recalled that a single-size bed was only worth 15 Zombie Core and a hammock was only worth 3 Zombie Core. However, using them for a single night would actually cost as much!
Lysandra also sighed after realizing how expensive the price was. It was as if they didn't want them to cross the bridge and spend all their money here.
She already estimated that the price would be higher and it could reach 50 Cores. However, she didn't expect that it was even more than that. The toll was steep, but they had little choice.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they're running a gambling den here…" Lysandra muttered as she prepared to pay the fee of 2 Zombie Cores to enter their Shelter.
However, Shane already reached into his pouch and handed over a Zombie Core to the guard. "Here. Let's get this over with."
The guard nodded, pocketing the cores.
"Welco to the Nightfall Nexus Clan's camp. Behave yourselves, and you won't have any trouble."
The other one actually heard Lysandra and was a bit amused.
"How did you know that there is a gambling house here? Hahaha… There are over 400 people here so there should be so sort of entertainnt, right?" The guard laughed as he signaled to open the gates for them.
'Seriously?' Shane helplessly shakes his head after hearing this.
Anyway, as the gate creaked open, Shane and Lysandra stepped inside, their eyes widening at the sight before them.
The camp was bustling with activity, a hive of survivors going about their business.
Makeshift tents and shacks lined the pathways, and the air was filled with the sounds of haggling, laughter, and the occasional argunt.
'Over four hundred people, huh…' Shane repeated in his mind as he didn't expect that this Clan could sustain such a huge population.
After all, the place doesn't seem to have a lot of resources around. It ans that they were probably doing trade.
'No… Marketplace trade has a 20% transaction fee, while 50% for private trading… It's not possible to survive with trading.' Shane mused.
Anyway, after Cloud completed the scan, he confird that there were indeed 439 people in the Shelter. It was a staggering number, given the harshness of the world outside.
He couldn't help but feel impressed with this Clan, although they were charging too much.
The Nightfall Nexus Clan had built a thriving community. Their leaders certainly have the resourcefulness to beco a territory lord.
'Do they also have similar Talent?' Shane mused.
Anyway, Lysandra's eyes darted around after entering, taking in the sights and sounds.
"This place is incredible," she murmured. "I didn't expect to see so many people."
Shane nodded, his mind already working on their next steps.
"Let's find a place to stay for the night and see if we can gather any information about the path ahead. We need to be prepared for whatever cos next." Shane said as he was actually hoping to find clues about the Ancient Oak Moss…
Unfortunately, no one in the Chat or World Chat had an interest in this moss, so no one bothered to reply to his ssage.
Well, it's not surprising since a moss would typically be ignored unless it was similar to the Stone Catcher Moss used by the Ironclad Imperium to repel Zombies.
They made their way through the camp, passing by vendors selling everything from food to weapons. The air was thick with the scent of cooking at and the odor of tal.
At this ti, Shane heard Cloud's report and gently nodded.
'So they're not Survivors from Earth… They're local inhabitants like the wandering rchants or those summoned by recruitnt stones… This is interesting.'
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