A Post-Apocalyptic Journey to Another World

The next morning, a long line formed in front of a food distribution point near the city center, where people took out their ID cards to collect their daily basic food rations.

Food is distributed twice a day in Pingyuan City, but only the morning distribution is available to everyone. The evening distribution is only for those who participate in labor; the elderly, weak, women, and children who are unable to work are not included and can only receive food once a day.

Wang Ruilong led Zhang Xi around the long line and into a small alley not far away. There was a small door in the alley, and in front of it lay two burly 'beggars'.

Wang Ruilong casually rolled up his sleeve, revealing a strange pattern on his wrist. One of the 'beggars' glanced at it quickly, then slowly moved aside to make way.

The two pushed open the slightly ajar door and entered a large hall that resembled a waiting room. There were already thirty to fifty people gathered inside, each carrying packages of various sizes.

The two found an empty seat and sat down. Wang Ruilong explained to Zhang Xi, "The pattern on my wrist is the entry code. I'll give you the pattern later, and you can draw it on your wrist whenever you want to come."

Zhang Xi curled his lip and said, "Setting up a black market in a place like a food distribution point! It's darkest under the lamp, they really have some ideas."

“That’s not all, Xi’er, do you know? Several of the city’s top leaders have shares in this black market. That’s the most important protection! The beer we drank yesterday was bought from here.” The chubby guy looked around at the people and continued, “Supplies are scarce, but they’re not distributed equally. They’ve kept a portion for themselves and brought it here to sell. You can even buy cigarettes and alcohol here.”

Non-essential items like cigarettes and alcohol have almost all been discontinued, meaning that every bit used is a finite amount.

Before long, a fire door on the inside of the hall opened, and three people walked out: a middle-aged man in a suit and two security guards carrying new assault rifles.

The man in the suit cleared his throat and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the market is now open. Please enter!"

People stood up and formed a long queue. Each person paid an entrance fee to the man in the suit before entering through the fire door.

Wang Ruilong explained to Zhang Xi, "You have to pay a management fee to enter. You can pay anything, as long as it's something of value. Just a token amount is fine. The management doesn't need the money. They mainly sell scarce resources. People entering the site can also set up stalls. It's all about bartering or exchanging gold and jewelry. The only currency they don't accept here is the Chinese Yuan."

Finally, it was their turn to enter the hall, and the scene before them greatly exceeded Zhang Xi's expectations. It was just like a large shopping mall before the disaster, with a full range of daily necessities, but mostly food.

Moreover, it has become a counter-style operation, with a pretty saleswoman standing in front of each counter, and more security personnel carrying assault rifles.

Wang Ruilong quickly began purchasing, mainly rice and flour. He could only look on longingly at luxuries like vegetables and fruits, as they were too expensive even for the Wang family.

However, Wang Ruilong couldn't bear to buy fruit, so he went to the more expensive tobacco and liquor counter and used five gold bars to buy two bottles of liquor and a carton of cigarettes. He reluctantly handed over the gold bars, took the cigarettes and liquor, patted them with his hand, and said, "Xi'er, this is what my father specifically asked for. He told me that we can go hungry, but we can't neglect to maintain good relations."

Zhang Xi expressed his understanding, saying that wherever there are people, there is a social hierarchy. And wherever there is a social hierarchy, there are its own rules. Like Wang Ruilong's father, he used two gold bars to buy food for his family for a month, but used five gold bars to buy tools for bribing connections.

Seeing that Zhang Xi was only looking and not buying, Wang Ruilong took out a gold bar from his pocket and stuffed it into her hand, saying, "Xi'er, you should buy something too."

Zhang Xi smiled as he accepted the gold bar, touched it, and found that it still had Wang Ruilong's body temperature on it. So gold bars can have a temperature too!

He wasn't short of money, but he accepted the warm gold bar. He said to Wang Ruilong, "Little Fatty, I'm not short of money, but I like this gold bar, so I'll take it. I also prepared a gift for you, but it's not ready yet. I'll be going out of town soon, and I'll give you a surprise when I get back!"

"Surprise! Hehe, are you going to give me a tank?" Wang Ruilong joked, then realized what he meant and asked curiously, "Going out? Do you know how dangerous it is outside the city right now? Why are you going out?"

“Repaying a debt of gratitude, or rather, fulfilling a vow.” Zhang Xi’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment. Old Zhao’s favorite saying seemed to echo in her ears again: “Xi’er! You’re looking for your parents, and I’m looking for my daughter. Your parents are in America, but my daughter is back home, and I can’t find her anywhere… I shouldn’t have left her alone at home.”

If someone is in the same city but cannot be found, there is only one possibility: they have already met with misfortune, and humans are also food for monsters.

Whenever Old Zhao mentions his daughter, he transforms from a tough, resolute man into a rambling old man, occasionally bursting into tears when no one is around. He takes all the blame for his daughter's misfortune upon himself.

Zhang Xi was going to find Old Zhao and his daughter and try to warn them that they had been spared from a life-or-death separation. He knew that Old Zhao hadn't helped him in this life, and didn't even know him. So he didn't intend to repeat his past life's experience of taking risks with Old Zhao; he simply wanted to warn Old Zhao not to be separated from his daughter again.

Zhang Xi was simply fulfilling a personal wish. As for whether he and Lao Zhao would have the chance to become life-and-death friends again, whether they would stay together or part ways, it all depended on fate. After all, everyone has their own destiny and choices, and you can't force things.

In one corner of the black market was a private stall area. Not everyone had enough gold bars, so many people brought valuable items instead.

When bartering, people dissatisfied with the clerk's valuation could set up stalls here. If they were lucky, they could buy two gold bars from something the clerk valued at only one. Therefore, the private stall area was small but very lively.

The stalls were filled with trinkets of considerable value: exquisite porcelain, calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and even a traditional eight-immortal table made of Phoebe zhennan wood. Phoebe zhennan wood is said to be a rare wood more valuable than gold, but unfortunately, no one was interested. The saying goes, "In prosperous times, people collect antiques; in chaotic times, they buy gold." Now, with people's lives precarious, it's clearly not the right time to buy antiques.

Zhang Xi curiously picked up a small enamel bowl, turned it over to examine the bottom, and saw that it was marked "Made in the Kangxi Period," with auction labels next to the mark. He then looked at the stall owner and was startled to discover that the stall owner was a celebrity in Pingyuan City, a renowned antique collector.

Zhang Xi asked the price, and the seller only wanted a 50-gram gold bar. This price was shockingly low; in the past, even a hundred 50-gram gold bars wouldn't have been enough to buy this bowl.

Even with such low prices, the collector's stall remained very quiet. Zhang Xi was only curious; he had no intention of buying anything. All he'd seen along the way were mostly useless items.

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