32: Chapter 32 Preparations Before Hunting the Ferocious Beast
It is very common for ability users to leave the city for the wilderness to hunt ferocious beasts.
Once an industrial chain is formed, it drives the creation of a series of businesses. This naturally includes markets providing logistics for ability users.
It's called a "black" market! But this "black" doesn't mean it's illicit; it means it operates in the shadows.
Ability users always have some equipment or treasures that need trading.
However, the prices at official purchasing centers are too low, so many ability users are unwilling to sell their items there.
Eventually, this led to the formation of "black" markets composed of ability users.
The Huaxia officials naturally know about the existence of these "black" markets.
But since suppression is less effective than guidance, the officials haven't crushed them; instead, they allow the "black" markets to develop.
They simply manage the "black" markets on a macro level.
"Junior Brother, the 'black' market is just ahead. Tell me what you want to buy, and I'll take you straight there."
"Combat suit, medicine, supplies..." Su Mu listed the items he needed as they came to mind.
"Hmm? You're not buying a weapon?"
"I have a weapon left behind by my family; it's enough for me for now."
Mu Feng nodded.
"Then let's go buy a combat suit first! Come on, it's just ahead."
Mu Feng led Su Mu directly through the "black" market.
Although called a "black" market, it was actually more like a shopping mall with six floors, each offering different types of goods.
After browsing for about an hour, Su Mu had bought everything he needed.
A C-rank combat suit, various medicines, and food supplies.
Su Mu spent a total of 1.2 million.
It was still a bit painful to part with that much money.
"Senior Sister, how do I go to the wilderness to hunt ferocious beasts? I heard Director He mention a shuttle that goes directly to the beast areas."
"There is one, but it's a bit troublesome. Only students of Modu Ability University can take that shuttle, and since you haven't enrolled yet, your information isn't in the school system."
Su Mu frowned; this was indeed a bit problematic.
"Is there any other way?"
There was at least a week before school started! Su Mu was a bit impatient to go hunt ferocious beasts.
"Take my student card! However, the credits you earn from hunting beasts will be recorded under my name."
Mu Feng felt a bit embarrassed, as if she were tricking her junior brother into working for her.
"Deal!"
Su Mu didn't care about those credits; the most important thing right now was to harvest conversion pointss.
Taking Mu Feng's student card, Su Mu took the shuttle line to the beast area under the cover of night.
The school's shuttle was a point-to-point high-speed rail that didn't stop at all in between.
Therefore, it was extremely fast, arriving at Qingyuan Base in about two hours.
Although it only took two hours, Modu was actually quite far from here.
The shuttle subway itself was very fast, and it traveled at its maximum speed the entire way.
In two hours, it had actually traveled over a thousand kilometers.
Qingyuan Base—true to its name—had many rivers in the area.
Su Mu walked straight into the base.
To leave the base and hunt beasts, one first had to process some documents.
Furthermore, the base provided accommodation for ability users hunting beasts, though the free options were the worst.
If you wanted to live comfortably, you had to pay extra.
There was a large building at the back of the base that, besides offering services for purchasing beast materials and exotic plants, also housed several hotels.
With complete facilities, these also served ability users, as most would live at the base for long periods.
There were many ability users who made a living by hunting ferocious beasts.
"Hello! All your documents have been processed."
As she spoke, the waitress handed Su Mu a set of documents and a map.
"This is a paper map. I suggest you go to the trading post at the back and buy a Satellite Bracelet."
Su Mu tucked away the paper map and headed toward the trading post.
The Satellite Bracelet was similar to the point-tracking bracelet issued during the Ability College Entrance Examination, which included a map function.
However, since Satellite Bracelets were electronic products, they might malfunction in strong magnetic environments in the wilderness.
If that happened, one risked getting lost without a paper map.
Nevertheless, a Satellite Bracelet was ultimately more convenient.
Su Mu walked toward the trading post at the back.
But he was stopped by a man.
"Little brother, do you need a Satellite Bracelet?"
Su Mu glanced at the person who called out to him. He was a lean, scrawny man with sunken eyes.
He looked like he would fall over with a single puff of wind.
The way he looked at Su Mu was as if he were looking at a fat sheep ready for slaughter.
"Little brother, this must be your first time at Qingyuan Base, right?
You can't be without a Satellite Bracelet when hunting beasts in the wilderness."
As he spoke, he pulled several bracelets from his hand.
Su Mu glanced at the trading post in the distance and then back at the man.
'Is something wrong with this guy's head?'
"How much for your bracelets?"
Su Mu found it strange, but out of politeness, he asked anyway.
"One hundred thousand each!"
The man rubbed his hands, staring at Su Mu.
Su Mu sneered. "It seems I'm being treated like a sucker!"
The function of these Satellite Bracelets was very basic, with almost no other features.
They were worth ten thousand at most, yet this man had the audacity to ask for a hundred thousand.
Ignoring the man, Su Mu continued walking toward the trading post.
"Little brother, if you ask for the price, you have to buy. Don't you know the rules?"
The man's expression turned fierce as he stepped in front of Su Mu to block him, looking as if he were saying Su Mu had to buy it whether he wanted to or not.
Su Mu looked at the man with disdain, not saying a word.
"Kid, let me tell you, now that you're at Qingyuan Base, even if you're a dragon, you'd better coil up; even if you're a tiger, you'd better crouch down.
Especially since you're just a weak First-order Ability User."
Just as Su Mu was about to speak,
A hearty laugh came from behind.
"Hahaha! I was wondering who it was. So it's Master Bu Chang!
Bullying newcomers here again? This is all the skill you have."
Su Mu looked in the direction of the voice. A tall young man with a cheerful expression was walking toward them.
Seeing the man approach, Bu Chang's expression changed.
"Senior Duan Tao, what do you want? Stop meddling; this is none of your business."
"What? I've come to buy a Satellite Bracelet from Master Bu. Are you not selling?"
Senior Duan Tao's gaze was sharp, and his tone was no longer as calm as before.
"Hmph—"
Bu Chang muttered a curse under his breath and left.
Su Mu looked at Senior Duan Tao and cupped his hands.
"Thank you, brother!"
"Don't mention it. We are both students of Modu University; helping each other is only natural!"
"Hmm? How did Brother Duan know I was a student of Modu Ability University?"
Senior Duan Tao gave a hearty laugh.
"I just saw you come out of the Modu Ability University shuttle line, so I knew!"
Su Mu realized. It was already the middle of the night, and with so few people around, it wasn't surprising he'd been seen.
"However, the freshmen haven't started school yet, and it's impossible for a sophomore to have never been to Qingyuan Base for a whole year, right?"
Senior Duan Tao looked at Su Mu with a very strange expression.
"Senior Duan, I'm a freshman this year, but I came to the school early."
Knowing Senior Duan Tao's identity, Su Mu immediately addressed him as "Senior."
"But if school hasn't started and your information isn't registered, how did you take the shuttle?"
"Uh! That's not convenient to say."
Su Mu figured that using someone else's student card to hunt beasts was probably against the rules, so he didn't say.
"Alright! Anyway, as long as I can confirm you're a student of Modu Ability University.
Qingyuan Base is different from the city; the rules here are loose, so be careful."
After saying that, Senior Duan Tao left.