*Ding! Recurring quest received: Deliver Imperial Guard dog tags to Lieutenant Rudolf (unlimited quantity).*
Lieutenant Rudolf might not be the most principled officer, but he was a good-hearted man. Besides, he seemed to have good connections upstairs if he managed to get a "Chimera" for his company. It was worth maintaining good relations with him; it could be useful.
Li Qingyu adjusted the rifle straps and nodded: "I'll be visiting the rebels, looking for tags. Remember, you owe me."
He waved his hand and left.
Ten minutes later, he reached the forest near the ventilation shaft. Nearby was a small farm where many planks lay around. He loaded himself with planks to the brim – to the red overload indicator, so his breathing was ragged with every step.
Step by step, he trudged to the entrance of the shaft. Countdown. Evacuation. Successful operation. Value of looted goods: 15,000 talons.
Once in his shelter, Li Qingyu couldn't catch his breath for a long time. This run almost finished him! He collapsed on the bed and immediately passed out.
Waking up, he rubbed his empty stomach and started looking for food.
"Ah, the crackers are gone, and the water too."
Li Qingyu licked his lips. Alright, time to go to the market and stock up.
He got to work. He took the planks, a saw, nails, and assembled an altar, inside which he placed the statue of the Emperor.
*Ding! Emperor's Shrine (Level 1) built. Your shelter is now under the Emperor's protection. Chaos cannot penetrate inside, and corruption will be slowly cleansed.*
Li Qingyu checked the Shrine's functionality. Only one production slot was available. You could load one candle and a flask of water, or a candle and oil, to get Holy Water or Holy Oil. Light the candle, and the Emperor's Power descends upon the reagents. Water production time – 6 hours, oil – 12 hours.
"I don't have any candles, I need to get some."
He decided it was time to visit the market. He threw ten rifles into his backpack, slung it over his back, and with heavy steps headed for the Fertilizer Gang's base.
Half an hour later, breathing heavily, he approached the base gates. The guards spotted him from afar and hurried to meet him. Li Qingyu dropped the bundle of weapons on the floor and took a long breath. Damn it, how heavy, over fifty kilograms. For this journey, his Force even increased by one, becoming 12.
The guards looked at him with bewilderment.
"Ugh, I almost died. Guys, help me carry this. These are guns for your boss Nepal!"
A few minutes later, in a dirty shop, Nepal looked at seven rebel and three army autoguns and whistled.
"Almighty Emperor! My good guest has brought me luck! Friendship and money are on me!"
He pulled a wad of high-denomination coupons from his chest and handed them to Li Qingyu.
*Ding!* Quest completed. Received 33,000 coupons. Merchant Reputation: Level 1. Unlocked items:
Improvised pistol, improvised rifle, heavy-caliber pipe shotgun, ammunition…
Canvas pressed armor (Class 2), canvas helmet (Class 2), industrial gas mask, homemade smoke grenade, crude detonator.
Tools, materials.
Quest completed, reputation increased. Now he could buy cheap junk weapons. The keyword is cheap!
Li Qingyu shoved the money into his pocket and smiled:
"Is there any more work?"
Nepal gestured for the weapons to be taken away and, putting on his professional smile, said:
"My good guest, your weapons have significantly strengthened the Fertilizers gang. Now we look much more confidently towards the Chemical Hounds! But this is not enough. My boss wants to weaken them as much as possible before the war begins. If you want to make money quickly, go to the reactor and hunt the bastards from the Chemical gang. I'll pay 300 coupons for each. And my friendship, of course."
Li Qingyu thought for a moment and asked:
"How do I prove the kill?"
"These chemical freaks tattoo the periodic table on their shoulders. Bring me a piece of skin with the tattoo."
Li Qingyu nodded:
"Alright, if I have time, I'll drop by."
With these words, he left. Leaving the gang's territory, he headed for the general area.
Although the Underhive was a lawless zone ruled by gangs and cartels, many ordinary people lived there. Some toiled in bandit factories, others collected garbage. In general, this mass of ordinary citizens constituted the "safe zone" of the Underhive.
The center of this zone was the Great Lift. It was the only way up to the Middle Hive. Next to it was the sewage collector, through which the lords from above dumped their waste. For the inhabitants of the bottom, this garbage was a treasure that gave life.
The Great Lift also brought exiles from the Middle and Upper Hives down. In a giant city with billions of inhabitants, there were enough criminals. Exiles were dumped almost every day. That's why, despite the monstrous conditions, the Underhive was overcrowded.
Of course, the lords from above, to keep the garbage lying quietly in the dump, sometimes threw in handouts. There were official institutions working at the Lift, trading in essential items.
The Water Guild sold water, Distribution Points sold food starch. There were shops with water purification tablets, cheap medicines, clothes, and tools. This allowed the inhabitants of the Underhive to eke out an existence on the brink, but not to die out en masse, which kept them from rebelling.
Li Qingyu joined the end of a long queue, lowered his head, and began to wait humbly. Hundreds of people stood before him – all waiting for the opportunity to buy water from the Guild.