Regardless of how prosperous the inner city was, the air in the outer city made Tang Ling feel more free.
Men who were drinking in crude taverns and chatting loudly would shout exaggeratedly when they saw Tang Ling, "Look, it's the miracle kid!"
The passionate ladies on the street would stare at Tang Ling with burning gazes and ask in an unusually straightforward manner, "Hey, miracle kid, did anyone tell you that your uniform is cool?"
There was also a middle-aged lady who sold vetiver roasted meat on the street who greeted Tang Ling, "Miracle kid, come and try my roasted meat. My cooking is amazing and my lady is good too. Do you want to marry her and eat delicious roasted meat every day? "
Their admiration and passion for Tang Ling were not concealed at all. The miracle kid from the outer city who got into the First Reserved Camp was a miracle kid.
Oh, right, he had an uncle called Crazy Su Yao. He was a powerful figure, but he also liked to wander around the outer city.
The uncle and nephew duo were the pride of the outer city.
Tang Ling would never reject a cheap and delicious vetiver roasted meat. Even though it was just the most common wild beast meat, it was paired with vetiver from the thick forest that was a little spicy and a little sweet. With a sprinkle of salt and the middle-aged lady's godly cooking skills, was there any better roasted meat than this?
Tang Ling spent five credits to buy a big piece of roasted meat and paired it with a ingredient called scallion that the pancake uncle used. The pancake was fried into a big pancake and Tang Ling ate it happily.
When the juices from the roasted meat seeped into the pancake, Tang Ling bit into the pancake together with the meat.
With a warm smile on his face, Tang Ling tried his best to respond to everyone with warm gazes.
He liked the atmosphere in the outer city. Compared to most of the people in the inner city who were reserved and always acted like they had seen the world and were calm in the face of shock, he obviously liked the noble atmosphere created by the courteous people.
Tang Ling felt like he belonged in the outer city.
It was direct, violent, and undisguised. His emotions were boiling in the air, and between the sunrise and sunset, it would never be extinguished by the atmosphere of the city.
There was no need for grandeur. The crude atmosphere was like the roasted meat pancake in his hand. It would always bring satisfaction and the right amount of texture.
In his dream, he, his mother-in-law, and his sister should live happily under this atmosphere, even though there would be many hardships, and even though they would not feel friendly at the beginning.
But once integrated, it will be very intimate.
As long as she could light up the fireplace every night and have dinner with her mother-in-law and sister, her bitterness would immediately turn into fulfillment.
Tang Ling felt a dull pain in his heart, but the smile on his face did not fade away. Even his eating speed did not slow down.
After some thought, he spent some more credits to buy some food on the street. Carrying the food in his hand, he walked towards a remote alley.
Su Yao said that it was their temporary home.
He had also said that as long as he didn't go out, he would most likely stay at home.
Tang Ling was not worried about missing out because Su Yao had only been away for a month because of his dream entry, so he should not be going anywhere for the time being. Moreover, Su Yao did not seem to have any intention of going anywhere again.
However, Su Yao was obviously a liar. When Tang Ling opened the door, there was no one in the house. The fireplace was cold and there was not even any ashes. The rough furniture was covered in a layer of dust, which meant that Su Yao would never come here.
"Liar." Tang Ling tilted his head and grumbled, but he was not in a hurry. He turned around and strode towards the other direction.
He would be the last one to cultivate anyway, so with the communicator that he had swindled from Yang Kong, he was not afraid of wasting his time.
Su Yao might not be going anywhere, but he must be there.
The Luxurious Hotel.
The place was not luxurious at all. It was no different from the other stone houses that were built with black rocks.
Of course, maybe because of the owner's weird sense of aesthetics, he tried his best to decorate the place with red and green leaves, but it made people feel like the place was a circus from the old civilization.
Tang Ling sighed emotionally when he saw the place. This place was his first stop since he entered Safety Sector No. 17. He had been standing weakly beside the window of one of the rooms for eight hours just to see the entire Safety Sector in his heart. He wanted to tell his grandmother and sister what kind of place they yearned for.
How sad and sorrowful would he have been back then? Now, the sorrow did not lessen at all. Instead, the sorrow was shared by the people around him.
Even so, he would still be lost in the future. What would be the direction of his life after he took his revenge?
As a matter of fact, the support that Tang Ling had lost had yet to be replenished. Hatred would not be his support in life forever.
Tang Ling, who was usually a rascal, sighed with emotion, but he was soon interrupted by Aunt Rona's bashful laughter and Su Yao's rather shameless, rough laughter.
'It's really here.' Tang Ling thought in disdain, but he still dashed into the Luxurious Hotel in high spirits.
It was a familiar face, the miracle kid. Moreover, the crazy Su Yao would soon be one of his own.
The owner of the Luxurious Hotel did not stop Tang Ling at all, allowing him to dash into the hotel.
Aunt Rona's room was at the end of the first floor of the hotel. During the evening, when it was not busy, she would not be in the kitchen. Instead, she would be in her room.
Moreover, Su Yao and her laughter stated where they were.
"Aunt Rona." Tang Ling ran to the end of the first floor of the hotel. For some reason, he missed the kind woman who gave him two warm eggs and cooked for him before the exam.
The wooden door of the room was not sturdy, so Tang Ling barged in.
Before he could see anything clearly, he heard Aunt Rona scream. Then, he saw Aunt Rona and Su Yao lying on the bed.
Aunt Rona shrieked and shrunk into Su Yao's arms.
Su Yao shamelessly did not even cover himself properly with the blanket. His buff back and half of his butt were exposed as he blocked Aunt Rona's view.
He was extremely angry as he turned around and shouted at Tang Ling, "You little bastard! Do you want me to kick you out?!"
Tang Ling's face was so red that one could boil a pot of water. His body was stiff, and he instinctively wanted to step out.
A man? A woman? And then … naked together?
Tang Ling's innocence was not to be doubted. The only time a 15-year-old boy fell in love with a woman was the faint memory of his forehead being touched by a woman's lips.
However, it turned into a tragedy in his dream. Even though it was not real, it sealed Tang Ling's budding interest in a relationship.
From then on, he devoted himself to cultivation and sketched out the traces of schemes in the complicated messy situation. He hoped to find a space in the middle where he could carefully survive.
He would be injured at any time and would recover at any time. He was exhausted just to fill his stomach.
Perhaps because of that, the physiological throbbing of youth was neglected. Was there a possibility? Who the hell knew if there were any? Tang Ling did not know.
The scene was a strong impact on Tang Ling. He felt like he understood something in his heart, but it was not clear at the same time.
Tang Ling stood at the door helplessly, but he made up his mind. Should I talk to Orston about these things?
Andy might not be able to do it because his hobby was to discuss the literature of the old civilization with the girls.
Yu might even be worse than him. Could he tell the difference between a man and a woman until now?
Vivian and Christina? No. Tang Ling somehow felt terrified when he thought about it. Would he be beaten to death?
While Tang Ling's mind was filled with all sorts of messy thoughts, a series of rustling noises came from the room. Finally, Su Yao's heavy voice sounded extremely displeased. "Get your * ss in here!"
Tang Ling walked into the room, feeling a little embarrassed to face Aunt Rona.
Aunt Rona, who was already dressed, seemed to have noticed something funny. When she walked past Tang Ling, she could not help but chuckle out loud. She even pinched Tang Ling's red cheeks and looked at the depressed Su Yao. "Su, it seems like you didn't teach our Tang Ling well enough. Look at him, girls will laugh at him for being a man."
Laugh at me? Tang Ling was upset! Would he not be laughed at if he took off his clothes and kissed her?
Rona did not say anything else. Compared to the old civilization, some things in this era had greatly regressed.
When survival was not easy, reproduction became more important. A 15-year-old girl could barely get married. Of course, it was rare to see such a situation, but 17 was the perfect age for marriage.
Therefore, when it came to certain things, there were too many people who matured early. Tang Ling's innocence was rare.
"I'll get you something to eat. Do you want some wine, Su?" Su? "Aunt Rona's eyes were filled with gentleness.
"Of course. It's best if the wine is warm at night, "Su Yao simply replied. He pulled a stool over and sat down, signaling Tang Ling to sit down.
**
Of course, Su Yao and Tang Ling would not talk about men.
As Tang Ling's elder, Su Yao, who was not meticulous, would never ask for it. Everything would come naturally.
"What if I just give him some money? Should I throw him somewhere else? "Su Yao's idea was straightforward.
So, now they were talking about credits.
Su Yao straightened his neck, his veins popping out as he slammed the table and roared, "You bastard! You want me to pay 100,000 credits?!"
"I'm borrowing," Tang Ling corrected Su Yao's choice of words righteously.
"What are you going to pay me back with? Don't talk to me about working. If you dare, I'll beat you up until you can't even crawl out of this hotel. "Su Yao lit up a cigarette.
A thought later, he tossed another at Tang Ling's face.
Tang Ling also lit up his cigarette and said, "I won't say that. But Uncle Su Yao, isn't it worth it to invest in a future Purple Moon Warrior? "
"F * ck off! I've seen more Purple Moon Warriors than Harsheen boars! I can invest in anyone, but why would I want to invest in you? Besides, with that gluttonous appetite of yours, do you think I haven't invested in you? "Su Yao glanced at Tang Ling in disdain.
"This is the beginning of my payback. I'll buy you and Aunt Rona some food." Tang Ling placed the pork and pancakes on the table.
"I can afford it." Su Yao casually flipped the biscuit, looking disdainful, but in fact, he had already picked up a piece of biscuit with the roasted meat. He opened his mouth and gobbled it up.
"You … better speak like a human and try to convince me. Otherwise, I have a hundred reasons to beat you up for asking me for 100,000 credits, "Su Yao mumbled as he chewed on the food in his mouth.
Tang Ling did not say anything as he unbuttoned his uniform.
"What are you doing, you little bastard?" Su Yao's eyelid twitched. Why is he unbuttoning his uniform in front of me?
Tang Ling did not have the intention to do so. He removed his uniform and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the ghastly wounds on his body.
Although the wounds started to heal due to Tang Ling's astonishing regenerative ability, many of the wounds were still bloody.
Su Yao was stunned for a moment before he reacted to the situation. He stood up excitedly. "You little bastard! Did you enter the dream and pass? "
"If I didn't pass, how could I stand before you in one piece?" Tang Ling retorted with a question. "I passed. Very well, but it wasn't easy. Fortunately, I'm still qualified to enter the dream. "
"That's great!" Su Yao was very excited. He could not help but pat Tang Ling's back.
Tang Ling clenched his teeth in pain, but he could not hope for comfort from Su Yao.
Therefore, he said, "That's why I'm short on resources. I've prepared enough resources to last me for a while. 2.5 kgs of Level 2 vicious beast meat was used up during the dream.
"On top of that, after I entered the dream, I started to cultivate. Coincidentally, I got something from the Mysterious Store. This is it. "Tang Ling took the precious Thousand Satin Skill Addendum out from his backpack.
He had nothing to hide from Su Yao. If Su Yao also needed the addendum, he would share it with him without a second thought.
Su Yao looked calm, but the twitching muscles at the corner of his mouth indicated that he was hiding some kind of emotion.
He picked up the addendum from the table and flipped through it. He asked with uncertainty, "You got this?"
"More than that. I … "Tang Ling wanted to continue, but Su Yao waved his hand to stop him.
With the cigarette in his mouth, Su Yao looked at the night sky outside the window. He went silent for a while before he said, "Fine, I get it. You need resources, but relying on other people's credits isn't the best solution.
"I thought about taking care of it myself, but I don't want to slow down. If I cultivate according to this addendum, plus the consumption from the dream, my resources will be cut off. Even if I risk my life to hunt, I won't be able to keep up. "Tang Ling was straightforward.
"I understand." Su Yao did not say anything else. He stood up and put on his coat. He told Tang Ling to put on his uniform and follow him out of the room.
It could not be helped. A seedling that had just grown was the weakest, but it needed the most resources.
Just like human babies, they require the most abundant nutrients to promote growth at a young age.
Su Yao had to take care of Tang Ling at all costs. He was not a lucky kid. He did not deserve to suffer like this.
Tang Ling caught up to Su Yao.
The two of them ran into Aunt Rona in the corridor with a bowl of hot soup. She asked in shock, "Aren't you guys having dinner?"
"Let's go do something first. We'll come back for dinner later," Su Yao said.
Under the night sky, Su Yao strode forward with Tang Ling. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the inn that they had been to before.
The inn's business was still bad, but the strange owner did not seem to care. Su Yao brought Tang Ling forward and said, "Open the secret passage. I'm bringing him to the black market."
"Now?" The boss didn't say much and simply asked.
"Yes, now." Su Yao was straightforward.
Tang Ling was slightly surprised. He said, "Uncle Su Yao, you really know about the black market."
"Do you know about it too?" It was Su Yao's turn to be shocked.
"I know." Of course, Tang Ling would tell Su Yao about his experience. As a matter of fact, he had told Su Yao a lot last time, but due to the limited time, he skipped out on some of the less important details.
The trade in the black market was not that important to Tang Ling.
Su Yao looked a little heavy, but he obviously did not want to ask too much at the moment. It was at that moment that the owner brought two black hooded mantles and two wooden masks over.
Su Yao helped Tang Ling get dressed before they headed to the back of the bar. The owner of the bar had opened a hidden wooden door on the wooden wall, revealing a dark passageway behind the door.
Su Yao led Tang Ling into the passage in silence. After walking for a few dozen meters in the dark, they saw dim oil lamps.
The passage was no longer a one-way street. Instead, there were many complicated passages that intertwined with each other.
Tang Ling remembered the map that Tony, the black market trader, had given him. There were 12 secret entrances to the black market on the map, but the one that Su Yao led him into was not included.
How many entrances were there to the black market? Was the entire Safety Sector No. 17 riddled with holes? If so, it was not surprising that the underground passages were intertwined with each other.
However, how powerful was the black market? Was it really just controlled by the higher-ups of Safety Sector No. 17?
"Kid, you better tell me every detail about your contact with the black market." Su Yao lowered his voice, but he did not sound like he was joking.
Tang Ling knew that Su Yao must have something serious to ask him.
He dared not hide anything, so he told Su Yao everything that happened between him and Tony, including how many times they traded, what they traded, and the deal that Yu participated in. He told Su Yao everything.
Su Yao was quiet along the way. Even after Tang Ling told him everything, he did not say a word. Instead, he was deep in thought.
"Uncle Su Yao, did I leave some serious consequences behind?" Tang Ling was smart. He connected the dots, but he was not sure.
"Tang Ling, do you know how big this world is?" Su Yao did not answer Tang Ling's question right away. Instead, he asked a question that was completely irrelevant.
"I don't know." Of course, Tang Ling did not know. He had never stepped out of Safety Sector No. 17's territory.
"So, I'll tell you the answer now. This world is huge, even bigger than the old civilization. "Su Yao's tone was heavy.
However, Tang Ling was confused. What did he mean by bigger than the old civilization? How should he understand that?
Su Yao did not have the intention to explain. Instead, he said, "If it's big enough, after a hundred years, humans will be able to catch a breather and regain some of their vitality, which means that the population has increased. Plus, the world is in a mess and has yet to be unified. What kind of answer will you get? "
"It will be chaotic. I mean, the factions are complicated." Tang Ling grasped the key point right away.
Su Yao grabbed Tang Ling's shoulder tightly and said softly, "That's what I mean. The most chaotic part is the black market. It's a place where all the factions have a hand in. Other than selling resources, it also sells information. Do you understand now? It's the biggest source of information! "
"Then, doesn't that mean I've left a big loophole?" Tang Ling confirmed his speculations right away.
If Tony leaked the trade between him and Tang Ling, a slight analysis would expose his true strength.
Even though Tang Ling used Yu as a cover, Su Yao's identity was still a mystery.
"It's not that serious now. Show me the badge that Tony gave you if you have it with you, "Su Yao asked Tang Ling.
Tang Ling liked to put the important things in his backpack. After a quick search, he realized that the badge was still in his backpack.
Su Yao took the badge and checked it carefully. He then told Tang Ling, "It's not that serious. The badge wasn't tampered with either. That's because you've come in contact with a trader from the lowest level of the black market, and you've even made a reasonable cover up … It's just that the Level 3 mutated insect is still a small loophole … However, with the Level 3 vicious beast meat, I'll make up for it.
"Of course, all of this is under the premise that you're not under special attention. By the way, is Yu reliable? "
"Very reliable." Tang Ling did not elaborate and gave his answer directly.
"It's only right to trust one's partner. Even if one has to go through pain, there will always be a partner that one can trust. "Surprisingly, Su Yao did not question Tang Ling's firm belief in him.
"Uncle Su Yao, is there a hierarchy in the black market? Even in Safety Sector No. 17? "Tang Ling had doubts in his heart. Perhaps getting to the bottom of it would help him in the future.
"Of course there are different levels! The small Safety Sector No. 17 can't possibly stop the existence of the black market. The only thing they can do is get a slice of the pie, but even so, the black market controlled by the higher-ups of Safety Sector No. 17 is the lowest level, "Su Yao explained briefly.
"What about the high-end black market?" Tang Ling was looking forward to it.
"High-end? Hmph, the high-end black market. You can even contact the scientists. "Su Yao tried to lighten the mood, but his furrowed brows did not relax under the mask.
Tang Ling could not see anything behind the mask.
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