Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 241 Capsule Warehouse

The voice was loud and clear, carrying the kind of inflammatory enthusiasm unique to street vendors, and clearly reached everyone's ears.

The advertisements directly addressed the most pressing needs of those who had just escaped from the freezing cold, still damp and shaken – to ward off the cold, keep warm, and prevent illness.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see a small, eye-catching stall that had appeared at the intersection of a slightly wider passageway not far away. The stall owner was a lean man who looked to be around forty years old, wearing an old but clean dark blue blouse.

His "shop" is a carefully modified food truck, not the kind of pure transport tool that Xu Xiaoyan used before, but a functional food truck that integrates a simple stove, storage cabinet and display stand.

The main frame of the food cart is reinforced metal, and the four wheels underneath are wide and sturdy, allowing it to be pushed stably on uneven ground.

One side of the vehicle opens up, revealing a folding panel that serves as a control panel. On top of this panel is a small metal bucket that is bubbling and steaming.

A rich, spicy-sweet aroma of ginger tea wafted from there, particularly enticing in the damp, chilly, and slightly rancid air.

Next to the control panel were several stacked, relatively clean disposable plastic cups, while the other side and front of the vehicle were decorated with slogans and prices in bright paint.

More importantly, Xu Xiaoyan immediately noticed a relatively well-made metal plaque hanging at the top of the side of the food cart, which clearly read "Underground City C Area Mobile Vendor Permit No. 086".

The ginger tea itself held little appeal for her; what truly made her heart race was the meaning behind the license plate!

It has a serial number! And it's an officially recognized "street vendor permit" from "Dungeon C District"!

This is not just a simple identification mark; it proves that there are officially permitted commercial or material exchange activities in the dungeon, at least in Zone C.

Since there is a license number, there is a high probability that there is a corresponding management mechanism – it could be an application channel, a code of conduct, or even… an official or semi-official way to obtain certain basic raw materials!

The stall owner must have a way of getting ginger, sugar, water, and energy to heat the tea to sell "freshly made" ginger tea here. The source of these materials is exactly what Xu Xiaoyan is most concerned about right now!

In an instant, the vague idea in her mind about how to survive safely in Zone C and find a way out for the "unknown origin" supplies in her space quickly became clear and concrete.

In an environment like Zone C, the things in her space are definitely valuable commodities! Especially relatively "fresh" or durable foods.

The problem has always been how to safely bring them into the light and convert them into the points or other resources she needs without arousing suspicion.

Selling it directly? The risk is too high; the source cannot be explained.

Private transactions? There's a lack of channels, and they're easily exposed.

Now, the mobile vendor in front of her, number "086," and his cart with the official license plate, provided her with a near-perfect solution template!

If... if she could also find a way to get such a "street vendor" identity and a cart?

Once the idea took hold, it grew wildly in her heart like weeds.

The identity of a street vendor is an excellent cover; she can claim that she obtained a small amount of goods through certain "channels" and then process or sell them directly.

The mobility of the cart means that she doesn't have to stay in one place, which reduces the risk of being repeatedly observed and questioned by the same group of people.

They can flexibly choose relatively safe areas with moderate foot traffic to operate in.

This opportunity can also be used to explore the environment and rules of different areas in Zone C more naturally, and to gather information for finding a way back to Zone B.

That small license plate is the "legal cover" for the source of all her "goods".

Although the specific application process and requirements are unclear, this is at least a visible and possible path, which is much safer than her wandering around aimlessly or taking the risk of black market transactions.

At this moment, a large number of people had quickly gathered around the ginger tea stall. Although the overall conditions in Zone C might not be as good as those in Zone B, there were still some people who had some savings or were eager to solve their immediate problem of being cold.

A cup of hot ginger tea for 1 point seems incredibly tempting, especially for someone who has just survived a life-or-death ordeal, is soaked and cold, and is afraid of getting sick. Many people pulled out their ID wristbands or simple points cards and eagerly handed them over.

"Give me a drink!"

"Me too! Hurry, I'm freezing!"

"Boss, could you give me more ginger?"

"Can I use this old thermal underwear to earn some points?"

The stall owner was extremely busy, his face beaming with joy. He deftly ladled ginger tea and handed out cups, all the while continuing to call out to customers and offer reassurance.

"Yes, yes, we have everything! Don't rush! We'll do it in order! There's plenty of ginger! Please let me know you need to see the points transaction information before you even have a cup of ginger tea, thank you for your understanding!"

Xu Xiaoyan also quietly moved closer to the outer edge of the crowd. Instead of rushing forward, she lowered the brim of her hat to make sure that most of her face was covered, and focused her gaze on the cart and the stall owner.

She carefully examined the cart, wondering how much storage space it had.

How do stall owners conduct transactions?

How to handle different customer requests and potential disputes?

At the same time, they were also paying attention to the reactions and conversations of the people around them, trying to capture more information about the "mobile vendors".

Of course, she was keenly aware of the difficulties and risks involved; obtaining a "street vendor permit" was by no means easy.

She might need resources or connections that she doesn't currently have, and running a street stall would expose her to more people's attention, requiring superb acting skills and adaptability.

In any case, this sudden clue pointed her to a path that might lead to relative safety and initiative in the chaotic quagmire of Zone C.

After thinking it through, she quietly stepped back, turned around and left the bustling ginger tea stall. She closed her eyes tightly, and when she opened them again, her vision was blurry and double.

She had no doubt that if she didn't find a safe place to lie down and let her extremely tense nerves and exhausted body catch its breath, she might really die suddenly.

Forcing herself to stay, Xu Xiaoyan began looking for signs or places to go. She quickly noticed that the resettlement guidance model in Area C was completely different from the "housing allocation center" in Area B, which involved a lottery system.

The signage here was unusually simple and crude. At the intersection of several main passageways or on relatively open walls, she saw huge, crude arrows and the words "[Rental Office]" painted in bright fluorescent paint.

There is no "housing allocation" or "registration center," only "rental." This word itself implies the temporary, paid, and fluid nature of the right to reside in Zone C, which contrasts sharply with the promise of "permanent use rights" in Zone B.

Following the directional arrows, she arrived at a more spacious hall with a slightly higher ceiling, where the light was much brighter.

There were no staff members in the hall, no queues or numbers, and not even many seats. The hall was mostly occupied by rows of familiar-looking machines.

Xu Xiaoyan recognized these machines at a glance—their shape and style were almost identical to the self-service rental terminals she had seen at the “Housing Rental Office” in the outer city!

The boxy, grayish-white metal casing features a slightly tilted touchscreen on the front and a fingerprint sensor and paper dispenser on the side.

However, there are many more machines here, perhaps because there are enough machines, or perhaps because the entry of personnel into Zone C is done in batches and continuously.

There was far less instantaneous peak pressure caused by the simultaneous influx of qualified individuals from Zone B; at this moment, the number of people queuing in front of each machine was not large.

Xu Xiaoyan quickly glanced around and saw that most teams only had twenty or thirty people.

People lined up in silence, their faces mostly showing the weariness of relocation and the bewilderment of the new environment; few spoke.

The queue moved at a speed that was visibly fast, far exceeding the long and agonizing wait in front of the housing allocation center in Zone B.

This efficiency put Xu Xiaoyan at ease. She didn't have time to choose carefully, so she randomly picked the last line of the fastest-moving queue and stood there, trying to concentrate her scattered attention and observe the actions of the people in front of her.

Sure enough, it was very quick. She only had to wait for less than twenty minutes before it was her turn. The person in front of her silently took the slip of paper that the machine had spat out and left without expression.

Xu Xiaoyan stepped forward and stood in front of the machine. The screen sensed someone approaching and automatically lit up, displaying a simple main interface.

It was only then that she understood why the rental process here was so fast.

Goodness, it really is just a pure rental machine!

There are no input options on the screen; it's like an old-fashioned street vending machine or locker that only recognizes the "transaction" itself.

The main interface has only three large option buttons with icons and text:

[Personal Rental]

【Double room rental】

[Family Rental]

Xu Xiaoyan raised her finger and selected "Personal Rental".

The screen immediately switched to a time selection interface: rent by day or rent by month.

The price is clearly marked next to it:

Daily rental: 1 point/day

Monthly fee: 25 points/month

She didn't dare choose the monthly rental option. Firstly, she wasn't sure if she really needed to stay in Zone C for a full month. Secondly, she was worried that spending too many points at once would put her in a passive position in a completely unfamiliar environment.

After thinking about it, she decided to rent it for 5 days first.

This period should be enough for her to recover her strength, observe the environment, and try to start her "street vendor plan." If the situation changes or needs to be extended after 5 days, it is not too late to renew the lease.

After she selected "5 days" and confirmed the payment, the machine emitted a slight "humming" sound, and the screen prompted: "Please place any one of your fingerprints on the scanner to complete the rental binding and access control authorization."