Chapter 152: City of Radiation

Chapter 152: The City of Radiation

After receiving the gold from the Ring Bazaar, the Chen Jian squad’s gold reserves reached sixty thousand grams.

If we convert that sum using the basic price level for everyday necessities in this world, it amounts to roughly six million of the old world’s currency.

But if we measure it against industrial goods like bullets, the money in their hands is worth barely sixty thousand units.

The chasm between industry and agriculture is laid bare in the price differentials, so although the sum looks substantial, what it can actually purchase is rather meager.

On the road to Tongling, Chen Jian meticulously plotted the use of those funds.

He studied each settlement’s functional attributes and resource environment, selling food for scrap in places lacking provisions, and trading scrap for hand‑crafted earthen weapons and tools where those were scarce.

Finally, he would exchange those tools at the next settlement for food whose price remained relatively stable, using it as a hedge against risk.

By this modestly clever commerce, by the time they reached Tongling the squad had already earned over a hundred grams of gold.

That amount is of course not great, but the true significance lay in having opened a trade route and grasped the world’s commercial system.

In that regard, Chen Jian harvested many insights.

“The nearer one gets to a large settlement, the lower the price of food.”

“Conversely, the price of weapons and tools spikes far above that of the surrounding small settlements.”

“This situation is strikingly counter‑intuitive; in theory, the smaller settlements that lack the protection of a great power should have a higher demand for security.”

“Yet the current reality is the exact opposite.”

“It means that small settlements are not truly self‑sustaining; they do not lack tools and weapons, they simply seldom need them.”

“Aside from key nodes along the trade route, such as Wuxue Town, most small settlements are in perpetual migration.”

“That aligns with the very style of their dwellings.”

“Thus, from this premise we may adjust our strategy.”

“We can lure small settlements toward Huangshi City with abundant food, swelling our population.”

“During their migration, the civilians of those hamlets will also bring a modest amount of production tools.”

“If they can sustain themselves to any degree, a virtuous cycle will quickly blossom around Huangshi City.”

“When the populace and armed strength grow enough to drive away the monsters, our base will be essentially secure.”

Chen Jian spoke while updating his assessment on his PDA; He Shuo corrected some details, and after the whole team reviewed it, they filed it into the intelligence archive.

Ji Xing watched their motions with curiosity, and when she noticed the intricate records displayed on the PDA screen, she could not help but exclaim:

“What you are doing is much like the chroniclers of the Mechanical Cult.”

“They also keep records of such things, but their purpose seems different from yours.”

“So what is their purpose?”

Chen Jian asked.

“I don’t know; perhaps they simply wish to document their own deeds.”

“That cannot be.”

Chen Jian shook his head and said:

“The Mechanical Cult has grown to its present magnitude, proving it is far from a hollow name.”

“Though outwardly they often appear foolish, you must never doubt the wisdom of their core.”

“The very creation of the ‘chronicler’ role shows they have recognized the importance of archives and records.”

“That alone reflects their level of sophistication.”

“It seems reasonable, yet I cannot grasp it.”

Ji Xing shrugged, pointing at the faintly outlined city in the distance, and said:

“Ahead lies Tongling City; we are about to arrive.”

“Tongling City?”

Chen Jian asked in astonishment:

“Are you sure that isn’t the Tongling Ruins?”

Before Ji Xing could answer, Zeng Yi interjected:

“Tongling City is unlike other cities; it is built directly upon the ruins.”

“The monsters here were cleared long ago; though later monsters still drift toward Tongling, they generally skirt the city.”

“Thus the environment of Tongling City is quite safe.”

“Except”

Zeng Yi began to speak but stopped; Chen Jian pressed on:

“Except what?”

“Except that the people there are rather abnormal.”

Ji Xing, standing nearby, explained bluntly:

“They are not monsters, yet they bear monster‑like traits.”

“One could call them monster traits, but they differ from the monsters we know.”

“More precisely, the inhabitants there have an extraordinarily high deformity rate and a very short lifespan.”

“Nevertheless, this is still a normal human‑controlled city.”

High deformity rate, short lifespan?

Chen Jian’s face was a mask of question marks.

Those two keywords could only summon one notion in his mind.

Radiation.

But Tongling has no nuclear plant; where does the radiation come from?

Perhaps only after entering Tongling City will he obtain the answer he seeks.

Thus, the eight‑person squad hesitated little, crossed the bridge, and headed straight for Tongling.

The vegetation nearby was luxuriant, yet the road bore clear signs of having been cleared, and the cat‑cart moved swiftly.

An hour later, they reached the outskirts of Tongling’s residential district, concealed the cat‑cart, left He Shuo, Shen Yue, Li Shi, and Zeng Yi to guard, and Chen Jian led the other three into the city.

The edifices of the old era rose before his eyes in majestic splendor; though most had weathered and collapsed, faint glimmers of their former glory still lingered.

“Gate of Mountains and Waters.”

Chen Jian pointed at the distant sculpture and said:

“It’s astonishing that this thing has endured so long; honestly, I never expected it.”

“I recall that on DY this piece once ranked among the ugliest statues; is that true?”

“No.”

Lei Jie shook his head and said:

“How could such a conventional, by‑the‑book thing ever make the list? Only the abstract oddities like the Yuanbao Pavilion ever do.”

“But, come to think of it, human taste has always been mutable; in this apocalyptic age, size itself has become the definition of beauty.”

“No matter how ugly, if it’s big enough, the people here deem it beautiful.”

“? How could that be?”

Chen Jian turned his head toward Ji Xing and Xie Liu and asked:

“Do you think this sculpture is beautiful?”

“.Actually, I think it’s quite alright.”

Xie Liu answered solemnly, while Ji Xing nodded beside him.

“.Fine.”

Chen Jian was at a loss for words; the group passed through the Gate of Rivers and Mountains and entered the core district of Tongling City.

At that moment, he finally sensed, with his own eyes, why the locals were called “deformed.”

Because it was merely an objective description, not a vicious slur.

The iron fence at the entrance to the core district was choked with violet‑red vines, their leaves’ undersides covered in fine, velvety fuzz—none of the varieties Chen Jian had ever seen.

An old beggar swaddled in a heavy cloak huddled by the fence, three arms tangled across his chest like spider legs, two of the malformed limbs ending in translucent webbing.

In the rust‑stained iron pot before him, a thick, fetid liquid boiled over a fire, exuding a nauseating stench.

“A merchant, perhaps?”

The city guard on duty reached out to stop Chen Jian’s party; Chen Jian noticed the guard’s lips split into four jagged petals.

“Entry fee: ten grams of gold.”

“Ten grams?”

Chen Jian frowned and looked at Xie Liu, who nodded and replied:

“That’s indeed the price.”

“You must pay to enter the core district, but if you remain only in the outer residential zone, it’s free.”

“Understood. Here you go.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Liu produced a small pouch of gold he carried separately, weighed it on the guard’s portable balance, and paid the toll; after passing the final checkpoint, the group slipped smoothly into Tongling City’s core.

The glass window of a roadside general store was crusted with yellow‑brown scale; bizarre gas masks and unidentified pills lay inside a faded orange‑yellow metal tin stamped with “civil defense.”

Behind the counter, a woman wrapped a scarf around her neck; scale‑like skin spread from her collar to behind her ears, shimmering in the sunlight with a bluish‑gray metallic sheen.

When Chen Jian’s gaze brushed her, she first frowned, then, with a provocative flick, untied the scarf, revealing a chest likewise covered in rough, keratinous plates.

“What are you looking at? First time here?”

Chen Jian had no idea how to respond to such a scene; at that moment, Xie Liu and Ji Xing’s experience proved invaluable.

They stepped forward, exposing the Saint‑Blood sigil on their wrists beneath their sleeves, and said:

“We are merchants of the Holy Blood Hall; in the name of Holy Blood we come to trade in Tongling City.”

As soon as the words left their mouths, the woman’s tone brightened.

“Holy‑Blood? Excellent, excellent, we welcome Holy‑Blood bearers.”

“Do you need medicines? I have remedies to maintain health; if you intend to stay in Tongling City, these are essential.”

“Take a look.”

Ji Xing gave Chen Jian a glance; he, assuming the leader’s bearing, stepped forward and took the tin from the woman, examining it closely.

“You can try some!”

The woman eagerly hawked her wares; Chen Jian cautiously pinched a piece, licked it lightly, and immediately spat it out.

[Bitter, salty to the point of bitterness]

He typed on his tactical visor; Lei Jie gave a slight nod and replied in text:

[Radiation levels are rising, likely some iodine extract]

[We can buy a little; we don’t need it now, but don’t make it obvious]

[1]

Chen Jian gave a brief reply, then said:

“We’ll take four‑person portions.”

“Four‑person portions won’t be enough!”

The woman deftly scooped more pills from the tin and said:

“Saint‑Blood bearers like you need a larger dose, otherwise the holy blood in your veins won’t stay calm.”

“You may not have heard, but not long ago a Saint‑Blood bearer went mad in Tongling City, babbling about ‘the sun’ and ‘holy light,’ as if possessed by a demon.”

“We could tell at a glance that he had slipped into that forbidden zone.”

“Why are you so certain?”

Chen Jian asked curiously. “Because his skin was peeling away in patches, exactly the curse of the forbidden zone.”

Confirmed.

The forbidden zone within Tongling City must harbor high‑dose radiation.

Though the source of the radiation is unknown, it is clear that the absence of monsters is most likely due to that very radiation.

The instinct to seek profit and avoid harm is universal; in this regard, monsters may be even keener than humans.

After pocketing the pills, Chen Jian led his party deeper into the core district.

Along the way, beyond ordinary trade goods, they witnessed the thriving commerce that had sprouted around “radiation.”

The so‑called “Eternal Flower,” whose roots were said to absorb the forbidden zone’s curse; airtight protective suits stitched from animal hide that, when worn, lessen the curse but, with prolonged use, cause another poisoning called “silver dust.”

Though at first glance the items seemed absurd, Chen Jian was astonished to find that most of them were genuinely useful.

Aside from the Eternal Flower being pure hype, the suits block radioactive dust, and the “silver dust” is simply lead powder.

Its ability to mitigate the curse needs no further explanation; the toxicity, of course, is heavy‑metal poisoning.

After a round of observation, Chen Jian’s eyes were truly opened.

Following the seasoned Ji Xing to a safe haven, he immediately reported back to the waiting companions outside the city, then ordered He Shuo to launch a drone to scout the forbidden zone from above.

Unfortunately, as soon as the drone rose over Tongling City, the abnormally high readings triggered the detector’s alarm.

To protect the precious equipment, even though the radiation level wasn’t extreme, He Shuo had no choice but to abort.

No one was willing to gamble.

To uncover the secrets of the forbidden zone, they would have to go in on foot.

—

After all, in certain situations, the human body can outlast a machine.

After cutting off the radio communications, Chen Jian set his PDA aside and then addressed the others:

"From what we observed just now, commerce here is fairly developed."

"There are many types of weapons and ammunition; though the quality isn’t top‑notch, a careful selection always yields what we need."

"Take the rocket launcher we just saw—according to the shipper, it was only recently hauled from Huadu, and the price is quite reasonable."

"Two hundred grams of gold per unit; if it were on the Han River, the price could double."

"We’ll take everything; don’t leave any for others."

"Understood."

Ji Xing nodded and said:

"I can handle the procurement; I know this field well—provided you can trust me."

"Our principle has always been to trust those we employ."

Chen Jian signaled Lei Jie to take out the gold he carried; Lei Jie handed half to Ji Xing and then said:

"You’ll be in charge of buying; I’ll draft a list for you in a moment."

"You set the prices yourself, but there are three items you must secure no matter what—if the seller hikes the price, as long as they’re willing to sell, you must take them."

Ji Xing nodded gravely and asked:

"What are they?"

"First, the few scrap exoskeletons; most of their functions are broken, but they can serve as spare parts."

"Second, the device attached to the motor—a cutting machine. Its condition is decent; once re‑powered it might work again."

"We need that contraption to slice the aircraft and glass at the Empty Tenth Division base, to fashion a shield for Li Shi."

"Third, the bomb the boss bragged could level a house—actually it’s an anti‑tank mine, the kind that truly can bring a building down."

"I saw him holding no fewer than twenty; we take them all. With proper planning, blowing up a Tier‑3 monster will be as easy as a game."

"Understood."

Ji Xing nodded again, then asked:

"Any other tasks? Besides procurement, is there anything else you need me to assist with?"

"Yes."

Chen Jian spoke:

"You need to go back outside the city and find Shen Yue."

"He’s carrying some anti‑radiation medicine brought from 7025; bring it back."

"You’re selling them?"

From Chen Jian’s earlier conversation and his rough explanation, Ji Xing could already guess that the people beside her fully understood the truth of the curse.

The so‑called curse was, in their terms, "radiation."

Since they possessed anti‑radiation drugs, their purpose was obviously to sell them.

After all, in a place like this, any effective means of countering the curse is priceless; if they could sell them, it would be a huge boon to the mercantile journey of the small squad.

But she did not expect that, upon hearing her speculation, Chen Jian would immediately shake his head.

"No, we won’t sell."

"We’ll consume them ourselves."

"Consume them ourselves?? You intend to enter the Forbidden Zone??"

Ji Xing turned pale with alarm and hurried to reason:

"The curse of the Forbidden Zone isn’t a joke; the Forbidden Zone of Tongling is notoriously perilous."

"Even the Holy‑Blooded, once inside, seldom survive."

"To contain the curse, the locals spent an unknown amount of time building a wall; if you intend to go in—"

"Impossible."

Chen Jian shook his head:

"The curse here may still be active, but its source must date back three hundred years."

"In three centuries, I cannot imagine any nuclear fuel still emitting high‑intensity radiation; that would defy all common sense."

"The radiation inside the Forbidden Zone has likely dropped to a safe, controllable level; the ‘mutants’ we see now are mostly the genetic remnants of those whose DNA was shattered by intense radiation."

"Yet their lifespans are indeed affected by the curse."

Ji Xing tried to interject again, but Chen Jian cut her off:

"When I say ‘safe and controllable,’ I don’t mean harmless to humans."

"Prolonged low‑dose exposure still breeds disease, and the harsh environment shortens life—so a reduced lifespan is expected."

"...Understood."

Seeing that she could not sway Chen Jian, Ji Xing merely nodded.

At that moment, Xie Liu suddenly raised his hand.

"Let me go instead."

"If that curse—or radiation—causes illness, the Holy‑Blooded are far better suited."

"We have stronger resistance and faster recovery; with the medicine, perhaps I can walk out unscathed."

"I know; I was planning to send you first anyway."

Chen Jian answered without concealment; Xie Liu was startled at first, then gave a relieved smile.

That was perhaps the answer she truly wanted.

No deception, only cold, rational orders.

Only under such commands can the team’s strength be fully unleashed.

These so‑called “chosen ones” and “captains” among ordinary people—are they afraid of death?

Certainly not.

If they feared death, they could never earn their own respect.

They simply refuse to die in a meaningless way.

That aligns perfectly with my own aspirations.

With that in mind, Xie Liu suddenly spoke:

"Thank you."

"Ah? You're welcome."

Chen Jian was left a little baffled by her thanks, but he didn’t dwell on it and went on to detail the specifics:

“I will dismantle the environmental monitoring indicator for you; atop it sits a simple Geiger counter. You need not read the numbers, merely listen attentively to its sound.”

“If the sounds merge into a continuous hum, it means the radiation dose has become dangerously high.”

“You must retreat promptly, do not press forward recklessly, understand?”

“Understood.”

Xie Liu answered solemnly, and Chen Jian opened his PDA; after Ji Xing marked the approximate location of the forbidden zone, he sat down to discuss the ingress route with Xie Liu.

Meanwhile, Ji Xing returned beyond the city walls, obtaining from Shen Yue a suite of anti‑radiation medicines, including a metallic chelating agent.

Xie Liu swallowed the concoction in one gulp, then set out along the path Chen Jian had charted toward the forbidden zone.

At the same time, Chen Jian and his companion, still within the city, were far from idle; while Ji Xing procured supplies, they shed their gear and roamed the heart of Tongling City, compiling a thorough survey of every facet of the metropolis.

When night finally fell, they made their way back to the inn where they had taken refuge.

By then, Ji Xing, having already completed the procurement, waited for them inside the room.

“All the items have been acquired; the total cost was twelve‑thousand six hundred grams of gold.”

“I’m sorry, I did not manage to obtain every single item on the list you gave me.”

“Some were scarce—for instance, the 12.7 mm caliber bullets amounted to just over two hundred rounds, and the 35 mm grenades you requested were completely unavailable.”

“Others were of poor quality, such as the mortar shells.”

“Although the proprietor claimed they came from Huadu, it is evident that their condition is worlds apart from authentic Huadu wares.”

“Nevertheless, the three indispensable items were secured.”

“All the cargo now rests in the depot; we can inspect it at once.”

“No rush.”

Chen Jian waved his hand and said:

“We must wait for Xie Liu to return first.”

“She carries no electronic devices; we must be certain she can locate us the moment she arrives.”

“By the clock, she should be back by now.”

As his words faded, the inn’s door was suddenly knocked upon.

Immediately outside, Xie Liu’s voice called out.

“Commander, it’s me!”

Chen Jian opened the door warily, and Xie Liu stepped in, her hair still damp.

It was clear she had obeyed Chen Jian’s instruction to wash herself thoroughly before returning.

“Are you all right? How do you fare?”

Chen Jian asked.

“I’m fine.”

Xie Liu replied at once:

“The ‘radiation’ there was indeed weak; the detector sang a rapid staccato, but the sounds never merged into a single hum.”

“But that is not the point!”

“I discovered what you have been seeking there!”

“It must be exactly what you were after!”

“The wreckage of five aircraft! Two of them are the ‘aerospace machines’ you mentioned, two are ‘War Gods’, and the fifth is a larger plane we have never seen before!”

(End of Chapter)