Chapter 177: Level Three System Features

‘Since the base leader hasn’t imposed a purchase limit, why shouldn’t we take advantage of this opportunity?’

After all, fresh vegetables were considered luxury goods in most settlements.

If they purchased vegetables from Fair Shallow Land and resold them elsewhere, they could earn a considerable profit.

The residents who had previously lived in Silent Knight Base were particularly excited.

Many of them had suffered under the wealthy nobles who controlled that settlement.

Those nobles had frequently looked down on ordinary residents, treating them as though they were beneath notice.

Now, however, the situation could finally be reversed.

‘Those nobles are always willing to pay outrageous prices for fresh food.’

‘If I bring vegetables back to Silent Knight Base, I can charge them several times the original price!’

The thought was incredibly satisfying.

For once, they could earn money from the very people who had once humiliated them.

Naturally, several merchants began making plans.

Some wanted to purchase vegetables in bulk, while others considered establishing regular trading routes between Fair Shallow Land and neighboring bases.

Business opportunities were appearing everywhere.

However, the residents weren’t the only ones thinking about trade.

Ni Mengxue had also begun considering the possibility.

‘If other bases need vegetables, why shouldn’t I exchange them for things Fair Shallow Land lacks?’

During her previous visit to Silent Knight Base, she had noticed that the settlement possessed many resources that were currently unavailable in Fair Shallow Land.

These included firearms, ammunition, and various cold weapons.

Although she could obtain some weapons through the system, she didn’t yet have the means to manufacture them in large quantities.

Apart from weapons, Silent Knight Base also possessed several varieties of ordinary and mutated plants.

Some of these plants had unusual properties, while others were used to produce fragrances, perfumes, and medicinal products.

What surprised Ni Mengxue most was that the base had even managed to manufacture everyday necessities.

Items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other hygiene products were still being produced there.

Apparently, Silent Knight Base had preserved or developed several manufacturing formulas.

These were things Ni Mengxue hadn’t yet attempted to produce herself.

‘If Fair Shallow Land eventually reaches a population of one hundred thousand, perhaps I can invest in manufacturing all these necessities.’

At that point, the demand would be large enough to justify establishing dedicated production facilities.

However, for now, she had no intention of spending a fortune developing formulas from scratch.

She would rather purchase the finished products or obtain them through trade.

Just as she was considering this, the system’s mechanical voice suddenly sounded.

[Host, there is no need to purchase those manufacturing formulas.]

Ni Mengxue paused. “What do you mean?”

[After the Sanctuary System reaches Level Three, a new facility will become available. Facility Name: Basic Necessities Shop. By completing the corresponding sub-missions, the host can gradually unlock various everyday necessities. Each unlocked item will include its manufacturing blueprint. As long as the host supplies the required raw materials, the system can manufacture the corresponding products.]

Ni Mengxue stared at the notification.

For a moment, she was speechless.

‘So I won’t even need to develop the formulas myself?’

Once she obtained the blueprints, she could simply gather the necessary materials and let the system handle production.

That meant she could eventually manufacture toothbrushes, toothpaste, and various other daily necessities without having to establish complicated production lines herself.

The possibilities were extremely tempting.

However, after her initial excitement faded, Ni Mengxue suddenly became annoyed.

“System, you’re seriously too biased!”

She crossed her arms. “You could have told me about this feature earlier. But instead, you waited until I started worrying about these things before finally mentioning it.”

There was a brief silence.

Then the system responded in its usual indifferent tone.

[The host did not ask.]

Ni Mengxue’s expression stiffened.

“What kind of answer is that?”

[The system provides relevant information when necessary. The host is advised to focus on fulfilling the current upgrade requirements.]

Hearing that emotionless response, Ni Mengxue felt as though the system couldn’t be bothered to argue with her.

She stared at the interface for a moment before letting out a helpless sigh.

‘Fine. Level three it is, then.’

…………………………………

Ji Henghua had finally arrived near the kidnappers’ den.

He was currently traveling through Dark Forest, a dangerous region located approximately 120 kilometers from Silent Knight Base.

Very few people who entered this forest managed to leave alive.

Most of the casualties were caused by carelessness. Survivors who failed to remain vigilant often found themselves surrounded by zombies or attacked by mutated creatures before they could react.

However, Ji Henghua was confident that he could locate the kidnappers’ hidden base.

He had already come this far, and he wasn’t willing to turn back now.

“Watch out!” Ye Jun’s warning suddenly rang out.

Ji Henghua immediately moved to the right.

A sharp claw swept past his face, missing him by a narrow margin.

His expression changed. If he had reacted even two seconds later, the zombie might have slashed his face or infected him.

Recently, Ji Henghua had noticed something disturbing about the infected creatures.

It was already common knowledge that zombie claws could carry the virus.

However, some zombies had developed an even more dangerous method of spreading the infection.

They had learned to spit at humans.

The contaminated saliva could infect any exposed skin it touched. Unless the affected area was removed quickly enough, the virus would spread through the victim’s body and eventually turn them into a zombie.

Ji Henghua had never imagined that zombies would become intelligent enough to use such a disgusting yet effective tactic.

Fortunately, Ye Jun had brought protective clothing for both of them.

The suits were made from a tightly woven, water-resistant material that covered most of their bodies, reducing the risk of direct contact with infected fluids.

Ji Henghua had to admit that Ye Jun was far better prepared than he was.

Not only had he brought protective equipment, but he also possessed a considerable amount of food and other survival supplies.

Initially, Ji Henghua had assumed that Ye Jun’s only special ability was regeneration.