Chapter 138: Unexpected Hidden Mission

Sitting behind the counter, the staff member smiled at Ye Xuan and the others and asked, "How may I help you, Comrade?"

Lan Zuancheng showed the staff member the documents and letter of recommendation from Lian Tianci before explaining, "Comrade, we’d like to rent a place to stay. Could you show us what options are available?"

The staff member picked up a thin folder and handed it to Lan Zuancheng.

Flipping through the first page, he said, "We currently have single-room apartments suitable for couples, two-bedroom apartments, four-bedroom apartments, single villas, small courtyards, medium-sized courtyards, and large courtyards available for rent."

"If you and your friends want to stay together, I’d recommend a four-bedroom apartment, a single villa, or a medium-sized courtyard."

After listening to the staff member’s introduction, Lan Zuancheng asked, "What about the rental prices?"

The staff member flipped to the next page and explained, "Here are the rental rates. You can take a look first."

Showing the folder to Ye Xuan and the others, Lan Zuancheng said, "Brother Xuan, I think it’d be better for us to stay together. Not only would it be more convenient for us to share meals, but it’d also be easier for us to protect one another."

Ye Xuan glanced at the rental rates before turning to Liu Yun and asking, "What do you think?"

Liu Yun noticed that the monthly rent for a single villa was fifty kilograms of grain or an equivalent amount of resources, while the monthly rent for a medium-size courtyard was only half as much.

However, judging from the rental prices, Liu Yun was certain that the security of a courtyard wasn’t as good as that of a single villa.

She thought for a moment before saying, "Let’s rent a single villa."

"All right." Ye Xuan agreed before turning to the staff member. "We will take a single villa."

Hearing this, the staff member took out a map and spread it across the counter.

Pointing to several locations on the map, he said, "We currently have four single villas available for rent. One is located in the middle ring area, while the other three are in the outer ring area. Which one would you like, Comrade?"

Based on the name, it was clear that the middle ring area had better security compared to the outer ring area.

Liu Yun pointed to the only villa in the middle ring area without hesitation and replied, "This one."

"All right. Please wait a moment while I process the paperwork," the staff member said before typing something on his keyboard.

While waiting, Liu Yun observed the people around her. After a while, she noticed that two counters in the front area were crowded with people, while the others were almost empty.

Noticing her curiosity, a thin boy cautiously approached her and asked, "Elder Sister, do you need a guide? I will only charge you one pack of instant noodles."

Hearing this, Liu Yun lowered her head and saw the thin boy looking up at her expectantly. Seeing how emaciated he was, with little more than skin and bones, Liu Yun felt a pang of sadness.

Squatting down, she smiled at the boy and pointed toward the two crowded counters.

"Little Brother, do you know what those two counters are for?" she asked.

The boy followed her gaze and nodded. "Elder Sister, the counter on the left is where you can accept missions, while the one on the right is where you report completed missions and collect your rewards."

Liu Yun’s eyes lit up when she heard this. ’I knew it! There must be a mission center whenever a player visits a town.’

Nodding in understanding, Liu Yun asked another question. "Then, do you know where the marketplace is?"

The boy pointed outside and explained, "There are two marketplaces in the outer ring area. One is in the west, while the other is in the east."

"There isn’t a marketplace in the middle ring area, but there is a place where you can buy and sell things or post missions to look for specific items. Ability users and survivors call it the Merchant Guild. It’s owned by the base."

Rubbing her chin, Liu Yun thought with interest, ’I see. This setup is very similar to the game I played in my previous life. Looks like there are more secrets hidden in this Apocalypse World than I expected.’

With that thought in mind, Liu Yun asked another question. "Has there been any interesting news circulating around the base lately?"

At her question, the thin boy’s face paled. Taking a deep breath, he lowered his voice and whispered, "Be careful of the new Base Commander. There is a rumor that he isn’t human."

The moment he finished speaking, a transparent blue screen suddenly appeared in front of Liu Yun.

Ding!

[Hidden Mission: Uncover The Secret of the New Base Commander of Lie Huo Military Base]

[Time Limit: None]

[Reward: Unlock the Basic Defensive Shield Card]

[Penalty: The Lie Huo Military Base’s Destruction, World Destruction Progress +5%]

[Accept] [Reject]

When Liu Yun read the mission reward, her eyes widened in shock.

Thinking she was frightened by his warning, the thin boy hurriedly reassured her, "Don’t be afraid, Elder Sister. As long as you stay home and don’t go out at night, you’ll be fine."

Hearing his words, Liu Yun snapped out of her surprise. Using her mind, she accepted the mission.

Looking at the boy, she took out two packs of instant noodles, a can of canned fruit, and two bottles of mineral water from her Dimensional Space.

She then handed them to him and said, "Thank you for sharing this information with me. These are your rewards."

The boy stared at the food and water in astonishment, but he quickly recovered.

Snatching the items from Liu Yun’s hands, he hurriedly stuffed them into his dirty clothes. Hunching over to protect his precious supplies, he warily scanned his surroundings.

After making sure that no one had seen what had just happened, he looked at Liu Yun and said, "Elder Sister, my name is Pei Rui. You can find me in the slum area near the northern wall."

"All right. I will look for you if I need a guide."

Hearing Liu Yun’s answer, Pei Rui nodded before walking out of the civil affairs bureau.