Chapter 13 Wanderers (2/2)
Han Xiao slapped him squarely on the face, reprimanding, ”So, you know that you were wrong‽”
”I was wrong. I was wrong,” blurted the young man shamelessly.
”Why?”
The young man thought for a moment before carefully answering, ”I… should have brought one more gun?”
Han Xiao burst into laughter.
”You're a funny one, eh?”
”Please show me mercy, Mr. Saint. Just let me go as if you're passing wind,” sobbed the young man with dripping tears.
”Get lost! I've never passed such a big wind before.”
Han Xiao raised the shotgun and struck the young man across his face to knock him out cold. At the end of the day, the young man was most likely a resident of the encampment, and Han Xiao still needed to obtain food and water from them.
”Count yourself lucky.”
Half an hour later, Han Xiao finally reached the encampment. His appearance seemed to unsettle the wanderers.
Life in the wild was full of perils, and wanderers were often unwelcoming to outsiders. Their way of life was similar to that of the gypsies, and they were frequently on the go. There were pick-up trucks lined up outside the tent. Most of them were rusty and some didn't even have exteriors.
Han Xiao noticed that there were only a few dozen tents, making this community a relatively small one. Nevertheless, it was a miniature society in its own, and Han Xiao located the camp's merchant: a bearded westerner who conducted his business by his pick-up truck.
”Outsider?” The bearded man raised an eyebrow.
”Do you know the rules?” he asked.
”What rules?”
”Barter trading only.”
Well, that's just fine, thought Han Xiao, since I don't have a single penny.
”I want a map, three buckets of water, and five kilos of food. Bread or dried meat will do.” said Han Xiao as he retrieved a handful of bullets from his bag and put them on the truck.
”I'll pay with this.”
”Gunpowder?”
The bearded merchant's eyes flashed with greed.
Gunpowder was extremely valuable among wanderers as hunting was a key source of food.
”150 bullets,” stated the bearded merchant.
Han Xiao's face darkened.
Daylight robbery!
The items he had asked for were basic necessities. There was no way that they could be worth so much.
Han Xiao's bronze bullets were high-quality bullets that could easily go for $10 apiece, yet the merchant was asking for 150 of them, equivalent to $1,500!
”Up to you,” added the merchant nonchalantly as he turned his attention to his fingernails.