Chapter 376: The Price of Entry

Queue up! Anyone who dares to cut in line, I’ll break your legs!

As usual! Caravan: one pound of grain or 10 Spirit Energy points per person! Solo: one tael of cornmeal and 1 Spirit Energy point!

Under a towering 30-meter stone wall, a dozen guards in green leather armor bellowed at the snaking line of people.

On the iron-red wall, group after group of listless Awakened soldiers stared lazily at the city below.

The entire Safe Zone looked as though it were built from low-grade copper ore. Though it lacked finesse and resembled a pile of rusted iron blocks, its defensive strength was formidable—harder than steel-forged walls.

In the far frontier, the heat was relentless, with extreme temperature swings between day and night.

Defending the city was, naturally, a miserable job.

As Awakeners, they wouldn’t endure a full day on duty unless there was some profit to be made.

Especially with a wall cast from ore that, under the sweltering sun, felt like a boiling cauldron, practically cooking them alive.

Draped in an insulating white robe, Yenir calmly joined the Awakened line, glancing around with mild surprise.

So many people…

He spotted bare-chested miners, bustling caravan groups, and Awakened squads who had just returned from hunting mutated beasts in the wild.

Compared to the Safe Zones Yenir had visited before—where vendors hawked fried rats and worms—the city gates here were filled with sellers peddling weaponry and gear, especially the grey equipment crafted by Awakeners. Although it lacked system bonuses, its sharpness and durability were exceptional.

Scanning the scene, he noticed numerous caravan traders eagerly haggling over prices, clearly unwilling to return empty-handed and eager to sell even the lowest-tier equipment inland.

For low-level Awakeners, even a piece of grey gear could drastically boost their power.

“Stop right there!”

“You haven’t paid your entry fee yet, and you still want in!? Get out, you bumpkin!”

Just as Yenir was about to step into the Safe Zone, a chubby hand lunged toward him.

Before Yenir could furrow his brow and instinctively channel Spirit Energy to resist, a Military Awakened assigned to him quickly stepped in.

“Sorry, sorry.”

“This young master is visiting for the first time—completely slipped my mind!”

An old soldier, once stationed in the far frontier over a decade ago, wore an embarrassed expression as he frantically patted himself, searching for something to pay with.

Within seconds, his embarrassment deepened.

He had been urgently dispatched by the Military to accompany Yenir. Having left for the frontier with nothing but weaponry and spending over a decade in the Capital, he had completely forgotten that these Private Safe Zones charged an entry fee.

“Young master? Who do you think you’re fooling? Pay up or get out of here!”

The guard clad in leather sneered, treating Yenir and his group like small-time traders making their first deal.

Anyone with a bit of power or preparation would know the rules of the Canglang Safe Zone.

With no badge on his chest and no distinctive aura—just a typical nobody.

Frowning at the impatient guard ready to haul them away, Yenir’s eyes suddenly turned cold.

“Since when do Awakeners have to pay an entry fee?”

In a flash of Spirit Energy, Yenir outright displayed his Second-Stage power to silence the guard’s chatter.

Third-Stage was too flashy; Second-Stage was just right.

Caught up in his plans and observations, he hadn’t even noticed the fee issue. After the apocalypse, all major Safe Zones had implicitly waived entry fees for Awakeners.

It was clear these guards intended to squeeze in some extra cash.

Yet as Yenir exuded a hint of Second-Stage aura, the guard’s initial astonishment shifted to a sneer.

“What a joke—so what if you’re Second-Stage?”

“Awakeners don’t pay? You must be a first-timer then!”

“Caravans!? Where’s your cargo?”

As if struck by an idea, the lead guard dramatically swept his hand and bellowed to his comrades:

“Guys! Search them thoroughly! And don’t let those Gansu Military District dogs slip away again!”

Tension suddenly gripped the atmosphere.

Even Yenir was taken aback; he hadn’t expected such outburst.

Gansu Military District dogs? Were they accusing them of being Military spies? What the hell—has the Military Department lost all control? Not even allowing entry? And these Private Factions daring to detain Military personnel?

At the same time, survivors at the gates watched them with pitiful eyes.

They no longer saw Yenir and his companions as Military spies, but rather pitied them—caught by thugs and destined for a beating.

Many caravan traders from other provinces often got unlucky, misjudging these thugs and ending up paying dearly.

Judging by Yenir’s appearance and lack of bodyguards, it looked like he was in for a rough time.

Second-Stage might command respect in other Safe Zones, but in Canglang Safe Zone, he was just a minion.

“Sir! Sir!”

“Easy now! We’re definitely not from the Gansu Military District! Here, take this—have a few drinks with your brothers and don’t misunderstand us.”

Huang Yuanhao, the old soldier assigned to Yenir, felt a surge of frustration.

He never imagined that the Military’s situation here would be even more miserable than what he had known in the Capital. How could a Capital division commander and Yenir’s attendant be so humiliated by a Private Faction?

This place was truly turned upside down!

Before Huang Yuanhao could produce Credit Points, his eyes suddenly widened.

In his hand, a 100 Credit Points card boldly bore the Capital Military District insignia.

What the hell—can it be a Military lackey after all!?

Even one from the Capital!?

“Clatter!”

In an instant, the guards—who had been pretending all along—raised their guns and shouted:

“Security team, grab them now! These folks are from the Capital!!”

“Catch them! There’s a reward waiting in the district!”

At the sound of an urgent alarm, hundreds of Awakeners atop the wall jumped to attention, instinctively locking their skills onto Yenir.

In an instant, tensions escalated—nobody had expected a simple entry to derail so disastrously over one tiny detail.

Standing silently, Yenir’s eyes flashed with cold resolve.

Looks like it’s time to kill and run.

Seriously…

What a pain…