Chapter 15: Unexpected Business

“I thought you were just coasting along at the company. I didn’t expect you to actually dare to open fire!”

Amidst the silence the middle-aged woman Lu Xin held at gunpoint didn’t try to flee. Instead she slowly pushed others aside and walked into the crowd. Facing Lu Xin’s gun barrel her expression showed no fear just a cold indifference as she said, “We have guns too but we weren’t prepared beforehand so you got the drop on us. It doesn’t matter we’ll accept our loss. We’ll let you go today…”

“If the Security Hall arrests you afterward that has nothing to do with us!”

“If the Security Hall doesn’t arrest you then we’ll settle this according to the ways of the street!”

…

The Security Hall strictly controlled firearms within High-wall City so even they kept very few guns inside the city.

Companies like theirs which frequently operated outside the city often established their own supply points in secret locations beyond the walls. Forget guns they might even have small armories. However under the strict surveillance of the High-wall City Patrol Army it was impossible to bring many weapons or firearms into the city upon entry. Violators faced severe punishment for serious crimes.

Of course even under such high pressure they still had ways to smuggle in one or two guns for self-defense. But they couldn’t carry such weapons on them in advance. Caught off guard and confronted by Lu Xin’s gun they lost the initiative.

This woman was undoubtedly sharp her words leaving no loopholes. Logically speaking if Lu Xin fired his gun here the Security Hall couldn’t ignore it. He might be arrested immediately and sent outside the wall to reclaim wasteland. But she also stated clearly that if the Security Hall didn’t arrest Lu Xin they would naturally use their own methods for revenge following the unwritten rules.

Nearby Princess Xiao Qing and Lü Cheng were so scared their legs turned to jelly their faces pale.

The moment they saw Lu Xin pull out a gun their worldview nearly shattered.

For people who grew up within High-wall City guns always felt like something distant and removed from their lives.

Hearing the female manager’s words the thugs released Lü Cheng and Princess Xiao Qing and even cleared a path.

But their cold gazes fixed on Lu Xin as if looking at a dead man.

Yet Lu Xin showed no intention of leaving saying, “I’m not leaving. We haven’t finished our business discussion!”

The woman held at gunpoint was momentarily stunned. “At a time like this you still want to talk business with me?”

“Yes!”

Lu Xin nodded. “But we need to discuss the price. It can’t just be whatever you say it is!”

After a slight pause he added, “It has to be fair!”

The woman’s expression immediately became very complicated.

The expressions of the surrounding people also turned very complicated.

“I’ve held people at gunpoint for business quite a few times. I’ve even negotiated while dangling someone over a pond full of lunatics. But being held up by some kid who wants to talk business with me… this is honestly a first…”

Just then a man staggered out from another office in the back. He was tall his face covered in stubble a cigarette dangling from his lips. He wore a dirty but clearly durable camouflage uniform and a red beret on his head—not the style of the Qinggang City Patrol Army no idea where he dug it up.

Upon seeing him everyone around instinctively lowered their heads slightly.

Even the woman held at gunpoint called out to him, “Boss this person…”

The man waved his hand dismissively and said to Lu Xin, “Put the gun down. You got the jump on us I won’t cause trouble for you today!”

“Oh!”

Hearing this Lu Xin lowered the gun and even put it back in his backpack.

Princess Xiao Qing and Lü Cheng’s eyes widened filled with incomprehension.

“Business as usual. You two go talk!”

The man nodded towards the woman who had been held at gunpoint then said to Lu Xin, “Little brother you come with me!”

The turn of events was completely unexpected leaving everyone present somewhat bewildered.

Lü Cheng and Princess Xiao Qing were quickly pushed back into the office while Lu Xin obediently followed the man into the single-story building he had emerged from. The interior wasn’t badly decorated featuring wooden floorboards a chandelier hanging from the ceiling a large sofa on the left and a glass coffee table in front of it. On the table sat a plate of dumplings several steamed buns and a dish of red pickled chili.

The man sat down and started eating by himself. He ate strangely chewing very slowly as if savoring the process with an odd sense of greed. It wasn’t particularly fine food yet he ate with intense focus.

Lu Xin didn’t rush to answer him just subconsciously glanced at the food spread across the table.

“After staying in the Wasteland for too long as soon as I enter the city I feel like I can never eat enough!”

Qin Ran took a bite of a steamed bun chased it with a dumpling and glanced sideways at Lu Xin. “Want some?”

Lu Xin quickly shook his head. “I’m not hungry!”

Lu Xin could understand Qin Ran’s peculiar fondness for food.

Life inside and outside High-wall City were two completely different worlds. High-wall City especially Qinggang City was one of the first places to solve the problem of wasteland scavenging. Rumor had it this was related to the reconstruction of agricultural technology and mysterious wild species. Inside High-wall City there was a stable livestock industry vast farms and even some mechanized operations. But outside the city these were luxuries one couldn’t even dare to dream of.

Many organizations outside the city still faced food shortages; hunger was practically the norm for people in the Wasteland.

Their only way to achieve basic sustenance was to abandon their armed existence in the Wasteland and come live inside High-wall City.

However although resources were relatively abundant in Qinggang City allowing one to buy grain oil salt and even meats with money this was limited to within the High-wall City. Buying food inside the city and taking it outside to enjoy was subject to extremely strict regulations.

The two most well-known serious crimes in High-wall City were:

First transporting armed firearms into the city;

Second transporting grain out of the city.

…

…

“When you’re used to the hard life of struggling to survive in the Wasteland you really value being able to eat your fill sleep soundly and not worry about a woman pulling a grenade from her crotch to blow you up when you’re getting busy. Inside this High-wall City even I try to cause as little trouble as possible. Everyone follows the rules. You give me an inch I give you an inch and everyone can get by right?”

Qin Ran paused only briefly before continuing to eat glancing up at Lu Xin only when he had a free moment.

“So tell me little brother what business do you have with me?”

His eyes held a lazy yet dangerous aura as if he had already seen through Lu Xin. He said coldly “I’ve seen plenty of people doing business with guns outside the wall but you don’t look like you’ve ever been outside. So be honest!”

“Who sent you? What’s your purpose?”

…

Lu Xin first carefully observed him comparing him to the information he had then asked “You’re Qin Ran?”

The man glanced at Lu Xin didn’t answer directly but smiled. “Here to kill me?”

His hand seemingly still holding chopsticks but his other hand had already dropped reaching towards the bottom of the wooden coffee table.

“No!”

Lu Xin shook his head. “I came to ask if you’ve encountered some strange things recently?”

Hearing this Qin Ran’s expression suddenly changed revealing a hint of fear. He whispered “Are you scheming against me?”

As he spoke the hand hidden beneath the table suddenly lifted holding a gun.