Chapter 269: The Return and The Stalker
Hassan was shocked. Near the counter, his eyes landed on something that was definitely rare within the city... an off‑road motorbike that ran on diesel.
"Ugh... you’re selling one of these?" Hassan asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Although diesel was hard to come by, since Energy Cores from the A.I. Army were already the standard fuel, it wasn’t impossible to obtain from certain traders.
The shopkeeper, a beautiful woman with short black hair standing behind the counter, smiled faintly.
"Yes. We have more of them at the back. This one is just a display. Do you want to test one?"
Hassan blinked, stunned.
He had seen many shops in Cameron City, but none like this.
’Kai’s Survival Store wasn’t just another merchant’s stall... it was a treasure trove.’
"Ahem... Let me look around first, Miss... Mei." Hassan said as he saw Mei’s nameplate.
Mei then gestured for him to continue exploring the shop. Everyone was like this anyway. They were all curious about this new shop, and soon, they’d spend all their hard-earned Energy Cores, Gene Enhancement Serums, and other valuables on them.
"This is incredible..."
Hassan muttered as he continued walking through the aisles.
On one side, he noticed vacuum‑sealed rations stacked neatly beside canned goods, dried fruits, and nuts. There were even coffee sachets and portable cooking stoves with fuel canisters... luxuries that most survivors outside could only dream of.
Further down, he spotted field tents, insulated sleeping bags, and thermal blankets, all arranged in perfect order.
He reached out to touch a heavy‑duty raincoat, feeling the thick, durable fabric between his fingers. "This... this could last through any storm," he muttered.
He was impressed with its quality!
Before he could examine it further, the door opened, and another customer entered, followed by two attendants.
The man in front looked rugged, clearly a survivor who had seen his share of battles. Without hesitation, he walked straight to the shelf Hassan had just been inspecting.
"I’ll take all of these," the man said firmly, pointing at the stack of heavy‑duty raincoats.
Hassan’s eyes widened.
It seemed that this was a returning customer.
Still, the shopkeeper wasn’t surprised as she nodded calmly. It was as if bulk purchases were nothing unusual here.
"Of course. We’ll prepare them for you. Please wait a moment."
The man handed over a pouch filled with Energy Cores... the faint glow of their power illuminating his scarred hands.
Hassan watched in disbelief as the transaction was completed smoothly, the shopkeeper moved efficiently, and soon, the raincoats on display were refilled by a new batch by the other workers.
’I wonder who’s the owner of this store. What faction is it? Or maybe this is a multi-faction company?’
Since there were so many unusual items here that couldn’t be found elsewhere, he could only guess that much.
In the end, he looked at the beautiful shopkeeper and spoke.
"Ahem... Can I do a test drive, Miss Mei?"
***
After a week within the city, Kai had already decided to leave the safety of Cameron City.
The reason was obvious... he had to level up.
Remaining inside the city walls would only hinder his growth.
After walking about five kilometers away from the city, Kai noticed that he was being followed.
However, he didn’t care at this point.
He opened his inventory and summoned his Modified Dragoon.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, he activated the system.
With a low hum, the vehicle lifted off the ground, hovering like a jet ski that could soar through the sky!
"Catch me if you can..." Kai said as he guessed that the person following him was ordered by Humphrey from the Cancer Faction.
Whoosh~
The wind rushed past him as he accelerated, leaving the city behind.
His companions remained in Cameron City to operate the store under the protection of the Aries Faction.
Kai had made sure they had enough supplies before departing.
For now, his path led toward the Blue Grass Shelter.
Kai smiled faintly as he thought about how far his influence had spread.
His Codebreakers Guild was slowly becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Aside from the small store within the city, he had already secured New Haven‑45 and Freedom Shelter, both once A.I. bases.
Then there was Haven‑28, previously owned by Angelo until Kai eliminated him and his lackeys.
And lastly, the Blue Grass Shelter. It was practically under his control ever since Vera and the others had been saved by his Atmospheric Water Generator.
In return for being invited to his Guild, they had promised to provide him with Soul‑Booster Potions, a resource that would strengthen his forces even further.
But as he traveled for a couple of days and got closer to the shelter, Kai’s smile faded.
Smoke rose in the distance, and he realized what was going on...
The Blue Grass Shelter was under attack.
From above, he counted at least ten Sentinels!
Their metallic frames were undeniable...
Each was equipped with swords and guns, moving in coordinated patterns as they pressed against the defenders.
Kai’s first instinct was to intervene.
His hand tightened on the controls, ready to unleash his arsenal.
But then he paused and watched the situation carefully...
The defenders of the shelter weren’t panicking. Instead, they moved without hesitation as they wielded weapons that Kai recognized immediately.
They were compact grappling launchers... the very ones he had distributed from his Gift Packs.
With practiced skill, the defenders fired the launchers, entangling the Sentinels in thick cords. The machines failed to move as they wanted due to the restriction!
With that move alone, the Sentinels’ balanced where destroyed!
In that moment of vulnerability, the survivors used a smokescreen for cover and struck the Sentinels with blunt weapons to crush their circuits!
Kai hovered above, impressed by their method of attack...
’Nice... They’re using the tools I gave them to fight back.
The Sentinel tried to fight back... However, they were too slow because of the wires around them!
A defender rolled aside, firing another grappling hook that wrapped around its legs.
The machine toppled, crashing into the dirt!
Thud!
Within seconds, three survivors swarmed it, stabbing and shooting until it lay still.
The battle was brutal, but it was clear the shelter had adapted!
"Good job..." Kai muttered as he knew that it was already done.
However, he soon turned back after realizing that they had visitors...
"Seriously... You followed me up to here?"
