Chapter 298: The Changes in the World
Kai chuckled as he walked with Claire, Mei, and Marissa away from Harper’s vanished stall. The three women were still buzzing from the trade.
"So," Kai teased lightly, "aside from chickens, what else did you three find? Don’t tell me you were tempted by bug protein."
He actually noticed the shop while walking here. He was curious if they considered to have that instead.
Marissa groaned. "Ugh, don’t remind me. That stall was disgusting. I almost gagged when the merchant tried to hand me a roasted cricket."
Mei laughed softly. "The fish stall was better. Honestly, I was tempted. But the price was insane."
Claire nodded. "Hydroponic greens were useful too. We learned that your kits could sell for three medals each. That’s valuable information."
Kai smirked. "Good work. Anyway, you three did exactly what I hoped... Chickens are a huge win."
They walked together until the huge Grand Arena came into view. The auction was still ongoing, its lights were still on, giving a bright area around it.
Marissa tilted her head. "Should we check it out? It’s late, maybe the big spenders are gone."
Kai shook his head. "Careful. Prices there are brutal. Even late at night, items can still go for hundreds of medals. Unless you’re ready to bleed your wallets, it’s not worth it."
Claire considered his words, then shrugged. "He’s right. We already secured livestock. That’s enough for today."
Marissa grinned suddenly. "Then let’s go shopping instead. I saw a jewelry stall earlier... beautiful accessories. And there was a clothing shop too. We deserve something nice."
Mei chuckled. "You just want earrings."
"Maybe," Marissa admitted with a laugh. "But after all this chaos, I want something that makes me feel human again."
Kai smiled faintly. "Go ahead. You earned it. Just don’t spend all night there."
Kai knew that they had no need to worry about weapons, Gene Skill, and Gene Weapons right now. They should have purchased some of them from the Gene Traders themselves.
They also don’t have to worry about their food and shelter for now.
With that in mind, they might as well purchase something that they want... not what they need.
Soon, the three women waved him off, already heading toward the glittering rows of jewelry and fine clothes.
Kai turned back toward the crowd, scanning the flow of survivors.
That was when he spotted three familiar figures moving through the market...
They were Ralph, Victor, and Alfie.
Even in full black gear, Kai recognized their physiques instantly.
He strode toward them, raising a hand. "Yo! Found something interesting?"
Ralph looked up and noticed Kai... "Plenty. But nothing cheap."
Victor chuckled. "You wouldn’t believe the weapons stalls we’ve seen. Some merchants are selling flamethrowers, heavy machine guns, even prototype railguns. But the prices are insane."
Alfie added, "We did find a few shady dealers too. They’re offering explosives like mortars, RPGs, EMP grenades. Exactly what you asked for. But they’re hidden deep in the back alleys, not out in the open. I’m not sure about the prices as well. It could be a bit too expensive so we need to check the other stalls."
Kai nodded as he heard this. "Hidden stalls, huh..."
Ralph nodded. "Yeah. They don’t advertise. You have to know the right signs. We followed a couple of survivors who looked suspicious and found one. The merchant had crates stacked with military gear. But he wanted more than medals. He asked for high-grade cores or unique items. It’s too much..."
Victor sighed. "We didn’t have enough to trade. But we marked the location. If you want, we can go back together."
Kai nodded. "I see... I’ll check them out later..."
Alfie leaned closer. "There’s more. One stall had prototype EMP grenades. The merchant claimed they could disable C-Grade Units for thirty seconds. Price? Fifty medals each... Yep... It’s fifty a piece! That’s too much considering it’s only for C-Grade."
Kai whistled softly. "Expensive, but worth seeing. If they’re real, they could save lives. I’ll check them out."
Ralph crossed his arms. "We didn’t buy anything yet. But the options are there. Heavy weapons, explosives, even experimental tech. The Auction Realm has it all... if you can pay."
Kai nodded...
Just like that, Kai decided to go with them and purchase whatever weapons they needed for all their shelters.
***
In the meantime, while Kai and his companions scouted stalls and negotiated trades inside the Auction Realm, the real world was far from quiet.
With most foreign survivors leaving their shelters behind to participate in the event, the continent’s residents carried on their routines... unaware that something extraordinary was about to happen.
Across several regions, the skies suddenly changed...
Whom~
Massive mechanical structures appeared without warning... They were floating silently above cities and wastelands alike.
They were colossal, angular constructs with their surfaces seemingly filled with skyscrapers. Though they did nothing at first, their presence alone was enough to send waves of dread through the people below.
This was larger than the floating city that Kai and the others had seen a month ago!
The sky itself turned crimson, as if bleeding into twilight.
Clouds warped unnaturally, casting eerie shadows across the land.
Survivors stopped in their tracks, staring upward in disbelief.
"What is going on here?"
"This is crazy... Is the world about to end?"
Whispers spread quickly as fear, awe, and confusion mixed together.
In New Haven‑45, Althea stood at the shelter’s watchtower, her fists clenched tightly as she gazed at the horizon.
The red sky reflected in her eyes, and her heart sank.
She had heard of this before... There were stories passed down by older survivors.
"This... this is the same sky," she muttered with a trembling voice.
"The same omen from when the Anima Civilization descended... when Aria betrayed us."
The betrayal of Aria, the Super A.I. once created to protect humanity, had marked the beginning of the collapse.
And now, the crimson sky and the silent machines signaled something similar... perhaps worse.
Althea’s grip tightened on the railing.
"Kai... wherever you are, you need to return quickly. This isn’t just another event. The world is changing again."
The mechanical structures remained motionless, but their ominous silence was putting pressure on everyone in the world.
