“Do you resent me for ruining your fun?” Grace Bennett teased, “If I’d stayed outside, she might have given you the ‘full service.’ That little chick is probably still cursing me for ruining her business.”

“How could I resent you? I like you even more.” Jason Carter grinned mischievously, leaning in close to Grace Bennett’s earlobe and blowing a breath in retaliation.

“……” Grace Bennett’s cheeks flushed red. After all, she was still a girl new to such matters. Though she always called herself ‘big sister,’ she wasn’t actually much older than Jason Carter.

Suddenly, Grace Bennett’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

“We’re being followed.”

“Who?” Jason Carter was startled, instinctively wanting to turn around.

“Don’t look back. Pretend nothing’s happening. No one would dare make a move here. I have my own ways of dealing with these rats, my BOSS.” Grace Bennett smiled, biting Jason Carter’s ear as she spoke. To outsiders, the two looked just like a pair of flirtatious young lovers.

Because they were being tailed, the two naturally quickened their pace.

Grace Bennett led Jason Carter straight to a place that looked like a hospital. Only after entering did he realize it was a place selling all kinds of vaccines and genetic serums.

After paying a total of 55 Ajing, a masked doctor gave Jason Carter an injection in each arm. One was a T-type vaccine, used to prevent infection from zombie bacteria. The other was a Class C genetic enhancement serum, which, according to the doctor, could increase muscle strength, reflexes, and bone density by 10 to 25 points. The effects of the physical enhancement would gradually take effect over three days.

There were quite a few useful serums in the pharmacy, and Jason Carter selectively bought a bit of each. These were all for improving physical fitness—after all, strength is the foundation of wealth. He couldn’t always hide behind Grace Bennett, could he?

Although, Jason Carter rather liked that idea. Hiring someone to fight always seemed more dignified than doing it himself. Ahem…

Next, the two went to the arms dealer to restock on ammunition. The Sirius assault rifle used by Grace Bennett was powered by C-type batteries, and charging five magazines only cost 1 unit of Ajing.

As for the PK200 assault rifle in Jason Carter’s hands, which used 7.62mm rifle rounds, the ammo was a bit pricier—360 rounds cost a total of 4 Ajing points. Although Grace Bennett looked pained, Jason Carter paid up without hesitation.

Trading canned food for firepower—no matter how you looked at it, it was a good deal!

Of course, the “barbarians” here would never understand.

On this wasteland, laser weapons were undoubtedly the most eco-friendly and economical choice. Ordinary mid- to short-range laser rifles were enough for most urban combat scenarios. As long as it wasn’t a high-powered long-range laser rifle, energy consumption was very low. Take the Sirius in Grace Bennett’s hands, for example: its effective range was only 400 meters, and beyond that, the energy of the beam rounds would drop off sharply. However, a single C-type battery could power 200 shots. If not for concerns about overheating, this weapon could even provide machine-gun-level firepower at close range.

As for kinetic weapons, their advantage lay in their long effective range, minimal drop-off in bullet power, and the fact that they couldn’t be completely neutralized by energy shields. The PCA-standard PK200 assault rifle, for example, could be used as a sniper rifle with an 8x scope. Although it was a bit of a waste for Jason Carter to use such a gun, it was undoubtedly the best fit for him.

Kinetic weapons were far more reliable than laser weapons. An EMP grenade could easily disable a laser rifle, but a kinetic rifle would keep firing. If something went wrong, Grace Bennett could handle any laser weapon malfunctions, but Jason Carter would just be left staring helplessly.

“Let’s stay here tonight.” Grace Bennett glanced at the setting sun, then casually swept her gaze at the stalker out of the corner of her eye.

“But…” Jason Carter frowned, feeling uneasy all over at being followed.

“Night is dangerous,” Grace Bennett said coolly, a faint, chilling smile crossing her face. “But at the same time, it’s full of opportunities.”

It seemed that tonight, some people were destined for bad luck.

Chapter 8: The Grey Goo Mercenary Group

The Tulip Inn sat at the border between the outer and inner circles, close to the busiest market in the Sixth District and the militia headquarters with the strongest security presence.

The .50 caliber twin anti-aircraft machine gun on the roof, exuding a chilling aura, somewhat clashed with the luxurious decor, but it undeniably showcased the inn’s strength. After all, in this lawless wasteland, safety was paramount.

Being able to mount an anti-aircraft gun on the roof clearly meant the inn had the backing of the Sixth District authorities.

Those who stayed here were either wealthy or powerful, so security was of utmost importance. According to Grace Bennett, here, if someone entered your room without permission, you had the right to shoot them on sight without asking for a reason.

The reason for choosing to stay here was, of course, to conveniently deal with that “tail.”

Sitting on a luxurious genuine leather sofa, Jason Carter smiled as he used a toothpick to pick out a segment of orange from a can of fruit, popping it into his mouth as two people nearby swallowed hungrily.