Show Some Self-Respect!

"Thirsty... water..."

She had no idea how long she had been unconscious. As Xia Yan gradually came to, all she felt was unbearable hunger and a throat so dry it felt like a branding iron had been shoved into it.

Her arms felt as heavy as lead.

Her hazy vision seemed veiled by mist. She tried her best to push herself up from the floor, but gave up after one attempt.

Then her gaze fell on a plastic bottle and a packet not far away.

Xia Yan lunged forward, snatched up the plastic bottle, and, without caring what liquid was inside, tipped her head back and gulped it down.

Her thirst was instantly relieved.

After pouring the last drop into her mouth, Xia Yan tossed aside the bottle and, like a starving ghost, picked up the plastic package from the floor and tore it open.

Her instincts told her there was food inside!

However, when she saw the black stuff inside, her ravenous expression froze for a moment.

What was this...

She leaned in and sniffed it. At least it did not stink.

After hesitating for a while, Xia Yan finally made up her mind and carefully took a small bite.

The instant it touched her lips and teeth, her expression abruptly stiffened, and her pupils shook violently.

This!

What was this taste?!

She shoved all of the black stuff into her mouth at once. After finishing every last bit, Xia Yan licked her lips with lingering satisfaction. She did not even spare the plastic wrapper, turning it over and running her tongue around it.

At that moment, the alloy door in front of her opened.

Xia Yan looked up and saw the man standing in the doorway.

"Awake?"

Instinctively shrinking back in fear, Xia Yan hurriedly glanced over her clothes and forced herself to nod.

"Mm."

"Was it good?"

Though she wanted to show a little backbone, her mouth would not listen to her.

"It was... good..."

Chu Guang smiled faintly.

"Want more?"

"Yes." Xia Yan nodded vigorously.

Satisfied with her answer, Chu Guang nodded.

"What you just ate was called chocolate."

"Starting today, you work for me. Whatever I tell you to do, you do."

"In exchange, I can provide you with a safe place to live and food. Also, if your performance satisfies me, I'll give you another piece of that thing you just ate."

Xia Yan had never eaten something like chocolate before. She had only heard that it had been a popular food before the war, and also a luxury enjoyed by Boulder City's upper class.

"...So this is what chocolate tastes like?"

Her index finger unconsciously touched her lips. A dazed Xia Yan's eyes gradually filled with regret.

Damn it!

If I'd known, I would've eaten it slower!

Of course, Chu Guang had no way of knowing what she was thinking.

If he had, he definitely would have rolled his eyes.

It was just a piece of chocolate...

Was it really necessary?

"Yes," Chu Guang said as he looked at Xia Yan sitting on the floor. "So, what's your answer?"

"I'm willing."

Xia Yan answered without hesitation. She did not even ask what Chu Guang intended to make her do.

After all, she had no other choice.

Even if she returned to Boulder City with half a leg missing, her final fate would be nothing more than rotting away in some alley in the slums.

Like a rotten orange peel.

No one would care.

If one could live, naturally no one wanted to die.

At least, she had not reached that level of enlightenment.

Xia Yan turned her head away, resignedly closed her eyes, and spoke in a low voice.

"Th-though I've never tried it either, it should be fine. I know what you want... Be gentle."

"Huh?"

Chu Guang froze instinctively, but as an old hand who had been driving for years, he guessed from her expression in an instant that she had gotten the wrong idea. He immediately straightened his face and said sternly.

"Miss, please have some self-respect. I'm seriously discussing work-related matters with you right now."

If you keep this up.

Then I won't be able to stay serious.

Xia Yan was also stunned when she heard Chu Guang's words.

What the hell?

Hadn't this guy kidnapped her because he wanted her to have his children???

Her pupils shook violently. Seemingly having finally distinguished between her imagination and reality, Xia Yan's face gradually flushed a deep crimson.

She turned away in shame, stared at the crack in the corner of the wall, and said fiercely.

"Just kill me..."

Chu Guang: "???"

What the hell?

After taking some time, Chu Guang briefly explained the situation here to Xia Yan, who was lying on the ground.

Games were not popular in the wasteland. Explaining things with the concept of players would only confuse her further, and Chu Guang could not be bothered preaching to someone who would not understand, so he simply explained it in terms she could grasp.

"Simply put, my men and I plan to establish a survivor settlement on the surface, drive out the mutants, take in refugees, and restore order to this area."

After hearing Chu Guang's words, Xia Yan looked utterly unconvinced.

How confident did someone have to be to say something so unrealistic?

Restore order?

Countless people had tried exactly that over the past two hundred years, but not a single one had succeeded. Instead, more and more mutants had taken over the cities, more and more super mutants had appeared, survivors' living space had been steadily squeezed, and things had only gotten worse year after year.

"Do you think restoring order is as simple as building a wall?"

Having been emotionally wounded, Xia Yan's tone was faintly sarcastic. "You really should go take a look at Boulder City. There are countless people there stronger than you. Even they can only linger around the edge of the Third Ring. What do you think you can accomplish?"

"I naturally have my own plan." Chu Guang, who had not actually thought much about such matters, looked at her calmly and continued, "I never intended to achieve this goal in a few months. I know full well that this will be a long and arduous war, and I am prepared to make sacrifices across several generations to see it through."

How annoying.

It was just a setting. Could you let me finish what I'm saying?

Of course Chu Guang knew that restoring order was not something that could be accomplished with a few words. Nor had he become so arrogant as to think himself invincible just because he had taken out a few impoverished raiders living in the far suburbs.

But this was his character setting.

Or rather, the game's setting.

At the very least, he had to make the players feel that this NPC was the real deal.

However, the person before him had clearly only heard the latter half of what he said.

Several generations?

Xia Yan nervously shrank back.

S-so he really did want children after all.

"Back to the subject." Chu Guang coughed lightly and continued, "You know how to assemble firearms, right? And maintain parts and such?"

Xia Yan nodded.

"Yes. Those are basic skills."

"Very good." Chu Guang nodded and continued, "From now on, you are the proprietress of the weapons shop."

"Huh?" Xia Yan looked completely baffled, unable to understand what he was saying.

That was because when Chu Guang said a certain term, he was not using the language of this world at all, but Mandarin from a parallel world.

"The proprietress of the weapons shop." Chu Guang stared at her and repeated the words slowly, one by one. Then he continued, "That is your job position. Simply put, you sell firearms and maintain guns. If someone asks what you do, that's how you answer."

"Sell guns?" Xia Yan asked blankly. "Sell them to whom?"

"The shelter residents."

"Huh???" Xia Yan looked even more confused. "Aren't those people your subordinates?"

"They are, but they're somewhat different from the kind of subordinates you're imagining." Chu Guang paused before continuing. "Simply put, we've only just emerged from underground, and we need to concentrate our strength on major tasks. Resources are also scarce, so for now we're implementing a planned economy. Everyone works together, and everyone gathers around the same pot to eat."

"Once the survival crisis is resolved and all kinds of resources begin to run a surplus, they'll need to take the initiative to increase productivity, step out of their comfort zones, and forge ahead. At that point, our settlement will switch to a new set of rules. Food, medicine, weapons, and other resources will no longer be free."

"Since you mentioned Boulder City, you should know about chips, right? It's basically the same idea."

Clearly, this woman did not understand what he was talking about.

Survivors on the wasteland, so long as they had received even a little education, could at worst become some local tycoon's lackey, like Old Charlie, who idled away his days on Bette Street. If they knew a trade, they could even find a position in a factory, tending boilers, mixing medicine, or repairing power armor for the big shots.

Only the poor would take jobs that traded their lives for money.

Like Ms. Xia standing before him.

On the wasteland, mercenary had never been a glamorous profession. They were merely a group of cheap cannon fodder with no welfare or allowances.

But Chu Guang did not care.

All he needed was a tool who could carry out his orders.

Knowledge? Experience? Qualifications?

Those could all be learned.

After a pause, Chu Guang looked at her and said, "The language my people use is a little different from that of the people on the surface. But it's not a big problem. I'll teach you a few simple phrases for everyday communication."

"You only need to do as I say."

Thanks to reader "Zhouporride" for the Alliance Leader donation~~~~~