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"Have you heard? Some place is collecting a large amount of cigarettes."

"Really? Where? And for what price?"

"Right in the Trading Hall in Future City."

"Let's go take a look."

...

On this day, a piece of information was spreading crazily in Future City, and countless people headed towards the Trading Hall in doubt and belief.

In these years, who still buys cigarettes? That stuff is useless and can't be eaten.

By the time everyone arrived at the trading market, a long line had already formed.

"Brother, what's going on here?"

"Here you can exchange cigarettes for Mutated Crystals, don't cut in line, go line up in the back."

"Hey, this year there are people buying weapons, food, shelters, but this is the first time simply buying cigarettes in such a large quantity."

"That's what I'm saying, last time in that shop, there were lots of cigarettes I couldn't take, I only took a few packs for myself to smoke, if I had known I would have gotten rich."

People chatted while waiting in line.

"Does he have that much money? With so many people, will they run out before it's my turn?"

"They won't, I heard they took out a whole box of shiny Mutated Crystals."

After taking this reassurance pill, everyone resumed calmly lining up.

"Note, ones with damaged packaging will not be accepted, only whole packs of cigarettes under 50 dollars will be accepted, don't line up randomly."

"Note, ones with damaged packaging will not be accepted, only whole packs of cigarettes under 50 dollars will be accepted, don't line up randomly."

...

A man came over, he should be a worker at the trading market, he shouted at the crowd repeatedly to inform newcomers, others who didn't listen couldn't blame him.

Some people who finished exchanging walked out from the front.

"Brother, how much did you exchange? How much did they buy for?"

"I'm a heavy smoker, last time I found cigarettes, I took two packs of Peace and Nature, smoked half a pack myself, exchanged the rest, a full 15 Mutated Crystals."

This brother had a big smile on his face.

Luckily what I brought was expensive stuff, the kid in front of me brought Furong King, now that pack only exchanged for 1 Mutated Crystal, a huge loss.

The hype lasted until past 5pm in the afternoon, still a long line at the door.

"Closing up shop, those remaining come back tomorrow."

Many people were sleeping during the day, only now received the news, didn't expect they had just closed.

Luckily others were coming back tomorrow, everyone could only reluctantly leave.

West City, Future City's territory.

"Today's total cigarette intake was 5720 packs, total Mutated Crystals paid out was 11420."

In a villa, Jing Yi carefully calculated while her sister Jing Ru sat bored on the side.

The villa was rented from Future City, these few days they wouldn't be going back to their team, but rather live in Future City houses posing as businesswomen.

"Little sister, isn't this over budget? Spent over 10,000 in one day."

Over 10,000 Mutated Crystals, enough for eleven 2nd stage sisters to advance to 3rd stage and some leftover, all gone in one day, just exchanged for a pile of crappy cigarettes.

"It won't be, it'll be a lot less tomorrow, right now outside Future City is full of zombies, even 2nd stage zombies and some 3rd stage, other than the big teams, who dares to go out themselves?"

Jing Yi was very confident, she wasn't worried they wouldn't sell her the cigarettes, these Mutated Crystals would be spit back out sooner or later.

...

That night, the cold wind howled.

"So cold, brothers got cigarettes? Let me bum one."

"You're out of cigarettes already? Didn't you get a pack last time?"

"Hehe, sold it to those ladies today, sold for 7 Mutated Crystals."

"Fuck off, go bum off someone else after selling your own cigarettes?"

Similar scenes played out in various places in Future City.

When selling, only paid attention to money, who thought about keeping some to smoke.

The next day.

Jing Yi and Jing Ru came to the Trading Hall on time.

Outside already had a long line, many who didn't get the message yesterday all came today.

These were Mutated Crystals, ten could make you 1st stage Variant Human, one hundred could make you 2nd stage.

Right now most people were still just ordinary 1st stage Variant Humans, still far from the goal of one hundred crystals.

Plus, many people had families they supported, not alone, having Mutated Crystals could also let their family members level up.

Another fruitful day, but clearly fewer people than yesterday, even periods of emptiness in the middle.

At the same time, other teams also sensitively stopped handing out cigarettes.

An invisible undercurrent surged in Future City.

"Bro, got any cigarettes left?"

"None, didn't we exchange them all for Mutated Crystals?"

"But I really want a cigarette."

In a room lived two brothers.

Both were smokers, after apocalypse their smoking rose sharply.

But yesterday, they sold all their cigarettes, finally scraping together 100 Mutated Crystals, the older brother successfully advanced to 2nd stage.

In the apocalypse, getting stronger meant more safety, the two even had a small celebration.

But the first day seemed fine going without cigarettes.

Plus other brothers had cigarettes, the two shamelessly bummed a couple.

But today, the two really couldn't stand it.

The brothers looked at each other helplessly, then their gazes fell upon the ashtray on the table.

Inside were still many unfinished cigarette butts from before.

The two suddenly rushed at the ashtray, digging out the remaining cigarette butts.

Happily took a puff, so satisfying.

But that was just one puff, after that one they wanted it even more.

The third day.

Jing Yi still came to the Trading Hall on time, Jing Ru had a sleepy look.

Fighting and killing every night, so noisy, couldn't sleep well at all, bad for the skin to get up this early.

After this was over, definitely going back to use several face masks.

On the third day, there were still people coming to exchange cigarettes for money, but far fewer.

In the morning, Jing Yi only received 11 packs.

The afternoon was even more dismal, only 6 packs.

Jing Yi thoughtfully nodded.

At 5pm, as the sisters were about to close up shop, a dozen some people suddenly rushed in.

"I don't want Mutated Crystals anymore, give me back my cigarettes."

"Me too, I don't want them anymore either, give me back my cigarettes."

The patrolling guards quickly ran over, protecting Jing Yi and Jing Ru in the middle.

"What are you doing? Looking to provoke Future City?"

The guards on this level hadn't received few benefits from Jing Yi these past few days, not to mention the dozens of packs of cigarettes.

Although not top quality, still a lot of Mutated Crystals by their buyback price.

Moreover, these two were great beauties, exceptionally rare twin beauties.

With these conditions added together, these guards would of course defend with their lives.

What's more, they represented Future City, no fear at all.

The dozen some people rushing in were all unaffiliated survivors, also didn't dare offend Future City.

Just before, their nicotine addiction was truly too much to bear, which led to rushing in, now blocked by Future City guards, they all sobered up.

Could only watch the two beauties before them leave.

As Jing Yi and Jing Ru left, the little sisters who had been pretending to be customers to protect them also quietly left.