CHAPTER 15: CHAPTER 15: FORBEARANCE MISTAKEN FOR WEAKNESS

This was the first time in over six years that Qu Jianlei had encountered someone willing to help him of their own accord.

Thinking about how other traversers could thrive right off the bat, surviving... really wasn’t easy for him.

He felt the need to emphasize one thing, "The loot is all mine."

There was no need to say this to others, but Morrison was different; he had no sense of shame.

Sure enough, Morrison was stunned: Four weapons, and not even one for me?

The chubby guy and the redhead had two long blades, borrowed a Gauss Automatic Rifle, and there was still a short dagger at redhead’s waist.

Morrison was a bit confused and couldn’t help speaking up.

"I’m part of your crew, right? Even giving me a short dagger would boost our group’s combat power, wouldn’t it?"

Qu Jianlei couldn’t be bothered to respond: Even if I give you a weapon, do you dare to kill?

I have to watch out for you pulling any tricks!

He glanced at the other with disdain, "My people... you think you’re worthy? This is called paying off debts!"

Morrison was immediately at a loss for words, thinking to himself, no wonder you’re still a loner; you don’t know how to build a team.

"Well, can I at least get a pair of pants?"

His pants had been torn by Sha Qu, and if they encountered extreme cold, it would be deadly.

Qu Jianlei remained silent, which counted as consent.

Morrison skillfully searched the body, and besides ammo and some small items, he also found a tube of Nutrient Liquid on the redhead.

With his back to Qu Jianlei, he attempted to quietly open the Nutrient Liquid.

A cold, hard object pressed against the back of his head, and a cold voice sounded, "Wanna die?"

Morrison was so hungry his eyes were turning blue, but... he didn’t want to die!

He felt like crying, but the two cold corpses in front of him reminded him of who was standing behind him.

He could only honestly put down the Nutrient Liquid.

The next problem was: burying bodies... also requires strength.

However, Morrison didn’t dare say anything further, not even daring to slack off a bit.

Every time he was tempted to be lazy, he told himself: that fool really will kill you!

As for why the timid Sha Qu became like this, he couldn’t figure it out.

It took him more than two hours to finally bury the two bodies in the garbage heap and clean up the blood on the ground.

Then he plopped down on the ground, panting heavily, feeling like he was falling apart.

At this moment, Qu Jianlei spoke up, "Hungry? I can lend you a gun..."

Really? Morrison looked at him suspiciously, feeling something was off, "What am I supposed to do with a gun?"

"Go hunt other scavengers," Qu Jianlei said, his eyelids drooping, "We’ll split the loot half and half."

Morrison blinked several times before finally asking, "Kill who?"

"Whoever you like," Qu Jianlei’s face remained emotionless, "It’ll also solve your food problem."

Morrison stared at him for a long while, then slowly shook his head, "I don’t dare."

He was timid, but now he was starving; killing wasn’t out of the question.

However, there was a problem; his leg was injured, and if scavengers counterattacked, he wouldn’t be able to run.

The hunger was unbearable, but he still didn’t want to die.

"Heh," Qu Jianlei’s lips twitched, a classic mocking smile, "That’s about all you’re good for."

Well, that’s all he’s good for, and Morrison didn’t bother to explain—it would just waste energy.

The filthy woman noticed Qu Jianlei’s killings again.

She mused for a moment and instructed the young man next to her, "When you take the goods out later, let Xiaoqu check them proactively."

"Let him check proactively?" The young man was clearly disgruntled, "Doesn’t that make us look like a joke?"

"What do you know," the filthy woman snorted coldly, "Just do as you’re told."

The young man finally couldn’t go against the big sister. Not long after, he took the goods out and proactively found Qu Jianlei.

Qu Jianlei was initially a bit puzzled about whose side this person was on, but soon figured it out.

The first person to voluntarily request a check had appeared, and soon after, a second one came.

The third visitor was that short, brawny man who had initially attempted to sow discord between him and the scavengers.

This guy was more straightforward; after the check, he proactively requested, "By the way, can you use your vehicle to help me transport the goods?"

Qu Jianlei gave him a puzzled look, "By the way?"

"I’ll pay," the short, brawny man was startled, then spoke with a compensatory smile, "Without payment, I couldn’t use your vehicle, could I?"

Qu Jianlei nodded, speaking expressionlessly, "Wait a moment."

Such little cargo wasn’t worth a special trip by the tricycle, and it wasn’t him hauling it anyway.

After that, people came intermittently to undergo inspection.

As for how many people noticed his killings, even Qu Jianlei himself wasn’t sure.

However, the Gauss Automatic Rifle and three long blades he had at hand were visible for all to see.

There were many savvy individuals among the scavengers, and they generally knew how to protect themselves.

Even those who weren’t involved in the matter would come to Qu Jianlei voluntarily to have their goods inspected.

——Even though I don’t know why they’re doing it, it’s no big deal if I imitate them.

Anyway, Sha Qu didn’t take anyone else’s trash, just glanced at it, what’s the big deal?

However, Qu Jianlei didn’t make a move, and Morrison instead secretly stashed some of the relatively cheaper trash.

Qu Jianlei pretended not to see it; having a craven helper is better than watching him starve to death.

He doesn’t bother with justice, the Wasteland doesn’t operate on those lines.

He’s been on the brink of starvation so many times and never saw anyone stand up for justice.

If you don’t fight for your own rights, do you expect others to help?

Before he knew it, dusk approached, and the tricycle was fully loaded with goods.

This time, the delivery destination wasn’t Qu Jianlei’s camp, but another place, nearly twenty kilometers away.

After four hours, Morrison finally, with unsteady steps, pulled the tricycle to the location.

Scavengers went to sell the trash to acquaintances, and Morrison also went to sell his goods.

Qu Jianlei arrived at a general store, planning to sell one of his three Long Blades.

The blade with a chipped tooth was severely damaged.

The store owner, a lame man who knows Sha Qu, directly set a price.

"A broken Vibrating Blade... three tubes of Nutrient Injection."

That seemed a bit much; a brand new Vibrating Blade is worth roughly fifty tubes of Nutrient Injection.

Qu Jianlei wasn’t good at bargaining and blankly said, "Add a little more."

"Don’t even think about it," the lame man snorted, "You think it’s worth much? You can find one in any trash heap."

Qu Jianlei was speechless and gave him a look, "Then I won’t sell."

Finding a usable Vibrating Blade in the junkyard? Such a possibility isn’t out of the question, but the odds are as slim as winning the lottery.

"Not selling?" The lame man glanced at him.

Even though he noticed that the other carried some weapons, he knew exactly what kind of person Sha Qu was.

He didn’t believe this fool had the guts to act; finally, he only snorted disapprovingly, considering the weapons.

"If you’re not selling, don’t waste time, damn annoying."

Suffice it to say, Qu Jianlei didn’t react, picked up his Long Blade, turned, and left.

Though he had a gun, he knew there was no need for violence in such situations.

He also knew his social skills were lacking, and the other’s foul words might just be filler too, so he ignored them.

However, this reaction was observed by a mohawk guy standing at the store entrance.

No matter the society, things aren’t purely black and white; waiting for easy marks outside a general store is quite normal too.

"So timid even with a gun?" The mohawk guy’s eyes lit up, this guy... worth dealing with.

He touched the Short Dagger at his waist, contemplated a bit, and turned to leave.

Not long after, he returned with two men, one carrying a Gauss Automatic Rifle, and the other a Long Blade.

The mohawk guy also held a Short-Barreled Shotgun. "Lame man, where is he?"

The shop owner understood these people’s type, responded reluctantly, "Find out yourself, he’s from Chaotic Stone Camp."

"Chaotic Stone?" The mohawk guy grinned, "That kind of place can be called a camp? This guy seems timid?"

"He’s a fool," the lame man waved them off, "go, go, I’m busy."

"Busy my ass!" The mohawk’s face darkened, "Need a lesson, huh?"

"You’re going to teach me?" The lame man lifted a hand, showing a Laser Pistol, face growing stern, "That guy is called Sha Qu... Get lost!"

"Thanks, lame man," the mohawk man chuckled carelessly and left with his crew.

The lame man shook his head at their backs, paying them no mind as he resumed cleaning his Laser Pistol.

Qu Jianlei didn’t expect that his forbearance would be seen as weakness by others.

He found Morrison, who had just licked clean a Nutrient Injection’s packaging, with a hint of satisfaction on his face.

"Alright, time to work, we need to head back to the camp."

"Wait, let me take a hit," Morrison took out a small plastic capsule the size of a pinky, blue liquid inside.

Qu Jianlei observed expressionlessly; he knew the capsule contained a low-quality hallucinogen with addictive properties.

Though cigarettes were available in the Wasteland, they were expensive; compared to them, "Blue Beauty" was more toxic and damaging to health.

Yet some people craved it; Morrison appeared to be one of them.

Qu Jianlei could tell this guy didn’t buy bandages or much, only spent on Nutrient Injection or Blue Beauty.

But that’s their choice, their life, what did it matter to him?

Morrison first bit open the capsule, took a deep drag, and eventually stuffed the capsule into his mouth, chewing on it.

His eyes squinted slightly, face full of ecstasy.

At the same moment, the mohawk trio spotted the two of them, and the man with the Long Blade let out a sound.

"Isn’t that Morrison the useless?"

Morrison had quite a reputation, arguably bigger than Sha Qu’s, as Qu Jianlei hadn’t harmed anyone, but Morrison was known as a menace.

"Two insects, quite the pair," commented the man with the Gauss Automatic Rifle. "Let’s ambush them outside the camp."