Cave Refuge

They had thought Yara was joking with them that day, and neither Zachary nor Madeline paid much attention to it. After parting ways that day, the two of them had a blast at the Free Trade Fair over the following days.

Though they hadn’t found anything particularly noteworthy, it was evident from the goods laid out by the various stall vendors that many everyday items from before the disaster were now being produced.

They expected the sale of perfume to cause a sensation, but what the two hadn’t foreseen was that, by the end of the auction, there were already quite a few people waiting for them in the hotel.

These people had significant backgrounds, and with the elder Luo also stepping in to mediate, they took the opportunity to hold a small auction in the hotel’s conference hall and sold the perfume at a high price.

In addition to Madeline’s perfume, Zachary’s technology and tough work were also bought at high prices by several buyers in batches.

This small auction wasn’t specifically organized for Madeline; the other sellers participating in the small auction were basically invitees from all over the place, just like Zachary.

And the buyers were either representatives from the Imperial Court or agents sent by major merchants.

As for themselves, what were they thinking? They wouldn’t deign to participate in an auction of such a level.

Sending representatives was just in case something valuable came up, to prevent others from snatching a good deal.

However, despite the influential forces behind those participating buyers, there wasn’t any deliberate underbidding at the auction, and most items were sold at satisfying final prices for the sellers.

Regarding the one hundred boxes of strawberries that Zachary had brought over, someone came to explain to Zachary that all the strawberries had been sold, and the price was paid tenfold based on the initial evaluation before loading onto the transport.

They also gave Zachary a voucher, allowing him to use this voucher to take the transport directly from Pengcheng to Kyoto in the future.

However, they also specially reminded him that the voucher given to Zachary was one-time-only; after arriving in Kyoto, only after selling strawberries again or other high-end fruits in amounts not less than this transaction could Zachary earn another round-trip voucher.

That’s right, a round-trip voucher.

The voucher in Zachary’s hand was only a one-way ticket; if he came to Kyoto without trading with them, to return to Pengcheng, he’d have to figure out a way himself.

It was after that day, holding a Digital Currency Card that could only be used in Kyoto but was equivalent to the pre-disaster currency, that Zachary and Madeline began their crazy spending spree.

Kyoto truly lived up to its reputation, indulging Zachary and Madeline in a spending spree with money flowing like water.

While they were having the time of their life, somewhat reluctant to think of going back, Yara found them.

Coming in a car from who knows where, Yara took them from the City Center, and the two of them, bold and brave, didn’t feel afraid even after knowing their destination lay outside the city.

Seeing their calm demeanor, Yara knew she’d always been right in her judgment; those capable of befriending her were never ordinary.

If it hadn’t been for Zachary’s Divine Sense, which allowed him to survey the surroundings, they might have lost their sense of direction amidst Yara’s convoluted route.

Despite having driven for so long, Yara’s actual location wasn’t far from the outskirts of Kyoto.

Eventually, the trio arrived in front of an abandoned warehouse and faced a scene of ruins and collapsed walls, leaving Zachary and Madeline somewhat puzzled as they looked towards Yara.

Yara didn’t play mysterious and drove straight in through the main gate, and indeed, the sight that met their eyes was as expected: broken walls and collapsed ceilings.

What Zachary and Madeline found odd was that just after the vehicle entered the gate, Yara abruptly stopped the car and turned off the engine. Just as the two were preparing to get out, thinking they had arrived. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Suddenly, the car began to shake. As this happened, Zachary and Madeline hurriedly prepared to open the doors to escape, but Yara, sitting in the driver’s seat, didn’t move an inch.

Just as Zachary was considering whether to urge Yara to escape quickly, Yara turned around and said to Zachary and Madeline, "Stay calm, we’re about to arrive."

Hearing Yara’s words, Zachary and Madeline, who were initially very tense, relaxed a bit, but still kept their hands on the car door latches, ready to leap out at any moment.

As the rumbling noise and shaking grew stronger, Zachary and Madeline realized they were descending. It was only then that they discovered the spot where Yara had parked the car was actually a cargo elevator platform.

Having experienced an earthquake, Zachary remained skeptical of the safety of underground facilities.

Perhaps Zachary’s thoughts were plainly written on his face, or maybe Yara had intended to explain the situation at this juncture anyway—before Zachary could ask, Yara’s voice came from the driver’s seat.

"This place used to be a special secret base, completely encased in newly poured concrete, and built with five times the normal amount of steel used in standard constructions."

"It is because of this that after the earthquake, we discovered that the underground structure here hadn’t collapsed but was still operational."

As Yara went on, light began to appear in the dark surroundings. Once their eyes adjusted, Zachary and Madeline realized they had entered the underground structure.