Chapter 148 Arrival at the Tourist City

Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Arrival at the Tourist CityHaving been robbed of fifty White Notes for a tube of ointment, Xu Huo applied it to his wound in an act that was almost like venting his frustration.

However, the ointment was indeed effective. The broken skin quickly scabbed over, painless and itch-free. Although it wasn’t as potent as a Self-Healing Potion, this was an ointment that could be bought cheaply, and its value far exceeded its price.

The vehicle crossed the hanging bridge, and ahead was a partitioned zone.

On either side of the main road, glass barriers created an enclosed area. After passing through an automatic disinfection zone, the vehicle entered the sealed area, where passengers could observe the surroundings through the glass on both sides.

To the left were city ruins. Among the broken walls and crumbling structures, heads would occasionally pop out. As the vehicle moved forward, oddly shaped Aliens emerged quietly, attempting to break through the glass.

It appeared this glass was made of special materials; their evolved long claws and sharp teeth could only leave superficial scratches.

The vehicle deliberately drove close to the glass. Whenever an Alien lunged forward, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of crisis as if it would break free, causing several people who witnessed this scene for the first time to cry out in surprise.

Most of the tourists were used to it. The sight of the Aliens preying was less amusing than the sight of the same car’s passengers being frightened, which made everyone tease them until their faces turned red with embarrassment.

"Everyone, please look to the right. Up ahead, they are carrying out a clam harvesting operation," said the long-faced guide at that moment.

Xu Huo turned his head along with the others and first saw a purple sea on the ground. Unlike what he saw in pictures, with the naked eye, the purple surface of the water had a layer of iridescent colors floating on it, resembling oil, and the water itself lost its vitality, flowing sluggishly.

The workers on the steel frame were all clad in thick protective suits. They used anesthetics to subdue the slow-moving Aliens, dragged them up, chopped off their heads, harvested the algae shells from their bodies with machines, and then threw the carcasses back into the sea to become food for other Aliens.

From anesthetizing to discarding the bodies, the whole process only took some time when they were harvesting the algae shells; the assembly line operation was quite efficient.

Xu Huo turned his head to glance at the female gamer beside him who pretended to be asleep, then looked up and asked the long-faced guide, "The Algae Shell Variant can grow algae shells, but those Aliens seem useless. Why not kill them off? Leaving them be is so dangerous."

He pointed at the fierce-looking Aliens on the left, "Why not exterminate them, what’s the point of keeping them around."

The long-faced guide spoke lightly, "Why kill them? They’ve already turned into Aliens anyway, and since they’re useless, they can be used for exhibition to boost economic development."

An elderly lady sitting in front of Xu Huo chuckled and said, "Our Brick Fairy Tale Tourist Town is famous not only for its architecture and cuisine but also for this Alien exhibition. Every year, a lot of people come just to see it, and even locals hop on the tour bus for a visit now and then."

"Auntie, do you live in the tourist town?" Xu Huo asked with a grin, leaning forward, "As a young man, I have a real craving for good food. Aliens will never be as tasty as a proper meal, right!"

The elderly lady laughed, "You young folks have lots of energy, always looking for something to eat wherever you go. When we arrive at the tourist town, buy a copy of the Gourmet Guide. It has all the good eats on it, expensive and cheap ones, and it will surely satisfy you!"

"But be careful not to be tricked into some rip-off shops. They sell stuff from the polluted areas that have not been processed. Eating that can make a person seriously ill. At the very least, you’d be in for a bout of sickness."

Xu Huo chuckled and patted his belly, "I wasn’t thinking about it, but talking about it has made me hungry."

The elderly lady took out a packet of round white things from her bag, ate one, and then handed a handful to him, "These are a speciality from the tourist town, roasted sunflower seeds. Take your time and enjoy their flavor."

"Thank you, auntie," Xu Huo said with a smile, taking them and popping one into his mouth. He then stealthily glanced aside; by that time, the female gamer had opened her eyes and was watching him.

He quickly offered her half, "Do you want some?"

The female player frowned as she stared at the thing in his hand, and after a while, she reluctantly took a few and, under his and the old lady’s watchful eyes, put them in her mouth; they were quite crunchy with a bite.

"Not bad."

Xu Huo’s smile was identical to the old lady’s, as if they were as close as grandchildren and grandparents, talking while cracking sunflower seeds, all the way until they reached the tourist town.

Before getting off, the old lady gave him two discount coupons and recommended he stay at a place she knew.

The exterior of the tourist town somewhat resembled an old city from ancient times, with tall walls around it that, at a glance, looked like an enlarged version of a brick town, complete with an added layer of protective railings. As their vehicle entered, bells rang out from the brick walls, and the gate behind them closed.

Most of the tourists got off the bus and left excitedly, while Xu Huo and his two companions remained, along with the young man who had spoken up on the bus and another man and woman.

They sized each other up briefly before looking away.

"The tourist town closes at dusk and you can’t enter or exit once it’s closed," said the long-faced tour guide, pointing at a nearby notice board. "If it’s your first visit and you’re unfamiliar, look at the map or buy a guidebook. It’s best to find accommodation before nightfall."

"Is there danger after dark?" asked the woman among the pair.

"What danger could there be?" scowled the long-faced tour guide. "You outsiders always think it’s unsafe everywhere. If that’s the case, then stay at home and don’t go out."

He was about to walk away when the man beside the woman quickly grabbed him and handed over a few White Notes, "She didn’t speak properly, please don’t take it to heart!"

"See, we’re new here and don’t know anything, and it’s getting dark. Could you recommend a reasonably priced place to stay?"

The long-faced tour guide’s expression softened a bit as he pulled out a few business cards from his pocket and tossed them indifferently, "These places are all good."

After finishing, he left, while the man holding the business cards turned back with a poor expression.

"What kind of places did he give us?" asked the young man from the bus. "If the prices are reasonable, why don’t we just settle down? I felt uneasy as soon as we came in; it’s definitely not safe here at night."

One after another, they turned to look back into the tourist town which, like any popular tourist destination, was filled with signs advertising "local specialties," mostly edible treats and playthings, with crowds of tourists bustling about and spacious shops packed with people. However, all the buildings were uniquely shaped bricks.

Most of the items for sale were things they had never seen before, unrecognizable as food and giving off a strange aroma that tempted one to feast heartily.

But bustle doesn’t mean safety; any tourist spot is a mix of good and bad, and it’s unclear where traps might lie.

"That guide definitely wanted to rip us off," the man said, discarding the business cards he held.

The nearby young man hurriedly bent down to pick them up, but the man rushed to snatch them back, glaring at him, "I paid for these, if you want one, go buy it yourself!"

Resigned, the young man turned back to consult the map.

"The lodging isn’t in this area," said the long-haired female player, also looking at the map. "Judging by the distance, it’ll take about half an hour on foot."