NOVEL NEXT Chapter 145: Salt
Now, the very person he had mocked was the one standing before him, waiting for payment.
'Why… why did I have to open my big mouth? This is so embarrassing.'
He lowered his head as he placed the crystals in her hand, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you… for the salt."
Marco was about to leave when Ivy suddenly spoke. Her calm voice made him pause mid-step.
"As long as you want," she said, "and if you can pay ten gold bars, then you can obtain permanent residency here."
Marco froze. His head turned slowly toward her. His eyes locked on Ivy's, searching for any sign that she was joking. But her face was serious.
His lips pressed together, and after a long silence, he nodded with a grim expression. "I will… consider it."
Inside his chest, his heart beat painfully.
'Ten gold bars. I have them. I bought them once, back when I wanted to impress my in-laws. I thought if I showed them gold, they would stop looking down on me. But then the apocalypse came. Now gold can be traded, but it barely buys a month's worth of food. That gold is my last bit of wealth, the only thing I have left.'
His eyes flickered. 'If I give that up… will I really survive? Or will I end up starving anyway?'
Even though he owned more than ten gold bars, he had never dared to spend them all. But now, hearing Ivy's words, something inside him shifted.
The idea of buying a permanent home here… it made him hesitate. It made him dream.
Marco lifted his head. "Can you show me where you live?"
Ivy studied him for a moment. She saw the uncertainty in his eyes, but also the faint spark of determination. She nodded. If someone was thinking about becoming a permanent resident, she could not waste the chance.
'Renting rooms alone will not build my base,' Ivy thought.
'I must also sell houses. Half rent, half sell. That will keep it stable. This Marco… he looks weak, and I doubt he will awaken a strong power, but his movements when fighting earlier showed he has courage. If trained, he might become useful. Strangely, I felt something about him. Like a premonition. As if he could become someone powerful one day.'
She tried to remember if the name Marco had ever appeared in her past life, but nothing came to her. After a while, she let it go.
"Follow me," she said simply.
They walked to the first apartment Ivy had completed. She opened the door and let Marco step inside.
The moment he entered, Marco froze in shock. His mouth opened wide. The apartment was spacious, the air clean, and the wooden walls smooth without cracks.
There was no leaking, no mold, no broken floorboards. Compared to the military base, this felt like another world.
Furniture was already set up inside. A wide bed, a sturdy chair, and even a table. The light coming in made the whole place look warm and alive.
Marco stepped farther in, his hands brushing the wood. 'This… this is like a dream. How can something so solid exist in the apocalypse?'
Meanwhile, Ivy suddenly stiffened. A sound rang in her mind.
[Ding. You have earned 100 KB for selling food items at a low price.]
Ivy blinked. Her heart skipped. 'What? Just by selling a single packet of salt, I earned 100 KB? That is far more than when I donated medicine. How is this possible?'
The voice in her mind continued.
[You have unlocked a special feature available only to you.]
Her eyes widened. She wanted to check it right away, but Marco was still with her. She had to hold back.
'Patience. Let him see the house first. I can check later.'
Marco walked through the rooms with excitement building inside him. The air was neither too cold nor too hot.
The temperature was just right. The kitchen was wide and complete. The bedroom was warm and private. There was even a small storage room.
His mind filled with ideas. 'I could keep food here. I could keep supplies. If I own this place, I will not have to run every day, looking for scraps. I could actually live.'
He turned quickly toward Ivy, his eyes burning. "I want to buy this house!"
Ivy raised one eyebrow at his eagerness. Her arms crossed as she looked at him calmly. "You can buy it. But there are conditions. You need to keep them in mind."
Marco leaned forward, nervous. "What conditions?"
"I will send you the agreement later," Ivy replied. "You can come with the payment when you are ready."
Marco thought for a moment. Then he nodded firmly. "That is fair."
Relief touched his face. He felt like for the first time since the apocalypse began, there was a chance for him to live, not just survive.
'The military is hell. Leaking roofs, crowded rooms, food that costs too much. Here, even if food is expensive, I can still buy from the military if I need. But a safe home? That is priceless.'
He gave Ivy one last look and left the base, his mind racing with plans.
............
Marco walked back to the military base with quick steps. His hand clutched the salt packet tightly, as if someone might try to snatch it away.
The moment he passed through the gates, a sharp-eyed man spotted the bag and shouted, "Salt! He's got salt!"
Heads turned instantly. Several people rushed closer, eyes shining with greed.
"How much do you want for it?" one asked.
"I'll give you one gram of gold!" another shouted.
"Ten grams here!"
"I'll pay one whole gold bar!" a tall man yelled, his voice desperate.
The crowd pressed closer, their hands reaching out, their eyes fixed on the small packet.
Marco felt sweat on his forehead. His heart raced. 'One gold bar for a little salt? That is enough to buy food for weeks. If I sell it now…'