Lucas smirked as he reviewed the market trends. Just as he predicted—the knives he sold were already wearing down.
Blades weren't eternal.
Chopping through zombie skulls with kitchen knives? That wasn't some Hollywood fantasy. Chef knives were made for vegetables and meat, not bone. Without proper maintenance, they'd chip, dull, or snap entirely.
Meanwhile, Victor Cross's food listings sat untouched.
No sane survivor would trade Energy Cores—the key to physical enhancement—for a temporary meal. Victor had gambled on desperation and lost. Worse, he'd painted a target on his back.
"Selling food openly? That's not ambition—that's suicide."
Weapons made you dangerous. Food made you a target.
Lucas browsed listings casually—mostly junk:
"1x Lace Bra (fashionable pre-apocalypse!)"
"1x Ceramic Bowl (great for... holding more nothing!)"
Then, three items caught his eye:
[Listing: Jessica Moore]
5x Bloodstained Keys → Food/Water
Tianyang City Map → Food/Water
Tianyang University Layout → Food/Water
The seller's profile showed a young woman in a flight attendant's uniform—Jessica Moore, early 20s, with the poised elegance of someone trained to keep calm mid-air.
But Lucas didn't care about her looks.
"Keys to the university's cafeteria storage... medical office... locked dorm rooms..."
His pulse quickened.
A goldmine.
He messaged her directly.
[Lucas]: "I'll take all three. Name your price."
Jessica Moore: "Really? Then... one bottle of water?"
A pause. She backpedaled fast.
Jessica Moore: "Or—or just half? Even a sip?"
Lucas almost laughed. She thought she was asking too much.
[Lucas]: "I've got half a bottle left. Take it or leave it."
Jessica Moore: "But... it's yours. Drinking from the same bottle feels... intimate."
[Lucas]: "It's water or nothing."
A long silence. Then—
[System]: Trade completed! Lost: ½ Purified Water. Gained: 5x Keys, 2x Maps
Jessica Moore: "Thank you. You're... kind."
Her gratitude was genuine. Most men had demanded photos or favors for supplies. Lucas? He just wanted the keys.
That alone made him the closest thing to a gentleman left in hell.
Lucas leaned back, studying the maps.
"Time for a university raid."