Reborn One Week Before the Apocalypse

Chapter 273: Chapter 263: Xiao Tao’s New Life

Seeing how full of drive and hope Lin Yu was for his new life, Tang Mo was relieved.

With Lin Yu’s Talent, as long as he was willing to work hard, he could definitely reach his peak again, just like in their past life. The tragedies of that life would absolutely not be repeated in this one.

”Where’s Xiao Tao?”

Tang Mo looked around for Xiao Tao. The place Qin Ling had arranged for them was a detached villa. Both Xiao Tao and her brother, Lin Yu, lived here, so there weren’t any inconveniences.

’It’s already dark. Is Xiao Tao still training? That girl is really working that hard?’

She knew how much progress Xiao Tao had been making recently. Still, she hoped the girl wouldn’t push herself too hard; she needed to grow at her own body’s natural pace.

”That girl? She’s off on a date.”

Lin Yu had only just arrived and already knew Xiao Tao was dating. It seemed Tang Mo was still in the dark.

”Dating? Who?”

Tang Mo jumped. ’Xiao Tao is dating?’

’Then again, it’s perfectly normal. Xiao Tao is about my age. And while her Strength Attribute makes her a bit of a powerhouse, she’s still very pretty and has delicate features.’

’Xiao Tao had been at S Base for a long time without her even realizing it. It was only natural for her to start dating.’

’But I was the one who brought Xiao Tao out of her old life. I have to be responsible for her. I can’t let her get tricked by some scumbag. I still have to check this guy out.’

”You should know him. It’s that guy under Qin Ling, the one called Lao San.”

”Lao San?!”

Tang Mo was genuinely shocked. ’How did that big oaf Lao San manage to snatch up my Xiao Tao? It’s simply outrageous.’

’Then again, Xiao Tao and that Lao San did have quite a few interactions.’

’They had a Strength battle the first time they met. Later, since I was often away from the base, I did hear Xiao Tao mention that Lao San took good care of her. And I guess all that ”taking care” turned into something more...’

’Still, thinking about Lao San... I know his background and character pretty well.’

’His character is absolutely sound. He’s rough around the edges but meticulous deep down. And as long as he does a good job under Qin Ling, he has a bright future.’

’Alright then.’

Tang Mo slowly talked herself into accepting the fact that Xiao Tao was with that big lug. But deep down, she still felt like her precious little cabbage had been snatched by a pig.

Lin Yu said Xiao Tao usually didn’t get back until very late, so Tang Mo decided not to wait and left. After all, she was going to be in S Base for a while, so there was no need to rush to see her.

Instead of going straight home after leaving, Tang Mo went to take a look around the mission center and the auction house.

Crystal Coins were now in full circulation. Although Crystal Cores were still being used, Crystal Coins were no longer something accessible only to the upper class.

’The Crystal Stone Mine I found for them before, even with what was left after I took my share, shouldn’t have been enough to supply the entire base’s circulation, right?’

’Did Qin Ling and his people find another Crystal Stone Mine?’

’Crystal Stone Mines aren’t exclusively found alongside Attribute Pearls, so finding them elsewhere would be normal.’

Tang Mo immediately opened her ID Watch and browsed through the latest papers published by the research institute.

Sure enough, she found news about Crystal Stone Mines. Since Crystal Coins had been circulating for a while, the existence of the mines likely wasn’t a secret from the general public.

It turned out that after Tang Mo discovered the first Crystal Stone Mine, two more had been found in succession. Their discoverers had originally intended to hoard them.

However, the immense energy fluctuations they emitted weren’t something a single person could conceal.

So in the end, Qin Ling led a team to claim them for public ownership, and no one raised any objections.

Objections could only be voiced by those with the strength to back them up.

However, Qin Ling only allowed a small portion of the Crystal Stones from these newly acquired mines to circulate on the market. The vast majority were used as an energy source to power the entire base.

They were like the oil and mineral resources of the past, only even more useful than those natural treasures.

The research institute was even studying how to use Crystal Stones to power various forms of transportation. If successful, industry could develop in the future, and the dream of airplanes carrying people to faraway places in a short time, just like in the old days, would no longer be out of reach.

The research papers also indicated that before Crystal Stones were discovered, experiments had been conducted using Crystal Cores as an alternative energy source.

But Crystal Cores contained too many impurities.

’So these Crystal Stones can be used as an energy source...’

Tang Mo stared at the digital papers, lost in thought.

’I’m not someone who likes to rely on such items to increase my attributes. But if these stones can be used as an energy source, their future applications will be immense.’

’They’ll likely become the most indispensable resource.’

’After all, humanity is currently focused on sheer survival; it’s hard to spare a thought for quality of life.’

’But once things stabilize in this post-apocalyptic world, people will start trying to rebuild civilization and gradually improve their standard of living.’

Tang Mo was starting to feel that the Crystal Stones piled up in her Space weren’t nearly enough. ’I’ll have to collect more in the future if I get the chance.’

Along her journey, she had also unknowingly collected a lot of rare materials from mutant beasts, as well as some abnormal treasures she had no use for.

She dumped everything at the Alliance Exchange in one go, like she was selling off a pile of junk. The trader didn’t bat an eye, naturally assuming it was the entire haul from a medium-sized team.

What Tang Mo considered trash was still a treasure in the eyes of many.

The items were worth a fair bit of money, and Tang Mo converted it all into Crystal Coins.

The auction house wasn’t holding an auction at the moment. Tang Mo browsed the first and second floors but didn’t see any special treasures that caught her eye.

She did, however, find some novel and interesting little trinkets. Tang Mo traded for a few, treating them as toys she’d bought for herself.

To the current Tang Mo, the bets being placed at the Beast Fighting Arena were just child’s play, so she lost interest in stopping by.

In this entire, massive base, the only place that truly attracted her was the training camp. However, it was already getting late. ’I’ll just go tomorrow.’

Her first night sleeping in her own room with Jingjing was wonderfully restful.

Tang Mo, who often spent her nights in the wild, was finally sleeping in a warm bed, no longer needing to worry about a mutant beast suddenly rushing out from somewhere to take her life.

’How blissful it would be to lie in a bed like this every day.’

’As expected, comfort makes one complacent.’

Tang Mo quickly shook her head, banishing the decadent thought from her mind.

’Fall behind, and you’ll take a beating. This comfortable life can only be protected by constantly pushing forward.’

’I must work even harder.’

Holding on to this thought, Tang Mo quickly drifted off to sleep.

Even Jingjing was curled up on the rug, its large tail draped over its body as it slept soundly.