After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

[Welcome to Bright Village!]

[Please pay 5 copper coins as Visitor’s fee.]

Everyone looked at each other, surprised, half wondering if they were imagining things.

”Am I seeing it correctly? 5 copper???”

”So cheap?!”

”I’ve never encountered a territory charging so little!”

Similar chatter resounded among their group of 300+, but their feet never stopped moving, eager to know more about this curious territory.

As such, the mighty group of refugees and soldiers entered the territory with a bit of anticipation.

They went past the gate and were immediately met with a 6-meter wide road. They walked along it curiously as, during the first leg of about a few hundred meters, the view was pure forest.

However, after passing this, the road immediately became lively. The roads were abutted by a few two-story buildings similar to some villages they’d been to. There were other familiar buildings like the restaurant, weapons shop, and armor shop.

Despite these, there were also plenty of unique elements.

For instance, there were five commercial buildings with two floors, looking quite different from the rest. It was interestingly unique in appearance with a stone ground floor and wooden upper floors.

They weren’t able to appreciate it too much though—they weren’t even able to see what they sell—because the liveliest aspect of the roads took all their attention.

The stalls!

And they were shocked by the fact that they were selling food they didn’t think they’d encounter again!!

”Are those… FRENCH FRIES?!” Mao, the foodie, was the first to exclaim. His narrow eyes widened like he had double eyelids.

”Rice cake!” Luis beside him gulped as he stared at the stall next to it.

Sammy, on the other hand, focused on the commercial buildings. He even entered one and quickly sent news. ”They sell clothes here! It’s cotton and hemp I think, and they are cheap!”

In fact, cloth was still a luxury product in the territory. It was just that decent clothing was very expensive in Xeno. This was not even a fraction of the price outside.

The newcomers, especially the refugees, had sparkling eyes.

In fact, the soldiers were still held back. The refugees, after absorbing they were really not dreaming, all spread out like a group of kids set free in a candy aisle.

Each one went to a specific stall of choice, vocally admiring it as if it were a museum piece.

”Amazing!!”

”Gosh, is this jam?”

”Noodles!!!” One yelled, threw money without checking for change, and sipped. He moaned out. ”I’m in heaven!”

”How did they do it??”

”This is amazing!!”

The citizens of Bright could hear the discussions of the newcomers and smiled with pride.

”Of course. Our Lord is very good. He’s even gathered very good seeds for us and set up farms so we could be self-sufficient.”

”The first harvest will be in another week or so, I think.” He said. ”The prices would be even cheaper then.”

The team couldn’t help but look at each other with relieved smiles in their eyes as they heard this. At least they knew some Terrans were doing well, and this meant their families could also be in such territories as well.

In any case, they had a very good impression of the Lord of this place.

”He must be a good guy,” Luis said with an admiring nod, and everyone, even if they didn’t speak, agreed.

Then they proceeded to walk along the street, stomach grumbling.

Seeing his team wanting to attack each stall they passed by, Garan shook his head. ”Let’s find a place to stay first.” He said, pulling everyone back to the present.

Indeed, they came with hundreds of people, what if there was no accommodation left for their team?

Garan, Gill, and a few proceeded to ask the locals where they could find places to rent, while the rest said goodbye to the refugees.

”Thank you! Thank you so much for saving us!” Several people said, many of whom bowed in gratitude before parting with them.

”Have this please!” Rodney stepped forward, handing over a basket of food he just bought. With his lead, a lot of people followed.

”This too!”

”Please, have this!”

The soldiers were a bit surprised and touched, but they didn’t reject the kindness of the refugees. It was good to know that they were not taken for granted.

The team separated from the refugees, receiving their heartfelt thanks once more.

Of course, as always, there were still some dissatisfied with their lack of help in settling them down. However, they had seen their strengths and didn’t dare to speak out.

The team proceeded to look for available housing. Most of the houses had already been occupied. It was a recent thing, apparently, as a lot of people apparently made a lot of money from selling products.

They eventually found one of the two-story houses a bit farther from the main road. According to locals, it was a new community, with the lord using a new housing module from the system.

It had a similar appearance to the new commercial areas near the gates: two stories, relatively steep roofing with corners slightly curving up, and with a quaint combination of wood and stone, giving the impression of both stability and flexibility.

There were only five units in total and the rent was very expensive. However, they had no choice but to take it as it was the only available one after leaving the cheaper rentals to the refugees.

After confirming the rent, the mercenary team members filed in, not really expecting anything too special.

However, when they went inside, they were amazed by how clean and organized it was. There were proper flooring and partitions and the room arrangements were similar to open plans back in Terran. The furniture was also very complete, and there was complete upholstery. There were even rugs made of beast fur.

The more sensitive ones even closed their eyes and felt another difference: The temperature.

It was Chris who spoke out. ”This is very interesting,” he said, ”It is hot outside, but the inside is much cooler.” He opened his eyes and studied the house further, realizing that this was done by maximizing wind and air temperature.

They also saw some unfamiliar translucent materials used as windows and lamps.

”This is so interesting.”

”Probably a custom house, right?”

”The designer must be very knowledgeable about this.”

”Amazing. They hadn’t been here for a month, right?”

”It’s official: the Lord here is my idol!”

Excited to explore, the younger members ran to the rooms. And they scuttled out, looking at the rest of the team in awe.

”The house here has toilets!” Luis yelled, and Sammy immediately flinched.

”Fudge. Seriously??”

The two men immediately went to check on the toilets together, admiring it.

After all, it had been so long since they saw a legitimate water closet!

This place was like the medieval period of their Terran

Planet. It was already a luxury to have a hole to shit on. Most commoners would use chamber pots—still the ultra-cheap kind because metal wasn’t readily accessible to most!

Anyway, it was super gross.

”A legit kitchen counter, too,” Eagle said with a smile. He remembered the raw materials he saw on the market. Can he finally prepare a legitimate meal?

It seemed the price for this house was worth it after all?

Compared to anywhere they’ve lived in since coming, this was a real luxury.

Not to mention Gaudi, who had lived in extreme poverty for decades. This was akin to living in the palace.

Seeing the house, the group had completely been won over by the territory. ”When I find my family, I might just settle here…”

”Me, too.”

Garan nodded. If Altera wasn’t good enough (assuming it wasn’t hers as they suspected), and if she didn’t like indigenous towns like Ferrol, they could indeed settle here instead.

After all, even if a Town was more convenient and bigger, it was still different to be surrounded by brethren.

Well, whatever his wife preferred.

As such, the team excitedly headed back out to finally eat their fill to appreciate this unique territory even more.

This could possibly be their new home, after all!