Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

In this mysterious space where the system brought the one thousand Survivors of Region 1, the sun hung low, casting long shadows that danced between the stalls and the throngs of people.

As Shane stepped into the Market Bazaar, the surroundings were immediately filled with the noise created by both buyers and sellers.

The Bazaar seemed to be filled with desperation and determination… The sellers seemed desperate to have their wares sold at a higher price, while the Survivors simply wanted to obtain cheap items that they could use for survival once they returned to the Fiend Continent.

The vendors were a colorful array of characters, each shouting over the other, vying for the attention of passersby.

”Rare ammunition, just in from the Dead Zones!” one bellowed, his voice rough as gravel.

”Medicines and bandages! Trade your points before it’s too late!” cried another, her eyes scanning the crowd for signs of the injured or the ill-prepared.

Of course, they weren’t selling vaccines here, so there were only a few people looking at the medicines and bandages. After all, in most cases, when dealing with zombies, you won’t have a chance to heal your injuries as you would have been turned into a zombie already.

They’d rather look for armor and weapons in this case.

In each battle, you had to be careful since being infected was a dead end.

Survivors, clad in their best clothes or armor and carrying weapons of all makes, moved between the stalls with purpose.

Some were lone wolves, eyes sharp and calculating as they don’t have plenty of Points they could use. In comparison, others moved in packs, their laughter and banter a stark contrast to the solemn nods of their solitary counterparts.

Shane could see everyone with their BidLink Communicators out.

Bids were placed with urgency, as some items’ time limits were about to end.

”I’ll raise it! Quick. Quick… Register now…” A Survivor shouted, slamming his hand on his BidLink Communicator.

He was currently at a stall selling mechanical parts.

Beside him was another stall where a transaction was just completed.

”Sold… This crossbow has been sold to the Mad Oracle!” Announced by the vendor before a woman with a steely gaze nodded as she confirmed her identity with her BidLink Communicator before disappearing.

Apparently, the bidders here wouldn’t be identified using the Bidder Number at the Grand Auction Hall. Instead, their nicknames given by the system would be used!

Of course, as long as you’ve won the item, you don’t have to immediately take it like what Mad Oracle did. You can just wait for some time and continue monitoring the other items where you’ve placed a bid.

Anyway, conversations were a blend of haggling and storytelling.

Well, there were still some Survivors who were asking for a lower starting bid from the sellers. Some sellers would give in, while others do not.

”They say there’s a mysterious alchemist at the corner of Versailles Streets… He’s selling various concoctions and some of them are pretty useful.” one Survivor shared with a group huddled around in a nearby stall.

”I also checked that place. Each potion is now above a thousand Points. Don’t bother… Just find some weapons instead.” another Survivor added, his voice tinged with the weariness of experience.

Shane didn’t listen too much on their conversation as he looked at the stalls.

The wares on display were as diverse as the Survivors themselves. There were tables laden with gadgets and gizmos, some blinking with lights, others silent and inscrutable.

Weapons gleamed under the makeshift lighting, from blades that promised silent kills to some questionable firearms that boasted unrivaled firepower.

Indeed, they were really questionable firearms in his eyes. They seemed to have been tinkered from various working parts and were connected together by a gunsmith.

The firearms weapons don’t look trustworthy at all. It felt as if it would kill its owners once it malfunctioned.

Nonetheless, Shane still saw that there were various Survivors bidding for them, hoping to get lucky.

”Mhmm… The MREs are more expensive here, but they have a lot more choices.” Shane muttered after seeing the varieties of MREs being sold in the Bazaar.

Guided by his A.I. Assistant, Shane navigated through the maze of stalls and vendors, his senses alert for any object of unusual worth.

He hoped to stumble upon a relic or artifact that eluded the untrained eye, a treasure veiled amidst the commonplace.

Alas, despite his meticulous search and the A.I.’s calculated suggestions, nothing within the Bazaar managed to pique his interest. The items, though varied and many, were all too familiar or lacked the luster of the extraordinary.

Disappointed but not disheartened, Shane decided to delve deeper into the market.

’This place is larger than I thought it would be.’ Shane thought as he realized that the Bazaar seemed quite endless!

It was then that he noticed a small, inconspicuous stall at the very edge of a street, shrouded in shadows and seemingly ignored by the bustling crowd.

’Weird… Why’s no one bidding on his wares? Is he a scammer?’ Shane mused as he approached the stall.

The stall’s keeper, an elderly figure with eyes that hinted at a lifetime of secrets, beckoned Shane closer. ”Looking for treasures, young man?” the keeper croaked, a knowing smile playing on their lips.

Shane’s curiosity was instantly ignited. ”Yes, I am… But I can see that none of your items had a bid on them…” He replied, stepping into the dim light of the stall.

”Haha… If you managed to see through the disguise of this stall, then your Perception must be 20 Points or higher, so don’t think too much… You’re just better.” The keeper then laughed in a very unusual way before he continued.

”Ahem… Anyway, you’ve come to the right place, young man.” The keeper whispered as he presented his collection of items that shimmered with an otherworldly glow.

”These are not your ordinary trinkets. Each of them has incredible use. You are only allowed to bid on one item. Choose wisely...”