Am I going to be sacrificed too?

Chapter 21 An unexpected encounter with members of the "Shelter"

"Alright, alright, let's leave the topic of gods here. Instead, let me tell you about the non-human races I've encountered in other regions."

Cheng Feng had only kept the secret information about the gods in his mind and hadn't told anyone, because it would only cause them more trouble.

What's the point of knowing so much when a group of survivors scavenging for food in the wilderness? They might as well think about what they can eat tomorrow.

Cheng Feng rarely joked: "Compared to that kind of thing, I'd rather see more of the beauty of the world and etch these memories into my soul. Maybe I can be reincarnated into another world with these memories."

But his words piqued everyone's curiosity: "Do souls really exist?"

The answer is obviously yes.

Where do people go after they die?

Perhaps only the deity who governs 'death' knows the answer to this question.

Suddenly someone said, "Speaking of other races, I think I heard from some miners when I was mining that there's a group of stone people in the Strange Stone Province, and quite a few people have seen them!"

Cheng Feng exclaimed in surprise, "Oh? Stone people? You mean stone-core people? There are actually living stone-core people in the Strange Stone Province?"

The Stonecore People are a divinely created race, born from the "Spirit of Rock," and are natural inheritors of the rock pantheon.

It is worth mentioning that the "Spirit of Rocks" is actually a created deity, a subordinate god born from the split authority of the earth and machine god "Heart of Gaia".

However, these are just a very few examples. Even a god as powerful as the "Heart of Gaia" can only be counted on one hand. The vast majority of gods only have one power of their own, which is not enough for themselves, let alone to share with others.

As far as Cheng Feng knew, the people of Shixin often lived near mineral veins, and the province of Qishi was rich in minerals, which indeed met this condition.

But it is a wonder that they can live in the same area as humans. Since the Age of God's Fall, without the constraints of morality and gods, it is rare for various races to live in peace, especially the Stone Core People, a race that is unique in itself. You should know that their core is an excellent material for divine power.

"Stone man, what's that? A moving stone?"

"Can stones have life? What's the principle behind that?"

"I don't know either. I heard it from someone else, so I can't guarantee it's true."

"Stone-core people, that sounds very special. Can these things be used as sacrifices?"

The topic became a lively discussion, and before they knew it, evening had arrived.

At the head of the convoy, Chen Quan distributed a pack of cigarettes to his men, then exhaled a long puff of white smoke.

After three days of intense travel, only half of the journey to Qishi City remained. No dangers were encountered during this time, and the tense atmosphere among the group eased somewhat.

"Once we get to Strange Stone City, I'll definitely find a way to buy a house there and settle down, so I'll never have to worry about the dangers of the wilderness again."

"It's not as easy as it sounds. Most of the survivors who went there became miners. Although the work wasn't dangerous, they didn't earn much money."

"Yeah, if you want to buy a house, you need to find a way to get a legal citizenship certificate. There's no hope in the inner city, and I heard that certificates for the outer city aren't cheap either."

"Enough of that. It's getting dark. Let's find a place to camp quickly. We still have to keep watch later. Hopefully, nothing unexpected will happen on the road ahead."

However, the very next second after the man finished speaking, several lights appeared in front of the convoy, shining in the opposite direction, as if there were other survivors.

Chen Quan's face darkened: "You're a damn jinx!"

There's no such thing as being helpful in the wasteland; there are plenty of examples of survivors betraying each other. When Chen Quan saw the unfamiliar survivors suddenly appearing ahead, he decided to ignore them.

If the other party insists on getting involved, then their weapons may not be ineffective.

"Turn the steering wheel a bit to the side, try to get around them...wait!"

Chen Quan, who was observing the other party, suddenly noticed something unusual.

"Give me the binoculars!"

The distant scene gradually zoomed in, and the other person's clothing seemed somewhat unusual; it appeared to be a white base with faint blue stripes.

The survivors' clothing was mostly gray-black, which was both discreet and dirt-resistant. Even if there were other colors, they would all turn dark after spending some time in the wilderness.

Those who can maintain a glamorous appearance are either members of powerful organizations or superhumans.

Chen Quan had seen the white-based clothing a few times by chance in Qishi City; it was the signature clothing of the "Shelter".

As the convoy drew closer, Chen Quan finally confirmed his guess: it was indeed a group of "shelter" members wearing white coats!

Unfamiliar survivors will be wary of each other.

However, the people in the "Sanctuary" are not ordinary survivors. Before the change of eras, they were scholars at the forefront of research on divine power, and they were also the first to discover the anomalies and react after the apocalypse.

They built countless shelters of all sizes in the wasteland, collected a vast amount of data, and inherited most of the technology from the old era. At least 90% of the divine relics created in the new era were produced by these shelters.

If you were to ask where the most orderly place in the wasteland is, it would definitely be the "Sanctuary".

However, getting into the shelter is difficult; those who survive there are mostly scholars, and the rest are just resources.

Although we can't join them, it's still good to trade with them. The Sanctuary is not only generous but also has clear prices. Even though they are one of the largest forces in the wasteland, they don't bully others with their power.

Chen Quan immediately changed his tune, saying, "Hurry over there, can't you see our friend needs our help?"

What I thought was an unlucky encounter turned out to be a stroke of good fortune!

The rank of the shelter members can be seen from their clothing, which is the same as the color classification of their ranks.

The leader was a member in a blue striped coat, with an assistant in a plain white coat beside him, and the rest were all wearing gray jackets.

That's a big shot on par with the third rank, and with the status of a sanctuary, his position is at least half a rank higher than other people of the same level.

He's far more powerful than Harkley, a second-tier chosen one who's sent out to run errands.

Chen Quan couldn't imagine that if they could establish a relationship with someone like that, their lives would truly improve.

He signaled his men to speed up and quickly arrived in front of the other party.

Chen Quan put on a fawning smile: "Hello! What brings you here, sir?"

The other party nodded slightly and replied, "Hello, I am a Level 3 researcher from Shelter C-102. I've encountered a bit of trouble and need to borrow some of your manpower."