Alien beasts, as the name suggests, are naturally virus-infected creatures after the cataclysm.
The weird secondary virus not only affects the human body, but also has some infectious effects on animals and plants on the earth.
There may even be unexpected changes in some organisms.
On Timeline 659, after a long war, the human race finally defeated the undead and alien beasts and regained its position as the ruler of the earth.
It was precisely because of the end of the war on earth that the human race was able to take a breather and develop. It was not until a hundred years later, with the emergence of the 659 generation, that mankind reached level 2.0 civilization.
As if aware of the doubts in 659's heart, Bai Donggu, who was walking in front, explained.
"The residents of these underground cities naturally cannot deal with the strange beasts. After all, most of the people setting up stalls in this trading square are ordinary people."
"Ordinary people?"
After hearing his suspicions confirmed by Bai Donggu, 659 became more and more confused.
"Since they are all ordinary people, where did these animal skins and bones come from? Judging from the way they sell them, it seems that this is not the first time they have done this kind of business."
659's eyes swept over the stall closest to the three of them. There were two small dark bottles on it. The rough wick protruded from the mouth of the bottle, and the orange flame danced slightly on the bottle mouth, illuminating the small stall.
Since there are no lights in the trading square, each stall is basically equipped with similar lighting equipment, but most of them use a small lamp connected to a simple battery.
The stall owner kept the light bulbs bright by constantly shaking the generator in his hand.
Although this kind of lighting device that uses hand-cranked electricity to provide power for lamps cannot illuminate a large area, it is more than enough to illuminate a small area on the stall.
Compared with the brightness of other stalls, the small stall in front of me that uses oil lamps as lighting tools is much more special.
Of course, it's extremely dark.
Although the light was not that sufficient, 659 could still clearly see the things stacked on the stall.
What caught his attention was a triangular skull slightly larger than a human head placed in the middle of the stall. Judging from its shape, it should be a strange beast formed after some kind of carnivorous animal was infected with a secondary virus.
There was a deep wound on the face of the skull, which seemed to have been caused by a sharp weapon.
Bones that look like this don't look like they were picked up by the residents of these underground cities after a natural death.
"That's right, most of these are the family members of wilderness hunters. They don't have the ability to hunt exotic animals. These animal bones and skins were hunted by their families."
"Oh, it turns out they are family members, so that makes sense."
659 nodded in sudden realization, and did not stop in front of the stall with the triangular skull. He rushed forward a few steps, trying to catch up with the white winter bones in front of him.
But at this moment, a pale and slender hand grabbed the corner of 659's clothes, causing him to suddenly freeze.
"Brother, do you want to buy this skull..."
A childish voice came from behind 659. Just by listening, you couldn't tell the other person's gender.
"Is this stall owner still a child?"
659 thought in his heart and looked behind him.
The stall owner selling triangular skulls was wearing a large and tattered linen coat, and a huge hood completely covered his face.
659 really couldn't tell the other person's age from the appearance of his pale arm.
"I don't need it, thank you."
Although I was slightly curious about the stall owner's situation, there were more important things to do at the moment. He was not like 173, who would be distracted by unimportant things.
After hearing Zhang Heng-659's rejection, the stall owner, whose body was covered by a linen jacket, visibly trembled, but his thin little hand did not seem to let go. Instead, it tightened slightly.
"Please, brother, please buy this skull, I beg you..."
There was pleading in the childish voice, and there was some trembling.
This time 659 listened carefully, and could vaguely tell from the voice that the other party was a little girl.
"Is it possible that the trading rules here are to buy it after just one glance? I told you I don't need this skull."
The silver-white mechanical left arm stretched back and grabbed the slender wrist gently.
659's robotic arm is the most advanced mechanical creation in his timeline. It is connected to the energy core on the left chest and is equipped with a ion shield generating device and a ball lightning generating device.
Although it is not the type of mechanical arm known for its strength, it is definitely more than enough to break away a little girl's pull.
"Ugh, it hurts!"
Sure enough, 659 only used two fingers, and the force, which was neither light nor heavy, soon made the little girl scream in pain, but the pain continued, and the thin palm was still holding on to the corner of 659's clothes, without any trace. It means to loosen up.
"What's wrong?"
Bai Donggu, who was leading the way, noticed that the person behind him didn't seem to be following. He immediately turned back to check, only to find that 659 was looking at him with a strange face. The expression on his face was like a guest who blamed the host for poor hospitality.
"General Bai, do you have a clause about forced buying and selling in your trading rules?"
"how you said that?"
Seeing that 659 didn't seem to be joking with him, Bai Donggu immediately turned around and leaned towards the stall.
"Bai...General Bai..."
The little girl who was holding on to the hem of her clothes saw Bai Donggu walking towards her. She called out timidly and then let go of her tight grip on the hem of her clothes.
"Xiaoyi? Why are you here alone? Where is your father?"
Bai Donggu seemed to be familiar with the little girl, and he immediately called out the girl's name when he got close.
Hearing Bai Donggu's inquiry, the girl stretched out her hand and put back the hood covering her head, revealing a relatively clean face.
"Dad, dad, he..."
The little girl was about to say something, but suddenly she closed her mouth again. Her big watery eyes looked around, and she just stood there in silence.
At the same time, 659 also clearly felt that there seemed to be a few more pairs of eyes around him, scanning towards the little girl's stall as if they were invisible.
"Hey, why don't you speak? Come on, tell me, what happened to your father?"
173 also came over at this time. Seeing that the little girl suddenly became silent, he subconsciously asked.
But no matter how he asked, the little girl seemed to have lost the ability to speak, stuck in place like a wooden stake, and became completely mute.
"What a smart little girl..."
659 raised his eyebrows and commented in his mind.
What the little girl in front of me is going to say is obviously not simple, but there are many people around her. If she really talks about it in this trading square, I am afraid that some people will catch the news.
Bai Donggu was obviously aware of this, his eyes flashed slightly, and he whispered softly.
"Come with us and find a place where we can talk."
Hearing what General Bai said, a sweet smile appeared on the little girl's reserved face. She nodded her head vigorously, squatted down, and quickly packed up the stall on the ground.
The little girl's stall is not big, and there are not many goods on it. Except for the larger triangular skull that 659 saw at the beginning, the rest are some fist-sized joints and four fangs as thick as an adult's index finger. .
It seems that this triangular head should be the remains of some kind of snake.
The little girl's movements were very nimble. She first leaned down and blew out the flames on one of the black bottles. After carefully plugging the mouth of the bottle, she began to pick up the bones stacked on the stall.
Although her body was small and her hands and feet were obviously not strong enough, she was able to gather all the goods in the stall in less than a minute and tied the mouth of the cloth bag tightly.
After doing all this, the little girl hurriedly knelt down, carefully picked up the remaining black bottle on the ground, blew out the flames on it, and put it away.
The originally dark environment lost the illumination of the flames and became darker and darker. The little girl in linen rags was like a little mouse busy up and down in the darkness, and finally finished packing the little belongings on the stall.
The bag full of bones and the skull, which was slightly larger than a human skull, were almost as tall as the little girl.
But the girl still carried the bag on her back without any intention of asking anyone for help.
"Let me do it."
173 grabbed the bag on the little girl's shoulder and wanted to share it with her, but when his eyes met the little girl's face, he unexpectedly noticed a clear sense of precaution in her eyes.
"Don't worry, General Bai is here, he won't steal your things."
659, who was holding his hands on his chest, said calmly, glancing at Bai Donggu with a vague look in his eyes.
Bai Donggu didn't seem to expect that 659 would suddenly say such a sentence. He nodded subconsciously and said it with some comfort.
"Xiaoyi, it's okay."
After hearing what Bai Donggu said, the little girl loosened her little hand from holding the bag, wrapped her clothes tightly so that they wouldn't be dragged to the ground, and followed the three of them obediently.
"Let's go, General Bai."
659 spoke, turning his head and glancing around.
His scanning movement was very obvious, so obvious that even those in the dark could notice his presence.
The creaking sound that had been filling the surroundings suddenly stopped, and 659 understood that it was the peeping stall owners who stopped turning the joystick of the generator in panic.
Fortunately, most of the light bulbs are equipped with batteries at the other end, so this change did not cause the light in the Exchange Square to disappear instantly.
However, under the glance of 659, those prying eyes were like bats encountering the sun and hid in panic. The trading hall was still quiet, as if nothing had happened just now.
When the four of them disappeared into the passage at the other end of the square, the squeaking sound of the motor shaft resounded in the quiet square again...
