The man, seeing Xu An's willingness, efficiently processed all the paperwork for her.
Ten minutes later.
Xu An and Xu Yan left the store, carrying their communicators.
Xu Yan: "This thing is easy to use. Wearing it on your hand, you don't have to worry about losing it."
Xu An agreed. After all, phones weren't very useful now. As long as it could fulfill basic communication needs, it was enough. Making it into a watch not only made it convenient but also easy to carry.
Xu An looked at the surrounding restaurants with curiosity. A glance at the price list by the window immediately dampened her interest.
The prices of the meals here were astronomical. It wasn't surprising that they posted the price list at the entrance; it was likely to avoid awkwardness.
However, the variety was quite complete, essentially having all the cuisines that existed before the apocalypse.
They walked aimlessly through the streets with their distinct styles. Even though it was daytime, neon lights of various colors flickered in the air, casting colorful reflections on the silvery-white walls.
Groups of people occasionally passed by Xu An. They were fashionably dressed, wearing high heels, with no trace of the hardships of the apocalypse on their faces. Their smiles were innocent, and they seemed to be discussing something. Their bell-like laughter dissipated as the crowd moved away.
Just as Xu An was lost in thought, she felt someone tugging at her clothes. Her reflexes kicked in, and she almost attacked. Turning her head, she saw a small, somewhat dirty girl who was less than half her height.
"Sister, do you need errands run? I can do anything. It only costs a little transaction currency per task."
The little girl looked at Xu An timidly. Her small body seemed somewhat uneasy, her head tucked into her neck, as if she were afraid Xu An would hit her.
Xu An looked around with surprise. How could there be such a small child in the light screen?
It wasn't that Xu An was being overly cautious, but rather that everyone who could enter the light screen, as Song Jing had said, was "somewhat capable." A hovercar alone cost 10 transaction currency per ride. How could their child be starving and look so dirty?
Even though the water on the lighthouse was charged, it wasn't so expensive that it was unaffordable. Moreover, water was free during the newcomer period. Why didn't they wash the child clean?
It was even more impossible for the original residents. That group of people enjoyed better treatment, so they wouldn't possibly be reduced to the point of not being able to afford water.
Xu An sized up the child, "You're not a resident of the first level, are you?"
The little girl panicked, looking as if she was about to cry from fear. Yet, she held on, her voice weak and trembling, "Sister, please, I'll leave immediately. Please don't call the security team to arrest me."
Saying that, she turned to run away.
Xu An called out to the girl, but the girl's words piqued her interest. This child wasn't a resident of the first level, and it was unlikely she could afford to ride a hovercar in. So, where did this child come from?
"Don't run! I won't call anyone to arrest you. Tell me, where did you come from? I won't ask for free; answer my questions, and I'll give you transaction currency."
Upon hearing this, the girl's face lit up with joy. A pure smile bloomed on her dirty little face.
"Really? Sister, are you telling the truth? Will you really give me transaction currency?"
Looking at the child's uneasy expression, Xu An knew that this child had likely snuck in before and had probably been reported and arrested. She might have even been deceived, which was why she was so fearful.
Xu An didn't make any promises to the girl. After signaling with her eyes to her companion, she led the girl to a relatively hidden self-service transaction point on the street corner.
"Answer my questions, and I'll transfer it to you directly. That way, you'll believe me."
"Sister, ask away! I believe you, Sister is a good person!" The girl nodded vigorously, her face full of happiness.
Xu An immediately stopped the girl's actions, fearing that the child's slender neck might break.
But... a good person?
Xu An hadn't heard anyone call her a good person in a long time...
While Xu An was "trading" with the girl, Xu Yan pretended to casually look around, but in reality, she was surveying the surroundings.
One must guard against others. Xu An had seen many cases of "entrapment" and "honey traps." In the apocalypse, even a child who appeared pitiable and weak could stab you in the back at any moment.
Xu An had not let down her guard against the little girl from the beginning. She was merely more interested in how the child had managed to sneak into the light screen.
"Where do you live? And how did you get into the light screen?"
"I... I live in the back alleys, on the negative first level."
"Back alleys? Are there back alleys in the lighthouse? What are those places?" Xu An asked in surprise.
The girl stammered, "Those are places where even the most basic communal shelters are unaffordable. People go to the back alleys. Everyone is squeezed into open-air shacks, paying only a little transaction currency a day for a straw mat, with no limit on the number of people..."
"Then how did you all get here?"
"There are connected transport pipes between the negative first level and the first level. We all climbed up through the pipes. However, the pipes are very small, only enough for children under ten to pass through."
As the girl finished speaking, Xu An understood. She had been wondering why, if they could sneak in, the adults didn't come. Clearly, adults could do more things and earn more money.
However, she truly hadn't expected that in just half a year, places like "back alleys" would already exist in the lighthouse. This indicated how severe the polarization within the lighthouse had become.
She keenly noticed the word "we" in the girl's words and asked, "Are you organized to sneak in? Who told you to come?"
The girl nervously glanced around, her expression hesitant, as if considering whether to tell Xu An.
"Don't worry, I won't report you. Tell me, who is organizing you from behind? I'll give you 5 more transaction currency, how about that?"
Hearing this, the girl's eyes lit up. She secretly calculated in her heart that if she included these five transaction currency, she would have enough saved for her mother's medical expenses!
"We... we all follow the boss's orders to earn money in the light screen. Not only do we run errands, but we can also resell information. If there's anything inconvenient for you to do yourself, you can also entrust it to us."
Hearing this, Xu An's lips curved. This was serendipitous, truly a case of catching a pillow when one was drowsy. She was still wondering where to find a "black market."
She hadn't expected this "black market" to show up at her doorstep.
"What's your boss's name? Can you take me to see her? I actually have something to ask her."
"Mouse! Our boss's name is Mouse!" the girl said excitedly.
【ps: Self-service transaction point (similar to an ATM machine, where both parties can bring their ID cards for self-transaction, but face recognition is required. One person cannot bring two ID cards for transfers.)】