Chapter 55: Renting a House

After finishing his meal, Zhang Ran returned to the inner city of Black Eagle City and made his way to the administrative center located at the heart of the metropolis. The administrative center stood beside the headquarters building at Black Eagle City's core, occupying a position of absolute importance. Nearby were the armory and pharmaceutical factories—each a critical facility—while the center itself was a six-story structure of considerable scale, impressive in its appearance.

Surrounding the administrative center were carefully planted flowers and trees, their vitality lending the area an air of life that contrasted starkly with the desolation typical of the wasteland. If not for the perpetually gloomy sky, it would have been difficult for Zhang Ran to distinguish this place from Earth. As for the center itself, it served as Black Eagle City's nerve center. Though ultimate authority belonged to the five Hunter-level Executives, direct orders from them were rare, except in cases of major decisions. Mundane matters such as taxation were delegated to their followers, who handled these affairs.

The administrative center was where such matters were addressed, each of the five Executives sending a follower to manage the city's taxes, housing, business licenses, and dealings with other powers. Zhang Ran had come here intending to rent a home for himself. Though he spent most of his time hunting outside the city, a permanent residence was necessary: it would allow him to purchase and install precision instruments for material analysis, potion preparation, and other tasks, as well as store non-essential supplies.

After verifying his identity and enduring a thorough search, Zhang Ran was finally allowed inside. He ascended to the second floor and approached the service desk. Compared to the outside, the center was not dim but rather even brighter, with rows of electric lamps illuminating the ceiling. This was, after all, the domain of the five Executives, representing the city's prestige; electric lights were afforded here. However, air-conditioning was a luxury reserved for the Executives' offices alone.

Black Eagle City possessed factories capable of producing firearms, but not appliances such as air-conditioners. Anyone wishing to buy one had to travel hundreds of kilometers to Old Desert City and pay dearly for transport. Apart from the five Executives who controlled the city's economy, even high-ranking evolvers rarely spent frivolously on such comforts. If they wished, they could buy a few fans—one of the few types of appliances manufactured locally.

“Honored sir, we are delighted to serve you. Are you looking to rent or purchase a residence?”

Upon seeing Zhang Ran, a female clerk glanced at him discreetly before asking in a neutral tone. To the staff here, a one-star employee like Zhang Ran was not remarkable; even higher-ranked employees, three or four stars, were familiar faces. Thus, she was neither enthusiastic nor cold, simply raising her head as a matter of routine.

“Yes, I wish to rent a residence. Are there any available?”

He was not surprised by her attitude. Standing before the counter, he studied the clerk as he made his inquiry. Compared to the hotel staff, her skin was noticeably smoother, free from blemishes or mutated tissue, and her figure was decent. A scan with his chip revealed her physical stats averaged 1.5—much higher than the typical male’s one point.

Generally, clerks employed here had backgrounds indicating their status; such positions were not open to outsiders. Only children or partners of employees ranked three stars or above were eligible, part of Black Eagle City’s strategy for attracting evolvers.

“Certainly. Here is the map, please take a look.”

Though she was not overly warm, she dared not neglect an evolver. She quickly produced a map from the drawer and spread it before Zhang Ran.

“I’ll take this one,” he said, pointing to an apartment at the boundary between the inner and outer city.

Having just purchased supplies and eaten, Zhang Ran had around six thousand Black Eagle Coins left. The minimum rental period was three months. He could not afford the villas with monthly rents in the ten-thousand range, so he chose a reasonably priced apartment.

“Very well, sir. The rent for this apartment is two thousand Black Eagle Coins per month. How long would you like to stay?”

With a professional smile, the clerk continued her inquiry.

“Three months,” Zhang Ran replied, producing six purple-gold Black Eagle Coins, each worth a thousand. After verifying their authenticity, the clerk handed him a receipt and a key. Zhang Ran left the center and headed toward his new residence.

In the inner city, the streets were paved with clean stone slabs, orderly and free of the gaunt, starving masses; residents here were notably robust. Shops lined the streets, selling mutant beast materials, potions, and weapons. These goods were cheaper than those traded directly with Black Eagle City, but their quality was not guaranteed, and all sales were final—buyers needed a keen eye.

Aside from the shops, young women dressed provocatively could be seen on either side of the street, sitting or standing, casting flirtatious glances at passing men—their intentions unmistakable.

Amid the constant flow of pedestrians, squads of patrolling guards marched through the inner city, armed with automatic rifles and clad in Black Eagle Company uniforms, their gaze cold and vigilant. The leaders among them possessed evolver-level strength, while the others were far superior to ordinary folk. There were ten such squads in total, and their presence ensured public order—robbery, riots, and murder were rare. Compared to the wilderness, the city was indeed well-governed.

Surveying his surroundings, Zhang Ran soon arrived at his apartment: a modest four-story building, with his unit on the third floor. He inserted the key, opened the door, and inspected the interior.