Chapter 197: Crystal Core Guns
The group arrived at a shop selling chicken cakes.
The sweet fragrance of the chicken cakes wafted far and wide.
Even when mixed with the scents of other foods, it was still so potent that one could easily pick it out.
Besides the clerk and a security guard, there were a few other customers in the small shop.
When Sierra Sullivan’s group entered, someone glanced back at them but quickly looked away without saying anything.
Yvonne Shelby led Candice Tate forward by the hand and gently asked the clerk, "How much are the chicken cakes?"
"Two Contribution Points each."
Behind the counter, boxes of chicken cakes were displayed in a glass cabinet.
Each one was a rich golden-yellow, looking fluffy and soft. Combined with the sweet aroma in the air, you knew they had to be delicious without even taking a bite.
But they were just so small!
Their size was probably even smaller than a newborn baby’s fist.
For something so tiny, they actually dared to charge two Contribution Points!
Even though Yvonne Shelby was used to a comfortable life before, she was still stunned when she heard the price.
The clerk saw the expression on Yvonne Shelby’s face and knew she thought it was too expensive.
The clerk didn’t show any disdain or arrogance. Instead, they explained in a calm tone, "Things are different now than they were before the apocalypse. You should understand that, so of course, the prices are different too. If you can’t accept it, you don’t have to buy them. It’s fine."
Hearing the clerk’s words, Yvonne Shelby finally collected her thoughts.
She smiled at the clerk. "It’s alright. We’ll take five."
As she spoke, Yvonne Shelby opened her wallet, took out a ten-point Contribution Point card, and handed it to the clerk.
These cards were specially made. Given the current situation and conditions, it was impossible to counterfeit them.
Even so, the clerk still inspected it carefully after taking it.
After confirming there were no issues, the clerk put the Contribution Points away, packed five chicken cakes into a small bag, and handed it to Yvonne Shelby.
The five chicken cakes together filled only a tiny bag. It looked exquisite and cute, yet also a little pathetic.
Sierra Sullivan had never really eaten chicken cakes before.
The snack was too cheap; mid-to-high-end bakeries didn’t sell them at all. She never even had the chance to see them, let alone eat them.
When she was stocking up on supplies, she hadn’t thought of them, so they were naturally overlooked.
’If only I had known...’
But there was no "if only."
’Anyway, I have a way to earn Contribution Points now. If Candice wants to eat them, we can just come and buy them!’
Yvonne Shelby gave the small bag of chicken cakes to Candice Tate. "Candice, go ahead and eat!"
Candice Tate took the bag, pulled one out, but instead of eating it herself, she offered it to Yvonne Shelby. "Auntie, you eat!"
Seeing Candice’s gesture, Yvonne Shelby’s eyes stung with emotion, but her smile grew even brighter.
"Auntie doesn’t want one, Candice. You go ahead and eat!"
"If Auntie doesn’t eat, Candice won’t eat either!"
Seeing Candice’s insistence, Yvonne Shelby had no choice but to take the chicken cake.
Candice then walked over to Sierra Sullivan and Jayce, giving each of them a chicken cake as well.
She was left with two for herself.
"There are two left. I’ll save one for Uncle!"
The "Uncle" she was referring to was Kevin Everett.
"This child, thinking of everyone!" Yvonne Shelby was both touched and exasperated. "Candice, you don’t need to save one for your uncle. He’s a grown man; he doesn’t eat these kinds of things."
"Why?" Candice looked puzzled. "Is there an age limit for eating?"
Of course, there wasn’t an age limit for eating.
Yvonne Shelby just felt for Candice and wanted her to have more, so she had said that on purpose.
Although she didn’t get an answer from Yvonne Shelby, Candice still stuck to her idea.
"Everyone gets one! Uncle has to get one too!"
Seeing Candice’s persistence, Yvonne Shelby didn’t say anything more in the end.
Candice was so considerate, which was a blessing for them. There was no need to force her to change.
She imagined that if Candice really did become selfish, she probably wouldn’t be able to accept it.
Seeing that Sierra Sullivan and the others were just holding the chicken cakes without eating, Candice grew anxious. "Big Brother, Big Sister, Auntie, hurry up and eat! Let’s eat together!"
Sierra Sullivan brought the chicken cake to her lips and agreed with a smile, "Alright! Let’s eat together!"
The chicken cake tasted exactly as Sierra Sullivan had imagined—it wasn’t amazing.
After all, she had plenty of desserts and vacuum-sealed bread in her space.
Compared to those finely processed foods, this chicken cake was really just average.
But the reactions of the other people in the shop were completely different.
Especially the few children, who were taking tiny bites, their faces filled with utter satisfaction.
Just watching their expressions, Sierra Sullivan found that the chicken cake seemed to taste much better.
’No wonder so many people used to enjoy watching mukbang streams!’
’There really is something to it!’
It was a tiny chicken cake. Even eating slowly, Sierra Sullivan finished it in two bites.
Looking over at Candice, she was also taking small, cherished bites.
After leaving the chicken cake shop, they looked at some other stores.
This time, however, they didn’t buy any more food.
Yvonne Shelby wanted to buy something for Candice, but Candice refused every time.
Candice wasn’t a child who understood nothing.
She knew the importance of Contribution Points and that the food here was expensive.
Besides, she had realized from the chicken cake that the things here weren’t as tasty as what Sierra Sullivan provided. There was no need to waste Contribution Points on them.
Yvonne Shelby tried to persuade her a few times, but seeing Candice’s firm attitude, she gave up.
They continued walking past the shops for a while longer until Sierra Sullivan stopped in front of one.
This shop also sold weapons.
But they weren’t melee weapons, nor were they common firearms.
Their design was somewhat different from ordinary guns, and the description on the sign next to them made Sierra Sullivan raise her eyebrows repeatedly.
Without any hesitation, Sierra Sullivan led the way inside.
Jayce and Yvonne Shelby followed close behind with Candice.
The shop had very few customers, and the clerks all seemed to be at leisure.
When they saw Sierra Sullivan’s group enter, no one came forward to greet them; they just watched quietly.
Sierra Sullivan didn’t care about their reaction. She walked to a counter and carefully read the description.
The description said that these guns were a new type of weapon. They weren’t loaded with bullets, but with Crystal Cores.
However, they required at least Second Level Crystal Cores.
With a Crystal Core below Second Level, the gun was no different from a model and would be completely useless.
One Second Level Crystal Core was only good for twenty shots.
’That’s a pretty steep consumption rate! I wonder how effective they are!’