Through the tinted windows of New Haven‑45’s main building, Kai and the others immediately spotted the group approaching.
Twelve figures moved cautiously across the ruined landscape. What caught Kai’s attention at once was their appearance... they weren’t wearing Survivor Gear.
This could mean that they weren’t people brought from Earth like him and other members of the shelter. These were natives of the continent.
’So they’re not the same ones who blocked Russel’s path when he rescued Mila and the others... these are different.’ Kai mused.
Of course, he also couldn’t help but feel cautious about this. After all, they had just been attacked by a mind-controller a few days ago.
However, with Atom outside, including their weapons being ready, he felt that they had an advantageous position...
This would not end well for these twelve people if they ever planned to attack them.
"Hmmm? Look at that..." Claire muttered as she looked at how confident those twelve were.
The strangers seemed aware of the shelter’s true nature. They didn’t act as if this was an AI base anymore. Instead, they waved white flags, signaling peace.
"Traders?" Wallace muttered, though his hand was already on his weapon.
Team A and Team B then moved out as get into position... Before the twelve got closer, they already had their weapons raised, ready to respond if things went wrong.
Kai studied them carefully. Ten of the figures looked like escorts... They were armed, disciplined, and clearly protecting the other two. The remaining pair carried packs that were unusually large, strapped to their backs.
"We’re not here to fight! We just want to trade!" One of the guys carrying a huge backpack shouted.
"Merchants? They’ll come just like that?" Kai was confused for a moment. Although he didn’t really want to think of these guys as NPCs, he couldn’t help but consider it for a moment. After all, who would be wandering this dangerous land to search for customers?!
Nonetheless, seeing that they weren’t here to fight, Kai signaled to the group and allowed them entry.
Soon, they entered the main hall, and Kai confirmed that the newcomers were wandering merchants... They weren’t just traders who were trying to escape from A.I. Army.
Kai calmly looked at their attire before he addressed them. "How did you find us?"
One of the traders, a lean man with blue eyes, stepped forward and gave a faint smile. "It’s not easy to find this place but before that, my name is Diego Morales, and this is my partner, Santiago Reyes. We are merchants. We travel with our escorts, ten men who keep us alive on the road."
Kai studied them closely. "I see... I’m Kai. So, can you explain how you knew we were here?"
Diego gently nodded as he expected to be questioned. It was always like this whenever they tried visiting a human shelter.
"We have detectors. They can sense human signatures. That’s how we knew there were many of you gathered in this place."
Kai frowned. "Detectors?"
He didn’t expect that there was such a convenient item to find humans! However, this was actually dangerous for them if the A.I. Army possessed this thing.
Santiago shrugged and explained. "We just inherited this thing. It was salvaged from a high-ranking mechanical soldier years ago. It’s not perfect, but it works. Anyway, we followed the trail here... though we were surprised to see Sentinels guarding the walls."
The escorts nodded as they also started glancing at the unmoving machines outside.
"Luckily," Diego added quickly, "we realized they were drained ones. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have dared to come closer. Ahem... If you want to learn more about the A.I. Rebellion that happened. You can always ask us... We can share what we know for a certain price."
Kai’s curiosity deepened.
’Scanners that can detect humans... salvaged from the AI army itself? And they even have something that can detect whether that mech soldier is active or not...’
He had many questions, but as expected, nothing would come for free.
"What do you want in exchange for answers?" Kai asked.
Diego’s smile widened. "We sell some items you might be interested in. You can buy them with Energy Cores. We need a C‑Grade or higher. Armor‑Piercing Bullets will do as well. If you have food, we can consider trading with some of our items Or..." He paused, his eyes gleaming. "...Survivor’s Medals. If you buy a lot from us, then the information is free."
Kai stiffened. "Survivor’s Medals? Are you Gene Traders?"
Santiago shook his head. "Not exactly... However, we bought some of their items and brought them here with us. We deliver goods, take risks, and earn a commission. Of course, our prices are higher because we move around constantly. But if you want easier access to Gene Enhancements, this is the way."
The hall fell silent. Survivors exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of shock and hope.
Kai’s mind raced.
’So even the natives know about Survivor’s Medals... and they were able to connect with the Gene Traders. This changes everything.’
This was too good for them... He didn’t expect that they would have traders like these.
Kai felt excited.
The Field Tyrants were coming in ten days, and now wandering merchants had appeared at his doorstep, offering rare items for them!
Kai then looked at Diego and Santiago. "Then show me what you have. We don’t have armor-piercing bullets, nor do we have C‑Grade Energy Cores. But we do have piles of food we can trade. And we also have a few Survivor’s Medals."
Diego and Santiago exchanged a quick glance, their expressions shifting from polite neutrality to genuine interest.
"Preserved food is always welcome," Diego said. "There are many shelters that would trade for it. Of course, for food, we can only offer basic goods like tools, clothing, and some medical supplies. Nothing extraordinary, but useful for keeping your people alive."
He paused, then exchanged a look with Santiago before adding, "But... if you’re willing to give us a larger share of food, we do have one special item we can part with."
Santiago carefully opened a smaller case, revealing a compact device wrapped in cloth. When he set it down, the survivors leaned closer.
"This," Santiago explained, "is a Portable Signal Jammer."