After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World - Chapter 676

Chapter 676: Contribution Store (Part 2)
The program ended and the people began to queue in front of the door. Everyone had been in Alterra for long enough to know it liked things organized.

Everyone was well-behaved, especially since the punishments for violations now included a deduction in contribution points!

They could handle a bit of money lost, but not their contribution points!

Interestingly, the Golds received quite a few kind offers for them to go ahead.

Alterrans were very hospitable, especially to people who greatly increased the GDP—whatever that meant—of their village.

After a while, it was their turn, and they watched the bright eyes of those who just exited the store. “It’s decided! I’ll camp outside during Beast Mobs! I must! I need to get that weapon!”

His companion nodded at him. “Same! I need to get those boots!”

Interestingly, another pair walking right behind them increased their pace to catch up, tapping their backs. “Same with us! Wanna form a temp team?”

“SURE!” One yelled, his smile wide. And he shook hands with the stranger he literally just met.

“Teammates!”

“Teammates!!”

And they left, energetically planning on what ‘spot’ to take and what the composition of the team would be. They sounded to be looking forward to it.

This made the Golds look at each other with raised eyebrows. Never in their lives had they heard civilians do this.

Civilians would often be forced to fight in wars or go against mobs, of course, but for them to be so willing and even excited was really something they had only seen in Alterra.

Anyway, the group entered, finding themselves in a large hall with a long counter, displaying various items. This was in contrast to the grocery stores with a relatively open plan. This set up was much more similar to a lot of aborigine stores.

Although there were ‘no stealing’ rules in Alterra, the higher-ups all knew the regulations would be null during wars.

The objects in the Contribution Store, the Medicine Store, and many others were too important, and it was designed to easily be defensible come wars.

Perhaps, when the forces were larger, the shops would be open during wars, and there would be dedicated guards to keep order.

Anyway, the Golds saw some familiar items like aether letters, sound stones, and there were other items not available in the other shops. Some were familiar items found in towns like certain types of potions as well as Class D and even a few Class C equipment.

This naturally excited the locals, whose exposure of the larger world was limited. The Contribution Store would not only provide a medium for the locals to afford new equipment, but they would also get a glimpse of what else was ‘out there’.

“WOOOO!”

“AMAZING!”

“I WANT THAT WEAPON! Thank goodness I saved up on points!”

Anyway, the people in front of them seemed very passionate. If it wasn’t for the large ‘Causing Chaos Loses You Points’ warning painted on the wall, it was estimated people would fight for the items.

Otto felt a bit proud of how well his stuff was selling.

After all these years as a merchant, this type of fun had long faded. If it sold well, very good, but it didn’t… tingle anymore. Now, he was reminded that he built a caravan not just for money—but to explore new lands, and help others do the same in his own way.

They reached the counter and saw there were two people behind to help out their customers. The larger bulkier man with a limp smiled. “Hello there~! My name is Macky,” he said and then he pointed at the middle-aged woman next to him. “And this is Gierra. We handle the store!”

“We are open during working hours, sir and madame~ Unless there’s a war or beast tide, in which case we’ll be closed as we’ll be contributing with everyone.” When they decide to open, they’d go in shifts, and there would be a guard to keep the items safe.

“Hello, there,” Otto said. “So you sell some special items here? Can we only buy using contribution points?”

“Yes, it’s a strict rule,” Macky said, pointing at the other rules on the wall.

“I see, I see,” Otto said, blue eyes tracing over the various items. As a city dweller—a merchant at that, he recognized all of them… except for one.

His sights fixed on three identical flat pendants displayed together in a special way.

“What is this?”

“They are Protection Charms.”

“A Protection Charm?” he whispered. “I don’t remember selling these…”

“Maybe Jonathan did?” Olga asked, crossing her arms.

Otto looked at Macky. “Can we see it?”

Macky handed one to the aborigine, letting him study it closely. Next to him, his siblings also leaned forward to check it out.

“It’s really good quality,” Obi mumbled as he rubbed the surface. “Quite costly, too. Only 3 are sold.”

He didn’t know how the value of contribution points was calculated yet, but it was priced along the Class D tools and equipment.

Otto used assessment skill, eyebrows rising a little. “It’s level E Magic Tool. Not bad.” Although it could technically handle level 10 and below for 100 times, it means it could handle stronger monsters for fewer hits. Like so, it could still save lives of higher- level individuals.

“I’m interested,” Obi said, chewing on his barbeque-flavored popcorn. “Too bad we don’t have contribution points.”

Contribution points were generally not transferable unless the person died, in which case the points would be transferred to the bereaved.

“Eh, they’re not really that common, but I did encounter a few back in Holt City and in Wrathforge City,” he said.

“Well, yes, but this is a village,” Olga said, before turning to the clerk. “Any idea where these came from?”

“I think Gaea Chamber of Commerce got it,” Maki answered, though Gierra next to him tilted her head a bit.

“Ah, I heard a lot of them went to the Ferrol Annual Fair.”

“Either way, that makes sense,” Olga mumbled, feeling admiring. “The leading parties really care for the people a lot, to procure so many tools and equipment accessible to everyone who worked for the territory.”

They nodded, sticking to this conclusion in the meantime. It was the only logical explanation for new magic tools appearing in a new village!

Imagine their shock when they realized—a long time later— that it was someone from a village who actually created it!