My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 823

Chapter 823: Chapter 823 Kickstarting The Trade 10

Of course, to make this plan work, she needed her people to be well-prepared. Since the marketplace stalls were now open to outsiders, she took steps to ensure her base wouldn’t be taken advantage of. All stall owners from her community were required to learn how to detect spiritual energy from crystal cores—this was a mandatory qualification to operate a stall. Otherwise, they risked being scammed by people trying to pass off shattered glass as genuine crystal cores.

"Wait, wait, Boss—is it true?" someone asked excitedly. "Even if we’re not residents here, we can still trade as long as we have something to sell? But what if the items we’re selling aren’t anything special?"

"It’s okay—not all items here are considered special," Kisha explained to Jason and the others. "That’s why we’ve designated a ’Special Items’ category, and we’ve assigned appraisers to roam the marketplace. Their job is to help stall owners identify which of their goods have unique properties, explain the additional effects, and provide buyers with accurate information."

Everything she was saying was new to them, and Kisha understood that this entire concept might feel overwhelming at first. But all they needed to do was remember the key points. She hoped that the next time they returned, they’d bring items they wanted to trade, rent a stall, share knowledge with the residents of the base, and help spread the word to other survivors they encountered.

After all, only by letting the message spread would more people learn that HOPE Base had finally opened its gates to welcome trade and cooperation with other settlements.

It was true that Kisha and her base could have broadcast the announcement over the radio, letting people from far and wide hear about HOPE Base and encouraging them to travel there. But that approach came with significant risks.

Right now, the reason Kisha was allowing the news to spread only through word of mouth was because HOPE Base lacked any strong alliances with powerful settlements. Even Jason and Adam’s camps were relatively small, housing perhaps a few dozen people—at most, a hundred. Calling them "allies" was still a stretch.

Kisha’s strategy was to help these smaller settlements become independent and stronger. Ideally, she wanted them to form a ring of allied communities around HOPE Base, acting as a natural line of defense against any external threats—especially from distant regions or larger, more resource-hungry bases whose intentions could be good... or not.

In short, Kisha wanted to first cultivate a secure and stable network around City B. By observing how trade developed within this region, she could gradually position HOPE Base as a central trading hub for all settlements. But before anything else, she needed to establish HOPE Base’s presence and reputation in people’s minds, while simultaneously strengthening her warriors to ensure no one would dare underestimate them.

Hearing Kisha’s explanation, both Jason and Adam were genuinely happy. The information she shared was not only valuable but also potentially game-changing for their small settlement. Excited, they eagerly looked around, checking out the various goods being offered.

Jason, who was often out fighting and clearing the perimeter around their camp, found himself especially interested in items with special effects. He understood how something as simple as enhanced food could boost their combat abilities and survival rate.

He approached the stall owner with a hopeful look. "Excuse me, sir, would it be possible to sample a piece of this cured meat? I’m interested in buying some. It might help my people fight better and fend off zombies more effectively around our camp. If it really works, we could collect more crystal cores and return here to trade for even more supplies."

His sincere words made Kisha smile. After all, that was all it took—one small step for them to realize just how useful Special Items could be in their daily struggles. She was confident that once they experienced the benefits firsthand, they’d understand the true value of trade and the strength it could bring to their communities.