Chapter 278: Global Event and the Gene Trader

[ Global Event is Here! ]

[ Upcoming Special Operation: Black Market Auction ]

[ Countdown: 3 Days ]

[ Duration: 2 Days ]

[ Objective: Survivors who acquire Auction Tokens from Gene Traders before the deadline may enter the continent‑wide Black Market Auction. Tokens serve as entry passes, granting access to hidden bidding halls where rare items, genetic resources, and forbidden technologies are exchanged. ]

[ Failure Condition: Survivors without Auction Tokens are barred from entry. ]

[ Note: Auction halls are neutral zones under Gene Trader protection. Combat is restricted inside. ]

[ Currency: Survivor Medals will serve as the primary bidding currency. Survivors lacking sufficient medals may exchange resources with Gene Traders, but conversion rates will vary depending on the rarity and quality of the items offered. ]

[ Special Reminder: Auction Tokens can only be purchased from Gene Traders within 3 days of this announcement. Survivors who fail to obtain tokens will be excluded from the event. ]

Kai was stunned as he read the notification line by line.

"Black Market Auction... Gene Traders again."

He didn’t expect that there would be such an event at all. He thought that the Global Event was only meant to fight against the A.I. Army.

There was actually a Survivor-Only Event like this.

"Tokens within three days, or you’re locked out. And the bidding currency... Survivor Medals."

Kai wryly smiled as he knew that he might have a lot of them right now, but he believed that some others could have more of them.

Still, the fact that there was no level restriction meant that the number of participants would be incredibly huge.

Kai closed the window, but the murmurs outside his door caught his attention.

Vera’s voice was tense. "Three days? How are we supposed to find a Gene Trader in time? It’s been weeks since the last one appeared."

Steven’s reply was equally worried. "Exactly. They vanish after a while, and no one knows where they’ll show up next. We can’t just sit here and hope one strolls near our shelter. We can’t miss this opportunity..."

Kai listened silently and nodded.

Their fear was justified. The Gene Traders were cloaked enigmas, appearing in forgotten alleys, ruined tunnels, or dark caves.

Survivors stumbled upon them by chance, never by certainty. Missing the window meant exclusion from the auction... and exclusion meant losing access to items that could shift the balance of survival.

He rose from his chair, stepping toward the door.

’They’re right,’ he thought grimly.

’Although there’s one Gene Trader near New Haven-45, that’s only one, and there might be a limit to the number of invitations he can sell.’

Furthermore, Kai knew that traveling that far wouldn’t be a good idea for this shelter here. They could not leave this place without proper protection.

Soon, Kai opened the door, meeting Vera and Steven’s anxious gazes.

"We’ll have to search for a Gene Trader..."

The two nodded as they also planned to start searching right away.

***

The group was quickly organized.

Kai insisted on splitting into four separate search parties to cover more ground.

He himself would go alone, confident in his own survival skills and detection abilities.

Hans, with his Quick Feet Talent, was also assigned to scout independently in the west.

Vera led a small team composed of Steven and two other survivors, while Juno took three more under his command.

As for the defense of the shelter, Atom would stay here to lead the group of Survivors.

Meanwhile, Kai equipped each group with radios for communication, sensor‑disrupting smoke grenades for emergency escapes, and advanced camouflage gear.

After that, every survivor was clad in the same slim, dark suit with sealed helmets.

No face or skin could be seen, and the gear’s layered design blocked most heat signatures and detection scans.

As they stood together, they looked less like desperate survivors and more like assassins preparing for a covert operation.

"This looks super cool..."

"Hahaha... That’s true. It adjusted to my size as well."

"I thought this helmet will be suffocating, it actually feels really good."

"Maybe we can also use this for underwater operation or something?"

"Don’t try... It might be hard to swim with this."

"It’s still heavy. It just feels light since we’re level 20..."

Kai smiled as he listened to their conversation.

"Alright... Stay in contact. Report any signs immediately," Kai ordered as he used the radio for communication.

"Remember, the Gene Traders don’t linger in bright places... They’re somewhere in the dark. If you find one, secure the location and wait. Don’t engage recklessly."

With that, the teams dispersed into different directions...

Kai headed north, guided by Vera’s earlier mention of an abandoned town in that direction.

In less than an hour, he was able to find collapsed buildings, rusted vehicles half‑buried in ash, and streets overtaken by weeds.

"So it’s here..."

He moved silently with his camouflage suit blending into the dim light...

"This will be a long search," he muttered under his breath, scanning the horizon.

The Gene Traders were elusive, appearing only in hidden corners where few dared to tread. He expected hours of wandering, perhaps even days.

But fortune seemed to favor him.

As he approached the outskirts of the abandoned town, his passive Keen Sense skill triggered.

A faint ripple of energy brushed against his mind...

Kai froze as he recognized that it was a Gene Trader’s aura.

"There’s one here..." he whispered. He actually didn’t expect to sense this at all. After all, he had never sensed a Gene Trader before. At the very least, he needed to be within three meters of the Gene Trader to detect its unique Aura.

"I guess my Keen Sense is just that good right now," Kai muttered as he advanced cautiously, following the sensation.

Soon, he spotted a cloaked figure standing beside a pile of crates and bags within an abandoned building.

It was the unmistakable silhouette of a Gene Trader.

The merchant’s hood concealed its face, like every other Gene Trader.

Kai couldn’t help but smile as he had found one so easily...

But then, his Keen Sense also picked up a movement nearby.

He crouched instantly, activating his camouflage to its fullest. Through the faint distortion, he realized he wasn’t alone. Someone was already there... another survivor was actually beside the Gene Trader, and he was also using a Stealth Skill!