Preparation for Entering the Radiation Zone

Scavenging was a very great profession — at least, Eileen always thought so.

Picking up what others no longer wanted, recycling it — it counted as a good deed in its own way.

Only, in the radiation zones, the things one picked up were a bit more… valuable.

Every few days, or even every few hours, an “electromagnetic storm” would form near the sarcophagus of the nuclear plant.

Eileen didn’t really understand the principles, but it could affect local gravity, wind, radiation — even gravity and time themselves could twist.

Like a shifting Rubik’s cube spinning, when space warped and the electromagnetic storm raged, one must never go outside — otherwise the brain would fry… in the literal, physical sense. People had to hide.

And once the electromagnetic storm passed, the ground would sprout all sorts of supernatural entities, protected by singularities.

Singularities — twisted points of gravity, space, and time… only professionals could enter such places.

Eileen’s greatest wish was to become one of these so-called stalkers, and to fish out treasures worth a fortune.

But for now, what she scavenged were the belongings of mercenaries who had died — either killed while exploring singularities or in fights over them.

Eileen would give them proper burials, and then take their things.

After all, they wouldn’t be needing them.

Sometimes, when the radiation zones expanded and swallowed a district, the people would evacuate in a hurry — that was another chance for Eileen to scavenge.

But the most terrifying thing in the radiation zone was, of course, the radiation itself.

Eileen didn’t want tumors growing inside her.

Even scavenging meant carrying anti-radiation medicine — from the cheapest iodine tablets to the most expensive gene-repair serums.

“Ah, Eileen, is that you? Same deal as always: iodine tablets, one hundred per pack, twelve in a pack. Radiation zone expansion intel, one thousand per piece.”

The shopkeeper saw Eileen walk in and immediately pulled out iodine tablets, handing them over with a grin.

Well then — she’d become a regular.

This was the shop of a radiation zone technician.

Mercenaries often said: treat technicians like your parents.

Only they could keep you alive in the radiation zone.

Eileen wasn’t a mercenary, but as a scavenger, she also needed to sell things, repair things — all through the technician.

The shopkeeper looked young, but clearly had a strong education — probably from some high-energy physics institute. Barely past twenty, she could fix equipment, had connections with scientists, had trade routes, and made good money.

Eileen hoped Roshakaya’s future would look like this… capable people would never suffer, no matter where they went.

But today, Eileen hadn’t come for iodine tablets.

“Uh… boss, iodine alone won’t be enough for me anymore, right?”

Eileen hadn’t forgotten what Utoya told her… supernatural entities emitted radiation too.

Iodine pills were barely useful — at best an emergency measure. Against radiation from supernatural beings? No way.

“Oh? Little Eileen… my god, did you use a supernatural entity?”

The shopkeeper froze, staring as Eileen slowly pulled off her hood, revealing her furry white cat ears. The woman stood stunned.

“Mm…”

Eileen blushed faintly. For some reason, being seen with ears and a tail felt shameful… especially in front of someone whose name she didn’t even know.

She was a regular here, but the shopkeeper never revealed her name — only saying that if Eileen called her “boss,” she’d give her discounts.

Fair enough — they weren’t from the same world.

Eileen was a struggling orphan just trying to survive.

The shopkeeper was a university-educated scientist, connected, capable, a technician and trader of the radiation zones.

They were not on the same level at all.

“This is serious… iodine won’t cut it anymore. Supernatural entities channel extradimensional forces into the human body.

In terms of space curvature, this manifests as heat, electricity, and radiation.

The heat and electricity are negligible — but radiation? Humans have next to no resistance. Once you step inside, you’ll be the first target.”

“You silly child — either get yourself a radiation-blocking supernatural entity to carry with you, or buy a radiation suit.

At the very least… get professional anti-radiation drugs. Don’t be like those middle-school dropouts chugging vodka. Unless you can drink ten kilos a day, you’ll never get enough resveratrol to matter.”

The shopkeeper’s voice had lost its joking tone, turning grave.

Eileen nodded quietly. She knew it — artifacts always came at a price. That was inevitable.

“How much for the anti-radiation drugs?”

Eileen sighed. The other two options were way out of her reach anyway.

“I knew you’d ask… five hundred per shot. Lasts half a day — that’s the limit.

These were designed for radiation zone cleanup. Without them, leukemia and cancer will come knocking.”

From under the counter, the shopkeeper pulled out a plastic case holding a yellow-orange syringe.

Not the old, mass-produced Soviet-era anti-radiation meds, but something modern.

Eileen trusted the shopkeeper. Pricey, but genuine.

5100 yuan, gone — only 3100 left. Hopefully this trip would bring something worthwhile. Just one day — then she could return to the huntress.

“I’ll take… two shots. And one radiation expansion intel. Oh, boss, I lost my pad — just give me a data stick.”

Eileen counted out cash. In here, only hard currency mattered.

Normally scavengers carried military tablets to download satellite data and keep notes — maps, mostly.

But Eileen had sold hers beforehand, to avoid border inspections. She’d buy a new one later.

But right now… she couldn’t afford one. She’d have to scavenge one off the dead.

Money and goods exchanged hands. As Eileen studied the instruction manual on the anti-radiation drugs, the shopkeeper suddenly spoke up:

“A child as cute as you… Forget it. I wanted to ask, ‘Why go to such dangerous places? You could live just fine on your looks alone.’ But saying it feels insulting to you. If you had my family, you’d be much happier than I am.”

“This tablet came from one of the bodies you brought me. I fixed it up. It should work. Take it — free. You’re my favorite customer, after all. Just… come back alive, okay?”

…….

Happiness?

Eileen clutched the tablet, a pang of sourness in her chest.

Sometimes she wondered — why was she born here? In her past life she was just a workhorse.

Fine.

But now, aside from being reborn as a pretty girl, nothing had changed.

If anything, life was worse. Why did people like the shopkeeper get to choose their own happy paths?

If she could, Eileen would also want to be reborn as a pretty girl in a normal world — to live a school life, to experience romance, youth, bands, the seaside, all the beautiful things she’d missed before.

To enjoy the burning, passionate youth of a girl.

But now, she was scavenging corpses in the radiation zone… Ha.

Well, at least it was something she hadn’t experienced before.

She was truly jealous. And yet the shopkeeper was still so kind to her — which only made her feel ashamed.

Hypocrite. Pathetic hypocrite, Eileen. You’re hopeless.

No wonder the huntress got tangled with you. It’s all karma.

Looking at the slightly refurbished tablet in her hand, Eileen sighed, plugged the data stick into it, and began downloading intel… Soon, markers for newly-formed singularities lit up on the map.

Time to head out. Hopefully there would be… more happenings?

Uh, no, best not to think like that. Eileen didn’t want anyone dying in singularities.

But there was no choice — this was how she made her living.

Anyway, it was time to go.