Shane raised an eyebrow as he looked at the unknown man.

"Hidden treasures?"

Wendel nodded. "Yes... This land... it holds secrets. But it’s covered with miasma, so even Tris, the leader of this shelter, didn’t dare to explore it."

The group exchanged glances.

"Right... I’m Wendel. I’m also a Foreign Survivor who selected Zombie Outbreak out of all the options."

Natalie smiled faintly as she heard this. "Interesting. Very interesting."

"Unexplored ruins, huh... But that miasma is a trouble." Travis muttered.

Wendel nodded as he could understand their concern. Well, he just wanted to be friends with these top Survivors.

"In any case, he didn’t really think that Shane and the others would bother since there weren’t any guaranteed rewards. After all, that part of the island might just be a dumpsite or something. No one could really tell if there was anything valuable.

Furthermore, at this point of the Apocalypse, most valuable items could already be created by Craftsmen... After all, their Talents and Survivor Skills had already bloomed.

Survivors with Legendary Talents related to crafting or any form of manufacturing, like Hermes, Diana, and others, were already capable of creating some of the best weapons and artifacts in existence.

There weren’t any more need to risk their safety unless that area had special materials that could only be obtained in that place.

Shane placed a hand on Wendel’s shoulder. "Alright... But we didn’t come here for treasure. We’ll give you a tip if we ever try checking it out."

Wendel nodded again as he liked this connection...

Well, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize the top Survivors...

Most of these people were in the Top 20 Survivors that he had seen before during the Zombie Challenge Event.

"Just be careful. You know, not all secrets are meant to be uncovered. But if you want more interesting facts... I can tell you more." Wendel said.

"Oh? Does it cost money?" Shane asked.

"Ohhh... Not really. But you can give me a tip if you found this information useful." He immediately replied.

"Go on... I’m listening." Shane said with an amused tone. He wasn’t really expecting much but his next words stunned him.

"Actually, this Shelter came from the Dragon Awakening Apocalypse. They were also from Earth. However, an incident happened, and their shelter got transported here with them. Now, they were recognized by the System as a Neutral Shelter..."

"What?"

"Is that possible?"

"Dragon Awakening?"

Shane and the others were stunned.

Wendel smiled as he expected as much. Now, he knew that he would receive a decent tip for sure!

He must provide them with as much information as he can.

"That’s right... As you know, the Wild Shelters had the same situation. If you encounter these shelters, I’m sure that you can tell that those Necromancers were just sent here to do some kind of a mission. It’s similar to this Draconic Fort, so you might notice that their items were related to Dragonoids or anything with Dragon Blood."

"T-that’s..." Shane was stunned.

"Whoa... That’s an incredible revelation. You really deserve a tip." Travis said.

"Why is it not being talked about in the World Chat?" Natalie asked.

"Huh? This is our source of money. Of course, we’ll not share it. The value might drop. Anything from here is valuable. But since you already arrived, I decided to just let you know." Wendel explained matter-of-factly.

"So... Do you know their aim right now? Like ending the Zombie Apocalypse? Or are they planning to return to their Apocalypse or something?" Shane asked curiously while the others listened.

Of course, Shinja, Chaloem, and some others were already busy at the marketplace as they looked around.

However, they were also listening since they wanted to stay updated as well.

"Mhmm? Well, they just want to defend themselves. None of them wanted to leave the island either. I think their plan was preservation."

Wendel paused for a moment and looked at Shane, before he continued.

"Also... Think about it. You can’t really blame them. What if the mysterious incident happened again, and their shelter gets transported to another realm, or maybe returns to where they belong... They didn’t want to be left behind."

That certainly made a lot of sense...

Shane and the others asked a few more questions about this place and soon, they gave him something. Shane gave the man 3 Tokens with Infused Survivor Skills, Travis gave him a Survivor Skill Potion containing Lion’s Roar, and Natalie gave him two bottles of Holy Water.

Well, it was Shane’s fault since Travis and Natalie felt like they were cheap Clan Leaders when Shane was giving away such precious items.

Since they didn’t want their reputation to be lower than Shane’s, they felt that they needed to contribute to the tip.

Just like that, the marketplace buzzed around them, but Shane and his companions now saw the Draconic Fort differently.

It wasn’t just a shelter... it was a fortress built on the legacy of dragons, and perhaps, a gateway to something far greater.

***

Just like that, Shane ordered the group to scatter and explore.

"Check the stalls, see what they’re offering. We’ll regroup later," he said casually.

At this time, his eyes were already scanning the bustling square.

The marketplace here looked very different after all.

Stalls displayed goods ranging from Common trinkets to Uncommon charms, Rare weapons, and even Exceptional accessories. A few shops proudly showcased Master Grade items.

Well, their prices were steep, but their quality was undeniable. Shane noted, however, that Epic or higher‑grade items were absent.

Those treasures were clearly reserved for deeper trades or hidden vaults.

What caught his attention first were rolls of fabric stacked neatly in one corner.

"Mhmm... Time to have new set of comfortable clothes I guess..." He mused.

The texture was unlike anything he had seen before. It was smooth yet resilient. It wasn’t silk but it seemed to be getting there. He ran his fingers across it, realizing it was unique to this place.

"Wendel wasn’t lying," Shane thought. "If these fabrics hit the System’s marketplace, they’d fetch a fortune." He purchased several rolls, already thinking of how the clan’s craftsmen could use them.

Moving deeper into the square, Shane’s eyes narrowed as he spotted a building rather than a stall.

Its carved wooden doors set it apart from the makeshift shops around it.

There was a sign above the entrance that bore the image of a dragon’s claw.

[ The Superior Armory ]

It was the name of the shop, and it definitely deserved its name.

Inside, he immediately noticed the metallic scent of scales and blood. The shop wasn’t crowded, only a handful of customers browsed quietly. But its shelves and displays were overflowing with items tied to dragons and dragonoids.

Shane’s gaze swept across the room.

Full sets of armor forged from dragonoid scales could be seen in display.

Swords crafted from dragon nails rested in a rack...

Potions filled with dragonoid blood glowed faintly in glass vials.

There were also crates of unprocessed wyvern scales, drake scales, and dragonoid scales stacked against the walls.

"This is it," Shane murmured. "Exactly what Raze’s dragon might need."

He approached the counter, where the shopkeeper, a stern man with scaled gauntlets, greeted him. "Looking for something specific?"

"Scales and blood," Shane replied. "I’ll take wyvern and drake scales, and a few vials of dragonoid blood."

The shopkeeper nodded but raised a hand.

"Zombie Cores won’t do here. We have more than enough. For these items, we require rarer trade goods... Item Upgrade Crystals, Zombie Lord Blood, Spirit Stones, or gears suited for battles in the deep seas."

Shane frowned slightly. "So you’re not short on cores. You want specialized resources."

He didn’t really have any issues with that.

"Exactly," the shopkeeper said firmly. "These materials are tied to dragons. They demand higher value. Only those prepared for true battles can afford them."

Shane considered his options. He had plenty of Zombie Cores, but for dragon‑related items, rarer materials were expected.

He reached into his inventory, pulling out a small pouch. Inside were dozens of Item Upgrade Crystals, glowing faintly with condensed energy.

Then, another pouch containing Spirit Stones.

As for the Zombie Lord Blood or items that could be used in the seas, they weren’t something Shane could easily part with...

The shopkeeper’s eyes widened slightly. "Crystals... That will do."

Shane placed 30 Item Upgrade crystals and 30 Spirit Stones on the counter.

"For the scales and blood."

The man nodded, carefully selecting bundles of wyvern and drake scales, along with vials of dragonoid blood.

"Is this enough?" The shopkeeper asked as he already placed more than he should, but Shane was still not budging...

"Ahhh... I think that’s good enough." Shane immediately said as he realized that the man had already given him 20 scales and 20 vials of blood.

Well, he didn’t really know if Raze would need these anyway... If not, he’d just give it to Anna to experiment with...

Thankfully, as soon as the shopkeeper confirmed that he was a decent trader, he asked Shane to stay.

"Let me show you something else... If you have more Spirit Stones, I think this will be worth it."