Chapter 76
Chapter 76 – Crisis Resolved
Translator: Jostena
Editor: Dragon
With Zhan Yun and Sun Ruizhe’s help, the mutant mice infestation problem was solved successfully. All the mutant mice were killed. In addition to the rats that were bombed, and eaten by the other mice, the rest of the mice corpses were still intact, measuring at least a few hundred jin.
Hearing this good news, Jiang Xuzhou finally erased the frown on his face that had stayed for a long time and hurried to express his gratitude to Zhan Yun and Su Ruizhe. They also asked the soldiers to collect the dead mice and send them to the canteen to cook meat dishes. They awarded the soldiers who had worked hard for days with meat and the people who helped without being afraid.
Although it was meat from mice, it was a mutant animal. The meat of any mutant animal was very delicious. Once cleaned, it would be as good as any other. Now, there was no right to be choosy unlike before the end of the world, not to mention, most of the food in the base had been spoiled by the mice. In a time when food was the most scarce resource, the mouse meat they received after so many hardships couldn't be wasted!
For two work points, fragrant stewed potato with braised mouse meat served along with white rice, made the survivors in the base smile. Everyone was very happy. On one hand, it was the joy of eating meat, at last. On the other hand, it was the joy of not having to worry about when a big mouse would suddenly come out to hurt people and stores.
Zhan Yun and Su Ruizhe spent too much of their power. Although on the surface it seemed quite easy, in fact, it made both feel very tired. They went straight back to the high-rise building and went for a comfortable sleep. The others brought the rice back from the canteen. Knowing they had a good appetite, they simply bought six meals and packed them in food boxes.
Su Ruizhe tasted it. The mutant mouse meat was really good and tasted a little like chicken.
“Brother Zhan, when we went to dinner today, we found there are many people missing from the base.” When Zhan Yun and Su Ruizhe were having dinner, Zheng Jiahe took a stool and sat down beside them.
“Oh? What’s the matter? ” Zhan Yun asked without raising his head.
“It seems some people thought the base was going to fall and went to other places to find a way out in advance.” There were many people in the canteen, and different news could be easily heard: “When we came back, I also saw a lot of people exchanging at the management center. I heard that Lincheng base is not too far from us. Many people left and drove there. Some of those people are ability users. When they left, they still used their work points on their identity cards to exchange for a lot of food. They're too shameless!”
“Does the base know?”
“Yes, but what can they do? You can’t keep people from leaving… ” Zheng Jiahe continued, “Now, I do think the base is really short of food. I heard Niu Dali say he has been given a mission and sent out half of his troops to search for supplies.”
“And…” Zheng Jiahe wanted to say something but stopped.
“What is it?”
“I heard from those in the management center that they saw the bombed grain depot and found there is not much food left before they started to plan to go to the Lincheng base.”
Su Ruizhe heard that and his fingers tightened on the chopsticks. Most of the materials in the base had been damaged by these mice. He was afraid the existing materials could not last for even two months.
The base's food storage was so damaged by those mice. Those who chose to leave with materials were actually looting. Even though the base knew there was not much food stored, it still gave away the food to the other side with its teeth clenched.
It’s as if a bank suddenly received some negative news. Many depositors would come to withdraw money. When the bank realizes the reserve fund is very tight, it can only try its best to pay out its depositors. Otherwise, once it refuses to withdraw the money for its depositors, it would prove the bank doesn't have the funds. People’s hearts are insecure, and more and more people would ask for withdrawals, waiting for the bank to continue until the only result is to close down.
The same was true for the base. If the base refused to exchange food for these people, it would cause great panic among the people, and then the base would become chaotic.
Although they had learned soilless cultivation technology, it would take a long time to really grow crops in the greenhouse. It’s OK for the plant powers to produce some vegetables. It was impossible for them to produce enough rations for the survivors of the entire base.
How much resources could they get back by sending troops out? Just a drop in the bucket…
Su Ruizhe subconsciously turned his head and looked at Zhan Yun. He caused the explosion in the grain depot. Although it could be said that it was to kill the mutant rats, he exposed the lack of food in the base to the public. If the problem of food was not solved as soon as possible, the base may really disintegrate.
Now, he had an idea…
When Zhan Yun looked into Su Ruizhe’s eyes, he soon understood his thoughts.
Su Ruizhe's secret was one that only Zhan Yun knew best. The space that Su Ruizhe used to plant was his biggest golden finger. Zhan Yun was once taken by Su Ruizhe to the beautiful valley which appeared like a paradise. In addition to fruits and vegetables, there were also grain crops such as rice and wheat. If those grains were taken out, it could quickly solve the food crisis in the base.
It was just… To find the right time and reason…
After dinner, Zhan Yun chased everyone else back to their rooms. He and Su Ruizhe closed the door and entered the space.
There were many flowers and fruits in the space, a sense of prosperity of all materials, which was in sharp contrast to the reality where a large number of plants withered away due to long-term, high temperatures outside.
The two men took out the tools, and together harvested the rice and wheat in the space's field, and piled up a big hill on the ridge of the field. Ten acres of land, that was to say, the output should also be around three to four thousand jin, enough to help the base to overcome this most difficult period. However, they didn't have a thresher, they couldn't shell the grains. So, the total weight of the harvested crops should be doubled.
They were so busy they couldn’t even straighten up, but they didn’t ask for help. It was not that they didn't trust their teammates. They all knew Su Ruizhe had space powers anyway, but Su Ruizhe’s space was so special. The fewer people who knew the specifics, the better.
It was almost autumn harvest now. It was still possible for farmers to harvest grain and put it back in the warehouse. They decided to take the team out tomorrow. When they came back, they would tell the base these grains were found in a village.
These newly harvested grains looked very fresh, so you had to find a place to sun them in the daytime, pretending it must have been put out for a while.
They came out of the space, took a bath and rested.
The next day, when the sun went down, Zhan Yun and his team went to find company commander Zhang. They wanted to borrow a large truck. After all, thousands of Jin of grains could not be loaded in their small SUV.
Without saying anything, company commander Zhang gave them a heavy truck. He wanted to give them a driver, but he was politely declined by Zhan Yun. Zhang Shuoliang had a driver’s license. There was no problem in driving such a heavy truck.
Zhan Yun and his team took the truck and were out for a whole day. When they came back, they brought a full truck of food. They also visited several nearby villages, found two threshers and brought them back.
Zhan Yun handed over the grains directly to company commander Zhang. It was full of golden grains. Although, since it had been basking in the hot sun for a whole day, it didn't look very fresh or moist at this time, but it was precious grain after all! Company commander Zhang, this one meter eight in height soldier was moved to tears.
At the beginning, Zhan Yun wanted to donate these grains directly to the base because they were originally picked up for nothing, but company commander Zhang refused to accept them. As soldiers, they were not willing to take advantage of the common people in any way. In the end, they were converted into work points, and the foodgrains would be returned to them when the base would become capable of producing large quantities of grain in successful soilless cultivation.
The base has food again!!! A lot of food came from the outside!!!
It was really good news. The survivors of the base saw the vehicle loaded with grain coming in through the gate. They didn’t know where the grain came from. They just thought it was the army’s grain storage outside. In addition, the base announced that it was going to carry out soilless cultivation to ensure future food supply. With this news, the survivors all cheered up and ran to inform each other.
As for those who were active in mind and submitted their ID cards to ask to leave the base, the base was no longer willing to take them in. Those who were easy to shake would only destroy the cohesion of the base, and would not do any good for the base. Now that they wanted to go to another base, let them leave.
Su Ruizhe and his teammates watched the people leaving the base with things. They knew that the Lincheng base was a small, private base, which might not be as powerful as the Wancheng base. Ability users enjoyed preferential treatment, but for ordinary people, there were no such good conditions, which made it not as a good place as their current base. In this world, without the fat man Lu Yang, it could be assumed that Lincheng base would have no solar power generators. When these people go, they would understand what kind of opportunity they had given up.
In the future, the southern base would only get better and better. Those people who wish to come back, also would not be able to.
There was no medicine for regret in the world. People were always responsible for their own choices.
The author has something to say:
[Little Theater On The Street]
Xiao Hei: Mouse! You may die if I go down with one claw! Meow! A group of mice! Poop picker! Come and deal with them!
Su Xiaozhe: One cherry, two cherries… One carnivorous flower, two carnivorous flowers… Done!
Young Soldier: ━Σ(?Д?|||)━I finally understand Dr. Yang’s feelings. Where's my chin?
Su Xiaozhe: Zhan Xiaoyun!
Zhan Xiaoyun: Ah! What do you want wifey?
Su Xiaozhe: This image is disgusting. Corrode it quickly!
Zheng Jiahe: …Hypocritical! Putting fine timber to petty use!
Zhan Xiaoyun: I love it!
Su Xiaozhe: I can afford to flirt!
Zheng Jiahe secretly glanced at Cheng Jiao, who returned with a brilliant smile.
Zheng Jiahe shivers: I… I can’t afford to flirt.
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Thanks to the little angels for their mines and nutritious liquid~~~