Chapter 68 – Base Transformation
Translator: Jostena
Editor: Dragon
Chapter Release 3 of 3
Both Su Ruizhe and Zhan Yun agreed with the army's decision. After all, the existing materials in the base were limited in quantity. With increasing population of survivors, the burden on the base was also increasing. If this continued this way, the base’s grain storage could only last up to a year and a half at most. No matter what kind of crops were planted, their survival was difficult due to the abnormally high temperatures. The crops that were being produced by the wood system power users could not meet the demand of the entire base.
Therefore, it was for the best for survivors to get out of the base, killing zombies and search for supplies.
However, how should one go about convincing the survivors to willingly walk out of the base and face those horrible zombies?
The base leaders were not fools either. They knew that haste would lead nowhere. They first made an announcement about the latest bullet developed by the base research center, which could cause fatal injury to zombies. Then, they began to expand the base city guard, recruiting without requiring shooting experience or physical strength. They preferred to recruit those who performed well in the base, and even women.
The city guard was equipped with guns. After using this new type of bullet, it really became easier to clear out the zombies. In the past, the zombies had to be hit point-blank on the zombies' heads to kill them. People who were not familiar with firearms or whose accuracy was relatively poor often had to shoot several times to hit the zombies. But now, they only needed to hit any part of the body to cause fatal damage to the zombies A zombie could now be easily solved with two or three shots.
Moreover, the base also encouraged the city guard to search for materials on the way when clearing the zombies. Only one-tenth of the materials found by each person needed to be handed over to the base, and the rest could be retained. At that time, more people wanted to sign up for the city guard. The number of the city guards quickly reached a saturation level. After all, guns and new bullets were also in short supply. They were reserved for first use by the army.
With the help of the city guard, the survivors' spirits came alive, especially the ability users, who spontaneously formed small teams and went out of the city, accompanying the city guard to search for supplies. There were still many small cities near the southern base. Basically, a visit would always be rewarding.
But most of the survivors still remained on the sidelines. After all, it was too dangerous outside. They had neither guns nor abilities. If they got hurt, they would suffer.
Now, the base announced the news of the research center having found some trace elements in plants that could help the victims of zombie scratches to resist the attack of the virus and improve the possibility of awakening an ability', and opened the exchange of some special drugs. In fact, these special drugs were concentrated fruit juice. It only took two work points to exchange a small bottle. This price was not really expensive. After all, it was very difficult to find fresh fruits and vegetables in such weather conditions.
However, the number of ability users in the base began to increase slowly, which not only increased the strength of the base but also greatly alleviated the shortage of materials.
Zhan Yun and his team went out of the city every day, not to collect materials, but to use their abilities and exercise combat skills. If there was a difficult task in the base, they were willing to help. And the base would never treat them badly. The two sides were in a mutually beneficial relationship and get along very well.
Later, some people in the base began to set up stalls on the streets in the center of the base. When they went out to clean up, they found a lot of materials. Sometimes, they could not use some of the things, which might be useful to others. After the buyer and the seller settled on the price, they could trade directly, which was very convenient.
Due to the emergence of these stalls, the base became more and more lively. Trade droves= the development of the base. This was good for the base. Naturally, the higher-ups of the base were happy to see its success. They simply delimited an area as a free trade area, where people could exchange whatever they wanted, and there were law enforcement teams arranged to patrol here. No one dared to make trouble here.
Zheng Jiahe found a vacuum cleaner he had been thinking of obtaining, in one of the stalls set up in the trading area as was wandering about and bought it for only five work points.
The boss of this stall was a slightly fat middle-aged man, named Qian Fugui. Like his name, he was really good at business. He was actually willing to exchange work points to borrow a card swiping machine from the management center because it was more convenient than holding material transactions. In the whole trading area, his was the only stall that used work points for payment. Many stall owners who were familiar with him would come to borrow the machine from him and give him some benefits in turn. Therefore, in the whole trading area his stall was the largest and had the best business.
Qian Fugui not only sold, but also purchased, as long as he found the materials to be useful.
Su Ruizhe saw that there were still some toys for children here. He wanted to buy some for Yu Dongdong, so he chose a few at random. When paying the bill, he noticed a dozen primary crystal cores in Qian Fugui’s desk drawer. Su Ruizhe didn’t know where he got it from.
"Boss, where did you get these?"
Qian Fugui was especially good at seeing through people. Su Ruizhe and the ones accompanying him were clean and had a better-looking face and spirit than other ordinary people. When the other guy bought the vacuum cleaner just now, he didn’t even bargain with him. He believed that the identity of these people must not be simple. He was naturally happy to make friends with such people, so he honestly said, "These were collected from the city guards. When they went out to clean up the zombies, they got them from the heads of the zombies. They didn't know what it was used for so they sold them to me.”
"If you didn't know what it was used for, why did you buy it?" Su Ruizhe raised his eyebrows slightly.
“Haha, I’ve also seen some apocalypse movies and novels. These things from within the zombies' brains may be useful.” Qian Fugui said with a smile.
“You’re not afraid of losing money?”
"Afraid!" Qian Fugui said, and opened another drawer. There was a lot of jewelry of gold and gems like emeralds and diamonds inside, "At the beginning, I thought gold should become a hard currency, so I hoarded some. I didn’t know it would all be discarded. Now, I can’t even exchange a piece of bread for it."
“Who said this? I will pay for it! ” Cheng Jiao squeezed in, eyes shining towards this pile of jewelry as she started to pick and choose, and then chose a shiny diamond necklace, “How many work points will you sell this for?”
Qian Fugui rubbed his hands and tentatively said, “Two work points?”
Cheng Jiao smiled, handed over her ID card directly, and at the same time urged Wu Jing to pick one.
In fact, Wu Jing was also moved a little. There is no girl who doesn’t like jewelry. The trinkets here were all in very good condition. It was hard not to look at them. Before the apocalypse, these were worth tens of thousands of dollars and could not be bought by any common person at all, but now, they were being exchanged for a few packets of biscuits and steamed buns.
“Take it if you like and swipe my card.” Zhang Shuoliang looked at her in silence, but his brain was not stupid. Seeing his girlfriend liking it, he immediately took out his identity card, which attracted the envious attention of many women around him.
Wu Jing smiled sweetly. She chose an emerald bracelet and a necklace. It took only three work points.
Qian Fugui really didn’t expect that what he thought was going to become discarded trash was actually sold. He naturally became very happy.
There was also a diamond ring in that pair of jewelry. The diamond was very large, but Wu Jing’s fingers were a little thick, so she couldn't wear it. Now, was there a jewelry store that could change the size? At last, she could only reluctantly put it back.
Zhang Shuoliang saw this scene with his eyes. Right as he was leaving with the others, he went back and asked Qian Fugui in a low voice, “Boss, do you have any other rings here?”
"I don't have it now, but I can get them! If you want, I can get it for you and keep it with me until you come to take it." Qian Fugui spoke smilingly, he just saw that this young man and that beautiful girl were a couple. The young man should want to buy a ring to please his girlfriend.
Although he didn't have any in stock, he was familiar with the people of the city guard. When they went to collect materials outside, it was not too difficult for them to look inside jewelry stores and find some rings.
“Well, I’ll give you ten work points first as deposit, and then give you ten work points after I receive it.” Zhang Shuoliang and Wu Jing originally planned to go back to their hometown to get married at the end of the year, but the end of the world came suddenly, disrupting their plans. Before the end of the world, Zhang Shuoliang was just a fitness coach, and their combined salary was not very high. They saved their money for the wedding, so they didn’t even buy a decent wedding ring. Now the wedding couldn't be conducted, at least they could buy the ring. Yes, he definitely thought Wu Jing would like it.
“Good!” Qian Fugui smiled so widely that his teeth seemed like they were about to fall. The best customers like Zhang Shuoliang had come out. He took out a small book and recorded the finger sizes of Zhang Shuoliang’s and Wu Jing’s fingers and the style he wanted. With so many work points, it’s enough for those kids of the city guard to go on a special trip just to get the rings.
“We live at this address. When things arrive, just send a note to the mailbox at the door.” The base now had sufficient power supply, elevators could also be used normally, and there were many city guards living in the small high-rise buildings. It’s just that everyone often went out for work. The doors of the small high-rise buildings were usually locked, so if there was anything, one could put a note inside the mailbox at the door.
“Okay!” Qian Fugui immediately agreed without any additional words.
As a result, Zhang Shuoliang had just left when Zhan Yun came again. He also wanted a ring, but for two men and paid a deposit. Just now, when Wu Jing tried the ring, he realized that he also wanted to buy a pair for him and his little lover.
As soon as the two big businesses were completed, Qian Fugui became so happy that he did not delay at all. He immediately went to find his acquaintances in the city guard.
Qian Fugui’s efficiency was quite high. In about five or six days, he sent a note to Zhang Shuoliang and Zhan Yun, informing them what they wanted was here.
They got the rings and went back to present them to their sweethearts. Wu Jing held Zhang Shuoliang and cried and laughed. Although Su Ruizhe said he didn’t cry, his eyes were red. The two pairs of lovers were sweet and envied by others, and the single dogs in the team shouted that they couldn’t live.
The author has something to say:
Give applause to the hard-working theater masters ~ ~ clap clap ~ ~ it was short yesterday, I’m sorry ~ ~ it’s a little rough today~~
[Little Theater On The Street]
Plant Department ability users: our department is really useless, so efforts to promote plants are only enough for the base canteen to cook soup. Failed to live up to the base’s trust in us!
Su Xiaozhe (eat hand): I'm so envious! I also want to grow normal plants.
Botanical Wizard: hahaha, children should believe in themselves, you can! By the way, what plants can you produce now?
Su Xiaozhe: emm… Peas that kill zombies, cherries and peppers that explode, potatoes mines that explode when you step on them, sunflowers that can help cure you. How can I turn weapon plants into ordinary plants?
Plant Wizard: Why is the sky still clear? Why didn’t lightning strike him?
[The Small Dream Theater]
Crew meeting room.
Su Xiaozhe put down his new script and asked the director: Director, how come our production team is getting shorter and shorter recently, even today’s production doesn’t even have a decent Longtao?
Director: Isn’t it because our production team is short of money recently? The previous cheap looking dragon suites didn’t work, so thinking of you these protagonists first for a few days, just be a little lazy, wait for the economy to ease after you add drama.
Several leading characters:
Xu Jiani: Wait, director, how come I just joined the group and it’s over? I just made a play! I’m not the hostess, but also a white moonlight. How can I not even promote the protagonist CP’s feelings?
Director: Assistant, assistant, Anyone? Why is this Longtao still here? You're still here to eat and drink after your scenes ended. Don’t you know our crew is short of money?
[A Small Wooden Theater]
Looking at the benefits of the base
Su Ruizhe: The base is so good. How did I not join such a good base in my last life?
Zhan Yun:… (touching comforts)
Some wood: Isn’t the crew worse? Who is more miserable and who is the protagonist after rebirth?
Qingge: Drag this wood out as a fire stick!
Su Ruizhe: (turning over the book) It makes sense. The reborn protagonist has been…
Zhan Yun: (covering his mouth) Shh, don’t let the director hear you. Let’s discuss it in private.
Hope you guys liked the big release this week! Not sure when I’ll have the time to do this again but maybe in April when I have free time during spring break XD
We’re almost 2/3 of the way through this book which I still can’t believe but maybe I can finish this book before summer. I wanna thank Dragon because she’s the one who went through all the chapters for a while now and has been the greatest editor!
Quick Question: If you were in this apocalypse and had no ability then what work would you choose to do? I would probably want to venture outside so maybe getting supplies and stuff.
When work was mentioned in the base:
Jostena: Well yea, even in normal times you have to work to be able to have a home and food so it’s not that different XD
Dragon: Lol, yeah
The mention of short supplies:
Dragon: Aah, vicious cycle of economy.
How the fruit juice helps with the infection:
Dragon: THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
Everyone ate and drank fruits/ vegetables food/ juices even before the apocalypse. So why is it affecting them only now? LOLOLOLOLOL
Brain explodes boom
Jostina: I think you have to drink and eat after the infection so you can fight it off but let’s not hope for a genius explanation behind it XD
When ZSL thought of his girlfriend and wanted to get her a ring:
Jostina: OMG, he’s so cute thinking of her so much and how to make her happy! Now that’s what I call a great boyfriend!
Dragon: Yes! He is really super cute and super perfect!