Jing Shu's head tilted in a slight nod, her eyes fixed on the display of stone architecture. She did have storage in her Cube Space, the dark, silent grids of the void waiting to be filled, but there was not any way to keep vegetables fresh there for long; the natural decay of the plants eventually won out without a stasis field.
The only option was to dry them until they were brittle and shriveled. Yet dried vegetables lost some nutrition in the process, the vitamins leaching away as the moisture evaporated. If true dehydrated vegetables existed, they would be perfect for the apocalypse: convenient, nutritious, and easily revived with water into something close to fresh produce that would actually taste like the real thing on the tongue.
The old man known as Lao Liu, who stood by Steward Cai, spoke up to the group. "Dehydrated vegetables really do have promise. I think we must obtain this technology. That way agriculture can develop even in these dark conditions where soil is a luxury. The apocalypse is here. Who knows what other disasters may come? Stockpiling dehydrated vegetables is absolutely necessary to prevent starvation in the coming years."
"Exactly," another man added, his boots scuffing the stone. "With food in storage, we will not panic when the next crisis hits. But if we only have grains and no vegetables, these old bones will not hold out for long; scurvy and malnutrition will take us before the cold does."
Clearly, everyone present was intrigued, their eyes gleaming with the possibility of a stable, long-term food supply. In the past, vegetables could not be stored for long unless they were pickled or salted into jars of acidic mush. Now that there was a better option and everyone had the means to reach for it, they were naturally more inclined to support it.
Qian Duoduo's hand rolled the walnut calmly, the smooth wood clicking against his palm in the quiet hall. Just as he had expected, everyone agreed dehydrated vegetables were a strategic reserve essential for survival in this crumbling world. Pointing toward Steward Cai, he said, "Xiao Cai, explain to everyone why we need to use American technology before we talk about the next step."
Steward Cai chuckled, nodded his head, then stepped forward into the center of the group, the light reflecting off his pale skin. Clearing his throat, he held up some processed pickled cabbage, the soggy green leaves dripping. "Let us first compare dried vegetables with dehydrated ones. Dried vegetables are sun-dried over a long time, left out until they are tough. They lose much of their nutrients, and even soaking in water can not restore them to their original texture."
The crowd nodded in silent agreement, their shadows stretching against the stone. Jing Shu, however, felt the dried vegetables from her Spirit Spring were not that bad. It was probably because vegetables grown with Spirit Spring water had much higher nutritional value to begin with; the shimmer of the spring water gave them a vitality that did not vanish entirely when the moisture was removed.
"Dehydrated vegetables, on the other hand, are delicious, colorful, and preserve their nutrients as if they had just been picked from the vine. They are smaller in volume, lighter in weight, rehydrate instantly in water, easy to transport in any vehicle, and easy to eat. In the apocalypse, they are absolutely strategic resources that define life and death."
"As for why American technology is required," Steward Cai continued, his orchid fingers fluttering, "China mostly uses high-temperature heat pump drying. The heat is too high, and the process is too long. In short, the energy consumption is massive. And in times like these, energy is too precious to be wasted on inefficient machines. We can not afford to use domestic methods. At this rate, we would bankrupt ourselves before producing enough to fill even a single warehouse."
Jing Shu's eyebrow raised as she listened. She hadn't known dehydrated vegetables involved so much technical detail or scientific calculation. She had only heard they were expensive commodities in the high-end markets of the city.
Steward Cai continued his explanation. "We are not saying foreign methods are perfect, but compared to traditional techniques, the Americans are indeed more advanced in their machinery. They have improved hot-air drying into vacuum drying, cutting production steps and lowering costs significantly. Of course, it requires supporting methods like sparse planting cultivation in the fields. The entire set of technology, including vacuum drying machines, has to come from America for it to function correctly."
Lao Liu chuckled, the sound dry in the stone room. "Just tell us directly what benefits we will get and what price we must pay. Do not waste time with things we do not understand or care about."
Qian Duoduo's laughter filled the hall, sounding loud against the basalt walls. "Haha, Lao Liu, you are straightforward as always. I had Xiao Cai explain so you would not accuse me of being greedy later when the profits come in. You have all seen the potential of dehydrated vegetables.
They will save lives in the apocalypse. Longer shelf life, easy to carry. But getting the technology from America will not be easy. To be honest, this plan is reliable. Why? Because the ones going are a squad from Wu City, backed by both government and military. It is guaranteed to succeed. So your investments will have a 100% return."
"But think about it," he said, leaning forward. "The travel costs, transport, and all the risks. Are not we sharing them together? They are putting their lives on the line in hostile territory across the ocean. If it works out, we will not ever lack grain or vegetables again. Add some poultry farming to the mix, and we will not have to live in fear until the apocalypse ends."
The more Jing Shu listened, the more suspicious she became, her eyes narrowing as she studied the group. "Huh? Is not this referring to Yang Yang's mission to America next year? If so, then I will be going too. And Yang Yang. Tsk, such a schemer. The trip has not even started, and she has already got Qian Duoduo raising funds for travel expenses. Doesn't the government reimburse this? Something is fishy. Yang Yang must be pocketing extra on the side of the official budget."
She was utterly speechless at the sheer audacity of the maneuver.
"Yes, Mr. Qian," Lao Liu said, adjusting his protective suit. "Just tell us the price we have to pay."
"Alright. Everyone here is family. Whoever wants to invest can exchange equity. Professionals will evaluate your shares based on current market value in the apocalypse. I will hold your shares, but there will be no dividends in currency. Instead, you will supply products to expand this base. After all, more people are coming, and demand keeps growing. With equity in the Xishan base, you will receive daily or monthly dividends in the form of produce. We will not use virtual currency or money here. Only goods for goods."
It was brilliant!
Qian Duoduo's move was brilliant. No wonder he became the richest man in Wu City in just twenty years, despite being an outsider. With this maneuver, he absorbed equity for free, using other people's resources as Yang Yang's travel funds to America, while securing a steady stream of supplies for himself. Even though it was bartering, vegetables and other essentials were always the most expensive commodities in this era.
Lao Liu's face looked troubled as he spoke. "Mr. Qian, you know my family deals in hemp and cotton. The quality has fallen, shrunk by sixty percent since the dark days began. That means even with 20% equity, I still can not exchange for your 5% shares."
Qian Duoduo pretended to think, his hand tapping his chin, then said, "Lao Liu, you truly understand the weight of the trade. But remember, even if it is less than 5% shares, once mass production begins, there will be dozens of kilograms of dehydrated vegetables daily for your use. Selling a little of that will earn you more than dividends from your current equity. Virtual currency is just a price set for the public. True valuables can not be bought with it."
The others nodded in silent agreement, their murmurs low and buzzing through the hall.
"Think it over carefully. After all, the technology has not arrived yet. Equity is a serious matter. But let me be clear. I am only releasing 45% of shares. Once they are gone, that is it. I must keep the rest under my own control," Qian Duoduo said confidently, his posture steady.
No one hesitated further, the lure of food too strong for their resolve. Qian Duoduo's technicians came forward to begin assessing the value of everyone's shares, their laptops open and humming in the dim light.
At that moment, Qian Duoduo walked over to Jing Shu, his face smiling as he approached. "Jing Shu, I have set aside 5% equity for you. Come, sign here."