After all, everyone else had paid a steep price to buy in, their expressions tight as they calculated the value of their dwindling assets. Only Jing Shu said nothing, her fingers resting calmly against the smooth surface of the stone table, and the Big Data ledger still recorded 5% of the shares under her name.
Once the swaps were done, Qian Duoduo started mobilizing every kind of supply, the atmosphere in the hall turning electric with the sounds of voices shouting orders and the clicking of keyboards.
The base had only its basic functions for now. Much remained unfinished, which meant every trade and every material was needed, from reinforced steel to simple electrical wiring. You could say he was gathering everything this apocalypse could still provide to build Xishan Base, stripping the surroundings of their remaining utility.
And after today, there would have to be a steady flow of construction, investment poured into the base, and gradual expansion of Xishan Base to ensure its survival against the elements.
She finally understood as she watched the frantic exchanges. Everyone here was someone he needed, a specific cog in the machine of his vision. This was not some casual call to raise funds; it was a desperate architecture of alliance.
In the main hall, the discussion about Xishan's construction was blazing, the heat from the crowd making the air feel thick and humid. He dangled huge promises in front of the new shareholders, while they began calling their contacts, the glow of their phones illuminating their greedy faces in the dark. He had Heng Jiu's son, Heng Jin, start logistics work that very day, taking charge of pulling in the supplies owned by everyone present with a series of rapid, coordinated movements.
This even boosted Su Mali's auction house, the digital ledger showing a sudden surge in potential listings. From now on, for every item sold on the Big Data Auction House, Heng Jin would be responsible for protecting the goods and delivering them safely, his men providing an armed escort through the rain, with a new cash-on-delivery option. That would expand her business capability and grow the auction house into a powerhouse of trade.
Sitting primly through the shareholders' meeting, she texted Yang Yang on her phone: "Look at you, making your travel money so early. You are the one who promised Qian Duoduo the dehydrated vegetables, right?"
Yang Yang replied almost instantly, the vibration of the phone sharp against her palm: "How did you know? He promised to keep that secret. I am so broke my pot is showing the bottom. If I don't take jobs, my grandpa might donate the old house. Sigh."
"He only said someone was going to America to get it done and that he is raising money now. I guessed it was you. What benefits did he promise you? And tell me honestly, did you take more private jobs?" She narrowed her eyes, the screen light reflecting in her pupils. Yang Yang was bold as ever, always skating on the edge of the rules.
"Otherwise how are we getting to America? Walk? By ship? We can only fly if he provides the fuel. Ahem. Life is hard, Jing Shu. As for the rest, I just took a few random side gigs."
"What else?" A bad feeling rose in her chest, a weight of uncertainty that made her pulse quicken.
"Only a little. Relax. Nothing dangerous this time. We Chinese aren't fond of killing and fighting. We live to eat. All my side jobs are food-related, so don't worry." He curved his lips in a faint smile, though she couldn't see it through the screen. No matter what, he would first pass her checkpoint. Once they reached America, she would see how thrilling the mission really was. He believed she would enjoy the adventure.
"Ugh, I can't wait. When will this damn rain end? I am molding over here."
She raised a brow and asked a few more times, her thumbs tapping rhythmically on the glass, but he refused to spill what he had taken on, which only made her more curious. What was this guy hiding in those hidden contracts?
Forget it. She would know soon enough. If it was about food, and not stealing crucial American data, then surely they wouldn't get chased around the world again, right? Hopefully. She was a peace-loving person, her goals simple and grounded. She just wanted to bring back all kinds of scarce supplies.
Oh, and she finally remembered she needed to hurry up and practice upgrading the cube, her mind momentarily clearing of the fog. Damn it, she had forgotten again. This tier of the cube was cursed, a mental trap that kept her from her goal.
With the Xishan Base matters settled for Qian Duoduo, she walked out carrying a new burden of responsibility. As the meeting dispersed, the ever-diligent Heng Jin arrived with a team at the exhibition hall to start hauling away the gifts he had given, the heavy crates scraping against the stone. Recipients would have them delivered home by the logistics crews. The person who received a helicopter still hadn't shown up, which made her curious. Who had the clout to accept something that valuable and let it sit there?
As for her, Heng Jin happened to be in charge of transporting her precious gun turret and the Twelve-Wing Lethal Electric Grid, his men carefully strapping the hardware down.
It had been a while since she had seen him. His hair was cropped short, the edges sharp against his scalp. Last year's sun had tanned him dark, yet after all this constant rain and darkness his skin somehow still looked just as dark, a stark contrast to the pale shadows around him. In truth, many people is complexions had started changing from the lack of sunlight. Most were pallid and sallow from poor nutrition, their eyes sunken and weary.
Her family, however, had plenty of nutrition and the nourishment of the Spirit Spring. None of them had those problems. Their complexions said it all; they were healthy and vibrant in a world of gray.
"What a coincidence. Here I'm working for you again," he said with a flash of white teeth. Aside from his initial surprise that today's cargo was once more for her, he quickly returned to his usual steadiness, his movements efficient. Before the apocalypse, she had testified for him over a mere fifty thousand yuan. He had thought she came from an ordinary family. Why had she become so well off after the apocalypse?
If the RV transport a year ago had shocked him, then seeing her invited to sit in a shareholders' meeting today, followed by Qian Duoduo gifting her such expensive equipment, finally made things click in his mind. She must have earned these things with her own abilities. Qian Duoduo clearly needed something only she could provide.
"Boss Heng, you really know how to talk. It goes both ways."
Soon, the group went from Xishan to Banana Community, the armored convoy splashing through the deep puddles. Su Mali bounced home to talk to her father, her iridescent coat shimmering, while she stayed to watch the installation team fix each anchor point of the Lethal Electric Grid, the sound of drills and the smell of ozone filling the garage. They tested it multiple times and recorded data to ensure it met expectations, the blue sparks illuminating the dark corners.
After a few envious glances at the sophisticated hardware, he said, "All set, Jing Shu. We will head back. Call me if you need anything. Your RV is fully kitted now."
"Got it. I will call if anything comes up."
After sending him off, she did her own round of debugging, her fingers moving across the control screens. The Lethal Electric Grid worked even better than she imagined. It had shape-memory metal that bent into its last configuration according to temperature, with a tiny margin of error.
As long as the temperature was right, there would be no failures. It could expand within three seconds to envelope the RV without touching it, never endangering anyone inside. It's badass tech, a masterpiece of defensive engineering.
It also had multiple defense modes. The one she valued most was the Sleep Mode. It saved power while she slept and wouldn't waste energy if the exterior was left alone. If anyone tried to sabotage it, an alarm would sound and a current powerful enough to knock out a human would discharge, the sharp crack of electricity a lethal warning.
They could try it during next year's major earthquake. As long as no one came near or touched the RV, nothing would happen, which saved her worry about accidental triggers.
The gun turret needed to be welded on the second-floor cab with an adjustable angle and a vertical slide, the torch hissing as the metal fused. Once mounted, the entire RV looked domineering, powerful, and untouchable. It was the kind of thing no one dared approach without an invitation.
Even if she never needed to use it, the deterrent alone was worth it. People feared nothing from a normal car. But if a tank-like vehicle rolled down the road, who wouldn't give way out of respect for its turret? Ahem, not respect. Fear of getting blasted into the mud.
No sooner had the insecticide cleared the sky of Wu City's bugs than news spread like wings that zombie deer were carrying pathogens through China, the rumors flying faster than the wind. In Wu City, hundreds were infected every day. Flesh began to rot in patches, the gray, necrotic skin sloughing off to reveal the raw, weeping wounds beneath.