Let's put aside what happened before for now. Ningxia stopped a patrolling soldier again. Yes, that's right. These cities taken over by the provincial government have long been managed in an orderly manner. There are several shelters in the entire Xuanwu Continent, and they are quite large. People have returned to the era of unified labor and reasonable distribution.
Of course, there are also people who do not live in shelters. The government will not force them. No one will come to collect taxes these days anyway. As long as you can ensure your own safety and do not commit crimes within the jurisdiction, you can live wherever you want.
"Hello, comrade. Could you please tell me how far is this place from the shelter?" Ningxia looked at the guns on the other team and felt a sense of security.
This was the third patrolling army they had encountered since they set foot in Shuzhou. Yes, there were troops patrolling in this area where dense forests overlapped.
"Little sister, where are you from?" The man who was stopped was tall and strong, with a tanned face and a strong accent. It was obvious that he was a local, which made people feel very friendly.
"We came from Liefeng and wanted to find a place to exchange some things."
The man seemed incredulous. "You're still leaving? We have such a great place here, where else are you going?"
Ningxia raised her lips slightly, "I want to bring my younger brothers and sisters home to visit."
The man was silent. When he heard the other party say that they were going home, a trace of sympathy appeared in his eyes, and he stopped trying to persuade them. "If you want to exchange some things, there is a small town less than 20 miles from here. It's a small trading point with quite a few scattered households. You can go there to exchange."
Ningxia was a little hesitant, "Brother, we don't have much supplies. I'm afraid we won't be able to exchange much with the scattered people..."
The man laughed heartily, "That piece of land is under Chocobo's control, and the price is the same as the official price! They're just transported from the shelter and placed somewhere so that the surrounding residents can exchange them!"
Ningxia frowned, "Chocobo?" It must be another private organization.
"You don't know? Aren't you from Bluebird State?" the man was surprised.
Ningxia smiled bitterly at the right moment, "Brother, to be honest, Liefeng has been disconnected for a long time. I really didn't know about it."
The man nodded in understanding. "Chocobos are a high-level administrative organization established by the Central Province for reconstruction work. We, the Xuanwu, only moved in last year. Oh, you don't know, but since the Chocobos took over the shelter, our lives have been much better."
"Brother, how many people are there in Xuanwu's shelter?"
The man thought for a moment, "According to official statistics, there are over three million Xuanwu people!"
"so much?"
The man slammed his fist. "That's not a lot. Before the disaster, the entire Xuanwu had a population of over 80 million! Besides, the shelter isn't the only one run by the Chocobos. There are several others, but none as comfortable as our Chocobos. And now you can't even get in! There are too many people, the shelter can't accommodate them, and if you want to get in, you have to pay a hefty resettlement fee!"
Ningxia frowned, "Isn't it good to live apart?"
"Well, living apart is freedom, and so is shelter. Lieyangyue and Fengxuetian even have subsidies, but the Continental Government can't do so much for you who are scattered outside.
Besides, it's called a shelter, but it's actually a small community with everything you need, and you can exchange anything. You wouldn't have that convenience outside. I think it's a bit like the difference between a big city and a poor rural area before the disaster." The man kept talking, and before Ningxia could digest it, he spoke again.
"Not to mention that wild animals are still so rampant now. We patrol every day, and while we haven't caught any criminals, we've killed quite a few animals. Killing wild animals used to be forbidden, but now the government wants us to do it every day. Firstly, it gives us meat to eat, and secondly, it keeps them from over-reproducing and squeezing out our living space."
The man talked a lot. The team members behind him had left long ago, but he stayed there and kept chatting with Ningxia. Ningxia learned a lot of things she didn't know before. She didn't dare to reveal too much about her own situation and could only inquire about the news in different places. But he was the first soldier who was so talkative.
Ningxia thought for a moment, then fished out the half-pack of cigarettes she had found in the cabin. She hid her hand in her bag and took out a pack, then tentatively handed it to the man, wrapped in her sleeve. "I've been so bothered to tell you so much, but I still don't know your name."
The man's eyes lit up, and he looked at the thing in Ningxia's hand with a green glow, and answered, "My name is Zhang Guihua, little sister, just call me Brother Zhang!" Oh my god, cigarettes, I don't know how many meetings they held to resume tobacco production, but they were all rejected.
Some families seized this business opportunity and started growing that kind of leaf tobacco. Many old smokers had no choice but to buy it. After a long time, they got used to it, but they still smelled of tobacco.
Ningxia looked at Liu Guihua's expression and thought about the remaining cigarettes in his bag. He felt relieved. As long as there was a market, he would not have to worry about not being able to exchange for supplies. Judging from the other party's expression, he was afraid that the price of this thing would not be low.
Zhang Guihua smiled embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, little sister, it sounds funny, but it's been a long time since I smoked seriously." It has been a long time since I met such a generous sucker, a whole pack!
“So scarce?”
Zhang Guihua sneered, "It's not really that scarce. Think about it, there were so many before the disaster, and so many people died. Even if we could only get back one-tenth of it, it would be enough. The upper echelons don't lack this stuff, but we ordinary people don't, tsk!"
Hearing these words, Ningxia began to think, and tentatively asked, "Brother Zhang, you... aren't from the coalition?" Ningxia had formed a suspicion based on Zhang Guihua's behavior during their interactions. Then there was the fact that he had reached out to take the cigarette. The coalition's requirements and management were notoriously strict. Furthermore, how could the coalition dare to so openly fabricate accusations against the Zhou government?
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