“Not selling?!” A loud shout suddenly came from the top floor of a tall building.
A dozen strong men lowered their heads, their eyes looking at their noses and their noses looking at their hearts, all thinking themselves to be dumb.
Only Zhao Qing stood up. He was so angry that his face turned red and he didn't know what to say. After taking a few deep breaths, he kicked the nearest person in anger. Only after that did he calm down and the bloodshot in his eyes gradually faded away.
Soon, Zhao Qing regained his calm and composed appearance.
"No, there must be a reason." Zhao Qing quickly thought of the base called Supermarket.
More than three hundred years have passed since the war, and most of the books have been destroyed. Only some bases still retain the achievements of past human civilization, so Zhao Qing doesn't know what a supermarket is.
The supermarket as a thing, even as a concept, has disappeared.
Zhao Qing thought that Longqing Supermarket was the name of that strange base. He said expressionlessly, "Get ready and make another trip."
He thought he could rest easy as he had the other party's handle in his hand, but he didn't expect that the other party did not come to him to bow down, nor did he make concessions. Instead, the other party directly cut off his retreat.
The problem is that although Zhao Qing knows that the other party may do this, he has no way to deal with it. The relationship between him and Hongtian Base is just a business relationship, and there is no deep friendship between the two sides. He knows very well that even if he shows all his sincerity, Hongtian will never agree to not do business with Longsheng.
After all, water and salt are essential for human survival.
Even if Hongtian is not short of water, how can it not be short of salt? Even if they are not short of salt, they will always be short of food and cloth.
No matter which one it is, Zhao Qing cannot provide them. All Zhao Qing can give them now is people.
But even if it was just people, 276 itself was not enough, let alone replacing them.
After all, it is because of insufficient resources. Without resources, others will not take him seriously. 276 cannot beat Hongtian. Every young man in Hongtian is equipped with a gun, but 276 does not have this condition.
Zhao Qing knew that he should bow his head at this time, but he did not feel that he had lost. After a brief period of anger, Zhao Qing found two subordinates with relatively quick minds, drove the others out, and started to discuss with them.
Now that you have decided to surrender, you must ensure that you can maximize your benefits.
"We don't know exactly who they want yet, but it's probably either a woman or a child." Zhao Qing sat on the sofa while the other two stood. Zhao Qing continued, "The only thing we can trade with them now is people, but we have to be selective about who they are and what people they want. It would be best if we can send the person they want to them last."
He wants to get all the benefits before letting the other party get what they want.
In this way, the other party gains face and he gains money. Although it is still a bit of a loss, it is a profit overall.
The other two people also had their own opinions. They first looked at Zhao Qing's face and saw that Zhao Qing was still easy to talk to before saying, "Actually, I don't think we need to send anyone over."
Zhao Qing was stunned and raised his eyebrows to look at the person who spoke.
This person is not his confidant, but he is quite smart. He was present when he dealt with other bases before.
As a leader, Zhao Qing hopes to have as many people working under him as possible, but as few people to whom he shares power as possible.
Therefore, there are basically no smart people among his confidants, and the two who were picked out are just the tallest ones among the group of short people like Zhao Qing.
He did not see himself as the alpha wolf of the wolf pack, but rather as a herdsman. Most of the people in the base were sheep he raised, and his subordinates were his dogs. There were always wolves in the pack who dared to challenge the alpha wolf, but dogs could not bite their masters.
"Go on." Zhao Qing nodded.
The man swallowed and looked at Zhao Qing cautiously. If Zhao Qing's expression showed anything wrong, he would immediately shut up.
“It’s best when people are on base.”
Zhao Qing understood this principle, so the man continued, "It would be best if we could stay in the base all the time, so that we can have the initiative in doing business with Longsheng and send people over. It's hard to say what will happen in the future, but as long as we do business, we must send people over, even if not this year, we must send them next year."
"By the year after next, we will have no capital left."
"Besides, they have water and food, so they must have weapons. Boss, we don't have enough guns and bullets right now. Hongtian has been unwilling to sell us weapons."
"What's more, we don't know who they want. If we guess wrong and send the first batch of people over, then..."
They have always relied on plundering for their weapons, but there is nothing left to plunder in the surrounding areas. If they want to replenish them, they must be prepared to take a gamble and fight to the death with the big bases.
But even if they win, it is not a good thing in the long run, because if they don’t produce, not producing is like killing the pond and exhausting the resources. The fish in the pond will be eaten up one day, so what’s next?
Everyone with a brain in the base knows this truth, but no one dared to say it before, not even Zhao Qing himself.
The knife is always hanging over your head and may fall at any time, but as long as you don't say anything or look at it, you can pretend that everything is fine and live on.
He was trying his best to create an illusion of healthy development because he was worried that once the various forces in the base began to act out of fear, the consequences would be unpredictable. They might very well divide up 276 and then take their people and supplies to other large bases.
Zhao Qing did not interrupt him, but looked at him and asked him to continue.
"I think we should do this." The young man said cautiously, "Let them come to the base to do business. They can contact and help the people they want, but they can't take them away."
"Even if we really want to take it away, we can ask for a large sum."
"It's not easy for them to snatch people even if they want to, right under our noses."
"There are risks in doing this, but in the long run, it is more cost-effective than giving it to others." The young man closed his mouth after stating the pros and cons.
Zhao Qing didn't say anything, he was in deep thought.
Both options have risks. The former seems to have less risk, but the gains are also limited.
But the latter has greater risks but also greater rewards. Now it depends on whether he dares to take the risk.
The two young men did not try to persuade him. After half an hour, Zhao Qing finally stood up and said, "Let's go. We'll go there today."
He has made up his mind and will not change it.
A group of people left the base again in a mighty manner.
The nightlife had not started yet and the people in the slums were still fast asleep, but there were also people holding wooden sticks and knocking on the doors of every house - they were here to collect protection money.
If you can't pay, you will be taken away. There are no old people in the slums. All the old people are dead.
Young men and women can be forced to do hard labor or be locked in cages, and children can have their organs sold.
People were taken away every day, and every day there was another nameless corpse in the yellow sand outside the city.
But no one cares about their life or death, as the blowing yellow sand can cover all traces of a person's existence.
·
Just as Ye Zhou expected, after Hongtian Base refused to sell water and salt, Zhao Qing had no choice but to come back to him.
However, Zhao Qing's attitude was much more sincere this time. After he made his suggestion, he also said, "You don't have to worry about what we do. After all, this is a long-term cooperation. It won't do us any good if we fall out."
He had already found out that Hongtian Base had bought several hundred tons of water from Longsheng.
His subordinates told him on the way here, and he almost fell out of the car at that time.
Hundreds of tons!
How many people can this buy!
No, no, no, how many guns and bullets can I buy?
He didn't even dare to think about it too much. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted it.
After all, the water was supposed to be his!
But it’s not too late now, Zhao Qing comforted himself, but with what happened before, his tone couldn’t help but become anxious: “If you want to live in, I’ll arrange a house for you. If you don’t want to live in, I can also let you clean up the land outside the city.”
He gave in and said very considerately: "If you are worried about danger..."
Zhao Qing paused. He really didn't know how to make this guarantee. After all, it was impossible for him to eat and live with Ye Zhou and the others. But if it wasn't him, but someone else, the other party probably wouldn't believe it.
But before he could think of what to say next, he heard a male voice -
"I'm not worried about the danger."
Zhao Qing looked behind Chen Shu and saw a young man in a white short-sleeved shirt walking out. He was very young, too young. This young does not refer to his age, but his skin. His skin was delicate, and although it was not snow-white, if he stood among the crowd of people on Zhao Qing's side, his skin was so white that it would glow.
He has short hair, dark eyebrows and eyes, and is about 1.8 meters tall, but he has a well-proportioned and slender figure and does not look like a bamboo pole.
Especially his exposed arms, the muscle lines are smooth and not exaggerated, but such muscles are alive, not trained in one place just for the sake of pursuing big size.
On Zhao Qing's side, someone gave himself an injection in order to pursue bigger muscles and more exaggerated deterrence, but in the end he got an infection and became disabled. It was obvious at a glance that he was unnatural.
His voice was clear, without any hoarseness.
Zhao Qing didn't dare to underestimate such a person. Without some ability, it would be impossible to have such a "white skin".
Even Zhao Qing himself was only a little bit whiter than his subordinates, and that was very limited.
Zhao Qing watched the other party walk down the stairs easily, but he pursed his lips tightly, as if facing a formidable enemy.
If the other person is someone who looks shrewd and calculating, he would not be so nervous.
"Boss Zhao." Ye Zhou walked to the edge of the protective shield. Chen Shu stepped aside when he saw Ye Zhou coming.
Now Ye Zhou and Zhao Qing are facing each other. Ye Zhou smiled and said, "I am not worried about safety issues. I have such a protective shield. You should also know that you can't touch us, but we can touch you."
"But we didn't touch you now, and you know the reason." Ye Zhou, "You are a smart person."
Zhao Qing wanted to frown, but he didn't need to think, his instinct as a superior prevailed. Ye Zhou's words translated into his brain meant that Ye Zhou was challenging his prestige and status, because the tone and way Ye Zhou spoke was exactly the attitude of a superior towards an inferior.
"You don't have to refute me." Ye Zhou said, "I'm not here to fight you. You can be your own boss. This has nothing to do with me."
"I'm here on business, and I have another purpose for coming to your base."
Ye Zhou pointed out what both sides wanted, and continued: "If we cooperate well, it will benefit both you and me. If we don't cooperate well and fight, our losses will be different."
As he spoke, people in the supermarket came out.
Although the crowd was mixed with the old and the weak, the equipment they wore alone was enough to scare people.
It's like the people are wrapped in steel, but you can tell that the joints are movable. Can bullets penetrate their "armor"?
Zhao Qing pursed his lips and asked, "I wonder what your name is?"
Ye Zhou: "Ye Zhou, we can talk while walking, you can get in my car."
At first, Zhao Qing didn't take the car Ye Zhou mentioned seriously - he acted as if he didn't have a car.
Then after getting in the car, he thought that he really didn't have a car, it was at most a pile of scrap metal.
In the car, Zhao Qing was enjoying the air conditioning with a popsicle in his hand. Even though Ye Zhou was sitting opposite him, he looked extremely happy. Even his right and left hands who accompanied him into the car inevitably felt much more relaxed.
These things that are commonplace to Ye Zhou are an elusive enjoyment for Zhao Qing.
Zhao Qing also wanted to build a good relationship with Ye Zhou. Since they were destined to cooperate, a good relationship was always better than a bad one. He sighed and said, "It's good enough that our gasoline can start the car. It's impossible to afford air conditioning. There's no air conditioning where I live."
There is not enough energy, and air conditioners and other things have been used for a long time. After so many years, even if air conditioners can still be found, they will no longer work.
What's more, they don't have the talent to repair air conditioners.
Ye Zhou nodded slightly, and Cao'er brought over a few bowls of ice jelly from the back and placed a bowl in front of each person.
But only Ye Zhou's bowl had the most fruits, including watermelon, cherries, and even hand-made glutinous rice cakes, all drizzled with a layer of red sugar syrup, which was very tempting.
"You also need to know how to use the things I can provide you." Ye Zhou, "Otherwise, if I am no longer doing business here one day, how will you survive? Will you still rob people? Can you keep robbing people forever?"
Because the two confidants were both idiots who kept their mouths shut, and Ye Zhou was an outsider, so they were not afraid that he would spread the word. Even if he did, no one would believe it. So Zhao Qing told the truth instead: "Of course not, but I can't change. If I change, someone will immediately turn against me."
"I will stop robbing and improve the land. I will produce on my own. Those who used to listen to me will immediately oppose me." Zhao Qing is very clear about his situation. "It is because they don't have to work and can enjoy themselves without any hard work that they support me."
"The forces in the base are too complicated. I can't do whatever I want."
Ye Zhou: "Have you ever thought about taking full control of this base?"
Zhao Qing: "I have thought about it, but without enough weapons and manpower, it is just wishful thinking."
He was hinting, but Ye Zhou did not continue his words. Instead, he agreed, "It's really not easy."
"Can I change to a car like this?" Zhao Qing asked.
Ye Zhou: "Yes, but it's expensive."
Zhao Qing then remembered "currency": "What do you need us to exchange for?"
Ye Zhou: "We don't want people. If you give them to me, I will have to spend space and food to feed them. This is a losing business."
Zhao Qing was stunned. Ye Zhou's statement was completely different from his previous guess, but it might also be that Ye Zhou was disturbing his vision, so he did not respond.
Ye Zhou: "You don't have currency in your base?"
Zhao Qing shook his head: "Our base is now bartering. The value of food and water is the most stable. Cloth can occasionally be used as currency, but it is unstable. When we just robbed other bases, the cloth was valuable, but it became worthless after a long time."
After all, Ye Zhou had done business in Hongtian, so he knew the price of system exchange.
Ye Zhou: "If you want to buy this car, you need 500 kilograms of grain. It can't be stale grain that can't be eaten."
The grain exchange price here is very high. Ye Zhou quoted this number and he could still earn a difference of 200 kilograms.
Five hundred kilograms. Zhao Qing weighed it and felt that he could still afford it.
After all, he is the boss of the base. No matter how poor he is, he cannot be poor, right?
After five or six hours, they finally arrived at the base.
The gate of the base was opened early. In the entire base, the gate is the most valuable thing. It is made entirely of iron. To open it completely, five strong men are needed to push it together.
After entering the base, Ye Zhou stopped talking to Zhao Qing. He frowned and looked out the window. All he saw were half-naked lower-class people.
"I won't go in." As soon as Ye Zhou opened his mouth, Wu Yan stopped the car immediately.
Zhao Qing looked at him strangely: "This is a slum."
Ye Zhou: "I think if I go in, I probably won't like the environment inside very much. To me, inside and outside are the same. Anyway, I won't live in your house, I'll only live in the car."
Zhao Qing thought about it and felt that if he were Ye Zhou, he would probably prefer to live in the car.
So he could only give Ye Zhou directions and let Ye Zhou park the convoy in the open space next to the slums.
It took another half day, and it was not until it was completely dark that everything was arranged.
Zhao Qing had to prepare the 500 kilograms of food and also notify the others so that all parties could go and negotiate with Ye Zhou.
Ye Zhou also got out of the car.
After all, he will be staying here for a long time, and he can't wear a mask every time he gets off the car. He needs to adapt to the environment here as soon as possible.
Although he learned from Zou Ming that he met him during the day, Ye Zhou still wanted to see if he could find Zou Ming.
But he was disappointed. He stood at the edge of the slums and lost all interest in going in.
Not far away, someone was doing something.
"Rest today and start looking tomorrow morning." Ye Zhou said to Chen Shu and the others, "You still have to take turns to guard the night. If something happens, shoot first. There is no need to call for help. The sound of gunfire is enough to wake people up."
Ye Zhou did not believe all of Zhao Qing's words. People like Zhao Qing only care about interests, not contracts.
On the first night after entering 276, Ye Zhou stayed awake all night.
·
Early in the morning, Ye Zhou had no appetite for breakfast. He changed into a clean white shirt and light-colored jeans, which made him look younger than his actual age. At this time, the entire base had just fallen asleep. The people in the slums were cleaning or carrying out the "cargo" that died last night for burial.
Chen Shu held a cup of hot water in his hand and said, "It will probably be in the afternoon, when the sun is about to set, before people here come out."
Until then, they can only wait.
Ye Zhou didn't say anything. He watched everything in silence. He felt like this was a ridiculous comedy being performed, magnifying the most evil side of human figures infinitely and showing it mercilessly to everyone.
What would have happened to Zou Ming if he hadn't met me?
Maybe he could escape from the organ traffickers and grow up, but even then he wouldn't be happy.
His biggest possibility is to become a thug under the boss of the base.
He may even become the boss of the base, but can he make it better? No, he may become the next Zhao Boss.
The scarcity of resources means that most people cannot live a good life. They are just screws that keep the base running, and they are not very important screws at all times and can be sacrificed and replaced at any time.
Ye Zhou didn't go out to see anyone the whole day.
People from Zhao Qing's side came over, and Chen Shu went out to tell them that Ye Zhou needed to rest and they would discuss business matters tomorrow.
Zhao Qing did not suspect that Chen Shu was lying. After all, Ye Zhou was so delicate and tender, and it was normal for him to feel uncomfortable after being exposed outside the car.
Besides, he wasn't in a hurry for another day or two, so he just said a few words of concern and then took his people away.
Now that people are on his territory, what does he have to worry about?
When the sun was about to set, Ye Zhou walked out of the RV and into the slums.
The slums were dirty, literally dirty. The ground was covered with dirt, so Ye Zhou had to be careful when walking, for fear of stepping on it.
After all, the most filth here is human desire.
As for where he was from, Ye Zhou didn't even want to think about it.
There were many people in the slums, but none of them dared to approach Ye Zhou, not only because of Ye Zhou's appearance and figure, but more importantly, there were four young men and women holding guns following Ye Zhou.
But they would still stand aside and observe Ye Zhou.
Why do people like this appear in the slums?
Shouldn't he be with the big shots on base?
They just looked at Ye Zhou numbly and curiously. There were few upper-class people coming to the slums during the day. Only at night, when the darkness concealed the filth of the slums and the firelight created an ambiguous atmosphere, would the upper-class people be willing to "condescend" and come to the slums to play.
To feel superior and superior, like an emperor choosing a concubine.
His eyes were always searching, and every time he saw a little boy, Ye Zhou would stop and observe carefully.
But when he saw a few of them, Ye Zhou quickly realized that they were not Zou Ming.
Until he walked to the ditch, there was no water in it - there was no water in the entire base, and the ditch was full of garbage.
Ye Zhou originally just wanted to see what was in this small ditch. He walked over to take a look, and when he raised his eyes, he saw a small dark face.
I can't even see the facial features clearly.
But his heart tightened and he stood up immediately.
He was a thin child, just like the refugees from the Daliang Dynasty. He was pressed to the ground by the tall man, but his hands were still struggling wildly. From beginning to end, he did not scream once.
There was only a pair of eyes, clearly black and white, staring fiercely at the person holding him down.
Even though everyone could see it, he was powerless to stop it.
This is the man who Zou Ming said is only worth a piece of biscuit.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
