Chapter 70 The Battle for the Oil Field (Part 2)
As the sun set, Jiang Rong and his group set up iron pots on the arena and started cooking dinner. A dozen large iron pots simmered with fragrant chunks of fish. The aroma carried far on the night breeze, irresistibly drawing in the hungry crowd.
The superhumans at Peace Base were holding instant noodles, a delicacy widely acknowledged in Peace Base, and those who could afford to eat instant noodles were already extremely rare. However, compared to Spark Base, the instant noodles in their hands became hard to swallow.
The superhumans could control themselves, but the ordinary people who came out on the mission with them couldn't stand it. They stared longingly at the large iron pot at the Starfire Base, their mouths watering uncontrollably: "It smells so good..."
I really want to take a bite, but they're from the Peace Base. If they really wander into the Starfire Base camp, they'll definitely be punished by the superhumans. Someone in the crowd whispered, "Damn it, they're from a small base, how come they're eating better than us?" "Stop talking, smell the aroma, and eat a few more bites with the bran cakes."
Zhou Xing, bruised and battered, sat in the guardhouse at the oil field gate, his legs propped up on the desk in front of him, his ankles wrapped in thick bandages. After being publicly humiliated by Jiang Rong and his men, Zhou Xing felt utterly worthless. If word got out, how could he ever face the Peace Base again?
There was a knock on the door of the gatehouse, and one of Zhou Xing's underlings came in carrying a bowl of instant noodles: "Captain Zhou, dinner's ready."
Zhou Xing was extremely irritated: "I'm not eating." After a pause, he asked, "Have you made contact with the base yet?"
The younger brother replied, "We've already made contact, but Boss Meng isn't here right now. He said we should contact him again at 8 o'clock sharp."
Zhou Xing nodded slowly: "I understand, you can go now."
Before the younger brother could turn around, rhythmic knocking came from the window of the guardhouse. The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw Jiang Rong standing outside the window with a smile: "Team Leader Zhou, the food's ready. Why don't you call the brothers over for a quick meal?"
Zhou Xing's face flushed red and then turned pale. Jiang Rong had used a clever tactic, giving him a beating followed by a treat, thinking he could make him submit? He wanted Zhou Xing to hand over the oil field? Dream on! Zhou Xing would rather die than submit. Trying to gain benefits through bribery? Impossible!
Jiang Rong laughed and said, "Little darling, I apologize for being so reckless. We're both superhumans out on missions, so we don't have any grudges. The oil field issue isn't something you or I can decide on our own. I need to speak with the leaders of the Peace Base before we can discuss it."
Zhou Xing slowly sat up straight and removed his legs from the desk.
Jiang Rong laughed and said, "As the saying goes, you don't know someone until you fight them. I just witnessed Captain Zhou's skillful tactics. The fire-type ability user in our team really admires you and says your ability is very powerful. Let's have a meal together and get to know each other. We cooked spicy fish chunks, dozens of kilograms of them."
Zhou Xing wanted to refuse, but the aroma of the spicy fish was too enticing. He struggled to say something, when he saw two blood-red vines extend from Jiang Rong's side. The vines twisted and slowly tied a knot, and as the red knot tightened, it felt as if an invisible rope was strangling Zhou Xing's neck.
Zhou Xing felt a chill run down his spine. What was the point of him persisting? Their entire team, plus the ordinary people, wouldn't be enough to withstand a beating from Jiang Rong's Bloodthirsty Vine. If they really angered Jiang Rong, they would be done for.
Jiang Rong smiled at Zhou Xing: "It's not easy being away from home, let's all look out for each other. We specially cooked a few extra fish today, Captain Zhou, consider it a small favor to me?"
Zhou Xing decisively put on his shoes: "How could I disobey Captain Jiang's orders?" He was afraid that if he was too slow, Jiang Rong's little pet would break through the window and give him a few judo throws. After putting on his shoes, he turned to his underlings and said, "Call the brothers and tell them to bring their weapons and come with me!"
A dozen or so earthen round tables appeared on the arena. In the center of each table was a large iron pot, surrounded by several bowls of bright green vegetables and clean bowls and chopsticks. Most amazingly, there were two cases of beer next to each table.
The superhumans from Spark Base stood around the table. Seeing the people from Peace Base approaching, they greeted them warmly: "Come on in, come on in, take a seat! We've been waiting for you!" "We didn't have much time, so please don't laugh at us. Sit down and let's eat!"
Seeing this, the superhumans at Peace Base exchanged awkward glances. Just now, Captain Zhou had told them to bring their weapons and come with him, and they had assumed he was about to start a fight with the people from Spark Base, so they had brought all their weapons. Those with sharp eyes had already quietly put their weapons away, leaving the superhuman holding the wolf-tooth club and the club dumbfounded; he had no idea how to hide his two-foot-long club.
Fortunately, the ability users at Spark Base showed no signs of anything amiss and warmly welcomed everyone. After the ability users from Peace Base were all seated, everyone noticed that four or five tables were still empty. Zhou Xing asked in surprise, "Captain Jiang, what are these tables for?"
Jiang Rong smiled and pointed in the direction of the Peace Base: "Don't you still have people? Let everyone come over. There's plenty of food today." Jiang Rong was referring to the ordinary people standing by, looking on expectantly. Seeing their expressions reminded him of himself when he was traveling with the superhumans and never had enough to eat.
Zhou Xing laughed and said, "Captain Jiang probably doesn't know that those are just people without superpowers. Giving them such good food is a waste." Zhou Xing's attitude represents the mainstream thinking of the Peace Base, or rather, of society today: people without superpowers are at the bottom of society; they have no value, let alone status or position.
Jiang Rong smiled and said, "Since we've already made it, we can't let it go to waste. If Captain Zhou thinks they're in the way, I'll move these tables a bit further away." Then Jiang Rong instructed, "Panzi, move them to a different spot."
Pan Pan responded, and as his superpower activated, five tables seemed to grow legs and quickly slid towards the ordinary people at the Peace Base. Zhou Xing announced loudly, "You're in for a treat today! Team Leader Jiang from the Spark Base is treating everyone to dinner. Enjoy!"
The ordinary people at the peace base exchanged bewildered glances, disbelief shining in their eyes. Before the great crisis, this kind of food was nothing special; they could all eat a thousand times better. But now it was no longer peacetime, and their status was now even lower than that of the base's dogs.
Looking at the bubbling spicy fish hot pot in front of them, everyone forced a smile, then their eyes gradually reddened. As human beings, how many more meals could they possibly eat that were fit for a human? Even if the pot contained deadly poison, they would accept it!
Ordinary people didn't even have time to sit down; they all grabbed their chopsticks and reached into the pot. Ignoring the scalding heat, they stuffed pieces of fish into their mouths. The spicy and fragrant fish instantly revitalized their palates, which had been bland for months.
People hurriedly ate the fish, large tears rolling down their dirty cheeks: "So fragrant, so spicy, so delicious..."
Seeing ordinary people scrambling for fish pieces, Zhou Xing looked disdainful: "Shameful." Jiang Rong smiled without saying a word. Zhou Xing had never been hungry, but if he had been starved for ten days or half a month, he would have fought even harder than ordinary people.
After finishing a piece of spicy fish, Zhou Xingshu breathed a sigh of relief: "So fresh, is this river fish?"
Jiang Rong smiled and poured wine for Zhou Xing: "Yes, these fish were caught by Xiao Guaiguai from the river. I didn't expect Captain Zhou to be such a cultured person, actually quite knowledgeable about food."
Zhou Xingqian said modestly, "I wouldn't call myself a cultured person, I'm just a foodie. This is the first time I've eaten such a satisfying fish since I awakened. Come on, Captain Jiang, let me offer you a toast to thank you for treating us to such delicious fish!"
Jiang Rong raised her beer glass: "Captain Zhou, you're too kind! Cheers!"
Seeing Jiang Rong gulp down the beer, Chu Qiang laughed and said, "Captain Zhou, you really have a lot of influence. Our Captain Jiang has a low alcohol tolerance and never drinks a drop before, but I didn't expect him to make an exception for you!"
After Jiang Rong put down his glass, his cheeks were visibly flushed. His eyes were moist, and he looked somewhat drunk: "I'm sorry, Captain Zhou, I can't hold my liquor. Please excuse my poor drinking skills."
Zhou Xing immediately sensed Jiang Rong's sincerity: "Captain Jiang, you're too kind! Come on! Cheers!"
After a few drinks, the ability users from Peace Base had lowered their guard and were chatting and laughing with the ability users from Starfire Base, their arms around each other's shoulders. During their conversations, everyone had a clear understanding of the situation at Peace Base.
The current leader of the Peace Base is Meng Liang, a psychic. Meng Liang is physically weak, but he has a sharp mind, and under his leadership, the Peace Base is developing quite well.
However, Jiang Rong knew that Meng Liang would die of illness before next summer, and his successor would be Liu Heng. Liu Heng inherited Meng Liang's attitude towards ordinary people, but not his sharp mind. Under Liu Heng's leadership, the Peace Base grew weaker and weaker, and the lives of the people became increasingly difficult.
The meal lasted over an hour, and by the time Zhou Xing put down his chopsticks, he was slurring his words. He put his arm around Jiang Rong's shoulder and patted him hard, saying, "Captain Jiang, you're a good guy. Our two bases should definitely keep in touch and support each other more often!"
Jiang Rong nodded slowly: "Yes! Captain Zhou, you're right!"
It was quickly past eight o'clock, and Zhou Xing was completely drunk. Jiang Rong swayed slightly, his hand supporting his forehead, looking like he was about to pass out. Just as it was time for Jiang Rong to speak with the high-ranking officials of the Peace Base, Guan Shao asked softly, "Xiao Rong, are you alright?"
Jiang Rong responded and turned to look at Guan Shao. Although his cheeks were flushed, his eyes remained clear. Seeing Jiang Rong like this, Guan Shao was relieved: "It's good that you're alright."
Although Zhou Xing was completely drunk and unconscious, there were still conscious ability users inside the Peace Base. At 8:00 PM sharp, the Peace Base's radio connection was established. Jiang Rong identified herself: "Hello, Chairman Meng, this is Jiang Rong from the Spark Base."
A clear voice came through the radio: "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Jiang. You're too kind. Just call me by my name. I've already heard about what happened from Zhou Xing. Our people were overbearing. Please forgive them and don't take it to heart."
After a pause, Meng Liang said slowly, "The oil field is everyone's asset, and our Peace Base has no right to seize it. If needed, they can take it as they see fit."
Jiang Rong turned her head in surprise and exchanged a glance with Guan Shao. She had thought Meng Liang was a domineering person, but she didn't expect him to be so easy to talk to.
To be honest, Jiang Rong is prepared to completely break ties with the Peace Base. If the Peace Base tries to assert its sovereignty in a domineering manner, he will definitely make them regret it.
Peace Base made concessions, and Spark Base naturally had to make its own statement. Jiang Rong said cheerfully, "Then thank you very much, Chairman Meng. Rest assured, our base will use resources ethically and responsibly."
Meng Liang laughed and said, "It's alright. The oil produced by the Jiangbei Oilfield is enough for all the nearby bases to use for hundreds of years. By the way, I wanted to ask, Mr. Jiang, do you have any petrochemical companies and supporting personnel over there? If not, our Heping Base can help you."
Jiang Rong raised an eyebrow slightly. This matter... is not simple. If Meng Liang were to handle things strictly by the book, Jiang Rong would have a way to deal with it. The fact that he's being so polite suggests he might want more.
Jiang Rong hesitated for a moment before replying, and could only smile and say, "Thank you for your concern, Chairman Meng. There is a petrochemical plant near our base, and we can also find professional personnel inside the base."
Meng Liang readily agreed, "That's good. Building a base is no easy task, and as those who lead the bases, we understand this even more deeply. If there's an opportunity, the two bases should strengthen exchanges. If you have any difficulties, you can tell me, and I'll definitely help if I can."
After a few pleasantries, the radio call ended. Jiang Rong, however, wasn't so relaxed. His eyes were grave, and he had a feeling Meng Liang was about to pull a fast one on him. But he'd never met Meng Liang and didn't know his character. Now that Meng Liang had relented, it was a good thing for them; all that was left was to react as the situation unfolded.
*
The next morning, Jiang Rong was still asleep when she heard Zhou Xing's loud voice outside the window: "Is Captain Jiang awake?! If you are, shall I take you to see the oil platform?"
Jiang Rong groggily got up and pushed open the car door: "Good morning, Captain Zhou..."
Zhou Xing laughed heartily: "Captain Jiang, you can't hold your liquor! Get up, let's go to the oil platform, and try to load the crude oil for you today!"
Jiang Rong rubbed her face and quickly woke up: "Captain Zhou, please wait a moment, I'll be there in a bit."
Zhou Xing, hands clasped in his pockets, said, "Sure! I'll go get your guys at the base to drive the truck in." As soon as he turned around, Zhou Xing saw two balls on the heavy truck, seemingly watching cartoons in the rising sun. He gasped, "Why is there a green one too?!"
The fairy twisted her body: "There's a problem~"
Zhou Xing was speechless: "There's definitely a problem..."
After Jiang Rong finished packing, the oil tanker from Xinghuo Base slowly drove into the oil field. Although it was called an oil field, there was no actual field inside. Looking around, the entire plant area was filled with steel tanks of all shapes and sizes, with only a few pumping units continuously operating.
Once Jiang Rong and his team drove the tanker truck to the designated location, a steady stream of crude oil would be added to the truck's cargo compartment. Zhou Xing urged the ordinary members of his team, "Don't waste time, hurry up and refuel Captain Jiang's tanker truck!"
Yesterday, Jiang Rong and his group's fish feast had already won over the ordinary people at the Peace Base. Hearing that they were cheering for the Spark Base, everyone worked even harder.
Suddenly, Jiang Rong spotted a familiar face in the crowd.
This person is called Jia Yuanqing, and he was Jiang Rong's roommate in her previous life.
When Jiang Rong met him, Jia Yuanqing had already lost an arm and looked like he was in his forties or fifties. The reason Jiang Rong remembered Jia Yuanqing was because he had saved Jiang Xiaoheng's life.
More than a year after arriving at the Peace Base, a flu outbreak occurred. Xiao Heng suffered from a persistent high fever and convulsions. Jiang Rong tried everything to lower the child's temperature, but to no avail. Just when he was about to despair, Jia Yuanqing produced some cold medicine. After taking a few pills, Jiang Xiao Heng recovered.
That's when Jiang Rong became acquainted with him, but not long after, Jia Yuanqing went out with the superhuman and never came back...
Jiang Rong pointed in Jia Yuanqing's direction: "Captain Zhou, isn't this person named Jia Yuanqing?"
Zhou Xing scratched his cheek: "I don't know, let me ask." As he spoke, he called out: "Hey you over there, come here for a second."
Jia Yuanqing ran nervously to Zhou Xing, who looked him up and down and asked, "Is your name Jia Yuanqing?"
Jia Yuanqing nodded nervously: "Yes."
Zhou Xing nodded to Jiang Rong: "Yes, his name is Jia Yuanqing. Captain Jiang, what do you need him for?"
Jiang Rong smiled and said, "He's an acquaintance of mine."
Jia Yuanqing quickly glanced at Jiang Rong and then lowered his head. He was puzzled. He had a good memory and if he had known Jiang Rong before, he would have remembered her face.
Jiang Rong said slowly, "Captain Zhou, can we make a deal? Can I take this person back to the Starfire Base?"
Zhou Xing laughed and said, "Sure! But could you let your little pet catch a few more fish at noon? We didn't get enough fish from yesterday!"
Jiang Rong gave a thumbs up: "Don't worry, the fish is plentiful!"
Zhou Xing was fine with it, but Jia Yuanqing objected: "Sorry, Captain Jiang, I can't go with you. I have a friend at the Peace Base. If he doesn't leave, I won't leave either."
Jiang Rong looked at Zhou Xing embarrassedly: "Captain Zhou, look at the mess this has made... how about we add a few more fish?"
Zhou Xingle said cheerfully, "Sure!" Anyway, there are more ordinary people in the Peace Base than ants, so what's wrong with doing a favor? Besides, Jiang Rong isn't a stingy person. This morning, the superhumans from their base went to the Spark Base for breakfast. They each ate five or six fist-sized vegetable buns.
These days, a person isn't worth the price of five or six steamed buns.
Jiang Rong asked Jia Yuanqing in a low voice, "Is your friend inside the base or did he come out with the others?"
Jia Yuanqing's eyes were filled with trepidation: "He came out with me, and he's over there."
Jiang Rong smiled and said, "After the oil is loaded, you can come with me." In his past life, Jia Yuanqing saved Jiang Xiaoheng; in this life, it's his turn to save him.
Author's Note:
Meng Liang: What if I don't agree to your mining?
Jiang Rong: Then I can only put Little Darling and Little Fairy in the oil fields, filling all 22 oil fields.
It's Double Twelve today! What did everyone buy? Let me copy your shopping list!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
