Chapter 32
Such precious things are usually kept by ordinary families to sell; they wouldn't be willing to eat them themselves.
Sister Zhang: "I stir-fried it with salt, and it tastes alright."
Wu Xiu was a little embarrassed, "How could we possibly take something so precious?"
Sister-in-law Zhang said calmly, "You've given us good things too."
Upon hearing this, Wu Xiu knew that Sister Zhang wasn't one to hold grudges, so she smiled and said to Jiang Si, "Sisi, what did Grandma teach you?"
Jiang Si thought for a moment, then distributed the melon seeds to Zhang's children and his older brother Jiang Sui, and finally gave a handful to Jiang Zhi.
The mutated sunflower seeds look plump and are more satisfying to eat; one seed contains the equivalent of ten seeds from the old ones.
"Grandma Zhang, my grandma always said that good things should be shared with family."
For such a young child to say something like that shows how kind the adults are. Aunt Zhang smiled and said, "We're not even that close, why would we give it back to the older siblings?"
Jiang Si said earnestly, "Because it was given to me by Grandma Zhang!"
Everyone was taken aback, then burst into laughter.
Wu Xiu was a little embarrassed, "This child!"
Sister Zhang laughed heartily, a rare occurrence for her. "So, you're saying you won't share them just because I didn't give them to you?"
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Si nodded very seriously, "That's right, unless they are my good friends, I will only give the food to my family!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang's daughter-in-law, Yin Qing, couldn't stop laughing and teased her, "Then it seems our children will have to become good friends with you!"
Jiang Si looked at the Zhang family children, who were about her age, hesitated for a moment, and asked them, "If I were your good friend, would you give me something to eat?"
When asked, the oldest among them, Zhang Sheng, was so excited that his face turned bright red.
He glanced at Sister Zhang, and seeing that his grandmother didn't stop him, he mustered up his courage and said, "Yes!"
Jiang Si: "Hehe, then I can be friends with you guys! Oh, and my brother too!"
This little girl is so funny!
Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhang concealed her heartache and smiled at her grandchildren, saying, "Aren't you going to thank your sister?"
The Zhang family has three children: two boys and one girl. The eldest is Zhang Sheng, the second is Zhang Heng, and the youngest is Zhang Yan.
There weren't many able-bodied people in their family, and since Mrs. Zhang was used to being the head of the household and cautious, the children hardly had any contact with the outside world.
Although it was to protect them, how could the elders not feel sad seeing the children lack their childlike vitality?
After this commotion, the children quickly gathered together.
Jiang Si was also quite bold. She grabbed Zhang Sheng's hand and said, "Brother Zhang Sheng, let's hold hands and go to the big square together! That way we won't get separated, and the adults won't worry!"
Zhang Sheng nodded excitedly.
Seeing the children getting along harmoniously, the two adults felt relieved, and their relationship naturally grew closer.
The children held hands, all very excited, eager to rush to the square.
Not to mention the children, even the adults felt a surge of enthusiasm.
This is a major event for the entire base; many people look forward to just one or two nights a month to improve their lives.
The self-built housing area wasn't far from the main square. Although the two families set off early, they were still taken aback by the long queue when they arrived at their destination.
Grandma Jiang held the arms of several children, afraid they would get lost, while looking around at the surroundings. "We usually arrive at 6 o'clock, and we thought it was because we were late that there were so many people. I didn't expect that even though we came early this time, there were still so many people!"
But upon closer inspection, it turned out that those who arrived early were all preparing to set up stalls.
The area around the main square is cordoned off with red tape, and entry is not permitted without prior registration.
To reduce accidents and disputes, people need to register in a queue to enter. Once inside, they cannot start selling immediately. Sales can only begin after 6 p.m. when the cordon is lifted.
Jiang Zhi had passed by here before and thought the square was ridiculously large. She also knew there were emergency air-raid shelters underneath, but seeing so many people here this time still gave her a sense of awe.
This was the first time she had realized that Ancheng Base had such a large population.
Wu Xiu, who was standing nearby, asked Sister Zhang, "Sister-in-law, where are we?"
Sister Zhang looked at the number plate in her hand, "It's in zone 8."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu tiptoed to look for it. After seeing the large white letter "8" on the floor, he exclaimed excitedly, "I see it! It's near the center of the square!"
The entire plaza is said to cover a total area of 200 hectares; if it were to be developed, it could be used to build a large district.
However, this place is usually only used as a plaza and for mutants to practice.
This night market, like usual, was divided into 16 sections, each of which could accommodate about 30 to 40 stalls.
The base stipulates that vendors who register to set up stalls can only decide which area to set up in by drawing lots.
Sister Zhang was lucky; she drew an area closer to the center of the square.
Around 9 o'clock, the base will play videos of mutants fighting outside in the center of the square.
One purpose is to let the base residents learn more about the world outside the gathering area, and the other is to let everyone know about the contributions the mutants have made to the base.
At that time, there were very few entertainment programs, and the residents of the base would watch these recorded videos with great interest as a form of entertainment.
As a result, the stalls around the center of the square are particularly sought after, and some people even act as scalpers, reselling the stalls.
When it was their turn, because there were so many people from both families, the person in charge of registration gave them a few extra glances.
Seeing this, Aunt Zhang quickly stuffed a handful of sunflower seeds into the staff's hands before they were able to get in.
The Jiang family all saw it.
It seems that although the Zhang family doesn't usually like to socialize, they are quite adept at understanding human relationships.
Grandma Jiang didn't want to take advantage of anyone, so she paid for the entire stall fee herself.
Although Aunt Zhang didn't say anything, her expression showed satisfaction.
By the time everyone arrived at Zone 8, it was already 5:30.
They arrived neither early nor late; many people in Zone 8 had already reserved their spots.
After discussion, they finally chose a decent viewing spot.
Jiang He and his son carried the two buckets of sweet and sour water down, took out the wooden planks that were placed under the cart, and put them on the fence to form a flat platform.
Grandma Jiang and Wu Xiu filled the small jars and placed them on the table, intending to give people samples to try.
Yuan Ying and her mother-in-law assisted from the side.
On the other side, Sister Zhang also placed two baskets on the table and removed the cloth covering them, revealing the plump, large sunflower seeds inside.
Yuan Ying looked at them and asked, "Sister Zhang, how much are your melon seeds?"
Sister Zhang said, "One round is worth 5 points."
That's not expensive.
The Jiang family felt confident that their sunflower seeds would sell well, since watching the documentary later would be even more enjoyable while snacking on sunflower seeds.
Jiang Sui couldn't help but ask, "Grandma Zhang, where did you find these sunflower seeds?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present fell silent for a moment, and then Jiang Sui was pulled back by Jiang Wen.
Wu Xiu said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Sister Zhang, my grandson is ignorant and didn't ask on purpose."
If the relationship hasn't reached that stage, most people won't ask, and even if they do, the other person might not be willing to tell them.
Just like those people who pressed them about where the cotton aphids were collected.
Sister Zhang said calmly, "It's alright. Even if you said it, it wouldn't make a difference. All the ones that could be picked have been picked by Aji. You wouldn't dare to pick the ones that can't be picked anyway."
Jiang Shu exclaimed, "Oh dear, you can go and take another look. There are usually peanuts near sunflowers, right, Azhi?"
Jiang Zhi nodded upon hearing this.
The brother and sister had visited a sunflower field before and knew that sunflowers and peanuts grow in similar soils, so they might just run into each other.
Aunt Zhang was taken aback and glanced hesitantly at her son.
"Are you just telling us this like this? If it really exists, aren't you afraid we'll pocket it?"
The demand for peanuts is undeniable; just the oil extraction alone can be quite profitable.
Jiang Shu shrugged: "There are so many good things in this world, it's impossible for us to stumble upon them all."
The Zhang family felt a bit uneasy.
This Jiang family... is unlike anyone they knew before.
At least I didn't see greed in them.
With a smile on her face, Sister Zhang said, "You're right, but that place is indeed a bit dangerous. Would you dare to go and take a look with my son and daughter-in-law?"
The Jiang family was taken aback.
Is this... a willingness to share the location with them?
Aunt Zhang: "Don't misunderstand, there's a swamp right next to that place. I didn't want Aji and his wife to take too much risks. It would be safer for your family to go together since there are many of you."
Grandma Jiang hesitated. In fact, she was also very tempted, but when she heard the word "danger," she backed down.
Other women in the Jiang family shared the same idea as her.
If it weren't for Jiang Zhi's medicinal powder, we don't know if Jiang Hai and his son could have been saved.
Amidst the silence of the crowd, Jiang Zhi readily agreed: "Okay, we'll go with Brother Zhang and the others then."
Grandma Jiang didn't quite agree, "A-Zhi—"
"Grandma, it's alright," Jiang Zhi reassured her with a smile, then looked at Aunt Zhang, "But to ensure safety, we'd like a friend to go with us. He's very strong. Aunt Zhang, is that alright?"
Jiang Zhi said it was Niu Dali, and the Jiang family also knew about Niu Dali's situation. This young man was worth five people, and with him around, the Jiang family was indeed much more at ease, so they didn't say anything more.
They still have food on hand. Although bringing Niu Dali along will allow them to share some of the grain, they would rather take less and ensure the safety of their families first.
Aunt Zhang was taken aback. She looked at the other members of the Jiang family and saw that they all had different expressions but did not object. She then said, "Okay, but we have to take 40% of the proceeds."
Jiang Zhi nodded: "Okay."
And just like that, the two of them finalized a basic cooperative relationship in a few words.
Zhang Ji's wife, Yin Qing, who had been relatively unknown, smiled at Jiang Zhi and said, "Sister A-Zhi, let's exchange contact information."
"OK."
After exchanging contact information, the two didn't say anything more.
Sister Zhang and her daughter-in-law placed five portions of melon seeds on the table to attract guests.
Soon, the surrounding area was filled with stalls as well.
Everyone's face was beaming with smiles, and cheerful voices burst out from time to time.
Jiang Zhi's heart stirred.
Although many people are still struggling to make ends meet, they are not in despair.
Because there is still hope for the future, as long as you work hard you will have food to eat.
All of this is thanks to the decisions made by the base's leaders.
Based on this alone, Jiang Zhi felt that the base leader was a leader who cared about the people.
Next to me was an old man selling winnowing baskets and hampers; his craftsmanship was quite good. To the right, there was a shop selling children's toys, including wooden building blocks and even puzzles.
Although it's so old and worn out, with some puzzle pieces even flipped over, it must have been left over from before the catastrophe.
The children all liked it very much.
They all crowded around, looking at this one and then at that one.
These children were born into a post-apocalyptic world and had never seen any toys before, so they found them very novel and fascinating.
The uncle was kind-hearted and let the children play, saying with a smile, "These are all made according to the old toys. If you like them, you can buy some to take home."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Sui reluctantly put down the jigsaw puzzle in her hand.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Si asked, "Brother, what is this?"
"It's a jigsaw puzzle, it's so much fun! You can put these pieces of paper in the right places and they'll turn into a picture!"
Jiang Si's eyes lit up, and she quickly looked at the stall owner: "Uncle, how much is this?"
"Eighty points."
Jiang Sui gasped, shaking her head vigorously, "Too expensive, too expensive."
The uncle wasn't angry. "Kids, it's not expensive. This puzzle is old, but it's a rare find now. You can play with it for a long time!"
Jiang Si looked at Wu Xiu expectantly.
Wu Xiu turned her head away as if she hadn't seen it.
Anyway, Grandpa Jiang gave them the money, so she wouldn't interfere, but if they wanted her to add money to buy it, that was out of the question.
Jiang Shu felt sorry for her and was about to speak when Wu Xiu pulled him back and glared at him.
"Big tree, don't spoil the child too much."
Jiang Shu could only shrug, giving Jiang Si a helpless look.
Their family has rules: adults educate children, and no one else can interfere. Even if there are objections, they are discussed privately, and no one will argue with them in person.
Even if Jiang Shu wanted to help this time, he wouldn't sabotage Wu Xiu.
Jiang Si lowered her head, and Jiang Zhi went over and touched her head. "Si Si, do you want it?"
Jiang Si nodded, "Brother wants it!"
Jiang Sui blushed, "I...I won't buy it! Sisi, I just think it looks nice..."
Jiang Zhi laughed and said, "If you like it, just admit it. But you should think it through. The night market has only just started. Maybe you'll find something you really want to buy later."
"If you look around and still like it, then buy it."
Jiang Sui murmured, "We don't have enough money..."
Jiang Shu: "Idiot! Don't you know how to bargain?"
Jiang Si thought for a moment, "Auntie, you're right!"
She took Jiang Sui's hand and said to the uncle, "Uncle, let's go look around first. If we don't find anything else we like, we'll come back to buy it from you! We don't have that much money, but we'll bargain later!"
The stall owner was both amused and exasperated, but didn't make a fuss. "Fine! I'll be waiting for you then!"
Everyone was amused by Jiang Si's words.
Grandma Jiang sighed and poured a glass of sweet and sour water for the stall owner. "I'm sorry, don't take what the child said to heart. This is something we made ourselves. Please try it."
The stall owner refused several times, but seeing that the old lady wasn't just being polite, he finally accepted it.
The moment I took a sip, I was amazed by the sweet and sour flavor.
The taste of this fruit juice is sour, like the sour jujube cake I used to eat. One bite and it's so sour it makes you wince. But then, the sweetness that follows is like maltose, sticky and sweet, completely suppressing the sourness. Plus, there's a hint of lotus leaf fragrance. Drinking it is full of the taste of life, quenching thirst and satisfying cravings, even more refreshing than drinking soda.
"Sister-in-law, your water is delicious! How many points is it per cup?"
Grandma Jiang: "The smaller one is 12 points, and the larger one is 18."
The stall owner shrank back, "Too expensive."
He took another sip of the sweet and sour water in his hand, thinking that he would save some for his wife at home.
Grandma Jiang didn't mind.
At this moment, the area outside the police line was already crowded with people.
A vast expanse of dark clouds.
The main square was bustling with activity, pushing everyone's anticipation to its peak.
Xu Na whispered to Jiang Wen, "Wen, I'm so nervous. Do you think our sweet and sour drink will sell?"
Jiang Wen squeezed her hand. "It's definitely possible, don't worry."
Soon, the cordon was removed, and people gradually came in.
Jiang Wen immediately started shouting: "Sweet and sour water, sweet and sour water, so delicious! Come and try it!"
Seeing this, the other vendors also started shouting their wares.
"Mutant wild vegetables, three points for a big bunch, come and take a look!"
"I'm selling these vines that can be used to make baskets cheap! The more you buy, the cheaper it gets."
...
In an instant, shouts erupted.
Soon people came to their stall.
"Hey bro, this isn't made from boiled tamarind, is it?"
Jiang Wen laughed and said, "That's different. Ours is sweet and sour. If it's not sweet, you don't have to pay."
Jiang Wen gave Xu Na a wink, and Xu Na unfolded a lotus leaf, folded it into a small cup, and Jiang Wen poured some water into it with a grape, saying, "Try it."
The man took a bite, his eyes lighting up. "Not bad, you added sugar?"
Jiang Wen smiled but remained silent.
Just kidding, how could they possibly reveal such a formulaic issue?
The man didn't seem to care. "How much is it?"
Jiang Wen: "A large cup of 500 ml costs 18 points, and a small cup of 300 ml costs 12 points."
The person looked well-dressed and had a better appearance than the average person, so he probably didn't care about those few points.
Sure enough, the man said directly, "These are all moderately poisonous, right?"
"Don't worry, sister, we know the rules, and the ingredients are definitely safe!"
The base requires that all food sold must have a toxin level of less than moderate. If such food is not sold and discovered, the holder will permanently lose their right to reside on the base.
"Okay, give me two large cups."
Jiang Wen grinned and said, "Alright!"
Xu Na quickly glued the lotus leaves back on and poured two cups over.
The older woman became somewhat interested.
"You guys are really clever; you even knew to get a cup."
The mutated lotus leaves have a refreshing aroma, and when paired with the sweet and sour juice, they are indeed very refreshing.
The older sister transferred 36 points to Jiang Wen.
"By the way, sis, do you want to try these sunflower seeds? These mutated sunflower seeds are much more fragrant than the ones we've had before. Let's buy some and crack them open while watching a movie."
Zhang, who was standing next to him, probably didn't interact with people much in normal times, and he hadn't dared to hawk his wares earlier.
Upon hearing Jiang Wen's help, he hurriedly stammered, "Yes, yes, it's delicious, you should try it."
The older sister casually picked one up and cracked it open. "It's alright. Give me two servings too."
Zhang Ji's wife immediately and happily packed two portions.
Zhang's wife didn't get involved at all during the whole process.
Seeing that Jiang Wen and his wife could handle things, Grandma Jiang felt relieved and prepared to go for a stroll.
They didn't come out here just for fun; they had a mission to complete.
Jiang Wen had worked as a shop assistant in a secondhand store and was quite skilled in this area. Xu Na had also worked in a textile store, so Grandma Jiang had the two of them look after the stall.
She distributed her points to the Wu and Yuan families, planning to stockpile more food while there were more people around.
As for Jiang Shu and his sister...
Grandma Jiang didn't care.
Jiang Wen's promotion was very effective.
Many people make fruit juice, but none of them taste good. They either have an astringent taste or, as they know, they are made from sour fruit.
Upon hearing that it was sweet and sour, many people were willing to come and try it.
The buyers were clearly divided into two groups. One group consisted of people who were dressed and had a relatively respectable demeanor. This group should all come from Zone B.
Another group of people were covered in patches and were much thinner, clearly malnourished.
This type of person is more like a resident of their self-built housing area or low-rent housing area.
Some people who are reluctant to buy it will even place a group order, with two families buying a small cup and then sharing it equally among their children.
After observing for a while, Jiang Zhi concluded that they were the only store selling sweet and sour drinks in the entire square.
Although other fruit juice shops were cheaper than theirs, their taste was not as good. As a result, word spread quickly that their sweet and sour juice had long queues forming.
Jiang Wen and his wife went from being flustered at the beginning to becoming quite adept in the following years.
The children had long since disappeared.
The area around the main square is patrolled, making it the safest time of day, and children can run around without any problems.
Jiang Zhi looked around at the surrounding vendors, thought for a moment, and said to Jiang He, "Second Uncle, why don't you set up a stall too?"
Jiang He didn't react: "Huh?"
"Weren't we planning to open a carpentry workshop? Why don't you put up a sign and see? Maybe you can find some work."
Yuan Ying was overjoyed, "Oh, Azhi's idea is brilliant! How come we didn't think of that?"
Jiang He was a little unsure, "We haven't set anything up, will this work?"
Yuan Ying: "It's nothing. If all else fails, I'll go back and get some of the little things you made before to display."
Jiang Wen laughed and said, "Yes, Dad, do it or not, it won't take up much space anyway."
With his wife and children saying so, Jiang He nodded.
"Ah Zhi, our handwriting is terrible, could you help us write a few words?"
What's the problem? Jiang Zhi went across the street and borrowed a piece of wood that had been burned to charcoal. She then wrote large characters on the wooden board—
"Jiang's Carpentry Shop: We accept all kinds of carpentry work, including cabinets, beds, tree tables, and doors."
After finishing writing, Jiang Zhi placed the wooden board in front of the flatbed cart; the large characters were quite eye-catching.
Grandma Jiang was very satisfied and said, "Ahe doesn't need to come with us later. Let Aying go instead. You stay here. If anyone asks you anything, you can answer them."
Jiang He nodded.
After Grandma Jiang and the others left, and since Jiang Shu and his sister no longer needed to run the stall, Jiang Zhi made a phone call to Niu Dali.
Jiang Shu had originally planned to sneak out for a stroll, but after Jiang Zhi finished her phone call, she asked, "Zhi, who were you talking to?"
“I asked Brother Dali if he was coming to the night market tonight, and I was planning to give him the fish belly.”
Although it is wrapped in leaves that can keep it fresh, it cannot be stored for too long.
"They've come too?"
"Yes, they've set up stalls here too, in Zone 2."
Zone 2 is quite far from their location.
"Let's go, let's stroll along the way."
Jiang Zhi went through the thought in her mind and, finding nothing unusual, nodded.
She was also curious about what other people were selling.
The brother and sister walked for a while, their voices constantly calling out to vendors.
These are all common mutated plants, but some people are skillful enough to turn them into household items.
Some people also prepared food.
Jiang Shu went to check it out out of curiosity, but there was nothing special about it; it was just some mutated plant fruits made into snacks.
But these kinds of stalls all have one thing in common—they're always packed with people.
Indeed, in an era where people can barely make ends meet, they have become more attached to food.
Jiang Shu is a foodie; he can't resist buying and trying anything that's food.
Roasted rose hips, hand-pounded sour leaves...
The most outrageous thing was boiling barley with pitcher plants. The pitcher of the mutated apple pitcher plant was the size of a washbasin, and the vendor put the barley that had been soaking for several days and nights into it to boil.
The cooked barley is soft, sticky, and has a pleasant aroma of pitcher plant leaves, somewhat like the taste of glutinous rice from the past.
Although it can't compare to the snacks of the past, Jiang Shu still enjoys them just as much.
The best-tasting of them all is the mutated raspberry.
The mutated raspberries are large and plump, emitting a unique and rich fruity aroma that makes you want to taste them just by smelling them.
Jiang Shu was lucky; he bought a bunch of plump, juicy wild strawberries, and the person behind him in line bought all the remaining wild strawberries from the stall owner.
Jiang Shu didn't miss it. The wild strawberries were 30 points per kilogram, and there were more than 30 kilograms in total. The man transferred 1,000 points to the stall owner, which was outrageously generous.
He pursed his lips and offered one to Jiang Zhi. "Sigh, how come there's such a big difference between people? While we're being stingy when buying things, others have already booked the whole place."
Jiang Zhi didn't think anything of it.
She doesn't care what others do; she just wants to live her life well.
She took a bite of the raspberry, and the plump fruit burst open in her mouth, releasing a burst of juice. The fruit's fresh and crisp flavor filled her mouth.
Ginger: "This tastes so good, 30 points per pound is already considered cheap."
Jiang Shu deeply agreed.
There are only four or five raspberries per pound. He put the rest away, intending to leave them for the two little ones.
The two strolled through sections 7 and 6 and found that everyday items were also very popular.
On the table made of tattered wooden planks to the left front, there were many household items woven from mutated plants.
The rattan of varying thickness, gleaming with a subtle sheen, was skillfully woven by the female stall owner into tightly packed baskets. The larger ones could hold a family's daily rations, while the smaller ones were just right for storing odds and ends.
Along the rim of the basket, several beautifully dried, mutated flowers, still vibrant after dehydration, were carefully adorned. Their petals were very thin, like cicada wings, yet felt quite hard to the touch, almost like iron sheets, making them a very attractive decoration.
It must be said that the things made from mutated plants are actually quite beautiful.
On the other side, a stall owner had a pile of various tools made from the bones of mutated beasts.
Animal bones, after being polished by hand, gleam with a warm, milky-white sheen. Bone fragments of various shapes are drilled, strung together, and made into combs.
The teeth are rounded and smooth, and it feels heavy in your hand, making a "rustling" sound when you comb your hair.
According to the stall owner, it also has the effects of massaging the scalp and refreshing the mind—it is a rare bone with moderate toxins.
Of course, the price is also very attractive.
Such a small bunch of combs actually sold for 80 points each.
In addition, there are bone chopsticks, which are slender and straight with simple spiral patterns carved at the top, making them steady when picking up food.
Jiang Zhi wondered who would be so careless as to use chopsticks made from the bones of mutated beasts to eat. Didn't the thought make her feel disgusted?
Besides these, there were quite a few other small items, mostly ordinary objects like the mutated raspberries they had – these were considered bargains. "Ah Zhi, how was it? Did you see anything good?"
Jiang Zhi shook her head.
Jiang Shu couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, muttering, "Do you think those mutants also have some special methods to detect those good things?"
Jiang Zhi frowned.
Jiang Shu's words reminded her of the man she had met in the No. 3 collection area who had several golden items on him.
In fact, she had made such a guess before, but if the base really had such a detection instrument, why would she have missed picking up the bone stick in Jiang Shu's hand?
Unless the testing equipment is very expensive...
As she was lost in her thoughts, a familiar notification sound suddenly echoed in her mind.
"Beep—Golden item detected: mutated pangolin scales. It can be used for disguise and concealment."
The sound made Jiang Zhi unconsciously hold her breath.
She subconsciously glanced at the gold-colored item marked on the dashboard.
At a stall ten meters away from them, a middle-aged man with a stern face was driving away the customers surrounding him.
"If you don't want to buy it, don't touch it. Do you think you can afford to damage it?"
The middle-aged man had a pile of skeletons of various mutated animals and stones of all shapes and sizes in front of him.
It looks ordinary, but it's very expensive.
The cheapest one costs 300 points.
Someone scoffed at the middle-aged man, "How can you buy something without looking closely? You don't even have an official authentication certificate, who would dare to buy it? And it's so expensive!"
While the man wasn't looking, someone examined a stone on the edge and read, "Beep—highly toxic, not recommended for consumption."
"Damn it! You actually dare to sell highly toxic stuff! I'm going to file a complaint against you!"
The middle-aged man snatched the stone from the other man's hand, snorted, and said, "The base only stipulates that highly toxic food cannot be sold. This isn't food. Go ahead and complain if you dare. Get lost! I'll beat you up if you're not careful!"
The man was frightened by the middle-aged man's fierceness, and left with a weak and menacing statement, "You wait, I'm going to file a complaint against you right now," before running away.
The other people who had been gathered around the stall also thought the man was obsessed with money and left as well.
At this moment, Jiang Zhi walked over, squatted down, and pointed to a small purple stone, "How much is this?"
Jiang Shu realized that something was wrong with Jiang Zhi and suppressed his excitement.
The middle-aged man glanced at the ginger juice, then said, "Not for sale!"
Jiang Shu retorted angrily, "Why shouldn't you sell to us? The more you act like this, the more we want to buy!"
The middle-aged man scoffed: "This costs 400 points! You can't afford it."
Yoho!
Jiang Shu laughed in exasperation.
He really can't afford it!
"What special function does it have? Why is it so expensive?"
The middle-aged man said calmly, "I'm happy!"
Jiang Shu's fists clenched – was this how you sell things?
He was about to start a fight when Jiang Zhi stopped him.
"Uncle, I've loved stones since I was a child and I really want to buy one. How about this, I'll take this stone along with the other stone, and see if you can give me a discount."
Jiang Zhi then pointed to another stone.
Seeing that Jiang Zhi really wanted to buy it, the stall owner hesitated for a moment before saying, "Two for 600 points, no less."
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, then said without haggling, "Uncle, I'd like to know why you're selling these stones."
The stall owner looked at Jiang Zhi. This girl was the first one to ask among so many people, and she seemed sincere.
He didn't hide anything: "These stones and scales were found in a depression. They were so hidden that I couldn't see them at all. I only discovered them when I tripped over them."
Jiang Zhi: "You mean, these things have a hidden purpose?"
The stall owner nodded. "It's okay if you don't believe me, but it's definitely good stuff."
Judging from his expression, he was absolutely convinced.
Jiang Zhi understood. The stall owner probably felt that there was something special hidden in these items, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He was unwilling to sell them cheaply, so he planned to sell each item as something special.
He's quite an extraordinary person.
Jiang Shu chuckled and directly exposed him: "Come on, if it were really good stuff, would you put it here to sell? I don't think you even understand what's going on, and you still want to treat us like suckers."
The stall owner wasn't embarrassed at all; instead, he readily admitted, "Anyway, there's definitely one item inside that has a special function. If you manage to buy the right one, the price will increase 100 times. The government and those mutants are all scrambling to get it."
Isn't this almost the same as gambling?
Jiang Zhi asked with some confusion, "Then why don't you just give these things to them directly? They should have testing methods, right?"
At this point, the middle-aged man finally showed a hint of embarrassment, "They've all been tested..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu immediately retorted sarcastically, "Oh ho, so you're trying to scam people! The authorities have already confirmed that it's not a good product, and you still dare to sell it!"
The middle-aged man retorted, "If they can't detect it, it's because their equipment is faulty! There's nothing wrong with my stuff!"
Jiang Shu: ...If it weren't for A-Zhi's cheat code, he would have wanted to beat him up.
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "I believe you."
The middle-aged man exclaimed excitedly, "Really?!"
"Okay, so I'll take this, this, and this for 300 points."
Jiang Zhi casually pointed to the two stones she had just mentioned, plus a black scale.
The middle-aged man's smile froze.
"No, young lady, you're haggling way too much!"
Jiang Zhi said, "Do you think anyone else would buy this besides us? And even if there really are good things here that you're talking about, you wouldn't be able to use them, otherwise you wouldn't be selling them."
The middle-aged man looked rather unwell.
He had indeed tried it countless times in private, but the events of that day never happened again; it was as if it were his hallucination.
He simply believed he hadn't misread it.
"500, I'll sell all of these to you."
Jiang Zhi shook her head: "250, if it's not okay, then forget it."
Stall owner: ...Why is the price going down even lower?
Seeing the middle-aged man's embarrassed expression, Jiang Shu laughed unkindly.
After a struggle between the two, Jiang Zhi finally won those items for 245.
Before leaving, the middle-aged man muttered, "No returns once sold here."
Jiang Shu: "What a coincidence, we're in the same boat. Once you've sold it to us, don't even think about taking it back."
The middle-aged man didn't believe that the two young people would be so lucky as to get that special item.
After leaving the stall, perhaps fearing that the siblings' parents would come looking for them, the middle-aged man packed up his things and left.
Meanwhile, after leaving District 6, Jiang Shu quietly asked, "Ah Zhi, did you get it?"
Jiang Zhi nodded.
Jiang Shu was in a great mood, but then a question suddenly occurred to him, "Wait, A-Zhi, how do you have so many points?"
Jiang Zhi changed the subject, "Brother, guess which of those things we just bought was a gold item?"
Jiang Shu: "...Don't change the subject!"
Seeing that she couldn't fool him, Jiang Zhi had no choice but to force a smile and say, "Don't worry about who gave it to you, as long as we got it, that's fine."
Jiang Shu was furious. "Was it given to you by Mom?! I knew it, you're the real biological child!!"
The brother and sister bickered and soon arrived at Zone 2, which was more lively and down-to-earth than the other zones.
Most of the stall owners are residents of low-rent housing areas.
The density of stalls in Zone 2 is much higher than before. The stalls are closely connected.
The stall owners shouted at the top of their lungs, trying to attract passersby.
As soon as Jiangzhi and Jiangshu entered Zone 2, they were stopped by someone.
"Little girl, would you like a basket? Mine are very cheap, only 5 points."
"Mine is cheaper, two for 6 points!"
...
Being pulled to the stalls one after another, Jiangzhi felt like she was in a vegetable market.
Jiang Shu quickly shouted, "We're not buying anything, we're here to sell things!!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the people surrounding them scattered.
The brother and sister walked forward for a while, and then Jiangzhi's attention was drawn to a clothing stall.
The stall owner was a young woman, and several racks full of clothes were placed in front of her.
The clothes on them were clearly not made of ordinary fabric, but rather from the fur of various mutated beasts. However, it was obvious that they were all small mutated beasts with weak attack power.
Buying clothes is a girl's nature.
Jiang Zhi couldn't resist going over and flipping through it.
The summer clothes were made of linen, similar to those made by Xu Na, and the craftsmanship was quite good.
Like Jiangzhi, many people came to buy clothes, but everyone bought summer clothes, while no one paid attention to winter clothes.
But Jiangzhi had her eye on the thick fur coat.
There weren't many winter clothes on the shelf, only three or four pieces.
Some have natural camouflage patterns and, after tanning, look soft and warm.
The jacket made from mutated animal hides, though rugged in style, was very practical. Jiang Zhi tried it on and within seconds her forehead was sweating profusely.
In addition, there was a fluffy gray coat, the origin of which was unclear.
But judging from its size, this mutated beast is not small.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but look at the woman.
The woman casually crossed her legs, a homemade cigarette between her fingers. When Jiang Zhi looked over, she took a puff and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
"What? You've got your eye on someone?"
Jiang Zhi: "Did you kill this mutated beast yourself?"
The woman smiled and took another drag of her cigarette. "No, I just got lucky and stumbled upon it."
Jiang Zhi's gaze returned to the fur coat.
The collar and cuffs of the coat are trimmed with bright-colored woven plant fibers, which not only secures the edges but also adds a touch of style.
It's clear that the person who made this garment has a strong sense of fashion.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but ask the woman, "Sister, were you a fashion designer before?"
The woman scoffed, "Why are you asking about the past? Are you buying it or not?"
How much are these winter clothes?
"A coat costs 300 points, a fur-lined jacket costs 200 points, and a leather jacket costs 150 points."
There were three jackets on the hanger, only one fur jacket and the gray fur coat.
At the very edge hung a cotton quilt filled with mutated cotton wool, which felt fluffy yet heavy.
If a harsh winter really comes, one quilt like this will be enough.
Where is this quilt?
"350 points."
If you really think about it, it's not that expensive.
But it's summer now, and with no one interested, the woman's asking price is already considered high.
"I want to buy it, can you give me a discount, sister?"
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