Chapter 80 - 76: Second Traversal Reminder
Qin Ziwen turned around and hurried home.
He was curious. Ever since he’d awakened it, his Home had been completely silent. Why would it suddenly have a message?
Back home, he closed the door and summoned the small orb of light that represented his Home.
The orb floated before his eyes, transmitting a message.
[Number of awakened Homes in the Gated Community has exceeded 5% of surviving households. Once 20% is surpassed, the countdown to the second crossing will begin: 3 days.]
[Next stage map: No authorization]
[Next stage duration: No authorization]
[Next stage reinforcements: No authorization]
Qin Ziwen’s expression grew grim. The next stage of the crossing would begin once more than 20% of the households in the Gated Community had awakened their Homes.
At first glance, that seemed a long way off. It had taken fifteen days to reach just 5%.
But the Home system specified *surviving* households, which meant that empty homes or families that had been wiped out wouldn’t be counted.
If a natural disaster or some other major catastrophe occurred, increasing the number of deaths, the percentage would naturally be easier to raise.
Moreover, based on the key information provided, new residents would be added after the next crossing.
He just didn’t know how they would be added. Would they simply move into the empty houses, or would a new Gated Community merge with theirs?
More importantly, there was a second crossing.
’An ice age? A vast desert? An Island? Grasslands? Or maybe the plains downstream, or even deeper into the mountain range behind us.’
He’d lived here for half a month and actually thought this place was pretty good...
Abundant resources, close to a water source, and a comfortable temperature.
If they were moved, there was no guarantee the new place would be as suitable.
He turned and walked into the Blacksmith Shop. At the anvil, Li Tieshan was relentlessly hammering an Iron Ingot, forging it into the shape of a component from the blueprint.
Behind Li Tieshan, Xiaowu was working the bellows, smelting iron ore.
Qin Ziwen called out to his brother, "When you’re done with that, go cut up some wild boar meat. You’re coming with me to trade for some coarse salt."
Qin Ziwu’s face was flushed red in the firelight. He kept his eyes on the color of the flames, pulling the bellows to control the temperature, and answered without turning his head, "Alright! Just let me finish this up."
"CLANG!" Li Tieshan set down his hammer and said to Qin Ziwu, "You go with the master. I’ll take over the bellows."
"It’s fine. You two carry on. I’m going to run an errand first," Qin Ziwen said.
Leaving the Blacksmith Shop, Qin Ziwen went to the animal pen and noticed that the hay stored on the ground nearby was almost gone.
He picked up three Earth Cages and went to the eighth floor.
After he knocked, Deng Wen opened the door a crack. "Uncle Qin, my parents went to the rooftop to smoke the meat."
"Okay, I’ll go take a look. I’ll leave these Earth Cages at your place for now. Tell your parents later. Also, if any strangers come knocking, don’t just open the door," Qin Ziwen added as a final reminder before leaving.
"I know. I only opened it after I saw it was you through the peephole," Deng Wen said with a giggle.
Yesterday, her dad had brought back a huge side of wild boar, and this morning, her mom had simmered a large pot of cartilage soup.
Many people in the Gated Community couldn’t even get enough to eat. The surrounding land had been picked clean, leaving it barren. Yet she was able to eat meat often, and she knew exactly who she had to thank for that.
At the dinner table, her dad had described the dangers Uncle Qin faced while killing the wild boar, and how others who encountered it were gored and were still at home recovering.
Arriving at the Celestial Tower, Qin Ziwen saw Deng Guang smoking the meat. "You’re smoking it directly like this? If you don’t cure it with salt first, it won’t last long."
Deng Guang looked troubled. "Where would I get salt? I barely have enough for my own meals. I’m just smoking a portion for now. It’ll still last longer than if it wasn’t smoked at all."
Qin Ziwen said, "Doesn’t someone in the Gated Community have a Salt Well? I’m planning to go trade for some. Want to come along?"
Deng Guang hesitated. "Will he sell? The price won’t be too outrageous, will it?"
"Probably not. He has to sell the salt to make a profit. Besides, it’s coarse salt, not refined salt. He can’t survive by eating salt alone."
...
Back at his place, Qin Ziwen gathered Zhao Pu and Deng Guang. Including Qin Ziwu, the four of them headed for Zhang Bo’s apartment.
Zhang Bo’s location was easy to find. Ever since he acquired the Salt Well, he’d started a business selling coarse salt in the Gated Community.
They arrived at Building 4, Unit 2, Apartment 202.
A plaque hung on the door: Salt Mountain.
The style seemed to be imitating Renhe Hall.
But compared to the bustling Renhe Hall, Salt Mountain was much quieter.
After they knocked, the door opened.
Behind it stood a man of average build in a black long-sleeved shirt, with plain features. He was the kind of person who would be unnoticeable in a crowd. His only distinguishing feature was his rather thin lips.
After opening the door, he first looked Qin Ziwen up and down, then glanced at the men behind him.
He gave them a warm welcome. "Come in, have a seat."
Inside Zhang Bo’s apartment, two burly men were already seated. The faint smell of smoke lingered around the sofa where the three had been sitting.
"Nine out of ten people who come here are looking to buy salt." Zhang Bo sat down in the host’s seat. "Here, have some tea."
He poured each of the four men a cup of tea from the teapot.
After he was done, Zhang Bo leaned back against the sofa and crossed his legs. "How many pounds of salt do you need?"
Qin Ziwen had felt that something was strange ever since he’d walked in.
’This Zhang Bo... he gives off a sense of trying too hard.’
It was like he was deliberately imitating a certain demeanor, but lacked the necessary charisma, making him seem like a cheap imitation.
"What are your rates for salt, and what do you accept for trade?" Qin Ziwen didn’t state how much he needed. To cure over two hundred pounds of meat, he would need at least thirty pounds of salt.
Faced with such a large demand, Zhang Bo, as the seller, would definitely jack up the price on the spot.
Zhang Bo held up a finger, making a "one."
Qin Ziwen’s expression was calm. "I don’t understand. Just say it."
Zhang Bo smiled. "Ten pounds of pure meat for one pound of salt."
"How much did you say? Ten pounds of pure meat for one pound of salt?" Qin Ziwen couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.
Zhang Bo made a placating gesture, signaling for Qin Ziwen to calm down. "My price is a bargain, brother. I’m the only one in the Gated Community with a Salt Well. It’s a monopoly. For an essential, monopolized item, I’m only charging ten pounds of meat for one pound of salt. I’d say I’m being pretty generous."
"But this is coarse salt," Qin Ziwen frowned. "If it were fine salt, your price might be considerable. But for coarse salt at this price, I bet the salt you’re selling everyone hasn’t even been processed."
Zhang Bo shook his head and gave Qin Ziwen a mysterious smile. "I know you. Your surname is Qin. I hear you’ve got a knack for getting food, and... you seem to have some Earth Cages, right?"
Anger simmered within Qin Ziwen.
Thanks to Xue E spreading it around, the fact that he had Earth Cages was now public knowledge. It was normal for others to know.
"How about this: lend me the Earth Cages for half a month, and I’ll give you ten pounds of salt!" Zhang Bo grinned. "How’s that? You’d be making a huge profit. Ten pounds of salt is equivalent to about a hundred pounds of meat. You can’t possibly catch a hundred pounds of meat with those cages in half a month, can you?"
"If you’re not going to be sincere, then forget it." Qin Ziwen stood up. Behind him, Deng Guang and the others also rose to their feet.
Zhang Bo said, "Hey, don’t be angry. Business is all about negotiation. We can talk. If half a month is too long, how about twelve days?"
Qin Ziwen sneered. "I asked around before coming. Others trade three or four pounds of meat for one pound of coarse salt. When it’s my turn, it suddenly becomes ten pounds. Your ability to size people up is as poor as your business sense. If you don’t have the talent for it, don’t put on airs. People are getting new Cards every day in this Gated Community. How many more days do you think your Salt Well monopoly will last?"
Even after being called out, Zhang Bo’s expression didn’t change.
’Business is business,’ he thought. ’Isn’t it all about asking a sky-high price and letting the buyer haggle you down?’
Watching Qin Ziwen’s retreating back, a vicious glint flashed in Zhang Bo’s eyes.
After leaving Zhang Bo’s place, Deng Guang and Zhao Pu tried to console Qin Ziwen.
"Ten pounds of meat for one pound of salt... If we want to cure all our meat, our two hundred-odd pounds isn’t enough. We’d have to owe him another hundred pounds!" Even as he said it, Qin Ziwen himself found the situation absurd.
Qin Ziwen said, "I’m the one who dragged you into this. If it weren’t for me, he probably wouldn’t have quoted such a ridiculous price if you’d come to trade."
Deng Guang said, "What are you talking about? We’re a group. Besides, we only have this meat thanks to you."
Zhao Pu added reassuringly, "Don’t worry about it. We can just have someone else come and buy it later. He has to sell his salt eventually, anyway."
"THUD THUD THUD."
Footsteps sounded from behind them.
A man came running after them. It was one of the men who had been sitting and chatting with Zhang Bo earlier.
The man asked, "Are you still looking to buy salt?"
"Did Zhang Bo send you?"
The man shook his head. "It has nothing to do with him. It’s my own."
After a moment of hesitation, the man said sheepishly, "You know how Japan was discharging that nuclear wastewater a while back? Well, I panic-bought and stockpiled two cases of salt at home, and I still haven’t finished it..."
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