From the top of the hill where Jay was currently standing, a long line of people hawking various goods could be seen.
The sight was extraordinary, and when Jay came down and looked, he was surprised. From outside the sub-district road, he could already see rows of simple stalls neatly lined up with sacks and leaves.
There was a wide variety of items for sale at the market, but most of the items were common village foods and crafts like baskets and woodwork made by artisans.
On the other hand, the shopping cooperative, which specialized in selling goods for all the community's needs, was holding limited sales for several categories that usually required tickets.
However, the items were sold in limited quantities, so only those who were quick to get their hands on them would be able to get them.
On the other hand, several common snacks, such as dried goods and sweets, were visible in several places.
And this area was always a favorite among village children who lacked something to try.
Walking slowly, observing the surroundings, Jay unknowingly arrived at the sub-district area where an elementary school, adjacent to a middle school, was located within the same complex.
On the other side of the road, opposite the school building, and next to the police station, was a police station.
There was a post office, which served as a place for sending mail and goods from within and outside the Belin sub-district.
Next to it, in a larger area, was the sub-district cooperative, which housed a large supermarket with a fairly expansive area.
Not far from there, there was a transportation building where several old buses transported passengers to and from outside the sub-district.
Next to it was a supplies building, responsible for storing and distributing the rice and grains harvested by the village community.
Next to it was the sub-district militia office, which served as a military outpost to secure the entire sub-district.
The rest of the area consisted of several basic buildings, offices, and housing for all Belin sub-district government employees.
And in the innermost area was a simple health center building that served as a medical facility for the villagers, with limited services.
Walking along the sub-district road, which only stretched for a few hundred meters, Jay eventually arrived at the livestock area.
There, several ox carts, donkeys, and horses were kept and cared for.
Continuing straight for almost 200 meters, a forest beside the road became inconspicuous, with red ribbons hanging from several trees.
These red ribbons marked the area as the black market area in the Belin sub-district.
Red ribbons hung from several trees meant the market was open; yellow ribbons meant the market was closed.
Jay arrived at the deserted area and began covering his head to avoid being recognized. He also took out a basket from his room.
He found the neatly cut and cleaned pork ready for sale.
He also took out a coarse scale. After preparing everything, Jay began searching for the entrance to the black market.
Fortunately, it didn't take much effort for Jay to spot him, as there was a beggar who appeared to be sleeping leaning against a tree.
Don't be mistaken, this beggar is a signpost and guide for those seeking access to the black market.
Approaching the beggar, Jay politely asked, "Sir, could you tell me where the market is?" Jay asked politely.
"Are you here to buy or sell?" The beggar didn't answer Jay's question, but instead asked a question in return.
"I want to sell, sir," Jay replied again.
"If you want to sell, you have to pay 1 cent, and if you want to buy, just come in," the beggar replied.
"As for the market, just walk east for 50 meters and you'll find it," the beggar replied again, falling asleep again.
"Thank you, sir," Jay replied, and then entered the forest according to the directions given.
Shortly after walking about 50 meters, Jay saw two strong, muscular men standing guard.
Seeing this, Jay knew they were the black market security guards guarding the entrance.
Jay soon arrived in front of the two men and said "selling" while handing the guard a 1 cent.
After receiving the entrance fee, Jay was then invited inside.
Soon, the bustling yet quiet atmosphere immediately caught Jay's attention. He saw many people walking back and forth, some wearing head coverings for disguise. ran.
There were two rows of vendors on each side, seemingly selling their wares. However, each stall only displayed a single sample of the item in front of it, indicating what they were selling.
Walking for a while, Jay spotted an empty space and began to open his stall.
Placing a piece of meat and a scale in front of his stall, Jay sat down, ready to greet guests.
Shortly after several people noticed Jay's goods, several more eagerly approached him.
Because meat is not easily available and requires a ticket to purchase it, it is only sold at the sub-district cooperative store.
And the quantity is always limited, so many people often want to eat meat but can't afford it.
So when Jay brought out the meat for sale, it naturally attracted a lot of attention.
"Hey, buddy, what kind of meat is this?" someone asked.
"It's wild boar," Jay replied.
"How much is a kilogram?" the person asked immediately after hearing Jay's answer.
Pork is a favorite meat for many people, along with beef, buffalo, and donkey, which are sometimes supplied by the city to the sub-district cooperative.
"One kilogram of meat without a ticket can be purchased for 10 cents per kilogram. If you use a ticket, it will be 5 cents," Jay replied.
Some people seemed dissatisfied with this price.
At the sub-district cooperative, meat using a ticket is sold for 3 cents per kilogram.
This is several times more expensive, but many people are still interested in buying it.
"Give me 2 kg," the man ordered, and Jay immediately weighed it and handed it to him.
Shortly after the man's purchase, another wave of buyers arrived and lined up.
In the end, it only took Jay half an hour to sell all his meat, and he apologized to the customers who missed out.
"Sorry, we're out of stock. You can come again another time." After tidying up his wares, Jay prepared to buy some tickets and food for his family.
From the sale of approximately 120 kg of meat, Jay earned more than $10, plus several meat tickets.
For an average farmer, $10 is equivalent to several months' or even a year's worth of income, which is quite substantial.
To put this into perspective, an adult farmer in the village could earn 10-20 work points in one day, which, when converted, equates to 1-2 cents per day.
One cent can buy the following: 1 kg of fine rice, 2 kg of fine corn, 5 kg of sweet potatoes, 4 kg of potatoes, or 1 kg of coarse wheat.
So, by the time Jay finished his sale, he was being followed by several men with malicious intent.