The rest of the auction moved quickly. By the second year of the apocalypse, grain had become the hard currency, while processed foods and discontinued snacks were treasures on par with gold.
A single bottle of Xiao Laojiao liquor sold for 600 virtual coins. A case of Wangzai milk went for 500. Ten boxes of chocolate were auctioned for 1,000. Jing Shu couldn't help but feel like she was now rich enough to rival nations—just taking out a bit of her stockpile of snacks would make her a queen.
But the apocalypse was long. Jing Shu always felt she never had enough snacks.
Gradually, even seasonings were becoming rare. At this auction, someone donated a TaTaLe seasoning gift pack, containing chicken essence, soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce. It sold for 600 virtual coins.
Two barrels of peanut oil, 5 liters each, went for 1,000 virtual coins, even pricier than the lard Jing Shu had been selling.
All these items were inflated in price, but that was inevitable—things became precious simply because they could no longer be produced. Without sunlight, future production was impossible.
Take vinegar for example. Its production required dozens of steps. Rice or glutinous rice needed to be steamed, gelatinized, liquefied, and saccharified to convert starch into sugar, then fermented with yeast into ethanol. Not that it couldn't be done, but the cost was astronomical. In times of extreme grain shortage, the state had outright banned wasting grain for condiments. Rich families could try making their own, but even the wealthy had their limits. In the apocalypse, very few could truly produce their own seasonings.
Thinking of four or five years later, when everyone else would be eating bland meals with nothing but a sprinkle of salt, while her family could quietly enjoy braised pork or cola chicken wings, Jing Shu felt bliss just imagining it.
That was why the very first thing she did after being reborn was stockpile a decade's worth of seasonings. Her foresight was unmatched. And even if they ran out, she could grow crops inside her Rubik's Cube Space and secretly make more herself.
When it came to food, Jing Shu—or rather, all the people of China—never shied away from trouble.
In the end, everything from their table wasn't included in the auction, but all other items were sold off. The total came to 100,000 virtual coins, which was immediately handed to government officials to buy rice. The rice was cooked on the spot and distributed as free white rice to the public.
But Jing Shu also realized what a drop in the ocean it was.
100,000 virtual coins sounded like a fortune, and the items had even been auctioned cheaply, but it only bought enough rice for seventy to eighty thousand people to have a single meal.
In Wu City, there were over a million who qualified as having gone ten days without eating rice.
So, Jing Shu thought, all she could really do was take care of herself and her family. She could help others within her means, but trying to put on a show of generosity by sacrificing everything wouldn't save many people. Worse, she might be scolded for it. Not worth it.
Still, this gathering wasn't a disappointment. During the auction, Wang Dazhao told her many stories about America, with Yang Yang occasionally adding a word or two.
It turned out the man who lost his hand in the explosion had been sitting in the front passenger seat. At last, Jing Shu understood how the RV's front passenger seat had ended up with a gaping hole.
She also learned that this entire operation had relied on the cooperation of many, perfectly using the strategy of "luring the tiger away from the mountain" to pull off something big.
Jing Shu's heart burned with restless excitement.
Yang Yang nodded. "We might go again next year."
Jing Shu's eyes lit up. "When?"
"That depends on the higher-ups. But by then, they'll be well prepared, so next time we'll go after something else." Yang Yang jabbed holes into tea leaves with a syringe, working on his odd little art project.
"By then, you can bring me along, right?"
Yang Yang nodded. "We might really need you. We need a human steamroller, and I think you fit the role. The so-called special-grade fighters sent by the capital weren't as good as you, and they strutted around arrogantly. Couldn't stand them."
"Fine. As long as I bring my combat armor, there's nowhere I can't go. Just tell me in advance, alright? Don't make me miss out for another half a year like this time."
Jing Shu calculated the timing. If it really was next year, it would coincide with the great earthquake. By then, her villa should be running smoothly, and if her parents and family members had advanced enough in their positions, she wouldn't need to guard them constantly.
Her family wasn't weak. After drinking Spirit Spring for so long, their strength was evident. Grandpa Jing practiced with a crossbow daily. And with her position as vice president of the Medicinal Herb Association, their household's martial and political power were both considerable.
Beyond that, Jing Shu had allies she could rely on: Li Yuetian, Niu Mou, and Yang Yang. She had connections she could develop, like Zhou Bapi. And potential golden backers, like Qian Duoduo—depending on whether his foolish son could prove himself.
The one person Jing Shu least wanted to rely on was Su Mali. But if push came to shove, asking Su Mali for help was always an option. She really was impressive.
Externally, there was the earthquake. Her villa should remain safe; in her past life, it had never collapsed. But her uncle's family had been crushed to death. This time, she couldn't let that happen again.
In just a moment, Jing Shu had already laid out her plans for leaving and safeguarding her family, proof of how eager she was. She had never left the country in her whole life—not because of patriotism, but because of poverty.
Even though America had been in the apocalypse for years, it should still hold plenty of valuable resources worth scavenging. Jing Shu felt she had to grab some. Thinking of this, she was even more motivated to upgrade her Cube Space—the higher the level, the more junk she could haul back.
"Relax, the next trip will be quick. We've already mapped out America's situation. If possible, we'll even circle around nearby." Yang Yang, who had looked gloomy all day, couldn't hide his grin now. Like Jing Shu, whenever he spoke of going abroad, his fingers itched with excitement.
There were still so many places waiting for him to explore.
…
After Old Master Yang Yang's birthday banquet ended, Wu City News immediately broadcast the great deed of the old soldier donating grain. This sparked a trend of donating virtual coins. His actions truly set a wave of positive energy in motion.
That night, Old Master Yang Yang didn't end up kneeling on a washboard. Word was he made a carp-and-blood-mushroom soup for his wife, making her beam with joy. And sure enough, the effects worked, and the couple seemed to have entered a sweet honeymoon phase again.
Meanwhile, Jing Shu piloted her amphibious shark submarine back to the salvage site in the city center, catching the last shift. This time, Jing Shu's goal was clear: find the missing people, save them, and then… well, heh.
Besides, this time Jing Shu had changed her strategy.