Chapter 27: The Big Leader Says He'll See You Whenever You Want

"Sir, Ma'am, let me calculate this for you," Liu Mu had already calculated the value of the items based on pre-disaster prices, then silently applied a thirty percent discount, and began packing the items into a box.

"I do business with integrity. Given the current situation, food and drink are more valuable than they used to be..."

As soon as these words were spoken, someone in the crowd immediately shouted, "Look, here it comes! Isn't this the time to drive the price down? I bet they'll be lucky to get a few biscuits and a bottle of water. This trash is everywhere now; even the Base doesn't want it! Picking it up is just a waste of time!"

The elderly couple looked embarrassed and kept saying that just trading for anything would be fine, terrified that Liu Mu would listen to those people and decide not to take their items after all.

"Since you agree, let's start calculating. The scrap metal, excluding the rust, counts as eighty kilograms, which can be traded for eight kilograms of Compressed Biscuits. The other miscellaneous items add up to forty kilograms, which I'll trade for a dozen functional drinks. Do you agree to this trade?"

"What, eight kilograms of Compressed Biscuits?"

The functional drinks didn't catch everyone's attention, but the Compressed Biscuits were a big deal. For people like them, one piece was enough to be half-full for a meal. Eight kilograms—how long would that last?

Moreover, Compressed Biscuits are vacuum-packed and have a very long shelf life. With the support of modern technology, many of them even taste quite good.

The crowd was envious and jealous, and there were also a few hiding in the crowd whose eyes had changed.

The elderly couple didn't dare to accept it at all and hurriedly waved their hands, "No, no, not that much. These things aren't worth that much anymore. Boss, just give us whatever you think is fair."

"Old folks, don't say that; this is just the market rate," Liu Mu used to use this tactic when haggling with people, and now she used the same routine for trading, only the effect was completely opposite. "You are our very first business transaction since opening; you can choose the flavor of the Compressed Biscuits. Come, come, take a look and pick a flavor the child likes."

There should be water in the Base, and as for whether the child could get enough nutrition from eating Compressed Biscuits... Heh, it's the apocalypse; it's good enough to have something to eat and stay alive, how could one be picky?

Liu Mu insisted, but the elderly couple truly didn't dare to take so much. If nothing else, they wouldn't be able to keep them once they returned to the Base. For a moment, they were in a very difficult position.

Xu Xiaofeng was the first to understand their thoughts. Back then, her parents had passed away suddenly, and there were truly quite a few neighbors and relatives who wanted to strip their home bare. For that reason, they even forcibly introduced suitors to her when she wasn't even twenty, trying to get her married off.

"The two of you, come with me; I'll help you choose," Xu Xiaofeng stepped forward and pulled the two of them to the back, while Liu Mu also took the box of Compressed Biscuits and another unopened box.

Someone was curiously peering over, and Zhang Xiaoyong stretched out his arms to block them, "Uncles, aunties, grandpas, grandmas, do you have anything to trade with us? If you're late, we won't have anything left."

Upon hearing this, and seeing Liu Mu really hand the filled box to the old couple, they all started getting ideas, "Yes, yes, yes, you wait, I have scrap metal there too."

"I still have some tarpaulin there, do you want it?"

"If tarpaulin can be traded, I have a Raincoat too, are you kidding me?"

But as soon as Zhang Xiaoyong heard this, he immediately tilted his face up and shouted, "We want it! Of course we collect plastic when we collect scrap!"

With this, even more people left the crowd. Although the high-temperature fire had burned quite a few things, it was a world flooded with plastic before the disaster; even if one couldn't find intact pieces, one could always scavenge some scraps and corners.

Of course, most of these people hadn't hoarded anything at all, and now they were thinking of quickly rummaging around nearby; they hadn't even thought about picking these things up before.

After there were only a few people left, Xu Xiaofeng asked the two old people if they were afraid they wouldn't be able to keep the items.

The old man originally didn't want to trouble them, but now that he really couldn't find anyone to rely on, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Boss, do you think I could store a portion with you and pick it up next time I come to trade?"

This was a sign of immense trust, but they had no choice; if they brought it back, let alone being stolen or robbed, they were worried about their own safety.

Of course, they could tell the rescue soldiers, but those people were so busy, how could they look after them at any time? If they troubled them too many times, they were afraid they would become a nuisance.

Liu Mu thought for a moment, "How about this: I'll deliver it to the Base for you, then find the leader to explain the situation and let them help you think of a secure way. I'll come often in the future, and Survivors will trade supplies with each other, so we'll always have to find a way."

Without waiting for them to object, Liu Mu directly put the items on their cart and gave each of them a bottle of water, "Let's go, I'll take you back."

The old man originally wanted to help push, but he saw Liu Mu pulling the cart with one hand and walking along lightly. If it weren't for the creaking of the wooden wheels on the cart, they would have thought the cart had suddenly become easy to pull.

Once people left, Xu Xiaofeng organized the remaining items; they had really brought too little this time.

On one side, some people followed Liu Mu and the others back, some teased the old couple about not having to go hungry, and others were concerned about when Liu Mu would come next and if there was anything else to trade.

Liu Mu was very talkative and looked like a young woman with no foresight, making many people think she was just simple-minded to take out food and drinks to trade at a time like this.

There were also those who set their sights on the old couple's items, thinking about how to trick them into giving some up later. If they wouldn't? If they wouldn't, then don't blame them for lowering their moral standards.

But they didn't expect that upon entering the Base, Liu Mu would take the family of three directly into the office of the top leader, leaving most of them stunned for a moment.

Who is this person? Is the leader's office somewhere you can just walk into?

Some people suddenly realized, "I was wondering how they dared to trade items outside the Base; so it turns out they have connections with the higher-ups?"

Others whispered in doubt, "Do you think her items might have belonged to the Base in the first place? Who in a normal family hoards that many Compressed Biscuits?"

"Shh, don't talk nonsense. Do you want to be kicked out? Even if you know, you can't say it. Sigh, this world..."

Liu Mu smiled and handed Yang Shuo a whole pack of cigarettes, being extremely generous, "Don't tell me you don't smoke; your fingernails are already stained yellow."

"You girl, tell me, what's the matter with bringing these old comrades here?" Yang Shuo was alone in the office. He didn't refuse this time; it wasn't about giving the young person a chance, but mainly because his nicotine addiction was truly severe. However, things were too chaotic lately and there was no quota, which was agonizing for this old smoker.

"Uncle, it's like this, I have an idea..." Liu Mu immediately suggested that the shopping mall could open lockers for everyone to rent, which would facilitate barter in the future, and also said that they could hire a few people to take turns guarding them, using the rent as wages to increase employment opportunities...

Finally, she used the elderly family of three as an example, "For instance, this old gentleman's family—not to mention the supplies they find outside, even the rations you issue can only be carried on their person. If you issue a steamed bun in the morning, it'll be spoiled by noon; they can't even keep it."

Yang Shuo laughed as soon as he heard this, "What, will it not spoil if it's put in a locker?"

"Hey, besides food and drink, don't people have other things to store?" Liu Mu saw that this old guy was doing it on purpose and changed the subject, "When are you going out of the city? Can you find the location of the stones? Or should I go take a look first?"