Chapter 402: Green-Light Beef Jerky

Yang Jin handed the small box of ore to Xia Qing. "This is a rare ore shipped from across the ocean. Its radiation-shielding effect is the best among all new materials discovered so far. It can be made into a coating applied to metal surfaces to achieve radiation protection."

When the cosmic gamma-ray burst struck Blue Star in the first year of the Catastrophe, two continents across the ocean took a direct hit. The massive die-off of living creatures on those two continents produced some new materials. As a result, although those two continents across the ocean became unsuitable for human habitation due to radiation, wave after wave of people still went over in heavy radiation-proof suits to explore and hunt for treasure.

Xia Qing had no interest in venturing deep into high-radiation zones to hunt for treasure, and the radiation level at Hui Three Base wasn't high either, so she didn't need radiation-shielding materials. "Captain Yang, I don't need this kind of ore. My territory isn't suitable for building planting rooms or breeding rooms that can filter out Qiang elements, so my demand for Yi Stones is relatively high. Besides one protective suit, can I skip the points and take two more Yi Stones instead?"

"Sure." The Yi Stones had originally been requested for Xia Qing, so of course Yang Jin had no objection. He took out a second list and handed it to Xia Qing.

"The material trade we agreed on when we collected spinach seeds—you owe me points, so the points in this card that belong to you are 【number omitted in source】. If you don't want points, you can take materials worth 4,617,894 points from this batch, equivalent to 22.5 Yi Stones. Just right, you can crack open one Use Yishi to verify its quality."

"Okay."

Having already cracked open three Yi Stones, Xia Qing quickly fetched tools from home to break open the Use Yishi, then swiftly stuffed half into the Use Yishi protective case she'd brought along and sealed it. Using the remaining half, she tested the Use Yishi's quality. "Diameter 11 meters, Qiang-element expulsion rate over 99%—definitely a high-grade Use Yishi."

The black-and-white veining and quality of this Use Yishi were very similar to those of the Yi Stones the wolf pack had traded to Xia Qing. Could these Yi Stones and the wolf pack's Yi Stones come from the same mining area?

Yang Jin wasn't sure either. "Yi Stones of the same grade don't differ much in veining, so you can't judge the origin of a Use Yishi from its veining."

Xia Qing carefully tried to recall but couldn't remember the details of the veining on the Yi Stones worn by Tang Lu and the Fire Phoenix, so she nodded. "Captain Yang, what's the purpose of Tang Zhengsu and the others coming over tomorrow?"

The evolvers among the refugees in Territory Two would be going to the Evolution Forest tomorrow. The two captains from Sufeng coming over at this time—could they be planning to stir up trouble?

"They're coming for Zhang San and Tang Zhengpo. The Fire Phoenix was held up by the news of the high-quality spinach seeds I released, otherwise she would have come too. After several contacts, Sufeng and Liehuo have reached a cooperation agreement, and the content of the agreement relates to cordyceps cultivation."

"They're too late. I've already signed an exclusive cooperation agreement with Zhang San. For two years, all the cordyceps needed to produce Qiang-Reduction Agent in Territory Seven will be supplied by the Green Dragon Squad." Yang Jin had already planned the use of the first batch of Qiang-Reduction Agent. "Once the first batch of Qiang-Reduction Agent is produced, Third Brother has agreed to give the Green Dragon Squad 10 doses, and one of them is yours."

"Thank you." This was good stuff—Xia Qing certainly wouldn't refuse. "The cultivation scale we originally planned can't meet Third Brother's demand for cordyceps, can it? Are you planning to use the unpolluted spring water from the Sea of Death to expand the cordyceps cultivation scale?"

She had finally stopped addressing him with the formal "you"—Yang Jin smiled exceptionally handsomely. "Right, the scale will be expanded by one-third. So all the second-generation spinach seeds you have need to be taken out and put into production."

Xia Qing was surprised. "Only expanded by one-third?"

Yang Jin explained, "Because cultivating cordyceps requires a rare active enzyme, and Third Brother hasn't yet figured out mass production for this enzyme, so the output of Qiang-Reduction Agent is limited."

The image of Tang Huai's punchable, smug face suddenly flashed before Xia Qing's eyes, and she nodded.

It seemed Xia Qing might know the source of the active enzyme. Yang Jin pretended he hadn't noticed anything and began discussing the cooperation method for cordyceps with her. "Considering your spring water might be in a low-water period in January, the first batch of cordyceps we cultivate will use spring water transported from the Sea of Death…"

Without needing Yang Jin to continue, Xia Qing understood. "My input has decreased, so my share decreases accordingly."

After agreeing on the new cooperation share ratio, Yang Jin took out two large packs of beef jerky from his backpack. "This is the green-light beef jerky Brother Luo had someone send back—one pack for you, one for me. Original flavor and pepper-numbing flavor, which one do you want?"

Xia Qing's mouth immediately began to water, and she sincerely suggested, "How about half of each?"

"Good idea."

After the two poured out the beef jerky and squatted on the ground dividing it up strip by strip, Xia Qing looked up and met Yang Jin's soul-stealing smiling face head-on.

Her head went dizzy for a moment, giving Xia Qing the urge to grab two pieces from her own pile of beef jerky and put them into Yang Jin's pile.

But that was impossible—no matter how handsome the smile! Xia Qing quickly stuffed all the beef jerky into her own pocket.

Yang Jin, who hadn't missed the momentary daze as Xia Qing stared at him, couldn't suppress the tingling sensation rising from deep within and his smile, and told her a very valuable piece of news.

"They say the sunshine duration during this year's Qiang Snow will be shorter than in previous years. I plan to act early and order a batch of greenhouse supplemental lights from Hui Five Base. Do you need any?"

Too-short sunshine duration would affect crop and animal growth. Although Xia Qing's greenhouse already had supplemental lights, they were insufficient and could only illuminate one-third of the area. Moreover, Qi Fu and the others probably hadn't had time to consider this issue yet.

What "Iron Rooster" Yang Jin got his hands on was definitely good quality at a low price—riding on this bandwagon would be a waste not to take.

After inquiring clearly about the price and model of the supplemental lights, Xia Qing discussed with Yang Jin, "I want 16 lamps, but I don't have enough points, so I can only pay with materials. Other territories probably need them too—could you ask around in the lord channel?"

Yang Jin shook his head. "You privately find out the total number needed and report it to me before ten tomorrow morning."

It was already dark, and she had to compile the numbers before ten tomorrow morning—Xia Qing had to act immediately. After seeing Yang Jin off, she immediately wrote five slips of paper. When Tan Junjie's inspection team passed by, she handed the slips to him and asked him to deliver them to her five allies.

Tan Junjie took the slips and reminded her in a low voice, "Tomorrow try not to leave your territory, and definitely don't go to Mountain Fifty. If you must leave, it's best to report your itinerary to us in advance via walkie-talkie."

Xia Qing nodded. "Understood, thanks for the reminder, Captain Tan."

Tan Junjie shook his head. "I'm the one who should thank you. If you hadn't been willing to help, the greenhouse wall at Territory Fifteen definitely wouldn't have been built this month."

With the conversation having reached this point, Xia Qing was just about to seize this rare opportunity to ask Tan Junjie how much he knew about the lord of Territory Fourteen. But before she could speak, she heard a scream coming from inside Territory Two.

That was Tang Huai's voice—was he hurt to be screaming so miserably?

Tan Junjie immediately pressed the walkie-talkie. "Territory Two, please report the situation."