Chapter 168: Spectacle of the Convoy
A total of five vehicles, caught in the crowd, were slowly guided like snails onto a nearby ramp.
The defense soldiers responsible for quarantine stood by the inspection machines waiting, while everyone huddled together, looking like a bunch of nosy penguins.
Huai Yu was pushed to the front by Uncle Zaozi, holding her basket in confusion. The car door in front was jammed by the crowd, and the person inside cursed a bit before forcefully shoving it open:
“Move, move! We haven’t even started testing yet—what’s the rush?”
Someone grumbled, “Don’t they have those big machines that scan the whole vehicle at the highway entrances? Always using these small ones—unloading, reloading… such a hassle…”
A defense soldier nearby glanced at them: “Where’s the country supposed to get money? All spent on building houses, roads, and other infrastructure.”
That was true.
Thinking about how life was gradually getting back on track, people started to laugh: “I’m just whining… take your time testing, better safe than sorry!”
Nowadays, there was no such thing as overload. Whether or not the vehicles had the capacity, they all had to add a cargo bed at the back. Huai Yu watched as a dozen people from the convoy were busy loading and unloading goods. Someone nearby eagerly reached out:
“Captain Zhao, let me help you!”
“No need.”
Hearing someone speak, Huai Yu matched the name to the man. He looked to be around 40, not very tall, but when he carried things, the muscles on his forearms tensed visibly—he was clearly strong.
His skin was a bit dark, eyebrows sparse, but his sharp eyes were as keen as blades. With a smile, he glanced at the man who offered help:
“Stay away from my truck. Who doesn’t know you lot—saying you’re helping but just want to get your hands on my stuff.”
His words were blunt, but the man laughed without any shame:
“Come on, you know I’m not like that.”
“Doesn’t matter if you are or not—no need for help. What’s the point of crowding here? Go wait by the testing area. If there’s something I can’t be bothered to handle, I’ll come to you.”
He said that, but Huai Yu looked over at the inspection area ahead and saw it was even more crowded. Clearly, they weren’t lucky enough to get a prime spot.
Captain Zhao was unloading crates from the truck, but in the dim night, it was hard to see what was inside.
Huai Yu tiptoed and peered curiously. In this group of hustling, scrappy vendors, her clean and leisurely look stood out.
Several people from the convoy noticed this unfamiliar face, but Huai Yu didn’t realize it and asked the person next to her:
“Uncle Zaozi, what are you collecting later? If it’s nearby, I’ll help you grab it.”
Uncle Zaozi laughed: “I’ve got many sources, girl—I can collect anything…”
He hadn’t finished speaking when the machine ahead gave a “beep,” and the crowd instantly surged forward:
“It’s out, it’s out!”
“A mutated beehive, 5.7 jin! Lots of bee pupae! A bit of royal jelly—whoa, the mutation value is only 14!”
“Me! Me! I want it—I want it—”
The crowd became noisy, everyone pushing to the front, but despite the chaos, there was still a kind of order:
“600 points!”
“Why don’t you go home and sleep? In your dreams! Next!”
“880! Fair enough, right, Captain Zhao?”
“Scram, scram, scram—trying to snatch a bargain from me…”
Uncle Zaozi sighed: “Talk about luck—how does this Zhao guy always hit the jackpot? A whole mutated beehive!”
Huai Yu watched wide-eyed as people took turns shouting out their bids. If their offer wasn’t accepted, they’d step aside.
In a way, this heated up the atmosphere, made transactions smoother and prices higher, and even gave people further back some hope…
Huai Yu suddenly understood why everyone kept trying to squeeze forward—there was actually a chance to get something!
She was counting how many people were ahead of her when someone in the middle of the line raised their hand and shouted:
“Flat price, 1800!”
Hiss—
That was a jaw-dropping offer, and the whole scene fell silent for a moment.
Captain Zhao, who had been selling to familiar faces, perked up immediately:
“Deal!”
He strode over and gave the bidder a big high-five. The mutated beehive was instantly taken aside to be traded.
Just then, another white plastic crate came out of the machine.
“Frozen mutated bullfrogs—freshly frozen, died and were iced right away. Our team’s got water- and ice-type abilities, you all know that…”
“Talking so much—means the mutation value is high, huh?”
Everyone was experienced; good stuff gets to the point fast. This guy going on and on? Definitely hiding something.
Uncle Zaozi perked up and shoved a sack into Huai Yu’s elbow: “I’ve got a feeling—it’s my time! As long as the mutation value’s not over 18, I’ll—”
“Mutation value—21.”
The moment the number was announced, the crowd fell silent, then collectively groaned: “Tsk—”
Anything over 20 meant the difference between disgustingly inedible and wishing you were dead.
Even Uncle Zaozi’s face twisted in dismay. Whether it was peaches or dates, his already tough life just got worse.
Someone up front was already dragging the crate aside, cursing:
“Damn, if I’d known it was 21, I wouldn’t have wasted my powers… Look how solid I froze it!”
Huai Yu was too short to see what was happening up front, but seeing everyone eyeing the next batch in the machine, she got anxious. She raised her hand high:
“Me, me, me! The mutated bullfrog—I want it!”
Everyone turned around at once and laughed at her clear, crisp voice:
“Mutation value 21—you want it and you’re not even helping carry it?”
“Planning to pay for it too?”
“Ah—” Huai Yu exclaimed—she really had planned to.
Didn’t expect… it was actually free.
She glanced at Uncle Zaozi, remembering how he’d once said he picked up a whole crate of dates at the highway exit. She beamed and happily ran over:
“Thank you, uncles, brothers, sisters, aunties!”
The little girl’s sweet voice softened the team members’ expressions. One of them placed the crate on the grass: “Can you carry it back? It’s over 30 jin with the ice.”
“I can carry it!”
Mutated bullfrog, and frozen too—tender meat and high protein! Huai Yu was determined to haul it back, even if she had to crawl.
Uncle Zaozi arrived a bit late, rushing over with a sack: “Here, here, I brought plastic bags—let’s pack up the ice for you.”
After everyone left, he leaned over and whispered to Huai Yu: “You’re always after these high-mutation-value things… are you offering them up to Rose Corridor?”
