Chapter 68: If You Agree, You’re Mine
She hadn’t run down a few steps before she was caught.
Shi Zijin was so amused by his own anger that he laughed, “Aren’t you always so straightforward? Why can’t you face me now?”
Su Tao remained shameless to the end, “Not at all. I was just about to explain to you. Come to my room, let’s sit down and talk.”
She opened the door nonchalantly, inviting him in.
Shi Zijin stepped inside, only to be immediately pounced on by two cats and a dog, leaving him covered in fur.
Su Tao poured him a glass of water, “Since things have come to this, just accept me. I promise I won’t cause trouble or take unnecessary risks.”
Shi Zijin gestured for the excited Xue Dao to be quiet, and Xue Dao immediately sat obediently, tongue out, awaiting orders.
“Take the little ones and go play in the pet room.”
Xue Dao understood, its ears twitched, and it gently nudged the kittens into the room.
Only then did Shi Zijin speak, “I’ve received the orders, and I don’t have the option to refuse. I’m here to tell you to start preparing early. We plan to set out in early June.
“Also, tomorrow I’ll take you to the weapons trading center to get you some self-defense gear. From tomorrow on, you’ll train with me in firearms. We have half a month to get you up to speed.”
Su Tao thought for a couple of seconds and immediately agreed, “Okay!”
Shi Zijin became serious, “Since you agreed, you’re mine now. You’ll have to follow military rules. You won’t get out of any tough training; you’ll have to take it all in. Can you do that?”
Su Tao also got serious, “I can. I’m not that fragile. Besides, I’m eager to learn survival skills. I even wanted to ask Sister Pei to teach me, but she was too busy, so I gave up.”
Shi Zijin raised an eyebrow, “Why didn’t you ask me?”
Su Tao: “… You’re always on the move. Should I learn for two or three days and then figure out the rest on my own?”
“Then why not ask Guan Zining? She ranked top in practical exams at the military district back then.”
Su Tao sighed, “Thanks for sending me such talent. No wonder she was so reluctant when she came to Taoyang. I did think of learning from her, but she has no patience. I was afraid she’d scold me.”
Shi Zijin said calmly, “If you don’t learn well, I’ll scold you too.”
Su Tao shrugged, “Go ahead. I don’t have much dignity left in front of you anyway.”
Shi Zijin was almost speechless, and after a long pause, he could only manage three words, “Go to sleep.”
That night, Su Tao slept soundly, all the way until ten in the morning.
She went through her routine—feeding the pets, walking Xue Dao—and was about to head to the office when she ran into Qian Rongrong downstairs.
The young girl, without her usual plantation-issued work bag, walked into the apartment building with her head down.
Su Tao called out to her, “What’s wrong, Rongrong? Why so down?”
When Qian Rongrong saw her, her eyes immediately filled with tears:
“Sister Tao, I lost my job. It’s too hot, and the plantation isn’t doing well. They laid off a lot of people. I wanted to see if other factories were hiring today, but no luck.”
Su Tao frowned, “What about your mom?”
Qian Rongrong’s tears flowed even harder, “My mom hasn’t been laid off yet, but her salary was cut significantly. I’m afraid it won’t be long before she has to leave too.”
Su Tao immediately thought about how, if both mother and daughter lost their jobs, they would have no source of income. Without enough savings, they wouldn’t be able to cover basic living expenses or rent.
Faced with Qian Rongrong’s helplessness, Su Tao also felt powerless.
Taoyang had no industry of its own and couldn’t provide jobs, leaving her with no way to help.
Watching Qian Rongrong wipe away her tears, Su Tao’s heart, which had been at ease for a short while, suddenly tightened again.
At the same time, she became acutely aware that if Dongyang’s industry collapsed, it would deal a fatal blow to Taoyang.
Most of the tenants had jobs in Dongyang. If they became unemployed, they wouldn’t be able to afford the rent.
She would also lose her source of income, making construction impossible to continue.
When Su Tao met with Shi Zijin in the afternoon, she shared her concerns and asked, “Will the plantation’s benefits recover if there’s a sufficient water supply?”
Shi Zijin shook his head, “It’s hard to say. Plants need more than just water and sunlight to grow. Soil and temperature are also crucial factors. Nowadays, many plants are dying from being exposed to extreme heat. Unless there’s a supernatural being with temperature-control abilities, it’s unlikely to improve.”
“Isn’t there anyone with such powers in Dongyang?”
“No. There might be some in other bases, but in this high-temperature environment, they’re highly sought after by all the major bases. It’s unlikely they’d come to a small place like Dongyang.”
Su Tao thought for a couple of seconds and said, “What if Taoyang could offer a beautiful living environment and include three meals a day? Would anyone be interested?”
Shi Zijin looked at her intently for two seconds and then answered firmly, “Yes.”
Su Tao smiled, “Okay, let’s find a chance to promote this. If we can recruit a suitable person with special abilities, I have a small request: The expenses for this person in Taoyang should be covered by Dongyang, and they must work for Taoyang five days a month.”
Shi Zijin pointed at her and said, “You really never take a loss.”
Su Tao replied confidently, “If this works, I’ll have solved a big problem for Dongyang.”
Shi Zijin smiled helplessly, “Yes, Mr. Su, the great hero.”
When she arrived at the arms trading center, Su Tao didn’t even blink.
She had never been there before and had never seen such a wide variety of weapons—from pistols to machine guns, even heavy artillery and arrows.
I want, I want, I want them all.
In addition to the free trade zone, those who come to the official trading area must meet certain identity requirements. They must either be government officials, military personnel, or other individuals with purchasing and usage qualifications, like Su Tao.
Shi Zijin took her around to browse and eventually selected a Beretta handgun. He had her try holding it. Other than being a bit large for her hand, it was quite suitable.
There was no way around it—her frame wasn’t big, and her hands were even smaller.
Seeing her incorrect grip, Shi Zijin stepped in to correct her, “Align the web of your hand properly, apply pressure with your fingertip…”
His hand covered hers, the rough calluses brushing against her skin, causing a ticklish sensation.
Su Tao pulled her hand back and pretended to be bold, “Got it. Buy it. How much?”
The salesperson replied, “80,000 federal credits plus 6,200 contribution points.”
Su Tao, who hadn’t seen much of the world:
“…?”
Shi Zijin, with a calm expression, paid the bill and dragged her to the defense weapons section.
Su Tao’s poverty-stricken legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.
She grabbed Shi Zijin, “Wait a minute. I don’t think this is a place for me.”
Shi Zijin was puzzled, “Why not?”
Su Tao, “Because I’m broke.”
Shi Zijin flicked her forehead, “I’m paying.”
Su Tao’s legs went weak, “But I can’t repay you. If you do this, I’ll have no choice but to offer myself to you.”
A single gun cost 80,000 federal credits and over 6,000 contribution points—it was so expensive it made her dizzy.
Shi Zijin kept pulling her along, “Then we’ll go with what you said.”
Su Tao: “???”
