Chapter 81: Only Taoyang People Don’t Have to Worry About Running Out of Vegetables
The guesthouse at Shou’an Base had no air conditioning and didn’t provide water.
There weren’t even private bathrooms—everyone had to go downstairs to the first floor to relieve themselves.
From inside her room, Su Tao could hear the Dongyang team members who had just checked in complaining non-stop:
“Why does it stink everywhere? It’s so hot and smelly, especially the first floor.”
“I suggest you avoid the public restroom—it’ll ruin your day.”
“When was the last time they washed these bedsheets? My shoes are cleaner than this…”
Before long, the logistics team leader called everyone to fetch water from the convoy, saying the guesthouse had not a single drop.
Su Tao had a bad feeling about this, but since she really needed to go to the bathroom, she decided to head downstairs.
As soon as she pushed open the restroom door, she immediately stepped back two paces, covering her nose.
The scorching heat combined with the stench of fermented waste…
There were even some unidentified semi-solid substances on the floor.
Guang Zining, who had just arrived behind her, turned pale. Having grown used to Taoyang’s cleanliness, she almost threw up her lunch at the sight of such a filthy toilet.
She marched to the front desk and demanded that the public restroom be cleaned.
The receptionist was unfazed and replied bluntly, “You should be grateful it’s not an open pit. Water is scarce everywhere right now—who would waste it on cleaning?”
Su Tao took a whiff of the receptionist’s sweaty odor and thought about how she had to stay in this dreadful place for three or four days. So she said, “Get someone to clean the restroom for us. We’ll provide the water. Plus, I’ll give you two 500ml bottles as payment.”
The receptionist’s eyes lit up. “Are you serious?”
Water was so scarce in Shou’an that, aside from the wealthy in the city center, people were desperate for it. A single 500ml bottle could be traded for a healthy refugee child.
Su Tao pulled out a bottle from her bag and urged, “Yes, this is your deposit. Finish the job, and you’ll get the other one.”
The receptionist snatched the bottle, quickly stuffing it into her bag. Then, smiling flatteringly at Su Tao, she said, “I didn’t believe the rumors that Dongyang had plenty of water, but now I do. I’ll get it cleaned right away!”
With the promise of water, people worked fast. In less than 30 minutes, the filthy restroom was spotless. The unbearable stench was nearly gone, and even the public showers were cleaned.
It still wasn’t up to Taoyang’s standards, but at least it was usable.
The receptionist, delighted with her second bottle of water, began to complain to Su Tao:
“Has Dongyang closed its borders? When will it reopen? Shou’an is becoming unlivable. The warlords here don’t care about us common folks at all—all the water is reserved for the wealthy district, while everyone else is forced to drink their leftover bathwater.”
“I haven’t had a proper drink in two days.” She unscrewed the cap, cautiously licking a small sip, too reluctant to take a full gulp.
Her cracked lips moved again, “Lately, those giant scythe-wielding zombies have been rampaging through the city, killing people. The bodies are just dumped wherever, and now the whole place stinks like hell on earth. Do you have those scythe zombies in Dongyang?”
Su Tao nodded. “Yes, but we have city defense troops stationed outside the perimeter. We’re also reinforcing our walls to be taller and stronger, so casualties have been minimal.”
The receptionist’s eyes filled with envy and longing, but then her expression quickly darkened.
“I was too late… Dongyang has already shut its gates.”
Su Tao listened quietly and didn’t say anything more.
Just then, the Dongyang team members noticed the cleaned restrooms. When they found out it was Su Tao’s doing, they all came over to thank her.
The logistics team leader also finally found an opportunity to talk to Su Tao, showering her with compliments.
By the time Su Tao returned to her room to sleep, it was already 1 a.m.
Looking at the filthy bed, both she and Guan Zining couldn’t bring themselves to lie down.
Lin Fangzhi, seeing their hesitation, offered his own bed for them to use.
Su Tao waved him off. “No need. Just help me carry these two dirty beds out and dump them in the hallway.”
After sending them away, she opened the system and selected two brand-new single beds from a virtual home goods store, placing them in the original bed positions. She also added a small wardrobe for temporary use over the next few days.
Between the two beds, she placed a small round table with seating for four—perfect for meals.
When Guan and Lin returned after disposing of the old beds, they froze upon seeing the newly furnished room.
After a long pause, Guan Zining finally spoke. “Your ability is purely for comfort. Whoever takes you along gets to live the good life.”
With that, she flopped onto one of the clean, soft beds.
Apart from the lack of air conditioning, everything was perfect.
Unfortunately, the guesthouse had no electricity, so even if they installed an AC unit, it wouldn’t work.
As a result, Su Tao woke up from the heat two or three times during the night.
By the last time, she simply gave up on sleep, sat up, and opened her system interface, pulling up a 3D map of Taoyang.
To take over the plantation quickly, she needed a proper space for cultivation.
But Taoyang was packed to the brim—there wasn’t a single empty plot left unless she built upwards onto rooftops.
The three apartment buildings were all four or five stories tall. Any higher, and without elevators, it would be inconvenient.
After scanning the options, Su Tao decided the best solution was to construct a third floor onto the cafeteria, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls on all sides to provide ample sunlight for hydroponic farming.
Once the decision was made, she got straight to work.
For less than 10,000 credits, she built a sunroom on the cafeteria’s third floor.
Worried about the heat, she even installed a central air conditioning system.
At sunrise, she called Qian Lin, informing her that the hydroponic seeds could now be sent to the cafeteria’s third floor for cultivation.
Qian Lin, upon receiving the call, rushed downstairs.
When she reached the cafeteria and looked up, she saw the newly constructed sunroom that had appeared overnight.
It was entirely made of floor-to-ceiling glass, making the interior spacious and bright.
Swallowing in disbelief, she said, “Boss Su, your timing is impeccable! I’ll gather the technicians right away to move the seeds over. The sooner we start, the sooner we’ll have our first batch of vegetables.”
Su Tao asked, “How long until harvest?”
“Pretty fast. Some crops can be ready in a month. But with our current growing area, it’ll only be enough for about 100 people in Taoyang.”
Su Tao was satisfied. “For now, we’ll supply only our internal tenants, and we’ll keep prices at the same rate as Dongyang used to. Once we expand, we’ll start selling externally.”
Qian Lin was just as pleased. As a Taoyang resident, she wouldn’t have to worry about a vegetable shortage anytime soon.
After hanging up, Qian Lin immediately reported the news to Zhuang Wan.
Zhuang Wan wasted no time posting an announcement:
Taoyang now had its own plantation, and all produce would be prioritized for internal tenants at unchanged prices.
Tenants were reminded not to disturb the staff working on the third floor of the cafeteria.
For the tenants of Taoyang, this was nothing short of fantastic news.
Ever since the fire had destroyed Dongyang’s plantation, there had been widespread panic about a long-term vegetable shortage or the need to import expensive produce from other bases.
But now, they no longer had to worry!
Grateful to have moved into Taoyang in time, tenants quickly called their friends and family who were still waiting for housing, urging them not to give up and to keep applying—hoping to secure a spot as soon as possible.
