Chapter 116: Major, You Really Are One of Us
“Where are you going to collect building materials? Will you be passing by Panliu Mountain?” Su Tao asked.
“Panliu Mountain? Your new territory is already built?”
Su Tao sent him a few photos of Panliu Mountain and said generously, “It’s already open for business. If you pass by, you’re welcome to stop in—free food, lodging, and energy replenishment, all on the house.”
Shi Zijin could already imagine her smug little face and chuckled. “Haven’t seen you for a while, and you’ve already become a big boss. If the material collection goes smoothly, we’ll pass by Panliu Mountain according to our planned route. Otherwise, we’ll have to take a longer detour to another base.”
Su Tao glanced out the window at the scorching sun and worried for him. “Taking a detour means delaying your return to base, right? It’s July now. In half a month or a month, the temperature might rise even more. Can you handle the extreme heat on the road?”
Lately, Su Tao had been reluctant to go anywhere without air conditioning. Even the short walk from the apartment building to the cafeteria felt like torture. The temperature in Taoyang was already slightly lower than outside—she couldn’t even imagine what kind of hellish furnace it must be beyond the base.
Shi Zijin replied, “It’ll be tough, but we brought enough water—thanks to you. Also, we’ve encountered countless teams migrating south in search of water. They all heard about Dongyang and are heading there. I expect many of them will pass through Panliu Mountain, so you might want to prepare.”
That was a hint—there was money to be made!
Many northern base members had deep pockets. If they could still travel south in such dangerous times, they were definitely high-value customers. If she secured this batch, she wouldn’t even need to compete with the old supply station for business.
Su Tao’s face lit up with joy. “Oh, my dear Major, you really are one of us! You always think of me when there’s a good opportunity. When you come to Panliu Mountain, I’ll treat you all to a feast! I’ve hired a top-tier chef—I promise you a five-star pre-apocalypse dining experience.”
Shi Zijin knew she was joking again and reminded her, “While making money, you also need to protect yourself. Business always comes with competition, even retaliation. The person in charge of the old supply station is Tan Yong—he has some background and does business without any bottom line. He’s also petty. Be careful. If you run into any trouble you can’t handle, don’t fight it alone—come to me.”
Su Tao nodded earnestly.
“Alright, I have to go finalize the ‘Bone Wings’ handover. After that, I’ll deal with some minor issues and then head back.”
Su Tao suddenly asked, “What exactly is Changjing going to do with ‘Bone Wings’?”
Dissection? Live autopsy? Medical experiments?
Whatever the method, thinking about ‘Bone Wings’—how human-like it appeared—gave her the eerie feeling that they were harming their own kind.
Shi Zijin replied, “I know what you’re thinking. It’s none of those. Changjing wants to decode the mutation patterns of the infected, so they’re injecting it with nutrients to accelerate its growth and observe the process. This is the first recorded case of a mutated infected—it has immense research value as a living specimen. There’s no way they’d let it die easily.”
Su Tao thought to herself, So they’re keeping it alive? They’d better watch it closely, or it’ll turn into a horror movie scenario if it escapes.
After hanging up, Su Tao teleported to Panliu Mountain and gave Ma Dapao new instructions.
“There will be many convoys heading south through Panliu Mountain soon. Your job is to secure these customers and not let them slip away.”
Hearing that business was coming, Ma Dapao’s eyes sparkled. “Don’t worry about that! Bringing in customers is my specialty. I’m an expert.”
“But don’t overbook. The Panliu Mountain lodge can accommodate a maximum of 65 people per day. Also, watch out for trouble from the old supply station. If anything happens, have them contact me. Lastly, buy a vehicle for transportation—I’ll reimburse the cost. Renting one every time is too much hassle.”
Hearing that he was getting a car, Ma Dapao was thrilled.
What man doesn’t love cars? If they don’t, it’s just because they can’t afford one!
Just as Su Tao was about to leave, Ma Dapao hesitated and pulled her back. “Boss, um… when is the kitchen getting new ingredients? Chef Qin has been so bored these past few days that he’s about to scrub the cookware to pieces. He’s been nagging me non-stop, and when I told him there’s nothing for him to do, he started taking over the receptionist and cleaning staff’s jobs… I figured we should get him back to cooking as soon as possible. It’ll be better for everyone.”
Before Su Tao could reply, she saw Chef Qin running toward her from a distance. Sensing trouble, she quickly said, “I’ll get the supplies as soon as possible. Just hold him off for now!”
Then, she immediately teleported back to Taoyang.
Sure enough, the moment she was gone, Chef Qin had no choice but to grab Ma Dapao and beg, “Manager Ma, is there anything—anything—I can do? If I don’t work, I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, it’s unbearable…”
Back in Taoyang, Su Tao started planning how to handle the supply issue for Panliu Mountain’s kitchen.
Vegetables could be sourced directly from Taoyang’s farm, but for meat, she had to buy from outside.
It was clear she needed a dedicated procurement officer for Panliu Mountain. Otherwise, as food demands increased, she’d be overwhelmed.
As she considered this, she spotted Lin Fangzhi quietly reading at his desk. Smiling, she waved him over.
“Fangzhi, come here.”
Lin Fangzhi obediently set down his book, walked over, and sat across from her. His doe-like eyes were filled with focus and anticipation as he waited for her to speak.
Su Tao asked, “Is your studying stressful?”
Lin Fangzhi thought for a moment, then shook his head.
Su Tao guided him, “Say it out loud—don’t use gestures.”
Lin Fangzhi pursed his lips but made an effort to form words. “Not stressful… I can learn… very quickly.”
Su Tao praised him, “Fangzhi, you’re really smart. Teacher Sheng has complimented you too. I believe that soon, you’ll be able to speak fluently with anyone. Right now, I need help with something, but it requires talking to people, even strangers. Can you handle that?”
She wanted Lin Fangzhi to manage the supplies and procurement for Panliu Mountain.
On one hand, she genuinely needed a procurement officer, but more importantly, she wanted Lin Fangzhi to take a step toward the outside world instead of always living within her own.
Lin Fangzhi understood. His doe-like eyes widened more and more before he finally asked, “I can help you?”
Su Tao noticed the surprise in his gaze and smiled. “Why wouldn’t you be able to? You’re someone I trust. I’d be worried if I gave this task to anyone else.”
Lin Fangzhi’s entire face lit up with excitement, and he nodded eagerly. “I want to help you!”
Su Tao peeled open a milk candy—his favorite—and fed it to him.
“Good job. Now, please help me with something. Go find Qian Lin and tell her you need 20 pounds of vegetables, any variety. Once you get them, store them in your space and then come back to me. You’re not allowed to use gestures during this process.”
Lin Fangzhi hesitated slightly, but the moment he thought about being able to help her, that little bit of reluctance completely vanished.
As she watched him run toward the plantation, Su Tao called Qian Lin to explain the situation.
Qian Lin sighed, “You really put a lot of effort into Fangzhi. You could’ve just called me to settle this, but you went through all this trouble just to train him.”
Su Tao replied, “It’s not a big deal for me, but it’ll be a bit of extra work for you. From now on, all vegetable procurement for Panliu Mountain will go through Fangzhi. He speaks slowly and sometimes struggles to express himself, so please be patient with him.”
Qian Lin readily agreed, “That’s nothing! Fangzhi is adorable. Anyone who sees that delicate little face of his would naturally have the patience to listen to him finish his sentences.”
Twenty minutes later, Lin Fangzhi came back, drenched in sweat. As soon as he saw Su Tao, he grabbed her hand.
“Taotao, look.”
He wanted to show her the vegetables he had brought back.
Su Tao saw the neatly packed baskets of vegetables inside his space and didn’t hold back her praise. At the same time, a sense of relief and pride grew in her heart—he was really trying and slowly growing.
