Chapter 89: Let’s Move to Taoyang
Wu Zhen stared at the photos on his communicator for a long time.
More than anyone, he understood how difficult it was to grow crops this well using only hydroponic technology, without the aid of wood-based abilities.
First, someone must always be watching over the plants, ensuring the right temperature and providing an adequate water supply…
The extreme heat and water shortages had already forced most bases to give up on farming.
For a small, unknown place like Taoyang to achieve this level of success under such harsh conditions was truly remarkable.
It was clear that Taoyang placed immense importance on agriculture.
Unlike Shou’an…
Wu Zhen glanced over at his balcony, where vibrant red tomatoes, sweet strawberries, and fresh cucumbers thrived.
If only the balcony had more space… If only he didn’t have to pour so much energy and ability into maintaining that useless little garden… He would love to grow watermelons and fruit trees too.
He had always dreamed of building a green paradise that would leave the world in awe.
Just then, Mr. Mei sent another message:
“Xiao Zhen, don’t be fooled by Taoyang’s current small sunroom. We have expansion plans. A large plot of land will soon be dedicated to farming—enough to feed tens of thousands of people.”
Then, he sent a detailed blueprint of the planned farm.
The design left Wu Zhen speechless. According to the blueprint, Taoyang’s farm would include a complete production and living infrastructure, even featuring a food processing plant and an agricultural equipment repair center—essentially a large-scale commercial agricultural base reminiscent of the pre-apocalypse era.
He stared at it in shock and typed:
“Uncle Mei, this is impossible. This is way too ambitious. The amount of water, electricity, manpower, and funding needed is unimaginable. Even before the apocalypse, a project like this would have been incredibly difficult to pull off.”
Mr. Mei simply replied: “You never know.”
“You never know…”
Su Tao had said those exact words to him before.
Wu Zhen swallowed hard. He looked over at his wife, who was furiously tutoring their son, and hesitated before typing another question:
“Do Dongyang and Taoyang have schools?”
Mr. Mei answered:
“Dongyang does, but it’s not purely an academic school—it has a military aspect. Mornings are for studying, afternoons for training. Taoyang, however, has plans to build an academic school, though it will take some time to set up.”
Wu Zhen fell silent.
Just in terms of education, Dongyang and Taoyang were already far ahead of Shou’an.
Shou’an Base used to have school buildings, but those heartless warlords had them demolished to build weapons factories instead.
Now, they didn’t care that most children born after the apocalypse were growing up illiterate.
The warlords, wealthy and powerful, could afford to hire private tutors for their own children.
Ordinary people, however, had to juggle work while dedicating significant time and energy to teaching their kids.
There were no proper textbooks, no structured curriculum, and even basic school supplies were lacking.
This was why his wife frequently broke down in frustration.
For the first time, Wu Zhen realized that maybe—just maybe—living in Shou’an wasn’t as good as he had convinced himself.
At that moment, his wife stormed out after another exhausting tutoring session. Upon seeing him, she immediately vented her anger:
“He’s your son too, not just mine! He’s already eight years old, and he still can’t write his own name! I’ve been teaching him basic addition and subtraction for months, and he still gets it wrong! I’m going crazy!”
“Wu Zhen, aren’t you worried?! Before the apocalypse, our whole family was highly educated. Your father was even a university professor! And now his grandson is illiterate!”
She collapsed onto the couch, sobbing.
Wu Zhen felt a pang of guilt. He glanced down at his chat with Uncle Mei, took a deep breath, and said:
“Honey, let’s move. Let’s move to Taoyang.”
*
The supply station was much livelier than Su Tao had expected.
Transport convoys, merchant caravans, and military personnel from various bases constantly passed through, stopping to rest and refuel.
There were even makeshift inns, a rundown gas station on the right, and numerous street vendors lining the roadside. The entire place buzzed with activity.
As soon as Su Tao and her team stepped out of their vehicle, a sharp-eyed inn worker approached them.
“Need a place to stay? Our inn offers hot water and food, private bathrooms, and showers. After a long journey, why not treat yourselves to a warm bath and a hot meal before hitting the road again?”
Curious, Su Tao asked, “How much per night? And how do you charge for water and food?”
The worker, sizing them up—well-dressed, clean, clearly not struggling—smiled obsequiously and said:
“8000 Federal Credits per night. As for water, you know how scarce it is these days… Our costs are high, so we charge 12,000 Federal Credits per 500 milliliters.”
Su Tao’s jaw dropped. Robbery!
Then again, in a remote place like this, anyone truly desperate for food and water might just grit their teeth and pay.
Before she could respond, Guan Zining took off her sunglasses and military cap, her expression ice-cold.
“Ma Dapao, do you even recognize me? Trying to scam my people?”
The worker took one look at her face and immediately recoiled in fear. After a brief hesitation, he nervously scratched his head and laughed awkwardly:
“Oh, Sister Guan, I didn’t realize it was you! Haha… These two are new faces—I made a mistake! I’ll get out of your way now.”
And with that, he bolted.
Su Tao turned to Guan Zining. “You know a lot of people here?”
Guan Zining nodded. “Yeah. Every mission with the Major passes through this station. It’s the only supply hub within a hundred miles, so every team stops here to rest. Over time, I got to know the locals.”
“That guy, Ma Dapao, works for one of the inns, luring in customers. He overcharges anyone he thinks he can scam—because the more he swindles, the higher his commission. I’ve put him in his place before, so now he avoids people from Dongyang.”
Su Tao asked, “What’s the actual fair price?”
“It’s not exactly cheap. We stayed here before, and it was around 3,000 Federal Credits per night. Back when water wasn’t scarce, a 500-milliliter bottle still sold for 800 Federal Credits. Now, the price has probably increased tenfold.”
Su Tao thought about the water stored in Lin Fangzhi’s space. After a quick calculation, she realized that it could be worth millions of Federal Credits here.
Yet, she only had 500,000 Federal Credits in her savings.
With that thought, Su Tao widened her eyes and eagerly looked at Guan Zining, asking with anticipation:
“Sister Guan, can I set up a stall here to sell some water and fuel? Not too much—just enough to make a little extra cash, and I’d be happy.”
