Chapter 299: I’ll Go, He Yields!
Wen Biao’s fine hair stood on end, his expression subtle, “We generally don’t sell people…”
“Don’t bullshit me, you don’t sell people, then where did those five hundred people in the convoy come from, there are women and children, don’t tell me they’re all your spawn!”
He Jie glared with bulging eyeballs and cursed.
Before he got on the vehicle, his adjutant Goat had already scouted the entire convoy situation.
Playing tricks in front of the Train Conductor, courting death!
Wen Biao broke out in sweat on his forehead, “They wanted to live better, we Xinma Gang sent them to Zhijin City for free, after that we don’t care, there’s no human trafficking…”
Seeing He Jie’s increasingly gloomy face, Wen Biao had a sudden inspiration, “But it’s not impossible to sell, they’re just a bunch of scavengers, they can survive anywhere, if you need them, I’ll send them to you, that would really help me out.”
“My train won’t stop in Zhijin, bringing people to an unfamiliar place, that wouldn’t be good, right?”
Su Huan said with a faint smile.
He wanted the people, but he couldn’t be the bad guy.
These people were to be added to the crew and Armed Corps, if they weren’t willing to stay, it would just waste resources and time.
Wen Biao got the hint, “Things away from home are expensive, except people who are cheap, they are all scavengers sheltered near the small river, they ran who knows how far to survive, they don’t care about that, each one is eager to stay on the train and enjoy life.”
What compatriots or not, if it was just a simple transaction he might hesitate, but with his life on the line, forget five hundred scavengers, he could hand over the whole convoy.
Not to mention in the apocalypse letting them live safely on such a train.
He Wen Biao had a clear conscience!
“Have Hu Shuo take people to screen them, add those we need, young ones preferred over old ones, even if a bit small.”
Su Huan instructed.
Behind him, Shu Wei immediately noted the order, then distributed it to each department via the command platform.
But these five hundred weren’t the focus, how many talents could there be among five hundred, he wanted experts, as for academicians he didn’t hope for them, big shots of that level would be taken by the military even in haste, the ones left behind like Director Xu had been poached by various forces in advance.
But Zhijin was a new first-tier city, with forty-eight universities alone, so many people couldn’t be taken all at once.
Getting second-tier talents would be enough to alleviate the train’s talent shortage.
“Does Zhijin have any talents, like scholars from certain universities… in sciences.”
Su Huan asked.
He Jie warned in advance, “Don’t beat around the bush, say what you know!”
Su Huan glanced satisfied at He Jie, the two now coordinated more tacitly.
With him playing bad cop, he didn’t need to kill anyone.
……
Through Wen Biao’s narration, Su Huan gained a clear understanding of Zhijin’s talent flow.
Because the apocalypse broke out in December, general universities’ holidays were from mid-January to late February, earlier or later wouldn’t affect December.
So students and teachers were all trapped in the schools.
Several universities banded together, using teachers and veterans as backbone to organize students, waiting for rescue.
But after half a month, under devastation from various heavenly calamities, zombies, mutated beasts, the universities first disintegrated, University City splitting into individual schools.
Another half month passed, and the internals of universities began to disintegrate.
Under impacts from off-campus societal people, heavenly calamities and man-made disasters struck simultaneously.
The first to extend aid to this group of universities was Jin Feng Chamber of Commerce, also the largest local force at the time, but not reaching major force level, limited capacity to shelter only about ten thousand teachers and students.
But a comprehensive university alone had over twenty thousand people.
Vocational colleges had over five thousand.
Only branches and academies had fewer.
These ten thousand plus were a drop in the bucket for universities in dire straits.
With Jin Feng Chamber of Commerce leading, other forces reacted, together sheltering about ten thousand, until a month later when Black Kite cleared Xinma County and took over twenty thousand in one go.
The rest had formed various sizes of forces around Zhijin, unwilling to follow Black Kite anymore.
Like in Xinma County, three convoys and two settlements, one was composed of this group of students.
Fu Yuan Convoy had them too, but they had completed force integration in their county, so externally one of the “Four Greats” on par with Jin Feng Chamber of Commerce.
Additionally, Zhinnán District, the large area south of Zhijin City near Xinma County, had a large force composed of universities inside.
Zhinnán District and the eastern Zhihua District were also entry-exit points for various forces into Zhijin City.
These two places had the most survivors.
Other places were mostly occupied by zombies, or some small survivor shelters, but outside was unknown.
Su Huan lightly tapped the sofa armrest with his index finger, “They only come out when the Scavenger Market opens?”
Wen Biao nodded, “Yes, other times they hide, specific locations hard to find, Tiejian City might know, after all all forces in Zhijin City, but I’m not sure…”
“Time?”
“Once a month, next is ten days later, usually three to five days, if Black Kite participates it extends to five days, if Black Kite absent then three days… Right, there’s a machinery repair shop in the market, opened by a small settlement, if you need talents, you can get some info there too.”
“Ten days later…” Su Huan narrowed his eyes, “I need a guide, you should have nothing these ten days, right?”
“None none, just in time I’m waiting for market opening too.”
Wen Biao said smiling, the fierce beast on his face pulled funny by his flesh.
After Wen Biao left, He Jie said, “This market is probably instigated by Black Kite in secret, are we still going?”
“Go, why not go?”
Su Huan asked strangely in return.
“If it’s Black Kite’s people…”
“He doesn’t go, I go, I go, he retreats.”
The train started again, leading the Xinma Gang convoy into Xinma County.
A two-story small building at the road entrance was smashed by Hammer of the Alps and collapsed with a boom, several small bulldozers got off the train, chugging to clear building debris.
While Xinma Gang people were stunned, Hu Shuo pulled a cart of tools and walked toward everyone.
Soon, several hundred Xinma Gang members joined the huffing and puffing team.
Once cleared enough, the whistle sounded, the train crushing ruins drove into the county town.
The canopy of the cultivation pod shook three times.
The armored train was really too wide, though decoupling would improve travel efficiency a lot.
But one train couldn’t pull the cultivation pod behind.
So could only take the widest main roads, clear buildings encountered, split bridges, anyway Jin Feng had few mountains, as long as no tunneling, the train had ways.
……
Scavenger Market opening still needed some time, market in neutral town between three counties and Zhijin City, usually just one settlement there, due to special location selected as trading market, from Xinma County to town just four or five kilometers.
Train simply stopped in Xinma County.
With Wen Biao vouching, other convoys were initially skeptical, but once train started trading, all pressed doubts to heart bottom.
Whether weapons, food, information, evolutionary supplies, what the armored train brought out were all top-tier.
Even better than what Black Kite traded them.
Instantly sparking a small-scale trading wave in Xinma County.
Two days later.
Carriage No. 5.
Lin Jin hung upside down on a steel clothes rack, doing sit-ups.
Up, open eyes
Down, close eyes.
A white skirt fluttered past.
Up, open eyes
Down, close eyes.
A pair of light green canvas shoes pattered by.
Up, can’t go up.
An icy cool finger poked his forehead.
Lin Jin helplessly opened his eyes, looking at the little girlfriend before him, inside a fitted white small T-shirt, outside light green casual shirt, faint grass and wood scent hitting nose.
“The skirt looks good.”
“And?”
Xiao Hezi asked smiling.
“Jacket color matches well, fresh, um, clean, and shoes match too, colors harmonious.”
“More?”
Lin Jin scanned Xiao Hezi’s ears and neck, racking brains found no more details, intense soreness in abdomen like tide surging, couldn’t hold on, head down, hanging inverted.
“Oh, lace is sexy.”
Lin Jin with new perspective suddenly saw the light!
Xiao Hezi’s pretty face reddened, retreated half step, slightly lifted skirt, then closed legs and squatted, poked his sweaty chest with finger.
“Knew you were perving! I promoted to Tier 1 Evolver today!”
Lin Jin stunned, flipped down with a slap.
“You promoted?! What profession?”
“Tier 1 ‘Wasteland Tracking’, how’s that?”
Xiao Hezi proudly raised her nose.
Lin Jin scratched head, “Sounds just like a skill from cartoons…”
Xiao Hezi sighed, “I consulted Director Xu, train database doesn’t have my profession recorded, name they came up with on spot, since no combat ability, hunter or such not fitting, and because of that ‘Topological Perception’ skill, tracking words more appropriate, so named that.”
Lin Jin frowned, “Doesn’t that mean no follow-up promotion path?”
“Pretty much, bad luck means stuck at Tier 1 forever, boo hoo, I’m so pitiful…”
Xiao Hezi pitifully fell into Lin Jin’s arms.
Lin Jin heartbrokenly hugged his little girlfriend, “We’ll find the Train Conductor, he surely has a way.”
Xiao Hezi sneaked a smack on his angular face while he wasn’t looking.
Then satisfied wiped mouth, “Yummy!”
“Hehe, tricked you, seeing your handsome face I feel better.”
Lin Jin half angry half amused tightened his arms.
But this normal, in romance gotta let her get something, Xiao Hezi got his handsomeness, he got girl’s serenity beauty, stable personality.
Just let it go.
While the little couple flirted, inappropriate “dong dong” sounded outside car window.
Several women cautiously stood outside window, backs with baskets, hands carrying large bags of clean clothes.
Xiao Hezi went over opened window, “Carriage No. 5 not accepting things, for exchange go to Carriage No. 27.”
Outside several women timidly agreed, mutually helping lift clothes from ground.
Xiao Hezi then saw they carried only a small part, ground had large piles of bags of clothes, seeing their difficulty, sighed, “Forget it, this time ok, next time for exchange still go to No. 27.”
Outside immediately grateful thanks rose.
After busy half day, opposite finally stuffed clothes through window.
Xiao Hezi checked, threw out some dirty or torn ones.
Outside immediately pleas rose, “Hard to get, please take them.”
Xiao Hezi while writing note, apologetically explained, “Train has rules, I can’t decide…”
Once note handed out, outside instantly quieted.
Several women looked at note face to face, “We want to exchange for food and water.”
Xiao Hezi warmly said, “Today here not normal exchange window, can’t directly exchange to supplies, this note has my signature, take to Carriage No. 27, find attendant for normal exchange.”
“Can a little girl like you be trusted?”
A drooping eye woman smiled on face, thick doubt in eyes.
Immediately a woman echoed, “No, who knows if true or false, these new clothes we risked lives from city for, died many people, you swap with a note?”
“Exactly, if your train leaves then, what about us?”
“Yeah yeah, last time they came could exchange, why not us this time?! And my clothes not torn or damaged, why not take, deliberately making trouble?”
“Clearly bad intentions!”
Women’s voices increasingly sharp, Xiao Hezi a bit regretful.
Shouldn’t have meddled.
“Don’t know rules?”
Two flames suddenly appeared at car window, Lin Jin’s cold face behind Xiao Hezi.
Feeling warmth on waist, Xiao Hezi’s slight panic instantly calmed.
Distant alert soldiers stared here, hearing noise directly sent one NCO squad, hugging guns strode over.
Patrolling vehicle also pulled near.
NCO on roof controlling anti-aircraft machine gun saluted Lin Jin with fist to shoulder, “Captain Lin!”
Then gloomy gaze to group of women outside, “Scavengers causing trouble?”
Originally chattering women instantly quail-like under muzzles.
Not even courage to argue.
Just pleadingly looked to Lin Jin in carriage.
Seeing him unmoved, looked to Xiao Hezi.
Xiao Hezi silently hid head in Lin Jin’s arms, not looking.
After series of events, Lin Jin long not that naive young man saved by Train Conductor from zombie horde, coldly said, “I give you two choices, either take note to Carriage No. 27 for exchange, or leave now, stay after thirty seconds, treated as intruders and cleared.”
Two NCOs hearing this, sneered loudly, “Shooting prep!”
Soldiers racking gun bolts made women legs weak, scrambling away.
Lin Jin then stone-faced nodded to soldiers, pulled up car window.
Little girlfriend finally checked clothes, he wouldn’t back down.
Hall Armed Corps captain, you think made of clay?
His level, if wanted to lead team out, could pull four NCO squads plus own, twenty-five trained fully armed evolver soldiers, forget them, their backing convoy could directly wipe.
In small place like Xinma County, he was top-tier violence warlord!
Wen Biao saw Train Conductor because Train Conductor had questions for him.
Didn’t mean Wen Biao just below Train Conductor.
Wen Biao such convoy leader’s actual strength resources barely Corps second lieutenant level.
On train you can call me Captain Lin, outside calling dad not your turn.
“It’s fine, it’s fine…”
Seeing people gone, Lin Jin hurried to comfort little girlfriend.
Xiao Hezi aggrievedly lifted head, eyes teary, pitiful look broke Lin Jin’s heart.
Wished to grab them back and shoot.
Evolution path blocked not this aggrieved, result stopping few days in Xinma County, let these bastards make her cry twice.
If not Xiao Hezi annoyed, tailor shop here also one of external open windows.
