I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 621: Settling My Own Assets

However, things soon became busy for Jing Shu. The items were numerous and varied. Mr. Jing and Mr. Jing went to tinker with the freeze-drying equipment, so Jing Shu and Grandma Jing began tidying up the supplies that filled the entire living room.

At the time of purchase, she hadn’t thought much of it; they were just a string of numbers. Buying them was simple. Plus, with excellent service ensuring full transportation, Jing Shu hadn’t considered it a big deal, viewing it as merely a few truckloads of goods.

She had just finished showing everyone, bragging about her acquisitions. But after the showing off was done, she had to clean up. Oh my, sorting and organizing again! Jing Shu couldn’t help but miss the days when Zijin was here.

Speaking of which, I must mention Zijin’s OCD. Zijin did everything with great care; she was a very meticulous person, so everything had to be neatly arranged. With Zijin around, the silk was processed exceptionally well, which saved Jing Shu a lot of trouble. Now that Zijin was gone, they didn’t keep as many silkworms at home, as Grandma Jing couldn’t manage alone.

Zijin had gone to volunteer, saying she wanted to help more people. Counting the time, she should be back soon. She must have endured so much hardship and exhaustion. In my view, Zijin is too kind. But without Zijin’s kindness, she wouldn’t have helped me through tough times in my past life... so I’d better not judge. In this life, as long as Zijin doesn’t betray me, I’ll consider her a good sister.

...But organizing all sorts of supplies, neatly categorizing them, and checking the remaining quantities of various materials—that is what I enjoy most. Such activities are addictive and give a great sense of security.

Moreover, Jing Shu had an excellent habit: every time she took stock, she would record all these supplies in a notebook and then store it in her space, ready for access anytime.

Recording it on a mobile phone would be more convenient, but in this era of big data, there are probably no secrets. So, I might use a phone without a SIM card or simply record by hand in my notebook.

The notebook contained a detailed inventory from the past four years, noting where each item came from, along with periodic stock checks to account for consumed items.

That way, she could know the detailed status of all the supplies she currently owned and what remained. Of course, Jing Shu hadn’t stored all her supplies in the villa, even though the villa was currently very safe.

On this trip to the Imperial Capital, she had replenished many daily necessities, ensuring she wouldn’t have to worry for the next few years. Jing Shu marked some less essential daily necessities with a yellow circle; she would just keep an eye on them. Those items that were nearly depleted or immediately needed were marked with a red circle; she could issue a procurement task for them.

The medical supplies and equipment she had gathered were now quite comprehensive. In addition to the life-saving Spiritual Spring, she had also cultivated batch after batch of precious medicinal herbs in her space. Over the years at the Medicine Association, Jing Shu had learned some traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, which could be useful in emergencies.

What she was particularly short of now were anesthesia and Pain Relievers. Although cultivating Powder for Anesthesia is possible... for such professional items, it’s better to consult a Doctor. If there are injuries or other issues, these things are critical.

Back in Wu City, Jing Shu was busy organizing various supplies while simultaneously managing her diverse industries. She hadn’t fully realized it before, but now, with her increasing responsibilities, every few days one industry or another required her attention for dealings or approvals. This kept Jing Shu extremely busy, making her finally grasp just how many enterprises she currently owned.

And this perfectly illustrates the saying: the scary part isn’t telling one lie, but having to tell thousands more to cover it up, endlessly spinning falsehoods. For instance, initially, it was just about starting the Red Worm Factory. But look at what followed—to supplement the factory, I had to collaborate with West Mountain for energy and Fuel supplies, and plan for the factory’s future development and its relocation after the fifth year. Because the factory had some open space, and for various other reasons, I started breeding Sulfuric Acid Ants. They produce a stable supply of sulfuric acid, which can be used as fertilizer or provided directly to the Township Government. I also took over the waste plant in Banana District, becoming its manager, all to reduce costs and secure more Fuel for the factory, as well as to prepare for the fifth-year relocation. Later, I collaborated with the insect woman, Xiao Wei, acting as a middleman. I gave Xiao Wei some rice and flour, oil, and daily necessities. In return, I arranged for hundreds of her super-sized insects to be slaughtered and made into meat patties. The profits from these insects were then reinvested into the factory, continuing the cycle.

In the end, was all that effort for nothing? Pah! Actually, not really. These industries have snowballed, growing larger and larger. It reached a point where, to support one part of the industrial chain, I had to establish others. Breaking a single link would disrupt the entire operation. I now also understand the essence of it: if you’re in trouble, go to the Township Government. If you’re out of money, go to the Township Government. Always use borrowed resources if possible, never your own. I’m living the life of the capitalist I despised in my past life. But I also once said, ’I despise those big corporate capitalists. Of course, if it’s me, then pretend I never said that.’ My current industries also include shares from West Mountain and in biological research. And that’s not even counting the smaller ventures.

Jing Shu had been lost in these self-satisfied thoughts for the past few days. Of course, Jing Shu’s return had definitely stirred the whole family, especially with the items she brought back—weren’t each of them nearly extinct?

Furthermore, she had also brought new breeding stock, like bamboo rats. The fact that these creatures were to be kept in Jing Shu’s room for her personal care showed just how much importance she placed on them.

At the same time, various feed insects were also being produced in batches.

Mr. Jing had work to do again: setting up a special breeding compartment for insects in the backyard. With the outside temperature already below minus twenty degrees Celsius, Jing Shu’s house needed its furnace and underfloor heating running 24 hours a day to maintain the temperature of the entire villa and backyard. So, there was no need to worry about these creatures freezing to death.

Jing Shu, meanwhile, had already prolifically bred a batch in her space. I’m prepared. In the coming years, these feed insects might substitute other fresh grains. Plus, there won’t be as many fresh vegetable roots available during the relocation. So now, I’ll breed as many insects as possible—the more, the better. Eventually, I’ll freeze-dry them all to save space.

The Wu City news did indeed feature a video welcoming the Medicine Association’s triumphant return. However, it didn’t elaborate, only generally mentioning the competition in the Imperial Capital. The inside details and involved contents were not publicly disclosed.

But that didn’t really matter. The key point was that they also broadcast footage of Jing Shu disembarking from the plane in a thick padded jacket, smiling and waving, and shaking hands with Jin Tianci.