I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 683: The Best Seller

Jing Shu had already grasped the process of breeding rotten mermaids. There might be countless sources of White Energy in other Underground Mud Seas, but here in Wu City, aside from Jing Shu’s White Emulsion, there was no other source of power.

Of course, that meant no new wild rotten mermaids would be born. However, Jing Shu intended to fully utilize the characteristics of this species.

In the apocalypse, countless species might vanish, but at the same time, other creatures fit for survival would rise.

How to harness their maximum energy was the problem Jing Shu needed to consider at this stage.

To put it simply, it was about resource utilization.

The flesh of rotten mermaids wasn’t edible. It was a mud-like substance, similar to rubber, that completely turned into ordinary mud upon their death, leaving only a pile of white bones.

Jing Shu had been pondering if there was any way to make full use of these creatures. After pondering for a long time without a solution, she decided to focus on digging tunnels for now.

「...」

"A fortunate person finds luck wherever they go. I never expected she could find treasure in such a dilapidated building." Jin Tianci coughed for a while, then picked up a new product from the Insect Cake Factory—the Mermaid Insect Cake—and took a bite. The taste was surprisingly fragrant, even better than plain white steamed buns.

Jun Jia looked annoyed. "Had I known, we could have simply withheld the building from the auction. The number of monsters that attacked us back then was as many as there were bones underneath that building... All of that was food."

They had thought that upon returning to Wu City, those monsters and white bones would be gone, but who knew...

"We can’t buy hindsight." Jun Bao typed away furiously. These were documents that Wu City needed to handle. The Wu City he was about to take over wasn’t exactly riddled with a thousand holes, but it was close. Among all the cities, Wu City’s economy naturally lagged due to its smaller population and remote location.

"The key issue is that the weather is getting colder. What should we do?" Jun Bao sighed.

"Indeed, since it’s something she discovered, it rightfully belongs to her. I think this is a good product... We’ll just pay them according to the Insect Cake Factory’s pricing. If it doesn’t sell individually, we will buy it all up and stockpile it," Jin Tianci said, chewing on the insect cake slowly. Mrs. Jin came in and, without asking, took some, saying,

"Your throat can’t handle it. Come drink some milk tea and stop eating these. Besides, your son’s sow is about to farrow; it’s time for her to replenish some nutrition."

Jun Jia nodded. What could he say? He felt like he missed out on a fortune.

Gold Dominator fed his sow the insect cakes, laughing. "My uncle is still too scared; he wouldn’t dare go near that man-eating building, haha!"

Jin Tianci ignored him and said, "There are also those AB healing patches. If no one wants them, the Township Government will buy them all. These items don’t have a large market in Wu City, but if we take them to the Imperial Capital, where people value their lives more, we’re sure to find buyers. Then we can trade them for some supplies to withstand the cold."

They no longer dared to hope for grain; everyone lacked food, and people had begun to starve in many places.

Jun Jia was a bit surprised. "Yesterday, Jing Shu quoted the Medicine Association a price: an A healing patch for just 1.5 Virtual Coins, and the B healing liquid for a whopping 100 Virtual Coins. Surprisingly, those guys at the Medicine Association all agreed! They even wanted to share them on their network nationwide, distributing them to whoever placed an order."

The Medicine Association had its own internal transport channels. They were slow, but at least they allowed for the exchange of resources.

"No," Jun Jia realized, "Brother-in-law, how many Virtual Coins are you planning to spend? Buying it all would cost at least tens of millions..."

Jin Tianci smiled but said nothing.

Jun Bao, however, spoke up, "That depends on what Jing Shu needs so many Virtual Coins for."

「...」

So, although the Insect Cake Factory’s production had decreased somewhat, the addition of Bone Powder and the introduction of new insect cakes actually led to more orders than before.

It was originally assumed that sales of the Mermaid Insect Cake, which was double the price, would be dismal. However, it turned out to be extremely popular in the cafeterias, selling out almost immediately upon daily delivery.

The Bone Powder, used as a seasoning, also sold well. After all, as a versatile flavor enhancer that could be added to porridge or any food, it was loved by the rich and poor, young and old alike.

Jing Shu only learned the reason when she found out that the cheapest Earth Worm Cake had been discontinued.

The first reason was that the impact of the mudslides had finally diminished. The weather was getting colder, and Wu City, along with the surrounding cities, had completely frozen over. The once-flowing mudslides were now frozen solid, marking the end of this disaster. People no longer feared walking through mud pits or being overwhelmed by mud.

Of course, some cities that had been directly submerged by the mudslides couldn’t be saved and were now completely frozen as well.

As a result, the easily excavated and filtered earth used to make earth cakes and Earth Worm Cakes was no longer available.

The mud from the mudslides contained a special viscous substance that became difficult to excavate once frozen—not impossible, but the cost was too great.

Now that even dirt was unaffordable, everyone knew that food was even scarcer. The Huaxia people, always aware of potential hardships, began to stockpile multiple servings from the cafeterias if they could afford it.

The second reason was that regular workers, who previously might have had rice or steamed buns, now had neither. So, they had no choice but to settle for the tasty Mermaid Insect Cakes as a substitute.

Some distinction and differentiation were needed to encourage employees to strive for improvement.

Therefore, the Mermaid Insect Cakes were selling like hotcakes, with each day’s production selling out completely. The Township Government also placed numerous orders to use them as holiday gifts for regular workers. Before long, Mr. Jing and Mrs. Jing had received several Mermaid Insect Cakes.

Jing Shu’s wealth value, tracked in her big data system, kept rising. Initially, she just stared at it; later, she checked it every few minutes. Watching the numbers increase was an incredibly thrilling experience.

To Jing Shu, money might have been just a string of digits, but it was also a string of happy digits.

However, some issues had arisen at the Jing Family home these past few days, dampening the usually cheerful atmosphere.

The reason was that Jing Shu’s cousin, Wu You’ai, was going to the Imperial Capital with her mentor to research the ZS880 synthetic meat. It was said they were on the final step toward success.

Jing Shu was quite familiar with the destination: the Biological Research Institute developed by Jun Bao. It was rumored to have more professional equipment and offer opportunities to try new ideas. Jing Shu heard that the synthetic meat research had some similarities with the research on increasing the size of organisms. Therefore, it made sense to collaborate, and the two groups began to work together.

The key to success was to reduce the cost. Initially, the cost of this synthetic meat was too high for public consumption, preventing it from becoming a staple food.