I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 719: Before the Troops Move, the Supplies Go First

Luo Dan stared at Jing Shu as if looking at some kind of monster, pointing at her and stuttering, "You... you... you..." for the longest time. Her face turned beet red, but she couldn’t choke out any other words. She truly couldn’t believe it; how could a young girl hold a position as high as her husband’s? This certainly wasn’t like the cheap, readily available cabbage from before the apocalypse. But Mrs. Niu, at the side, subtly nodded, confirming to Luo Dan that the young girl was indeed telling the truth. How could this be? How was it possible? Luo Dan was plunged into profound shock.

Jing Shu was actually very low-key, exceptionally so. She usually didn’t flaunt her strength or show off, unless she encountered annoying people like today.

It was at this critical moment, on the stage in the center of the hall, that the Niu Disciplinary Committee member strode up. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and finally spoke into the microphone, "Welcome, everyone, to this banquet of special significance—"

The Niu Disciplinary Committee member first cleared the hall, sending a few family members who had slipped in to an adjacent room. Only then did he continue speaking.

The banquet began, interrupting Luo Dan’s awkward moment. She wore an uncertain expression, clearly pondering something. Jing Shu ignored Luo Dan, that ignorant middle-aged woman, and instead listened intently to what the Niu Disciplinary Committee member was saying.

This wasn’t a trap-laden banquet like the ancient Hongmen Banquet, but it certainly wasn’t anything good.

After the Niu Disciplinary Committee member made some introductory remarks and offered words of encouragement, he finally allowed everyone to eat, adding that there would be matters to discuss after the meal. As soon as the food was served, the hall filled with only the sounds of chopsticks.

Everyone had paid their share of coins, so they were determined to eat this apocalyptic luxury meal. Still, it couldn’t compare to a normal meal at Jing Shu’s house—she felt a bit puffed up with pride; nowadays, there weren’t many families in the whole country that could match the food at Jing Shu’s house.

Overall, it was still food that could be presented with some pride, consisting of the highest-yielding crops like sweet potatoes, corn, and potatoes. Of course, they wouldn’t just hand out a corn cob for everyone to gnaw on; that would be too extravagant. Only Jing Shu’s house ate like that; only they dared to. Even for the regular workers of the Township Government, it was a matter of careful budgeting. Corn was ground into flour and cooked into a thin soup with corn kernels and hazelnuts, each person receiving a small bowl. An entire table probably didn’t even use one whole cob of corn. Despite this, everyone sipped the plain hazelnut soup as if it were bird’s nest porridge, savoring every drop. It was hard to imagine these were people who held some power in Wu City.

Sweet potatoes, of course, were also ground into flour. Then, synthetic meat was minced and pan-fried—without a drop of oil, as they couldn’t bear to use any—to create what was considered a main dish. Mashed potatoes were mixed with flour, coated with a mere one-tenth of an egg wash, sprinkled with a pinch of salt, and fried into small patties, with just a tiny portion for each person.

Cabbage, once incredibly common before the apocalypse, became the most eye-catching vegetable on the table. It was a dish of plainly boiled cabbage, not even simmered in a rich broth. This wasn’t the flavorful boiled cabbage served at state banquets, slow-cooked in chicken or pork stock; it was simply boiled in plain water, without even salt. The moment it hit the table, it was snatched up.

This was organically grown, pure, natural food, not the haphazardly cultivated crops of the post-apocalyptic world, making it particularly precious. Even those present, all of whom worked in food-related jobs, couldn’t usually eat so many varieties at once. At best, their benefits included a ration of a pound of sweet potatoes one week and a pound of corn flour the next. At other times, they ate medium-grade mixed meals in the cafeteria, unlike ordinary people who subsisted daily on cheap foods like Insect Cakes and dirt cakes. Those with higher status might receive some green vegetables every so often. In any case, people received whatever was available; factories distributed whatever they produced. For instance, workers in the Vegetable Planting Bureaus of various districts might receive some less-than-perfect vegetable leaves as a daily perk. After livestock farms distributed milk according to the quotas for all the leaders, any tiny surplus might be shared among the workers.

This meal left the vast majority extremely satisfied. Naturally, they ate with exceptional speed; dishes were emptied as soon as they arrived. Given the modest amount of food to begin with, it only took about three to five minutes for all the courses to be served and consumed. Afterward, the entire hall fell completely silent, punctuated only by the occasional sound of someone slurping from their bowl, dexterously swirling it to get every last drop of broth. Heh, in the apocalypse, who hadn’t licked a plate clean? It was practically a required course. This special skill was one she had mastered long ago, making her tongue quite nimble as a result. Jing Shu glanced around. All the chopsticks, bowls, and plates were nearly as clean as new; naturally, there was no need to waste water washing them.

For some reason, Jing Shu’s expression turned a bit grim. Her own family had only eaten a potato cake and a small bowl of soup, not touching anything else. Luo Dan, on the other hand, looked listless, clearly unimpressed by this food; her physique was a dead giveaway to the abundance she enjoyed at home.

After the meal, the main event arrived. Once the dishes and utensils were collected, someone distributed an agreement to every table. It was a confidentiality agreement, mandating absolute secrecy about this meeting. One by one, they signed and pressed their fingerprints.

Then, an image appeared on the projector screen in the center of the stage.

"Those of you present here today all deal with Wu City’s food supply," the Niu Disciplinary Committee member began. "The Ministry of Agriculture used to be under my management. Now, not only do I manage the Ministry of Agriculture, but everything related to food is under my control."

"As the saying goes, ’an army marches on its stomach.’ The higher-ups have decided that we must relocate. We currently have five departments, thirteen bureaus, and six major factories. How will we proceed? How will your various departments coordinate? In how many batches will we relocate? How do we ensure that we have enough to eat ourselves, while also guaranteeing that others on the road have food? I hope everyone will consider these questions seriously."

The moment had arrived after all.

In her previous life, Jing Shu’s family, bewildered and ignorant, had followed the orders from above. They were told they had to relocate; the alternative was to stay in Wu City and freeze or starve to death, or attempt to follow the main group on foot. With the promise that everyone would at least have something to eat, her family had trailed along, suffering much hardship on the journey.

In this life, Jing Shu’s family knew the news in advance and had made preparations. Now, they were even involved in the grand relocation plan, having moved closer to the center of power.

"No matter how difficult the challenges ahead, we must overcome them," the Niu Disciplinary Committee member continued. "We will disregard everything else and focus solely on food. However, we now face a major problem: all processing plants and food factories must relocate. Halting production means food will be in short supply. This means there will be an interim period where food is scarce. What does everyone propose we do?"

As soon as they heard there wouldn’t be enough food, everyone wilted.

"We have decided to sacrifice the interests of some who are better off. Regarding the gifts presented today: individuals whose personal offerings are valued at 1,000 Virtual Coins, or those representing departments whose collective offerings are valued at over 3,000 Virtual Coins, will have their welfare benefits temporarily suspended during the relocation. You will receive your wages and supplementary materials as long as you work; if you don’t work, you get nothing. These benefits will be restored after the relocation. I will also donate all the gifts received today to the department, to be distributed when our departmental supplies run low."