I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 727: Bargain for a Fracture

As for the fat chicken, its spot in the motorhome had already been reserved: a piece of carpet beside Jing Shu’s bed. It was the kind that had to follow its owner every step of the way. It had lost its early advantage. Now, two slimeballs constantly clung to their owner’s hands, and then another newcomer who loved to act cute arrived. In short, the owner was quite fickle.

But, as they say, the chicken is steadfast while pets come and go—nothing could challenge its status!

All of the Jing family’s valuable domestic poultry had been accounted for—except, it seemed, Xiao Lu. Well, Xiao Lu could just transform into a puddle of Zen-like slime and play dead on the floor.

As for the other little cuties, Jing Shu believed Grandma Jing and Mr. Jing (her grandfather) would take excellent care of them during the migration, fattening them up so they could enjoy some delicious meat upon arrival.

The motorhome was parked in the villa’s backyard. Living in it for the past few days had been, on the whole, very comfortable and provided a strong sense of security.

Jing Shu resided in a separate room on the retrofitted second floor of the motorhome. The front of this level featured custom-made panoramic glass. Half the space was occupied by a storage bed piled high with thick bedding, while the other half held an afternoon tea table and a recliner.

During her downtime, she would recline on the chair, swaying gently, savoring various delicacies, sipping warm milk tea, and watching the apocalyptic scenery slowly recede outside the window. It was a prospect she eagerly anticipated.

For now, confined to the yard, she couldn’t see much of a view. Once they were moving, however, the 270° panoramic glass would offer a stunning visual experience.

However, there were drawbacks. For instance, Jing Shu’s sleeping area was much colder than other parts of the motorhome. Consequently, she laid down a comfortable carpet and installed an electric heater, on which tea was always brewing.

In quiet moments, she could hear the gentle bubbling of water. Sometimes she would simmer rich Kazakh milk tea; other times she’d prepare black tea with a milk cap, or brew coffee. Most importantly, the warmth radiating from it when she held her hands near was incredibly comforting in the frigid weather.

Essentially, the entire second floor of the motorhome was Jing Shu’s domain, with the exception of a space capsule-like section at the vehicle’s rear used by Wu You’ai. Even so, the whole second level was now crammed with Jing Shu’s various possessions. These were all items that had to be transported openly; they couldn’t be stashed in her dimensional storage, were needed on the journey, and weren’t suitable for the Hulk. So, this was the only way.

Of course, Jing Shu’s assets weren’t confined to the villa. Over the past few days, she had inventoried everything. She realized she had unknowingly accumulated so much during the apocalypse...

The vast majority were to be taken with them. Only a small portion would remain in the Wucheng Town Government’s reserve caves, along with half a year’s output of Insect Cake from the Insect Cake Factory, all secretly transported to the caves.

This half-year’s output of Insect Cake served as the Township Government’s emergency food reserve and was part of the foundation of Jing Shu’s cooperation with them. Unless a major crisis occurred, these rations would be kept in storage until they neared their expiration date, at which point they would be sold.

A small cache of other supplies included various Compressed Biscuits, canned meat and fruit, assorted clothing, and survival gear. This was a contingency Jing Shu had prepared in case of an accident, or if all her other supplies were lost or compromised—one of her personal safety nets.

Only Mr. Jing (Jing Shu’s father), Mrs. Jing, Grandma Jing, and Mr. Jing (Jing Shu’s grandfather) knew about this. Including Jing Shu, only these five individuals had the authority to access these supplies, all of which had been officially registered.

Additionally, Jing Shu had buried some supplies beneath her villa—more canned goods and survival items. She had also stashed survival supplies in a stone room buried under the hill behind the villa.

Furthermore, she held shares in West Mountain Stone Garden. The supplies from the profit settlement due at this relocation were not taken by Jing Shu; instead, they were recorded in her account and stored at West Mountain.

The Seeds Jing Shu had contributed to the Wucheng Town Government had been carefully cultivated over the past two years. At the time, Jing Shu had asked for nothing in return except 20% of the crop yield. Before the migration, the Township Government settled this account, sending over newly developed red-hearted radishes, sweet potatoes, millet, and other produce harvested by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Other assets... Oh, right, there was also a helicopter—a rather large item. Jing Shu had signed an agreement with the Township Government to lease it to them during the migration. It would serve as a Scout, explore routes, and relay messages in signal-dead zones, as their journey would cross several different territories.

The Township Government’s payment was to transport the helicopter to their final destination. However, if Jing Shu needed to use it during the journey, she could submit a formal request.

Sometimes Jing Shu wished she could just fly the helicopter directly to their destination, refueling midway. But alas... everyone in her large family had their own responsibilities, and with such a vast amount of family property, how could she not personally oversee and accompany it?

Therefore, if she didn’t use the helicopter but still needed it transported to the new settlement, she would have to hire a pilot and cover fuel costs. Leasing it to the Township Government was a better option: no fuel or pilot expenses, plus she could get updates on the situation en route. In fact, Jing Shu mused, if they encountered anything, she could even take people on the helicopter to perhaps gain some unexpected advantages...

"Your elder aunt’s and second aunt’s families have discussed it. They’ve decided to travel with the factory group and won’t be joining our motorhome convoy," Grandma Jing said, handing Jing Shu a peeled radish. Jing Shu took it and began to CRUNCH on it, listening as her grandmother relayed the extended family’s decisions.

"Your elder aunt and second aunt only moved here six months ago, and you arranged their jobs. Now that we’re relocating, of course, they’ll travel with the factory families. They’re considered minor managers, so they’ll have work assignments en route and earn wages. There’s no need for them to cram in with us; besides, there wouldn’t be enough room."

Mr. Jing (Jing Shu’s grandfather), also nibbling on a radish, nodded in agreement and added, "The furniture and other goods stored on the 25th floor, along with your elder and second aunts’ belongings—take them all using the Hulk vehicles, just as you said. But even between close relatives, accounts must be settled clearly. Business is business. You’re running a company, so this money must be calculated accurately and paid to you. We elders can’t take advantage of you younger ones. I’ve made this clear to your eldest aunt and the others. They must pay, and you must accept it."

Jing Shu nodded with an amused smile. "Alright, alright, I’ll give them a hefty discount." Her grandparents were retired and living with her family, but they still kept meticulous accounts. They never freeloaded; they were always the first to volunteer for work, excelling at farming, raising pigs, and handicrafts. In Jing Shu’s opinion, compared to her busy parents, her grandparents were the true pillars of the household, genuinely supporting the family.

"I don’t care if it’s a ’broken-bone’ discount; the money must be paid. We can’t have other relatives finding out it was free and all rushing over, causing a huge fuss," Grandma Jing said, nodding again. "They have a large group and will need to rent two of those... Hulk-taxis, was it? So they won’t have to walk and can stay warm. Calculate the total cost. I’ll pay half for them, as a little subsidy for your eldest aunt and her family."