Chapter 81
Noodles were not difficult to cook, there was frozen stock in the refrigerator. Only had to take out a small piece to taste, the colour was also good. The quail eggs were golden and cut into slices on the side. Hot oil was poured into a small bowl with fresh chopped onion, the fragrant onion oil was done.
Took a moment to grab the noodles, thawed and cut into thin silk. Once the water boiled, the noodles would be thrown in.
The cooked noodles were placed into the soup, put some onion oil, egg strips to create noodles with overflowing fragrance.
Although Luo Xun really wanted some shredded pork, there was almost no meat at home. He was not willing to thaw what was left – the noodles were still fragrant without shredded pork.
Each person had a large bowl and went back to the living room. They sat shoulder to shoulder on the sofa to eat.
The puppy saw the two sit on the sofa, she wagged her tail and looked pitifully at them. Luo Xun set aside some noodles, some egg and chopped onion in a bowl. Let her taste it after it cooled – anway she had already eaten dog food.
In other words, since he had found that Puppy ate vegetables, the little one found a few crisp leaves in her food bowl. Mostly liked to eat lettuce instead of the nasty, long weeds. Puppy obviously did not know that raw leek was a little spicy – this things could also be an aphrodisiac...
Slick, fragrant noodles in delicious soup, in one breath the two people finished half a pot of soup. They laid on the sofa as the food digested.
"The soup really fills the belly." Luo Xun patted his stomach in satisfaction.
In his last life, he always like to cook soup because food was precious and it filled one’s belly easily. Now...rest in the evening after dinner to not aggravate the stomach.
Luo Xun took advantage of digestion to figure what to do after work tomorrow. The greenhouse at home had new vegetable and crop seeds which could be planted in a few days next door. Some other crops could be transferred from the balcony terrace in addition to the small and medium quail.
Li Tie and the others were busy. But it did not mean they could not start trying to care for them. Could give them some, let them try a hand at raising them...
While thinking, Luo Xun’s phone suddenly rang.
How long had it been since he had heard a phone ring? The two paused after hearing the sound then realized that the sound was from a call rather than a message.
Luo Xun hurriedly picked up the phone, even forgot to see who the caller was. He heard an excited sound from the phone.
"There are no problems with your vegetables, our test results have come out! I just called Li just now and you can contact later to see when you can start providing vegetables..."
Luo Xun took a second to realize that the caller was Professor Xu. He expressed his gratitude – the test results were unexpectedly quick!
Professor Xu laughed. "All were common vegetables, after the apocalypse a lot of data was gone but these things still had data. The results are clear after testing. But we have not yet studied the mushrooms in your house, you must not eat those things! By the way, if there are any other strange varieties of plants, you can collect and send them over. I did some experiments before contacting. Just tell me before you come..of course you could bring it and save a trip."
After thanking the professor, Luo Xun hung up and laughed to Yan Fei. "Did not think the test results have come out. We need to speak with Li Tie and the others."
When he answered the phone, Yan Fei had already heard the conversation and understood what was said. He was somewhat excited, after all Luo Xun did most of the vegetable gardening since he liked that sort of thing.
A phone call later, Captain Li had received the professor’s news. Knowing that Luo Xun’s home grown vegetables had no issues he was naturally willing to buy. Due to recent lack of leafy, green vegetables, along with the amount at Luo Xun’s home...There was not much but they were regular vegetables like from before the apocalypse. Captain Li finally agreed to buy them for one crystal core per pound.
The sold vegetables were lettuce and leek amongst others on the shelf. If the harvested vegetables were sent the next day then – using the military line, message and phone were all temporarily free!
A crystal core for a pound of vegetable, is not cheap compared to later on. But it would somewhat low if Luo Xun could grow some high quality varieties. After two or three years in the apocalypse, it would be pretty much the same price as mutant vegetables that had a decent yield.
But if one took into account the current value of nuclei, the price was already very good.
Luo Xun put down the phone and was filled with energy. He wanted to get up and pick vegetables, weigh and see how much there was tomorrow morning. Ready to prepare a new batch of seeds in the nursery but he was pulled by Yan Fei.
"The stuff picked now will not be fresh tomorrow. In addition, how many seeds at home? Didn’t you just set aside some vegetables to make them grow? Let’s go."
Yan Fei’s interruption calmed Luo Xun down. Yes, although they needed crystal core, but they had missed a point. Take it slow, it would be suspicious to suddenly have a lot of food to sell. Captain Li knew from today that there home did not have a lot of plants, how could they immediately take out a ton of crops to sell?
After the night, Luo Xun woke up half an hour earlier than usual to pick vegetables with Yan Fei. They checked that the mature vegetables had been picked, leaving the shoots behind. If not picked in a few days, it would become old. They harvested and packaged, the small spring balance revealed that they had more than 10 kilograms.
They carried these vegetables downstairs to the car.
Drove the car to the barracks, Luo Xun did not park the car outside but directly entered inside. Stopped at the canteen doors. Ah, the first canteen...no wonder the only ones who could eat leafy vegetables were privileged people. No one had said anything while in the vicinity of the fourth canteen workers.
Captain Li and people were ready for the exchange. They checked the vegetable freshness, appearance and so on. The mass was weighed and 10 crystal nuclei were handed over.
A few bags of vegetables in exchange for 10 small crystal nuclei, Luo Xun suddenly felt a sense of loss – the volume difference was too big.
Yan Fei patted his shoulder. "You think so? If we did not eat or sell these, would it not be a waste?"
Luo Xun’s mood improved as he exclaimed. "That’s why I only sold those kinds of vegetables, these several grow very fast. Weather permitting we can harvest once a month. The others like beans and eggplants can be dried or pickled, so I will not sell them."
As for rice and wheat, it was impossible to sell any unless it was a variant!
The hard to grow vegetables would be kept at home. The good ones eaten and the rest taken out to sell. This was Luo Xun after his rebirth, fixed work and set down with future luxury life goals.
He straightened up and patted his chest. "Labour, not selling vegetables." Could also be a smooth life. Though he had not reached that point in his last life.
Yan Fei pocketed the 10 crystal nuclei and laughed. "Now you are supporting me."
Luo Xun remembered he had said that no long after they first met, but his smile was strained. Although it seemed to be the case, actually calculating real income, Yan Fei had made more.
The two people simply stopped at a parking lot near their workplace since they had easily entered today. This was in order to save time walking out to pick up the car each day. They started work with Captain Guo.
They had now made most of the various items needed for base. Began to build the super heavy iron gate in the south. At noon Captain Guo rested with everyone.
"Superiors told us to repair the big iron gate today. Tomorrow we will go back and repair the outer wall." A sweaty messenger revealed. "A small part of the outer wall has been repaired. It is time not only to heighten the outer wall but also thicken the iron wall by at least one meter. Also need a row of rivets built on the walls like last time."
In any case, the wall was the most important of the current work. Knowing that there was a lack of manpower for metal users, the superiors decided to build a section outside wall. Let them stand on the wall for smooth operation with immediate dispatch priority.
"In such a hurry?" The lieutenant was a little surprised, he thought they would be spending at least eight days at the barracks.
Captain Guo sighed. "A lot of newly evolved second level zombies were found outside the base. Some of the became very strong, a troop encountered some deep in the city while finding supplies. A tank was smashed in half by several power type zombies!"
The crowd at the table shuddered in surprise.
The lieutenant whispered. "No wonder they wanted us to speed up, but also thicken the outer wall by a meter..."
Captain Guo sighed with regret. "You don’t know, the outer wall has been repaired according to previous specifications, 10 meters high and 3 meters thick. We don’t even know if the extra meter of metal will be enough in the future!"
All the people’s hearts began to pound. A tank was not as thick as the wall, but the materials were plenty strong! The newly repaired wall could not only be thicker, after all they could only manipulate metal, not purify or improve it. Only could control how much and with what to repair, perhaps not as strong as tank armor.
After saying this, Captain Guo facepalmed and the crowd laughed. "Right, there is good news!"
The crowd looked with anticipation. Captain Guo smiled and waved his chopsticks. "We have a four day holiday at the end of every month. Unless a large number of zombies hit the wall, then everyone has to come out and fight! Otherwise spend those days how you like! Even if you went out to seduce a girl, nobody cares!"
The crowd cheered upon learning about their vacation. Luo Xun and Yan Fei also exchanged surprised glances – four days of leave per month? They had thought two days was good, did not expect Captain Guo to be such a force!
Captain Guo meaningfully rose his eyebrows at Luo Xun and Yan Fei. His meaning very obvious – how about it? Are you with me?
It was more than Luo Xun’s suggested two days of rest. Captain Guo was indeed very powerful getting an early holiday. But for some reason, the higher ups did not allow them to take a day off every week, instead all at the end of the month. But it was good for Luo Xun to have two extra days to do whatever he wanted.
Because the bosses had given the task this morning, the iron gate needed to be completed today. Tomorrow, everyone would be back to the outer wall so the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was more busy than usual.
After an hour and a half, everyone dragged their tired bodies after ending work. The ordinary people looked in horror between the huge, metal door and the leaving metal users and could not help but shake their heads.
So much! Maybe even more than the earth users. Got so big in one day!
There were two large iron gates for the barracks, south and north. The four people were in the south this time because construction had not yet started in the north. Also because current metal materials were being used for the outer wall thus this iron gate was to comfort the neurotic leaders.
When the two men drove back home, it was already dark. It seemed that today they were the ones who came the lastest due to working in the army.
Luo Xun carried a lunch box and grinned at Yan Fei. "Today was tiring, but just in time to catch canteen dinner!"
Today, when they went to canteen to deliver ingredients, Captain Li sent the two of them to the first cafeteria. For that meal they were treated closer to officials. Before the apocalypse Luo Xun had little status, an average person could not easily get in and get some extra food.
Had to say, the first canteen managed to maintain a certain level of food. They could eat meat that had long since disappeared from the other canteens, the two also saw the leafy vegetables that they had sent today – although the amount was very small.
Yan Fei took the lunch box while the pair stood in front of the elevator. Today they came back just in time to catch the elevator, save the effort climbing up.
There were also some people waiting for the elevator, It seemed that because the pair was rarely seen, many people were secretly looking at them. Maybe they had recently moved in? Or were they looking for someone?
"Luo Xun? Yan Fei?" A voice sounded in the back.
The two turned to see Xu Mei and Song Lingling. Both of them had brought food back, each carried a bag.
The girls had not expected to meet the couple and they asked curiously, "Did you just get back?"
Luo Xun smiled and nodded. "We worked a little longer today? Did you buy rice? How have the last few days been?"
They had not seen Xu Mei since the last time they worked together. Today they had crossed paths.
Song Lingling giggled. "We came back this afternoon. This is takeout, not rice."
The elevator had stopped on the first floor, a group of people squeezed in and pressed the 15 and 16 floor buttons.
The other people in the elevator looked at the pair with even more surprised eyes when the 16th floor button was pressed. The could not be blamed – was it really the same supposed weirdos that lived on the 16th floor that used a large metal sheet to seal the doors. Today was a chance to see those people with their own eyes.
But they also knew that the people who lived on the floor were dangerous. Of course, could not blatantly stare or they would end up dead.
As people left the elevator, gradually only Luo Xun, Yan Fei and the two girls were left inside.
Seeing no outsiders, Xu Mei confirmed with Yan Fei. "Going out at the end of the month?"
Yan Fei nodded. "If there are no accidents, we should be out in the last two days of the month."
Xu Mei and Song Lingling were relieved. This time they came back after working with another team out of base, that experience...unbelievable. It was not that the two of them came across a hostile man.
Xu Mei’s reputation had begun to spread, weak harassers had lessened in number so they had not encountered any rogues...instead all kinds of useless teammates!
Little combat effectiveness, all sorts of chaos upon encountering zombies. Unexpectedly some people in a panic dared to push Song Lingling towards the zombies! Song Lingling directly counterattacked with a water ball according to Luo Xun’s proposal. It was the first body to drown on dry land...
So hearing that Yan Fei’s team would go out at the end of the month for a mission, the happy feeling was understandable.
"Did you find any earth ability users?" Song Lingling asked curiously.
Earth users were rarely willing to come out of base, but perhaps one had been found.
Luo Xun sighed. "Not easy to find, most of the earth users are working in the army with uncertain holiday times and they are not willing to go out."
They had time to speak with earth ability users, since everyone had lunch in the same canteen. They encountered people that were usually working in other locations.
But once the topic shifted to zombies, the other party had no interest. The army soldiers had to obey orders first so they would not take initiative when their leaders did not give them vacation. There were two who were like Yan Fei, whose ability level was higher than usual but they did not want to leave the base.
They felt the the amount the base issued every day was enough, there was no need to go out collect more nuclei.
"What about you?"
If even Luo Xun and Yan Fei had not found someone, how could Xu Mei and Song Lingling?
"We met one or two ability users while in a team but...only acquaintances." Who would work with complete strangers?
Yan Fei decided. "Not a problem if we can’t find someone. We have other methods, don’t need to find an earth user now."
The two ladies nodded their heads in agreement. Why would they not? The last time they went with the group, they got a pretty large harvest per person.