Chapter 26: Exchange

Chapter 26: Exchange

The lords were all very interested in this question, each reporting the grain and vegetable seeds they had received.

They then discovered that everyone had received the same six pounds of seeds: wheat, mung beans, cotton, and potatoes. The vegetable seeds came in four small packets, consisting of pumpkin, cucumber, and eggplant; the last type was not identical for everyone.

Plots Two and Six, like Xia Qing, had tomatoes; Plots Four and Five had green beans; and Plot Seven had chili peppers.

Xia Qing wanted both the green beans and the chili peppers, so she pressed her walkie-talkie button and spoke up, "This is Xia Qing from Plot Three. I have tomato seeds, but they have already been sown. Once they sprout, I would like to exchange them for green beans and chili peppers, on a one-for-one plant basis."

"Holy crap!" Kuang Qingwei suddenly heard a woman's voice and cursed in shock before quickly apologizing, "Sorry, sister, my mouth slipped. When I was claiming territory in the Task Hall, I was behind Zhao Ze. Do you remember me? I was fourth in line, so I missed out on the double rations by just one spot."

Xia Qing...

"I don't remember."

Because Xia Qing had received double rations, Tang Huai—who had been used as a punching bag and scolded by that wretched woman Tang Lu—spoke up, "I think Xia Qing's proposal is excellent. Instead of exchanging seeds, it would be better to exchange actual seedlings."

Qi Fu from Plot Five expressed his stance, "Agreed."

Zhao Ze from Plot Four followed, "Agreed."

Kuang Qingwei from Plot Six immediately followed, "Agreed, that's much fairer."

Zhang San from Plot Seven slowly followed, "Agreed. If my people can't grow a single seedling, I'll buy them with points, or I can exchange them for medicine."

Tang Huai immediately asked, "Brother Zhang, what kind of medicine do you have?"

Zhang San replied leisurely, "Trauma medicine, detoxification medicine, various qualities available."

Tang Huai agreed instantly, "Good, I'll exchange. How shall we calculate it?"

After discussing and deciding that all seedlings would be valued at 100 points per plant regardless of type, Xia Qing asked a question, "Has anyone discovered any edible plants within their territories that can be exchanged? I have evolved Perilla, which contains no radioactive elements; its 'Qiang' element content is only 0.13%."

As soon as Xia Qing's words went out, the previously slow and lazy Zhang San was suddenly energized. "I'll exchange! I want it! I'll use medicine, you set the price. Is 7:30 tomorrow morning okay? The location will be under the signpost of Plot Three?"

Any food with a 'Qiang' element content below 0.5% was considered safe; the lower the content, the more beneficial it was to the body. Who could refuse something with a content of just over one percent?

Kuang Qingwei immediately followed, "Sister Xia Qing, I have a Green-Light Elm tree. In a few days when the elm seeds grow, would you take three pounds of elm seeds for one pound of Perilla?"

By only mentioning the "Green-Light" status and not the 'Qiang' content, even if it was tested with a primary detector, it might only be classified as "safe food" or "optional food." A three-for-one exchange was very reasonable.

Qi Fu also spoke up, "Little Xia, I'm Old Qi from the Third Construction Team. I have Green-Light leek seedlings. How about ten leek seedlings for ten rooted Perilla seedlings?"

Tang Huai followed, "Termite mushrooms, 'Qiang' element content is 0.2%. One pound of mushrooms for one pound of Perilla."

Termite mushrooms? After the Great Biological Evolution, anyone who dared to eat fungi was someone who didn't mind being put in a coffin. Xia Qing was afraid of death and wouldn't eat them.

However, before Xia Qing could speak, Zhang San spoke up again, "I want all of them! Points or medicine, your choice!!!"

Zhao Ze also followed, "I want to exchange for leek seedlings and Perilla seedlings using sprouted Green-Light ginger."

The channel was as noisy as a quarrel. Kuang Qingwei stepped in to moderate, "Let's go one by one. Xia Qing, tell us first what you want to exchange and how?"

Xia Qing spoke, "I'll take everything except the mushrooms, but I won't accept face-to-face exchanges. They can be handed over by the inspection team. After we agree on the quantities the night before, the inspection team can deliver them during their first pass through the territories the next morning."

Tan Junjie's squad was responsible for the security of Plots One through Ten, patrolling once in the morning and once in the evening. Asking them to deliver goods was both convenient and safe.

When the high-quality, safe termite mushrooms were actually rejected, Tang Huai immediately changed his offer, "Three taels of mutton with a 'Qiang' element content of 0.8% for one pound of Perilla."

Three taels of mutton just to trade for a pound of her Perilla? That was truly the Tang family style.

Meat with a 'Qiang' element content of 0.8%—classified as "optional food"—was priced at 50 points per pound in the Safe Zone.

Safe vegetables also started at 50 points per pound, but her Perilla had a content below 0.2%, so the price should be at least 100 points per pound.

Xia Qing brushed off the mutton, "I don't eat mutton. Anything else?"

Tang Huai frowned and looked at his team members. Seeing them all scratching their heads in frustration, he bit his lip and pressed the walkie-talkie again, "One set of brand-new Level 1 outdoor protective clothing. It sells for 1,500 in the Safe Zone. I'll trade it for fifteen pounds of Perilla."

That was more like it. Xia Qing pressed her button, "Twelve pounds. I'll deliver one pound at a time, at most once a week; any more and they won't grow fast enough. You give me the protective clothing first."

The protective clothing was certainly something Tang Huai had brought from the Tang family and wasn't his personal property. Trading a set for vegetables meant he could simply report an extra loss later, so Xia Qing was certain he wouldn't object.

The reason she only offered one pound at a time was to make them think she didn't have much Perilla in her territory, preventing them from becoming too greedy.

Tang Huai agreed as expected, "Deal. I'll hand the protective clothing to the inspection team tomorrow morning. You give me one pound tomorrow, and we'll discuss the rest later."

As soon as Tang Huai finished, Zhang San immediately followed, "I want the meat and the termite mushrooms. I'll use medicine."

Zhang San was like a brother to Boss Sheep; they were both equally gluttonous. After Xia Qing settled the time and quantities with them, she turned off the walkie-talkie and leaned over her desk to write down what she would obtain: one set of protective clothing, one vial of detoxification medicine, leeks, ginger, and the elm seeds, bean seedlings, and chili seedlings that would be available after a while.

With every item she wrote, Xia Qing's smile grew. By the time she finished, she was grinning like an idiot; her vegetable variety had suddenly increased by five types.

Xia Qing did not suggest trading Xiangchun (Toona sinensis) buds because their 'Qiang' element content was terrifyingly low. If she brought them to the Safe Zone, it would surely cause a sensation, and by then, the spring in Plot Three would certainly be exposed.

Once exposed, with her current strength, she wouldn't be able to protect the Xiangchun trees, the spring, or Boss Sheep.

The spring was one thing, but the Xiangchun trees grew on the hillside; she had already mentioned them to Tan Junjie, so they couldn't be hidden. If Tan Junjie wanted to trade for them, it was possible, but he would have to help her keep it a secret.

There was one other person who could help. That was the person who had sent her the text message about the territory information, but only after she confirmed that person's identity and motives.

Early the next morning, Xia Qing dug up fifteen rooted Perilla seedlings, selecting the large ones that Boss Sheep hadn't bitten, totaling one pound. Five Perilla seedlings for a piece of sprouted ginger from Plot Four; ten seedlings for ten leek seedlings from Plot Five; half a pound for a vial of detoxification medicine; and half a pound for the protective clothing.

From the exchange methods, it was clear that Plots Four and Five were like her—honest farmers using seedlings to trade for seedlings. The people in Plot Six were a bit slippery but seemed intent on settling down here. Plots Two and Seven were wealthy households with no shortage of supplies.

Plot Two belonged to the Tang family. Where did Zhang San from Plot Seven come from?

Hearing the distant footsteps of the inspection team, Xia Qing gave Boss Sheep a nod and carried the Perilla toward the new isolation zone on the north side.

"Sister Qing!" From a distance, Su Ming waved enthusiastically at Xia Qing.

Just as Xia Qing waved back, Boss Sheep came charging out with a *thud-thud-thud* and stood in front of her, striking a pose as if to hold a pass against ten thousand men.

Xia Qing smiled and rubbed its head, whispering sweet nothings, "Boss Sheep is the best. You even came out to protect me without eating your food just because you heard a sound. I'm so moved; Boss Sheep is so good!"

"Old Cao, what is Sister Qing whispering to the sheep?" Xia Qing heard Su Ming ask Cao Xianyun in a low voice.

"I can't hear clearly," Cao Xianyun replied softly.

"Quiet," Tan Junjie lowered his voice, "Stop the nonsense."

With her head down, Xia Qing raised an eyebrow, confirming that Cao Xianyun's auditory evolution was not as high as hers. This aligned with her estimation—her auditory evolution was no lower than Level 4.