Chapter 78 Material Transaction

Words : 1263 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Material TransactionOn the road leading to the outskirts, a truck was moving along, carrying with it the remaining small agricultural machinery promised by the SWAT team in exchange for Chen Yu’s supplies, as well as sample goods intended for exchange with Chen Xin for vegetables. The deal with Chen Yu to exchange supplies for vegetables was, of course, insignificant to the entire police department. Even if Chen Yu, after upgrading his growing greenhouse, could provide nearly two thousand pounds of fresh vegetables a month, it was still the same. But the transaction with Chen Xin was only with the SWAT team. For the SWAT team, one or two thousand pounds of vegetables a month was still quite attractive. Moreover, the most crucial point was that although the one or two thousand pounds of vegetables were appealing, they weren’t so enticing as to cause the SWAT team to hatch any unscrupulous ideas. After all, the number of people in the SWAT team, though not many, isn’t exactly few either. Just the official SWAT members alone numbered over a hundred; two hundred pounds of cabbage would only suffice for one meal with some extra, and for two meals, they’d have to mix in some rat meat for added volume. Though if someone with darker intentions might think of taking over Chen Xin’s little shelter and enjoying it themselves, for the SWAT team, the one or two thousand pounds of vegetables a month wasn’t worth such action. No matter what, the government institutions are well-structured, the country and military remain intact, and the municipal government still relies heavily on the SWAT team to maintain order in the city. But the SWAT team is just a part of the police department; they haven’t reached the point where they can do whatever they please. "Sister Lan, do you think Ah Xin will accept the exchange conditions my dad and they proposed?" Sitting in the passenger seat, Ding Ning, now donned in a police uniform again, asked Qin Lan, who was driving. Under Uncle Ding’s firm stance, Ding Ning was taken back to the police shelter, dressed in a police uniform again, but she was transferred from her original unit to the SWAT team, responsible for assisting Qin Lan, nominally as a reserve observer. This time, she came with Qin Lan to deliver supplies to Chen Xin and incidentally bring back this month’s exchanged vegetables. Focusing on driving, Qin Lan, upon hearing Ding Ning’s question, thought for a moment and said, "Based on what I know about Ah Xin, he should accept exchanging living supplies for vegetables, but for other materials, it will depend on our negotiation with him." This was also Qin Lan’s main task this time: to discuss the specific proportions of the supplies-for-vegetables exchange with Chen Xin. Currently, the SWAT team still has a decent stock of supplies, and they can receive what could be considered ample provisions under the current circumstances from the city administration. Offering a small portion to exchange for fresh vegetables to improve meals is something the SWAT team can currently accept. Even though it’s indeed the apocalypse, as long as the supply is guaranteed, one or two thousand pounds of vegetables really just serve to improve meals for the SWAT team; after all, vegetables aren’t the staple food and can’t be eaten as a meal. Upon hearing Qin Lan’s response, Ding Ning, indifferent, pulled out her pistol from the holster at her waist and toyed with it in her hand, grumbling somewhat discontentedly, "Ah Xin is still too unguarded. Even if it’s because of my connections, he shouldn’t trust my dad so much. If someone wants to rob his shelter, they can settle it with just a gun." Qin Lan naturally agreed with Ding Ning’s words, as, in her view, Chen Xin’s shelter indeed lacked sufficient security measures. Two or three fortified doors might suffice against natural disasters, but if someone really had ulterior motives, the extent to which Chen Xin’s two doors in his shelter could serve as obstacles is hard to say. The two drove the truck to Chen Xin’s shelter, still using the shortwave radio to request the door be opened. "Little Ding? From the look of you, have you returned to the police station? Made up with Uncle Ding?" Chen Xin looked at Ding Ning in her police tactical gear and full single police equipment and couldn’t help but ask. "My dad sent Sister Lan to bring me back. What else could I say? At least I get to wear the police uniform again." Ding Ning explained to Chen Xin, also explaining with a certain helplessness, "Originally, my dad agreed to let Sister Yan and Little Sister Xin move to the municipal police shelter, but Sister Yan didn’t want to and still lives at her own home." Saying this, Ding Ning also showed concern for the Mo Family sisters on her face. Chen Xin naturally understood the worry from Ding Ning’s words. He also couldn’t help but frown at the matter. However, as Mo Qingyan’s choice was not something he could interfere with, all he could do was shake his head and say, "I’ll talk to Madam Long later. If worse comes to worst, I’ll help her make an oxygen generator." "Ah Xin, you can make an oxygen generator?" Ding Ning and Qin Lan were obviously surprised by what Chen Xin said. Seeing their astonished expressions, Chen Xin couldn’t help but find it a bit strange, so he said, "A simple oxygen generator is easy to make, you can modify a fish tank or a plant box yourself, or even without modification, just directly use the plant box as a replacement, though the oxygen output will be very low." "Oh, oh, I see!" Ding Ning quickly nodded, indicating her understanding, as she initially thought Chen Xin was talking about oxygen-generation equipment like those used in official shelters and didn’t associate it with such simple oxygen generators. Chen Xin didn’t mind Ding Ning’s attitude and asked Qin Lan, "Ah Lan, did you bring what I wanted last time?" "Don’t worry, the small agricultural machines you asked for last time are all on the truck, and this time I brought you something else too." Qin Lan assured as she moved to the back of the truck to open the compartment. ———————————————————— "Sit wherever you like, I’ll get you some water." After storing the items Qin Lan brought in the storeroom, Chen Xin invited the two to sit in the living room while he searched for cups to pour them water. However, as Chen Xin lived alone in the shelter, he hadn’t prepared extra cups, and after searching for a while, he couldn’t find any to pour water for Qin Lan and Ding Ning. Seeing this, Qin Lan quickly said to Chen Xin, "No need to look, Ah Xin, there’s water on the truck, you don’t have to trouble yourself. Sit down first; I have some matters to discuss with you." Hearing Qin Lan’s words, Chen Xin had no choice but to abandon the effort to find cups and sat down on the sofa, waiting for Qin Lan to speak. Taking out a piece of paper from her person and handing it to Chen Xin, Qin Lan then said, "The supplies-for-vegetables trade you mentioned before with our SWAT team, the captain and commissar have already agreed after discussion. This is a list of supply quotations we’ve put together. See if you can accept it, and if there are any modifications or dissatisfaction, we can negotiate."

Chapter 78 Material Transaction

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