Chapter 022.1 — Planning [1]
Author: He Feng Yan
Translator: HeXie
Editor: Dry
Tobacco was an absolutely scarce luxury in the apocalypse. Even if some large and medium-sized bases had factories in the apocalypse, almost all of them were used to produce military and building materials. After all, that was the fundamentals for survival. Moreover, even if the cigarettes are sold at a more expensive rate, there were no production lines and no raw materials to make it there. So, the ones that are sold at such an expensive rate, what were they actually made of?
In the apocalypse, the pressure for survival was great. For the zombie hunters whose heads were tied to their waistband at any time, smoking was the best decompressor. There were two kinds of cigarettes sold in the apocalypse, one was the stock before the apocalypse happened, and the other were the local cigarettes made by the survivors after the apocalypse happened. The former only had a small amount of stock left.
In any case, Wu Ye had been in Lan Cheng’s base for so many days, but he had only seen it in a store that specializes in rare goods. He didn’t actually know those tobacco brands that were created in the apocalyptic world. Anyway, the cheapest cigarettes pack which contained 20 sticks was sold for no less than 200 crystals. The slightly more expensive ones were priced at no less than thousands of crystals. Homemade local cigarettes were not cheap either, usually selling for around 3-5 crystals.
The system also had cigarettes that could be exchanged for, but the system only had one ‘made-in-system’ brand of cigarettes, and the quality was unknown. That combined with the thousands of points and crystal nuclei that was needed to get them dispelled all curiosity Wu Ye had.
Therefore, the alternative choice were the counterfeit cigarettes. Firstly, it was cheap and convenient. Furthermore, the insides also contained traces of real tobacco. Secondly, the counterfeit cigarettes could be customized. He could ask the manufacturer not to print any words on the package. Otherwise, how could he explain the brand of cigarettes that didn’t exist at all to the people in the zombie’s world?
Using the system to exchange salt with, and make use of the difference in price to earn crystal nuclei really made one’s income huge. However, the points consumption was not small. The cost for 1000 grams of salt was 10 points and 2 transparent crystal nuclei. After successful sales to the others, one could earn 128 transparent crystal nuclei. According to this cost calculation, the consumption of 1000 points, 200 transparent crystal nuclei, Wu Ye could earn 12800 transparent crystal nuclei.
With 1000 points and 1000 transparent crystal nuclei, Wu Ye could go back to his world. Then, using the transmission rules, he could bring a sack of bulk cigarettes of at least 10000. That way, even if he wholesaled them at the price of homemade local cigarettes, he could still earn at least 30000 transparent crystal nuclei. At the very least. As for the cost of buying those counterfeit cigarettes? With the apocalypse gold being as cheap as cabbages, the cost was almost negligible.
Of course, 1000 points was only enough for a one-way travel ‘fare’, but even with buying round-trip tickets, it was still much more cost-effective than simply selling salt. Furthermore, the situation at home is different now. The group had changed owners, and the family was heavily in debt. Let alone a comeback, even Ah Li’s medicine expenses in the hospital every day were not a small amount. He must bring back more gold from the apocalypse world to solve the current emergency.
As for the artificial intelligence, the ‘prince’ was a perfect finished product. But, the program framework behind the ‘prince’ could not be deciphered, therefore, regardless of how perfect it was, it was a pointless existence currently. In order to really develop the artificial intelligence, you needed to firmly grasp the patent, and it also needed to be promoted as well. But, which of these activities did not require you to spend money?
If it had been a month ago, Wu Ye wouldn’t have considered this so much. However, now after he saw his parents looking old and haggard, and after he saw his little brother lying weak in the bed, he only hated that he had been too laid-back before and put all the responsibilities he should bear on others. Now, he didn’t have any other choice but to pick up the responsibilities he should shoulder. There was simply no other choice anymore.
After all, Wu Sen, his eldest brother, shout was not in vain. Now, it didn’t matter anymore whether he was good or bad to himself, those things should be buried with the car accident. That’s why in the future he won’t deliberately retaliate against him. Wu Sen had taken what he wanted. They didn’t owe each other anymore. However, if he still wanted to provoke him in the future, then don’t blame him for not thinking about their kinship!
After negotiating with the counterfeit tobacco boss, Wu Ye paid the deposit and walked home slowly. He thought about a lot of matters along the way home. As the sun crossed the horizon, little by little the sky brightened, and there were more and more pedestrians on the road, Wu Ye’s mood suddenly brightened. No matter what, he was still alive. Although his world was filled with all kinds of setbacks and injustices. It was still peaceful here, here where there’s no zombies and monsters. There was no chaos and war.
The future was still full of hope.
HEXIE: wave~