"If you want to go, take your own people. Anyway, my people won’t be going."
"What do you mean ’your people, my people’? We all come from the same village and have known each other since we were kids. Even if you don’t think about yourself, think about your son. Besides, didn’t Big Camphor Tree say that they would exchange supplies for food? They did keep their promise, right?"
That person named Shan Feng curled his lips, even though he had also gone to exchange food with this friend before.
Even at the most critical times, if it weren’t for the willingness of Big Camphor Tree Base to exchange some food, those people with Shan Feng would have starved long ago.
But, in this world, there are all kinds of people.
Even if you are good to them, they won’t be grateful. On the contrary, they will feel that you haven’t given enough.
So he curled his lip and said, "The exchange rate is too low, one ton of rebar for only two pounds of rice. Isn’t that just ripping people off?"
As soon as these words came out, it angered the friend who was persuading him, who angrily said:
"Shan Feng, as a friend who grew up with you, I’m advising you out of our friendship, but the way you talk is like you’ve lost your conscience to a dog.
It’s not like before the end of the world, who doesn’t know how precious a bite to eat is.
It’s not that they only want rebar, you can exchange other stuff too.
If it weren’t for the possibility of exchange, we would all have starved to death."
Shan Feng ignored him and instead touched his 12-year-old son’s head: "Teng Fei, do you listen to Daddy?"
His son, due to hunger, looked like he was seven or eight years old instead of twelve, wearing oversized clothes that hung empty and loose.
As skinny as a rack, his skin-and-bones body made one feel heartache.
His little face appeared gaunt from starvation, his big eyes sunken deep into their sockets, as if they might fall out at any moment.
His thin arms felt as light as a bird’s when lifted, his legs as skinny as chopsticks, as if a gust of wind could knock him over.
Hearing his father’s words, he earnestly replied, "I do listen."
Shan Feng smiled and said, "How about we don’t go to Big Camphor Tree Base, we should have some pride. Teng Fei has the most pride, right?"
Little Teng Fei, completely unaware, heard his father’s praise and happily said, "Right. I won’t go."
The friend who tried to persuade Shan Feng sighed upon seeing this scene.
Good words are wasted on the damned.
It was just pitiful for the child Teng Fei.
With a sigh, he turned and walked away.
Behind him, a mocking glint flickered in Shan Feng’s eyes; he considered himself a smart person, and smart people never let others take advantage of them.
Little did he know that such a stubborn decision would cost him dearly.
This disaster took the lives of far too many people.
People who held the same thoughts as Shan Feng were not alone.
kilometers away from Xin City, there was a small team.
Their survival was difficult, but even so, they had never collaborated with Big Camphor Tree Base because they too felt the exchange rate for supplies was far too lopsided, a form of exploitation compared to pre-apocalyptic prices.
They would rather die than submit.
But they knew the situation at Big Camphor Tree Base, so they also wanted to take shelter there.
Initially, they regretted not cooperating with Big Camphor Tree Base.
But then someone suggested:
With so many others going anyway, although we never cooperated, maybe we could sneak in amidst the chaos, get in first and talk later. Read full story at novel{f}ire.net
They surely wouldn’t dare to kick us out after we entered, could Big Camphor Tree Base afford to scandalize the whole world?
You, Big Camphor Tree Base, care about your face and reputation, surely you won’t refuse us?
And with so many people going in, one more won’t make a difference.
They were so confident in their calculations that Li Yu could hear them from the base.
After Li Yu issued this order, he knew there would be such people, so he was prepared.
Brothers and sisters, mighty and awesome,
Little chives climbed onto the monthly ticket list for the first time.
All thanks to your support, little chives have a dream,
Wishing to stay on the monthly ticket list for a few more days.