Xia Na couldn’t help but admit it.
How long has it been? In just over half a month, Chen Che managed to bring about such a transformation in the gang members.
Let them celebrate wildly, venting the pressure from the training.
Chen Che, along with Bobbi Shana, went to his vegetable garden.
A plot of farmland had been developed behind the training warehouse.
This was the most strictly guarded place in the entire training base.
Proud green plants grew in the black soil.
A large strawberry field.
In half a month, the seeds sprouted, grew robustly, and even started bearing fruit. The growth speed left Chen Che incredulous.
Chen Che guessed it might be the soil of this world that’s doing the job.
The soil purified with fish soup was fertile, maybe it had the effect of catalyzing crop growth as well.
The strawberries not only matured but were laden with plump fruits, each the size of half a fist, though still green.
Not yet ripe, they had already grown this big. Chen Che guessed that when these strawberries matured, each one would be at least the size of an apple.
Strawberries of this caliber were extremely rare, even renowned worldwide.
Xia Na, not recognizing this crop, squatted down curiously and asked, "What are you growing?"
"Strawberries, a type of fruit."
"Fruit? What’s the point of growing this? It’s not even that tasty."
The taste of most fruits on the Wasteland wasn’t great.
Either too sour or too astringent.
Those well-flavored fruits renowned worldwide were all artificially bred and improved.
Wild fruits were either so sour they’d make your teeth tingle or so sweet they’d be cloying, not to mention those on the Wasteland.
"Ha, each of my fruits is worth at least ten thousand Betas, don’t try to sneak a taste then," Chen Che chuckled.
Xia Na pursed her lips, eyes full of defiance.
Bobby also chimed in at this moment: "Boss, if our fruits are really worth that much, I suggest we should opt for the smuggling route."
"Because going the official route, we’d get skinned alive. The Finance Bureau taxes are absurdly at 50%! Those with the capability mostly choose smuggling, selling through the black market. If our fruits are flavorful and free from radiation contamination, selling them in the black market through smuggling is definitely more worthwhile than the official route!"
"Moreover, I’ve summarized all your businesses, and honestly, stopping the trade of contraband, human trafficking, and organ smuggling—even temporarily—feels too much like a loss.
We could smuggle other goods, like arms, daily necessities, or even salt and meat.
These items are all under the supervision of the Finance Bureau; without an administrative order from them, neither large associations nor individuals are permitted to sell.
Those associations and capitalists spend a damn fortune at the Finance Bureau to get administrative orders and then hike up the prices crazily, nearly monopolizing everything.
Most ordinary people in the Ninth Special Zone can’t afford the necessities being sold at regular markets, and the black market through smuggling doesn’t get taxed, so it’s naturally much cheaper.
This is a massive market.
Master Chen, I’ve noticed, you seem not too fond of the organ trade and human trafficking, and truthfully, those businesses are kind of inhumane.
But smuggled goods, we really can’t give those up.
You have at least three smuggling lines. Cutting them all would be such a waste..."
Bobby felt heartache.
Recalling the memories in his mind, setting up these smuggling lines took quite a bit of effort for the original owner.
Although mostly relying on An Nishang’s prestige.
Bobby was a capable person, able to sort out all the business under his charge in such a short time.
He was running the gang, had private soldiers, only doing legitimate business, how’s that possible?
Moreover, those people at the Finance Bureau are greedy as hell, 50% tax, damn, why not just ask for 100%?
He was indeed uneasy about the human trafficking and organ trade since his soul came from a civilized world.
But with smuggled goods, indeed, they can’t be missed.
The Finance Bureau’s administrative orders are amusing; isn’t this like the ancient feudal dynasty’s salt monopoly?
What they were doing was equivalent to illicit salt traders.
This "salt" wasn’t actual salt, but similarly, it was a high-profit essential commodity.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Che nodded and said, "Bobby, you’re a capable man, I’ll leave this to you, keep developing the smuggling routes."
Bobby, seeing that Chen Che had thought it through, finally sighed in relief and laughed, "Don’t worry, Master Chen, I’ve got this covered!"
With Chen Che’s authorization, he could finally expand his operations.
And he could leverage some of the rights of the Special Operations Department.
When bureaucratic systems engage in the black industry, 1+1 is far greater than two.
It could bring entirely unexpected gains.
What made Bobby happiest was that with Chen Che’s authorization, he could leverage his name and influence to gain unique advantages in the scene.
As the authorized person in charge of this area, skimming a bit off the top, isn’t that normal?
When Chen Che and Xia Na were heading back, Xia Na grumbled to Chen Che, "You let Bobby handle this kind of thing, that guy’s mouth could split from smiling, who knows how much he’d skim off behind the scenes."
"You want someone to work for you, you’ve got to make sure they’re fed, right? Bobby’s a smart guy; I don’t need to spell it out for him. He knows what he can and can’t take."