Chapter 369: Community of Interests

Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Community of Interests

Seeing his father slowly open his eyes, Tang Huai immediately leaned over. "Dad, do you need to use the bathroom or want some water? Is your wound still hurting?"

Tang Zhengpo didn’t want to do either, and his wound hurt terribly. Still, he let his son help him take a couple of sips of water before asking, "What time is it?" ⅇ

Tang Huai answered right away, "Four o’clock. It’s still hours before dawn. You should get some more sleep."

Tang Zhengpo grunted, comforting his eldest son, who looked on the verge of tears. "The Green Dragon Team was protecting us on this trip for the wheat seeds. It’s just a flesh wound, no Evolutionary Bacteria infection. With Zhang San’s Special Medicine, I’ll be fine in a few days."

"Dad..." Tang Huai couldn’t hold back his tears, feeling utterly pathetic. "I’m just so useless."

"Who says my son is useless?" Tang Zhengpo said firmly. "You’ve been smart and sensible since you were a child. You never gave your mother and me a single thing to worry about with your studies. If it weren’t for the Natural Disasters, you’d be an archaeologist by now, leading your own team on digs."

"Dad..." Becoming an archaeologist had been Tang Huai’s dream since childhood. His family supported him, and he had always been working toward that dream.

Who could have imagined that the Natural Disasters would completely change Blue Star? With bodies littering the ground and people starving, archaeology was now completely worthless.

Tang Zhengpo’s voice was gentle. "After bringing back this batch of seeds, I’ve used up all my favors at Hui Yi Base. From now on, we’ll have to rely on our own abilities to trade for supplies. Your sister has a head for business, so she’ll continue to manage the restaurant. You and Ah Heng will stay in the Second Territory. I can still manage our family’s territory for a few more years."

Tang Huai wiped away his tears. "Once the wheat in our territory sprouts, those two brothers will know we lied to them. Is there any point for Ah Heng and me to stay with the Su Feng Team in the Second Territory?"

"Before our territory’s walls are built, your grandmother, your mother, and your sister still need to stay in the Inner City of the Safe Zone. So we can’t completely burn our bridges with Tang Zhengrong just yet," Tang Zhengpo said. His body was weak, but his mind was crystal clear.

"Once they find out that I brought back the grain seeds with the Green Dragon Team, they’ll be even more determined not to let you two brothers leave the Second Territory. That’s because they’ll need a scapegoat when people in the Second Territory mess up, and also because they’ve got their eyes on the high-quality wheat in our territory."

"The environment on Blue Star has changed, but the basic laws of human survival have not. Strength is paramount, and the strong are revered. In the ten years before the territory policy, Evolvers were the strong ones in the bases. But with the territory policy, even ordinary people have a chance to become strong."

"So, Ah Huai, this is a rare chance for us to turn things around."

Tang Zhengpo’s voice was faint but steady, and his words were convincing. "Tang Zhengsu is just a gun in Tang Zhengrong’s hand—nothing to fear. If we were still in the Safe Zone, we’d be no match for Tang Zhengrong. But the territories are guarded by the military, so Tang Zhengrong doesn’t have absolute control there."

"It’s like the old saying goes: there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. You need to apply the same passion you had for studying archaeology and digging for bugs to understanding the needs of the hundred-plus refugees in the Second Territory. Antagonizing the No.1 Territory and causing chaos in this region—that’s the goal of the Tang Zhengrong brothers, not the refugees or the Gui San Team members hiding among them."

"Discover the refugees’ true needs, then tie their needs to our goals. Those refugees can then become part of a community of shared interests. Find common ground, set aside your differences, and work together for a win-win situation." Tang Zhengpo’s tone was earnest. "From here on, it’s up to you two brothers. The day you can win over the refugees in the Second Territory is the day I can lay down my burdens and retire in peace."

Tang Huai tucked the blanket around his father and made a solemn promise. "You just focus on getting better. Ah Heng and I can handle those hundred-plus people. I traded for 30 Green Light Eggs from Xiaqing a few days ago, so we’ll definitely be able to hatch some Green Light chicken before the new year. Once you’re back on your feet, you can raise chickens and birds in the territory. Leave all the worrying matters to us."

"Good." Tang Zhengpo smiled and asked, "Has Zhou Zhaoping entered No. 8 Territory?"

Tang Huai replied, "Yes, he came over on the same plane that was transporting supplies. It looks like he plans to stay in No. 8 Territory to manage the factory."

"You have sharp ears. When you have time, listen in on how he manages the factory and the refugees. You’ll surely be able to learn a lot. Don’t argue with Xin Yu, and get along with Xiaqing and Zhang San. When you go to Territory Land No. 7 tomorrow, don’t talk too much. Just do whatever Zhang San tells you to do..."

After his father drifted off to sleep while still muttering, Tang Huai turned off the light, lay down on the small bed next to his, and was soon fast asleep, snoring loudly.

Awakened by the snoring, Tang Zhengpo kept his eyes closed and smiled silently.

"Xiaqing, I’ve been meaning to tell you since I dropped off those refugees—that wall you’ve built is seriously impressive!"

After settling all the refugees, Zhong Tao had driven his patrol car to the territory to deliver rapeseed and supplies. The moment he got out, his eyes lit up as he praised the Third Territory’s new chain-link fence. "This wire is thicker than the one at the Safe Area’s Planting Center. I bet it could take a car crash."

The southern wall of the territory was now complete, and the more Xiaqing looked at it, the more satisfied she was. "The Planting Center has the Safe Zone’s walls for protection and so many guards, so they don’t need a particularly sturdy fence. It’s different for me out here. A flimsy one wouldn’t last."

Zheng Kui gave Xiaqing a piece of news. "Hui Yi Base has developed a new type of coating material. They say that after coating metal with it, its wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance are greatly improved. We don’t have any connections in that area, but you could ask the Green Dragon Team."

"Thanks, Brother Kui." Xiaqing explained her predicament, "I just barely managed to enclose the territory by selling the grain I just harvested. I’ll contact someone about coating the fence after I harvest the wheat and rapeseed next year."

Zheng Kui nodded.

Zhong Tao continued, "You were right to get the wall up. Several territories near the Safe Zone have been overrun by refugees. There’s no stopping them."

To starving refugees on the brink of losing control, the law was utterly meaningless. That was why Zhong Tao and the others had been dispatched to settle the refugees recently, leaving them no time to patrol.

"By the way, you haven’t heard, have you?" Zhong Tao lowered his voice, gloating. "Territory No. 49 was also invaded. A dozen of their earthworm-rearing greenhouses were smashed."

Territory No. 49 had snatched the earthworm manure business from Sun Zhe and Zhong Tao’s cousin. Naturally, Zhong Tao was delighted to see them suffer.

After chatting for a while, Zhong Tao finally handed Xiaqing a package. "These are the wheat seeds you stored in the Safe Zone’s storage warehouse. This is one pound of Yellow Light Rapeseed. Half a pound is your reward, and the other half needs to be traded for with vegetables or grain. Do you want the seeds?"

When she had attended the agricultural trade fair in July, Xiaqing had also set aside forty pounds of Yellow Light Wheat as seeds and paid to have them stored in the Safe Zone’s food storage warehouse. Now that it was time to sow winter wheat, she naturally needed to get her seeds back.

After confirming there were no issues with the wheat and rapeseed, Xiaqing listed the vegetable seeds she wanted to trade for. "I’ll also take one hundred celtuce seeds and one hundred celery seeds. Brother Tao, can you still get crab shell fertilizer?"

There were four types of vegetable seeds available for trade this time, two of which Xiaqing already had.

Zhong Tao accepted the large Yellow Light pumpkins Xiaqing was using to trade for the vegetable and rapeseed, then asked, "There’s one last batch of crab shell fertilizer from the Gui San Base. How much do you want?"