Chapter 28: The Flea Market

Although there had been a minor episode moments before, it did nothing to dampen the group's enthusiasm for lunch. As Chu Tianhe brought up bowls of rice with smoked meat, the aroma alone was enough to make everyone lose control. Even Qi Feiwu, usually mindful of her feminine image, forgot herself and dug in with gusto, not caring that grains of rice clung to her face.

Chu Tianhe had learned his lesson as well. Before serving the others, he had already set aside the largest bowl, heaped high with smoked meat, especially for Xie Han. After all, being able to eat meat was thanks to the captain's efforts. It was only right that the captain should have more. Yet Xie Han seemed uninterested in the delicacy, eating only enough to fill himself and passing nearly all the meat to Old Gu and the others. In his words, this was called respecting elders and caring for the young.

This gesture nearly brought Old Gu and his companions to tears. In this post-apocalyptic world, such virtues had long since died out. For someone like Old Gu, who had seen the harshness of humanity, to be cared for in this way by Xie Han was enough to move him deeply.

With the atmosphere so charged, Xie Han lost interest in lingering any longer. He took Qi Feiwu by the hand and headed outside. Qi Feiwu, a little puzzled but too flustered by his touch to protest, asked, “Where are we going?” Xie Han smiled, “To the market, of course.” Shopping was second nature to women, and this decision made Qi Feiwu so happy she nearly jumped for joy, forgetting entirely the awkwardness of having her hand held.

The others noticed their demeanor, of course. Xu Qiang merely curled his lips slightly and shook his head, his thoughts unreadable. But Taishan got up from the sand and followed with a flourish, declaring, “Boss, I know the market better than anyone. With me around, nobody will dare cause trouble.” He winked at Xu Qiang and grinned, “Qiangzi, I’ll leave the house to you. I doubt the troublemakers from the Distribution Office will show up, but just in case.”

The flea market within the base wasn’t large; it had been converted by management from the old People’s Square in Yanglin Town. Soldiers guarded the perimeter, so one didn’t have to worry about outright robbery here. But those who managed to do business were all shrewd types—if you weren’t careful, you’d certainly end up on the losing side. Only three forms of currency were accepted: gold, diamonds, and food, with food being the most sought after. Transactions in food often came with a discount.

By afternoon, the market was already bustling, filling the little square to overflowing. The goods on offer were many and mixed—everything from household necessities to all kinds of electronics. Some women, not without their charms, stood at their stalls, flirting shamelessly with passing customers. Here and there, a few vendors risked trading firearms and ammunition under the watchful eyes of the soldiers.

When they first set out, Taishan had thought Xie Han, empty-handed, was just going for a look. But when they reached a quiet corner downstairs, Xie Han fished out a bag and handed it to Qi Feiwu with a smile. With his sharp eyes, Taishan immediately recognized the contents: compressed noodle cakes, each about the size of a palm. Taishan knew well enough that a single one could keep a person alive for an entire day if rationed carefully.

With food in hand, Taishan felt flush with wealth and lost all interest in questioning the origins of the cakes. Once in the market, he began scanning the stalls, occasionally chatting with the vendors. Those who could do business here were either hunters, bringing a jumble of goods acquired in the wild, or workers from the base factories, who, with the right connections, could smuggle out spare parts and components to sell.

Xie Han hadn’t come with any particular purpose in mind; he was simply curious to see what the marketplace of the apocalypse looked like. Yet he was somewhat disappointed. Despite the crowds, few seemed genuinely intent on buying. After three years, those without skill or resource had long since exhausted their savings. With no income, what purchasing power remained?

Qi Feiwu, holding the bag, had no such concerns. She could hardly remember the last time she’d gone shopping—perhaps not since the end times began. For her, every interesting item was a delight, though she was sensible enough not to let her gaze linger on anything she didn’t need. She understood all too well the value of food now.

At last, they reached the electronics section. Xie Han’s interest was piqued by a so-called smart rice cooker, which looked quite different from the ones of the modern era. Its functions were much more advanced—combining microwave and rice cooker capabilities, it could cook rice in just three minutes. Even more astonishing, its power consumption was only 500 watts. In three minutes, it barely used any electricity—an indispensable kitchen appliance.

The proprietress of the stall, seeing Xie Han’s fascination and noting his attire, sensed a potential buyer and greeted him eagerly, “What do you think? Three and a half years ago, this brand was among the top three. And look—this cooker’s never been used. It took a great deal of effort to get it out of Wangtian City.” When Xie Han didn’t respond, she added with a sigh, “Normally, this would be worth at least twenty grams of gold. But if you want it, I’ll let you have it for fifteen.”

Xie Han was tempted. Taishan, however, chuckled and said to the proprietress, “Fifteen grams of gold? You might as well be robbing us. But…” He pulled out a compressed noodle cake from Qi Feiwu’s bag, waved it, and said, “One cake. If that’s acceptable, we have a deal.” The woman hesitated—food was tempting, as one cake could feed a person for a day—but the cooker hadn’t been easy to acquire. She shook her head, “Two cakes. For two, we have a deal.”

Taishan laughed softly, “Two cakes are worth at least twenty grams of gold. For your old rice cooker? Surely you’re not the only one selling these here.” His words struck a nerve. After a brief calculation, the woman gritted her teeth, “Fine. For food, one cake it is.”

Xie Han smiled. “Give her two cakes. We’ll take two rice cookers.” Qi Feiwu, though puzzled, obediently handed over two cakes. The woman was pleased enough; after all, in this world, appliances were plentiful and not worth much. The true value was in food, and this exchange was well within her acceptable range.

Xie Han’s motivation wasn’t merely to have a spare. The functions of this rice cooker had truly intrigued him—if he could take it back to the modern era, perhaps it could be studied and reproduced. If such an advanced rice cooker could hit the market, it would surely become a global sensation. With this thought, Xie Han suddenly felt that everything he bought here could set his blood racing, every item a potential treasure.