Chapter Fifty-Eight: Terms of Exchange

If Xie Han were a clueless hothead, perhaps he really would have been fooled by Director An’s impassioned performance. But Xie Han had spent over two years in the unit, and was thoroughly used to the faces of politicians—who among them didn’t spew talk of ideological awareness and national contribution? But in truth? Xie Han could easily imagine that the so-called “nutrition for the warriors” was nothing but a sham; once those tins of meat reached their hands, the ones who actually got to enjoy them would likely be the people in power at the base.

Xie Han smiled amiably and said, “Director An, actually, I’m willing to sell the canned meat, tobacco, and alcohol to the base, but—well—the terms need a little adjustment.”

Director An was elated inwardly, though his face remained impassive. “Xie, whatever conditions you have, just tell us. The organization will consider them.” Seeing Xie Han agree, even his address changed. If it weren’t for the iron bars between them, Xie Han mused, the other might have warmly embraced him.

Xie Han had thought it through: these tins of meat, though more precious than gold now, were only a temporary advantage. Not to mention that Gao Tianhao’s target was the city warehouse this time, and Xie Han’s own windfall from the Yong’an freight yard—many knew about it, and it couldn’t be hidden for long. Soon, these tins would lose their current value. Xie Han could also tell that Director An didn’t know Gao Tianhao’s real target; otherwise, he wouldn’t have come down so low to negotiate.

“Director An, are you familiar with the market? Do you know the exchange rates between meat products and coarse grains?” After a moment’s consideration, Xie Han asked with a smile. He was certain this fat pig hadn’t bothered with market trends.

Director An was taken aback by the question, but his skin was thick as ever. He sidestepped, squinting, and said, “Let’s let Old Li handle the talks, haha… He’s the main person in charge of procurement this time.”

Li Xingjian cursed silently, but forced himself to address Xie Han: “I do know something about the market. The earlier procurement plan was indeed unreasonable. How about this: exchange rate of one to eight? That’s already very generous. If we go any higher, I won’t be able to explain it to my superiors.”

Xie Han knew Li Xingjian’s ratio was close to the market rate, but was food really his goal? He grinned, “I can give you these supplies at a one to five ratio, but I have a small condition.”

Li Xingjian frowned, “What is your condition? If it’s too much, the base might not be able to meet it.” Xie Han replied, “It’s simple for you. I want a pass that allows me to freely enter and exit the base. Of course, I’ll comply unconditionally with the six-hour quarantine whenever I return.”

Xie Han’s condition was so simple that Li Xingjian didn’t react at first.

“Haha… I always said Xie Han was highly aware. That’s a simple condition, I agree on behalf of the organization.” Director An was the first to respond; he was delighted to secure the urgently needed tobacco, alcohol, and meat at such a low price, fulfilling Governor Sun’s directive. Director An was already fantasizing about enjoying a sumptuous dinner with a certain woman tonight.

After signing a brief electronic contract, the quantities were tallied and transmitted to Xie Han’s handheld computer. Once the numbers were confirmed, the base delivered the agreed amount of grain to the Apocalypse Company’s office, needing no further attention from Xie Han. The special pass arrived in his hands half an hour later.

Once everything was settled, Xu Qiang and his companions remained silent, trusting Xie Han had his reasons and would surely offer them an explanation.

Xie Han, of course, owed them an explanation. Holding the pass up, he said, “Though you haven’t asked, I know you must be curious why I’d make such a seemingly unprofitable deal. Have you considered that in another hour or two, the hunting team will return? Don’t forget, their target this time was the largest distribution warehouse of Wan Jia Xi in Wangtian City. Would they lack canned meat or alcohol there?”

Amu was puzzled, “But what use is this pass we got?”

Xie Han smiled, stroking the pass and gazing out the window into the distance. “What use? It’s incredibly valuable.” He didn’t reveal his evacuation plan—now wasn’t the time to let too many people know. Otherwise, the base would surely intervene, perhaps even arrest him for “disrupting the base’s stability.”

“Xu Qiang, have you ever considered emptying out the Yong’an freight yard before anyone else finds it?” The thought of its vast supplies made Xie Han’s heart race. With those resources, establishing a base would become much easier, and at least the provenance of many things wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

Xu Qiang’s eyes lit up. The idea was so wild it was hard not to be excited. “To say I haven’t thought about it would be a lie. But just us alone—it might be tough.”

Xie Han nodded, “Indeed. Looks like it’s time to have a serious talk with Brother Chen and his crew.”

Only half of the quarantine time had passed when Xie Han keenly caught the distant roar of engines at the high entrance. He said calmly, “The hunting convoy has returned.”

Xu Qiang and the others lacked Xie Han’s ability. They looked at him in confusion—even straining to listen, they heard nothing. But seven or eight minutes later, the distant rumble became faintly audible, and a few minutes after that, the plaza at the base gates transformed into a sea of vehicles. Cheers erupted, joyful shouts soaring over the entire plaza.

Xu Qiang and the others stared at Xie Han in amazement, unable to imagine what kind of ability allowed him to hear the convoy from so far away. Only then did they remember—their captain was no ordinary man, someone who could escape unscathed from the terrifying R3 mutant zombies.

The cheers on the plaza lasted more than an hour before the hunters, satisfied, moved toward the quarantine zone. Like Xie Han and his group, they would undergo six hours of observation, and only after confirming they hadn’t been infected with the XR virus could they truly enjoy their spoils.

Xie Han’s group was quarantined in the first room, watching Gao Tianhao and Gao Zaitian celebrated by their subordinates, feeling a twinge of emotion. Who would have thought they’d all arrived at the base together, yet, in comparison, Gao Tianhao was thriving—completing the hunt at Wan Jia Xi City would propel him to new heights.

Chen Liu came in last, his expression markedly different from the others, his face cold and showing none of the joy of a successful hunt. Those with him were friends, and from their faces, Xie Han surmised something must have happened during the hunt; otherwise, they wouldn’t all look so grim.

“Brother Chen Liu, wait…” Xie Han finally called out to the cold-faced Chen Liu.