Chapter 63: Food chain: Big fishes eat smaller ones

As Light Chu conversed with the head of the Yu family, gamers observing on the side whispered to each other.

"Did you understand what the governor just said?"

"No!"

"Well, I understood a little. Basically, he exchanged one kilogram of coarse salt for ten furs."

"It seems that the one kilogram of coarse salt was obtained by trading three kilograms of smoked meat!"

"Three kilograms of smoked meat for ten furs? Damn! We've been cheated! Couldn't those ten furs get us two guns? They're really taking advantage of the natives!"

"Such a petty perspective! By the way... how many silver coins did the governor sell us the coats and leather goods for?"

"...?"

"What the hell?!"

"Damn?!"

These cute little gamers seemed to have discovered a significant issue, but Light Chu, who had already won big, didn't care.

Was it important?

Clearly, it wasn't.

If they didn't buy low and sell high, could they still be called NPCs?

Did they think they had transmigrated to another world?

Can't stand? Then go ahead playing on a private server! Just modify the attributes of silver coin equipment however you want. There will be as many mods to applied as you wish.

Meanwhile, Tiger, the second son of the Yu family, was still calculating with his fingers. Addition and subtraction within one hundred were somewhat difficult for him.

"One hyena fur for 150 grams of coarse salt. In Bette Street, 150 grams of salt cost 3 chips. So... one hyena fur is worth 3 chips?"

"One more chip than what we would get from selling it to Old Charlie?"

"But the quality of this coarse salt is much better than what Old Charlie sells... It's not mixed with sand!"

Finally understanding, Tiger turned his head and looked at Light Chu, uneasily saying, "But how can we do that? Won't you lose out this way? How about 100 grams instead, the same as this time?"

Looking at the innocent child in front of him, Light Chu suddenly didn't know how to face him, so he looked up at the sky, reached out, and patted his shoulder.

"Have you heard of a term called win-win?"

"Win... win?"

This outsider always said incomprehensible words, and Tiger finally understood how much one fur was worth, and again became confused by this unfamiliar term.

He just felt...

Big Brother Chu's expression seemed profound and unfathomable.

"That's right," Light Chu nodded and continued, "You gain, and I gain. We're both winners now."

Tiger looked at his father joyfully.

"Dad! Let's sell all the fur to Brother Chu from now on! That way, we'll both win!"

"Shut up."

The head of the Yu family obviously thought more deeply, but it wasn't about the price, as his son had inherited his views on education.

Looking at Light Chu, the old man still had concerns.

"I understand what you mean, but if the mayor forbids us from doing business with outsiders and it gets discovered..."

Once or twice would be fine.

But if it continued for a long time, it would definitely be discovered.

After all, the butchering and tanning were done in Bette Street. If the furs disappeared and weren't sold to Old Charlie, people would inevitably become suspicious.

Hearing this, Light Chu smiled indifferently.

"Am I a merchant? Obviously not. My home is right here! We're neighbors and friends. Is there a problem with visiting a friend's home? Clearly, there's no problem."

"As for that old leech... cough, I mean the mayor of Bette Street, if he prohibits you from contacting us, it's also fine. You don't need to bring anything from home. Just bring the hunted game directly to me."

"Our people can even help you skin and dress the meat for free, right in front of you. We guarantee there won't be any shortfall in weight!"

"By that time, you can keep the furs and take the meat and the exchanged salt back. Or better yet, you can sell the game directly to me. Not only can you exchange it for salt, but you can also exchange it for grains and smoked meat. It's definitely more cost-effective than taking your chips to Old Charlie!"

After hearing these assurances, the old man's eyebrows finally relaxed, and he excitedly whispered.

"That won't do... We can't let you help us with the meat for free. According to Bette Street's rules, the butchers take thirty percent of the hunted game, so we'll give you thirty percent too!"

Damn?

Making so much money with a butcher's shop in Bette Street?

But when you think about it, butchering is a skilled trade.

Light Chu sighed.

Indeed, he was still too kind.

"You're too polite."

"Thirty percent is too much, how about twenty percent!"

...

About whether it was thirty percent or twenty percent, Light Chu didn't want to argue too much.

In any case, no matter how you calculated it, he would win more.

Of course, for these scavengers of Bette Street, doing business with him definitely wouldn't result in a loss.

After all, he was different from the merchants.

Those bloodsuckers were even more ruthless than leeches, always looking for a quick deal, sucking even the bone marrow if they could. After all, whether they would be alive tomorrow was still an unknown, so who cared about the day after tomorrow?

But for himself...

He definitely wanted more than just a few furs and pieces of meat.

If he played his cards right, Bette Street might not need its current mayor for much longer.

At worst, once both sides had accumulated enough trust, there should be a group of people choosing to leave their homes and come to join him.

He needed an opportunity.

After thanking Light Chu, the old and young members of the Yu family finally accepted the one kilogram of coarse salt and prepared to leave.

However, at this moment, Lil Fishie, who had been hiding behind Tiger all along, suddenly emerged from behind her brother. With her big, round eyes, she looked at Light Chu and said crisply,

"Are you going back?"

Go back?

It had only been less than two weeks, but when Light Chu heard this question, he suddenly felt as if it had been a lifetime ago.

Seeing that Light Chu didn't speak, Fishie continued.

"Second Brother said that you weren't eaten by the hyenas and that you're still alive, but you won't be going back anymore. But he said I could come to see you, so I followed. I just wanted to ask if you still need that shed?"

This child still spoke without pausing, as if she wanted to cram all her words into one sentence and finish speaking in one go.

But Light Chu probably understood what she meant and was also moved.

Originally, in his plan, the shack in Bette Street was just a retreat, and if things went well during the pioneering period, he could exchange it for some supplies. Fishie could have guarded it for him for two or three days, which would have been enough.

If he didn't return in three days, it meant that he didn't need to go back.

"Have you been watching over it for me?"

"Yeah!"

Nodding like a garlic crusher, Fishie proudly lifted her nose, looking quite pleased. At this moment, she wasn't afraid or shy anymore.

"Fishie promised to watch over it for you and won't go back on her word. Second Brother said your doorstep was covered in dust, so you definitely won't be coming back. I even swept away the dust for you."

"Although that little brat from the Wang family always has his eyes on your door, trying to secretly pry it open when I'm not paying attention, Fishie has sharp ears. I can hear even the slightest sound! He dares not touch me. Second Brother has beaten him before."

The more Light Chu listened, the more guilty he felt.

Although he had never cheated anyone when he was in sales, he had certainly bluffed and taken advantage of people's greed. But when faced with this honest, innocent, and kind customer, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

How should he put it?

Ah!

Forget it.

Maybe that's why he had a handsome face but could never become a top salesperson or win the favor of a wealthy lady.

"Thank you for taking care of my home for so long! But you don't need to do it anymore..."

"That shed can be considered my coming-of-age gift to you. If there's anything inside that you can use, feel free to dismantle it without asking me."

Fishie nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Aren't you coming back?"

That was actually the only question she wanted to ask.

"No, my companion needs me, so I'll stay here from now on." Light Chu phrased it in a gentle way.

"Okay."

Thinking that she wouldn't have any more candy to eat in the future, Fishie felt a little down, but she still perked up.

"Thank you for the gift! Can I give it to my brother? My little nest is pretty good, but my second brother needs a bigger one for his wedding, so he won't have to marry far away and can come visit often."

"Cough, your brother... that should be called marrying. Anyway, it's up to you. After all, it's already yours."

Light Chu patted her little head and then took out the three lollipops from his pocket and handed them all to her.

"Take these and enjoy. They're all for you... Remember to unwrap the wrappers."

Then he couldn't help but add with concern.

"And don't put them all in your mouth at once. Only one at a time, or they'll mix flavors and become too sweet."

"Thank you!"

Finally getting the lollipops she had been longing for, Little Fishie, although a little reluctant, obediently followed her family back.

In a little while, it would be dark, and the monsters would crawl out from the tall buildings to forage in the streets.

At least, that's what she had heard since she was little...

.....

Evening.

The area in front of the northern gate of the outpost base was bustling with activity.

It seemed to have become an established market.

Gamers inserted wooden signs into the ground, engraved with their identification numbers and IDs, marking out an area to represent their designated stalls.

Those who were here yesterday were still here today, and no one would cause trouble and dismantle their stalls.

With fewer gamers in the game now, and since everyone entered through word of mouth, people were generally friendly and civilized.

After all, what benefits would it bring to hinder others?

The people present were all part of the future first-tier group, even if they were only second-tier experts at best, they still had some dignity. They would lose face if they didn't consider it now, how would they continue to thrive in the future?

Seeing that gamers were organized in such a manner, Light Chu, the governor, was quite at ease. He simply complied with the "popular opinion" and posted a paper in front of the northern gate.

[Starting today, the area within 100 meters outside the northern gate is designated as the 'market,' where sanctuary residents are free to set up stalls and trade.]

[The consignment shelves are located in the residential hall. A rental fee of 1 silver coin is required to consign items. If no one purchases the item, it will be removed after seven days. After removal, the rental fee can be replenished for an extended period.]

After the notice was posted, gamers all rushed to read it and cheered with excitement.

"All hail the governor!"

"This is fantastic! Is this an in-game update? The market function is finally here! Yes!"

"Anyone interested in buying the fangs of a mutant hyena? With the market function available, who needs to travel far for enchantments, socketing, and inscriptions? Why wait to gather materials? How else can we become stronger?"

"Anyone buying mushrooms? Fresh large mushrooms! Come and buy, I promise not to raise the price anymore. It's only 4 copper coins from now on, really!"

"Boss Raven, did your mushrooms go to university?"

"Can they lay eggs?"

"Can we buy them to set them free?"

"Can it make Diona to spit in my drink?"

"Oh damn, you're such a pervert!"

Watching the noisy gamers, Light Chu had a smile on his face, akin to that of an old father.

Life was getting better day by day.

On this day, however, darkness fell earlier than before...

...

Before it got dark, the Yu family returned to Bette Street, but the atmosphere here was somewhat different from usual.

A truck was parked in front of Bette Street's gate, and two men wearing fur coats and carrying steel pipe rifles stood beside it, along with a disheveled and tattered slave who couldn't be discerned as male or female.

Old Charlie stood at the door negotiating with the leader of the men, wearing a pleading smile on his face.

The leader, clearly impatient, blew smoke rings in Old Charlie's face. The other burly man urged him to hurry up.

Before long, Old Walter, the gatekeeper, led out a woman from inside the gate.

She was wrapped in a robe, with shackles on her hands and feet, and striped markings on her ankles. Even if she were a woman, her pale, almost soulless eyes would still captivate anyone.

Little Fishie had never seen such a beautiful sister before. Her big, round eyes blinked with curiosity and envy.

"Brother, who is she?"

Tiger whispered.

"I don't know. Maybe the old mayor bought her from outside. I heard she's a clone or something?"

"A clone? Peak her eyes you will see they have no soul, so don't look!" Dad clearly knew more, he reached out and pulled his son and daughter, whispering, "Don't make a sound, don't make eye contact with those people. Let's wait here for them for a while."

The two obediently followed Dad and hid in the shadows of the street corner.

The men in fur coats checked the goods, chuckled, patted Old Charlie on the shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up.

Then Little Fishie saw the rude man tie the sister's hands to the truck and beckon his companions before leaving.

"Brother, where are they taking her?"

Tiger also didn't know how to explain this question. He was a boy and could guess, but he didn't know how to put it into words.

Every nearing winter, every household on Bette Street responded to the mayor's call to contribute supplies. Didn't the old mayor need to offer tributes to others?

Obviously not.

It was just like the food chain. Big fishes eat small fishes, and small fishes eating smaller shrimps.

"You're still young, don't ask so many questions."

"I'm not young." Little Fishie said in frustration.

Tiger laughed at her words and rubbed her little head.

"Be good, if you're not young anymore, eat more meat. You can only grow taller by eating meat... What is that plastic stick you have? Is it tasty? Do you have more? Give me one to try."

"No! Go ask Brother Chu for it yourself." Little Fishie agilely dodged him like a swift fish.

"It's time to go."

The old man carefully concealed what he was holding, then reached out and took away the plastic stick Little Fishie had been holding in her mouth, throwing it into the corner without caring about her grievances. He then pulled the two children and hurried back home.

Old Charlie glanced at the three of them but didn't say anything. He just chatted casually with Old Walter as if nothing had happened.

"Did you have such a beautiful chick in your previous sanctuary?"

"No, at least the people in my previous sanctuary were normal."

"She's not normal?"

"There are two types of clones. One develops from infancy and grows naturally, almost indistinguishable from normal people. The other type is an accelerated product that stays in a growth tank until complete development, hardly different from livestock... This second type comes in all sorts, with different purposes and developmental cycles. It's hard to explain to someone like you."

Old Walter chuckled and handed a cigarette to Charlie.

"Well, it's still a while before it gets dark. Let's talk about it."

Old Charlie sighed and began to tell the story, as if telling a tale of a short but beautiful time in his life.

Little Fishie wanted to stop and listen, but Dad didn't want to. He grabbed her and Tiger, hurriedly making their way back home.