Chapter 067: Moldy Oyster Mushrooms: How They Came to Be

On the way, Jing Mom couldn’t stop blaming herself.

“If I had known Yu Cai Ni was such a ruthless person, I would have been more cautious. I should have realized from the look in her eyes yesterday, but I never imagined someone could be this malicious. I thought too well of people.”

People always learn the hard way, Jing Shu thought. No amount of warning compares to learning from one’s own painful mistakes. If it takes being burned to teach her parents to be wary, so be it, even if it means getting burned more than once.

With magic-infused spring water added, the garlic shoots and oyster mushrooms had not only regrown a bit but also looked more robust. Jing Shu worried if this might make them suspicious, but it seemed she was overthinking it.

She also understood why she survived the apocalypse in her previous life—thanks to her resilience and the numerous unidentified medicines she endured.

At the regional government competition, various experimental produce from 13 districts was showcased. There were spinach that matured in two days thanks to specific agents, and garlic that, through grafting and chemical treatments, grew multiple bulbs. Jing Mom’s oyster mushrooms, although exceptional, only secured third place.

The first place was taken by a genetically modified oyster mushroom from the new district, which was treated with mold and chemicals and soaked in a foul-smelling green liquid. This mushroom could produce multiple bunches from one culture packet, and even grow layers of moss-like fungi on itself— a disgusting sight, and Jing Shu recalled how she had vomited eating these in her previous life.

Each culture packet could feed twenty people. The advantage was its high yield and low cost, but the drawbacks included poor taste and potential health hazards due to residual mold.

The second place went to genetically modified corn that did not require sunlight, promising high yield and low cultivation demands, currently still under research.

Although Jing Mom’s produce ranked third, it was specifically marked as “government-exclusive vegetables” after the leaders sampled it. This not only promised a promising but dangerous job—supplying vegetables solely to the government officials of U City, while the other districts served the general populace.

Yu Cai Ni’s products, being too ordinary and not cost-effective due to the high price of catalysts, placed seventh. Her reaction was fierce, accusing Jing Mom of cheating and using stolen products since their lab was supposedly ravaged by insects.

Thus, the phrase “history is written by the victors” holds; the outcome of the competition effectively ended the dispute. Director Zhu swiftly demoted Yu Cai Ni, downgrading her three levels and assigning her to a three-month retraining program—effectively a suspension. Officer Liu faced similar consequences for negligence leading to financial loss.

“Sometimes, evidence doesn’t matter,” Jing Shu explained to her mother, pointing out Director Zhu’s decisive actions. “He cleaned house before taking office, clearing any obstacles for you.”

Moreover, Jing Shu was appointed as an honorary consultant for the Development Zone Management Office to oversee the frog-based pest control program, with compensation based on area and effectiveness.

In the following days, Jing Mom was busy with her new responsibilities, while Yu Cai Ni and Liu faced the grim reality of their downgrades, doing menial tasks as part of their retraining.

On May 1, 2023, Monday, just like in her previous life, the U City government officially launched the artificial sun project, aimed at restoring continuous power and gas supply by October after completion.

The initiative sparked similar projects across the country, promising a near-future with sustainable energy regardless of natural sunlight conditions.

But as patience wore thin over the past five months, some started showing their true colors, leading to the first burglary—a sign of the desperation setting in among the populace.

And as gas was cut off citywide, households had to adapt quickly, mostly relying on electric cookers due to the scarcity of other food supplies and cooking oil.

However, the real problem emerged as families realized that their rice consumption was rapidly depleting their stocks—what used to last months now barely covered a week. Even queuing at supermarkets offered little relief, as rationing tightened and desperation grew.

The first burglary marked just the beginning of a series of crimes fueled by hunger and despair.

“Cheers!” Jing Dad raised his glass.

“Cheers!” echoed around the table.

“Tonight, we celebrate three things: the launch of the national artificial sun project, Lan Zhi’s promotion to director, and Jing Shu securing a respectable job!” Jing Dad exclaimed, proud and hopeful despite the growing unrest outside.

With a glass of wine in hand, they toasted to a future that seemed both promising and fraught with new challenges.