Chapter 243: Didn’t Realize He Was Modifying a Vehicle…

It wasn’t just the 10,000 virtual coins—Jing Shu didn’t even have a few hundred left. She had drained her savings for the last factory, even resorting to completing various bounties in the scavenging teams to make ends meet.

Money, no matter the era, seemed to vanish in an instant, and Jing Shu’s extravagant spending habits were impressive to behold. When she was broke, she pinched every penny, but once she had cash, she bought everything she wanted. She just couldn’t seem to hold onto it.

Luckily, this time Jing Shu’s bold commitment to invest 10,000 virtual coins wasn’t made without some confidence. She had a secret weapon.

From her first batch of 6 blood mushrooms, she had given 1 to Grandpa Yang Yang, used 2 in soups, and fed 1 to her unconscious grandmother. After gathering 12 more blood mushrooms later on, she now had 14 full-grown mushrooms and 3 smaller ones with just their roots.

After a few days of nurturing, Jing Shu was thrilled to find that the 3 roots had sprouted tiny mushrooms. At this rate, they’d be fully grown in about a week.

Mushrooms propagate differently than other plants—they reproduce through spores and sterile cultivation. But somehow, Jing Shu’s mixed breeding method worked, thanks in large part to the environment and her water leeches.

The smaller mushrooms were also growing steadily, proving that her unconventional cultivation approach was the right one.

Jing Shu decided to keep the smallest and the largest mushrooms, but she planned to take 10 of the medium-sized ones to Su Mali for auction. This precious commodity was too valuable to trust with anyone but Su Mali—at least Jing Shu knew this wealthy socialite wouldn’t skim any profits.

After wrapping up business at her uncle’s house and signing the contracts, the family members went their separate ways.

Wang Gang took Jing Shu on a tour of the storage facility. The location was deep in the mountains, resembling an old military bunker. It was hidden well, with multiple entrances. Jing Shu noticed that one side seemed to house military personnel, while the area they were headed to was likely a separate section.

Even before reaching the mountain, they encountered soldiers guarding the entrance. Both Wang Gang and Jing Shu had to verify their identities before being allowed entry. Jing Shu guessed that Wang Gang must have the authority to bring people in.

It was Jing Shu’s first time visiting a national storage facility, and just the sight of the massive lead-lined doors told her it was an awe-inspiring structure. They were soon greeted by Liu Dabo, the manager of the grain reserves—a composed, bespectacled man in his forties who looked quite scholarly.

“This storage facility was secretly built to national standards,” Liu Dabo explained. “It can withstand a direct hit from a 500-pound bomb, endure the shockwave of a 600,000-ton hydrogen bomb, and even survive an 8.0 earthquake. In the past, it was used for secret nuclear weapons production. This place was once a military stronghold.”

Liu Dabo continued, “If the country ever faces catastrophic disaster, the government can shelter hundreds of thousands of citizens here. The lead doors can close within a second’s notice of an impending threat, sealing off the area into a completely secure space. It’s more than just a storage facility—it’s a monument to our ancestors’ dedication.”

Jing Shu was deeply impressed by this information. She couldn’t help but admire the enormity of the project and feel a sense of pride in being a citizen of China. In her past life, she hadn’t been fortunate enough to see the inside of one of these bunkers during the disaster, but in this life, she was at least getting to witness its greatness firsthand.

“We have some vacant warehouses in here. Let me show you,” Liu Dabo offered.

In the dimly lit cave-like environment, Jing Shu could see the storage units made from special materials. These were no ordinary leaking stone rooms—there wasn’t a single drop of water or bug to be found. It was clear that a lot of resources had been invested in constructing the facility.

Liu Dabo led Jing Shu to her personal storage unit. It came with both a key and a fingerprint lock. The storage space was large, cool, and dry, making it ideal for long-term storage. However, Liu Dabo suggested adding some lime to keep the area moisture-free.

“This is perfect,” Jing Shu said, feeling quite reassured.

Storing her goods alongside the country’s grain stockpile made her feel confident in their security. Plus, the independent unit with dual locks added an extra layer of protection—unless Liu Dabo himself decided to steal from her. For now, the red worm feed wasn’t worth much, but in a year’s time, it could be priceless.

Jing Shu knew that building her own large warehouse or finding a space prone to leaking would lead to moldy and ruined goods. This national storage facility was by far the most secure and stress-free option. Liu Dabo only asked that she help him deal with the red worms he harvested daily.

As much as Jing Shu hated the idea of taking on more responsibility, she couldn’t pass up this golden opportunity. In her past life, she’d only dreamed of having enough rice to eat every day—she hadn’t cared much about accumulating wealth. But in this life, she realized that even virtual coins ran out quickly. It was time to earn more and barter for other valuable resources.

After logging her fingerprints into the system and finalizing the deal with Liu Dabo, Wang Gang assured her that the factory could be up and running in two days. All Jing Shu needed to do was provide the initial red worm collection fees and fuel within three days.

Once everything was settled, Jing Shu made the long journey back from the mountains to her villa, only to immediately head out again to visit Su Mali.

By the way, the four guards Jing Shu had hired were back at their posts. She waved hello to them as she passed on her way to Su Mali’s house.

Su Mali greeted her with wide eyes, “Jing Shu, I heard you have 10 blood mushrooms for auction?” Next to Su Mali were three other individuals, all looking eagerly at Jing Shu.

It was just like Su Mali to act poetic—referring to the mushrooms by “stalk” as if they were priceless ginseng.

Jing Shu recognized the three people with Su Mali: Chen Nan, the man who had modified her vehicle, and Ayu, a government official who helped organize auctions.

Su Mali grasped Jing Shu’s hands in excitement. “Jing Shu, do you need virtual coins? Just give me a price, and I’ll buy these mushrooms off you directly. I’ll even pay more than the auction price.”

“You’re really my lucky charm, Jing Shu,” Su Mali gushed. “I’ve been trying to find a batch of blood mushrooms! My father’s health has been poor, and he desperately needs nourishment.”

“How about this, Jing Shu?” Su Mali continued quickly. “I’ll give you 20,000 virtual coins, which is 5,000 more than the auction price. If that’s not enough…”

“That’s enough,” Jing Shu interrupted with a sigh. She wasn’t one to haggle over small details.

Chen Nan, who had been staring intently, couldn’t help but speak up when he saw Jing Shu hand over 10 blood mushrooms to Su Mali. “Marie, you owe me for this. I’ve been struggling lately because of that guy Chu Zhuohua. He completely screwed me over.”

Jing Shu’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wait a second. Chu Zhuohua? Isn’t that Wu You’ai’s mentor? What happened?”

Chen Nan looked sheepish. “It’s nothing to do with you, Jing Shu. The problem is, I ended up covering all the materials for your vehicle. But then Chu Zhuohua went and modified another vehicle. He used up all of my space aluminum alloy and memory metal, and even then, it wasn’t enough. But the worst part is, I still can’t tell what kind of vehicle he’s even building…”

Jing Shu: “…”

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－

A big thank you to our lovely readers Zihang, Mumu, Suanruan, and the reader with a string of numbers for your generous tips! Sending you lots of love!