Chapter 282: Victory Assured

Applause erupted from the audience.

Wang Daxian was invited to speak first. As an elder of Wu City’s old medicinal family, who had grown various herbs since childhood, he had a natural affinity for medicinal plants and was considered kind. Yet his first words on stage were: “I’ve heard Chairman Tie praise Jing Shu every day. Today’s young people truly surpass their predecessors. Chairman Tie has a keen eye. I really admire this young lady, Jing Shu.”

Wang Xiaoxian rolled her eyes in the audience.

“If we don’t score based on market demand, just on planting skills, I admit my herbs aren’t as good as Jing Shu’s. Her skills are a level above, and her plants can be used medicinally in about half a year. Mine take longer, require more investment, and are rare and expensive, so ordinary people can’t afford them. So I feel unworthy of such high scores.”

More enthusiastic applause followed. As competitors, Jing Shu hadn’t expected to be praised.

“From my observation, Jing Shu is better at planting miscellaneous herbs, with broad knowledge. I specialize only in ginseng and other precious herbs, which aren’t suitable for wide promotion. Maybe I’m not fit for this position. Jing Shu seems more suitable as vice president. For example, her plants fit the apocalypse’s needs. With germs spreading, herbs like bodhi, tobacco, and honeysuckle are urgently needed. Promoting their cultivation really needs Jing Shu’s guidance. So, everyone will likely vote for her.”

Jing Shu was stunned. What was going on? Wasn’t this supposed to be a competition? Why was he praising her? She was a bit dumbfounded.

Chairman Tie wiped sweat from his face. What did this old man mean? All this praise for Jing Shu—did he really intend to give her the position?

Wang Daxian finished speaking, stepped down, and winked at Jing Shu. She felt there was some hidden reason.

Jing Shu nervously stepped onto the stage, facing a sea of faces—curious, admiring, disdainful, or schadenfreude. After recent events, her name was becoming well-known in the medicinal herb association.

Moreover, with the merger of the medicinal herb base and Tacheng, hundreds more were involved. Many loved and hated Jing Shu for winning against them.

Unfortunately, this vice president selection had nothing to do with Tacheng, so familiar faces were absent.

Jing Shu cleared her throat, about to speak, when a piercing alarm sounded. Chairman Tie and Zhou Bapi rushed to the control room. The crowd murmured.

“What emergency now? Another direct order from the central government?”

“Probably. The last time was four months ago, an urgent production of casein calcium for all citizens. Since the power outage, people haven’t seen sunlight for a year. Without sunlight and calcium supplements, bodies can’t cope.”

“Central orders are top priority.”

Jing Shu squinted, realizing the alarm wasn’t danger but a central command.

She recalled the government used to distribute vitamins and calcium yearly—now it was urgent production.

The speech was interrupted. The two vice presidents went to check the documents. Jing Shu waited bored.

Soon, Chairman Tie returned sweating profusely, and Zhou Bapi looked excited. Jing Shu saw Chairman Tie’s legs trembling, sweat pouring down, yet he forced a smile.

Zhou Bapi made several calls, then said to Chairman Tie, “You decide if you want to speak or I announce it.”

Chairman Tie gritted his teeth, exhaled, closed his eyes, and said, “I’ll speak.”

Zhou Bapi adjusted his hair, took the stage, and started a slideshow. “Sorry to interrupt, but here’s a new central government document.”

The document was displayed in blood-red letters, imposing on everyone.

Zhou Bapi continued, “Due to months of heavy rain in Jiangnan, moss has grown unchecked, breeding insects and poisonous mushrooms. These insects have invaded houses, some carrying HPV, others H25 virus. Daily deaths reach tens of thousands, with hundreds of thousands infected.”

“Central orders all provincial capitals to urgently cultivate insecticides, prioritizing herbs containing the following medicinal plants. Within two months, producing sufficient insecticides is required to pass. This is the preliminary test for this medicinal association. The top ten provincial associations qualifying can enter the next round.”

Jing Shu understood. The reason the vice president position was given to Wang Daxian was to send him to this provincial competition. The competition was for resources. Winners get more resources; losers get less. The Wu City government was fighting hard for these resources. Though only medicinal, in the apocalypse medicine meant life, so the competition was fierce.

But now the competition changed suddenly. The preliminary test was to produce enough good insecticide first.

Jing Shu frowned. In her past life, Wu City only produced insecticide after two months and many deaths, and the quantity was small.

That must have been the old medicinal association, where few could make insecticide.

The document listed dozens of required herbs, with tobacco prominently in the first row, indicating a large demand.

The atmosphere turned strange and silent.

Faces flushed red, unsure what to say, especially Pharmacist Liu, who had just given Jing Shu’s tobacco 1 point. Now the central government placed tobacco at the top of the required herbs.

Wu City hadn’t yet faced such a situation, but moss was growing long and would soon be infested by insects.

Director Zhang glanced at Jing Shu but said nothing.

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