Chapter 70: Busy Farming in the Last Days

A special shoutout and heartfelt thanks go to SheungMun for their generous support on Kofi. This chapter is dedicated to you, dear reader.

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Even in the apocalypse, the meaning of the New Year still has significant importance for people in Country C. Especially for those who can live a stable life in the base, they want to reward themselves after more than half a year of exhaustion and running around.

The army is also very thoughtful. Not only have they increased the number of personal limit purchases in the supermarket ten days before the New Year, but the labor income during these ten days is also 1.5 times more than usual. Even in many places, notices have been posted on the job board stating that people can take a break after the New Year, and those who have reserved their work before the holiday won’t lose their job because of choosing to take a break.

Some people want to take a break, and some people want to make more money during this time. It’s a win-win situation, and nobody loses.

Ji Cha also has no time to spare. A large amount of farmland must be prepared before spring arrives, and it’s not just Ji Cha who’s busy. Many workers are also busy. However, due to the recent intensive work in the farm, the points have increased a lot. It’s much better than many other jobs, so even though it’s tiring, countless people are still eager to get in.

“Now we need to figure out what crops to plant on each of these plots of land and what to plant after the first harvest,” Ji Cha sat under the desk lamp, constantly scribbling on a piece of paper and carefully recording each set of data in his notebook.

Liang Jincheng sat beside him, propping his chin with one hand and focusing his gaze on Ji Cha’s face.

After about ten minutes of calculations, Ji Cha couldn’t help turning his head to look at Liang Jincheng and said, “You should go to bed first.”

“I can’t sleep alone,” Liang Jincheng leaned on the table. “When will we finish?”

Ji Cha flipped through the materials he had prepared for the evening and replied, “Hmm, it’ll probably take about two hours.”

Liang Jincheng glanced at his phone, which was still lit up, and showed that it was already one o’clock in the morning.

“You have to leave at six tomorrow, right?” Liang Jincheng frowned. “You should go to bed now, or you won’t have the energy.”

Ji Cha shrugged, “Don’t you always stay up like this?”

“Are you me?” Liang Jincheng rubbed Ji Cha’s head forcefully. “The shortest time I’ve slept is half an hour. What about you?”

Ji Cha’s face turned red immediately, and he kicked Liang Jincheng in frustration. But Liang Jincheng’s stomach was as hard as a rock, causing Ji Cha’s foot to hurt.

Unable to convince Liang Jincheng, Ji Cha could only say, “I don’t have to leave early tomorrow, so I can sleep until noon.”

Since Liang Jincheng was always busy and had been working long hours for the past month, Ji Cha doubted that his statement would make a difference. Liang Jincheng laughed, “That’s perfect. I don’t have anything to do tomorrow either. Let’s sleep together.”

“Dare to touch me again and I’ll chop off what’s between your legs.” Ji Cha covered Liang Jincheng’s face with his hand.

Although it was supposed to be a day off the next day, neither of them really got a break.

Ji Cha was barely able to take it easy and got up at eight o’clock to check the progress of the record work everywhere. Liang Jincheng didn’t have to lead the ability team out of the base for tasks like usual, but he wasn’t really idle either. He was supervising the personnel outside the base to collect and store items from the missions from before the Chinese New Year until the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Because the absorption of external personnel had caused three or four incidents at the entrance of the base recently, and basically only those with abilities could react immediately and solve violent issues.

The entrance of the base was full of ragged people, thin enough to reveal their ribs in the harsh winter weather, waiting for the base’s review and striving for a slim chance to enter.

There were many preparations to be made before entering the base, and reporting work ability or age was only a few of the simplest items, but the key was to pass the base’s health check. If even a trace of the zombie virus showed up on the body, they would be executed without hesitation.

Fortunately, the base was still humane overall. At this time, considering the harsh weather, many fire points were set up outside to prevent refugees from freezing to death in the cold.

Another reason why Liang Jincheng was there was to quickly identify the people with abilities.

The ratio of people with abilities to ordinary people was disproportionate, and during the long period of expanding the population of the base, only six more people with abilities were added, all of whom were recruited by Liang Jincheng to work in the ability team. Compared with ordinary people, people with abilities had stronger abilities and naturally received better treatment. One person with abilities could easily support five people.

Now, there were few elderly and children anxiously waiting outside the base, and the vast majority were young men, with very few women.

After completing a series of audits and being granted entry to the base, one still hasn’t truly obtained the status of a resident. First, one must be taken to a corner of the base, to a house that has been isolated. They must live there for three days, during which the base provides food and shelter. Only if there are no health problems after three days can one enter the identity registration process. Anyone who has any problems during those three days will undoubtedly be dealt with.

“In addition, the house is provided by the base,” explained the staff member in charge of assigning rooms. “Different houses have different specifications, and the number of points that must be paid each month is also different. This is something that everyone can choose for themselves.

The first type of house is the most expensive, requiring 150 points per month. It is the largest in size and has a kitchen where one can cook, as well as bathroom facilities and the ability to charge electronics. Of course, water and electricity bills must be calculated separately.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The second type of house is cheaper, requiring 90 points per month. It is of medium size and does not have a kitchen, but it does have bathroom facilities and cannot charge electronics.

The third type is a collective dormitory, requiring 50 points per month. It is small in size, does not have a kitchen, has a shared bathroom, and cannot charge electronics.

Currently, the total number of points earned by the average worker in the base is only about 300 per month. Obviously, not many people can afford the first type of house, but if it is shared by a family, it is not considered expensive. Many people choose to rent the first type of house together for convenience, but most still live in collective dormitories.

Regarding charging electronics and such, first of all, hardly anyone has electronic communication devices. Second, in public places like recruitment points, paid charging services are available, so it’s not necessary to charge electronics at home. Many people consider this a waste of money.

As for things like charging, firstly, there are basically few people with electronic communication devices, and secondly, in public places such as recruitment sites, paid charging services are provided, so there is no need to get electricity at home, which is considered a waste of money by many people.

It seems that the dormitories in the base have become very scarce. Although construction projects have never stopped, the influx of more people is a problem that construction projects cannot keep up with. Some people with flexible minds who entered the base early have ideas. Recently, the village houses where early people live are relatively large and have more open space. Some people have started to rent out their houses, living in one room and letting others live in the remaining rooms, at a slightly cheaper price than the base.

For a while, such “commodities” are also very scarce.

Ji Cha stood by the farmland, carefully recording something on his notebook, and then took a long breath.

It is estimated that the population of the base will reach 8,000 after the year, and it is estimated to reach at least 12,000 when the first batch of crops is harvested. The current farmland is designed to produce enough food for at least 15,000 people, so there will not be a shortage of food at least.

In addition, there is a strong tendency to nationalize the breeding industry in the base.

Ji Cha didn’t think too much about this. Instead of taking credit for it later, he might as well maximize the benefits of the resources he currently has and try to get more benefits from the army.

For example, breeding can be publicized, but the decision-making and management rights he holds must be the largest. Feeds and other necessities should all be provided publicly, and the final decision-making should not be forced by the military.

Currently, the troops have not fully agreed to the requirements proposed by Ji Cha, but Ji Cha believes that the base will still agree to this requirement, as it is not a losing deal for either side.

Two days before the Chinese New Year, Zhao Tiankuo found Ji Cha.

“I inquired about the condition you proposed, and there have been some doubts about it from higher up,” Zhao Tiankuo said. “But I’m here for another matter today.”

“What is it?” Jicha asked.

“We don’t have much meat to eat during the New Year,” Zhao Tiankuo said. “Those pigs, sheep, and chickens are being kept for breeding, so we plan to go out and catch some fish from the river behind us. It’s also a way to have some meat during the holiday.”

The military plans to have a big pot of free food in each cafeteria during the New Year, and it seems they want to use this opportunity to improve their meals.

After all, everyone wants to have a good time during the New Year.

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