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墨書 Inktalez
Just off the plane, Zheng Yifan headed to the warehouse, placing the assorted seeds and daily supplies he had ordered into the Storage Space.
He finally understood a phrase from an advertisement: he was not a producer, merely a Porter between two worlds.
This was only for a few thousand people; if it were supplies for hundreds of thousands, and self-sufficiency could not be achieved, Zheng Yifan would spend all day moving goods.
During his time in France, he truly witnessed how terrifying tourism could be and experienced firsthand the extravagance of Huaguo's Rich Tycoons.
Next to the Lopez Jewelry flagship store, LV bags and Cartier Jewelry seemed to be bought without a second thought, leaving him speechless. He even happened to see a woman, often the subject of online gossip back home, holding hands with a middle-aged man as they shopped wildly on the Champs-Élysées—one could only describe it as a shopping spree.
Now, all his income in France was managed by that team. Once he developed new methods for making money, he could expand their team and turn them into Zheng Yifan's pioneers.
At least in France, the quality and price of meat were satisfactory to Zheng Yifan; he even transported millions worth of ingredients back to the Apocalyptic World.
Looking up at the sky and breathing in the air of this new world, everything seemed different. The entire world felt much clearer—no smog, no large-scale pollution—just fresh air. Even though there was a foul stench where Zombies roamed, that odor could serve as excellent fertilizer for plants.
Outside the Gathering Place, vast fields had already been cultivated. Zheng Yifan had been away for quite some time and wasn't sure exactly how much land had been worked on. He only knew that future plans involved turning Ruiguan into a primarily agricultural base with minimal industry. Even if they pushed their defenses west of Ruiguan later on, it would still serve as part of their food production base.
“Has it changed this much in just a short time?” After emerging from a storage room in the basement of the Gathering Place, Zheng Yifan felt a wave of familiarity wash over him. This was his territory; here he was free—at least relatively free—without so many constraints.
Outside was a bustling street. To his left, there was a stall selling tofu pudding and fire-roasted snacks. On the other side sat an elderly woman hawking baked goods.
The street seemed to exude an ancient vibe—not like modern restaurants but rather like vendors calling out their wares as they walked through the streets.
After quietly breathing in for a while, Zheng Yifan finally pulled out a bicycle and rode toward the General's Office.
"Mayor Zhao and Director Qian were right; every time Zheng Yifan disappears, he shows up here. It's so strange." After Zheng Yifan left, the old lady selling pancakes outside the storage room gave a peculiar smile and nodded to the Boss selling tofu pudding across the street, then quickly packed up and vanished into the crowd.
Once they had closed up, Zheng Yifan suddenly turned around, sensing something was off from hundreds of meters away.
The people outside the storage room were too suspicious; they packed up right after he left. If he hadn't inherited Lin Chong's alertness while absorbing his abilities, they might have gotten away with it.
Looking back now, that old lady was clearly disguised; she couldn't be more than thirty. And the Boss selling tofu pudding was also off—his hands were covered in calluses, and he even spilled some sauce on the ground while serving.
"Who are they working for? Han Rui? Left Guard? Or Old Hou? Pu Qiang?" Zheng Yifan pondered, unsure of who it could be.
But he could follow them quietly, so he did just that. He trailed behind silently to find out who was investigating him.
He pushed his bicycle along, keeping a distance of about forty to fifty meters behind them.
The two individuals moved quickly, showing no signs of suspicion about being followed. They weaved through the crowd and soon left the area, heading towards the outskirts of Gathering Place.
This area belonged to the Explorer Guild, with the luxurious hotel at its center now serving as the current Explorer Guild.
Originally a pseudo three-star hotel meant for tourists visiting Ruiguan, it had been renovated into the Explorer Guild. The first floor was for task handovers, the second floor was a barter market, the third floor offered dining and entertainment, while the fourth floor provided accommodations and some special services.
On the top floor were all high-end suites reserved for the Big Shots in Gathering Place.
Of course, it was still empty for now; Zheng Yifan's subordinates were too busy to enjoy any luxuries.
On the first floor, tasks published by the Explorer Guild could be accepted, along with the collection of task rewards. The original reception area had been restructured, reinforced with two layers of fencing to ensure the safety of the staff inside.
Many of those who became explorers were bold and reckless, often resorting to violence over trivial disagreements.
The safety of the staff was prioritized above all else, as they were often the targets of resentment. The quantity and quality of task rewards depended on their efforts.
"These two actually came to the Explorer Guild? Could it be that a Fellow from the Explorer Guild is probing into my affairs? That seems unlikely!" Zheng Yifan scratched his head and quietly continued to follow behind.
No one checked identities, as ordinary people could also post tasks; only when accepting a task was identity verification required, along with leveling up experience for their explorers.
Each level of explorer enjoyed different treatment within the Explorer Guild. According to Sun Zi Wu, the reward and punishment system of the Explorer Guild had been further refined, revitalizing the entire organization.
The Explorer Guild was the most comprehensive institution tied to Zheng Yifan's interests, with the vast majority of task rewards provided by him. It was also one of the departments he strongly supported. In the future, explorers would be the main force in clearing out low-level Zombies. These scattered Zombies were quite bothersome, frequently disturbing crowds but too dispersed to be organized for eradication. It would be a loss to send main combat troops after them; it was better to entice ordinary people to join the ranks of explorers with benefits, expanding the Safe Zone into every corner of his controlled territory.
Moreover, these individuals would become a significant asset in times of Zombie invasions, quickly transforming into an armed force to resist them.
As long as Zheng Yifan could traverse between two timelines, he had enough resources to entice them to contribute to his cause.
It was like tying a carrot in front of a donkey; it had no choice but to pull its weight.
All that they obtained would eventually return to Zheng Yifan's warehouse.
Though they seemed like ordinary items, Zheng Yifan genuinely liked things like supercars and had even arranged for their use in France.
A private car manufacturer in France had already been contacted; they were just waiting for Zheng Yifan to acquire that eye-catching supercar so that it could go through the necessary procedures at the factory for him to use it.
In the country, it cannot be operated, but abroad, it can still be played with.
Moreover, other computer equipment, electronic devices, and a large number of household appliances were all collected by Zheng Yifan at a bargain price.
His purpose in acquiring these items was not to amass wealth, but to gradually introduce the food in his hands into the market, providing much-needed support to a market that was not thriving.
The president of the Explorer Guild, Sun Zi Wu, was among the first to follow Zheng Yifan when fleeing from the Howling Wind Gathering Place and was also one of the first to pledge loyalty to him.
In terms of power, he relied on Zheng Yifan's trust to attain his current position; in terms of wealth, it was even more laughable. The riches he gained from Zheng Yifan would be far greater. At the very least, he had been enjoying lobster, abalone, and sea cucumbers—rare delicacies in the Post-Apocalypse—almost non-stop lately.
Without Zheng Yifan, he would likely be eating nothing but gruel.
Since he had been excluded, it was likely that someone below had taken note of his movements.
He slowly followed along and soon reached the second floor.
Many people in the Gathering Place knew Zheng Yifan, but when he changed into clothes similar to everyone else's, few would take the time to recognize who he truly was.
The Explorer Guild was even more chaotic than the markets in Post-Apocalypse; everyone was bustling about. In one corner, a dozen coffee machines had become a gathering spot for them, as the free coffee served as a perk for the explorers.
Now, the Explorer Guild had become one of the first departments to utilize Electricity. Here, Electricity was sufficient to power those dozen computers and daily appliances.
The coffee machines consumed excess Electricity.
Most of the Electricity generated came from wind turbines on the hotel rooftop, and in emergencies, there were also human-powered generators available for use.
The second floor was where explorers traded with one another, primarily through bartering, with weapons being the most exchanged items—various kinds of weapons.
As Zheng Yifan ascended, he couldn't help but be captivated by the array of weapons on display, making him want to browse around.
Unfortunately, he wasn't given that opportunity. The two individuals had clearly relaxed their guard and swaggered into an adjacent office.
Instantly, Zheng Yifan felt a wave of relief wash over him; it was definitely not Sun Zi Wu betraying him. This was the office of the second-floor manager, which held little influence in the Gathering Place, akin to a custodian of order on the entire second floor, collecting management fees and maintaining discipline.
As the two men entered, Zheng Yifan slowly approached the doorway.
Out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the room. Inside, two middle-aged men in impeccably tailored suits were excitedly smoking while nodding and bowing to an elderly woman and the owner of a tofu pudding stall, reporting Zheng Yifan's whereabouts to them.
“Mayor Zhao, that dog Zheng Yifan has gone to the General's Office. It seems he won't be back anytime soon; it's time for us to make our move,” said the tofu stall boss, his face creased with obsequiousness.
The man in the center took a deep drag from his cigarette.
“Qian, when can the Ice King Squad set out? Tell them that once we occupy the entire Gathering Place, all weapons and armor from the barracks will belong to them. We only need these people and their food,” Mayor Zhao said, barely able to contain his excitement.
He had once been the mayor of Hansui City, holding significant power; how different it was now as he struggled to survive.
He needed to regain power; he wanted control over millions of lives. It all started now—only by seizing control of this Gathering Place could he begin to restore his authority.
“The Ice King Squad has agreed completely. This time they sent Gunner, Old Ghost, and Ice King's brother Light Fist. They are all strong members of Han Sui's Superpower team and will surely take down Zheng Yifan. After all, while Zheng Yifan may possess some bravery and strength, how can he compare to a Superpowered Individual? There is an insurmountable gap between Superpowered Individuals and ordinary people; even a moderately capable Superpowered Individual can handle dozens of regular folks with ease. Moreover, these three are elites among Superpowered Individuals; just they alone can deal with those two loyal to Zheng Yifan in the Gathering Place,” Director Qian finally revealed a victorious smile.
From now on, this Gathering Place would belong to him and Mayor Zhao. They could stand on equal footing—Mayor Zhao would handle civil affairs while he managed military matters; together they could collaborate seamlessly.
“Ice King Squad, when can we take action? Tell them that as long as they succeed, I will personally give each of them zero women, and I will also build three villas for them in the Gathering Place.” A smile appeared on Mayor Zhao's face, as if victory was within reach.
“Start guarding the entrance of the General's Office after one hour. As soon as you see Zheng Yifan, kill him immediately, and eliminate everyone inside the General's Office.” Director Qian laughed heartily, then waved his hand to signal his trusted subordinates to inform the Ice King Squad to begin the assassination.
“We need to get rid of that scoundrel named Zheng Yifan quickly so that we can develop the Gathering Place. Just look at what he has done—giving those lowlifes so much freedom and resources is simply wasteful. Power should be held entirely in our hands. We should treat those lowlifes like autumn leaves swept away by the wind, suppressing them fiercely, keeping them ignorant and foolish, allowing them to die in their own stupidity while praising us.” Mayor Zhao's words seemed to resonate within the room, and everyone burst into laughter.
Meanwhile, outside, Zheng Yifan trembled with anger. This was the governor of Hansui City, a figure who would have been called a fatherly official in ancient times. But what were they doing? They wanted to keep the people ignorant and weak, ultimately consuming their flesh and drinking their blood while inciting them to praise their oppressors for their own enjoyment.
Glaring at the two shameless officials inside, Zheng Yifan gradually blended into the crowd and made his way to the independent office on the third floor.
That was Sun Zi Wu's office. He needed someone to inform Han Rui and the others to hide, then notify Left Guard and Pu Qiang's forces to dispatch elite troops to encircle these three Superpowered Individuals.
A sense of urgency welled up within him; it seemed his intelligence System needed to accelerate its formation.
However, thinking about manpower made Zheng Yifan start to feel a headache. With only a little over three thousand people in total, no matter how hard he tried, there simply weren't enough hands available. Everywhere needed personnel, but there were only so many people; he still needed to select capable individuals from among them.
He knew that right now he could only rely on his main personnel; any further down the line would be like picking a giant from among dwarfs. If he could manage to get things done with those assigned tasks, he would truly be grateful.
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