Chapter 349: Chapter 349
At the same time, she was filled with all kinds of expectations for this trip. The United States truly lived up to its name. Regardless of what she might gain from this journey, at the very least, she had never been abroad in her lifetime, and she hadn’t expected that she would get to travel internationally after being reborn in an apocalypse.
In this regard, one cannot help but mention the vastness of the United States’ homeland and the sparsity of its population. Their neighbor Mexico has a population of 120,000,000, while Sacramento covers an area of 99.2 square miles, equivalent to a quarter of Hong Kong or ten Macaus. Even if the population swells by over 300,000 immigrants, it still amounts to only 600,000 residents, merely one-fifth of Wu City’s population.
Due to the Mediterranean climate, the first thing Jing Shu noticed upon arrival in Sacramento was that it wasn’t as cold as Wu City. The second was how spacious, open, and sparsely populated it felt. Aside from the bustling city center, the surroundings were eerily quiet. Occasionally, there would be a rumbling noise, followed by the start of an earthquake. Check latest chapters at 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩
Natural disasters were affecting the entire world; nowhere could escape them. Due to the earthquakes, things had become even more chaotic here, with countless Mexicans flooding into the city every day. However, Jing Shu finally felt the land beneath her feet and saw the buildings with their exotic architectural flavor around her. She realized she was no longer in Huaxia—she had truly crossed the ocean to the United States!
"It’s now 11 a.m. in the United States, and I believe everyone has had a good rest on the plane. So, starting now, let’s split up and get moving. Look, my friend Little Black is here to pick you up," Yang Yang said, gesturing to the approaching cargo truck. With a beautiful swing of its tail, the truck turned around, and out stepped a very dark-skinned big man from the United States.
"Oh, my dear Mr. Yang, I am so glad to see you! And my dear Quasi Mercenary friends, it’s a pleasure to meet you. You can just call me Little Black from now on." Little Black, who was stocky like a bull, embraced Yang Yang and then greeted everyone else. Speaking fluent Chinese, Little Black resolved the awkward situation for Jing Shu, who struggled with foreign languages.
Hence, the two small squads parted ways. The team composed of Tan Ke, Snake Spirit, Lingling, Monkey, and Jing Shu—known as the heavy firepower squad—boarded Little Black’s cargo truck. The men had to squat inside the truck, while Jing Shu and Lingling, the two ladies, sat in the front passenger seat, following Little Black to what he called the Underground black market.
Little Black floored the accelerator, cursing under his breath, "Oh, this damned Black Market! Oil is getting harder and harder to come by, so I’ve got to drive fast. The less time I spend, the less oil I use. Ladies, you’d better hold on tight."
What was that about? I’ve heard that foreigners are bad at math, capable of eating a six-piece pizza but not the same pizza cut into eight. But isn’t fuel economy determined by maintaining a constant speed while driving?
Jing Shu and Lingling exchanged a glance, each seeing helplessness in the other’s eyes. Lingling was a timid and bashful girl, but Jing Shu couldn’t understand why such a girl would dress so revealingly and cutely.
As Jing Shu turned her gaze outside and listened to Little Black explaining local anecdotes, the cargo truck sped on, the scenery on either side swiftly receding. This area resembled a large rural community, with certain areas clearly showing signs of receding waters and leftover mud. The houses were scattered and dilapidated, covered in green moss just like in Huaxia, giving the feeling of walking through a ghost town between four and five in the early morning—utterly frightening.
There were no signs of living people around.
"Oh, this damned earthquake!" Little Black deftly steered the wheel to dodge a large pothole, causing the whole truck to sway left and right. He continued, still immersed in his own discussion, "Last year, a large area of Sacramento was flooded. Thankfully, the city center and a small part of the suburbs weren’t affected, so a portion of the citizens moved to the city center. But ever since the government was driven out, unscrupulous food and arms dealers had set up new apocalyptic rules. Those of us unable to pay the taxes could only move to the suburban slums. Fortunately, there’s the Underground black market where we could scrape by."
"Underground black market, what exactly is it?" Jing Shu inquired.
Little Black lit up a cigarette and took a drag. Jing Shu couldn’t help but marvel at how, in the United States, even the poor could still afford to smoke things that had become extinct in Huaxia. It seemed to confirm the rumors after all: the United States was constantly in a state of civil war and didn’t suffer from shortages of food and clothing.
Actually, Jing Shu was mistaken. Although the United States was a developed capitalist country, the disparity between the rich and the poor was immense. Fifteen percent of its population lived in slums, going hungry every day, without access to healthcare or welfare, faring even worse than the poorest in Huaxia. In Huaxia, policies like teaching farming, distributing Seeds, and recruiting workers in factories allowed many of the poor to feed themselves as long as they were willing to work.
Even in the apocalypse, there was government relief food available, ensuring that those who worked could at least eat one meal a day and not starve.
The living conditions in the slums here, on the other hand, were even more deplorable.
"Oh dear Miss Jing, I heard that Huaxia abolished your currency and replaced it with a new one. Other countries have changed their currencies due to economic inflation or other reasons. But here in the United States, we’re still using Mi Gold. That pile of government crap still dictates using the old prices for food and oil. The problem is, Mi Gold can’t buy anything now; it’s as useless as dog crap! Now, all over the United States, food and supplies are the de facto hard currency."
"The Underground black market is where half of Sacramento’s oil and food are controlled. It’s composed of several hundred middle-class families forming a ’Nobility Circle.’ They monopolize goods, produce for themselves, and they employ a large number of mercenaries and locals, forming a vested interest group."
Jing Shu pointed to the distant city center. "Is it over there, where the lights are shining?" It looked very luxurious. That was the kind of place Jing Shu aspired to, feeling as though that was the United States constantly reported on TV. If her trip in the United States could be spent there, it would undoubtedly be wonderful.
Little Black displayed an exaggerated expression. "That used to be the region controlled by the Sacramento state government, but later on, it was taken over by gangsters and arms dealers who had brought people in. They had a strong arsenal, and in the first year of the apocalypse, they had rallied quite a few people, even forming alliances with well-known, large food dealers. They’ve created a new system for survival there. Life is divided into classes. The lowest class, slaves, are mostly refugees from Mexico and people of various other nationalities. The middle class, Free People, are predominantly wealthy local residents. The upper class consists of the arms and food dealer teams and their members. With the recent earthquakes, a lot of people have come from Mexico, and half of them were taken in there."
"Of course, many have also slipped into the slums. Without the government, there’s no source of food or law. These people spend all day thinking about robbing others of their food. The Mexicans have even formed a gang that often specifically robs those with food; women are also in danger here. It’s been very chaotic recently, so the Black Market has had to recruit more capable mercenaries. However, I’ve heard that the higher-ups are preparing for a big event and are looking to hire mercenaries to complete a mission," Little Black said, blowing smoke rings.