Chapter 481: Chapter 481

Jing Shu was at a loss for words too. She didn’t want to stand out . She had clearly arranged a time with Qian Duoduo, but now everyone knew she was associated with Stone Garden and thought she was rich—when in reality, she was broke!

Sigh, sometimes you can’t keep a low profile even if you want to.

Qian Duoduo’s visit to inspect the work was less an inspection and more a demonstration of the new Stone Garden system to Jing Shu. He had indeed achieved this, creating an apocalyptic sanctuary in this blessed environment.

Compared to the rudimentary form of a year ago, Stone Garden was now quite complete, but there was still room for improvement. Although self-sufficient in terms of food, it was just enough to prevent starvation. Qian Duoduo wanted more. He wanted Stone Garden to be more profitable.

At each place they passed, professionals were on hand to explain things to Qian Duoduo.

"Thanks to the vegetable drying technology and new breeding techniques we got from the United States recently, Stone Garden produces several hundred kilograms of vegetables every day. Most of these are dried and stored. Following this growth rate, we expect to have over fifty tons of Dried Vegetables within a year, which when rehydrated and combined with grains, will be enough to meet the minimal food consumption of a million people for a month," they explained.

Qian Duoduo nodded in satisfaction. "But it consumes too much energy."

The farm, apart from the Domestic Poultry obtained last year from the Government, also raised some rare species, like ducks, sheep, and donkeys. There were no horses, though, and only four or five pigs. They couldn’t afford to raise too many since Stone Garden had tens of thousands of residents, and food consumption was astronomical every day.

The reason for raising donkeys wasn’t primarily for Donkey Meat Fire Burning. It turned out they wanted the donkey hide for making donkey-hide gelatin. Before the apocalypse, it was already expensive, let alone now. Its benefits for enriching the blood, beauty, and health aside, it also had a history of over two thousand years in Huaxia and was known for its potent effects.

Jing Shu rested her chin on her hand. Should she also raise a little donkey? Forget it. Donkey-hide gelatin wasn’t that important to her. She decided she should upgrade her Magic Cube Space first. After sorting things out recently, she was running out of space again.

Stone Garden had also set up its own fertilizer plant, where manure was dried and mixed into fertilizer. She avoided it due to the overwhelming smell.

But Jing Shu hadn’t expected that the person who came up to the third floor to explain things to them would be Wang Chao, her high school classmate, whom she had helped get a job in software development here after he had a child.

"What you see now is Stone Garden’s latest macro script. After copying the large dataset, we implemented local network automated functions, such as signing in, clocking in, and payroll management. It also takes on the roles of auditing, financial management, monitoring, and regulating the vegetables, thereby liberating human resources..." he explained.

Qian Duoduo was extremely pleased. "I heard you’re Jing Shu’s classmate? Keep it up. I have high hopes for you."

Jing Shu nodded at Wang Chao. "Once things settle down here, I’d like to hire you to create a similar system for my new factory, also in the form of an app."

Wang Chao smiled and responded, "Just set up a cloud server and install a local network, and I can take care of it."

After leaving behind many envious looks, Qian Duoduo led Jing Shu to the conference room. After sending everyone else away, they finally got down to business.

"So, what do you think of Stone Garden’s development?" Qian Duoduo asked, playing with walnuts as he sat in the Taishi Chair.

"Beyond expectations, yet it makes sense," Jing Shu replied, sitting upright in the Taishi Chair, squinting her eyes. She was curious. How would Qian Duoduo, a man of such wit, end up two years later being "harvested" after achieving so much?

Qian Duoduo, looking pleased, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "What do you think Stone Garden should do next?"

"What are your plans?" Jing Shu asked in return.

Jing Shu felt it was already high-profile enough. Stone Garden not only supported tens of thousands of people itself but had also fostered countless surrounding industries and provided for those who depended on it for their livelihood, not to mention the twenty to thirty thousand people sent daily by the Government to work there.

It could be said that of the more than three million people still alive in Wu City, every few dozen were linked to Stone Garden in some way.

Moreover, Stone Garden was already a hot topic. Many people wanted to enter this apocalypse haven.

Qian Duoduo’s expression gradually became serious. "Development, we must develop vigorously. It’s still far from enough. In the next two years, I plan to truly expand Stone Garden into the Underground City! Not only to make Stone Garden self-sufficient but also to have its own philosophy, attract more people, and form a real underground city!"

Jing Shu frowned. Was Qian Duoduo really so reckless?

"Mr. Qian, not to be offensive, but right now, you and I are in the same boat. If you develop with such force... aren’t you afraid that everything will be taken away by those above when the time comes? ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⚑𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥

"Even if the current situation in Wu City and the world hasn’t reached an unlivable state, things will get worse. If everyone in Wu City starts to starve, Stone Garden will inevitably become a target. What are your plans then?" Jing Shu asked slowly, but Qian Duoduo’s expression showed no surprise.

Even Qian Duoduo sighed. "You’re not wrong, and I can assure you that you need to be prepared too, for the situation in Wu City and All Hua Country is going to get worse. As for the situation you’re talking about, if the apocalypse doesn’t end, it’s inevitable—maybe in three months, maybe in three years!"

Jing Shu was taken aback. Did Qian Duoduo already know about this? Then...

"Things will get worse, and if the whole of Wu City can’t afford food, those above will certainly pick out the fattest sheep to slaughter. Do you think I’m not aware of that? In peaceful times we are the untouchable rich, but in times of disaster, we could be the fattened sheep ready for the kill at any moment.

"I have connections in the Imperial Capital, but when it really comes to that, they won’t be of much use... You’re curious, knowing this, why would I still stick my neck out, right?" Qian Duoduo raised his eyebrows and let out a long sigh, as if he had been holding it all in for a long time.

Everyone saw his glory, but they didn’t see him on the other side, roasting on the spit, ready to be sprinkled with cumin and hot pepper flakes until golden and dripping with oil.

Jing Shu nodded. Yes, she was indeed curious.

"As you said, even if we step back ten thousand steps, do you think if Stone Garden does not develop vigorously that I, Qian Duoduo, can escape being one of the ’fattened sheep’ for slaughter in Wu City just because of my title as the richest man? Do you think that in the event of that situation you predicted, if Stone Garden doesn’t develop, it could protect itself?"

"The answer is definitely not. In this position, it’s already too late to back down. I’ve been put on the highest spit to roast...

"Jing Shu, you probably still don’t understand that when you have wealth to a certain extent, it’s no longer yours."