Chapter 599: Chapter 599

Ham is quite rare now. If you save it, you could eat it for a year without a problem.

"Alright." Jing Shu lifted the ham and tossed it to Mr. Liu. He thudded onto the ground with the ham in his arms, but he was internally overjoyed. President Gong immediately pulled out a knife and shouted, "Time to pay the tax, time to pay the tax!"

Everyone watching was filled with envy. How could this simpleton be so lucky, to exchange paper for a ham like that? they wondered.

The box still contained one enormous, tempting ham.

"Look here, miss, we’ve got lots of other items..."

"Miss, I’ve got a lot of canned fruit, want some?"

"Any need for shampoo and shower gel?"

"How about some cotton clothes? It’s getting colder every day."

Suddenly, a good number of people surrounded Jing Shu, peddling their goods. On the other side, Fan Jianqiang had been staring in astonishment. Holy shit! he kept muttering. Is she really a country bumpkin seeing the world for the first time? This is too extravagant, isn’t it?

In these times, casually throwing out two hams was like tossing out a mountain of gold; it was truly a solid currency.

"Don’t rush, what’s the hurry? Let’s first tally up everyone’s points. What’s your name, young lady? You’re not a member yet, right? Would you consider becoming one? There are lots of benefits here," President Gong asked with a caring, aunt-like smile, holding the tax he had just collected.

"My surname is Jing. I won’t be taking a membership," Jing Shu shook her head. Who knew when she’d be back in the Imperial Capital anyway?

"Then, Miss Jing... who brought you here?"

Jing Shu pointed at a bewildered Fan Jianqiang.

Consequently, President Gong turned to him and said, "Congratulations, young man, you’re now a Gold member. Keep it up, and bring more high-quality customers to the Black Market. You won’t lack for benefits."

Fan Jianqiang felt like he was in a dream. He had struggled for years to barely make it to Silver, and just after getting in, he got an upgrade? It felt like a dream!

After everything was settled, President Gong, with an aunt-like smile, said, "You see, miss, just tell us if you have any other needs right now. We can try to satisfy your demands first."

Jing Shu pondered for a moment. There were many things she needed, as usable resources were becoming scarcer. So, anything that wasn’t produced by her space was welcome.

But she couldn’t just say, "I want everything," could she?

So Jing Shu replied diplomatically, "You all go ahead. I’ll take a look. If there’s something I need, I’ll let you know. Is that okay?"

"No problem! Liu, come bring Miss Jing a table and some chairs. Let her sit up on the platform so she can watch comfortably and not miss out on anything she wants," President Gong commanded without waiting for a reply.

"No, isn’t that too much?" Jing Shu was shocked. Sitting on a big stage with everyone watching? Wasn’t that a bit too special?

"It’s fine! Come on, have a seat and rest for a while." President Gong insisted with a smile that left no room for refusal, seating her even closer to the front than the Diamond big shots!

Fan Jianqiang trembled slightly with nerves, while Song Bin calmly helped Jing Shu gather the rolls of paper. One could say he had become numb to it all.

This spot is really conspicuous, especially with that ham, Jing Shu thought.

The proceedings continued as usual. The boss who offered canned fruit brought his female secretary to state his request. First, he wanted to exchange canned fruit for various foods and everyday necessities like quilts and cotton clothes. Quickly, thousands of bottles of canned fruit were traded away. Updates are released by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩

Under the pleading gaze of the boss, Jing Shu reluctantly cut a small piece of meat. She exchanged it for dozens of cans of honey peach, lychee, and other fruits. She thought of giving her family a taste once she got home. This way, it wouldn’t seem odd if she also brought out some fresh fruits from her space.

There was also a big shot who was in great need of cotton, and he would trade rice for it. Jing Shu had stocked up a lot of cotton, but in the future, she would also grow various kinds of rice in her space. She wouldn’t stand out for this anymore.

There really are many good things in the Imperial Capital, Jing Shu mused.

Sure enough, Jing Shu wasn’t disappointed, because a scion of a wealthy family with plenty of medical equipment showed up.

This was one of the few Diamond tycoons who, upon seeing Jing Shu’s large ham, hadn’t crowded around and had instead sat calmly inside a barrier.

It seems he truly isn’t lacking food; even the ham couldn’t lure him. Otherwise, he would have come forward to inquire about the price,

He was refined, and although his looks were average, he spoke humbly, which significantly improved Jing Shu’s impression of the wealthy elite.

"Please, JOKER, state your needs," President Gong invited the young man.

JOKER waved his hand, letting two people bring his goods up to the platform before saying, "Everyone knows what my family does. Our goods are all of official supply-grade; their quality is beyond question."

"Ah, Young Master Jiu, we all know your family isn’t short of grain and lacks nothing. Your stuff is good, but your demands are always so strange."

President Gong also said with a chuckle, "So, Young Master Jiu, are you thinking of taking the rest of this ham? Miss Jing definitely wants the stuff you have. It’s all life-saving items in the apocalypse; who would think it’s too much?"

JOKER gently furrowed his brow and then smiled. "I would like to exchange for some, but I’m afraid the ratio might not satisfy either of us. Moreover, what I’m mainly looking to acquire this time are... high-quality spices and seasonings. Past their prime, musty, or damp ones won’t do."

Good stuff indeed; the demands were high.

A chorus of groans rose from below. They did have various spices, but it was the fourth year of the apocalypse. Where could they find top-quality spices that weren’t damp? It was very rare.

President Gong announced loudly many times, introducing everyone to the goods JOKER had brought. "Take a good look, everyone, don’t hold back now! He’s from a family in the medical trade. Just look at these life-saving items..."

It wasn’t that no one had any. It’s just that those willing to trade didn’t meet his standards, and those who had suitable spices didn’t want to trade them, preferring to keep their own.

Jing Shu’s eyes lit up. She saw boxes of iodophor, saline, and, crucially, a box of concentrated 84 disinfectant effervescent tablets. One tablet could be diluted with water and last a long time.

She had bought quite a bit before the apocalypse, but who would have thought it would all be almost used up by now? The most crucial mistake was failing to stock up on more 84 disinfectant liquid! Disinfection and pest control have become even more important after the apocalypse. These items are truly sought-after good things in these desperate times.

"Ahem. I’m curious, how would you like to trade for these items?" Jing Shu asked.

The young man looked up with a humble smile. "It seems I won’t be able to exchange for spices. I would also consider ham, though..."

"No, no, it’s for trading spices. What kind of seasoning are you looking for? Oyster sauce? Soy sauce? Vinegar? Or..." Jing Shu asked.

JOKER shook his head with a slight smile. "I’m not looking for those. Preferably natural plant spices, such as star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, dried tangerine peel, black pepper, thirteen spices, cumin, and so on."

Things like soy sauce and vinegar were actually still quite abundant. However, spices like these had suffered severe losses back then. Combined with the weather and the passage of time, they were becoming increasingly scarce.

"Done," Jing Shu snapped her fingers and simultaneously opened the bottom layer of a box. Every compartment, packed tightly with sealed bags, was brimming with a dazzling array of the exact spices he had mentioned.