Chapter 213: Central Command Research Institute
After this period of cultivation, we now have loofah, pumpkin, eggplant, cucumber, winter melon, watermelon, peaches, pears, pine trees...
Quantities are limited. First come, first served.
Lily Hart had considered selling produce like winter melons, watermelons, and pumpkins by the slice, but with the current heat, they wouldn’t keep well. She had no choice but to sell them whole.
She stocked everything she could from her small garden patch. The sale would start tomorrow at ten in the morning, sharp!
"Phew, finally done." Lily Hart let out a long sigh.
She looked up, gazing into the distance to rest her eyes, only to see a strange group of people approaching her RV.
They wore matching outfits that resembled doctors’ lab coats, only theirs were a dark gray.
Embroidered on their chests were four words: Central Command Research Institute.
Their clothes were relatively intact and clean, unlike the tattered, filthy rags of other survivors. A few of them even wore glasses.
They looked scholarly and refined, but their eyes held a shrewd glint. One look was enough to know they wouldn’t be easy to handle.
Lily Hart’s eyes narrowed. ’People from Central Command... this can’t be good.’
And sure enough, the moment the group arrived, they spoke with an arrogant, entitled tone:
"I hear you’re Lily Hart, the one who grew fruits and vegetables? Let us take them back for research. We guarantee we’ll make the yields skyrocket."
Lily Hart almost laughed. ’Where did they get this... audacity?’
’Just asking so bluntly, ’Hey, can I have your fruits and vegetables?’’
Her eyes crinkled into a smile, a delightful expression as refreshing as ice cream on a summer day.
But to the people from the research institute, it looked like pure mockery.
"What are you laughing at? We’re doing you a favor by taking your fruits and vegetables. You should be offering them to us with both hands! This is a feat that could save humanity. What’s there to be unhappy about? Young people these days have no perspective!"
One of the shifty-eyed men spoke, his mouth rattling off passive-aggressive remarks like a machine gun.
He spotted a fruit platter on the table and reached for it, only to be blocked by an invisible, pliant barrier.
"Oh, so you want this ’favor’ for yourself?" Lily Hart’s smile vanished as she watched him, her dark eyes turning icy.
’Just like that, they’re saddling me with this grand responsibility?’
The group from the research institute was left speechless. If they were in her shoes, who among them would willingly hand over their prized possessions for nothing?
Lily Hart shrugged nonchalantly. "A merchant’s gotta turn a profit. I’m opening sales for the produce tomorrow at ten. After that, it’s all up to luck."
"As a citizen of Cathaya, how can you not keep the other survivors in your thoughts? All you care about is your own pleasure! You! You have no sense of decorum!"
It was the shifty-eyed man again, spouting more guilt-tripping nonsense. Lily Hart hated that tactic more than anything.
"Jealous?" Lily Hart shot him a glance, her tone airy.
Someone in the crowd couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up in her defense. "Why don’t you people from the research institute do something productive for a change?"
"Exactly. You haven’t researched jack shit, but you’re always the biggest troublemakers."
"You lot hog the most resources and take the most Crystal Cores day in and day out, and for what? We’re still eating that damn nutrient jelly you developed years ago!"
"Tell me about it. They’re always throwing their weight around, acting high and mighty just because they’re from the institute!"
They were all superpower users. When one person spoke up, dozens more would follow.
Besides, the research institute’s usual conduct was truly despicable.
They took the best resources, the most Crystal Cores, and after all these years, there wasn’t a single result to show for it!
It was no wonder everyone resented them.
And yet, the higher-ups at Central Command still coddled the research institute, placating them with kind words and supplying them with the best food and drink.
If they’d produced even one useful thing, people wouldn’t be so quick to curse them out.
And now they were trying to steal Boss Hart’s produce?! The very same produce Boss Hart said would go on sale tomorrow at ten!
It was a limited-stock item, too. Every single one counted!
The researchers’ faces twisted with fury. Their long-held sense of superiority made them indignant at the scene unfolding before them.
’Who the hell do you think you are, daring to criticize us?’
’So what if we don’t have any results? Central Command still needs us!’
"Who asked you to butt in? Were we talking to you?!" the shifty-eyed man roared.
Lily Hart crossed her arms, a smile playing on her lips as she enjoyed the show. ’And here I thought the people from the research institute were supposed to be hotshots.’
’If they’re all this caliber, humanity is screwed.’
She shooed them away. "Alright, alright, stop making a scene. Just go."
The researchers couldn’t say another word. The glares from the surrounding customers were practically daggers. With a flick of their sleeves, they stormed off in a huff.
Once they were gone, the atmosphere instantly lightened. Everyone crowded around, asking questions.
"Boss Hart, are you really selling fruit tomorrow? How much will it cost?"
"Yeah, yeah! How many will there be? Is it a lot?"
A barrage of questions followed, all centered on their main concerns: price and quantity.
They weren’t worried about quality; they had absolute faith in Boss Hart’s integrity. This was *fruit*, after all!
A rare delicacy!
If they could just get their hands on one piece of fruit, they’d be in a good mood for the next month!
Lily Hart froze. She realized she hadn’t even set the most crucial detail: the price. She quickly gave them some vague answers to send them on their way.
She turned and plopped down on the sofa. Stan Sterling, who was still there, thoughtfully poured her a glass of warm water.
Lily Hart downed it in one gulp. After a moment, she asked, "How much do you think we should sell the produce for?"
"I have no experience with this. You should decide," Stan Sterling said, waving his hands dismissively.
Lily Hart looked at the new "Produce" category she’d added to her Light Brain’s online market. It listed over twenty different items.
The first item was the apple. A rather boring fruit, but its nutritional value was quite high.
In the apocalypse, fruit was incredibly scarce—even more so than medicine, second only to weapons in terms of rarity.
’I’ll sell them by the piece, then. Size will be random.’
"How about five Level 1 Crystal Cores for one apple?"
After a long moment of thought, Lily Hart looked to Stan Sterling for his opinion, her gaze meeting his earnest eyes, which were like a deep, tranquil spring.
He nodded without the slightest hesitation. "If it were me, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. That’s not expensive at all."
"Alright, that’s settled then," Lily Hart decided quickly.
The two of them conferred, quickly setting prices for the rest of the items.
There were twenty-three items in total. Apples, pears, and peaches were the most plentiful, followed by the various vine-ripened fruits.
All told, there were nearly three thousand individual items.
It wasn’t a huge amount, but if she could restock daily, it would be quite an achievement.
When the two of them finally looked up from the Light Brain to stretch their necks, they found Frost Shaw and Roman Rowe standing right in front of them, staring intently.
"What are you two doing?" Lily Hart asked, aiming a playful kick at Roman Rowe, which he dodged nimbly.
Roman Rowe retorted, "What are *you* two doing? We’ve been standing here forever and you didn’t even notice." His tone was full of mock grievance, his puppy-dog eyes gazing at them pitifully.
Beside him, Frost Shaw nodded silently. His eyes also held a hint of grievance, though it was so well-hidden that no one noticed.