#415 - Chapter 415: Pork Stewed with Vermicelli

Inner Mongolia Province, Hulun City.

March 15, 2056.

"Mayor Lu, what brings you here?" asked Sun Zhuo, the mayor of Hulun City.

Hulun City's consistently low temperatures prevented a large-scale viral outbreak, so their resettlement center was located within the city.

Furthermore, the commotion caused by Koyako Hatada in the Kanto region hadn't affected him, so he wasn't fully aware of many things.

The only interaction between the two was some time ago when they needed to pass through here to enter the Ulan region.

"Mayor Sun, I'll need to trouble you several more times in the coming days, so I came specifically to give you a heads-up. It's just a small token, nothing significant," Lu Guyun said, clapping his hands. Several people entered, carrying items.

"Mayor Lu, this is...?" Mayor Sun was astonished.

In this day and age, supplies were extremely scarce.

The resettlement center only provided basic grain rations each month. Other items were hard to find on the market.

"Oh, the weather's cold, so I brought you a few cases of spirits. The rest is some braised meat, peanuts, and the like – some snacks to go with the drinks. I also brought you a few slaughtered pigs, some cabbage, some potatoes, and glass noodles," Lu Guyun said.

"..." Sun Zhuo was dumbfounded.

"In this weather, stewing a pot of pork with glass noodles and having a little wine, hey! The taste is absolutely divine!" Lu Guyun gave him a knowing look.

"This, this, this... Where did you get this?" Sun Zhuo asked in disbelief.

These things weren't just a matter of spending money anymore.

Even if you had money, you couldn't buy them anywhere.

Not to mention pigs, he hadn't seen a live one in almost a year.

"To be honest, from over there!" Lu Guyun quietly pointed west.

Further west was the territory of Ulan.

"You mean... Ulan?" Sun Zhuo asked, disbelieving.

"It should now be called the North Asia Ulan Neutral Zone," Lu Guyun corrected his slip of the tongue.

"Shouldn't it be even poorer than us over there?" Sun Zhuo asked.

"Times have changed. I'll tell you quietly, where do you think the Huatong Trading Company gets its goods? Get it?" Lu Guyun said quietly.

"No way!?" Sun Zhuo still didn't believe it.

"Look at you, still don't believe me. Do you think I can conjure these things up myself? Didn't I take tens of thousands of people over there some time ago? Guess what?" Lu Guyun deliberately piqued his curiosity.

"Guess what?" Sun Zhuo was very curious.

"Things like these are available every day," Lu Guyun boasted.

"No way!? Where did they get them?" Sun Zhuo didn't want to believe it, but the items were right there in front of him.

Lu Guyun was willing to give away so much, so his reserves must be even greater.

"Have you been to the Huatong Trading Company headquarters?" Lu Guyun asked.

"I haven't," Sun Zhuo didn't attend the last conference.

It was too far away and transportation was inconvenient.

"I went, and they built fully automated planting warehouses underground where they can grow their own food. That's already awesome, right? But compared to the underground base in the Ulan Neutral Zone, it's nothing. No, it's not even in the same league!" Lu Guyun said.

"Really?" Sun Zhuo basically believed him.

"Here, let me show you." Lu Guyun took out a phone issued by the Huatong Trading Company from his pocket and opened the photo album.

Sun Zhuo took the phone and started flipping through the photos.

"Hiss! It's true!" Sun Zhuo said, his hands trembling as he flipped through the photos.

"This is paradise!" That was his true thought at that moment.

"Now you believe me, right?" Lu Guyun took back the phone.

"So, what are you here for this time...?" Sun Zhuo asked.

"To be honest, I want to move the people of Bing City and several nearby cities to Ulan. There are a lot of people, so I might have to make a few trips," Lu Guyun said.

"Then you're giving up being mayor?" Sun Zhuo was surprised.

"Of course not! Isn't it the same being a mayor in Ulan?" Lu Guyun replied matter-of-factly.

"Think it through! There's no such thing as a free lunch! In China, at least the higher-ups distribute food every month. Once you go abroad, there's no guarantee of that!" Sun Zhuo reminded him.

What Sun Zhuo didn't know was that he probably wouldn't be able to continue being mayor either.

However, Lu Guyun now sincerely wanted to stay in Ulan.

Life there was just too comfortable.

The winters in Songjiang were too cold, especially when there was a lack of food, drink, and heating.

"There's nothing to hesitate about. It's like heaven and earth. You haven't been there, but if you go, you won't want to come back," Lu Guyun replied.

"Alright, since Brother Lu has already decided, I won't say more. I wish you a smooth journey," Sun Zhuo said, his address changing after receiving the benefits.

"Thank you!" Lu Guyun said before leaving.

He did this to lay the groundwork, hoping that one day he could trick Sun Zhuo into going there too.

...

"It's bad, the scorpions are entering the city!" someone shouted in Naqu City.

"Brothers, kill them all! Even if you have to slap them to death, kill them all for me!" an officer shouted.

All the soldiers were wearing protective suits, and no one knew who anyone was.