Thinking about how Jing Mo and the base had been cooperating all along, with more channels for receiving information, Su Nian decided to ask him directly.
"What price does the base offer for these wild animals?" Su Nian asked straightforwardly.
Jing Mo shook his head. "I'm not sure about the specifics. We'll have to wait until we get back to find out. But one thing's for sure, we won't be at a loss."
Su Nian agreed with this statement. Jing Mo was not someone willing to be at a disadvantage. Since he chose to embark on this journey, he must have seen a profit in it.
"Oh, by the way, if there are frequent tasks in the future, would you be willing to participate?" Jing Mo inquired.
"Hmm?" Su Nian glanced at him through the rearview mirror and met his gaze. "Could you be more specific?"
"With the current weather, as you've seen, the chances of survival outside are not great. The base has already expanded and freed up some manpower to start rescue operations. Relying solely on official personnel from the base won't be enough. The base intends to cooperate with people inside the base. Anyone with ability and capability can participate in these rescue missions. Of course, the base won't let people work for nothing; they will provide compensation according to the situation," Jing Mo explained.
Upon hearing Jing Mo's explanation, Su Nian didn't rush to respond. After organizing Jing Mo's words in her mind, Su Nian then asked, "Do we have to follow orders if we participate in these missions?"
If that was the case, Su Nian had no intention of joining. In the apocalypse, being commanded by others was akin to entrusting one's fate to others, something Su Nian absolutely refused to do.
"No need," Jing Mo chuckled. "I know what you're worried about. You don't want to be at the mercy of others, and you certainly don't want to entrust your life to others. I feel the same way. I've already inquired, and if we participate, it's only a cooperative relationship. Whether to save people or not, whether to save people in our own vehicles, it's up to us."
Upon hearing this, Su Nian gave Jing Mo an appreciative look. Truly, he was a good neighbor. Their thoughts on this matter were indeed similar.
"Since that's the case, if you see any tasks you're interested in in the future, you can let me know," Su Nian said. Whether to go or not could be decided later.
"Alright!" The pleasant conversation left both of them satisfied, their spirits lifted. Two hours later, as darkness fell, they finally saw the gate of the base.
Due to the snow, darkness descended unusually early. By four or five o'clock, it was already completely dark outside. The base's exterior was lit up, the lights shining on the snowy ground, making the base clearly visible from a distance.
Due to the weather, there was no long line of vehicles at the base gate. Aside from the snowplow clearing the snow, their vehicle was the only one entering the base.
"We won't go straight back to the base; we need to go to the service center first to exchange for contribution points," Jing Mo informed Su Nian.
Su Nian had no objections. It would be torturous to bring such a large and heavy wild boar back home and then take it out again.
It was better to handle everything in one go.
Su Nian drove the snowplow directly to the service center. Whether due to the weather or the time, the service center was deserted, nothing like the lively scene when Su Nian had last visited.
Jing Mo instructed Su Nian to wait in the car while he went inside. It didn't take long for Jing Mo to return with a few people. They untied the steel wire ropes from the wild boar and, with some effort, managed to move it into the service center.
Shortly after, Jing Mo came out again and got into the car. "There are four rabbits. Do you want to keep one for eating?"
Upon hearing this, Su Nian thought for a moment and shook her head. "I'll pass."
She had plenty of rabbits in her space. Freshly slaughtered whole rabbits, dissected rabbit meat, hand-pulled rabbit, roasted rabbit, spicy rabbit heads—there were countless varieties. Not to mention the rabbit meat delicacies she had ordered from various restaurants.
The more she thought about it, the more she craved it, her mouth beginning to water.
Looking at Jing Mo across from her, knowing he also enjoyed meat, Su Nian licked her lips. "I have vacuum-packed cooked rabbit meat. If you want some, when we get back—"
"I'll exchange something for you when we get back! Maybe some bullets? You'll need them for practicing shooting," Jing Mo interrupted.
Su Nian had originally intended to give him one or two bags for free. But hearing his offer, she silently swallowed back the words she hadn't finished. "Sure."
After they reached an agreement, Jing Mo carried the four rabbits by their ears. "Why don't you come in with me? The contribution points can be transferred directly to your card later."
Hearing this, Su Nian got out of the car with him. Since they were in the base, there was no need to worry about someone daring to take their car or leaving it outside.
Entering the service center's gate, warmth greeted them. Su Nian paused for a moment, realizing that there was heating inside.
But then again, it made sense. After all, those working here were all official personnel from the base, and it was normal for them to have better working conditions.
The wild boar and rabbits were weighed separately, and contribution points were calculated based on their weight. Each kilogram was equivalent to one contribution point. With the large size of the wild boar and rabbits combined, they totaled 680 contribution points.
The points were split evenly between the two of them, adding 340 points to each person's card.
Having earned over three hundred contribution points in just one day, Su Nian could cover her rent for three and a half months. It was indeed very cost-effective!
Leaving the service center with her card, Su Nian found herself more interested in the task mentioned earlier. As they got back into the car, Jing Mo took the driver's seat. "I'll drop you off at our building first and then return the vehicle."
Su Nian was puzzled for a moment. "How will you get back later?"
Was he planning to walk back?
"Someone will drive a snowmobile to pick me up," Jing Mo reassured her.
Since he wasn't planning to walk back, Su Nian felt relieved. The car stopped in front of their building, and they both got out, carrying the items from the car upstairs.
Watching Jing Mo leave, Su Nian hurriedly closed the door and returned to her bedroom.
The first thing she did upon entering the bedroom was to quickly turn on all the heating devices and the humidifier. Then, she used a hook to lift the iron ring on the stove. Seeing that there were still some embers inside, Su Nian didn't hesitate and quickly added some charcoal.
After putting the lid back on, Su Nian finally sat down in the spot
where the small solar panel illuminated.
With the warmth of the sun and the blowing of the heater, Su Nian's freezing body gradually relaxed.
After warming up for a while, she realized it was almost time. Su Nian reached into her space and took out the rabbit meat—fresh rabbit meat, roasted rabbit, spicy rabbit heads, each packed in two boxes.
These were all vacuum-sealed and stored well, without arousing suspicion. They would be perfect for exchanging with Jing Mo for bullets.
Su Nian moved the boxes to the door and waited for Jing Mo to return.
Just as she was about to turn around and go back to her bedroom, Su Nian heard movement downstairs.
The bustling footsteps and noisy chatter all indicated one thing—there were a lot of people downstairs.
One of the apartments on the fifth floor was occupied by a mother and her son, while the other belonged to a family of five. The family of five had always been quiet, and it was unusual for them to cause such a commotion.
If not them, then who could it be?
Su Nian was pondering when she heard a cheerful voice from downstairs. "It's great! We'll have our own house in the future!"