Chapter: The Strategic Move
Chen Qiuren's departure was undoubtedly arranged by Jiang Xiaoci. Although this man was a recent addition to their talent pool, Yi Bai could already tell that some aspects of his personality were eerily similar to his own.
The guy preferred staying home when possible, didn't venture out unless necessary, and lazed around when idle. It was hard to imagine this was the mindset of a skilled assassin—unmotivated, lacking discipline, yet undeniably how Chen Qiuren operated.
As Yi Bai pondered, the door behind him creaked open, and Jiang Xiaoci walked in.
"Xiaoci, did you send Chen Qiuren out?" Yi Bai pointed out the window, where dusk had already settled. "It's dark now—why send him out so late?"
Jiang Xiaoci nodded, acknowledging the danger, but Yi Bai's concern wasn't the risk. "It's not about danger," he said. "I'm more curious—why is he leaving with all that stuff?"
An assassin skilled with poison, heading out into the black night of the high-temperature apocalypse. The danger seemed minimal—he wouldn't likely die out there.
"Sir, you might not be aware," Jiang Xiaoci smiled, "but a few days ago, Lin Yue and the others discovered a market formed by survivors six streets away from us."
"People frequently trade goods there, bartering with one another day or night."
Yi Bai realized why Chen Qiuren had left with a large stash of items—he was going to trade.
"Oh?" Yi Bai's curiosity deepened. "What exactly are you hoping Chen Qiuren will buy? Are we lacking anything in the shelter?"
Yi Bai was familiar with the existence of the offline market—he had seen discussions about it in the chat channels a few days ago. While the shelter platform offered a wide range of tradeable items, certain materials couldn't be listed. Materials that were non-edible or non-essential—like table legs, cement, steel rebar—couldn't be put up for trade. However, these were exactly the things survivors needed to rebuild their shelters, and the apocalypse allowed such low-tech solutions to remain valid.
Many survivors were still unable to upgrade their shelters but were in dire need of these basic materials to enhance security, creating a strong market demand. Additionally, due to the unreliability of online markets, many survivors preferred offline trading, where the risk of fraud was somewhat lower, although still present—robbery or double-crossing was always a risk.
"We don't lack anything in particular," Jiang Xiaoci replied with a calm smile. "But it's always good to be prepared. I've asked him to buy some medicine and other equipment for himself. Also, I instructed him to promote our shelter's resources a bit more generously."
"More generously?" Yi Bai frowned. He had a feeling he understood what Jiang Xiaoci was planning.
"Are you trying to gather information about the Xiao Bai Xiong shelter through trade?"
Jiang Xiaoci nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, that's part of it. The problem with online exchanges is that the noise makes it hard to filter out useful information. But in offline markets, if Chen Qiuren is generous enough, it's easier to gain information through casual exchanges. People are more open when they feel like they're getting a good deal."
Yi Bai's eyes narrowed, but he quickly realized Jiang Xiaoci wasn't just about information-gathering. "What's the real goal, then?"
Jiang Xiaoci's smile softened, and she lowered her voice. "To display our strength. I need him to represent our shelter and interact with other survivors, showing our capabilities. Once the time is right... we'll take control of the offline market."
Yi Bai's eyes widened. "You want to take over new territory—the offline market?"
"Not just for me," Jiang Xiaoci corrected, her voice full of determination. "For you, sir."
Yi Bai paused, deep in thought, then walked around the room, frowning slightly. "Taking control of the market... it's a feasible plan. If we can do that, our influence will naturally expand. Once we establish ourselves as the market's leaders, even someone like Xiao Bai Xiong—violent as he is—would have no choice but to cooperate with us. He knows that having a stable supply of goods is far more valuable than making unnecessary enemies."
Jiang Xiaoci nodded. "Exactly. By controlling the market, we don't just expand our influence—we also protect our shelter. The market will act as a buffer zone. It will draw the attention of any potential threats, allowing our shelter to remain undisturbed for longer."
Yi Bai nodded, feeling the weight of her plan. "And once we control the market, we could use it as a stepping stone, bringing more survivors into our fold, forming alliances to weather the apocalypse."
"Yes," Jiang Xiaoci smiled. "It's about both protection and growth. We'll fortify our position and make it harder for anyone to target us directly."
Yi Bai stood still, lost in thought for a moment. "You're thinking ahead, aren't you? This strategy... it's well-thought-out. I didn't see it at first, but it's brilliant."
Jiang Xiaoci's eyes sparkled. "You're not just a leader, sir, you're a thinker. You can see through my plans."
Yi Bai laughed softly. "I guess it's true. I'm starting to get used to this world and how things work."
"Indeed, sir." Jiang Xiaoci's voice softened, her gaze affectionate. "You're not like the others. You understand what's important."
Yi Bai grinned. "As long as you're here, I can just relax and be a couch potato."
Jiang Xiaoci smiled knowingly. "Sir, it's late. Should we sleep now?"
Yi Bai stretched and, with a sudden grin, said, "You know, Xiaoci, I think I've become a bit like Liu A Dou. I leave everything to you, and you handle it all."
Jiang Xiaoci lowered her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You're not like Liu A Dou, sir. You just don't like fighting for things, but I can do it for you."
Yi Bai chuckled, but before he could respond, Jiang Xiaoci's voice grew serious. "By the way, sir, I think you haven't bathed in a while. The shelter has plenty of water now. Would you like to take a bath?"
Yi Bai blinked, surprised. "You're right. I haven't really had a proper bath since the apocalypse started."
He followed Jiang Xiaoci downstairs, and she led him to a newly renovated room. The entire space had been turned into a swimming pool—a massive one, occupying the whole room.
Yi Bai's eyes widened. "This... This is a swimming pool, right?"
"Yes," Jiang Xiaoci smiled. "It was Li Ya's idea. She designed it, and the girls did most of the work."
Yi Bai was impressed. "Wow, this is a real surprise! I didn't even notice what you were doing downstairs."
Jiang Xiaoci's smile grew brighter. "This is a gift from the girls. They wanted to show their gratitude for your protection."
Yi Bai grinned. "A swimming pool... I like it."
"It's not quite finished yet, but it's a good start," Jiang Xiaoci added. "It's just the beginning. With this, life in the shelter will only get better."
As Yi Bai settled into the pool, Jiang Xiaoci asked, "Would you like to take a bath now, sir?"
"Sure. But wait... What are you doing?" Yi Bai blinked as Jiang Xiaoci began to remove her clothes.
Jiang Xiaoci smiled innocently. "I have to stay here in case you drown, sir."
Yi Bai chuckled. "You've planned this, haven't you? You already had your swimsuit ready."
Jiang Xiaoci simply smiled. "It's always better to be prepared, sir. If you don't like this color, I can change."
Yi Bai laughed, shaking his head. "You're impossible."