Enemies Are All Nourishment for My Fungi..

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Once Open, Business Keeps Coming

“You’re a local, how often did you see refrigerated trucks on the streets growing up?”

“I’ve seen the small ones, they can’t carry much. They’re okay for running around the city.”

“Exactly, East Ridge City is small with few people; medium and small refrigerated trucks still have a market. The large trucks that can carry more goods and travel long distances are not practical here, and drivers capable of operating those big trucks have all gone to develop in other cities.”

“That’s true, but shouldn’t we just form our own secure fleet for this kind of situation?”

“The cargo space you use for jobs, if converted to 15-meter refrigerated trucks, would need more than a dozen. Resources are scarce now, and the cost of building one large truck is high, not to mention the selling price. The annual expenses of maintaining such a fleet add up to more than hiring you once a month, and that’s without counting accidents on the road, encounters with battles, or vehicles breaking down midway.”

“So, how did we use to get frozen meat? Did they send it out from the inside?”

...

“Right, they used medium refrigerated trucks to send it out from the inside. These are most used in the Secret Realm, mainly for delivering meat, eggs, dairy, fresh produce, and pharmaceuticals. A few privately-contracted fleets were sufficient. But the drivers were both civilians and Awakeners—this only required a heavy vehicle driving license, not a specific Training Level. Drivers who spend all year running vehicles in the Secret Realm have the right mental quality, but the costs of sending goods outside are high, and they’re easy targets for hijacking. If it was a fleet delivering this time, as soon as they finished unloading, calls came in from several other dangerous areas…”

“Everyone wants Mutant Beast Meat.”

“Indeed.”

At this point, Captain Mei patted Ye Nai’s shoulder with a face full of satisfaction.”

“Now that we have you, we can discreetly bring the meat back. Heh, even if we have to share it out, we can keep a large part for ourselves so our warriors can eat a few more meals. Just focus on making money with peace of mind.”

“Sure thing, call me next time there’s a job.”

“Definitely.”

With that, Captain Mei, with Ye Nai’s shoulder in his grip, and Deputy Captain Shen, having completed the handover, returned to their vehicle outside the cold storage to go home and rest. Before getting out of the car, Ye Nai also returned the gun and magazine, along with the uneaten canteen food, to them.

At the same time, the higher-ups of the dangerous zones had also received news of the successful completion of the mission.

All the dangerous zones across the country are battalion-level units, with the highest leader being a colonel battalion commander, who, upon hearing the news, gave his instructions immediately.

“This Ye Nai is a local and has feelings for her hometown; otherwise, with her Big Space User skills, she could go elsewhere and be welcomed anywhere. Since she has stayed, we should utilize her, pay her extra remuneration within the limits of the rules if possible. At the same time, have the training center properly teach her. East Ridge City itself is small in land area and can’t undertake large constructions; potential future growth is just that—future potential. But limiting people’s growth also remains a fact. Besides, young people surely also want to see the outside world. Have the coaches improve her training performance, so when she goes to other places later, they will remember our kindness.”

“As a single dangerous zone doesn’t have so many tasks requiring a Big Space User, should we communicate with the other dangerous zones?” asked the subordinate who brought in the news.

“We can pass the word along, but whether they accept the tasks should be voluntary; no pressures. We still have to consider Ye Nai’s personal safety. Rapists and Cult Members love targets like her the most—a pure support type.”

“Understood.”

The arrangements for Ye Nai were quickly passed down, and the higher-ups in the other dangerous zones immediately sprang into action. The fastest-moving dangerous zone just happened to have a job that could use Ye Nai’s skills.

Meanwhile, she was busy washing her hair, taking a shower, then ordering some takeout, leisurely eating her fill. As she began to feel drowsy, she got up to do housework, throwing dirty clothes into the washing machine, sweeping and mopping the whole house to clean off a few days’ worth of thin dust—keeping herself busy to avoid falling asleep too early and then struggling to sleep at night.

“`

After finishing the household chores, there was still time to spare, so she bounced around the living room, repeatedly practicing the basic combat moves she’d learned from the fighting trials class.

When she got tired from training, she started sorting out the mutant beast meat in her space. She couldn’t recognize which piece of meat came from which beast, so she randomly took a piece, cut it into small chunks, blanched it in cold water, then braised it to make a dish for dinner.

Because of cooking, she was fully awake for several more hours.

It was just finding something to do to keep from dozing off.

Finally, when evening came and the meat was tender, she tasted a piece—it was delicious and fragrant, so tender that each bite released threads of energy.

And that bowl of meat made her feel energized. After dinner, she quickly cooked the other half she had cut to eat the next day.

After finishing these tasks, drowsiness overtook her again. She hastily washed her face, collapsed into bed, and fell asleep within seconds.

She slept soundly for ten hours and lounged for another two, scrolling through her phone in bed before getting up to make something to eat. She settled on the sofa with her bowl and connected her phone to the projector, watching a movie on the wall.

She rested lazily for a whole day.

The next day she returned to her normal routine, spending the whole day at the training hall. She bought a trial class for mixed martial arts, and for weapons, she chose Short Stick Skill, planning to make use of the formidable iron pipe in her space.

And her name card was no longer to be put away after each use. She hung it up consistently, with a clear condition: it was only for official East Ridge City teams entering dangerous zones, as she lacked the ability to protect herself; private teams need not bother her.

Last time, Captain Mei had calculated with her that a thousand cubic meters of space equated to more than ten large refrigerated trucks. What kind of massive mission would a private team need to utilize her services?

After some thought, she realized that this condition effectively limited her options; seeking official missions seemed the best way to earn money.

With this new condition, the officials from the various dangerous area offices who had just started following her were all smiling.

She was a smart young woman, knowing which side to align with for both profits and safety.

Having experienced an expedition in the Secret Realm, she now acquired some new items, such as a portable toilet. Exposing oneself in the wild could be dangerous; the scent, carried downwind, could attract mutant creatures immediately.

Last time, Captain Mei’s team had one, and Ye Nai had availed herself of it. Upon returning, she quickly went to an outdoor supplies store in town to buy a new one. If only she used it, replacing the microbiotic cultures and carriers every two or three years would be more than enough, as she wouldn’t be in the wilderness every day.

Three days passed like this, and her software notified her of a new job.

An official team from Dangerous Area 7 wanted to hire her for a trip to the Secret Realm. They would send a car to pick her up and take her to Area 7 to collect supplies, then proceed to the Secret Realm. They would also ensure her return journey, lasting about eighteen days in total. If there was a delay, they agreed to pay her as usual. The person coordinating also asked if she had an outdoor tent; if not, their logistics would provide one for her.

Ye Nai immediately consulted the team captains in the group chat, asking if the tents available in shops were of better quality or if the military tents were superior.

The captains unanimously advised her to take the opportunity to ask for a brand new military outdoor tent, emphasizing that even if she had to buy it, the genuine military-grade gear that was not available in regular stores was worth it.

Ye Nai then hurried to negotiate. She was willing to pay for it and indeed managed to get a dual-use tent for both summer and winter.

“`