C12 Thats so Annoying!

Baldie inhaled deeply, striving for a pleasant demeanor, "Could you clarify why you're enlisting our help to capture zombies? Specifically, fresh zombies? They pose no challenge and their cores are impure."

The room erupted in murmurs at Baldie's barely contained fury. Yang Hanshuang and Amu stared at Shen Chen, astonished. They had seen him earlier, awkwardly sprawled on the curb, busily drafting a contract, but they hadn't caught a glimpse of its contents.

Hunting zombies was one thing; Cloud Mountain Base had received similar assignments before. But the notion of seizing fresh zombies seemed absurd. It was a task with no apparent profit. Was Shen Chen's request merely intended to irk Baldie?

Confusion spread among the onlookers.

Shen Chen observed their reactions closely. The system had indeed issued him a task: to find a fresh zombie that wouldn't explode upon ingesting a small crystal. The trials had shown it to be a daunting task, certainly not one he could tackle alone.

Though the task had no deadline, it weighed on his mind. He hadn't planned on collaborating with Ocean Mountain Base, but time was running short. Failing to meet the sales target meant losing a finger. It made more sense to partner with the base than to peddle goods door-to-door at the Scavenger camp. This way, he could swiftly fulfill the system's mission and expedite his experiment.

With a mischievous grin, Shen Chen thought how fitting it was for Ocean Mountain Base to handle this. Catching fresh zombies would surely get under Baldie's skin!

Noticing Baldie's glare, Shen Chen cleared his throat, "If you balk at such an easy task as nabbing fresh zombies, would you prefer I task you with capturing a Nine-winged Shadow Demon?"

At the mention of the Nine-winged Shadow Demon, everyone from Ocean Mountain Base, including Yang Hanshuang and Amu, blanched. This was a formidable level-five mutated zombie, notorious for annihilating an entire small base, leaving no survivors.

"Boss, we stand no chance against the Nine-winged Shadow Demon."

The brothers at Ocean Mountain Base whispered a warning to Baldie. Given the choice, they'd much prefer hunting fresh zombies. Sure, they're gross, but at least they don't bite the dust.

"Fine," Baldie conceded through gritted teeth. Then, a thought struck him, "How many do you need each day?"

Shen Chen held up a single finger, his smile enigmatic.

Baldie blinked in surprise. "Just one?"

Shen Chen shook his head.

"Ten?"

Again, Shen Chen shook his head, and now Baldie was visibly unsettled. "You don't mean..."

"Exactly, a hundred," Shen Chen cut in. Baldie looked like he'd been sucker-punched. "What on earth do you need that many fresh zombies for?"

"That's my business," Shen Chen retorted with an eye roll. "With all the manpower you have, rounding up a hundred fresh zombies should be a piece of cake."

Baldie's fists tightened. "Fine, you've got a deal. A hundred it is."

"I need them today."

"You—!" Baldie was at a loss for words as the sun dipped toward the horizon.

Shen Chen rose to his feet with a lazy stretch. "The sunset's always lovely, but dusk is upon us. Time for you brothers to hustle. Deliver a hundred fresh zombies to the bank's doorstep, and then you can joyfully trade them for rice."

At his words, the brothers from Ocean Mountain Base saw red. They didn't wait for Baldie's signal; they surged out of the base, a frenzied horde on the hunt for fresh zombies, ropes in hand, ready for a major showdown.

Once the crowd had dispersed, Baldie reluctantly inked the contract. Shen Chen pocketed it and walked away without a backward glance. He didn't count on this guy to drum up any business for him; his objective was already met.

After the trio departed, a shadow fell over Baldie's face. He couldn't fathom how Shen Chen had acquired so much rice, but there was no question it could sway the troops' loyalty. If he could just get in touch with the rice supplier backing Shen Chen, Ocean Mountain Base could keep attracting stronger recruits, maybe even evolve into a super base.

"The rice supplier for Mountain Base, huh? Shen Chen, I'm curious to see if you're savvy enough to keep your wealth under wraps."

After departing from Ocean Mountain Base, Shen Chen tallied up the numbers and realized they were still short. He intended to employ the same tactics at Han Iron Base, confident that securing their cooperation would solidify his sales figures.

Yang Hanshuang blocked his path, her expression grave, with Amu looking equally concerned. "Mr. Shen, word has it that Han Iron Base is under new management by a blind man who's notoriously cruel and greedy. We've already stirred up trouble with Ocean Mountain Base; let's not ruffle any more feathers."

Yang Hanshuang echoed Amu's sentiment. "Ocean Mountain Base might appear to be collaborating with us, but I know Shen Qiang all too well. His heart is blacker than obsidian, selling aged rice nearly at the price of premium grains. Only he could pull off such a scheme. I must admit, I have reservations about your plan this time."

Her final words were barely a whisper. Shen Chen caught her glance before she quickly averted her eyes.

He understood her concerns. In this region, Cloud Mountain Base, Ocean Mountain Base, and Han Iron Base were the major players, each with comparable strength. However, Cloud Mountain Base operated with integrity, which only widened the gap between them and the other two bases, clouded by their own greed. Providing Ocean Mountain Base with such a large rice supply bordered on aiding the enemy.

"Don't worry, I won't make things harder for our brothers," Shen Chen reassured with a slight smile. Considering the opposition from both of his companions, he decided not to insist on the Han Iron Base plan. As for Ocean Mountain Base, he thought with a smirk, the rice wasn't a giveaway; he had plans to ensure they'd pay it back.

On the return journey, Shen Chen opted for an alternate route and, fortunately, stumbled upon some scavenger camps, securing enough clients to meet his sales targets.

"I've been meaning to ask you something. Why did you have Ocean Mountain Base capture fresh Zombies for you?" Yang Hanshuang finally voiced her curiosity after much restraint. Shen Chen didn't respond directly but instead extended his hand, requesting something from her.

Puzzled, Yang Hanshuang asked, "What do you need?"

"Level-1 Crystal Cores."

"Oh." Without hesitation, she handed a small crystal core to Shen Chen, who shook his head with a secretive smile. "Not enough."

"How many do you need?"

"Three hundred."

"Three hundred... What on earth do you need all those Level-1 Crystal Cores for?" Yang Hanshuang was taken aback. "And after selling all that rice, you must have raked in a few thousand at least, right? What gives? Is the big boss now trying to squeeze a kickback out of a lowly employee?"

There was a clear note of sarcasm in Yang Hanshuang's voice, pure and simple, as she thought Shen Chen was being unnecessarily penny-pinching.

Shen Chen was on the verge of tears, cursing his luck. Only after selling the 10,000 Jin provided by the system could he claim a measly 10% commission on the sales. And with a fresh batch of Zombies en route, it's not like he could just leave them strewn about on the street.