Chapter 234


    Dealing with a wise and clear-headed person was always a breeze.


    Ste was in high spirits as she returned to Building 5 after bidding goodbye.


    Mark''s house was out of salt, so he took an iron pot and toasted sea salt for half an hour before


    soaking it in warm water for a drink.


    He would be lying if he said he wasn''t worried, but knowing that the salt was from Jasper and Ste,


    he felt more assured than if he''d gotten it from elsewhere.


    In his recent excursions, he''d seen a lot of salt, but nonepared to the purity and crystallization


    of what Jasper and Ste had given him, which was free from impurities.


    After consuming it for three days, his fatigue had significantly improved. Overjoyed, he turned on


    the walkie-talkie to contact them, hoping to purchase more.


    "Mark, they don''t have much either. They originally wanted to exchange a pound of salt for 12


    pounds of sweet potatoes. Jasper bargained with them and even offered to owe them a favor before


    they finally agreed topromise. We can only get a few hundred pounds at most."


    Ste, being a woman of action, took charge. "I''ll do my best to negotiate for you. If we go by 3


    pounds per person, it should be manageable. The price will be set ording to market rates, a


    pound of salt for 10 pounds of sweet potatoes. We can''t go any lower."


    Mark knew that there was a limit to how much you could ask of someone, so he gratefully epted


    her offer. "Alright, I''ll leave it to you."


    Being able to secure over 500 pounds of salt made him ecstatic. Truly, Ste and Jasper had ways.


    Mark felt a bit embarrassed, but for the sake of the residents of Eastwood Eden, he couldn''t afford


    to be shy. "And one more thing, Ste. What about the seeds?"


    "We have corn and vegetable seeds. We might be able to gather a few pounds, but given how long


    it''s been since the disaster, we can''t guarantee their germination rate."


    Mark understood. Old seeds had a low germination rate. He was grateful to have seeds at all and


    promptly agreed to take them.


    He was honest about the avability of the goods, openly announcing the news and epting


    registration from residents.


    Upon learning that they could get salt, the residents were extremely enthusiastic. Some even


    enlisted their children''s names in order to buy more. There was no helping it. Theck of salt was


    unbearable.


    Families with many members could hoard over ten pounds of salt, which, if rationed carefully, could


    last several years.


    While there was a flurry of activity, Ste was equally busy. The seeds from Arcadia were too fresh


    to fool Mark. Jasper added some dust and mixed it in, rubbing it repeatedly until it looked old and


    worn.


    On the day of the trade, the duo drove back from the outside, bringing back the salt and seeds in


    exchange for thousands of pounds of sweet potatoes.


    Sweet potatoes grown in extreme heat were not of the best quality, but they weren''t nning on


    eating them. They would be traded when the need arose.


    As the residents came to collect their salt, Mark patiently exined how to toast it, ensuring


    everyone got some.


    With the arrival of the third rainfall, the government finally announced a detailed n for the new


    city. Construction wasn''t a problem. The real issue was the severe shortage of materials.


    The government had appropriated materials from Steel World and other construction material


    factories and stores. However, these supplies were far from enough to build the new city.


    In these pressing times, they had to mobilize the power of the masses. Everyone had a role to y


    in building a better home.


    If materials were needed, they could be found, even in the ruins.


    The government had a detailed 30-page n where each type of material had a corresponding


    point value, with different points for new and old materials. It would take days to go over the entire


    list.


    The neighborhoodmittee where Eastwood Eden was located had copsed. The staff had


    moved with the majority and would relocate to Hope Bay. People could visit the city hall for more


    information.


    Mark listened to the radio with furrowed brows.


    Christian was anxious. "Mark, what''s the n?"


    Newtown was being built in Hope Bay, about 50 kilometers from Eastwood Eden. Once the official


    military withdrew, it meant the old city area would be abandoned.


    Even though the city had been devastated by the earthquake, there were still many buildings left. In


    the future, these could be hotspots for criminal activity. Even if the people of Eastwood Eden


    were united, they couldn''t resist these forces. They could potentially be food stock or


    aplices for criminals.


    Living was already difficult enough, let alone settling securely in Newtown.


    "If we want to survive, we have to go with the government."


    It might be difficult, but it was safer than being alone.


    "But we have nothing. What can we use to umte points? Even if we umte enough


    points to be eligible to buy a house, we can''t afford the exchange materials."


    "Don''t worry for now. We''ll go to the city hall tomorrow to get more information."


    As long as they were united, there had to be a way.


    Despite the drop in temperature, the sun was still scorching during the day. They set off on foot at 5


    am.


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    The strong earthquake had buried many resources, making the survival environment even harsher.


    The government had provided shelter for a vast number of refugees, consequently decreasing the


    pool of potential victims for criminals. So, going out meant taking a risk.


    For safety, Mark not only carried a knife but also had a pocket full of sand. Even so, they didn''t dare


    to let their guard down and kept a lookout for danger.


    The once bustling city was now deste and dpidated. The mist hadn''t cleared, making the world


    seem gray and lifeless.


    Throughout their journey, they didn''t see a single soul.


    Christian was terrified. "Mark, if the government really moves, no one will know even if we in


    Eastwood Eden are hammered into bone dust."


    Eastwood Eden didn''t copse during the earthquake, which was both their fortune and misfortune.


    Once the government''s influence couldn''t reach them, they would definitely be taken over by others.


    Being robbed was the least of their worries. Whether they could survive was the real question.


    On this trip, Mark shared his feelings, "Let''s get some information first, then decide what to do when


    we get back."


    While they were headed to the city hall, Jasper and Ste had ns too, but they had leftter.


    The roads were difficult to travel, and walking was too slow. Ste took out her electric scooter, put


    on her helmet, and rode off with Jasper.


    Jasper''s long legs were ufortable on the small scooter, but he didn''tin. Instead, he kept


    a vignt watch on their surroundings.


    When they left, it was past 9 am. There were scavengers visible in the ruins. Those who dared to


    scavenge were rarely innocent.


    Out of the blue, a stone came hurling from behind the ruins, targeting them.