Li Jian and the four other building leaders stared at one another in stunned silence. None of them could figure out what Zhang Yi was really up to.
Plant crops? Become farmers? Was he joking?
Huang Tianfang frowned. "Have you ever farmed? In this freezing weather, everything will die."
"Don't say that," Zhang Yi replied. "Back in Siberia, they pushed large-scale corn cultivation, didn't they? If you think corn won't work, I've got other seeds too—potatoes, wheat. One of them has to be suitable."
Li Jian and the others were speechless.
"Zhang Yi, stop kidding around. How cold is it outside? And where exactly do you expect us to plant anything in all this ice and snow?"
Zhang Yi's expression turned serious. "So what if it's cold? We're still alive, aren't we?" He paused, then said, "This snow disaster could drag on for who knows how long. You've probably noticed that the higher-ups have already gone into hiding, planning to wait it out. That means this apocalypse is going to last a very long time. If we don't start planting crops, our food will run out fast, and in the end, we'll all starve."
"As for where to plant them, that's easy." He pointed out the window. "There's land out there. Shovel off the snow and soil is underneath. If we want to survive the cold, we'll have to plant underground. It'll be hard, but we have to try. Only then can we build a complete system and let everyone survive in the apocalypse."
The five men fell into thought.
Huang Tianfang and Li Jian both looked interested. Huang Tianfang had been a farmer before and knew how to work the land. If farming became the answer to the food problem, he would clearly have an advantage over the city people in the complex. Li Jian, on the other hand, immediately saw the value of his building's large population as labor. If they shifted to an agricultural model, his influence in the community would only grow.
Wang Qiang looked at Zhang Yi with suspicion. He had no intention of farming himself. But as the leader of Building 21, he could always make other people do the work.
Li Jian suddenly asked, "If we're going to farm, we'll need enough food to support everyone. Three hundred rations a day isn't enough."
Zhang Yi smiled faintly. "Three hundred people is more than enough for me." He spread his hands. "Fine, let's talk about the second condition."
"Each building has to send people out to clear farmland. I want to see progress every day. After all, I work hard to scavenge food—not to feed lazy people."
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table as the others calculated their options.
"These are my two conditions. If you agree, I'll provide supplies." He looked around the room. "And with those three hundred rations, the quality will be guaranteed. In the future, I'll also provide cigarettes, alcohol, clothes, and medical supplies."
That last sentence made Wang Qiang bolt upright.
"You can get cigarettes?" His eyes practically lit up.
Huang Tianfang's lips trembled with excitement. "You've got cigarettes? Quick, give me one! I haven't smoked in half a month—I'm going crazy."
Both of them were heavy smokers. Going without cigarettes for more than half a month was worse than death to them. It was no wonder they had been so irritable lately from nicotine withdrawal.
Zhang Yi smiled, took out a pack of Liqun cigarettes, and tossed one to each of them.
The two men stared at the cigarettes like hungry wolves, then shoved them into their mouths at once.
"Fire! Do you have a lighter?""Here, hurry up and light it!"
They forgot entirely why they had come, huddling off to the side as they fumbled with shaking hands to light the cigarettes. After a deep drag, white smoke poured from their nostrils, and their expressions twisted into something close to ecstasy.
They could go without food. They could not go without smoking.
Zhang Yi's smile widened. "Now that my conditions are on the table, do you agree?"
Chen Lingyu clamped her legs together, her thoughts fixed on her urine-soaked pants. She shivered from the cold, but the shame kept her from showing it. Zhang Yunian, burly but simple-minded, was completely confused by Zhang Yi's farming proposal and had no idea how to respond.
Only Li Jian was still trying to negotiate, but before he could speak, Wang Qiang cut him off.
"As long as you keep giving me cigarettes, I agree to everything!" he said immediately. "But make sure it's at least two packs a day!"
Huang Tianfang nodded eagerly. "Same for me."
Zhang Yi spread his hands. "One pack a day at most. I can't get you more than that."
Wang Qiang and Huang Tianfang agreed instantly.
"Deal! One pack a day. You have to deliver it no matter what!"
Zhang Yi laughed. "So we've got an agreement today, then."
Neither Wang Qiang nor Huang Tianfang was particularly bright. Cigarettes were addictive, and they could easily break a man's resolve. As long as they had something to smoke, they didn't care about much else. Zhang Yi's little bribe had already done its job.
But Li Jian still objected. "We should discuss this among ourselves first."
Chen Lingyu, still clamping her legs tightly together, said with difficulty, "Yes, we need to think about it carefully."
Zhang Yi waved a hand. "Suit yourselves. These are my final conditions—my maximum sincerity and my bottom line. If you still refuse, then we'll settle this with swords and guns."
He bit hard on the words swords and guns. It was a clear warning: if they chose to fight, it would be like charging into a hail of bullets with nothing but blades and spears.
Wang Qiang held out his hand. "I'm fine with it. Give me another cigarette first."
Zhang Yi scoffed. "Are you joking? Weren't you supposed to be a united front? These conditions don't take effect until you give me a clear answer. If you want another smoke, wait until you've made up your mind."
Wang Qiang dragged on his cigarette, eyes already glazed. Then he impatiently snapped at Li Jian and the others, "What are we waiting for? We're getting what we want. Just do what he says!"
Li Jian frowned. "But this is—"
Wang Qiang glared at him. "'But this is' what? I said do it. Stop wasting time. I hate people who dither and drag things out."
Huang Tianfang blew out a smoke ring and said, "I think it's fine. Zhang Yi is giving us face. We should cut him some slack, right?"
Li Jian's face darkened.
Inside, he cursed Wang Qiang and Huang Tianfang over and over. Those two useless idiots had betrayed the alliance right in front of their enemy.