Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 245 Confirmed Information

Finally, she lowered her stance and said in a pleading tone:

"I don't know... would it be convenient for you to give me a little hint? It doesn't have to be very detailed, just point me in the general direction so I know where to focus my efforts, I would be extremely grateful!"

After she finished speaking, she looked sincerely at the three girls in turn, especially Xiaoling, who seemed the easiest to talk to.

Sure enough, the girl named Xiaoling's eyes lit up immediately after hearing this.

The slight displeasure that lingered on her face from being interrupted quickly vanished, replaced by excitement and enthusiasm at finding like-minded people to share "insider information."

She even subconsciously took half a step forward, closing the distance between herself and Xu Xiaoyan, and lowered her voice, but the eagerness in her tone was undeniable:

"Oh! You asked about that!" Her voice carried a hint of smugness, as if to say, "You've come to the right person."

But then, perhaps out of long-standing caution, or perhaps to avoid taking responsibility for misinformation.

Her beaming smile faded slightly as she quickly added, "But let me make this clear first, this is just hearsay, so the information isn't guaranteed to be true!"

She held up a finger to her lips and wagged it, blinking, her expression revealing a shrewdness and self-protective instinct typical of a street girl:

"These are just snippets of conversation I overheard in the cafeteria or hallways. If I'm wrong, or if they differ from what you hear elsewhere later, don't blame me!"

Xu Xiaoyan understood, but showed no sign of it on her face. Instead, she displayed even greater gratitude and understanding, nodding hurriedly and speaking sincerely:

"No, no! I absolutely don't blame you! I'm already very grateful that you were willing to tell me and share with me! How could I blame you?"

I'm just listening, having more information, and having a general idea in mind. It's better than blindly stumbling around like a headless fly, right?

Seeing Xu Xiaoyan's good attitude and sincere words, Xiaoling seemed to have completely let down her guard and became even more enthusiastic.

She slightly puffed out her not-so-ample chest, as if she really possessed some incredible inside information. She cleared her throat and, like a small-time information broker or storyteller, began to tell her story in a more vivid and descriptive tone:

"I heard—" she deliberately drawled, creating an air of mystery, "that these mobile food trucks aren't something just anyone can set up! You need something like... a 'license'!"

She held up her finger and drew a square in the air. "Yes! It's that little metal tag hanging on the car, with a number!"

"With this card," Xiaoling said in an even lower voice, but her eyes shone.

"That would be amazing! You could go to the base's designated 'supply point' to purchase supplies every day! I heard that ordinary people can't get in there; you need this license as a pass!"

Once you get there, you can buy rations of basic condiments like rice, noodles, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar!

If you're lucky or have connections, you might even be able to get a little bit of frozen meat, or... oh my god, just thinking about it is luxurious, a fresh vegetable ration! Of course!

She abruptly changed the subject, returning to reality: "These in-demand items are definitely ridiculously expensive, or they might not even be something you can buy with points alone; you need connections!"

At this point, Xiaoling's eyes lit up remarkably, as if she could already see the alluring prospect of food and points:

"And then what? Then you can process it yourself, or just resell it at a higher price!" She clicked her tongue, looking envious.

The short-haired, more composed girl next to her seemed to think that Xiaoling's words were too idealistic and simplistic.

He coughed lightly, frowning slightly, wanting to remind her not to exaggerate, lest she mislead this seemingly sincere new neighbor.

But Xiaoling was engrossed in her "business blueprint" and only glanced at Xu Jing, not paying much attention, and continued to talk enthusiastically.

"However," Xiaoling changed the subject again, this time with a hint of "expert" analysis, "the key lies in this 'purchasing'! I've heard that the purchase price isn't fixed! It depends on your purchase quantity!"

She held up both hands and made a gesture indicating "more" and "less":

"If you buy a lot at once, you can negotiate with the supplier to lower the price and get a cheaper wholesale price."

But if you only buy a little bit, then sorry, the price might not be much different from the retail price at public exchange points! What's the point then? Right? So…

She summarized, as if imparting business wisdom: "To run this food truck, you not only need a license plate as an 'entry ticket,' but you also need some capital, the courage to stock up on goods, and the ability to do the math!"

Knowing what to buy that's profitable and sells well, and at what price and when to get the best deal—that's a real art! It might even be more important than setting up a stall and hawking your wares every day!

Xiaoling spoke with great enthusiasm, her cheeks flushed slightly with excitement, as if she were already a successful food truck owner who knew the ropes and was in complete control.

Xu Xiaoyan listened very attentively, nodding slightly from time to time, her gaze focused, giving positive feedback.

She knew in her heart that although Xiaoling's words might contain exaggerated elements of imagination and hearsay, the information was relatively trivial and superficial.

But it did indeed outline a preliminary framework for the operation of small businesses at the bottom of Zone C:

The system includes an officially endorsed licensing system (licenses), a centrally controlled supply channel (supply points), floating costs based on purchase volume (bulk discounts), and a final processing and retail model to earn the price difference.

This completely confirmed and refined her earlier speculation when she saw the ginger tea stall.

This also gave her a more concrete understanding of "how it works." Xiaoling's value lies in providing "what it is" and "the general process."

Just as Xiaoling's "business lecture" came to an end, she looked at Xu Xiaoyan with a hint of pride, seemingly waiting for the other party to express surprise or ask further questions.

Xu Jing, the short-haired girl who had always been quiet and composed, finally spoke.

Her voice was lower than Xiaoling's, her tone steady, carrying a calmness that was closely connected to reality. "What Lingzi said."

She glanced at Xiaoling first, her tone calm, which seemed to confirm the basic information about her companion: "That's about right, the process is roughly like this."

But then, she changed the subject, her gaze returning to Xu Xiaoyan's face, "But these are all 'later stories'."

Xu Xiaoyan felt a slight chill, knowing that the main event was about to begin. She adjusted her posture, appearing more focused and humble.

Xu Jing didn't keep you in suspense and said directly, "First of all, and most importantly, you have to qualify for the 'mobile food truck' license. That's the hardest and most crucial hurdle."

"How big is Zone C? How many people are there?" Xu Jing slightly raised her chin, gesturing towards the seemingly endless passageways and doors around them:

"People who are a little clever, want to take shortcuts, or want to do some small business to supplement their income or even improve their lives are all eyeing this opportunity! Do you think you're the only one who thought of it? The competition is fierce! There are only so many spots available, and there are too many wolves and not enough meat."

She leaned a little closer, lowering her voice to almost a whisper, making sure only their small circle could hear her say, "I have a distant cousin."

She revealed a bit of a personal connection to increase the credibility of the information: "He works under the 'Logistics Management and Coordination Department' in our area, as a lowly errand boy who runs errands and delivers documents."

He mentioned it to me privately, just a little bit. She held up her little finger, indicating "just a little bit".

He said that the issuance of permits for these mobile vendors is strictly controlled. You can't just apply for one whenever you want. The number of permits is limited, and it's hard to say how many will be released each month.

The review process is complicated. It not only checks how many points you have, but also whether you have a guarantor, whether you have any bad records... a whole bunch of rules and regulations." Xu Jing spoke slowly.

"More importantly..." She paused meaningfully, glancing again at Xu Xiaoyan's work jacket. There was no contempt in her gaze, only a hint of barely perceptible sympathy.

"...backstage, background," Xu Jing uttered these two words slowly, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"My cousin said that this thing, in a way, is not intended for ordinary people who are truly penniless and just want to earn a living honestly through hard work; it's more like..."

Those who have a little power or can get in touch with or establish connections with someone in charge at higher levels arrange "good jobs" for their relatives and friends, or use them as "toys" to exchange favors and benefits.

She looked at Xu Xiaoyan and said, "An ordinary person, without some solid connections or impressive 'exchange conditions,' does he think he can squeeze into that circle and get that license on his own?"

"Difficult, too difficult, almost... impossible," she said the last four words very softly.

Xu Jing's words mercilessly extinguished the hopeful picture of "getting rich through hard work" that Xiao Ling had painted, and also instantly put an end to the small flame that had just ignited in Xu Xiaoyan's heart after obtaining specific information.

Xiaoling listened from the side, pursed her lips, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied with Xu Jing's blunt shattering of her "dream," but unable to refute the inside information that her cousin might have brought.

She muttered something under her breath, a mixture of resentment and a sliver of hope:

"Well... not necessarily... maybe some people are just really lucky, or maybe the person reviewing the application is in a good mood that day... there are always exceptions..."

But her voice grew softer and softer, clearly indicating that she lacked confidence.

Xu Xiaoyan thanked the two girls.

"I see... Thank you so much! I'm really grateful that you were willing to tell me all this, so I have a general idea now."

Knowing how deep the water is is better than blindly plunging in and getting hurt. I'm really grateful.