The vehicle approached the enemy base, and Jiang Ye's brow twitched.
On the flat ground behind the base, a massive SOS was laid out with white stones.
Stopping the car, Jiang Ye did not get out. He slung his assault rifle around his neck, rolled down the window, and called out:
"Is anyone there!"
"Is anyone home?"
After several calls, the small base remained silent.
Jiang Ye got out with his rifle, approaching cautiously.
Instead of opening the door, he peered through the window.
"Oh dear," Jiang Ye's expression changed.
From the window, he could clearly see a white man's corpse lying in the center of the base's floor. His face was rotten, and a pool of black liquid lay beneath his body. It was estimated that the stench of death would hit as soon as the door was opened. There were no flies on this planet, otherwise, it would have long become a maggot paradise.
Since the person was already dead, Jiang Ye did not disturb them. He returned to the base vehicle and stepped on the accelerator.
Continuing to speed across the wilderness, the vehicle left deep tracks behind, kicking up dust that was blown into the sky by the wind.
After driving another forty kilometers, Jiang Ye spotted a giant bear leading several cubs, slowly moving across the horizon.
If he wasn't mistaken, these bears were the same ones he had fought before.
Jiang Ye did not go to provoke them. Although fighting a bear would fetch tens of thousands of yuan, it was too troublesome to deal with, and he still had a whale to process at home.
He continued to drive forward.
By noon, estimating he had covered enough distance, Jiang Ye eased off the accelerator, allowing the base vehicle to slow to a halt.
He exited the driver's seat to check the base panel.
[Your base vehicle has traveled 230 kilometers, with 270 kilometers remaining until upgrade.]
He bought a can of meat and pried it open to fill his stomach.
After eating, he returned to the driver's seat and continued to drive.
Jiang Ye did not continue driving forward but made a wide turn, returning on a curved route.
250 kilometers.
270 kilometers.
300 kilometers.
Jiang Ye was getting tired. Driving long distances was truly exhausting, and he was so sleepy he kept yawning.
Suddenly, he perked up, his eyes fixed ahead.
On the distant horizon, several square shapes appeared. They were too far away to see clearly, but based on Jiang Ye's experience, they looked very much like base vehicles!
He floored the accelerator and drove closer.
As they got closer, he finally saw clearly that they were indeed base vehicles. However, they were the initial smaller models, single-layered and half as wide. There were three of them, parked end-to-end like a train.
Behind the vehicles, there was an earthen wall, enclosing something unknown.
As Jiang Ye's base vehicle approached, a person emerged from behind one of the vehicles, carrying a double-barreled shotgun on their shoulder.
It was a short black man. With shoes on, he was probably less than 1.6 meters tall. Jiang Ye had thought he was a child from a distance, but upon stopping, he realized it was a middle-aged man with a face full of wrinkles.
"Hello?" Jiang Ye rolled down the window and called out to him.
"Hello," the black man looked Jiang Ye over, then looked up in surprise at the two-story base vehicle, exclaiming, "Damn, impressive."
Jiang Ye almost burst out laughing; the black man spoke so fluently.
"I was driving by and saw a base vehicle here, so I came to visit," Jiang Ye said.
"Welcome, welcome. It's fate to meet you. Just call me Hussein," the black man nodded, his body relaxing, and his hand moved away from the shotgun strap.
"I'm Jiang," Jiang Ye opened the car door and jumped out with his assault rifle.
The two shook hands, both with thick calluses on their palms.
Two more people emerged, two women, one black and one white. They were wrapped in rags around their lower bodies and chests, with their waists and legs exposed. Both were barefoot, their feet treading on the muddy ground, with dust clinging to their calves.
"These are my two wives, Black Pearl and White Pearl," Hussein smiled. "I provide for them, give them food, and they take turns serving me. Pretty good, right?"
"Hello," Jiang Ye nodded.
Black Pearl and White Pearl first looked up in astonishment at Jiang Ye's two-story base vehicle, their expressions like those of ancient people seeing a spaceship for the first time. Hearing Jiang Ye's greeting, they nodded repeatedly, "Hello!"
"Are you settled here permanently?" Jiang Ye asked curiously.
"Yes, we live here because what we eat cannot be moved," Hussein pointed to the earthen wall behind the vehicles. "Let me show you around."
Jiang Ye followed him to the back. A small door was opened on the side of the earthen wall. As soon as they entered, a strong smell of chicken manure hit them. They saw three rows of chicken coops, with sixty hens clucking away. Feces and urine flowed on the ground; it hadn't been cleaned in at least two days, and there were many chicken feathers. The two had to stand at the doorway.
"My two wives and I live off this," Hussein introduced. "These chickens lay eggs quickly and can fetch thousands of yuan a day."
"How did you get these chickens?" Jiang Ye asked.
"My boss is called Cao Xian Gongmin. She's a very good person. She gave us the equipment, the chickens, and even sends chicken feed daily. Cao Xian Gongmin said she actually has a real boss behind her, but she won't say who it is, maybe some influential big shot. " Hussein smiled. "If you want to start a breeding business too, you can contact her. However, seventy percent of the daily profit has to be handed over to her, and you only keep thirty percent. Although it's only thirty percent, it's still a lot, enough to support two wives."
"That's good," Jiang Ye nodded impassively. "I'll contact her later."
Black Pearl and White Pearl came over, cautiously nudged Hussein, and whispered something in his ear.
Hussein smiled and looked at Jiang Ye. "They want to see your base vehicle."
Jiang Ye blinked, turned to look at Black Pearl and White Pearl, "Sure, I'll take you."
Black Pearl and White Pearl were very shy, following behind Hussein. Hussein walked alongside Jiang Ye.
Opening the door of the base vehicle, Jiang Ye led the three inside.
As soon as they got in, their eyes widened!
Like Liu姥姥 visiting the Grand View Garden!
Hussein was the first to notice the assault rifles hanging by the window, four of them neatly arranged. There was also a bolt-action rifle, a five-shot rifle, and a stun gun.
"Damn, these guns are really good, must have cost a lot of money, right?" Hussein bent down, staring at the gun bodies as if admiring works of art in a museum.
"Quite a lot," Jiang Ye smiled. He could tell that Hussein wanted to touch the guns but was too embarrassed to.
Black Pearl and White Pearl stopped in front of the clothing printer, examining it from top to bottom.
Jiang Ye walked over, clicked on the printer, selected two pairs of durable women's boots and one pair of men's boots, paid 2800 yuan, and printed them.
With a whirring sound, three pairs of shoes were quickly printed.
"A small gift for you," Jiang Ye handed the shoes to them.
"Thank you!" Black Pearl and White Pearl said in unison, snatching the boots and hugging them.
"Oh, man, you're too generous," Hussein was also very moved, his eyes lighting up. He held the boots and looked at them. "I don't have anything to give you. How about you pick one to take with you?"
He gestured towards Black Pearl and White Pearl.
"Oh, that's not appropriate. How can wives be given away?" Jiang Ye was shocked.
"They would definitely be willing to go with you," Hussein smiled.
Jiang Ye looked at Black Pearl and White Pearl. The two girls looked at him shyly, saying nothing.
Silence was also a form of response.
"No, no, no, that's not appropriate. A gentleman does not take what others desire," Jiang Ye waved his hand.
He was quite shocked; the interpersonal relationships on this planet had already reached such a primitive state. For a pair of boots, they would directly give people away.
Jiang Ye then took them to the second floor. Hussein's expression changed when he saw the Gatling gun, and he stood there frozen. Black Pearl and White Pearl, on the other hand, looked around and even turned on the faucet to wash their hands and faces.
After the tour, Hussein led his two wives downstairs.
"Would you like to come and live with us?" Hussein invited. "Living together, we can look out for each other in case of danger. My wives are also your wives."
"No need, I have people living with me as well. Perhaps we'll meet again in the future," Jiang Ye politely declined. "I wish you happiness."
As he started the base vehicle and drove away, Jiang Ye looked in the rearview mirror. Hussein and his two wives stood in place, waving goodbye.