During dinner, a private message arrived from Cao Xian Gong Min.
The content of the private message was simple: outsourcing labor.
She had already contacted the workers for the plantation and the cannery workers Jiang Ye had requested earlier.
A total of 30 workers were needed for the plantation, and another 30 for the cannery.
This meant Jiang Ye would need to provide 30 canning machines and a large quantity of empty cans.
The 31 chicken farm workers previously hired had mostly lost their chicken farming equipment and hens in the flood, and one worker had even died.
Therefore, Jiang Ye also needed to re-issue equipment and hens to the remaining 30 chicken farm workers.
Jiang Ye and Cao Xian Gong Min calculated for a few minutes and concluded: the cost of this recruitment drive would be as high as 1.37 million!
The canning machines alone, at 30,000 each, would cost 900,000, not including the empty cans. The chicken coops, chicken feed, and hens were also expensive. Combined, 1.37 million was not surprising.
Cao Xian Gong Min was worried: "That's over a million. Do you have that much money? If not, you can hire some workers first and then gradually hire more when you have the funds."
Jiang Ye replied: "I have enough for this. I'll ship them out now. Please keep an eye out for them."
Putting down his bowl, Jiang Ye got busy.
He purchased canning machines one by one from the Galaxy Mall and transferred them to Cao Xian Gong Min.
Just the canning machines and cans took him an hour.
Next, he purchased chicken farming equipment and a large number of live chickens.
After all the goods were delivered, Cao Xian Gong Min sent over the profit share from the previous day. With the expenses and income, Jiang Ye looked at his account balance and sighed helplessly:
655,000 yuan.
However, he didn't begrudge spending this money, as it would bring in a large additional income daily, a case of money making money.
Before going to bed, Jiang Ye checked his private messages again.
There were over eight hundred messages in his inbox.
Most were expressions of gratitude for their improved health.
A small number had seen their conditions worsen.
One user, with the ID "Dong Yong," had even left a transfer confirmation!
[Dong Yong has transferred 30,000 yuan to you. Do you wish to accept?]
Jiang Ye was surprised. Why was he receiving money out of the blue?
Without rushing to accept the money, he typed a question.
Jiang Ye: "Brother, why are you transferring money to me?"
Dong Yong: "The medicine isn't working. I'm dying. The money left in my account is just going to waste anyway, so I might as well give it all to you. Thank you for your kindness. Good people are rewarded. You will live to the end."
Jiang Ye: "Don't say that! Don't give up until the very last moment! I have more medicine here. Why don't you try taking some more? You can still type, can't you!"
Jiang Ye quickly opened the Galaxy Mall, bought ten roxithromycin capsules, and sent them over.
But just two seconds after sending them, the other party sent them back.
Dong Yong: "I'm using my last strength to type to you. I vomited blood six times today. The first time I vomited, I told myself, 'It's okay, there won't be any major problems.' But with each continuous bout of vomiting, my strength dwindled. I can no longer lie to myself. At most, by tonight, I will be dead."
Jiang Ye grew anxious. "Don't give up! I have a stamina enhancer here. I'll give you one. Inject it into your arm. It really works!"
Dong Yong: "Thank you. Don't waste your effort. I'm feeling very cold now, and I want to vomit blood again. I think I'm close to the end. If you're willing to help me, just talk to me."
Jiang Ye clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He didn't know Dong Yong at all, yet he felt incredibly sad at that moment.
Closing the private message window, he quickly sent a message to Isabel.
Jiang Ye: "I have a friend who is dying. I don't know what illness they have, but they're vomiting blood! Is there any medicine or emergency item available? I can pay for it!"
Isabel: "This requires a hospital visit. But you don't have access to a hospital until level 20."
Jiang Ye became desperate. "Is there no way?"
Isabel: "The mortality rate for colony officers is very high."
A surge of anger rose within Jiang Ye, his hands trembling. He wanted to type something.
But a few seconds later, he suddenly deflated, his gaze becoming dejected.
Isabel was right. The so-called colony officers, though sounding grand, were merely cheap labor. Ten thousand people had arrived initially, and now only over seventy thousand remained in the channel.
He returned to Dong Yong's private chat interface.
The sound of typing echoed in the silent base vehicle.
Jiang Ye: "Send me your location. I'll come to collect your body."
Dong Yong: "No need. It's too much trouble. Let the beasts eat me when I die. Maybe it'll save a couple of starving creatures. I don't believe in reincarnation or resting in peace. Thank you. You're a truly good person."
Dong Yong: "Honestly, I never thought I'd die this poor. Ten years ago, I lived a life of luxury, wealthier than entire nations. I owned eighty thousand 'fang' of land across four planets. Do you know the unit 'fang'? Thirty mu is one 'tian,' and ten 'tian' is one 'fang.' I personally owned eighty thousand 'fang' of land. When the Galactic Empire needed to build a military outpost, I donated a sliver of my land, and it became a large fleet base."
Jiang Ye was astonished and tried to calculate the concept of eighty thousand 'fang' of land in his mind.
Dong Yong: "You must think I inherited such vast territory from my ancestors. That's not the case at all. I earned it all by fighting desperately. I joined the space fleet at fourteen, and then there was the twelve-year-long war against the Meer.
Jiang Ye remained silent. He was an ancient person and had no knowledge of current history.
Dong Yong: "I am a typical Yellow race, adept at rapid reactions and possessing developed intellect, traits well-suited for aerial combat. Moreover, during battles, I would experience a surge of a certain substance in my body. I've forgotten its name, but my military doctor once mentioned that its function was to block pain receptors, inducing euphoria in the body and brain, entering a state similar to that of a berserker. My combat talent was exceptional. I went through life and death, rose to the rank of captain, and conquered four planets in ten years. After the war, the development land on these planets became mine."
Jiang Ye: "Impressive! But how did you end up here, opening a colony?"
Dong Yong: "It's a long story. When you eventually leave this planet and visit some of the prosperous alien cities, you might find my biography in a bookstore. It's called 'The Biography of Ji Fa.' Speaking of which, I have one last request for you. This should be a simple matter for you, a small wish from a dying person. I hope you will accept it."
Jiang Ye: "Please, tell me."
Dong Yong: "I have a daughter. By age, she should be around twenty years old. Please go and see her for me. Tell her that I lived well in my final days, that I died from a recurrence of a war wound, and that I miss her dearly."
Jiang Ye: "What is your daughter's name? Where can I find her?"
Dong Yong did not reply. One minute later, a notification popped up.
[User Dong Yong has lost vital signs and has been automatically logged out.]
Jiang Ye stared blankly at the notification for a long time, then finally typed.
Jiang Ye: "Rest in peace, old brother. I will handle this for you."
He scrolled up, found the transfer confirmation, and clicked it.
Thirty thousand yuan was transferred from Dong Yong's account to Jiang Ye's account.
His personal account balance increased to 685,000 yuan.