My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 826

Chapter 826: Chapter 826 Kickstarting The Trade 13

"Brother," the stall owner said, holding the meat on the cloth out with a grin, "as you can see, this one gives over 7 kilograms — that’s a total of 35 crystal cores. I’ll even throw in a few freebies. What do you think?" he added, pulling another box from beneath his stall with a salesman’s confidence.

Adam simply nodded and began counting out the crystal cores. Hearing about the freebies and seeing Adam’s approval, the other warriors patiently started lining up behind his group, eager to buy some of the cured meat to take home. They knew it would make a perfect snack to keep them energized while on patrol or duty.

After buying the cured meat, Adam and Jason’s team stopped by the pickled vegetable stall and purchased a few large jars—three boxes in total—each worth 20 crystal cores. They also picked up some utensils for 5 crystal cores. As they continued through the market, they passed by Mrs. Winters’ newly opened clothing store, where they bought several thick jackets, blankets, and additional clothes.

Like many others, Mrs. Winters generously threw in a few extra garments along with some fabric and a sewing kit, allowing the women in their camp to make more clothes tailored to fit everyone, especially the children.

Their purchases quickly piled up, and soon they made their way to the Supply Center to buy canned goods and other essentials. When Kisha brought them there, they were genuinely surprised. The Supply Center looked just like a fully stocked supermarket, complete with fresh produce and various necessities. The place was bustling with people, and seeing it firsthand confirmed what they had only heard before—Kisha’s base was truly self-sufficient and rich in resources.

They originally came to buy grains, flour, salt, and canned goods—but what caught their attention were the large, vibrant vegetables on display. Some stalls even had free samples laid out, just like in pre-apocalypse supermarkets. As they were browsing, a woman approached them with a tray, offering slices of watermelon.

"Would you like to try some?" she asked with a friendly smile. "Our fruits and vegetables here have a much longer shelf life than usual. Take this watermelon, for example—it can stay fresh for up to two more weeks without drying out or becoming overripe after you bring it home. And the taste? It’s sweeter and juicier than anything you’d find in supermarkets before the apocalypse."

She then glanced at Kisha and added proudly, "And best of all, this one was homegrown—right in the City Lord’s backyard."

Kisha nearly choked on her saliva when she heard that. It was true she’d let the rumor spread that Marcus was farming behind the villa—using the backyard and even part of the forest to grow crops and raise a few livestock.

But anyone with sense would know that patch of land wasn’t nearly large enough to produce this volume of vegetables and meat. She had no idea what else Mr. Winters had been telling people, but judging by how confidently the story was being passed around, it seemed everyone believed it without question—and was happily spreading the word.

Unfortunately, the vegetables Marcus grew in the backyard were nothing like the ones being sold here. Sure, they were a bit larger and tastier than average, thanks to his ’Green Thumb’ Gift, but they were still ordinary compared to the produce from her territory space. Those were in a different league—enhanced by special buffs and grown in a completely pollution-free environment.

Jason, meanwhile, had already grabbed a toothpick from the tray and stabbed a piece of watermelon. The moment he took a bite, his eyes lit up—it was incredibly sweet and juicy. Without hesitation, he speared a few more chunks, nodding in approval. The woman with the tray smiled awkwardly as she turned to offer some to Adam and the others, just as Jason polished off the last of the samples.

The woman quickly returned to the stall, where several large watermelons were displayed, and sliced the remaining half of the featured watermelon to offer Adam and the others a taste.

Mr. Winters had come up with this idea to promote the fresh crops and produce available at the supply center to outsiders. After all, while the canned goods and preserved foods were abundant, their supply was still limited.