CHAPTER 580: CHAPTER 580: CARS

They split up inside the dealership, each person walking in different directions.

Xi Ping pointed at a small compact car. "This one’s cute. Easy to drive, too."

Su Jiyai nodded. "Good for city use. Take it."

Jake’s eyes sparkled when he spotted a black off-road jeep with huge wheels. "Ohhh, this one is mine." He patted the hood proudly. "Perfect for rough roads."

Qin Feng walked toward a silver sedan. He checked the seats, tested the steering, and finally nodded. "This one is reliable. Not flashy, but strong."

Su Jiyai, meanwhile, stood still for a moment, scanning. She spotted a red sports car shining under the lights. Her lips curved into a faint smile. "This will do as well."

Xi Ping looked over and whistled. "You’re going for the flashy one? Didn’t expect that."

Su Jiyai simply said, "Each car has its purpose."

After an hour, they had chosen ten different cars from the first dealership. The salesman kept stuttering as he wrote receipts. "I... I’ve never seen anyone buy so many at once..."

"Don’t think too hard about it," Jake said cheerfully as he counted the bills.

Su Jiyai handed out walkie-talkies. "Alright. You each drive one car. We meet back at the north parking lot. After that, we go to the next dealership."

The roads were noisy with the rumble of different cars as the group drove out in a small convoy. The walkie-talkies crackled with chatter.

"Hey, my car feels like a rocket!" Xi Ping laughed through the speaker. "I barely touched the pedal and it zoomed forward."

Jake’s voice followed. "Mine feels like a beast. I could climb a mountain with these wheels."

Qin Feng’s calm tone came next. "Stop fooling around. Stay focused."

By evening, they had gone to three more dealerships in different cities. At each one, they split up, chose cars, and used walkie-talkies to regroup.

After the last dealership was done, everyone gathered in the north parking lot again. The sun was low, and the sky turned orange. Engines hummed as the new cars stood lined up neatly.

Xi Ping leaned against her little compact car and asked, "So, Boss Su... what now? We got machines, herbs, and cars. What’s next?"

Su Jiyai looked calm as always. She turned to face them. "The next task is very important. We need books. All different kinds of books."

Jake blinked. "Books? Like... storybooks?"

Su Jiyai shook her head slowly. "Not just storybooks. We need books about medicine, farming, construction, cooking, mechanics, embroidery, blacksmithing, carpentry, sewing, everything. Skills and knowledge are more valuable than weapons. With books, our people can learn."

Qin Feng rubbed his chin. "Makes sense. If we have books, then even if someone doesn’t know a skill, they can still study and master it."

Xi Ping raised her eyebrows. "So basically... anything useful?"

"Yes," Su Jiyai nodded firmly. "Bring me books from libraries, bookstores, even second-hand shops. As long as it’s knowledge, buy it. Use the money we have left. Don’t worry about carrying them. I will store them in my ring."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Su Jiyai continued, "Split up. Go to different places. Don’t crowd in the same store. Use the walkie talkies to keep in touch. We will meet again in four hours."

"Understood," Qin Feng said.

"Got it," Jake grinned, already excited.

"Books, huh? This should be fun," Xi Ping laughed.

Su Jiyai gave a final nod. "Good. Go."

They all dispersed quickly, each heading in different directions of the city.

Su Jiyai herself walked calmly down a quiet street until she reached a small bookstore. The sign outside said Golden Leaf Books. Inside, the air smelled like paper and ink.

She walked to the first shelf and saw embroidery manuals. Her fingers touched the covers one by one. "Good. This will be useful for making clothes." She stacked them all in her arms.

The shopkeeper blinked in surprise. "Miss, you want to buy all of those?"

"Yes. Wrap them up," Su Jiyai said calmly. Then she moved to another shelf. There she saw knitting, weaving, and tailoring books. Without hesitation, she grabbed them all too.

"Every book that teaches a skill," she whispered to herself.

Soon she had so many books stacked that the shopkeeper had to bring out boxes. Su Jiyai paid without blinking and stored the boxes directly into her storage ring once no one was watching.

After that, she left and walked to another store, where she found books about finances, trade, and farming. She bought them all. Then she went to a shop selling cookbooks, medicine recipes, and even gardening guides. Every single one went into her growing collection.

Meanwhile, Xi Ping had entered a big library. She grinned at the endless shelves. "Books everywhere. Boss Su will love this."

She first went to the cooking section. "Cooking... soup... baking..." She began stuffing every title into her basket. Then she moved to farming. "How to grow rice... how to plant potatoes... how to manage soil." She whistled happily.

A librarian walked over and stared at the mountain of books she was carrying. "Excuse me, miss, are you sure you want all those?"

"Yes," Xi Ping grinned. "All of them. Don’t worry, I can carry it."

She dragged three heavy boxes outside, then whispered so no one could hear, "Boss Su will store them anyway." She touched her walkie talkie and said, "Su Jiyai, I got loads of farming and cooking books."

The crackling voice of Su Jiyai came back, calm as always. "Good. Keep going. Check the survival section if they have one."

"Roger that," Xi Ping laughed and hurried back inside.

Jake, on the other hand, ran into a bookstore full of manuals about machines and cars. His eyes sparkled. "Perfect. This is my kind of place."

He flipped through a book titled How to Repair Engines. He nodded. "This one will save lives when cars break down."

He grabbed Advanced Mechanics for Beginners, DIY Electrical Fixes, and Guide to Solar Panels. His arms soon overflowed with books.

The store owner watched in shock. "You’re buying all the manuals?"

Jake laughed. "Yep! Every single one. Just pack them fast, please."

He stuffed the pile into boxes, paid in thick stacks of cash, and dragged them out. Whispering into his walkie talkie, he said, "Boss Su, I’ve got machines and mechanics covered. This is a gold mine."

Su Jiyai’s voice came calmly. "Well done. Find more if you can."

"On it," Jake replied cheerfully, already running toward the next bookstore.

Qin Feng went to a quieter part of the city. He entered an old, dusty second-hand bookshop. The shelves were crooked, and the air smelled musty, but his eyes sharpened as he scanned the titles.

He saw books about first aid, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and even old martial arts manuals. He picked them up carefully.

"These... these are treasures," he whispered. "Even if only half is true, it’s still worth it."

He bought everything, including books on carpentry, metal forging, and survival in the wild.

The old man behind the counter stared. "Young man, why would you want all this old junk?"

Qin Feng smiled faintly. "Because knowledge never becomes junk."

He stored everything in boxes and messaged Su Jiyai. "I got medicine and survival books. Many rare ones."

"Excellent," Su Jiyai’s calm voice replied. "Keep searching. Focus on practical knowledge."

"I will," Qin Feng answered firmly.

The sun lowered in the sky, and one by one, they all regrouped at the parking lot.

They all looked at the massive collection of boxes, their hearts beating with pride.

Jake scratched his head. "You know, Boss Su, we might have more books than some schools now."

Xi Ping grinned. "Good. That means Hope Base will become the smartest base in the world."

Qin Feng nodded seriously. "With this knowledge, we can rebuild."

Su Jiyai looked at the pile of books and then at her team.

Her lips curved slightly. "Good work, everyone. We’ve done a lot today."

Jake stretched his arms and yawned loudly. "Yeah, yeah, but I’m starving. My stomach is about to eat itself."

They drove their cars down a busy street filled with glowing neon lights. People bustled everywhere, carrying shopping bags or chatting on phones. The smell of food drifted through the air, making Jake sniff like a dog.

"Ahhh, smell that? Meat, spices, garlic..." he muttered, his mouth already watering.

Xi Ping’s eyes widened when she saw a restaurant with a red sign that read Chengdu Hot Pot House. Steam rose from inside, and the sound of laughter spilled out each time the door opened.

Qin Feng parked his silver sedan neatly, while the others lined up their cars beside him. Soon they all stepped inside.

The warmth hit them at once. The inside of the restaurant was cozy, with wooden tables and bright lanterns hanging above.

People were gathered around bubbling pots in the middle of their tables, dipping meats, vegetables, and noodles into the broth.

The waiter walked over with a smile. "Table for four?"

"Yes," Su Jiyai answered softly.