CHAPTER 590: CHAPTER 590: PRICE

Han Zhu, standing behind them, felt his throat tighten.

He had lived many years and faced countless dangers, but this moment shook him more than any battle.

His daughter... and Boss Su... truly were best friends.

Leader Shi coughed softly, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere. "Boss Su... perhaps... we should begin the meeting now?"

Both Su Jiyai and Weilin snapped back to reality at his voice. Su Jiyai nodded quickly, wiping her friend’s tears with a smile. "Yes. You are right, Leader Shi. Let us not delay."

She gently pulled out a chair beside her and said warmly, "Weilin, sit here with me."

Weilin sniffled, still rubbing her eyes, but her lips curved into a small smile. "Okay." She sat down beside Su Jiyai, straightening her back proudly.

Han Zhu almost choked at the sight. His daughter... sitting beside the most powerful leader in the apocalypse, like it was the most natural thing in the world. His heart pounded wildly.

Leader Shi, too, felt his palms sweat. Just the fondness Su Jiyai showed Weilin was enough to change the entire balance of this meeting. If Boss Su wanted, she could crush or raise any base in the country. And here she was, holding Han Weilin’s hand like family.

Leader Shi forced a polite smile and folded his hands on the table.

"Boss Su, I came here today to request a trade link between our Cedar Base and your Hope Base. We are in desperate need of staple food for our people. I humbly ask if you can help us with a steady supply."

Su Jiyai listened carefully, her face calm but kind. She nodded slightly.

"Staple food can indeed be provided. But trade links are not something to be taken lightly. A proper connection is needed for stable transport. Does Cedar Base have any teleportation superhumans?"

Leader Shi rubbed his palms slowly, his eyes serious but also a little tired.

"Boss Su, our Cedar Base does indeed have teleportation superhumans. But their range is not very long. They cannot make the trip to Hope Base often. Even if they try, they can only carry a small amount of supplies with them. For real trade, it would not be enough. To carry more, we would also need to use a space superhuman, and that kind of cooperation costs far too much power. In short, it is not reliable. That is why I came here today, hoping you could give us another path."

Su Jiyai listened quietly, her head slightly tilted as she thought deeply. What he said was logical.

Teleportation was powerful but limited. A trade link that depended on it would collapse very quickly.

Just as she was about to speak, her mind suddenly buzzed, and the familiar calm voice of her system echoed in her head.

[Host, a new function has unlocked: Trade Link.]

Her eyes widened faintly, though no one noticed. In her heart, she asked silently, "Trade Link? What does that mean?"

The system replied in its steady voice.

[The Trade Link function allows you to build a teleportation platform in your base. When you build the same platform in another base, both platforms connect. You may teleport resources and even people through them. It is stable and safe.]

Su Jiyai’s lips parted slightly in shock. "Such a thing... it really exists?"

[Yes,] the system replied.

[The first platform costs one million points to construct. Afterward, every single use of the platform will consume one thousand points. This is the operational cost.]

Su Jiyai’s heartbeat quickened. One million points... and a thousand points per use.

That was very expensive. Her mind whirled as she considered whether it was worth it. Food was always the hardest resource to move in the apocalypse.

If she could create permanent links, it would mean Hope Base could become the center hub of all supplies. But the cost...

"Boss Su?" Leader Shi’s voice brought her back. His brows furrowed slightly. "Is something troubling you?"

Su Jiyai blinked, her thoughts snapping into order. She took a small breath and smiled faintly.

"Actually, Leader Shi, I do have a method. It may sound unbelievable, but I will be honest."

Everyone at the table leaned in. The guards stiffened, curious. Even Han Zhu, who usually kept his composure, looked tense. Only Weilin, sitting by Su Jiyai’s side, leaned closer with trust in her eyes.

"What kind of method?" Leader Shi asked carefully.

Su Jiyai folded her hands on the table and said clearly,

"I can build a special kind of platform. When one platform is set in Hope Base and the other is set in Cedar Base, they will connect. Through it, we can teleport resources and even people instantly."

The room exploded with whispers. The Cedar Base members widened their eyes in disbelief. Han Zhu’s jaw nearly dropped. Even Weilin gasped, her fingers tightening around Su Jiyai’s sleeve.

Leader Shi froze, staring at her. "Boss Su... do you mean... a permanent teleportation gate?"

Su Jiyai nodded. "Yes. That is exactly what I mean."

Leader Shi blinked several times, struggling to keep his voice calm. "Can... can you explain it further?"

So Su Jiyai explained the full process.

"The teleportation platform needs to be built in both bases. Once that is done, both sides can use it freely. Items, humans, resources, all can pass through instantly. It is reliable and safe. Of course, building it requires a very large investment of resources, and its use has an operational cost."

Her words were calm, but each sentence shocked them more and more. It sounded like a miracle.

In this cruel apocalypse, where even traveling between two cities could cost hundreds of lives, the thought of safe teleportation was enough to turn the world upside down.

Leader Shi swallowed hard. His voice shook slightly when he spoke.

"If... if this is real, then I will treat you with endless gratitude. This will not just save Cedar Base, it will save thousands of lives."

But Su Jiyai shook her head gently. "Gratitude is not needed. However, the use of the teleportation platform cannot be free. Every time it is used, a price must be paid."

The Cedar Base members stiffened nervously. This was the moment of truth. What would Boss Su demand? Land? Soldiers? Or worse, their independence?

Leader Shi nodded quickly. "Of course. Please tell me the cost. We are prepared to accept any price."

Su Jiyai said evenly, "One zombie crystal each time it is used."

Silence. Complete silence. Then several members of Cedar Base almost fell out of their chairs. One zombie crystal? Just one? That was nothing!

Zombie crystals were piling up in their storage with no real use, while their people starved for food. Compared to food, zombie crystals were just shiny stones. And she was only asking for one?

Leader Shi’s lips twitched violently. He had prepared his heart for something like one hundred thousand crystals per use, or worse, some terrifying political demand.

But one? He almost laughed out loud. He pressed his palms together and took a long, deep breath.

"Boss Su... if that is truly your demand, then we are ready. We will pay the cost without hesitation."

The Cedar Base representatives all exchanged looks of stunned relief. Some even felt like crying.

This deal was too good to be real. The real hero in their eyes was now Han Weilin. Without her, this kind of miracle would have never been offered.

Su Jiyai gave a small nod, her expression calm but with a trace of satisfaction.

"Good. Then the matter of the platform is settled. Next is the price of food. Leader Shi, what kind of offer do you bring?"

The entire table stiffened again. This was the true battlefield. Everyone knew food was the most precious resource of the apocalypse.

Boss Su held the key to survival. If she demanded, they might even have to surrender their base to her. They had all prepared themselves to hear outrageous numbers.

Leader Shi cleared his throat and said, "Cedar Base is willing to pay ten times the original value of staple food. We will not argue."

Whispers rose in the room. Ten times was no small amount, but considering the situation, it was fair. The members of Cedar Base looked tense, waiting for her answer.

But Su Jiyai chuckled softly. Her clear voice filled the hall. "Ten times is too high. I will only charge four times the price."

The entire Cedar Base delegation froze. For a moment, they thought they had misheard. Four times? Only four times? Their jaws nearly hit the ground.

Their hearts pounded wildly. That was not just mercy, it was generosity on a level they could not comprehend.

Leader Shi’s eyes widened as he stuttered, "Four... four times? Boss Su, are you certain?"

Su Jiyai smiled faintly and turned her head to look at Weilin beside her. Her eyes softened.

"Yes. Because you are connected to my best friend. As long as my best friend stays in Cedar Base, I will not treat your people unfairly."