Li Yu had been thinking about one thing recently.
It was something he had been pondering ever since the annual summary and new year planning a few days prior.
The base needed to develop, and finding supplies outside required people. This included various materials: cement, diesel, equipment, and so on.
However, there was definitely a shortage of manpower, but they couldn't just let unfamiliar people join directly.
That would put immense pressure on Li Yu and his group regarding food and management.
The arrival of these people just now gave Li Yu an idea.
Since he wasn't familiar with these people and didn't want to feed them for free,
Then they could cooperate.
They could utilize these people to help them search for supplies outside, find instruments and equipment, and locate materials usable within the base.
They could even use them to help expand the base.
Then, a small amount of food would be given, and through this cooperation, they could get to know them. If their character was good, they had no dark history, and possessed some ability, then they could be considered for recruitment.
For Li Yu's base, these people outside also served as scouts. They could help Li Yu expand his surrounding vision.
Anyway, these people were always circling around. Either kill them all,
Or wait for them to constantly harbor ill intentions towards the base.
Li Yu didn't like this feeling, the feeling of being constantly watched. He disliked it.
Prevention is better than cure.
Work-for-relief.
With just a minimal amount of food, they could gain labor. Why not?
Thinking of this, Li Yu looked up and said to He Qiang below the wall:
"I am the person in charge of this base. My surname is Li.
You came from Liberation City. You should know why Liberation City collapsed.
Moreover, Lao Lü and his group were able to join because they contributed to our base. If I let you all join directly, it would be unfair to Lao Lü and them.
Additionally, we cannot support so many people."
He Qiang heard the person on the wall say this and wasn't too surprised. After what happened in Liberation City, many people understood.
Many people realized that having more people wasn't always the best; sometimes, more people were a burden.
So many mouths to feed every day.
He Qiang lowered his head in despair.
They were right. Why should they help him?
This was the apocalypse. Why should they give him food?
What's in it for them?
Just as He Qiang was completely despairing,
He suddenly heard Li Yu say, "However, I have some ideas here.
Let's make a deal, or rather, a cooperation. We need to collect some items, and you can exchange these items for food.
How does that sound?"
He Qiang heard this and asked, "What items do you need? And how will they be calculated?"
Li Yu heard this and said, "We need many things. I can give you a list later, which will indicate how much food each item can be exchanged for.
Also, I believe you know the preciousness of food. Our exchange is not unlimited. Once the amount of food exchanged each week reaches a certain quantity, we will pause.
Until it restarts next week.
So, first come, first served."
Upon hearing this, everyone below the wall became excited. Although they didn't directly get food, at least there was a way to obtain it.
Currently, there were many miscellaneous items in the houses outside. Although some were submerged in water, many things were still usable.
But, only food!
Food had been searched over and over again. In their eyes, food was the most important.
So, He Qiang said, "Okay, we'll do as you say. We can help you collect things. When can you give us the list?"
Li Yu looked at Second Uncle, who made a gesture. Li Yu thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll give you a list first. Come back in an hour to pick it up."
He Qiang said happily, "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Li."
After getting down from the wall, Second Uncle said to Li Yu, "Have you thought it through?"
Li Yu nodded and said, "I have."
He then took out the walkie-talkie and said, "Everyone, except those on the wall, come for a meeting."
In the large conference room.
Li Yu first asked Li Yuan, "Please report our base's food supplies again."
Li Yuan took out a notebook and said, "We still have 80 tons of rice.
30 tons of flour.
26 tons of salt.
2 tons of cooking oil.
5 tons of corn.
5 tons of sweet potatoes.
Half a ton of potatoes."
Li Yu roughly calculated that their current food supply was enough for everyone they had, even without new grain.
It was enough for them to eat for 6 years.
Moreover, the current 28 acres of land could also produce twenty tons of grain annually.
They could achieve a balance of payments.
In the future, they would also expand the base, which would free up more space for planting grain.
In other words, they now had sufficient food to support them in doing this.
Li Yu thought for a moment and said, "An Ya, you need to continuously find ways to increase our yield per mu in the future.
Additionally, as the weather gradually warms up, we need to prepare for early rice planting.
Also, some people came from outside the base today, and we are preparing to cooperate with them, using grain as our currency."
Everyone was a bit surprised to hear this. Why would they exchange food with them?
Li Yu pressed his hand down and said, "I understand the preciousness of food, so we must first set a rule.
First, our five-year food reserve cannot change. Our red line is 5 years. We must at least ensure that the warehouse always has enough to cover our food needs for the next 5 years.
Second, it's best for us to plant annually. Of the newly produced grain, excluding the portion we consume multiplied by 20%, the remaining portion can be used for trade.
However, we are currently limited by planting area, planting conditions, and planting levels, so we have only reached a balance. Therefore, in terms of planting, we still need to find solutions."
Upon hearing this, everyone finally relaxed.
Li Yu then continued, "Next, let's discuss what else our base needs for construction."
Li Yuan was the first to say, "Sister Meng and I both feel that our medical facilities still cannot do without fiber optic surgical instruments, such as endoscopes and laser therapy machines."
Li Yu nodded and said, "I don't understand it, but you can propose it. Write it down."
Bai Jie also said, "I also need some PCR amplification machines."
Li Yu nodded and said, "Hmm, arrange it. Write it down."
Second Uncle said, "Xiao Yu, didn't you say before that you wanted to make bullets? We lack talent in that area, and equipment."
"Hmm, that counts too. Although it's difficult, we can try to look for it."
Third Uncle suddenly said, "Xiao Yu, I think information is also very important. After all, we are currently in the base, and we don't know about more distant forces, nor do we know about any movements outside."
Li Yu was startled to hear this. This was indeed something he hadn't considered.
Just like that, everyone discussed, one person speaking, then another.
In the end, several long sheets of paper were filled.
Finally, Li Yu printed them out.
He printed dozens of copies.
It read:
One ton of cement = 1 jin of rice
One ton of rebar = 2 jin of rice
One useful piece of information = 0 ~ 10 jin of rice (calculated based on the usefulness of the information.)
One microscope = 0.2 jin of rice
