Leaving the church, Li Qingyu peeked into the spice shop. After spending almost two thousand credits, he stuffed his backpack to the brim with all sorts of seasonings.
Two thousand for spices! Li Qingyu's heart bled, and all the way he mentally cursed the greedy merchants.
The situation once again confirmed: the hive's economy was barely afloat. Ordinary seasonings were rapidly becoming a luxury item. With such exorbitant prices, who could afford to salt their food?
And then it dawned on Li Qingyu. Damn it, this could be a business!
He remembered seeing farmers growing soybeans during his excursions. So, theoretically, he could start producing soy sauce?
And not just sauce, but the famous northeastern soy paste – "dajiang." It's a delicious thing. How did the joke go? With this paste, you could mow the lawn and eat it – it would still be tasty.
The inhabitants of the hive were forced to eat corpse starch. If he could establish a supply of seasonings so people could dip their briquettes in soy paste… Damn, what a surreal picture was emerging! Li Qingyu was even afraid to imagine it.
He took the large elevator and descended into the Underhive.
Slowly heading back to the distillery, Li Qingyu decided to take a detour and visit the Pure Water Guild. He needed to check if Reyno had any more quests.
At the guild, as usual, there was an endless queue of underhivers thirsty for water. Li Qingyu found a familiar guard, slipped him a cigarette, and the guard, recognizing a regular guest, let him in.
Going to the farthest office, he found Reyno buried in papers. Seeing him enter, the official beamed:
"The infopad you brought last time was a great help. I've really improved my standing with the bosses, so a promotion is just around the corner."
Li Qingyu congratulated him on his future success, and Reyno continued:
"You said you were going to make moonshine? How did it turn out?"
"Yeah, it worked. I'll bring a few bottles for you to try in a couple of days."
Reyno's eyes lit up with genuine curiosity.
"Great! Definitely bring them, I want to try. " He sighed. "Damn, why does mine always turn out sour? No matter how much I try, no matter how cool the equipment I use – it always comes out as vinegar."
"Maybe wild yeast or bacteria got into the fermentation tank?" Li Qingyu suggested.
Reyno pondered, then suddenly slapped his thigh:
"Listen, maybe I can come by your production facility? See how everything is set up."
Li Qingyu was taken aback:
"Are you serious? My distillery is quite far from here, and it's full of rats and bandits. Security there is, to put it mildly, not guaranteed."
Reyno stood up, opened a metal box, and took out a personal armor set, a helmet, and a heavy-caliber shotgun.
"Nonsense. The local scum won't dare to make a move. Besides, I'll bring guards."
Li Qingyu shrugged. If that's how it was, let's go. It seemed this guy was a real moonshine fanatic.
The back gate of the Guild opened, and three small vehicles drove out.
They were similar in size to golf carts, designed for four passengers. But they had high ground clearance and advanced suspension – perfect for navigating the complex terrain of the hive.
Reyno, taking Li Qingyu and a dozen shotgun-wielding guards with him, turned on all the headlights and left the safe zone with great pomp, heading deep into the Underhive.
Li Qingyu looked at the transport with interest. Reyno, noticing this, explained:
"These are our reconnaissance buggies. On flat surfaces, they fly like the wind, and they maneuver excellently in the narrow tunnels of the Underhive. If there's a leak from a pipeline somewhere, we first send these machines for reconnaissance, and only then do we bring in heavy equipment for repairs."
The convoy flew into a narrow service tunnel and sped forward at a considerable speed.
Li Qingyu watched with envy.
"How much does such a car cost? I'd buy one too, it's so convenient."
Reyno paused for a second, then unexpectedly offered:
"Want me to give you one? But in return, you'll do me a favor."
Li Qingyu's eyes lit up. A new quest unlocked! Let Reyno lay out the conditions!
"Here's the thing. The Pure Water Guild not only supplies drinking water but also handles wastewater disposal. At the treatment plants, all sorts of chemical waste and dirt are processed into a thick black sludge resembling tar, and then pumped deep into the planet's crust, where it burns up in the mantle. But about a hundred and fifty years ago, sensors showed a pressure change in one of the discharge collectors. It looks like a leak. The readings have been tolerable until now, but the situation is critical. The bosses sent two work crews there, and both disappeared without a trace. If you go and find out what happened to the pipe, I'll write off one repair vehicle and give it to you."
Li Qingyu scratched his head:
"Wait. A hundred and fifty years? You dragged your feet for a century and a half before dealing with the problem?"
Reyno sheepishly scratched his cheek and remained silent.
Li Qingyu mentally gave a thumbs-up. The Pure Water Guild deserved the title of an imperial organization – bureaucracy here worked just as effectively as in the Warhammer 40k Administratum!
However, the quest… it seemed he could complete it right now.
"It's awkward, but I've already been to the place you're talking about. Mutants have settled there. It seems they deliberately broke the pipe so the sewage would flow out. They call this sludge 'Black Water' and have even founded some kind of cult. And your workers most likely became their buffet."
Li Qingyu described in detail the mutant sect he had seen when he was sneaking through contraband routes. The coordinates matched Reyno's data.
The official was silent for a moment, then slapped the buggy's seat.
"Well, a deal is a deal. This vehicle is yours."
"Oh, Master Reyno!" Li Qingyu thought. "A man of his word. He gave up an almost new buggy without batting an eye."
Soon, the convoy reached the distillery. Li Qingyu threw open the gates and proudly demonstrated the equipment to his guest.
Reyno clicked his tongue, pacing between the large fermentation vats and carefully examining everything.
Little Knife and the others had already returned and were peeling potatoes for a new batch of moonshine. Reyno hovered around them, bombarding them with questions with genuine interest.
Li Qingyu handed all the purchased spices to Mrs. Sansa and asked her to prepare a magnificent dinner for the guests.
She nodded, and soon the underground distillery was filled with the aromas of vegetables and meat.
Reyno was surprised:
"They feed no worse here than in the Upper Hive!"
Li Qingyu seated the guards at a separate table, and Reyno himself at a simple stool. Meat dishes were already steaming on the table. The host uncorked a bottle of diluted "Sacred Nectar" and poured a glass for his guest.
"I'll tell you a secret: don't underestimate us, rats from the Underhive. We are the true, indigenous inhabitants of the hive."
Reyno raised his glass, brought it to his nose, and inhaled the aroma of grain spirit with pleasure.
Hearing Li Qingyu's words, he asked in confusion:
"Why are you indigenous?"
Li Qingyu clinked glasses with him, drained his glass, and said with a smile:
"Because we live at the roots!"