Shopping for the Displaced People

Shen Jingchuan snapped out of his daze, glanced at his wrist, and saw it was almost midnight. He pondered for a moment; he needed to get the weapons from the refugees first, and now was the perfect time to go back to the modern world.

With a thought, a flash of light and shadow, and he was back in the villa of West Mountain Separate Courtyard.

He took a shower and changed into clean clothes. Remembering the "Five Phases Spirit Guiding Instruction" he had just acquired, he sat cross-legged on the bed and tried circulating it through a Lesser Celestial Circuit.

After circulating the Cultivation Method for a while, his meridians were completely empty, and he hadn't absorbed a single bit of Spiritual Qi — Spiritual Qi in the modern world was so thin that it was almost non-existent. No matter how exquisite the Cultivation Method was, it was like a skilled cook trying to cook without rice. Shen Jingchuan chuckled and shook his head, then simply lay down and went to sleep.

The next morning, he first sent Meng Ke a WeChat to let her know he was safe and well, then went downstairs for breakfast.

He was chewing something, but his mind was completely occupied with thoughts of weapons.

We can forget about firearms; we can only go down the path of cold weapons.

But buying hundreds or thousands of swords would be too conspicuous and attract unwanted attention; there's no need to go through that trouble.

After much thought, he came up with an idea.

Seamless steel pipes, when cut short and sharpened, become ready-made long spears. They are cheap in large quantities and inconspicuous when purchased in building materials markets.

He looked it up and found that long weapons needed steel with both hardness and toughness, and 65 manganese steel was the most suitable. When sharpened, it would be sharp enough to make a spearhead, and it would also be durable and not easily bent when used as a shaft.

After finishing breakfast, he went straight to the hardware and building materials wholesale center on the outskirts of the city and found a shop that specialized in seamless steel pipes.

The boss came up and asked what specifications he wanted. He wasn't in a hurry. He picked up several different sizes, weighed them in his hands, compared them, and tested their feel. Finally, he decided on 65 manganese steel seamless steel pipe with an outer diameter of 25 mm and a wall thickness of 2.5 mm. The size was a little small in his hand, but he had big hands, so it should be suitable for him.

"How long is this tube usually?" he asked.

"We have six-meter and twelve-meter models, it depends on which one you want."

"I'll take the six-meter one."

Shen Jingchuan originally wanted to say two hundred sticks first, but then thought it wouldn't hurt to have more, so he changed his mind:

"Here's five hundred six-meter-long strips, cut them all into three-meter sections, and split each strip in half, making a total of one thousand. Deliver them to this address, and call me when they arrive."

He gave his address and phone number, paid the deposit on the spot, and then added a final instruction:

Make the cut clean and smooth, without any burrs.

Seeing that it was a big deal, the boss smiled and readily agreed, patting his chest to guarantee that the interception would be done properly.

Having just finalized the order with the steel pipe shop owner, Shen Jingchuan stopped a few steps later. The smooth steel pipe felt slippery in his hand; if his palms were sweaty in a real fight, he wouldn't be able to grip it, affecting his ability to exert force.

Suddenly, his experience of wrapping badminton racket grip tape in his mind flashed through his mind—wrapping a layer of rope would solve the problem.

He immediately turned back and went into a stall in the market that specialized in rope and net lifting equipment. He picked out a three-millimeter diameter core-spun Oxford rope with a good weave texture and good friction, as well as being wear-resistant and durable, which was perfect for wrapping gun handles.

They ordered five large bundles, each bundle containing 500 meters, which should be enough for the grips of a thousand guns.

I also grabbed five boxes of black electrical tape. Before wrapping the rope, I would wrap a layer around the pipe wall to double the static friction, so it wouldn't shift no matter how much force I applied.

Seeing that it was a great deal, the stall owner happily helped him move all the goods into the trunk of his car, filling it to the brim.

After he finished, he looked around and saw a labor protection wholesale store not far away, with shelves piled high with everything from clothing to tools.

Shen Jingchuan stepped inside and got straight to the point.

"Boss, I have a thousand workers on my construction site, and they need a full set of winter protective gear. From head to toe, inside and out. Do you have a complete set ready?"

Upon hearing that it was a large order for a thousand people, the boss immediately came out from behind the counter, his face beaming with smiles.

"Yes! I specialize in construction site delivery, and I can provide you with a complete set."

The outfit consists of close-fitting pure cotton thermal underwear, thickly padded cotton jacket and trousers, a windproof and durable thick cotton work coat, a fiberglass-reinforced safety helmet, high-top non-slip fleece-lined work boots, two pairs of thick cotton socks, a pair of wool gloves and a pair of fleece-lined cotton gloves, and even pure cotton underwear—all the kind of durable, reliable clothing you'd wear on a construction site.

Shen Jingchuan squeezed the sample material; it was thick and firm, indeed a practical type commonly used on construction sites. He then asked:

"How much does it cost to get this complete set?"

The boss fiddled with the calculator for a bit, then looked up and said:

"If you buy a thousand sets, I'll give you a solid wholesale price: 193 yuan for a complete set. A single cotton overcoat retails for 60 or 70 yuan, and a set of cotton-padded clothes costs over 60 yuan. I'm selling in bulk, no hidden fees."

Shen Jingchuan nodded and was about to respond when the boss added:

"By the way, boss, do you need bedding for the workers' accommodation? I have some ready-made single sets here, with a cotton quilt and mattress, and a durable polyester-cotton cover. It's a common style used in construction site dormitories, and your workers will definitely need it."

Shen Jingchuan slapped his forehead, realizing he had almost forgotten about it. The refugees didn't even have bedding; blankets were a necessity.

"I also need bedding. How much is a set?"

"Buy in bulk for 48 yuan a set. They're all made with full-weight new cotton, not substandard cotton."

The boss paused for a moment, then took the initiative to concede:

"If you bring the clothes and bedding together, I'll round it up for you. The whole set is 250... Damn, hehe, 249 a set. I'll save you 2,000, it's just a delivery fee."

Shen Jingchuan laughed too, what a silly number:

"Okay, at your price. Three sizes: large, medium, and small, one-third of each, no need to differentiate between men's and women's styles. Can you offer free delivery?"

"Yes! Free delivery within Capital!" the boss assured him, patting his chest. "When the goods arrive, I'll bring people to move them into the warehouse and stack them neatly. You can pay after you inspect them and find no problems."

"I'll pay you a 30% deposit first. After you receive the goods, move everything in, and inspect them, you can pay the remaining balance in full."

Shen Jingchuan paused, then pointed to the pile of hardware tools in the corner and said:

"Oh, and two hundred each of thickened manganese steel shovels and picks, one hundred hexagonal steel chisels, and two hundred trowels—all the most durable models. Include them all in the order, and we'll settle the payment upon delivery."

A quick glance revealed towels and sulfur soap; I ordered a thousand sets and asked the shop owner to deliver them as well.

The boss was so happy he couldn't hide his grin. He quickly jotted down all the details in his notebook, double-checked the delivery address and contact number, and assured everyone that the goods would be transferred from the warehouse that afternoon and delivered to their door in two trucks, ensuring there would be no delays.

After everything was over, another thought crossed Shen Jingchuan's mind. In a real close-quarters battle, a cotton-padded coat alone wouldn't be enough to stop a knife thrust; it was ultimately lacking in protection.

He drove to the security equipment wholesale market on the outskirts of the city and found a store that did bulk business.

"Boss, is the stab-proof vest I'm wearing over a thick cotton coat able to stop a knife stab?"

The boss picked up a sample and handed it over:

"That's definitely no problem. It can withstand straight thrusts and slashes from ordinary daggers and machetes. If you're still worried, there are pre-installed pockets inside, plus two steel plate inserts for even more robust protection, though it will be a bit heavy."

Shen Jingchuan squeezed the fabric and weighed the steel plate in his hand, having already made up his mind. The burly men charging at the front would be equipped with steel plates, while the ordinary soldiers in the back would only need basic ones.

"Okay, then give me eight hundred basic sets, and another two hundred sets with front and back steel plates, all in extra large size, big enough to fit under a thick cotton coat."

The boss readily agreed, immediately quoted a bulk price, verified the address, and arranged for delivery that afternoon.

Shen Jingchuan then thought, "A helmet?... Never mind, a construction safety helmet should be enough."