"Everything's been arranged with the town mayor. Work will start soon. We'll probably need some more food, steel, and cement."
Li Bai had agreed with the mayor that construction would begin as soon as the rain stopped. His $5,000 deposit hadn't come easily.
If the mayor took the money and did nothing, the first people to rise up would be the locals.
In this poor, backward place, finding a job that paid enough to eat one's fill was difficult even if you begged everyone you knew.
If the mayor ruined so many people's livelihoods for his own gain, he'd have more than just angry people to deal with.
"Supplies are no problem. There's plenty at the camp. Take whatever you need and put it down as an official expense!"
Every cent of the peacekeeping force's funding had been budgeted for specific purposes. Political Commissar Luan had painstakingly saved the tiny contingency fund, and every penny had to be used sparingly. It couldn't withstand the kind of spending Li Bai was proposing.
Supplies were another matter. With a great country backing them, all kinds of goods were constantly being sent to the camp, and they always received more than the planned amount.
No matter how severe the famine in Somalia became, the peacekeepers would never go hungry.
Besides, some supplies had short shelf lives. When they were close to expiring, they were often given away to build goodwill.
Cement, in particular, wouldn't be left in storage to expire or get damp and spoil.
So when Li Bai asked, Political Commissar Luan immediately agreed to give it to him for free. The camp had already used what it needed, and more supplies would keep coming from home. They might as well put the excess to use.
"I'm planning to build a tavern