The van left with the spare vegetables and two soldiers; having dragged it on far longer than the original intention, those two men were heading back to the army base to report in. It was not that they didn't miss their comrades in arms from their original base, but that they'd gained so much having Ren Zexian as their Teacher that they had been unwilling to give this up.
However, from the occasional visits from the army squad that had remained in contact with them, the higher ups had been getting anxious for their return.
In actual fact, around a third of the soldiers with abilities now used the basic 'meditation' methods passed on by Ren Zexian through Chang Min and the soldiers they'd been in contact with and results had varied. Their commanding officers wanted to know why this was the case, but since the episode where they'd ordered squads to infiltrate the smaller base 'for the good of those people', relations had cooled to the point of being indifferent neighbours. If it wasn't for the fact that the army base had products valuable to them and the friendly communication of individuals from both bases, likely they'd no longer have anything to do with each other.
So the higher ups could only rely on the men they'd originally sent there. Not that they'd gained much intelligence; with the exception of Thomas who'd remained stubborn in his stance that the 'meditation' techniques were a waste of time, the two soldiers that had returned informed their commanders that while the cultivation methods they used worked for them, they had been told that they wouldn't necessarily work for others. Of course, not everyone would believe from word of mouth, there was pressure to share and to experiment. And those who'd volunteered found that the basic method worked better for them. One even said that Luke's method was too painful and seemed to burn his insides. If this was not a warning to cease their experiments, who knew what would be.
Fortunately no one seemed to suffer permanent damage to their abilities. Still, the higher ups craved quick results and resumed making comparisons between the people that didn't practice any meditation, to the people that practiced the basic method and then Faith and Luke and their specific training. Hungry for more knowledge, they urged their absent subordinates to return whenever they could.
So now they were returning home.
It should be mentioned that they came to regret their decision. The thick vegetable stews and potato dishes that were what every soldier consumed day in and day out were unappetising, their tastebuds having been spoiled by Autumn and her delicious multitude of dishes. They were stuck sharing a room with four other soldiers, lacking space and gaining increased difficulties in maintaining hygiene. Zak could no longer practice drawing talismans for he needed uninterrupted periods of serene quiet in order to concentrate. And the higher ups became even more demanding wanting his 'miracle' light to fend off encroaching zombies. Theo found his value once more reduced as he still had a black thumb as far as plants were concerned, despite having more control over his abilities. So there came a time when they decided to abscond for a bit... but that was in the near future.
*****
A crowd gathered around the stall covered in vegetables, but there was some reluctance to purchase. Some worried about where the vegetables had come from. Others weren't worried, having eaten these people's apples before, but how to cook the vegetables... Not everyone had the tools to cook, many had never cooked pumpkins and spaghetti squash. The other vegetables were large and not cheap, they didn't want to spend their hard earned points which might by them an extra portion of food from the canteen or one of the stalls trading in cooked food, firewood, soaps, extra bottles of water... One person's query broke some of the stalemate as he asked for a quarter of one of the large cauliflowers and half of a head of broccoli, naturally reducing the cost straight away.
Logan cut to his specifications and charged him accordingly. That man went away actually munching a floret of cauliflower as he went, many eyes were on him. These could be eaten raw?
"I'll purchase the same!" One voice rose above the crowd.
"Me too!"
Sales quickly picked up, the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage purchased in portions, costing less yet providing much needed supplements. Others were more cautious still, but after seeing that the man had no adverse affects before vanishing into other drifting crowds, a few put down their guards and also made small purchases.
The gentleman who exchanged spices with them asked for one of each vegetable, whole, as well as a bottle of the apple oil. He believed that his housemates would thank him later. He chatted to Dexter as the cost was calculated, who advised him how he'd seen his wife cook them. The man was excited to hear how the spaghetti squash could actually live up to its name and replace noodles as a dish. He wanted to try right away and added another of the gourds for his household.
However, the majority of things they brought were eventually sold to the canteen at a slightly reduced price. They also took all of the remaining apple oil as it had been deemed safe. "Our manager asks if you can bring more in the future," Dexter was informed.
"Ah, we won't be coming back until at least spring," he admitted. "And then we'd have to see how much oil remains. We only have the one tree providing it."
"Please think of us first when the time comes then." He nodded to seal this verbal agreement.
They came away with a lot of points this time, but spending it actually proved difficult. The charcoal was naturally in very high demand and was expensive due to that. Just purchasing one bag would cut a quarter of their profits instantly. Dexter was debating over it with Cole and Logan when a conversation in the crowd came to their attention.
"I heard that a squad brought back meat!"
"Meat? Really? Damn when was the last time we tasted some meat?!"
"Would we even get a chance at tasting some this time?" The voice that spoke these words held much bitterness. "Don't you recall that rumour in the spring?"
"Oh yeah, I recall. The higher ups obtained some meat in the spring, but apart from their own soldiers getting a bit, the rest was hoarded by them officers!"
"That's not true," a discordant tone trampled their complaints. "They used a soup base for the week that reminded me of pork. There were even flecks of grease upon the surface. Tanya, next door, even claimed to have found spots of pork in her portion once."
"Probably burnt vegetables or dried herbs," the original complainer argued.
"Oi! Did you hear!? Someone is selling portions of venison!"
"Quick! Let's go or we'll miss out!" The crowds moved almost as one in a particular direction at first rushing so chaotically that they knocked into others as well as the stalls lining the way. There was a smash of porcelain as well as a shriek. Things calmed down when the market 'supervisor' took his men to intimidate the crowds.
"Should we go take a look?" Harry asked Dexter as the number of people close by reduced.
"Let's get the coal first," he decided and they opted for two bags. There was no real value in keeping the points as they had no use to them at home. The third property would need it for cooking as well as warmth and they would just have to rely on it in one or two open fireplaces, stretching it thin before relying on wood. He also recalled that the second property had a wood burning stove for heating. It would be more efficient than an open fire, perhaps it should be relocated...
The crowd was as dense as they imagined, but as bustling as it was, it soon became apparent that most were just staring wistfully at the men claiming to be selling deer meat. The meat itself was not on show, so there were a few shouting about being tricked, while others declared that the owners had no intention of allowing them to purchase meat at all. There were more than likely individuals with crooked thoughts, but they were held back by the fact that the owners were no weak targets, they had weapons and were wearing army uniforms. If they wanted to make gains, they would have to try their luck thieving from anyone who managed to purchase the meat.
"I told you this was a stupid idea," a familiar voice sighed heavily as Dexter and his people weaved through the crowd.
"I only said I was going to discreetly talk to the guys manning the food stalls... who knew I'd attracted such a crowd!"
"Do you even know how to be discreet?"
"Should we get out of here?"
"Is that even possible right now?"
"Commander Rhodes," a warm voice called out with amused undertones. "I've heard that you are selling venison." It appeared that Dexter and his men were not the only ones to have managed to push through the masses. Dexter even vaguely recalled the woman speaking as a customer who'd chanced the apple oil and butters that last time.
"Miss Justine," the commanding officer of the squad greeted her in wary tones. "You must know that we've already handed over a portion of our spoils to the base already. Are you really going to insist that we lose another portion due to some unfair trade."
The woman pouted somewhat. "That's a harsh accusation," she replied. "I would never insist on purchasing below market price. Has a price been even set? If not..."
"Miss Justine, we actually hadn't planned on selling, exactly," the man admitted, receiving many complaints in raised voices from the surrounding crowds. These were silenced by just a glance from the woman, making Dexter and the others realise that she wasn't that simple. She couldn't do much about the low mutterings that replaced them even then, however. "My squad go out of the walls regularly and risk their lives to reduce overall zombie numbers as well as bring back much needed supplies, which help everyone. You're not going to demand they have to suffer more losses just because others want these small unexpected benefits?"
"You are soldiers," she reminded him. "You are performing your duties and you are paid and fed for it."
"I don't disagree, generally," he drawled, thinking of the 'food' they all 'enjoyed'. Sure it was enough to fill bellies, but not enough to maintain their spirits. If he wanted to lead these men back out into the fray after losing all of the three of the deer carcasses to the base and higher ups, he could just forget it. "But can you say that my men have ever been slack in their duties or compare us to other 'squads' who'd rather just say man the walls for the same pay that we receive? We're working soldiers, not conscripts."
His speech was spread around the civilian crowds, naturally receiving the mixed reviews. There were those who couldn't blame him for hoarding a bit of meat for his men, after all, they were an active squad who went outside frequently and not like a civilian squad who only had to hand over a percentage and could do as they pleased with the rest. Army squads had to hand over a larger amount as well as everything to do with specific missions that they had been sent out on. They couldn't pick and choose those missions like civilian squads either. The crowds didn't know it, but of the three deer they had obtained from the herd they'd discovered, two were confiscated by the base, only leaving the third for face value rather than want.
Unfortunately, there would always be those who had yet to shed their sense of entitlement and believed they had the right to gain others things. In this case, that the squad should share the meat and that they had the right to bid for it. It was too selfish of the squad otherwise. They never thought about their own selfish stance.
"Then why come to the market at all?" The woman couldn't help enquire.
The commander looked uncomfortable, so the unreliable soldier beside him admitted; "Well, none of us can cook, so we hoped to hire someone..."
"I think I can help you with that."