Li Qingyu sighed. Food is food. Grox meat, after all, is quite tasty. Even if he kept a little for himself – it's still good.
Besides, there are food problems in the Hive right now. Natural meat can safely be classified as a "luxury item" and gradually sold on the side.
Li Qingyu gave the order to start loading. The container turned out to be huge: it held about a thousand crates. If each had twenty cans, that's... twenty thousand cans.
The handcar would have to make several trips, even if they hung platforms on it like a Christmas tree.
First, they loaded the handcar to capacity. Knife took the train to the base to attach all available wagons and return for the remaining cargo. The others stayed to guard the loot so that the local rats wouldn't steal the goods.
Li Qingyu opened one of the crates with a knife. Inside were indeed twenty rectangular cans, each weighing about seven hundred grams.
There was no pull-ring. Li Qingyu pierced the lid with a knife, and reddish, greasy gravy immediately flowed out. A thick, maddening aroma of meat and spices spread through the air.
People immediately flocked to the smell, looking greedily at the opened can.
Inside, in solidified fat, floated pieces of boneless meat – tender, some even with skin.
A collective gulp of saliva was heard.
Although they had eaten recently, Mrs. Sansa, out of habit of saving, cooked blandly. And here – an aroma level of good spicy hot pot! People who hadn't seen normal fats for years had their salivary glands working at full capacity.
Li Qingyu noticed plastic bags in a large crate. Tearing one open, he found a tablet of solid fuel, matches, and a folding stand-cooker.
He immediately assembled the structure: unfolded the stand-cooker, placed the tablet, struck a match, and placed the opened can on top.
Soon the fat in the can boiled, bubbling and emitting an even richer aroma.
Everyone watched as if mesmerized. Li Qingyu took out a knife, hooked a piece of meat, and put it in his mouth.
The meat with skin turned out to be soft, but firm. In his mouth – an explosion of taste: lots of fat, salt, spices. In a word – divine!
He handed the knife to Younger Joel. He hastily hooked a piece, swallowed it, and passed it to his father. Older Joel ate his portion with pleasure, then it was Silence's turn.
Thus, they destroyed the can in a circle, each getting two or three pieces, but the pleasure was colossal.
In the end, Silence simply tipped the can over and drank the hot, greasy broth to the last drop.
Li Qingyu picked his teeth and turned to Older Joel:
"Listen, before you were exiled down here, how much did meat cost? If I push these cans in the Middle Hive, how much can I get?"
Joel thought, remembering.
"Before our exile, there was almost no fresh meat for sale. Only on the black market. Then a kilogram cost about eighty credits."
He shook his head:
"Now the Middle Hive has completely switched to synthetic starch. I think the price for fresh meat has at least quintupled. And such cans, sir... they are already a luxury item, available to nobility."
He dreamily rolled his eyes:
"Such taste, so much oil and salt, such rich spices! Even in the best times, when natural food was regularly supplied, this was considered a delicacy."
"So how much will they give for a can?" Li Qingyu asked impatiently.
Joel plunged into calculations.
"Sir, I wouldn't sell such a can for less than six to nine hundred credits. But... it will be difficult to sell. A worker's salary is two to three thousand a month. No one will give a third of their income for a can of meat. The rich will buy it, yes. But it won't be easy to turn such goods into cash quickly."
Listening to Joel, Li Qingyu felt excitement ignite within him.
Holy mother! He thought he had pulled out trash, but it turned out he had opened a bank!
If one can costs six hundred, it's ready currency! It can be used as a means of barter.
While he was dreaming, Knife returned with a full train of wagons.
Loading began again. The handcar was filled to capacity. It took two trips to transport everything. Total — 1200 crates, 24,000 cans. In terms of money – assets worth tens of millions!
The fact that the cans were so expensive was a surprise, but if you think about it – it's logical.
The very fact that these cans are packed in interstellar transport containers speaks of their value. This is food for long flights, a top-class space ration.
Perhaps before the fall of the White Tree House, the cargo was intended for a glorious regiment of the Imperial Guard, or for the Schola Progenium, where future elites are trained. Or maybe for noble feasts on paradise garden worlds.
Never underestimate tasty food. Having traveled light-years and fallen into the hands of tired soldiers, such a can could boost the morale of an entire platoon. This is the strategic power of a good ration.
Loaded to capacity, they returned to the Sanctuary. Reno, the scoundrel, was still asleep. But his "boys" had already almost switched to Li Qingyu's side.
The boss's generosity knew no bounds: he gave each of Reno's guards two crates of stewed meat. The guys were stunned.
They were educated – the status of a minor nobleman's retinue obliged them – and they perfectly understood what was written on the lids.
"This... is somehow wrong..." one of them muttered, blushing. "Too much..."
They felt awkward. They hadn't really done anything, just helped unload the handcar when it returned.
Li Qingyu clapped them on the shoulders in a friendly manner:
"What are you talking about, damn it! What politeness? We're bros now! Or do you not respect me?"
The boys exchanged glances, clutching the heavy crates of meat to their chests.
Well, if the question is put that way... it's not appropriate to argue.