Jing Shu then sent out today's video of selling frogs, explaining to everyone how to raise frogs and how they hunt bugs. She also included the list of spare parts and model numbers for the BYD Song that her father had mentioned.
Now that car factories have stopped production and 4S stores are closed, repairing and maintaining cars during the apocalypse is truly difficult. Some necessary spare parts have become very valuable.
In a few years, when these cars truly turn into scrap metal and even their spare parts are useless, if an energy car breaks down, Jing Shu would have nowhere to cry. It was better to stock up on spare parts and tires early and maintain the car every year so that they could still use it when migrating.
After five or six years of the apocalypse, cars that could still run were practically nonexistent.
Jing Shu could have just gone to dismantle car tires herself or stolen some parts from a 4S store, but that was too troublesome, and she didn't know enough about it. Her father, who understood cars, wouldn't stoop to doing such things either. It was much easier and more efficient to sell frogs in exchange for everything she needed. It saved both effort and time.
"I'll trade!" Young Master With a Kid No. 13 said. "We drive a BYD too. I have all the parts. Hold on, I'll take off the four tires and other parts for you."
After watching Jing Shu's video, many people sighed in amazement. Frogs, which used to be everywhere, had become a rare commodity.
[Fat Girl No. 25]: "Raising frogs is really popular now, but they're too scarce. If you gift one to a doctor, you'll definitely get a hospital bed. My Mini has everything you need, I'll strip it down for you."
"I'll trade too!"
"Count me in! I'll rip off anything that's usable. This broken car is scrap metal anyway."
Carrion scavengers severely threatened people's lives, and compared to cars that hadn't had fuel for months, most people chose to strip parts off their vehicles to trade for frogs. With a little water, frogs could keep their homes clear of carrion scavengers, and they didn't have to worry about losing their food stores. Everyone was eager to make the exchange.
With Jing An overseeing things, it didn't take long to gather all the spare parts and pile them up in front of Building No. 25. A group of ragged, weary people stood under the beam of their flashlights, waiting for Jing Shu to hand out frogs.
The family from Young Master With a Kid had the most parts and traded for three frogs. Others got one each. In total, fifteen frogs were exchanged for several cars' worth of parts, tires, and even some tools. This was unimaginable before the apocalypse. Grandpa Jing muttered in disbelief, "Frogs are worth this much now?"
Zhang Bingbing, ignoring her disheveled state, beamed at her new frog and casually asked, "Jing Shu, are you guys not short on water? How are you raising so many frogs?"
As soon as she asked, the area fell silent. Everyone, dressed in rags, turned their eyes to the girl who, aside from a slightly darkened complexion, didn't look very dirty. Her family members also looked well-kept and energetic.
"What's it to you if they're short on water or not? If they didn't look out for us, could you even trade for these parts? Hurry home before the frogs overheat!" A plump girl scurried into Building No. 25 in her slippers, clutching her frog.
Only then did the crowd disperse. Jing Shu let out a breath, but her phone buzzed.
[Luxury Cars No. 5]: "@Xiaoshu from the Villa District, if you need car parts, come to me! Our dealership has everything. I'll trade with you."
Jing Shu remembered him well. He was the one who blamed her for not reminding him. She never gave second chances to ingrates. "Sorry, I'm done trading."
[Luxury Cars No. 5]: "We still have plenty of motor oil and snow tires. I can take you to get as much as you want. Bring me more frogs!"
"I don't steal, and besides, I don't need them anymore."
[Luxury Cars No. 5]: "You're deliberately not trading with me?"
"Yes. I'm not generous enough to trade with someone who insulted me." Jing Shu rolled her eyes. She held grudges. She remembered what happened six months ago.
Luxury Cars No. 5 was livid. Seeing others post pictures of their frogs in the group enraged him further. His old habit kicked in, and he furiously typed insults:
"You bitch! Think you're special because you have frogs? Last year I bought a watch, so what? I wish Brother Tao would rob your villa again! Wang Xuemei's family's fate should be yours! None of you bitches should get anything!"
Usually, after venting his anger like this, he would delete his message. But this time, he was too riled up and hit "send" without thinking.
"Crap, crap!" Luxury Cars No. 5 panicked when he saw the message had been sent. He hurriedly deleted it. Just as his heart was pounding in relief, someone announced his doom.
[Wang Qiqi No. 13]: "@Everyone, I just screenshot @Luxury Cars No. 5's message with my single-for-30-years hand speed. So it was him who organized that robbery at Wang Xuemei's house! I always wondered how they knew which homes were occupied."
No one could match the screenshot skills of someone single for 30 years. Jing Shu had barely registered the message before it was deleted, but Wang Qiqi had already grabbed evidence.
Things escalated quickly. The group chat exploded, especially when Wang Xuemei, who had just lost her husband and daughter, cried and asked, "Why? Why would you send people to rob us? What did we ever do to you?"
People started questioning him and condemning him.
Jing Shu stayed silent. Of the six people who came to rob them that day, if even half the neighbors had come out wielding kitchen knives, no one would have died. Did they really have the right to question anyone now?
Not that they were wrong either. Without the hidden advantage of the Cube Space, she wouldn't have dared leave her home either.
Seeing his secret exposed, Luxury Cars No. 5 dropped the act entirely.
"Why? Because bugs ate all my grain, and none of you were willing to sell me a single kilo of food! If each of you had given me one kilo, would I have joined that gang?
And Wang Xuemei, don't pretend to be noble! Charging me 300 yuan for one meal like you were doing me a favor. You love charity, huh? I wanted to see how you'd give charity when you have nothing left to eat!
And Brother Tao liking your daughter was your family's honor! You should have accepted it. You all deserved to die. The apocalypse is here, and the government's bragging about their artificial sun to buy time. Truth is, they hid all the grain months ago, and you're all too stupid to see it!"
Luxury Cars No. 5 ranted gleefully, oblivious to the fact that Jing Shu and Jing An had already called Wang Qiqi for his address. Without another word, the three of them set off.
Wang Qiqi was slightly confused. "Shouldn't we call the police to arrest him? What if they're too busy to care?"
Jing Shu's expression was icy, and she stayed silent. For people like this, she preferred to deal with them herself. With a grim-faced Jing An and a stunned Wang Qiqi in tow, they marched straight to Building No. 5, Room 602.
"Should we knock on the door or pry it open??" Wang Qiqi asked weakly.
Jing Shu wordlessly pulled out a hooked iron wire from her waist and jabbed a broken iron rod into the peephole with a loud bang.
Wang Qiqi swallowed hard, her eyes wide as she instinctively shielded her lower half, suddenly feeling a chill down her spine.