Zheng Tao individually counted the ash-absorbing fruits on the trees, making an estimate based on his findings.

"The first Pan Tree bore 241 fruits, and even by this count, with the 8 Pan Trees we've planted, we can expect a yield of 1900 fruits in a cycle, which lasts two months."

"And considering that these Pan Trees will further expand their canopies, the number of fruits produced will continue to increase with each cycle. In the future, it will become a local specialty exclusive to our region and a unique delicacy that cannot be found elsewhere!"

This overjoyed Minister of Agriculture couldn't stop smiling: "We can sell these exclusively available fruits for a good price. The wealthy can afford them and are willing to spend money on trendy and expensive food to showcase their status, perfect for entertaining the powerful."

"If the price is too low, they won't even look at it."

"However, we do need to do a bit of packaging, which will facilitate the selling process."

Firstly, the name ash-absorbing fruit needs to be changed.

Zheng Tao suggested: "Chairman, what do you think about calling it Dead Sea Fruit?"

"This name conveys that the fruit is nurtured in the Dead Sea, which makes people associate it with the mysterious and powerful forces of the Dead Sea."

Zhou Yi agreed: "Old Zheng, you have a better knack for naming than I do."

"Ha ha ha, you flatter me."

Then it comes to packaging.

High-end delicacies always come with a full set of spiel, such as how rare and unique the place of origin is, that only the best water and high-quality environments are selected, and how the produce is carefully nurtured through a complex process.

But for the Dead Sea Fruit, that isn't necessary.

Zhou Yi said: "Just use its own story. This is a fruit that drifted over from another civilization, which our company has gone to great lengths to acquire, and then cultivated. It has the flavor of another world."

Zheng Tao thought deeply for a while: "Chairman, as an introduction, there is no problem at all, but it's a bit light on the catchphrase. Since it's a fruit from another world, why not be a bit bolder and say it has miraculous powers, that consuming it will strengthen the body and ward off various diseases?"

Zhou Yi looked over at Ni Ge.

This two-meter-three giant grew up eating these very fruits.

High in protein, great taste, and rich in nutrients.

Saying this wouldn't exactly be false advertising.

"Let's do that then."

Half a month later.

The new product from Wasteland Development Company, "Dead Sea Fruit," quietly entered the market.

Each fruit from another world was exquisitely packaged in a beautiful wooden box filled with soft sawdust, with dried flowers inside to maintain fragrance and also equipped with a tiny iron hammer and shell cracker specially designed for opening the fruit.

But the price was not cheap; each fruit was priced at one Light Seed.

At first, Zhou Yi was a bit nervous.

With this price, potential buyers would mostly be enhancers or Guangna Species.

Even for merchants, spending 1 million mushrooms on an unknown fruit might not be appealing.

But the result took him by surprise; as soon as the company released news about selling 30 Dead Sea Fruits, they were instantly bought out.

Zhou Yi puzzled: "The thing is, no one has tried these fruits, so why are they willing to pay this price?"

Zheng Tao cheerfully said: "Chairman, if it were other merchants selling, many would likely be watching and waiting. But this is our Wasteland Development Company's product."

"Jade Soup, Flame Cup, Mushroom House, refrigeration boxes, and even the recently very popular gliders have all proven time and time again our company's reputation and originality."

"And then there's you."

"Chairman, you are the true golden signboard of our company, capable of defeating the Governor of the Heavenly Kingdom, contending with the Mechanical and Electrical City Group; your name is now known by everyone."

Zhou Yi suddenly realized.

The company was no longer the obscure, newly started small group it once was.

Even facing sanctions from Mechanical City, the constant unveiling of new and consistently high-quality yet affordable products helped maintain a good reputation for the company, and the sanctions even acted as indirect promotion.

After all, it was about having tangible quality goods to offer.

Zheng Tao said: "Chairman, so can we start with the second batch, and then the third batch?"

"Go ahead and sell them."

Zhou Yi nodded: "But, who are our buyers?"

"We have purchasers from all groups. The Heavenly Kingdom bought 3, Duke Destructive bought 2, United City bought 2, Alchemist Association bought 2, Tianjin Knights bought 2... Many of our previous cooperative customers who have worked with us are very interested, including the rebels and the Night God Church, but they will have to wait for the next round."

Zheng Tao said with assured confidence: "The organizations will help us with indirect promotion first; later, the main buyers will be the merchants. They will help us drive up the price, further crafting more tales to ensure they make a greater profit upon resale."

"The Dead Sea Fruit is controlled by our company; therefore, its availability on the market is limited. After the initial novelty hype cools down, it will gradually return to rationality, then it becomes more like a symbol of an expensive gift, used for hosting dinners, gifting, and other such occasions."

He judged: "For such an expenditure, the rich won't care."

Zhou Yi thought about it and agreed, then handed over the entire sales operation to Zheng Tao.

...

This autumn, Zhou Yi was very busy.

He was overseeing the Pan Trees and Dead Sea Fruits, while also consoling the disheartened Mud Tree People, and updating them about the world's situation.

He was the only one who could communicate with them, as their language and writing system were not included in the translator.

In addition, Zhou Yi continued to pay close attention to the current status of the gliders.

He was now somewhat relieved that he had previously signed a manufacturing outsourcing agreement with Mechanical City.

The manufacturing capability of the Sand Port Region alone could not meet the massive external demand for gliders.

Prioritizing the needs of the four cities that make up the Development Alliance.

Following the Shuanghe Region, the Military Logistics Department of Heavenly Kingdom directly ordered 1500 single-person gliders and 240 passenger gliders.

Duke Destructive was the one who informed Zhou Yi of this news, as it was he who made the recommendation to Heavenly Kingdom.

"It's a small favor; no need to thank me. Your gliders are indeed practical, and the vast territories of Heavenly Kingdom need such affordable and useful flying vehicles. The Logistics Department needs to spend its annual budget anyway, so purchasing this batch will satisfy both higher and lower ranks."

Several regions adjacent to the Development Alliance also placed their orders one after another.

Glass Castle ordered 600 units, Cotton and Hemp Land reserved 800 units, and Fanyun City paid in advance for 200 units, bringing the total to 1600 units.

Even enhancer organizations followed suit with interest in purchases, and the latest order delivery time has been delayed to five years later.

Workers busied themselves day and night.

Fortunately, the more gliders they sold, the higher their income, which kept them highly motivated.

On weekends, they would almost all voluntarily come in for overtime work to earn double pay.

What Zhou Yi could do was to ensure, through Yuan Tong, that the glider workers were well-fed and well-supported logistically, with meals always consisting of chicken or fish, which somewhat boosted morale.

Meanwhile, the external situation also saw new developments.

Red Kestrel immediately reminded: "Zhou, the sanctions from Mechanical City have escalated."

Zhou Yi swiped his tablet and found a prominent announcement on the Spring-Autumn Trade Consortium's page.

——"Due to the escalating threat from the terrorist organization Mechanical Knight Order, we have increased our measures to further restrict this organization, to ensure order is not disrupted, and cities do not suffer turmoil and loss..."

——"Core cooperating cities of Mechanical City shall not engage in any form of cooperation with the sanctioned groups, otherwise, our side will terminate the core cooperation agreement and pursue related losses and responsibilities."

——"The units newly subject to sanctions include 'Estria', 'Wild Bull County', 'Icefield Island'.

...

These were the main points.

The reach of the impact further expanded, forcing the cooperative units of Mechanical City to pick sides.

However, this had little effect on Wasteland Company.

Because core cooperating cities are basically medium to large cities.

The products exported from Jade City could be afforded even by ordinary towns, or rather, it's those inconspicuous small cities and towns that were the staunchest supporters and purchasers of Wasteland Development Company.

Zhou Yi contacted Duke Destructive to ask, "Is Heavenly Kingdom unaffected?"

"What impact?"

Duke Destructive said, "Mechanical City can't sanction a group that's stronger than itself."

This was said with confidence.

Two days later, Zheng Tao came rushing in urgently: "Chairman, there's trouble with the Dead Sea Fruit."

His face looked terrible.

Zhou Yi felt his heart sink: "Dead Sea Fruit, has it killed someone?"

"Eh? No."

Zheng Tao paused for a moment: "Dead Sea Fruit is not poisonous by itself, it won't kill people. The trouble this time is due to a person who, after eating Dead Sea Fruit... manifested the powers of an enhancer."

Damn!!

Pan Tree fruit can actually create enhancers???

Now it was Zhou Yi who was astonished: "What's the situation? Is this certain?"

"For certain."

Zheng Tao spoke bitterly, "The buyer was an Alchemist, who bought the Dead Sea Fruit to give to his fiancée as a gift. After she ate it, she became lighter, able to jump onto the rooftops and would not fall no matter what, which basically resembles the 'body control' characteristic."

"I have sinned."

"I didn't expect the Dead Sea Fruit might have such miraculous powers; selling it like this is too much of a loss. The news has already spread, and everyone is frantically buying our Dead Sea Fruits..."

Zhou Yi immediately took him to find the Mud Tree People on the Pan Tree.

"This, huh."

While munching on a sweet potato, Ni Ge said, "Chairman, this is quite normal. Although Pan Tree cannot compare to Sky-reaching Tree, its fruits occasionally yield mutated varieties."

"Some fruits may contain rather magical powers. Since it's an incomplete mutation, it doesn't show any difference in appearance, you have to eat it to find out, although the chance is very small."

"But don't worry, this is all temporary."

"Because the energy contained in the ash-absorbing fruit... oh no, the Dead Sea Fruit itself is limited. It's like eating; once you're hungry again after a meal, the previous meal no longer matters. It can only last a very short time and is of low intensity, it won't harm people."

Ni Ge said: "Sky-reaching Tree is much stronger; both Common Sense Banana and Black Thorn are cultivated from it."

Minister of Agriculture Zheng Tao was somewhat disheartened: "So it's only temporary... But that's also good. If it permanently increased one's capabilities out of nowhere, our place would likely descend into chaos, making it a target of contention and assault by all parties."

He quickly adjusted his mood, suddenly smiling: "However, it's actually good news for the company. Because currently, no one knows which fruit hides power, and which is just ordinary food."

Zhou Yi also tacitly understood.

Dead Sea Fruit had taken on the attribute of a mystery box.

This natural lottery-like property would surely make it even more popular!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.