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Why vague? Because back then, supplies were extremely limited and irreplaceable.

Demand far outstripped supply, driving trade prices sky-high.

But now, her base had the resources and potential to become a major trading hub in this apocalyptic world.

That meant pricing needed to be handled with care—too high, and it would breed resentment; too low, and it would undermine the benefits and privileges reserved for the base’s residents.

So, Kisha knew she needed to consult with the other leaders. Fortunately, even though she was far from the base, she could still communicate through the system chat.

…

[Kisha Aldens: @everyone I’m currently outside the city and have encountered survivors from other settlements. I plan to bring them into the base to help kickstart trade operations.

@DanteWinters, please inform the Supply Center and the marketplace stall owners to begin preparing their products for display.

We need to conduct basic customer market research to help us set fair retail prices.

Also, establish clear rules and regulations for stall owners, and assign some members of the City Patrol to maintain order in the marketplace.

We also need to kickstart the use of crystal cores as currency in the Supply Center. Many of our warriors have accumulated a substantial amount of cores, which they usually use for training.

As of now, the Supply Center is only accessible to residents at discounted rates. I propose we open it to outsiders as well, but with a different pricing system for non-residents. The same tiered pricing model should apply to marketplace stall owners.]

[Kisha Aldens: @DariusWinters Please take the lead in drafting and implementing the rules and regulations for the marketplace. We need to ensure everything operates under our authority to prevent stall owners from scamming others or outsiders causing trouble for our people.

@AstonMcMillan Assign members from the City Patrol to maintain order and oversee marketplace security while Bald Eagle is away.]

[Darius Winters: @KishaAldens You got it. I’ll have my team start working on a set of guidelines that will protect our people, prevent exploitation, and still be fair to outsiders. After all, most of the trade will likely come from survivors of other settlements. (???)]

[Aston McMillan: Understood, City Lord. Consider it done.]

[Dante Winters: @KishaAldens You make a solid point. Preserving the privileges and benefits for our residents will motivate them to work harder for the Base. At the same time, survivors from other settlements will be more eager to earn a place here.

However, with our population steadily growing, space will eventually become limited. We’ll need to establish clear standards for granting permanent residency. Also, having distinct pricing between residents and outsiders makes perfect sense from both a business and logistical standpoint.]

[Dante Winters: My team and I will start working on the pricing. Just to confirm—are we basing everything on crystal cores?]

[Kisha Aldens: Yes. Didn’t we already post the crystal core-to-work-point conversion at the Supply Center before? Let’s stick with the current work points pricing as our model, but increase the prices a bit for outsiders.]

[Dante Winters: Alright, that makes things simpler. I’ll come up with fair retail prices so it won’t look like we’re trying to rip them off.]

[Kisha Aldens: Thanks, Dad. (^_^)]

[Dante Winters:（＾ｕ＾）b]

[Olivia Winters: @KishaAldens Daughter-in-law, would it be possible for some of our people to open stalls in the marketplace as well? My little workshop is ready to set up a textile factory now that you’ve gathered all the textile machines. We’ve also got a large amount of fabric.

Although we’re currently focused on completing the uniforms for the warriors—and the first batch for the leaders, captains, and some of the frontline warriors is ready to be distributed—we also have seamstresses working on everyday clothing like jackets and casual wear.

It would be great to offer those through our own stalls too. ]

[Kisha Aldens: @OliviaWinters Oh, right! Now that you mention it, we almost forgot about this after securing the machines. Clothing is definitely one of the essentials.

Mom, you can absolutely open a clothing stall in the marketplace specifically for outsiders, where pricing can be set differently.

At the same time, we should allocate a separate building for an official clothing store dedicated to our residents.

That way, they’ll have a place to conveniently order clothing when needed.

For now, though, our top priority should be completing the uniforms for the warriors. These uniforms will represent our base’s strength and order—they’ll reassure our residents and also serve as a deterrent to outsiders, reinforcing discipline.

Still, let’s assign around 20% of the seamstresses to work on other clothing for the residents.

As for the stack of clothes we brought from the Port City warehouse, go ahead and put those up for sale at the stall so you can focus your team on the uniforms. Also, try to find a suitable building to install the textile machines and start recruiting more people to operate them. ]

[Olivia Winters: @KishaAldens Great plan! (^_) I’ll get started right away. I’ll also post more job openings in the Central Hall to recruit and train additional seamstresses and tailors for the clothing workshop.]

[Tristan: @KishaAldens Young Madam, may I return to HOPE Base to assist with everything?

There’s going to be a lot of coordination needed, and I can help relay messages between departments and support the planning.

Since I handled the site inspections, I already know which building would be ideal for the new textile factory.

I can also assist Mr. Winters with the preparations for the marketplace. ]

[Kisha Aldens: @Tristan Alright, head to the forest and enter the portal—find Marcus so he can open the path back to HOPE Base for you. Thanks for stepping up to help!]

[Tristan: @KishaAldens Just doing my job, Young Madam.]

…

Now that Kisha had finished coordinating with the other leaders and issued instructions to prepare for the incoming survivors and the start of trade, she finally felt at ease enough to answer Jason’s earlier question.

“Fifty-seven crystal cores will definitely be enough to get you some supplies,” she said.

“We have medicine, clean water, canned goods, and various other food items. You’ll be able to choose what you want, but of course, that amount won’t buy you a truckload.

You’ll need to keep pushing forward, kill more zombies, and gather more crystal cores if you want to stock up. ”

“Really?! You have medicine?!” the cowardly woman suddenly exclaimed, perking up with wide eyes. Her excitement was so genuine, it was like she’d just spotted an oasis in the middle of a desert.

Kisha turned to look at her, surprised by the sudden outburst. “Yes,” she replied, watching the woman closely. “All kinds of medicine.”

The woman’s face lit up with overwhelming relief, tears welling up in her eyes. Adam gently patted her on the shoulder, offering quiet support.

“That’s good news,” he said softly. “Your son… he’ll be saved now.”

“Her son?” Kisha asked, her curiosity piqued. “Is he sick?”

Adam nodded, glancing at the emotional woman beside him before explaining softly, “He’s been sick for a long time.

He was born with a heart condition, and we’ve run out of his usual medication.

That’s why his mother came with us, even though she’s so scared — she wanted to find medicine for him.

Most of the small pharmacies don’t have what he needs, so we hoped the big city hospital might. ”

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