Chapter 49: The Zombie Army! Preparing to Leave the Building!

Qingfeng Tea Factory.

Driven by the orders placed by those tea distributors, Dafai was full of enthusiasm and immediately set about preparing the order contracts.

This single order alone would allow them to recoup their entire investment.

Moreover, it was unlikely that these individuals would only purchase this single batch; this initial trial was just the beginning. If the tea sold well, they would certainly place larger orders next time.

"Gentlemen, Qingfeng tea hasn't disappointed you, has it?" Hu Quan asked with a smile as the tea merchants signed the order contracts.

The tea distributors nodded one after another.

"It was simply our lack of judgment that we didn't trust President Hu in the beginning!"

"Indeed, we must also thank President Hu for introducing us to such a procurement channel."

Hearing these remarks from the tea distributors, Lin Xuecheng felt even more confident in Qingfeng tea. He immediately turned to Lu Feng and said, "Boss Lu, please submit the relevant documents to me when you have the chance. We will help you apply for the county-level intangible cultural heritage project as soon as possible."

He was extremely proactive about this matter. While a tea-related intangible cultural heritage status might not have a massive impact in other areas, for those in the commercial sector—many of whom, like Hu Quan, loved brewing tea—the combination of intangible cultural heritage status and exceptional quality would hold immense appeal.

Furthermore, as the head of investment promotion, he might well have to rely heavily on Qingfeng tea in the future.

"Alright, I'll have Dafai prepare the documents and send them over later," Lu Feng replied with a smile. At the same time, feigning casualness, he slipped his hand into his pocket and retrieved a batch of +2 Qingfeng tea from his inventory space.

Earlier, he had placed some +2 and +3 teas into his backpack space at the Qingfeng teahouse—some in complete boxes, others in loose, opened packages—specifically to be prepared for any unexpected needs.

Lu Feng took out the package of +2 Qingfeng tea and instructed Dafai, "Dafai, signing the order is a joyous occasion. Brew this tea for everyone."

"Understood." Dafai put away the contracts and immediately took the tea.

When Lin Xuecheng and Hu Quan saw the package of tea, their eyes lit up.

They recognized it instantly as the superior-grade Qingfeng tea.

Hu Quan said expectantly to the tea merchants, "Gentlemen, you are in for a treat. This is an even higher grade of Qingfeng tea. Even tea that costs over two hundred thousand per catty cannot compare to the taste of this."

This remark immediately captured the attention of the tea distributors.

Being in the tea business, they naturally kept some fine teas on hand, but high-end teas were not something one could simply acquire at will.

Especially those priced above two hundred thousand per catty—they were truly rare.

Dafai quickly brewed a pot of tea and began pouring it for everyone.

Unable to wait, the tea distributors picked up their cups and drank. The aroma of the +2 tea, the lingering sweet aftertaste, and the invigorating effect left them instantly refreshed after just a single sip, completely captivated by the fragrance and sweetness.

"This tea aroma is truly enchanting," one tea distributor couldn't help praising.

Another added, "I once acquired a catty of tea priced at two hundred and fifty thousand, but it still seems to fall slightly short of this one."

The other tea merchants nodded in agreement.

Drinking this tea once more, Lin Xuecheng wore a look of utter intoxication. Not forgetting to promote it for Lu Feng, he said, "Gentlemen, this superior Qingfeng tea was personally roasted by Boss Lu himself. It cannot be found anywhere else on the market; this is the only place."

This genuinely astonished the distributors.

"Boss Lu has such craftsmanship?"

"High-level tea like this truly cannot be produced on a standard assembly line; it has to be hand-roasted personally by veteran masters with genuine skill!"

"Boss Lu, I wonder if you have any surplus of this kind of tea?"

This merchant's question caused the others to look at Lu Feng with eager anticipation.

If this Boss Lu possessed more of this tea, bringing even a small amount back with them would be the ultimate harvest.

Lu Feng naturally had plenty of +2 Qingfeng tea, but since he had previously told Lin Xuecheng that supplies were limited, he couldn't simply pull out large quantities in front of these tea distributors. He needed to maintain the exclusivity and prestige of the +2 Qingfeng tea.

After all, even at the main Qingfeng tea shop, the quantity of +2 tea was restricted.

Still, he explained, "Tea of this grade is extremely difficult to roast and has very stringent requirements for the raw leaves. We have to wait for the proper tea season and source the finest tender leaves to roast it. Only then can we produce tea of this quality, or even better."

He wasn't entirely lying, as he genuinely possessed +3 tea, which was the kind of tea that truly left people lingering in fond memory.

Hu Quan was clearly enticed. "Boss Lu, you can even roast tea better than this?"

Lu Feng smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'll invite President Hu to taste it when the opportunity arises."

Hu Quan hurriedly replied, "Then it's a deal."

Upon hearing this, the other tea distributors eagerly chimed in:

"Boss Lu, you mustn't forget about us either."

"That's right, if you really do have such tea, make sure to let us taste it as well."

"Indeed..."

These individuals were well aware of what a tea superior to the current Qingfeng tea represented.

That must be at the level of the absolute top-tier teas, shouldn't it?

That was the kind of tea they had no connections to acquire, let alone had ever tasted.

For this Boss Lu to be capable of roasting such tea was simply incredible.

If this matter could be verified and spread, this Boss Lu would undoubtedly become a legendary figure in both the tea industry and the art of tea appreciation.

Lu Feng naturally agreed to all their requests. He could simply find an opportunity to bring out the +3 tea and invite them over for a tea session.

Since these tea distributors had purchased 9.75 million worth of tea, Lu Feng was not stingy; he had Dafai arrange a banquet at Yucheng's finest restaurant to host them, followed by accommodations at a hotel.

After entertaining them, Lu Feng returned home. To be honest, he was still somewhat unaccustomed to such socializing. Having spent his time working in factories, he had never experienced this kind of networking before.

"Lu Feng, you're back?" Yang Qingxue's pleasantly surprised voice rang out.

As soon as Lu Feng stepped through the front door, he saw Yang Qingxue chatting with his mother.

Ever since his mother had been discharged from the hospital, Yang Qingxue had made a habit of coming over to visit her regularly.

"Xiaofeng, keep Qingxue company," Lin Shuang said with a knowing hint upon seeing her son return, before retreating to her own bedroom.

Lu Feng immediately sat down beside Yang Qingxue with a grin, unapologetically wrapping an arm around her waist. "Didn't you go to work today?"

"I have the day off today," Yang Qingxue nodded.

Lu Feng leaned in close to her ear and murmured, "Then are you staying over tonight?"

Feeling Lu Feng's hand begin to wander upward, Yang Qingxue shot him a sidelong glance.

That night, Lu Feng was naturally exceptionally happy.

... [Specific details omitted] ...

The next day.

Lu Feng received a call from Yang Ming, who had returned after settling the gold jewelry business and invited him to the teahouse for some tea.

When he arrived at the teahouse, both Yang Ming and Chen Bo were already there.

"Feng Shao," Chen Bo greeted him with his habitual smile, saying, "As soon as Yang Ming and I got back, we missed you and wanted to invite you over for tea."

Yang Ming smiled and added, "Xiaofeng, Chen Bo is telling the truth."

Lu Feng nodded. He could sense that after working together on a few matters, their relationship had grown noticeably closer, which was evident even in how they addressed him.

Previously, they called him Brother Ming or Boss Chen, which retained a degree of politeness, but things were different now.

After drinking tea for a while, Lu Feng turned to Yang Ming and said, "Cousin, I need some gas canisters again. I'm afraid I have to trouble you to help me procure some."

"Again?" Yang Ming asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Lu Feng nodded.

"Alright, I'll have someone source them," Yang Ming replied without prying further.

Lu Feng then added, "Cousin, please also help me look into what procedures are required to open a gas canister agency point. Also, could you help me find someone who knows how to tamper with gas canisters?"

To him, someone who knew how to tamper with a gas canister so that it could be detonated instantly upon ignition was absolute talent material.

Yang Ming cast another surprised look at Lu Feng.

Hearing this, he knew his cousin would require a significant number of gas canisters in the future; otherwise, he wouldn't be thinking about opening an agency point.

Yet, since his cousin didn't elaborate, he wouldn't ask. Everyone had their secrets, and as long as his cousin stayed out of trouble, he would help arrange everything else smoothly.

At noon.

Lu Feng had a meal together with Yang Ming and Chen Bo.

Afterward, he took a trip to the supermarket, purchasing several bags of fruit, snacks, and bottled beverages, before heading to the rented apartment. With a single thought, he entered the game.

Inside the Qingfeng tea shop, all four members—Lin Jiao, Xu Bin, Chen Tao, and Chen Hao—were present. Upon seeing him appear, especially with the large bags of food and fruit in his hands, they all crowded around in pleasant surprise.

"For you all," Lu Feng said.

"Thank you, Boss!" Lin Jiao accepted the items with a beaming smile, placed them on the tea table, and picked up an apple to bite into while tossing one each to Xu Bin, Chen Tao, and Chen Hao.

Lu Feng inquired, "How is it? Any results?"

Lin Jiao shook her head and replied, "Boss, we might disappoint you this time. We've already explored the lower six floors, but we didn't find any new jewelry stores. If we want to find other jewelry stores, we'll have to venture out of this department store and search outside."

"I see!" Lu Feng nodded, though he wasn't overly disappointed. After all, "Post-Apocalypse" was an entire game world, not just limited to this single department store.

He then instructed, "In that case, find a way to gather all the zombies in the ground floor lobby into one area, especially the ones outside. At the very least, clear out a passable exit path outside so that we can leave smoothly when the time comes."

Hearing this, the four of them nodded in agreement, their faces lit up with joy.

Having been trapped for so long, they were finally going to be able to leave this department store. Moreover, without the threat of mutant beasts and with the terrain to their advantage, drawing the zombies out wasn't a difficult task.

After eating a little more, the four of them left the main Qingfeng tea shop and began their operation.

Before long, continuous noises began echoing from the ground floor of the department store.

Every sound was accompanied by the agitated roars of the zombies, and the number of zombies on the ground floor began to multiply, becoming densely packed together.

The zombies outside were also gradually drawn inside by the commotion.

Half a day passed. Looking down from above, the entire ground floor had already turned into a dark, surging sea of zombies, with their numbers likely exceeding two thousand.

Now, all they needed were the gas canisters.

Otherwise, Lu Feng wouldn't dare provoke such a massive horde of zombies.

With that in mind, he logged out of the game.

Yang Ming's operational efficiency was quite high. That afternoon, Lu Feng received his call stating that the gas canisters had been prepared.

Lu Feng immediately asked him to have the gas canisters delivered directly to the apartment.