Chapter 416: Chapter 159: Assembling and Buying Vehicles, Qingping Merchant Team! (With Images)

In the morning they were discussing investing in a shop, and by noon they signed the merchant team investment contract.

Cooperation in the Wasteland was far more straightforward than Cheng Ye had imagined; no lengthy negotiations, no complex terms. The two went straight to the notary office.

In this simple bungalow with only three tables and six chairs, they picked up the investment template handed over by the staff and signed without hesitation.

There was no issue of going public or any special regulations.

The investment agreement was so simple it was practically rough; its core function was just to serve as a voucher for withdrawing Contribution Points from the bank.

However, the agreement clearly stated in black and white that Matthew Lee would invest twenty thousand Contribution Points in a lump sum, enjoying 40% of future earnings from the merchant team.

20% of the profits would serve as operating funds for the merchant team, used for vehicle repairs, team members’ salaries, emergency supplies, etc.

The remaining 40% would go to Cheng Ye.

To outsiders, it seemed that Cheng Ye had gained earnings equivalent to twenty thousand Contribution Points with just an "idea," sure to be profitable.

But both understood that this wasn’t a proper way to account for it.

The merchant team was a long-term management project. Cheng Ye needed to select and train team members, and he constantly needed to plan and adjust routes.

Matthew Lee’s investment didn’t mean he could lie back and earn without worries in the future.

Whenever trouble arises, the two must face it together.

This includes the early stage of marking spots on the route, which Matthew Lee, the Third-stage Inspector, could not help but assist with.

"Should we name the merchant team?" After signing the agreement, Matthew Lee held the application form and looked at Cheng Ye.

Cheng Ye blurted out almost without thinking, "Let’s call it Integrity Merchant Team."

"That simple?" Matthew Lee was surprised, repeating it twice, "That name is too ordinary. It sounds no different from those small merchant teams that just rent a vehicle and run short distances, not impressive at all."

"We’re not after impressive, we’re after down-to-earth," Cheng Ye explained with a smile. "The merchant team is just starting, and we need to interact with residents of Satellite Cities and other merchant teams. A flashy name would seem distant. The word ’integrity’ sounds reliable at first glance and makes people feel assured to cooperate with us."

Saying that, he handed in the filled application form.

But surprisingly, the name had already been registered by someone else.

"See, I told you!" Matthew Lee immediately chimed in, a bit pridefully, "Names like Integrity, Solidarity, and Pioneer can be found in dozens of merchant teams in every Shelter City; they’re all over the place. Once our merchant team gains notoriety, if people mention Integrity Merchant Team, they wouldn’t even know which one it is. It diminishes value."

"How about Wild Horse Merchant Team! Taking ’wild’ from your name and ’horse’ from mine, it’s catchy and grand, sounds unyielding!"

"Sure," Cheng Ye nodded, changed the name to Wild Horse Merchant Team, and handed it in again.

The staff tapped a few times on the terminal and looked up, "Sorry, this name is also registered."

"Who registered it? Get him to make way for us!" Matthew Lee was astonished.

"It was registered by Dawn Inspector," the staff quickly replied.

"Uh..." Matthew Lee’s vigor instantly deflated. He sat back in the chair dejectedly and murmured, "The Fourth-stage Inspector of you Eastern People is also the money-making genius of our inspection station. The past few years, he’s been in the top five earners among inspectors, overseeing more than ten merchant teams, quite the maverick..."

He continued to murmur, "Why did he choose that name for a merchant team?"

Cheng Ye couldn’t help but laugh, pondering for a while. Suddenly an idea came to him: "Why not call it Qingping Merchant Team?"

Since common names have been snatched up, let’s go for a niche high-end route instead.

Sometimes, an uncommon name stands out more, and it helps distinguish from small merchant teams right from the start. Isn’t this another form of "down-to-earth"?

"The one with the saying ’The wind rises from the ends of the green mountains’?"

"You know that?"

"I have quite a few old books at home, I’ll show you sometime." He said, pointing towards the Inner City, with a gentle smile Cheng Ye had never seen before.

"Is it for the child?"

"Yeah." Matthew Lee nodded, his tone full of expectation, "I plan to raise him to be a researcher. I don’t want him to inherit this inspector’s mess; fighting infection sources in the station or scheming against people outside is too tiring. Also, if he goes into research, it will free up an inspector slot in the station; it’s a win-win."

Is that so?

Cheng Ye smiled but wasn’t fully convinced by what Matthew Lee said.

Being a researcher in Happiness City isn’t an easy way either. The research institute has its own complex rules, a place that only cares about output, not contribution.

Unless Matthew Lee’s child is exceptionally gifted in research, going there would just be jumping from one cage to another.

But an inspector who understands research and technology is entirely different.

Especially since Qin Feng mentioned that the inspection station needs to establish its own research institute.

Just as he was thinking, the application form was returned, and this name was finally unclaimed and successfully approved.

Cheng Ye took the application form and looked at the printed words "Qingping Merchant Team," feeling a sudden sense of steadiness.

From a vague idea to finalizing the plan, signing the agreement, and now having a name.

Qingping Merchant Team became his first entrepreneurial project to take root in the Wasteland.

"Qingping..." Matthew Lee looked at the name, softly repeating it several times, the smile in his eyes growing, "It’s truly a good name! It might not be prominent at first, but as soon as the wind blows, it can spread throughout the Buffer Zone and all Satellite Cities. Our merchant team might really make a big impact in the future!"