Chapter 361: The Refugees Are Coming

Chapter 361: Chapter 361: The Refugees Are Coming

After Hu Zifeng and Tang Huai replied, Xiaqing finally pressed the button. "Third Territory online."

After confirming that Territories One through Ten were all listening in, Tan Junjie read the refugee resettlement policy from beginning to end. The content was largely the same as what Tang Huai had said, with the only additions being policies protecting the refugees’ safety and rights, and a reward system for the territories that took them in.

Lords who recruited refugees to work in their territory could receive different tiers of rewards based on the number of refugees they took in. These included crop seeds, Green Light saplings, high-efficiency pesticides and fungicides, and plastic sheeting for greenhouses.

Every one of these items was enough to tempt a Lord, but not enough to convince the Lords of the Territory Alliance. The risks of bringing refugees into a territory were simply too great for an ordinary Lord to bear.

"Please report the number of refugees you intend to recruit and your requirements."

After Tan Junjie finished speaking, the first to speak up was not No.1 Territory or the Second Territory, but Xin Yu from the No. 8 Territory:

"No. 8 Territory needs 50 people, gender irrelevant, between 20 and 45 years old. Must be able-bodied, with a credit rating of Level 2 or higher. Those with work experience in a food processing plant will be given priority. They can begin working in the territory after passing a test."

After the Natural Disasters, Hua Country established a personal credit score system for its residents. Level 1 was the lowest, and residents who hadn’t killed anyone or committed any acts that seriously endangered a base were basically Level 2 or higher.

The Safe Zone administration required a personal credit rating of Level 4 or higher when recruiting staff. Xin Yu’s recruitment requirements were truly very low.

Such lax requirements would likely attract criminals. Why would Xin Yu make such an uncharacteristic decision?

The others might have had their doubts, but they wouldn’t voice them. Tang Huai, however, couldn’t hold back. "Xin Yu, you still need to recruit refugees for your factory?"

Xin Yu replied calmly, "I’m answering the call."

Everyone...

Tang Huai... ’Damn it!’

"No.1 Territory will recruit 85 people. Priority will be given to those with skills and experience in planting and animal husbandry. No age limit, credit rating must be Level 3 or higher. A territory test is required."

Hearing that No.1 Territory was actually taking so many people, Tang Huai cursed under his breath. But he could only follow the orders he’d been given and report a number 30 higher than No.1 Territory. "Second Territory will recruit 115 people. Priority to those with experience and skills in planting and animal husbandry. Age requirement 15-45, no credit rating limit. A test is required."

After No. 1 and the Second Territory finished reporting, everyone held their breath and waited for half a minute, but they didn’t hear Li Si’s voice.

This meant that the No. 9 Territory had given up on its plan to recruit refugees. Everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief: their good neighbor, Zhang San, wouldn’t have to move because of another murder.

After confirming that no other territories would be recruiting refugees, Tan Junjie announced, "The inspection team will now report the numbers and requirements for the refugees to be recruited by No.1, Second, and No. 8 Territories. Refugees who meet the conditions and are willing to work in a territory will arrive at four o’clock this afternoon. Please have the three territories make preparations in advance."

"So soon?" The first one to voice their doubt was, surprisingly, Tang Huai, the representative of the Second Territory, which was taking the most people.

Tan Junjie explained, "The refugees have been waiting outside the Safe Zone for several days and are in urgent need of placement."

Xiaqing also felt caught off guard. She had originally thought she would at least have enough time to finish enclosing the southern end of her territory with a wall before the refugees arrived.

And now? The supplies she’d bought were still at Hui Er Base, hundreds of miles away!

"Captain Tan, between ten and ten-fifteen, two planes will be arriving at the No. 8 and Third Territories. They have been approved by the relevant departments at Hui San Base. I am now filing a report with the inspection team."

Xin Yu’s calm voice was music to Xiaqing’s ears. ’As expected of a major shareholder in a large corporation. Her efficiency is top-notch!’

"The inspection team has received the notification. Will the two territories please prepare for the planes’ arrival."

"Understood." After replying to Tan Junjie, Xin Yu notified Xiaqing, "Xiaqing, when the plane arrives, it will airdrop the supplies directly over your territory. Before the plane gets there, you need to mark out the drop zone. Also, the construction crew doesn’t have its own security personnel, so you’ll need to provide protection."

"Understood, thank you."

After thanking her, Xiaqing immediately got on the phone to round up some people. "Captain Hu, I need two people over here to help with watering, and I also need Guan Tong and three others to help clear the supply drop zone. Thanks for the trouble."

After making the call, Xiaqing had no time to deal with Tang Huai, who was shouting for her on the Lord channel. She first coaxed Sheep Leader back home, then went to negotiate with the Head Wolf on the roof. "Queen, the humans who are installing the wall will be here soon. Would you and your companion like to move to the abandoned cave? It’s quieter over there."

The sister of the broken leg wolf in the sheep pen snarled and bared her teeth at Xiaqing. The Head Wolf, basking in the sun on the roof, merely turned its head and went back to sleep.

Xiaqing...

’Alright then.’

"Xiaqing, do you need any help over there?" Mrs. Zhao from Territory No. 4 asked on the Lord channel.

Qi Fu, Shi Zhong, and Kuang Qingwei quickly followed up with the same question.

"Not right now, but I’ll trouble you all if I need it later." Xiaqing, who was in the middle of choosing a spot for the supply drop, turned down her allies’ offers of help. The points she had paid Xin Yu included the installation fee.

Hearing that Xiaqing didn’t need help, Mrs. Zhao conferred with Qi Fu and Kuang Qingwei. "I want to get the southern wall of my territory up first."

Mrs. Zhao hadn’t just seen waves of refugees; she and her son had been refugees themselves. She knew that refugees living on the edge of life and death could kill each other over a small piece of food.

What was even more terrifying was that during their flight, the lack of food forced refugees to eat Red Light creatures from the Evolution Forest, which were overloaded with the Harmful Element, just to satisfy their hunger.

This caused the Harmful Element content in their bodies to exceed the maximum threshold. If they didn’t take Relaxing Capsules in time to lower it, these people could be provoked into a mindless frenzy, turning them into killing machines.

How many fleeing refugees could possibly carry enough Relaxing Capsules with them?

refugees on the brink of danger were about to arrive in this area, and Xiaqing, the strongest member of the Territory Alliance, had already started working on her wall.

Once the Third Territory’s wall was up, Territory No. 4 and the No. 9 Territory would be the closest un-walled territories to the Second Territory.

The No. 9 Territory would probably love for refugees to rush in, but Mrs. Zhao was terrified of refugees breaking into her territory. If she didn’t get that southern wall up today, she wouldn’t even be able to sleep.

Qi Fu, Kuang Qingwei, and Shi Zhong felt much the same as Mrs. Zhao. They were all in immediate agreement and decided to act at once.

Qi Fu suggested, "First, let’s use the thorn wood in our territories. We can cut it down and drag it near the road signs. As long as it can block people, it’ll do."

"The Evolved Aralia Wood we cut down to dry a few days ago has already had its ends charred by fire. We can bury them as posts and weave a thorn wall today."

Zhao Ze wasn’t much of a farmer, but he was logical when it came to construction projects. He asked Xiaqing, "Xiaqing, are you using your mini-tiller this afternoon? If not, could I borrow it? I’ll pay for the fuel and rental at market price."

The Fifth and Tenth Territories both had Strength Evolvers. Although the No. 6 Territory didn’t have any, they had more people, so their wall-building speed wouldn’t be slow either.

It was a matter of security. Lacking any Evolvers and being so close to the Second Territory, Territory No. 4 was extremely anxious.