Chapter 309 - 160: "You Have to Be Alive to Spend It.

Chapter 309: Chapter 160: "You Have to Be Alive to Spend It.

’Is he trying to shoo away a beggar?’

His monthly salary was 100 Ghost Stones. Three Ghost Stones wasn’t even what he earned in a single day.

He didn’t say a word.

Basically, all Mortal Realm Members maintained a cold and detached attitude toward outsiders. There was no helping it. The Punishment Pavilion was always issuing new gag orders—this couldn’t be revealed, that couldn’t be revealed.

If they revealed anything, they’d be dealt with as traitors.

They genuinely didn’t dare to speak.

The main reason was that they knew far too much.

’And the higher-ups... when you do things, could you at least try to hide it from us a little? We’d rather not know, really.’

For example...

Even he, just an Ordinary official member of the Mortal Realm, could vaguely guess why the Mortal Realm was recruiting fifty thousand people this time. What else could it be for? It had to be for pioneering the New Continent. As for how he knew...

’That thing...’

The Domain Lord had personally held a memorial service for the brothers from the Commerce Pavilion who had died. It was carved clearly on the monument.

-

"In the three hundred and seventy-ninth year of the Eternal Night Calendar."

"The Mortal Realm Commerce Pavilion crossed the seas in search of new territory and succeeded in pioneering a new land..."

-

’Who wouldn’t know about that?’

The brothers were all discussing it in private. They said the Domain Lord was intentionally watching to see if anyone leaked information to the outside, as a way to screen for traitors. Who would dare talk to outsiders at a time like this? A single sentence might give something away.

Seeing that this Mortal Realm Member was unwilling to share any information,

the middle-aged man gave a few awkward, self-deprecating laughs and went back to his place in line.

"Next."

There were seven lines in total.

At the front of each line stood a member of the Logistics Pavilion, rapidly screening applicants.

"..."

The Logistics Pavilion member in charge of the first line was a young man, not much more than a teenager. He had been a member of the Wild Wolf Gang and was among the first to join the Mortal Realm. He looked at the person who had just stepped up.

First, he used the wooden mallet in his hand to tap all over the man’s body.

’No major health issues.’

"Say a few words. Anything."

"Uh, sir, I come from a village in Jiangnan. I’m the only man in my family. My background is completely clean. I’ve come here to..."

"That’s enough."

The Logistics Pavilion member cut him off. After sizing him up carefully once more, he picked up a Mortal Realm auxiliary member Token from the side and waved his hand. "You pass. Go to Plaza Three in Mortal City. Someone will be there to receive you."

"Next."

The main purpose of the second step was to check if their minds were sound.

It might seem like a simple test, but many people, when asked to say a few words, would just stammer and hesitate, unable to string a coherent sentence together. Being able to speak clearly and form a complete thought with a beginning and an end was already considered quite good.

Just then—

The next person to step up was an older, middle-aged man. His skin was extremely coarse, clearly marked by days of hard labor. He looked at the Logistics Pavilion member with some trepidation.

"Uh... Brother Tian, it’s me... Xiaozhang."

"..."

The Logistics Pavilion member in charge of recruitment raised an eyebrow. He recognized the man before him. During the last rainy season in Jiangbei City, when his Wild Wolf Gang was defending the city, this man had brought them food.

He ran a breakfast stall.

’He used to call me Little Heaven, but he’s changed his tune now.’

"Uncle Zhang."

The Logistics Pavilion member smiled. "Why aren’t you running your breakfast stall anymore?"

"Can’t make any money..."

"You want to join the Mortal Realm?"

"Yes."

The Logistics Pavilion member picked up a Token from the side and handed it to Uncle Zhang. "Go to Plaza Three. Someone will receive you."

"Huh?"

The middle-aged man stood frozen, glancing around uneasily. He lowered his voice and said, "Brother Tian, I know you’re trying to look out for me for old times’ sake, but you should still go through the process. This could be bad for you."

’He hadn’t expected Brother Tian to be so loyal.’

’But he should at least grab the mallet and give me a few symbolic taps, just like with everyone else.’

"No need."

Little Heaven laughed. "We’re also recruiting cooks. Cooks don’t need to be in great physical shape. It’s fine even if you’re a bit disabled. As long as you can cook."

...

「Inside Mortal City」

Recruitment was in full swing.

Meanwhile, the neighboring Xiyang City was just as bustling.

"Here, here! Shove in another bag! We can still squeeze more in."

A High-speed Rail train was parked inside Xiyang City, surrounded by members of the Hundred Valleys Pavilion. They were stuffing large bags of grain into the train cars until they were packed to the brim.

Only then did the High-speed Rail slowly pull out of Xiyang City and head toward the Port.

Soon, the next High-speed Rail arrived.

The work of loading grain continued.

As the saying goes, an army marches on its stomach. Food for so many people had to be sent to the New Continent first.

Fortunately, they had stockpiled a massive amount of grain over the past several days.

The Domain Lord had given them a mission: stockpile enough grain for the Mortal Realm to hold out for three years, based on the worst-case scenario that all Four Areas Jiangbei were overrun by Ghost Objects.

But—

There were just too many High Level Spiritual Fields in Xiyang City.

The crops grew too fast.

So, the Hundred Valleys Pavilion Master had taken it upon himself to expand the mission.

"Stockpile grain based on the worst-case scenario that the entire Eternal Night Continent falls, and the Mortal Realm must defend Jiangbei for ten years."

They really had stockpiled an immense amount of grain.

But the sudden demand from fifty thousand people had still nearly emptied their granaries. They had to keep planting, and fast.

When this High-speed Rail came to a stop,

"Coming through, make way!"

Ah Le, the Vice Pavilion Master of the Hundred Valleys Pavilion, was seen leading a group of Hundred Valleys Pavilion members, herding pigs, cattle, sheep, and chickens into the train cars. The growth of these animals couldn’t be accelerated, and the Mortal Realm didn’t have many. The only reason they had a decent number was because they had been frantically buying them up recently.

"Pavilion Master Qi."

Ah Le looked at Qi Chong with a serious expression. "You have to make sure they’re frugal with this over there. There really isn’t much meat. We barely ate any ourselves during the rainy season."