Chapter 2528

"This Baishong City was originally just a small town with fewer than three hundred people. Ten years ago, Song State relocated two hundred thousand people here, expanding it into a city. Over the following years, the population kept growing until it reached its current size." He Lingchuan said, "Relocating people isn't difficult. Nowadays, rural civilians are flooding into the cities in large numbers, and local jobs are hard to find. The authorities just need to tell them there are good opportunities, good jobs, and good pay here, and naturally someone will come. However, the noodle shop owner wasn't wrong—elderly people, Baishong City doesn't want."

"In other words, these several hundred thousand people are all very young."

"The first few years of the new city's expansion were indeed exhausting. But four years later, once the city was built, it became routine operations, with nothing overly burdensome. Compared to other places, making money here is easy and safe, life is much better, yet the authorities still refuse to let elderly people reside here and continue to reward mutual reporting. Once someone is found hiding an elderly person and the authorities discover it during a search, the welfare benefits for the entire street or alley are reduced. Such incidents have occurred dozens of times before and after, and in recent years, they are rarely heard of."

"Guilt by association?" Ling Jinbao grew increasingly curious, "Then what exactly does this city rely on for revenue?"

"Just as those several dockworkers said, there are mines to the north with considerable output; outside the city there is a lake with extremely abundant fishing yields; additionally, there is farmland near the city, but it all belongs to the government, which specially organizes tenant farmers for large-scale cultivation, though it does not sell to individuals."

Others suddenly understood: "No wonder there are so few villages outside the city."

"Exactly, only the farms where tenant farmers work." He Lingchuan repeated, "Moreover, they go into the mountains to gather herbs and hunt; also, the embroidery workshops and workshops in the city employ large numbers of embroiderers and artisans, whose products are exquisite and renowned far and wide."

Zhu Xiuer listened but still had no concept, while Ling Jinbao shook his head: "Just this? It can't support the livelihood of a city's population."

"The key point is, Baishong City's main task is to provide material transit for Yanxiao Bay to the north."

"Material... transit?"

"Yes. Goods that need to be transported from elsewhere to Yanxiao Bay are first unloaded and sorted in Baishong City—some are kept, others are loaded onto vehicles and then sent north by dedicated personnel. This is also the primary livelihood for the city's able-bodied youth." He Lingchuan concluded, "At least two hundred thousand people are engaged in this labor. According to his account, Baishong City is essentially a massive transfer hub!"

Thus, the next question naturally arose:

"How many people are there in Yanxiao Bay, requiring so much material?"

"He doesn't know."

"Eh?"

"That place is very mysterious." He Lingchuan said solemnly, "The authorities told them there is a spacetime rift there, where monsters frequently breach from other worlds into the human realm, so Song State has stationed a powerful army there to defend the nation's peace. And Baishong City is the army's vast rear base, with large quantities of supplies transferred through here. The city also benefits from the military's presence, enjoying a prosperous life."

Dong Rui's eyebrows shot up high:

"They believed it?"

"What reason do they have not to believe it? That's the official statement." He Lingchuan shrugged, "Besides, such incidents did indeed happen before—seven or eight years ago, several monsters emerged from the seaside into Baishong City's interior, devoured half a village's population, and were finally slain by the army. Their corpses were hung at Baishong City's gate as a public warning, also advising everyone not to stay overnight outside the city casually, as there is danger to life. Look, this doesn't just confirm the official claim?"

"The seaside monsters, eating people..." Ling Jinbao pondered, "They are probably mostly monsters or monster puppets that escaped from Yanxiao Bay?"

"In any case, the people of Baishong City should have believed it. They perhaps only wanted a reassuring reason." Who would give up good days to live, blindly suspecting this, blindly suspecting that?

Ling Jinbao scratched his head: "Today, while strolling through Baishong City and observing the people on the streets, I always felt something was off, but couldn't quite put my finger on it."

"Speak up as soon as you realize it." Ling Jinbao is also very perceptive, especially with a keen sense for danger. This is also why He Lingchuan brought him into the city for adventure.

At this moment, an eyeball spider slipped in through the window corner, swaying as it jumped onto He Lingchuan's shoulder.

Dong Rui laughed: "When did this little scout sneak out?"

Eyeball spiders usually stay on He Lingchuan's body and rarely go out alone—

Unless assigned a task.

Zhu Xiuer said: "You've only walked four or five streets—too few. I'll go wander around myself."

The three outsiders are too conspicuous; before returning to the inn, He Lingchuan still encountered patrol officers checking along the street—those without credentials are considered suspicious and subject to arrest.

The little spider thus had no one watching it.

"Any new discoveries?"

"It gets dark early here, and the people also go to bed early—there are hardly any lights lit in the alleys." Zhu Xiuer's little scout said, "Otherwise, I didn't see anything unusual, just that this city is everywhere filled with red-thread lilies—I don't know whether they grow naturally or were planted later."

"Red-thread lily?" Even Dong Rui was seeing this plant for the first time, "What's wrong with it?"

Due to climate and soil conditions, some plants can be called local dominants—for example, everywhere in Panlong City are osmanthus trees, while in Ju City the purple bauhinia is especially beautiful, and when in bloom, the entire city is filled with purple clouds.

Meanwhile, Lingxu City and Ju City themselves specialize in planting roadside trees—for dust absorption, aesthetics, and air improvement. Different cities, different geographical conditions, often correspond to different tree species.

"Yellow-flower red-thread lily—you can see it just by looking out the window."

There are five trees in the courtyard.

The three turned toward the window at the sound; the sky had already darkened, but relying on their eyesight, they easily saw one tree covered in small yellow flowers, the petals' color tender like scrambled eggs, yet each petal bore a red thread, hidden within the flower spike.

This is probably how it got its name.

A breeze blew by, bringing floral fragrance.

Zhu Xiuer also said: "Smell it well."

Ling Jinbao sniffed downwind twice: "Now that you mention it, huh, this scent is quite invigorating. Is it poisonous?"

The scent of the red-thread lily is somewhat sweet yet somewhat invigorating.

"No toxicity. Its fragrance can make people exhilarated, spirits active, energy abundant, but it does not harm people." The little spider tapped its front legs, "I just walked a few streets and found red-thread lilies at every street corner and alley end—city residents have probably grown accustomed to smelling it."

He Lingchuan asked: "Any problems?"

"The red-thread lily blooms year-round, but it's rarely seen on land—I've only encountered it once before on a small island in the Endless Sea. Baishong City actually has so many of them; it might as well rename itself Red-Thread Lily City!" Zhu Xiuer also learned He Lingchuan's art of selling secrets, saving the most important news for last: "It also has a very special effect—gentlely raising yang."

"Eh? Invigorate or strengthen?" Dong Rui instantly perked up, "Tell me in detail!"

The little spider's dozens of eyeballs all stared at him together: "It's all the same thing—nothing more to say. It just has this function, but it won't harm human lives or damage people's fundamentals."