Chapter 174: Camp Integration, Territorial Expansion (Part 2)

The importance of the hunting team goes without saying.

Of all six departments in Great Xia right now, it is the most important.

Even the Supply Department, which controls all resources, cannot compare to the hunting team's status.

The reason is simple.

First, it represents the camp's strongest armed force;

Second, meat and blood from beasts are essential supplies for everyone, the very engine sustaining the camp's survival and growth—and since the hunting team produces these two resources, its status naturally rises with the tide.

Lastly, there is Xia Hong's personal emphasis on it.

For these people in the camp, being chosen to accompany Xia Hong on expeditions to hunt cold beasts is already a great honor, not to mention the massive contribution points they receive in return.

With all these factors combined, the fifteen members of the hunting team, including Xia Chuan, immediately grew tense upon hearing Xia Hong say the first change would be to the hunting team.

Not just the hunting team members, but the fifty-odd people in Great Xia who had recently broken through to the Digging Earth realm felt the same.

They all, consciously or unconsciously, turned to look at Yuwen Tao and the other forty-odd people, feeling a growing sense of pressure.

"I have decided to disband the previous hunting team. From now on, every person in the camp who has broken through to the Digging Earth realm must register under the Hunting Department. Specific hunting operations will be organized and managed independently by sub-teams under the Hunting Department. I will no longer interfere in any beast-hunting matters, unless under special circumstances. Do you all understand?"

Upon hearing this, most people were confused, but a few—Yuwen Tao, Hong Guang, Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan—lowered their heads in thought, their eyes quickly lighting up.

"Spontaneous hunting? So, does every Digging Earth cultivator have the right to form a hunting team?"

"Leader, may I ask if hunting squads have ranks?"

"Is there a fixed rule for distributing contribution points from killing cold beasts?"

"Who decides changes in hunting squad members and the frequency of expeditions—the squad itself, or the Hunting Department?"

…………

Xia Hong did not answer any of the questions one by one; he simply kept nodding. When everyone had finished speaking, he looked up and smiled:

"Your questions are excellent, but none of them fall under my responsibility. I only proposed the reform of the Hunting Department. The specific regulations and details will be drafted by the newly appointed Chief of the Hunting Department… Yuwen Tao!"

At these words, everyone's expressions froze abruptly.

Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, Yuan Cheng, Yue Feng, and the other original members of Great Xia's hunting team all turned pale. They stared at Xia Hong, utterly bewildered; some hesitated, lips parting as if to speak, then closing again.

Unlike the Great Xia group, the forty-one Digging Earth cultivators from Mirror Immortal Camp and others wore expressions of excitement.

They all knew clearly that in any camp, hunting was paramount—if Yuwen Tao became Chief of the Hunting Department, it would surely benefit them in the future.

While others showed surprise or delight, the man himself, Yuwen Tao, remained calm. He turned and scanned the crowd, then spoke in a low, steady voice: "Leader, I am new here. I fear I am not yet capable of serving as Chief of the Hunting Department. Perhaps someone else should be chosen…"

"No need to refuse. The Hunting Department is dedicated solely to cold beast hunting, and its leader must be chosen by strength. You have led teams to kill intermediate cold beasts. Among these hundred-plus people, no one is stronger than you. You must take this position today!"

Xia Hong's gaze, laced with inquiry, swept across everyone from Great Xia, lingering a moment longer on Luo Yuan and Yuan Cheng.

If he guessed correctly, these two were the ones most interested in the position of Chief of the Hunting Department.

As expected, while others merely showed mild resentment, both men lowered their heads slightly upon meeting Xia Hong's gaze.

"However, Yuwen Tao, I must be clear: I only provide the general direction for the Hunting Department. The operational details must be discussed and established by you and your team. Managing the subordinate hunting squads is entirely your responsibility.

Since the Hunting Department is tasked with hunting, I have only one demand of you: from now on, there must be no disruption in the supply of any resource related to cold beasts. If there is, I will hold you accountable. Understood?"

All resources related to cold beasts.

Large-scale: beast meat; mid-tier: rodent organs, Tengjiao sinews, Tengjiao venom sacs; small-scale: hides and bones—but the hardest of all, still, is beast blood.

This is no easy task. According to the camp's current pricing for cold beast meat, those above the Woodcutting realm face virtually no difficulty exchanging for it; those in the Digging Earth realm need not worry at all.

Even more absurdly, those who haven't broken through to the Woodcutting realm still receive a fixed monthly free ration; even children under six years old get five catties per month.

Remember, the camp's total population has now exceeded four thousand.

To meet Xia Hong's demand under these conditions would be far from simple.

Yuwen Tao was sharp—he clearly heard the gravity in Xia Hong's tone. After a moment of silent thought, he raised his head, met Xia Hong's gaze directly, bowed deeply with clasped fists, and spoke firmly:

"Since the Leader entrusts me with this, I will spare no effort. If I truly fail to meet your demands, you may remove me from this position at once."

"Good!"

Xia Hong struck the final decision, then declared: "From today onward, I will no longer interfere in Hunting Department affairs. If I personally need to go out on a hunt due to special circumstances, I will only select one hunting squad to accompany me. Then, let your strength speak for itself."

At these words, everyone's eyes instantly brightened.

They had all witnessed Xia Hong's power in Mirror Immortal Camp.

"The Leader no longer needs us to hunt intermediate cold beasts. If he goes out personally, it's almost certainly for high-level ones…"

"Intermediate cold beasts yield at least four thousand contribution points. How many would a high-level one give? If we could join the Leader on such an expedition…"

"The Leader doesn't take any contribution points himself. Just being with him on an expedition would guarantee us a large share."

"We must form hunting squads!"

"And we must perform well enough to earn the Leader's approval!"

………………

The Great Xia group's minds were already racing. Especially Luo Yuan and Yuan Cheng—they had begun scanning the crowd for suitable squad members.

Hong Guang, Hong Tian, and the other Mirror Immortal cultivators reacted less strongly; after all, they were newcomers and still didn't fully grasp the benefits of accompanying Xia Hong on hunts.

"Now that the Hunting Department is settled, next is the Supply Department and the Artisan Department. The Artisan Department Chief will remain Mu Dong for now. The Supply Department Chief will be chosen by Xia Chuan."

Cheng Feng and Bai Dongying have ample experience; you two will continue as Chiefs of the Gathering and Woodcutting Departments respectively.

Finally, the Exploration Department…"

As he spoke of the Exploration Department, Xia Hong paused, his eyes signaling Xia Chuan.

Xia Chuan nodded slightly, took a beast-skin scroll from behind him, slowly unrolled it, and hung it directly above the stove, facing everyone.

The hundred-odd people gathered around the stove, upon seeing the scroll's contents, felt a spark of awe in their eyes, their expressions growing more animated.

The scroll was unmistakably a map.

A map radiating westward from the valley as its center.

Though the map clearly marked terrain and distances, Xia Hong stood up to ensure everyone could see clearly, pointing as he explained:

"Centered on the valley, five kilometers west lies Redwood Ridge; six kilometers south is the Xing River as the boundary; north encompasses the entire Arrow Bamboo Forest, extending to the basin—about twenty kilometers. This entire area, totaling roughly three hundred square kilometers, is now officially Great Xia's territory!"

On the map, Xia Hong had outlined a long, north-south strip, but with a large eastern extension at the top.

When the crowd saw the characters "Great Xia" marked at the center of this territory, their faces lit up with unspoken emotion, their excitement growing.

The original Great Xia members needed no explanation—just a year ago, they had been huddled on that hillside, barely surviving day to day.

This past year had felt like a dream.

Without realizing it, Great Xia now controlled such a vast territory;

Even those who joined later—Luo Yuan, Huang Yong, Hong Gang—felt the same.

Not to mention their current Digging Earth cultivation. Weapons, cold beast meat, clothing, leather goods, wooden items, coal, iron ore… everything Great Xia possessed today, they would never have dared to imagine half a year ago.

Three hundred square kilometers—exclusive territory of Great Xia—far exceeded their comprehension. Not just the small camps like Huang Zhao, Da Chuan, and Da Shi, but even Luo Ge's camp, previously the strongest on Redwood Ridge, held less than one-tenth of today's Great Xia territory;

Yuwen Tao and the other forty-two people were equally stunned.

Mirror Immortal Camp certainly had its own sphere of influence, but they had never seen their domain so clearly laid out on a map.

And three hundred square kilometers struck them just as hard.

Even if Mirror Immortal Camp had included the entire Arrow Bamboo Forest, its former territory still fell short of half of Great Xia's current holdings. No wonder everyone reacted so strongly—even Xia Hong, gazing at the territory he had drawn himself, felt his spirit stir.

Others' sense of territory was merely abstract.

But he had actually walked every inch of it.

Every inch he had drawn, he had personally visited.

The Xing River to the south, the basin to the north, the Twin Dragon Cliffs to the east, the four-kilometer depth of Redwood Ridge to the west—every boundary of Great Xia's territory today had been measured by his own feet.

Who could understand this territory better than he?

"Before speaking of the Exploration Department, I mention territory…

First, to give you all a clear sense of Great Xia's current domain.

Second, to define the Exploration Department's mission…"

Xia Hong paused, then pointed to the northern and western edges of the map:

!.

"To the west lies the heart of Redwood Ridge. Expansion in this direction depends solely on me and the Hunting Department venturing inward;

To the north, the northwestern basin is Pingxi Plain. The nearest beehive camp there is roughly equal in strength to ours, but behind them lies the Longyou Alliance—so until we establish contact, we should avoid expanding northward;

To the east, the Twin Dragon Cliffs block us—no need to discuss it; the mountain terrain is too complex and unsuitable for our expansion.

Therefore…"

Xia Hong fell silent, then pointed southward on the map:

"To the south is currently the best direction for our expansion."

On the map, the two landmarks—Xing River and Xing Valley Pass—were clearly marked. As everyone's eyes focused on them, Xia Hong continued:

"The Xing River is about five li wide. Along its northern bank—our side—is a slope rising steadily from west to east, densely forested with tall trees, and connected to the cliff wall. I've been there before; without doubt, this entire area likely contains many human camps."

Xia Hong took a piece of coal and traced a line along the northern bank of the Xing River, up the cliff wall, all the way eastward.

"If I'm not mistaken, this route eastward should connect to the outer world beyond the eastern side of the Twin Dragon Cliffs. If He Yuanhun didn't lie to us, this stretch is at least two hundred kilometers long."

Two hundred kilometers along the northern bank of the Xing River—connecting to the outside world…

Instantly, the eyes of everyone gathered around the stove went blank with shock.

Curiosity toward the unknown, the urge to explore the outside—these are human nature.

Even the perilous Ice Abyss world could not extinguish this nature.

Whether Great Xia's people or Yuwen Tao and the others, hearing this for the first time from Xia Hong, their eyes burned with intense interest.

"The Exploration Department, recently formed, must now focus its efforts on this entire northern bank of the Xing River. Of course, I'm not asking you to explore all two hundred kilometers at once. Expand eastward gradually, according to your own strength."

Two hundred kilometers—such a vast area. Even if given to the entire camp, or even if Xia Hong himself went out, the risk would be enormous. Rapid exploration was impossible.

The Pioneer Department was established half a month ago, but progress was delayed due to He Yuanhun's incident; I recall selecting thirty people earlier...

Xia Hong paused here, his gaze sweeping over the group from Great Xia.

Among the sixty to seventy people, a large number gradually stepped forward.

Xu An, Shi Ping, Liu Yuan, Li Yuankun, Hong Mu...

Xia Hong immediately recognized several familiar faces at the front.

Counting the total number who stepped forward, he found exactly thirty—Xia Hong nodded slightly, a flicker of understanding passing through him.

When the Pioneer Department was first proposed half a month ago, there weren't enough Digging Realm cultivators, so we had no choice but to select from the Woodcutting Realm, using the same method as the first hunting team: combat against wooden dummies.

Those chosen were already top performers in the Woodcutting Realm, so it was natural they broke through into the Digging Realm earlier than others during the recent surge.

Perfect—it saved us a lot of trouble!

"Terraforming and expansion is no less dangerous than hunting. Earlier, we lacked Digging Realm cultivators and were forced to pick from the Woodcutting Realm. Now that we have enough personnel, we'll establish a rule: from now on, anyone wishing to join the Pioneer Department must have at least Digging Realm cultivation, just like the Hunting Department."

Naturally, no one objected—but when everyone noticed Xia Hong's gaze beginning to scan the crowd after speaking, their expressions turned tense.

With the general plan for the Pioneer Department now settled, the next step was to appoint the Department Head.

Clearly, Xia Hong was searching for a candidate.

After scanning for a while, his gaze finally settled behind Yuwen the Guardian.

Hong Guang, Hong Tian, Meng Yi, Zhu Ling, and Zhu Yuan felt Xia Hong's gaze and instinctively straightened their chests.

As Xia Hong had just said, terraforming is no less perilous than hunting.

The Department Head's strength was certainly a key consideration.

Of these five, they were clearly the most suitable by strength alone.

But honestly, choosing among these five might upset the others on the left—Xia Chuan and his group.

Currently, Great Xia nominally has six departments, but in terms of actual power, the Hunting and Pioneer Departments clearly overshadow the other four.

Yuwen the Guardian already leads the Hunting Department; if we now assign the Pioneer Department to someone who just joined from Mirror Immortal Camp, Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, and the others would surely object.

Seeing Xia Chuan and Luo Yuan's hesitant expressions, Xia Hong paused, reconsidered, and swallowed the appointment he was about to announce.

"Here's what we'll do: I don't have a clear candidate to appoint outright. The Pioneer Department's most urgent goal right now is to increase the camp's population. For one month, Xia Chuan will temporarily oversee it. After a month, whoever brings in more people will become the Department Head. What do you think?"

I agree. The leader's suggestion is sound. The purpose of terraforming and land reclamation is to increase the camp's population. Strength matters, but the ability to win people's hearts matters too. Let's compare over a month—whoever proves more capable gets the position.

The first to speak in agreement after Xia Hong finished was none other than Yuwen the Guardian.

No one expected it—the Digging Realm cultivators all turned to stare.

Hong Guang and the other four, upon hearing Xia Hong's challenge, had already shown faint displeasure; now, with Yuwen the Guardian's support, their expressions turned utterly bewildered.

Even Great Xia's group was surprised—anyone could see Xia Hong had been forced into this compromise by their pressure; it made no sense for Yuwen the Guardian to support it.

"I agree too. Let's compete—we'll see who's truly more suitable!"

Only Xia Chuan also voiced his agreement with Xia Hong's proposal, then turned to look at Yuwen the Guardian, a flicker of approval in his eyes.

"He understands the bigger picture. Good."

Xia Hong showed no outward reaction, merely silently praising Yuwen the Guardian in his mind, then continued slowly:

"We've finished discussing the six departments. Today, I must also announce another camp appointment..."

All eyes from Great Xia immediately turned to Xia Chuan.

Xia Chuan had already been stripped of his position in the Supply Department, and his role in the Pioneer Department was only temporary for a month—he was now the only one without an official post.

Noticing the stares, Yuwen the Guardian and the others realized a new post was being given to Xia Chuan; their expressions turned curious.

They all knew of the bond between Xia Chuan and Xia Hong, and naturally wondered what position Xia Hong would assign his younger brother.

"From now on, the camp will establish the position of Deputy Chancellor, who will oversee all internal and external affairs of the six departments in my stead. When I am absent, the Deputy Chancellor is me—everyone must obey his orders..."

Xia Hong paused, then declared directly:

"The Deputy Chancellor shall be Xia Chuan!"

Upon this final announcement, the faces of Great Xia's group on the left lit up with deep joy, gazing at Xia Chuan with reverence and congratulations.

Clearly, they were thoroughly satisfied and fully endorsed this appointment.

In contrast, those on the right—Yuwen the Guardian and his group—were not.

Especially Hong Guang, Hong Tian, Meng Yi, Zhu Ling, and Zhu Yuan, who had just lost the chance to lead the Pioneer Department, wore clear traces of resentment.

(End of Chapter)