Chapter 96: Camp Wins Hearts

Finally, four large knives were handed to Luo Yuan, Zhao Long, Hong Gang, and Yuan Cheng; the remaining eleven all received bows.

“Leader, of the remaining twenty-one, Cheng Feng held out the longest.”

“Cheng Feng, pays homage to the Leader!”

As Xia Chuan finished speaking, a middle-aged man in his early thirties stepped forward from behind and bowed respectfully to Xia Hong.

Xia Hong nodded, glancing at the twenty people behind Cheng Feng who had not been selected for the first hunting team.

As previously stated, these twenty-one would now form the logging team, with Cheng Feng, the strongest among them, appointed as team leader.

While accompanying the hunting team on excursions, the logging team would only cut trees in the outer zones, rarely encountering danger; even if they did, the hunting team could arrive promptly within the current hunting grounds of Great Xia, so no weapons were needed—only basic logging tools.

Yet seeing the obvious dejection on their faces, Xia Hong’s heart stirred slightly; he glanced at the fifteen hunters and said loudly: “Don’t be discouraged if you weren’t chosen this time. I said it before: though these fifteen hunters enjoy hunting team rations, their status is only temporary. Only those who break through to Excavation Realm will become true hunting team members.”

“You fifteen enjoy the camp’s best resource allocation, so you should break through to Excavation Realm fastest. If anyone from the logging team breaks through before you, the one ranked lowest in the selection will be replaced—let the logging team member take your place.”

Upon hearing this, the fifteen newly selected hunters immediately grew visibly tense; in contrast, the logging team members brightened considerably.

“Moreover, I am currently serving as hunting team leader. Whoever among you breaks through to Excavation Realm first and demonstrates the ability to lead a hunt will be appointed team leader—his rations will double those of a regular hunting team member!”

Double?

A regular hunting team member receives ten catties daily.

Then the leader gets… twenty catties a day?

Realizing this astonishing figure, everyone’s expressions turned fiery, their breathing quickened.

With the hunting and logging teams now finalized, Xia Hong raised his head and noticed all eyes in the camp remained fixed on him.

Seeing the cold beast meat already laid out before him, Xia Hong knew perfectly well why they stared.

He said nothing more, merely nodded to Xia Chuan, then waved his hand toward the crowd and declared loudly:

“Everyone, form a line—we begin… distributing the meat!”

At the words “distributing the meat,” every eye in the camp lit up.

Soft shuffling sounds rose from below; without Xia Chuan’s command, over seven hundred people—including more than thirty Excavation Realm cultivators eligible for cold beast meat—immediately lined up in perfect order.

Xia Chuan had prepared in advance: he assigned Yuan Cheng, Yue Feng, and Qiu Peng, along with four skilled butchers, to set up wooden tables and begin distributing the cold beast meat by rank.

“Luo Yuan, hunting team member, ten catties.”

“Zhao Long, hunting team member, ten catties.”

“Zhao Hu, hunting team member, ten catties.”

…………

“Cheng Feng, logging team leader, ten catties.”

“Lin Kai, logging team member, five catties.”

…………

According to Xia Hong’s rules, of the camp’s total nine hundred people, over a hundred ordinary adults over thirty were excluded; the remaining seven hundred-plus all received cold beast meat.

Fifteen hunting team members: ten catties each; twenty-one logging team members: ten catties for the leader, five for the rest; three hundred two reserves aged thirteen to thirty: one to two catties based on base strength;

Three hundred ninety-two under-thirteen children: five catties per month; tonight’s three kills were more than sufficient, so Xia Hong decided to distribute their monthly share all at once.

Though it seemed like many people, the total meat weighed only slightly over two thousand catties.

Of course, the challenge isn’t one day—it’s every single day from now on.

With over half of the 4,280 catties of cold beast meat consumed tonight and everyone in line having received their share, the wooden hut was filled with laughter and chatter.

Those who received meat eagerly discussed how to cook it; those who didn’t, seeing their children or brothers receive theirs, wore expressions of joy and satisfaction.

In truth, the camp numbered only nine hundred-plus; the remaining hundred or so who received no meat were all over thirty, but nearly all had relatives in the reserves, logging team, or even the hunting team.

At Excavation Realm cultivation pace, ten catties daily is far more than enough, so anyone with a relative in the hunting team could reasonably expect to receive some;

Even without a relative in the hunting team, there would always be someone in the logging team or reserves—so it was certain that when their kin eventually joined the hunting team, surplus meat would eventually reach them too.

“Leader, distribution is complete: hunting team, 150 catties; logging team, 110 catties; reserves, 420 catties total; the largest share went to the under-thirteen children—three hundred ninety-two of them, totaling 1,960 catties. But this is a one-time distribution, good for one month; tonight we used 2,640 catties, leaving 1,640 catties.”

Xia Chuan reported each category in turn, then paused and added: “At this rate, daily consumption over the next thirty days will be roughly six to seven hundred catties.”

Xia Hong nodded; this matched his earlier calculations.

Though the under-thirteen children numbered three hundred ninety-two, they received only five catties monthly, once every thirty days—only two thousand catties needed to be prepared, a minor burden.

Five catties per month may seem little, but it’s more than enough for children; Xia Hong didn’t expect them to rapidly break through to Excavation Realm—he merely sought to subtly improve their physiques, preparing them for future reserve status.

Children raised on crystal fruit and those raised on cold beast meat would have vastly different physiques; the difference might not show quickly, but over time, the next generation of Great Xia Camp would undergo a revolutionary transformation.

“Quiet down!”

Xia Hong’s casual command silenced the entire hut instantly; all turned to him, their eyes blazing with fervor and reverence, unhidden.

Clearly, this meat distribution had elevated Xia Hong’s status in their hearts to an astonishing height.

Xia Hong naturally felt this, but paid it no mind; he spoke solemnly: “Once the cold beast meat is in your hands, I won’t interfere—use it yourself, give it away, even throw it out, it’s your choice. But do you still remember what I said earlier?”

What had he said earlier?

The crowd, wrapped in joy, paused slightly.

But soon, Luo Yuan and others realized.

Luo Yuan, with Zhao’s trio and the rest from Luo Ge’s camp, exchanged glances; the fifteen nodded, stepped forward together, and knelt before Xia Hong, solemnly declaring:

“From this day forth, our lives and deaths are yours to command.”

With Luo Yuan’s act, everyone remembered—what Xia Hong had said earlier.

“I will distribute cold beast meat by system. As long as I can manage it, I will control everything in this camp—including your lives.”

At that moment, everyone looked down at the cold beast meat in their hands, then raised their eyes to Xia Hong.

Every person in the hut—including Xia Chuan, Yuan Cheng, and all nine hundred-plus of Great Xia Camp—without a single hesitation, knelt in unison and bowed respectfully to Xia Hong:

“From this day forth, our lives and deaths are yours to command.”

Xia Hong nodded, exhaling slowly.

Thus, after merging four groups, the new Great Xia Camp had finally won its people’s hearts. From now on, as long as hunting proceeds steadily and this system is firmly upheld, the camp’s cohesion will be secured.

With cohesion, the rise of overall strength becomes inevitable.

(End of Chapter)