[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-from-special-forces-to-the-multiverse":3,"chapter-from-special-forces-to-the-multiverse-from-special-forces-to-the-multiverse-chapter-77":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","From Special Forces to the Multiverse",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2315127,4527,"Chapter 77: Pastoral Reform Work","from-special-forces-to-the-multiverse-chapter-77",77,"\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, a week passed; under the soldiers’ notices, the nomads gradually gathered for a tribal assembly, and each soldier took home the grain he had saved over the week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the tight schedule, everyone could only carry two sacks of grain; Haming was among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He untied the two sacks from his horse and handed them to his mother, but she did not take them—instead, she panicked and asked, “Haming, tell me truthfully: is this your price for selling yourself? Return this grain at once, beg the overseer to spare you—don’t let him choose you as a sacrifice!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haming laughed and cried at once: “Mother, what are you saying? These are rations issued by the new shaman to those who protect the tribe—they have nothing to do with selling myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would he give you grain?” Ham’s mother asked, still suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The shaman says we who protect the tribe’s lives and property deserve rations—but only after completing his training. Come on, Mother, just take the grain!” Haming shoved the sacks into her hands, then mounted his horse and rode off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Haming depart, Ham’s mother wept bitterly; beside her, Hamshi asked, confused: “Mother, why are you so sad now that the tribe is handing out grain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ham’s mother scolded at once: “Son, you’re too young to understand. I fear not that the shamans and lords beat us daily—I fear they suddenly treat us kindly. When a tribe hands out grain, it’s always because war is coming—they feed you so you’ll fight well. But your brother gave his food to us—how will he fight on the battlefield against men who’ve eaten their fill?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll take these two sacks to my brother!” Hamshi said quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. If you carry two sacks to him, nine out of ten times the lords’ servants will steal them from you,” Ham’s mother refused outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hamshi stamped his foot in anger, feeling utterly useless—if only he had strength, his brother wouldn’t have to risk his life for grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As night fell, countless nomads arrived at the main tent, crowding tightly; Guo Jing ordered the soldiers to restore order, then spoke slowly: “Dear elders and fellow villagers, I’ve asked you to travel far twice in just seven days—thank you for your hardship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nomads below fell silent, unsure how to respond; since birth, nobles had never spoken kindly to them—how could they answer? Would saying “it’s nothing” really bring no punishment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no reply, Guo Jing continued: “The Lord of Heaven sent me here to serve the people. But after observing you these past days, I see you all live in hardship, yet the tribe holds vast herds and treasures. Seven days ago, we counted each household’s members. Now, we will distribute livestock and supplies according to household size. When your name is called, come forward to claim your share.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bulu Huaide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here!” A middle-aged man raised his hand and sprinted forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Jing consulted his roster: “Your household has four: you, your wife, your son, and your mother. Per our rule of eight sheep and two oxen per person, you are entitled to thirty-two sheep and eight oxen. After this assembly, take this document to the Pastoral Reform Office to claim them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, step down now—don’t delay others from claiming their livestock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After handing Aide the stamped document, Guo Jing called the next name. Aide hid the paper inside his collar, terrified a gust of wind might tear it and cost him his livestock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Aide’s action, everyone else copied him. By the time Pastoral Reform concluded, it was deep into the night; most nomads had long slept, yet none here felt tired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not tired at all—thrilled. In fact, none had ever felt this excited in their lives: from today, they owned their own sheep and oxen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, dear elders and fellow villagers, I know you’re joyful—but I have more to say. Please be quiet.” Guo Jing gestured for silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All stared silently at Guo Jing. In their hearts, these sheep and oxen were worth more than their lives—if dying meant leaving them to their families, death was worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All waited in silence for Guo Jing’s next words. As long as he didn’t take back the livestock, they would do anything for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to ask: when I handed you the livestock documents, how many of you could read the words on them?” Guo Jing asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nomads shook their heads. Guo Jing sighed: “This won’t do. Imagine if I’d written not ‘claim your livestock’ but ‘sell your own sheep and oxen to me at a low price’—or if this paper were proof you’d voluntarily sold yourself to me. What would you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or suppose you take goods to a Jin market and, unable to count, are cheated out of your due weight—what then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All fell silent. Then a few stood and shouted: “Shaman, you’d never do that! If you meant to cheat us, you’d never have given us livestock!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others echoed: “Yes! Shaman, you’re a rare good man—never in my life have I met one like you. You’d never do such a thing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes! The one who gives us freedom and spares us from sacrifice would never commit such evil!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Quiet down and listen,” Guo Jing said. “Have any of you ever experienced what I described? Have you ever wondered why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it because we can’t read or count? That’s why we’re cheated?” A child timidly raised his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. This child speaks the truth.” Hearing Guo Jing’s praise, the child beamed, scanning the crowd—see? The Shaman praised me! Others watched, envious and regretful—such a simple question, they could’ve answered too. Why hadn’t they dared speak up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because we can’t read. Because we can’t count. So we must learn. Since you work by day, we’ll open night school—come at night to learn, to become literate. Only I and Nie Shaman can read now. So we’ll first teach those here in the main tent, then have them teach the rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Guo Jing finished, thunderous applause erupted. Everyone clapped fiercely, pouring every ounce of strength into their hands, slapping until their palms burned red, refusing to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>",1030,"2026-06-20T13:48:22.834Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","141ca1763dc206751825af17faf62a989254496685f5c96aa4448e03a71a2f57","from-special-forces-to-the-multiverse-chapter-78","from-special-forces-to-the-multiverse-chapter-76",205,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffrom-special-forces-to-the-multiverse-cover.jpg"]