Chapter 117: A String of Zeros Too Many for Old Zhao to Count

Qin Feng's command, like a stone cast into a still lake, sent efficient ripples through the vast machine of the Qin Feng System. Chen Ming led the team personally, bringing a professional building assessment group, designers, and a sum of money so vast it would make any charity envious, rushing at top speed to the remote Southwest Mountain City.

When Chen Ming's off-road vehicle jolted into the Mountain Hollow where Chenxi Orphanage stood, the sight before them stirred even their seasoned hearts with sorrow.

A few low, hillside cottages had long since crumbled; the dormitory destroyed by flash floods was now nothing but broken walls and rubble, while the other buildings were riddled with cracks, propped up weakly by wooden poles. The courtyard was a sea of mud, and several thin, yellow-skinned children, dressed in patched, worn-out clothes, cowered timidly behind doorframes, watching the unfamiliar, well-dressed intruders with wary curiosity.

Old Zhao heard the car and shuffled out, trembling. She was even older and smaller than Qin Feng remembered, her back hunched severely, her hands—calloused and frostbitten—nervously rubbing a faded, washed-out apron.

"You… you must be Mr. Chen? Little Teacher Qin mentioned you on the phone…" Old Zhao's voice carried the rustic simplicity of the mountains, tinged with unease.

"Old Zhao, hello. I'm Chen Ming, sent by Director Qin to oversee the orphanage's renovation." Chen Ming stepped forward, respectfully taking the old woman's rough hand, his tone gentle yet firm, "Rest assured, everything is in our hands."

Without further pleasantries, the team immediately began work. Measurements, blueprints, structural safety assessments… their professional efficiency left Old Zhao dazzled, her heart filled with both hope and anxiety.

When Chen Ming placed a preliminary renovation plan and budget (a simplified version) before Old Zhao, the old woman stared at the long string of numbers, blinking her cloudy eyes repeatedly, her fingers trembling as she pointed, lips quivering, unable to utter a single word.

"Old Zhao, this is the preliminary budget. Director Qin instructed us to build to the highest standard," Chen Ming explained softly. "It includes: demolishing all hazardous buildings and reconstructing a three-story comprehensive dormitory with bedrooms, bathrooms, and activity rooms; building a new two-story classroom block; leveling and hardening the courtyard, constructing a playground and simple play equipment; plus a kitchen, dining hall, medical room… and one year of operational costs: meals, clothing, education, medical care for the children, and salaries for two full-time teachers and one caregiver…"

With every item he named, Old Zhao's eyes widened further. This wasn't renovation—it was building them a paradise!

"H-how much is this going to cost?" Old Zhao finally found her voice, trembling.

Chen Ming pushed the simplified budget sheet toward her, pointing to a number: "Director Qin's initial donation is this amount: five million. If more is needed, we will add more."

"F-five million?!" Old Zhao gasped, nearly stumbling. The largest sum she'd ever seen in her life was the few thousand Qin Feng had left years ago. Five million? She couldn't fathom how much money that was! Her trembling finger traced the string of "0"s after the number, counting one by one: "One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand… a million?!"

She counted it several times before finally confirming: it was five followed by six zeros!

A wave of overwhelming, unreal dizziness washed over her. Old Zhao gripped the table, tears streaming down her face, muttering over and over: "This can't be… this can't be… Little Teacher Qin… this kindness… how could we ever repay it…?"

To her, this wasn't just money—it was the future hope of the children, the cornerstone of the cause she had devoted her life to, now extended and glorified!

"Old Zhao, don't say that," Chen Ming quickly soothed. "Director Qin said this is what he must do—no repayment expected. What we must do now is build the new compound as fast as possible, so the children can move into warm, sturdy homes sooner."

Under Chen Ming's team's swift action, construction crews and equipment arrived in the silent Mountain Hollow within days. The roar of machines shattered the mountain's quiet, yet brought unprecedented life and hope.

The old hazardous buildings were swiftly leveled; foundations were dug; steel, cement, and other materials flowed in continuously. Chen Ming even coordinated with a local telecom company to lay a temporary fiber-optic cable for the site, ensuring smooth communication.

Old Zhao and the children were temporarily housed in a better guesthouse in Town. Every day, Old Zhao returned to the construction site, watching the once-ruined land transform daily, seeing workers labor feverishly, watching the beautiful buildings on the blueprints slowly become reality.

The wrinkles on her face seemed to soften, her eyes glowing with light. The children no longer cowered; their faces beamed with anticipation for their new home.

News spread quickly through the surrounding villages. Everyone was stunned by the astronomical donation, and deeply curious and grateful toward the mysterious donor named "Qin Feng."

The renovation of Chenxi Orphanage became a warm beam of light, illuminating this barren land.

Far away in Luocheng, Qin Feng, upon receiving Chen Ming's progress report and several photos of children standing before the construction site, their eyes filled with hope, merely smiled faintly.

That string of "0"s meant nothing to him—just a number.

But if it could free another string of lives in need from hardship and grant them a better future, that was enough.

He set down the report, his gaze returning to the complex web of relationships on his computer screen regarding the Prometheus Foundation.

Light and shadow, kindness and calculation, intertwined in his hands.

But this was the path he had chosen.

With thunderous force, he practiced a bodhisattva's heart.

His Empire must be thus.