Chapter 41: Eightfold Coordination to Settle New Residents

The afterglow of the sunset had not yet fully faded, but inside Jiao Tu Zhen the place was already buzzing with voices.

The influx of Little River Village villagers instantly turned the originally somewhat empty town into a crowded, noisy place.

Children's wailing, elders' coughing, and the bewildered glances of newcomers looking around.

They wove together into a chaotic yet true picture of exile.

Aunt Wang and several women rushed about, distributing limited hot water and hastily assembled mixed-grain cakes.

Zhang Cheng led the militia in maintaining order, his eyes warily scanning every unfamiliar face.

This was both out of safety concerns and an instinctive worry about the new burden.

The air was filled with an uneasy agitation, carrying both the relief of rescue and a deep confusion about the future.

Chen Wen stood on the steps before the council hut, taking it all in.

The sudden addition of nearly thirty people was undoubtedly a stress test for the just-settled Jiao Tu Zhen.

Food, lodging, sanitation, work assignments……

Countless matters surged forth like tangled threads.

To an ordinary manager, this would be enough to drive them frantic.

Chen Wen merely took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze had become as sharp as a hawk's.

The surrounding clamor seemed filtered by an invisible barrier, becoming clear and layered.

His mind, like a wound-up precision instrument, began to run at eight times normal speed.

【Entering 'Serious Forgetful' state! Management, coordination, decision-making efficiency increased to 8 times!】

"Aunt Wang!"

Chen Wen's voice was not loud, yet it cut clearly through the noise, carrying a reassuring power.

"Stop the disorderly distribution of food."

"Immediately organize personnel to set up three temporary resettlement points on the east side of the square."

"Separate them by family and physical condition!"

"Prioritize ensuring the hot water supply."

Aunt Wang heard the call, startled, then reacted and immediately replied:

"Understood!"

Her original busyness was dispelled by this clear order!

She immediately summoned several capable women to act.

"Zhang Cheng!"

Chen Wen turned his gaze to the young militia leader.

"Divide your people into two groups. One group will assist Aunt Wang in maintaining order at the resettlement points."

"The other group will immediately conduct a second round of vigilance over the whole town."

"Especially the western direction—be on guard against a sneak attack from Black Wind Stronghold taking advantage of the chaos. Double the watch posts!"

"Yes, Chief!"

Zhang Cheng's spirits lifted; Chen Wen's calm and decisiveness instantly infected him.

He immediately turned and assigned tasks efficiently.

Chen Wen strode down the steps, his pace steady and swift.

He directly approached the group of anxious new residents from Little River Village.

Eightfold observational power let him instantly catch the key details:

The old man called Zhao Lao Nian, his fingers rough with old calluses, was likely a seasoned archer;

The woman leading a child, though sallow and thin, had clear eyes and practiced skill in caring for the child, perhaps knowing some herbal lore;

Several half-grown youths, though fearful in their eyes, also possessed a tenacious will to survive.

"Village Chief Zhao..."

Chen Wen approached the white-haired Village Chief Zhao, his tone calm yet unquestionable.

"Please sort the villagers as follows:"

"Those under fourteen and over fifty stand on the left;"

"Those with any handicraft—even if just basket-weaving, leather-tanning, or herb-recognition—stand in the middle;"

"The remaining able-bodied, regardless of gender, stand on the right."

"Act quickly—this determines whether everyone can rest peacefully tonight."

Village Chief Zhao looked at Chen Wen's eyes, which seemed to see everything, and did not dare to be negligent.

He hurriedly raised his hoarse voice to shout.

The villagers of Little River Village still somewhat trusted the old village chief.

Amid the commotion, the crowd began to slowly move and divert.

Taking advantage of this gap, Chen Wen's thoughts never ceased.

Housing problem: the existing empty huts and shacks are far from enough; temporary shelters must be built.

Eightfold mental arithmetic ability let him quickly estimate the needed materials and labor.

He turned to a clever boy nearby and instructed:

"Go to the workshop and tell Shi Dun to suspend non‑urgent work."

"Concentrate all manpower; according to the simple shelter blueprint I drew last time, prioritize cutting tough wood and gathering thatch."

"Before dawn, we must at least erect a shelter that can hold thirty people!"

"Yes!" The youth sprinted away.

By then, the crowd had largely separated.

Chen Wen walked to the front of the left-side line of the elderly, weak, women, and children, and lowered his voice:

"Elders, children, please bear with it for tonight."

"We'll get everyone into wind- and rain-proof shelter as soon as we can."

"Later, Aunt Wang will have people check everyone's health—treat the sick and give the healthy a bowl of calming soup."

"Here, if you obey the rules and pitch in, you won't go hungry."

His gentle words carried a strange soothing power, gradually quieting the sobs in the line.

Next, he went to the middle line, which had about seven or eight people.

"You have skills; you are valuable."

"Those who can weave baskets, the workshop will later need many containers;"

"Those who can tan hides, our hide trade lacks workers;"

"Those who know medicinal herbs can go help Aunt Wang tend the herb garden."

"Specific assignments will be discussed tomorrow."

"Your contributions will be recorded and exchanged for more food and supplies."

The eyes of those few instantly lit up; in this chaotic world, recognition of one's craft means value.

Finally, he looked to the right, where about ten young men and women with sallow faces but sturdy builds stood.

Among them were several older youths.

"Jiao Tu Zhen does not tolerate idlers."

"Your strength is the foundation of your livelihood."

"Starting tomorrow, Zhang Cheng will assign you to fortify the town's defenses, work on water projects, or reclaim land."

"Work, and you'll have food to eat!"

"Work well, and you can even save up."

"Any problems?"

"No! We have strength!"

A bold youth shouted, neck outstretched, and others echoed him.

Although they remained uneasy about the future, Chen Wen's clear rules instead gave them a sense of security.

【Efficiently coordinating the placement of the new populace, swiftly stabilizing morale, establishing initial order, leadership and organizational ability boosted (x Bonus)! Diligence Points (WP) +150!】

【Current WP: 5941】

Night fell completely, yet within Jiao Tu Zhen more bonfires were lit.

Under the efficient execution of Aunt Wang and Zhang Cheng, the newcomers were properly settled in the temporarily designated area.

Steaming millet porridge replaced the hard, dry biscuits; although thin, it was enough to warm the stomach and heart.

From the workshop came the clinking of metal; Shi Dun was leading people to work through the night.

On the western outpost of the town, torches blazed; militia figures patrolled the night, wary of possible threats.

The chaos lasted less than an hour.

It was replaced by a tense yet orderly atmosphere.

Inside the council house, under the oil lamp.

Aunt Wang reported the preliminary statistics:

"... Counting the elderly and weak, a total of twenty-eight people have come from Xiao He Village."

"... Only eleven can be counted as full laborers, five as half laborers, and the rest need care."

"... Our grain reserves... if we continue at the current consumption rate."

"... plus the looming gap before the summer harvest, the pressure is immense."

Zhang Cheng also added:

"Chief, the western outpost reports no abnormalities for now."

"But Heifeng Zhai suffered a loss and will surely not let it rest."

"Our population has grown, our target is larger, so we must plan early."

Chen Wen tapped his fingers lightly on the table; the eightfold mindset let him process multiple streams of information simultaneously.

Food pressure, defense pressure, internal integration issues…

Like a complex network, but the core nodes are clearly visible.

"For the food problem, we'll pursue both increasing supply and conserving."

Chen Wen said in a deep voice.

"Aunt Wang, starting tomorrow, everyone's food ration will be slightly reduced, but we'll ensure basic fullness."

"At the same time, mobilize all available manpower to increase gathering efforts."

"Fish from the river, wild vegetables and fungi from the mountains—bring back whatever you can."

"The Hunting Team must also increase its sortie frequency."

"Understood." Aunt Wang nodded and noted it down.

"As for defense, Zhang Cheng, tomorrow you take people to the old site of Xiao He Village."

"First, check for any omissions; second, make that place a forward outpost and build simple fortifications."

"Station five militia there permanently, forming a pincer with the main base."

"Upon spotting the enemy, raise the beacon fire as a signal."

Yes!

Zhang Cheng's eyes flashed with excitement; this was undoubtedly great trust.

"As for the interior..."

Chen Wen's gaze swept over the two of them.

"The Contribution Ledger system must be strictly enforced, fair and just."

"For newcomers, we must manage them strictly while also giving them care, so they can integrate as quickly as possible."

"I've discovered a few potentially useful talents; I will personally contact them tomorrow."

After making the arrangements, Aunt Wang and Zhang Cheng each went off to attend to their duties.

Chen Wen sat alone under the lamp, spreading out the crude map of Jiao Tu Zhen and its surroundings.

He connected the dot representing Little River Village with Jiao Tu Zhen into one region.

The sphere of influence has indeed expanded westward, but the defensive line has consequently lengthened, and weak points have increased.

"Since upgrading to eightfold ability. When at twofold ability, after a flip of my own hand, I could produce double the food out of thin air; that ability seems to have been sealed."

"It seems to be a system upgrade, patching some loopholes..."

"With eightfold ability, I can integrate resources more quickly and see the problems clearly."

"But now, in the end, I can no longer conjure food out of thin air..."

"After all, not all of that food was grown by myself!"

"If I grew it myself, perhaps under the influence of the system's eightfold effect, the yield would be eightfold."

"But the strength of one person alone is ultimately limited in the face of large numbers!"

"At the same time, I cannot instantly turn new recruits into elite troops; it still takes some time..."

Chen Wen muttered to himself.

"The pressure is greater now..."

However, this pressure did not make him feel suffocated; instead, it aroused a stronger fighting spirit.

He gazed out the window, into the night.

The outlines of the newly built shacks flickered in the firelight; a new life had begun.

To bring this intricate and complex situation under control is precisely where his abilities can be put to use.

It's just that this suddenly increased population.

It is like throwing a larger stone into a pond already roiling with undercurrents.

The ripples are spreading; which lurking evil fish will be the first to be startled?

Chen Wen blew out the oil lamp, merging into the darkness.

Tomorrow, there are still more challenges awaiting him to overcome with eightfold effort.