Chapter 572: Writing One

"This… is too unrestrained… can't you be a little more reserved?"

Zhang Ya rubbed her forehead; as a woman herself, she suddenly felt a pang of shame.

Under the apocalypse, many things have collapsed, but it doesn't mean no one is quietly holding on—ultimately, it's still a matter of capability.

"I actually understand," Yu Qing said, hearing Zhang Ya's words, offering a sorrowful smile: "They don't have the luck we do, to meet Brother Su as a good leader. Surviving in their own way without harming others—that's already wonderful."

Zhong Xiaoshan, Tan Hua, Pei Lan, and other core female members were startled by Yu Qing's words—not because the remark was outrageous, but because it came from a former teacher, making them admire her transformation in thought.

Zhang Su stood atop the tank, taking in everyone's expressions, occasionally gathering easily analyzable emotions to judge: the Soul-Sucking Den truly violated past morals and laws, but in today's world, it had become an effective way to vent aggression and relieve stress.

Moral standards, even legal principles, are fluid; they vary greatly across different eras. The simplest example: stabbing someone is a crime in peacetime, but a hero on the battlefield—identical actions, utterly different outcomes.

"First, I make my position clear: the existence of the Soul-Sucking Den is meaningful."

"Yay…"

Just those words sparked a chorus of cheers; single men made up too large a portion, they desperately needed release, and they truly feared the King of Hell would forbid it—then they'd be forced to sneak around.

"I don't care how the Soul-Sucking Den was run before, but I'll establish rules and regulations. That's not urgent—wait a few days until everyone's settled. Most importantly… you guys give me some time to rest! You're all thinking about pleasure, but I've been fighting nonstop these past few days—I'm exhausted, got it?"

After hearing Zhang Su's words, everyone fell silent in shock, then burst into laughter—this leader was so funny…

Zhang Su was indeed tired, but not physically—mentally and psychologically. He wanted his mind to rest, yet there were too many pressing matters ahead. Fortunately, he had a few good assistants to share the burden.

"Great Leader, if you're tired, come find us sisters—our door is always open for you, to serve you…"

"Shut up, or I'll beat you flat!"

A furious female voice rang out beside the tank.

Zheng Xinyu never cared about Zhang Su's romantic entanglements with other women; she'd even urged him to take Pan Ru as a concubine—she didn't mind. But when these meddling women openly flirted in public, that was unacceptable! The chorus of flirtatious voices fell silent the moment they heard the angry shout, and seeing others' reactions, they instantly realized this was the Empress speaking—they immediately bowed their heads and held their tongues.

"Alright, alright, that's settled! No more questions. Today…"

Zhang Su glanced at the time and said: "It's past lunchtime already. One missed meal won't kill you. To celebrate your arrival, we're having a big feast tonight—classic tradition: hot pot! Location: Village One!"

Too many people—so to ease the kitchen crew's burden and keep things lively, hot pot was the perfect choice. No worries about insufficient cookware; rural households had plenty of these items.

Choosing Village One instead of Tianma Isle was due to two considerations: first, too many people—the parking lot on Tianma Isle was already packed with vehicles, no room left.

Second, water. Water on Tianma Isle is all transported up from Village One. Daily living water isn't a problem, but organizing a hot pot for hundreds? That'd be a nightmare. Better to just move the feast there—it's far more convenient.

"Hot pot? Did I hear that right?"

After Zhang Su announced the dinner menu, many felt a pang of doubt—this cooking method sounded so familiar, yet strangely distant.

Long-forgotten memories of joy surged through their minds: hot pot. So many chain restaurants favored this style, sparking unique hot pot cultures across the land. In the old days, you'd invite friends for one every few days.

"That kind of pot with spicy broth bubbling away, dipping meat and veggies into it?" "Of course it is, you idiot! Hahaha! King of Hell, forever! Hot pot!"

"Hot pot, hot pot, hot pot…"

A frenzy erupted on Tianma Isle—the promise of hot pot had ignited everyone's emotions. Nothing was more practical than eating. On this freezing day, just imagining the spicy, fragrant hot pot—forget meat, even boiling pebbles would be worth slurping for hours! A big meal was a grand event in the apocalypse. Many eyes gleamed—how many hadn't tasted a hot dish in days? Even combatants could barely manage boiling something warm in a pot—that was already luxury.

Only high-ranking camp members or leaders could truly enjoy fine food—but the vast majority here were ordinary members.

"By the way, I forgot to mention one very important thing."

Zhang Su's voice rang out, and everyone fell silent.

Important?

What could be more important than hot pot? Don't believe it—listen carefully.

Zhang Su saw everyone watching him, but didn't speak immediately. Instead, he stirred his emotions internally, waiting until they were fully charged, then spoke with solemn gravity.

"I suspect you've forgotten what date or day of the week it is—because I've forgotten the old Gregorian calendar too. Remember today: Light Calendar, Month One, Day Twenty-Eight. This is Tianma Isle's calendar, symbolizing the creation of a bright future from darkness!"

Those hearing it for the first time froze in surprise. Compared to hot pot, announcing a new calendar was undeniably more significant. Throughout human civilization, calendars had been countless, yet ordinary people rarely cared.

But for rulers, it was vital—it was a symbol of spiritual faith. Month One, Day Twenty-Eight.

The news didn't spark cheers, but every face bore respect and reverence. They were now irrevocably bound to Tianma Isle, becoming part of the Light Calendar's chronology—perhaps one day, their own stories would be written into history!

"Good. That's all for today. Now—who can cook? Raise your hands…"

At his command, people responded enthusiastically.

Zhang Su first assigned over fifty people with cooking experience to prepare the evening feast—including newcomers who had just arrived. They had no complaints about working right away; instead, they were eager and full of spirit.

Having work was infinitely better than waiting helplessly to die—it was a symbol of positivity and hope.

Next, Zhang Su ordered Yu Wen to lead a group down the mountain to find housing for new members of Tianma Isle and register their accommodations—similar to the old household registration system.

Yu Wen had set the housing standards: ordinary members shared a kang bed three or four to a room, combat personnel two to a kang, and leaders could apply for private rooms. Special relationships like family or couples could be granted exceptions.

Rural kang beds were much larger than ordinary double beds, uniformly deep at two meters, but widths varied by house structure—some stretched six or seven meters, others only three or four. Under Yu Wen's plan, there was no pressure.

Once assigned, residences couldn't be switched freely. Any change required formal application. Other residential arrangements would be organized later.

Almost no one objected to Yu Wen's rules. Previously, only soldiers had true dormitories; the kindergarten had a few large bedrooms; the shopping mall residents slept in shops; the car park was the worst—everyone crammed into 4S dealership reception rooms.

Now, moving into rural courtyards meant a qualitative leap in both living environment and space.

As new members followed registration officers down the mountain to find housing in satellite villages, the Tianma Isle parking lot gradually emptied.

(End of Chapter)