Chapter 361: The Refugees Are Coming

After Beard Feng and Tang Huai responded, Xia Qing pressed the button. "Territory Three is online."

After confirming that Territories One through Ten were all listening, Tan Junjie read the refugee resettlement policy from beginning to end. The content was largely the same as what Tang Huai had said, with only the addition of policies protecting refugee safety and rights, and reward policies for territories that accepted refugees.

Lords who recruit refugees to work in their territories can receive rewards of varying tiers based on the number recruited, including crop seeds, green-light saplings, high-efficiency pesticide and fungicide, and greenhouse plastic film.

Each item was enough to tempt individual lords, but not enough to tempt the lords of the Lord Alliance. The risk of recruiting refugees into the territory was simply too great for ordinary lords to bear.

"Each territory, please report the number of refugees you expect to recruit and your requirements."

After Tan Junjie finished speaking, the first to speak was not Territory One or Two, but Territory Eight's Xin Yu:

"Territory Eight needs fifty people, male or female, aged twenty to forty-five, with all four limbs intact, credit rating of Level Two or above, food processing plant work experience preferred. Pass the test, and you can enter the territory to work."

After the natural disaster, Hua Country established a personal credit score system for residents. Level One is the lowest; residents who hadn't killed anyone or committed major acts endangering the base were basically all Level Two or above.

Safe-zone management required a personal credit rating of Level Four or above when recruiting staff. Xin Yu's hiring requirements were really very low.

Such lenient rating requirements could easily attract criminals. Why would Xin Yu make such an uncharacteristic decision?

Even if others had doubts, they wouldn't speak up—but Tang Huai couldn't help himself. "Xin Yu, you still need to recruit refugees while building your factory?"

Xin Yu replied calmly, "Responding to the call."

Everyone……

Tang Huai……damn it!

"Territory One is recruiting eighty-five people, planting and animal husbandry skills and experience preferred, no age limit, credit rating Level Three or above, must pass the territory's test."

Hearing that Territory One actually wanted that many people, Tang Huai cursed and grumbled, but could only follow the orders he'd received and report thirty more than Territory One. "Territory Two is recruiting one hundred fifteen people, planting and animal husbandry experience and skills preferred, age requirement fifteen to forty-five, no credit rating limit, must pass a test."

After Territories One and Two reported, everyone held their breath and waited half a minute, but didn't hear Li Si's voice.

This meant Territory Nine had already given up on its refugee recruitment plan. Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief: their good neighbor Zhang San wouldn't have to move because of killing anyone.

After confirming the other territories wouldn't be recruiting refugees, Tan Junjie announced, "The Inspection Team will immediately report the numbers and requirements for refugees recruited by Territories One, Two, and Eight. Refugees who meet the conditions and wish to enter the territories to work will arrive at the territories at four p. m. Please have the three territories prepare in advance."

"That fast?" The first to voice a question was actually Tang Huai, the agent of Territory Two, which was recruiting the most people.

Tan Junjie explained, "The refugees have already been camped outside the safe zone for several days and urgently need resettlement."

Xia Qing also felt caught off guard. She had originally assumed that before the refugees arrived, she would at least be able to fence off the southern end of her territory.

Now? The supplies she'd purchased were still hundreds of li away at Hui Two Base!

"Captain Tan, between ten and ten-fifteen, two aircraft will enter and arrive at Territories Eight and Three. This has been approved by the relevant department of Hui Three Base and is now being reported to the Inspection Team."

Xin Yu's calm voice sounded like heavenly music to Xia Qing. As expected of a major shareholder in a big corporation—her efficiency was top-notch!

"The Inspection Team has received the notification. Please have the two territories prepare to receive the aircraft."

"Received." After replying to Tan Junjie, Xin Yu notified Xia Qing. "Xia Qing, after the aircraft arrive, supplies will be airdropped directly onto your territory's open ground. Before the aircraft arrive, you need to mark out the supply drop points. Also, the construction crew doesn't have security personnel, so you'll need to provide protection."

"Received, thank you."

After thanking Xin Yu, Xia Qing immediately called to gather people. "Captain Hu, I need two people here to help water the fields, and I also need Guan Tong and four others to help clear the supply drop points. Sorry for the trouble."

After gathering people, Xia Qing had no time at all to deal with Tang Huai, who was shouting at her on the lord channel. She first coaxed the sheep boss home, then negotiated with the lead wolf on the roof. "Your Majesty, the humans building the wall will be here soon. Would you and your companions like to move to the abandoned mountain cave? It's quiet there."

The broken-legged wolf sister in the sheep pen bared her teeth at Xia Qing, while the lead wolf lying on the roof sunbathing simply turned its head in another direction and went on sleeping.

Xia Qing……

Fine.

"Xia Qing, do you need help over there?" Territory Four's Zhao Mu asked on the lord channel.

Qi Fu, Shi Zhong, and Kuang Qingwei also followed up with questions.

"Not right now. I'll trouble everyone when I need to." Xia Qing, who was selecting supply drop points, declined her allies' help, because the credits she paid Xin Yu already included installation fees.

Hearing that Xia Qing didn't need help, Zhao Mu discussed with Qi Fu and Kuang Qingwei. "I want to get the wall up on the south side of my territory first."

Zhao Mu had not only seen wave after wave of refugees—she and her son had been refugees too. She knew that refugees on the edge of life and death could kill each other over争夺 a small scrap of food.

Even worse, during their flight refugees lacked food and could only eat the hostile-element red-light creatures in the Evolution Forest. This caused the hostile element levels in their bodies to become dangerously high.

If they didn't take Soothing Capsules in time to bring their hostile element levels down, these people could lose their minds and go berserk at the slightest provocation, becoming killing machines.

How many fleeing refugees could possibly carry Soothing Capsules on them?

Two hundred fifty refugees on the edge of danger were about to reach this territory, and the strongest member of the territory alliance, Xia Qing, had already started working on the wall.

Once Territory Three's wall was fenced off, Territories Four and Nine would be the closest territories to Territory Two without walls.

Territory Nine probably couldn't wait for refugees to rush in, while Zhao Mu was terrified of refugees breaking into her territory. If she didn't get the south wall up today, she wouldn't even be able to sleep.

Qi Fu, Kuang Qingwei, and Shi Zhong felt much the same as Zhao Mu. Everyone agreed at once and decided to act immediately.

Qi Fu suggested, "First use the thorn wood in the territory. Cut it down and drag it near the road sign—as long as it can block people."

"The Evolution Elder's Hostel wood we cut down a few days ago to dry—the section buried in the ground has already been fire-roasted, the surface carbonized. We can sink the stakes today and weave a thorn wall."

Zhao Ze wasn't much good at farm work, but he had some logic when it came to engineering. He asked Xia Qing, "Xia Qing, are you using the micro-tiller this afternoon? If not, could you lend it to me? I'll pay the fuel and rental fees at market rate."

Territories Five and Ten both had Strength Evolvers, and although Territory Six didn't have any Strength Evolvers, they had plenty of people, so their wall-building speed wasn't slow either.

It was a matter of safety. Territory Four, which had no Evolvers and was very close to Territory Two, was extremely anxious.