Reorganizing forces!
The red moon had already descended, and Zhang Wei knew his time was limited.
He could no longer let the human world drag down his energy; all the ingredients there had to be acquired!
The strength he had accumulated for so long had finally reached the point where he could unleash it.
The second task: recruiting personnel!
Whether they were chefs, gourmet hunters, or assassins, he needed enough talent.
Starting from twelve years old, topping out at twenty-four, he would select usable individuals from these groups. As for those who failed the selection and their families…
The Great Glacier was in dire need of laborers!
With war breaking out frequently, would recruiting people be difficult?
Depart!
The Ore-Meat Caverns!
As the central point for the major powers' campaigns, this place was teeming with refugees from all directions.
Among these refugees were artisans, skilled laborers, criminals, women and children…
All sorts of people, who had lost their homes due to the war.
Zhang Wei had previously helped a group, and the ingredients he had accumulated then were still not used up.
But before him…
Flames erupted everywhere…
Countless houses were burned down, army banners fluttered in the wind, and the numb cries of the displaced echoed.
This wasn't an army, it was simply bandits!
In a gathering of people, a man in officer's attire spoke, "By order of the King of Dongqing, the Ore-Meat Caverns have always belonged to my Dongqing. You are all here stealing Dongqing's resources, an unforgivable crime!"
"I am duty-bound to confiscate these stolen goods and expel you, the illegal immigrants!"
"However…"
The officer sneered, "If you were to join the army, your execution could be waived, and in return, your families would be guaranteed food and clothing. One person joining the army can bring along three family members!"
"A full three!"
To be honest, if he wanted to form a fighting force directly, he'd need to recruit able-bodied men, but Zhang Wei needed adolescents.
At this moment, the officer spotted Zhang Wei flying through the air. His expression immediately changed, and he shouted, "All present, salute the King of Northern Chefs!"
Zhang Wei was taken aback.
The script was a bit off.
Wasn't he supposed to be met with angry rebukes and disrespect, forcing him to obliterate half of them?
Now they were kneeling in deference from the start; how could he make a move?
Zhang Wei said displeasedly, "You, you know me?"
"Of course!"
The officer replied, "My Dongqing is adjacent to the Northern Lands. Who doesn't know the great name of Zhang Wei? Even my King of Dongqing is a loyal visitor to the Great Glacier, visiting at least four times a year with his royal relatives!"
"My King is a close friend of Mr. Xifeng; their relationship is extraordinary!"
Zhang Wei stated, "Since you know me… you should also know that I escorted these refugees. Why are you making things difficult for them?"
Although there were hundreds of millions of refugees, their sheer numbers were no match for an army of superhumans with an average level of 2.
A level one could contend with ten elite hunters, while levels two and three were comparable to a T-800 with reinforced bones. Even a hundred farmers couldn't inflict the slightest damage.
The officer respectfully said, "Please understand, Mr. Zhang Wei. The Ore-Meat Caverns have always been within the borders of my Dongqing, even subordinate to the Fudi region. However, due to the war, our troops were unable to garrison this place…"
"But now, to protect our country, we must extract sufficient military provisions from the Ore-Meat Caverns. Otherwise, military setbacks will affect the safety of the entire nation's people. We implore your understanding!"
Damn it!
What a righteous and eloquent speech!
So logical and well-reasoned!
Bloody hell!
Just then, the officer whispered, "Actually, I'm doing this for you, Mr. Zhang. We're just doing our jobs… we can't bend the rules, but you can…"
"In fact, this is a dirty job… I don't want to be cursed by thousands for expelling refugees. If you were to step in, I'd have a good explanation when I return."
Zhang Wei rolled his eyes. So, instead of cursing you, I'm supposed to curse myself?
Occupying another nation's land to settle refugees, disregarding the interests of their citizens. If they were to be defeated later, they'd surely blame me!
Wait a minute…
What did I come here for?
To recruit laborers!
Immediately, Zhang Wei created some distance and shouted at the officer, "Dongqing's morality is so low, to disregard millions of disaster victims, not thinking of providing relief, but instead expelling them for personal gain!"
"Do you really think that in this world, besides Dongqing, there's no other place for them to go! I, Zhang Wei, hold the Northern Lands, and I will not stand by while you mistreat them!"
Zhang Wei turned around and passionately addressed the refugees, "I, Zhang Wei, also have my own territory. Although it is a land of freezing cold, I can provide three meals a day, clothing, shelter, and a decent job, allowing you to earn your necessities through labor!"
"If you trust me, follow me back to the Great Glacier, and you can all live in my territory!"
Immediately, a wave of emotion surged through the crowd. Zhang Wei had left an excellent impression on the refugees. Not only had he sent people to help them along the way, but he had also provided a significant amount of food, firewood, and supplies upon his arrival. In their eyes, he was like a god.
But not long after Zhang Wei left, these officers appeared. They not only confiscated the food Zhang Wei had given but also set fire to their homes and demanded they leave.
The difference between the two was obvious.
Zhang Wei was undoubtedly a benevolent ruler.
Even if he wasn't, he was the type to bait his hook with delicious morsels. Unlike Dongqing, who only made empty promises!
"Allow me to arrange transportation. It will arrive within three days, and I will pick you up in batches!"
With that, Zhang Wei turned back to face the officer and said, "You have no objections to this, do you? Can you grant me a few days to mobilize the transport troops?"
The officer respectfully replied, "Naturally, there are no objections. However, we ask that you expedite the process!"
Zhang Wei flicked his sleeve and departed.
The officer let out a sigh of relief.
A young soldier beside him asked, "Are we really okay doing this…?"
"What could possibly be wrong?"
"The King ordered you to recruit reserve legions here, to form support units from the rear, composed mainly of foreign mercenaries, numbering five hundred thousand… If you let the refugees go like this, what will happen to the King's decree?"
"Decree?"
The officer scoffed, "How foolish. That is the strongest chef in the Northern Continent, and the leader of the largest power. Offending him, what difference does it make how many troops we have…"
"But… you attacked the disaster victims, haven't you already offended him?"
The officer sighed deeply.
There was no such thing as love without reason in this world!
"In these turbulent times, how could we feed useless people with food… We put on a show… I believe with Zhang Wei's intelligence, he has understood my intentions. Even if he doesn't spare me, he won't do anything to Dongqing…"
…
…
Meanwhile, all the airships in the Great Glacier were heading towards the Ore-Meat Caverns. Zhang Wei had also borrowed dozens of celestial cranes from Hei Mao to transport the refugees.
However, due to the long journey and the large number of refugees, it would take a considerable amount of time to transport them all.
Zhang Wei, from the sky, demarcated a radius of three hundred kilometers with his internal energy, ordering Dongqing not to enter.
A three-hundred-kilometer radius was indeed very crowded to accommodate a hundred million people. Zhang Wei also left behind a large amount of food and supplies before he felt at ease to leave.