The next day, Zhou Xiaoxiao prepared to depart with his family. Though described as a family, there were no elderly members, only him, his wives, and their children. In the apocalypse, the elderly were the most vulnerable. When the zombie outbreak occurred, many lost their lives. Later, when the world underwent drastic changes and the oxygen concentration on Earth surged, those elderly who had managed to survive met a tragic end. Consequently, Zhou Xiaoxiao had no parents.
He rented a boat and brought his family aboard, intending to travel upstream along the Qu River. Upon reaching their destination, they would switch to vehicles for further travel.
At the dock, many of Zhou Xiaoxiao's friends came to see him off. They were reluctant to see him leave and hadn't anticipated such an event.
Yang Ye said to Zhou Xiaoxiao, "I don't know what you did to offend the City Lord to get yourself banished to Rongcheng. But don't worry, we'll find a way to get you back. We're friends, after all, and we won't abandon you."
Zhou Xiaoxiao retorted, "You have the nerve to say that? The reason I'm in trouble is because of you! I've become your scapegoat! The City Lord changed his mind and, fearing our opposition, decided to suppress us. The blow didn't fall on you, but on me!"
Yang Ye felt a pang of fear. He hadn't expected the City Lord's thoughts to change so suddenly. If it weren't for the large number of people supporting his ideas, making it difficult for the City Lord to act against him, he would likely have been banished by now.
"I don't know what the City Lord is thinking. We've always been loyal. If he wanted to change the plan, he should have informed us. Would we have opposed him? We would have supported his actions. Instead, he started suppressing us without a word," Yang Ye grumbled, full of complaints.
Tu Xuhuai interjected, "Gentlemen, haven't you realized what you've done wrong? The reason the City Lord is suppressing you without a word is because you've been too conspicuous lately!"
Speaking of this, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt wronged. "I don't think I've done anything to attract attention. That Yang fellow has been the one seeking the spotlight. Why am I the one being suppressed?"
Tu Xuhuai glanced around. Many people were observing from a distance, waiting for him to finish speaking before they approached to bid farewell. With no risk of being overheard, he continued, "I learned from Lu Xian that during the debate conference, the City Lord secretly visited your estate. He must have seen your luxurious manor by the river, its vast size, and its ornate carvings and furnishings. This would inevitably have caused his displeasure."
Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned. "The City Lord visited my estate? But that's not a big deal. His Fengshen Palace is even larger than mine. Why can't I enjoy myself? Is it one rule for officials and another for the common people?"
Tu Xuhuai said calmly, "The City Lord controls the business of evolution points, which brings in immense profits. How you accumulated your wealth, do you think we don't know? I've heard for a long time about the monopolistic businesses you've been conducting privately. Your money isn't clean, and the City Lord certainly knows it. It's good that he hasn't dealt with you. He's merely giving you a warning! It's also a way to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, and to warn us not to disrupt his plans."
Zhou Xiaoxiao pondered for a long time, then finally shook his head in resignation. "Forget it, it's no use talking about it. But I'm very happy that you two came to see me off!"
As they were talking, a commotion suddenly arose in the distance. Everyone turned to look and saw many recruitment tables being set up. It turned out the City Lord had issued a recruitment order. Although there was no immediate talk of war, everyone could sense the scent of gunpowder.
Zhou Xiaoxiao shook his head helplessly. "I won't talk to you any longer. I'm preparing to leave. If you two truly have a conscience, send me news often."
Tu Xuhuai thought for a moment, looking at the distant Yangtze River, and said, "The boundless fallen leaves rustle down, the endless Yangtze River rolls on. Autumn will soon arrive. In the ruined Rongcheng, the environment is likely not as good as it is now. It's best to bring some warm clothing, as it might get very cold in winter."
Upon hearing Tu Xuhuai's poetic line, Yang Ye felt a hint of disdain. He thought, "Am I the only one who can recite poetry? I can too. Let me show you."
So, Yang Ye also began his farewell words, "The two words 'xiao xiao' in what Tu Xuhuai said are missing the three water radicals. I've thought of a line: 'My hair bristles with anger, standing by the railing, the drizzling rain stops…'"
"Hurry up and shut up. Are these the kind of words you should be saying?" Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly interrupted, absolutely unwilling to let his words today reach the City Lord's ears.
Tu Xuhuai also looked at Yang Ye and said, "My hair bristles with anger? It seems your inner resentment runs very deep."
Yang Ye suddenly remembered that this line of poetry needed to be used in the right context and couldn't be spoken casually. The phrase "my hair bristles with anger" itself expressed a feeling of anger, and if this sentence were to reach the City Lord's ears, it would be truly disastrous. The City Lord would likely believe he harbored dissatisfaction towards him.
After bidding farewell to his colleagues, Zhou Xiaoxiao boarded the boat and sailed upstream. The speed was decent. It was now midsummer, and in a month or so, autumn would arrive. The water flow was also adequate, allowing for a good speed on the boat.
Zhou Xiaoxiao's departure filled the employees of the City Lord's mansion in Yuzhou with trepidation. They realized that if the City Lord wanted to do something, there was truly no one who could stop him.
Consequently, people abandoned their opposition to Shen Feng accepting the surrender of Dian Province. If they continued to oppose the City Lord's actions, they might be the next to suffer misfortune.
However, this matter was not over. Shen Feng soon announced other news: he planned to take a group of experienced employees from the City Lord's mansion to the south. The specific purpose was not convenient to disclose at the moment, but experienced personnel would be prioritized, and ordinary people could not refuse.
Xu Xing was the first to sign up. After abandoning the task of killing bandits, he had been idle all day, unsure of what to do. Hearing about the opportunity to go south, he immediately chose to join.
However, many employees who had been in the City Lord's mansion for a long time began to complain. They had fought tooth and nail to get into the City Lord's mansion, only for the City Lord to decree that they would be taken to the dangerous south, possibly to war-torn regions. Wouldn't that be the end of them?
If complaints were useful, many people would choose to complain. However, even if these people complained, their voices would not reach Shen Feng. Many had already heard the news of Zhou Xiaoxiao's banishment to Rongcheng. Zhou Xiaoxiao was one of the earliest followers of Shen Feng, and even he had been dealt with. As for others who dared to object, they might face even worse consequences.
Thus, in terms of results, Shen Feng's tactic of "beating the grass to startle the snake" had its intended effect. Those below dared not entertain any thoughts of defying his orders.
Meanwhile, many people in the civilian population enthusiastically began to sign up. The reason was simple: the children who had survived the apocalypse had grown up. They were accustomed to life in the apocalypse but did not wish for their lives to remain unchanged. The best way to achieve change was to join the army or enter the City Lord's mansion.
Many children had grown significantly over the past ten years. They had gradually taken over their parents' jobs. However, in the end, the children of laborers could only become laborers, and the children of farmers who cultivated the land could only become farmers. As for those who controlled the top resources, they would carefully cultivate their children to take over their work, becoming those who relied on their intellect for a living.
In fact, the benefits of various jobs had been summarized by the ancients: "Those who labor with their minds govern others; those who labor with their bodies are governed by others."
In plain terms, everyone preferred jobs that involved using their brains, as they didn't require getting drenched in sweat and enduring injuries and illnesses. In old age, these injuries and illnesses would require all their income to be spent on medical treatment. They disliked office jobs, but such jobs were not available for ordinary people to compete for.
The stability of Yuzhou left many without opportunities for change, forcing them to repeat the same jobs they had always done.
But now, the opportunity for change was before them, and people eagerly embraced it. Especially the young people who wanted to change their destiny, they were ready to seize this opportunity, as only by seizing it could they completely alter their fate.
Some cautious parents told their sons, "I heard that this recruitment is for going to war in the south. The south is a plateau region, with high mountains, dense forests, and many insects. Accidents can happen easily. It's better to forget it. Anyway, we won't starve to death staying here in Yuzhou. If there's a chance, I'll find you a wife, and then you can start a family."
However, some young people replied to their parents' words, "I know that staying here won't lead to starvation, because even working can support myself and even provide some surplus. But this kind of life will come to an end, as there will be no change. In the future, I'll still be mediocre, die in obscurity, and my destiny will remain unchanged. Therefore, even if this is an adventure, I must go. The opportunity to change my destiny is right before me. If I miss this chance, I will regret it for the rest of my life."
Thus, the parents of these young people could not stop them and could only watch as their sons went to battle.
Some smarter young people immediately found books to study, preparing to enter the City Lord's mansion. They had heard that many experienced elders would be taken away, so their opportunity had arrived. After the Yuzhou civil servants left, new personnel would surely be recruited, and they could then enter.
Shen Feng was quite surprised when he heard about this. He had initially thought that the recruitment process would be troublesome, as many people had learned to survive in the apocalypse, trying to avoid war and certainly not going to the battlefield. To his surprise, hearing that many young people were eagerly signing up, he felt immense pressure. If he took these young people out to fight and couldn't bring them back, how would he face their parents?
"I didn't expect so many people would rather go to war than stay at home. It seems they also yearn for a change in their lives!" Shen Feng couldn't help but sigh.
Li Keyi said, "These people also crave power. Before, they had no opportunity to wield power, but now the opportunity is before them, and they don't want to miss it for nothing."
Shen Feng understood this principle. After all, power and resources had not been flowing freely before. Those with power could grow fat and complacent, while the poor could only live by their meager resources. This peaceful life wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly good either.
"Also, are there any people who doubt the news about aliens? If there are, you must tell me immediately," Shen Feng suddenly remembered something and quickly asked Li Keyi.