Recruiting soldiers for a city depends on food.
In the underground world, food is very scarce. Those willing to join the legions can at least get three meals a day and enjoy certain subsidies. Although joining a legion is more dangerous than being a civilian in the city, many still join for their families.
Then there is mandatory conscription in the city; adult males must join the legions.
These are relatively common recruitment methods.
In Fengqi City, which Chen Yu manages, even the simplest laborers can earn 30 copper coins a day, so no one lacks food.
Using satiety as bait will obviously not work.
From Chen Yu's tax policies and salary system, it can be seen that he is a benevolent ruler, and oppressive measures like mandatory conscription will not occur under him.
Along the way, Yabo racked his brains to help Chen Yu figure out how to recruit soldiers.
???
He never dreamed that he would recruit soldiers with roast meat.
"Is there a problem?" Chen Yu shrugged and spread his hands. "Didn't you also acknowledge the allure of exquisite roast meat to the common people? It's only reasonable for me to recruit them with roast meat. Anyone who voluntarily participates in conscription will receive a free piece of 300g exquisite roast meat. Those who successfully pass the assessment will receive at least one piece of 300g exquisite roast meat daily as their meal."
"Ah?!"
Yabo's mouth gaped in shock, and he stared at Chen Yu dumbfounded for a long while.
The City Lord was serious!
He had been wondering if Chen Yu was just playing around. During his interactions with Chen Yu recently, he felt that although the City Lord was a saint, he had a very joking personality.
Now, hearing him reveal the plan, Yabo was truly bewildered.
"Are you serious?"
"What is there to doubt about this?" Chen Yu smiled and spread his hands. "Using food as bait is the most basic way of recruiting, isn't it? In situations where food is generally scarce, using basic food for recruitment, I have upgraded it. In essence, there is no change."
"Are you sure everyone can participate, and there's no need for screening?"
"Treat everyone equally."
Chen Yu wanted the common people to feel that they were all equal, regardless of gender or age.
"City Lord, we have nearly 400,000 people in our city." Yabo said with a solemn expression. "According to you, anyone who participates will receive a piece of roast meat. I dare not say everyone will participate, but at least more than half will. That means we need to provide 200,000 pieces of roast meat."
"This is not a problem."
The hiring of magic chefs is not restricted by region. The survival watch is on his wrist, and he can communicate with the camp at any time. As long as he provides enough elemental fragments, he can hire magic chefs to work in Fengqi City.
200,000 units of roast meat seem like a large quantity, but for Chen Yu's 80-fold greedy crit, it's simple.
He just got a bit lazy after having the magic chefs and the magic spirit coal ball. If it were in the early stages of exploring the underground world, he could have produced 200,000 pieces of roast meat by himself, manning eight barbecue grills for several hours.
"City Lord, I am not doubting your ability to provide this roast meat."
"200,000 units of roast meat is a full 6 million copper coins. Moreover, there might be some common people who participate in the selection just to have a taste of exquisite roast meat but do not have the corresponding ability."
"In my opinion, initial screening..."
Before Yabo could finish speaking, Chen Yu smiled and shook his head.
"There's no need. It's just exquisite roast meat. Whether they have the ability or not, even if they are truly coming for the roast meat, I'll consider it as treating the common people of my city to a barbecue. What's the harm?" Chen Yu smiled slightly. "An expenditure of 6 million copper coins in exchange for the happiness of the common people eating well, I don't think it's a losing deal."
Feeling the sincerity in Chen Yu's expression, Yabo pursed his lips and spoke slowly after a long while.
"City Lord, you... are indeed different from others."
"Hahaha, isn't this inevitable? In the entire underground world, how many would offer such salaries and tax policies?" Chen Yu laughed heartily, patting Yabo's shoulder, and looking at his sincere eyes, he smiled slightly. "Stand by my side and watch carefully, I will make this city renowned throughout the world."
"I believe you."
Yabo nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed.
"For those who successfully pass the selection, the monthly salary will be 60 silver coins, as you said before?"
"The minimum salary for those who pass the selection is 60 silver coins per month." Chen Yu nodded noncommittally. Yabo then asked, "Then how many people are we planning to recruit this time?"
"The more, the merrier." Chen Yu's eyes were filled with a smile as he said softly, "We will accept all who can pass the selection."
"City Lord, there might be many people."
"Don't worry!" Chen Yu raised his hand and said, "Don't worry about having too many qualified people; worry about having no one qualified. Do you think the area I asked you to prepare as a trial zone looks easy? The trials have a prerequisite: their cultivation realms must be sealed, allowing them to pass the tests as ordinary people."
"This..."
Upon hearing this, Yabo's eyes showed astonishment. He couldn't help but think of the trial zone he had set up.
When Chen Yu contacted him, he had thought that this area might be used for training. Therefore, he had specifically set up many extremely difficult obstacles, which would require considerable effort even for a Bronze-level cultivator to pass.
He never expected Chen Yu to seal the cultivation realms of the participants.
If their cultivation realms were sealed,
Even he might not be able to pass smoothly.
"Is there a problem?" Chen Yu frowned. Yabo let out a long sigh. "City Lord, I suddenly thought that some parts of the trial zone are not yet perfect. Can I..."
Seeing his expression, Chen Yu knew what he was thinking.
"Go ahead."
"I suggest you invite your brothers to try it out. The minimum standard I need is your fox-man brother, the second tier is the mole-faced one, and the third tier is your jackal brother. The positions they can pass will be the assessment standards for tomorrow's selection. Remember?"
"If that's the case, the pass rate might be very low." Yabo frowned.
It wasn't that he wanted to deliberately elevate his sworn brothers, but he knew very well that these people had suffered hardships and lived difficult lives since childhood. Even the seemingly thin fox-man had formidable explosive power. Setting the standard to this degree would be very difficult for those common people who had not received any training.
"I said, I want elite soldiers!"
"An ace army that will make the entire underground world tremble."
The smile on Chen Yu's face suddenly disappeared. Looking at Chen Yu, Yabo couldn't help but lower his head slightly.
"The standard is the standard. During the selection, it can be lowered by about twenty percent. Those who can pass to this extent will also be retained. However, these people can only be considered ordinary soldiers, and their welfare benefits will also be reduced accordingly."
"Understood."
"Go and do it." Chen Yu stretched lazily, patted Yabo's shoulder with a smile, "You'll be busy for a while."