Ding.
Grant successful.
Chen Yu, exiting the gifting page, opened his private message box and saw Jiang Yaqing send a received message. He casually replied with an emoji before leaning back in his chair, silent for a long time.
After a moment of deliberation, Chen Yu opened the regional channel.
"Cough!"
"Second batch, women, children, elderly and infirm given priority for recruitment. Contact via private message."
Boom!
The channel exploded.
Ever since Chen Yu's first recruitment ended, many survivors in the region had been eagerly awaiting his recruitment the next day.
Seeing Chen Yu's message now, various excited messages scrolled across the channel.
The private messages were even more numerous.
Chen Yu didn't immediately attend to the private messages. After checking his food reserves, he put a batch of food on the trading channel.
With a shout of "Dinner is served," the food was instantly snatched up.
But—
This food couldn't solve the problem at all.
The regional merge had caused the population of Chen Yu's region to increase severalfold, and Chen Yu had reduced the food allocation to allow his city-state to accommodate more survivors.
Simply put, the food he distributed could only sustain a small portion of people.
Or rather, barely fill their stomachs.
To obtain a stable food supply, they only had two paths before them: either gamble with their lives in the underground caves, or join the positions offered by Chen Yu.
The reduction in food indeed caused widespread lamentation in the channel.
Chen Yu still paid no mind.
Opening his private message box again, this time he didn't carefully filter. From top to bottom, he selected recipients and granted them directional scrolls.
"Nuoya!"
Tap tap tap~
Hearing Chen Yu's call, Nuoya, carrying a flower basket, ran over with Su Bei.
"My lord."
"Please receive the outsiders who will arrive shortly and guide them to our city-state's construction area to assign them work," Chen Yu whispered.
"Me, assign work?"
Nuoya's eyes were filled with confusion.
Although she was a core member of the camp, her area of management was the planting zone. The flower beds and farmland were managed by her, while all major and minor decisions for the city-state were made by Kaelin.
"Perhaps Kaelin won't be here, so I'm appointing you as deputy city lord."
"Huh?"
"Don't be stunned, you've been promoted," Chen Yu said, clapping Nuoya's small head. "You need to be mentally prepared. In the future, you and Kaelin will jointly manage the city-state."
"I..."
"Don't be afraid either. Just let them do what they can. I won't be borrowing Kaelin for too long. You two can cooperate with each other then."
"Will I still manage the flower beds?"
Nuoya, utterly bewildered, blinked. Chen Yu shrugged noncommittally.
"Of course. Rest assured, I'll let you peacefully be a flower planter. But for now and for the next few hours, the role you need to play is deputy city lord."
"Understood."
"What about me, Chen Yu Ge Ge~" Su Bei tilted her small head, full of anticipation. Chen Yu's eyes showed a smile as he reached out and ruffled her small head. "You'll be the City Lord's assistant."
"Okay~"
A cheerful cry came from Su Bei's mouth, and the small ears on her head perked up excitedly, looking very cute. Chen Yu smiled, playfully flicked her nose, and then glanced towards the camp.
"Kaelin, Soni, and the others aren't in the camp, right? Ilya isn't either."
"They went to the urban area very early."
"Alright, then I'll entrust the outsiders to you," Chen Yu said, patting her shoulder. He then opened the friend list on his wristband, found Kaelin's chat box, and said, "Coordinates."
...
West City of the City-State.
In a desolate area of ruins, nearly half of the city-state's administrators were gathered. Led by Kaelin, they included Er Gou, Kuka, Lion Jack, Rou Si, and Black Donkey, with Black Bean squatting among the women. Ilya was also there, arms crossed and lips slightly pursed.
"Should I excuse myself?"
Ilya raised her small hand, looking at the core members of Chen Yu's organization around her.
"Since you're already here, what's there to excuse?" Chen Yu smiled faintly. "If you really didn't want to hear what we're talking about, would you have come?"
"Heehee~"
As if her thoughts had been exposed, Ilya stuck out her pink tongue and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not a spy~!"
Chen Yu smiled slightly and said no more, his gaze falling on Kaelin. Feeling this gaze, Kaelin hurried forward to report.
"City Lord~"
"The outsiders you brought have all been put to work. Due to the early hour, I haven't discussed commission matters with them in detail yet."
"My plan is to discuss it this afternoon."
"The internal buildings of the city-state are now being demolished, and they should all be cleared within about half a month. The engineering department hasn't started construction yet. Fang Xiu is currently measuring and planning the area. He estimates it will take at least half a morning to roughly plan an area."
"The area will occupy about half of the fourth district, accounting for half of the first district's area."
"Regarding the former city-state slaves, I've already met with them. Those who wish to return to their tribes are willing to exchange labor for travel expenses back to their tribes, and they are now also put to work."
"The slaves are managed by Soni, and their work efficiency is quite good."
"The rewards from the city-state mercenaries' exploration are currently piled up in the city-state's front warehouse. I plan to send them to the camp this afternoon, and I've also tallied the points."
"..."
During this time, Chen Yu listened silently to Kaelin's report.
After she finished reporting everything.
"Kaelin, you've worked hard," Chen Yu said softly. "I'm very sorry to have burdened you with such heavy work. You should find some assistants for yourself."
"City Lord, I can!"
Kaelin's eyes were sharp, but Chen Yu could clearly see the profound exhaustion in them.
He understood.
Even just hearing Kaelin's report made his head ache. Not to mention that Kaelin had to directly deal with all this work.
"I believe in your ability," Chen Yu nodded with full recognition in his eyes.
"Kaelin, you are very important to me, to the camp, and to the city-state. I don't want you to collapse under heavy work, it would make me feel distressed."
"City Lord~"
Kaelin's cheeks involuntarily flushed, and Ilya beside her subtly pouted.
"City Lord, I will take care of myself," Kaelin said, her small face flushed, and she tightly clenched her small fists. Chen Yu reached out and ruffled her hair. "Find some assistants."
"Mm~"
Kaelin, with her head being ruffled by Chen Yu, lowered her head with a blush. After about half a minute, she raised her head again.
"City Lord, I have other things that haven't been reported..."
"I trust your decisions and have absolute faith in you, so you don't need to report them," Chen Yu said softly. "Besides, the reason I've gathered everyone here this time is not to listen to your reports. We've just settled into the city-state, and there aren't that many details I need to know."
"Then, City Lord, you~"
"Who is in charge of the mercenary department now? Step forward!"