novelraw Chapter 71: Re-election
Chapter 71: Re-election
Time passed, and this month was quickly approaching its end.
After the coldest period had passed, temperatures were gradually rising, which basically signaled that winter was about to end.
Li Wei estimated that in another month, temperatures would gradually return to around zero degrees, and spring would arrive.
On the last day of this month, during dusk, Li Wei was dozing off by the fireplace. Although there was no evidence, he once again sensed a vague hesitation and restlessness from Fila.
It seemed Fila was again considering whether to challenge for the Family Head position.
Opening his eyes, Li Wei glanced over Fila. She looked no different from usual, busy with her tasks, but there was definitely an underlying restlessness that couldn't be mistaken.
Fila had never been particularly good at emotional control. Although her acting skills were exquisite, whenever major events approached, she always lacked calm composure.
Li Wei smiled inwardly, curious about what Fila was planning. By the end of this month, her Family Contribution would reach at most 130 points. Could she have obtained some hidden card? Based on her accumulated private assets, including those jars of alcohol, the total value wouldn't exceed 80 points.
"A new recipe? That's quite possible."
"It seems tonight will be quite interesting."Li Wei wasn't particularly worried. With his previous advantages, serving as Family Head for three consecutive months was already quite good. Last month he practiced with the bow and arrows, this month he practiced wooden spear throwing.
His gains had been substantial.
Moreover, he was confident that after lying low for a few months, he could reclaim the Family Head position again.
Speaking of which, Thomas and Margaret had joined the family for three months now. The former had been mining stone blocks continuously. Calculating based on an average monthly income of 40 points, his Family Contribution should be approaching 120 points.
Margaret's Family Contribution would probably be somewhat less, around 90 points.
Then there were Penny and Leon. Penny's Family Contribution last month was probably around 110-120 points. After this month's frenzied mining and point grinding, it should reach 140-150 points.
Leon's Family Contribution would be around 160 points, perhaps even higher.
Hmm, he should currently rank second.
But the cost had been enormous. Thomas had lost at least fifty jin over these three months, while Margaret, Penny, and Leon had probably each lost over twenty jin.
Especially this month, with average temperatures below minus twenty degrees Celsius, food supplies were limited. They had to do such exhausting work while enduring the bitter cold invasion. Everyone looked like ghosts.
Their Health status had dropped to dangerous levels.
"Anyway, there definitely won't be any Plot Kill this month. They're all Family Elders—what's the point of killing them!"
Li Wei calculated in his mind, then quickly fell asleep. He had night watch duty, and if he couldn't master the skill of quick sleeping during the day, he would suffer.
When it came to physical health, he didn't dare be careless at all.
When he woke again, Fila had already prepared dinner. The room was warm, the bonfire light was so comforting, mixed with the aroma of food. In a daze, it truly felt like home.
However, when Li Wei scanned the dining table, he didn't discover any new dishes or foods. Huh? Was Fila still choosing to lie low?
Li Wei secretly rejoiced. If Fila didn't compete, he could freeload the Family Head position for another month.
Of course, perhaps Fila was using some other hidden card this time. Until the outcome was clear, everything remained uncertain.
Soon, the Four Workhorses returned, each dark and thin, looking haggard like savages. After entering the room, even the strongest Thomas collapsed into a seat, panting heavily, immediately grabbing his portion of vegetable meat soup and gulping it down in one go. Only then did he seem to regain some vitality.
The other three were the same. Leon even collapsed by the doorway, with only enough strength left to breathe.
There was no helping it. The weather was too cold, below minus twenty degrees. Even with sleds to transport the stone blocks, they still had to pull them uphill on the return trip—this wasn't flat ground, as the quarry was on the mountain.
Additionally, they had to quench and sharpen the chisels daily. And this wasn't like iron ore measured in hundred-jin units, but three hundred jin per unit.
Fortunately, the quarry location was only about two li from the camp, and the stone blocks mined didn't need to be perfectly square, just having some edges for stacking.
But even so, day after day of this work felt like their marrow was being squeezed dry.
It was only because Fila's three daily meals were quite excellent, and the family's food reserves were sufficiently abundant with no lack of vitamins, that Li Wei felt they hadn't developed serious illnesses from exhaustion.
But perhaps this was a bug-exploiting behavior—squeezing their own health to achieve maximum output in a short time, obtaining theoretically highest rewards and better clearance evaluations, then purchasing corresponding items to recover after leaving this world and returning to the main base?
Li Wei couldn't help thinking this way.
After all, Thomas and Margaret were truly doing exactly that.
Over these three months, Li Wei felt Thomas had shortened his lifespan by at least ten years.
That guy was too crazy.
A moment later, when Li Wei elegantly and leisurely finished his dinner last, he saw the Four Workhorses' four pairs of emotionless, pale eyes staring at him, like four zombies.
Haha!
My fault for delaying everyone.
Because only after dinner ended could the monthly summary begin.
Instantly, personal monthly summary information appeared before each person's eyes.
The information before Li Wei's eyes was as mediocre and conservative as always—he had only earned 5 Family Contribution points this month, equivalent to the minimum basic wage.
However, his clearance bonus evaluation reward reached 30%, meaning he would get an extra third of the clearance settlement reward. How sweet was that!
But at this moment, such good fortune would likely end.
Li Wei thought happily, waiting for Fila's outburst.
But what he got was only silence. Fila actually showed no movement? She didn't plan to compete for Family Head at this time?
How miraculous!
But then again, if Li Wei were in Fila's position, he would probably make the same choice.
Even though temperatures were rising now, they were still in winter—no gathering, no fishing, hunting wasn't ideal, and construction wasn't suitable with the ground still frozen. Stone buildings at least needed foundations.
What could one do after seizing the Family Head position?
So it was better to wait until next month.
Thus, after ten minutes of eerie silence, a line of information appeared before everyone.
[Since no family member's Family Contribution exceeds the Professional Farmer**, he will continue serving as Family Head and will preside over next month's family work plan. If all work plans are successfully completed by month's end, he will receive relevant benefits.]
——
Comfortable, four consecutive terms!
This was Li Wei's fifth time serving as Family Head, and his fourth consecutive month in the position. Although his tenure hadn't brought major reforms or contributions, it emphasized stability above all!
Hahaha!
Li Wei felt extremely pleased, then looked at everyone with a smiling face, skipping consultation and speaking directly, "Over these past months, your stone mining has been truly exhausting. For the family's future, you've sacrificed too much. So next month, I truly can't bear to see you labor like this anymore. How about we rest for a month? Sleep well, eat heartily, regain your fair complexions. We can't sacrifice our lives for work!"
After speaking, Li Wei's eyes reddened. After blinking several times, a single warm tear finally trickled down. He felt such heartache—these were his beloved family members! How could they mistreat themselves like this? Look at their frostbite-covered faces, their cracked hands and feet, their hunched bodies, their aged appearances.
His heart ached so much!