Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!

Chapter 316 - 308: Underground City Construction 18

At the thought of the elderly with white hair, traveling a long distance, climbing mountains and crossing rivers, panting heavily as if they were about to run out of breath, she shivered.

Ordinary people shouldn’t even think about it; they would definitely collapse halfway. Did Commander Han forget her previous warning?

Just as she was about to refuse, she looked up and saw Yanlan’s serious expression, as if determined to assign people to her, and her heart skipped a beat.

"In this ice and snow, such a long journey, if we encounter a cold wave, it would be fatal. Does Commander Han want me to be responsible for innocent lives?"

Han Yi choked, wanting to say he would send escorts, but remembering her previous words, he became unsure.

Indeed, the distance was more than a thousand miles, even in peaceful times it might take ten days to half a month, let alone now with the snow thickening. Even if the weather doesn’t worsen, it would still take over a month to arrive.

Sending people is impossible; she doesn’t want to be indebted for life.

Upon another thought, she came up with a perfect plan, "If possible, Mr. Yan, do you have a way to buy slaves? Or hire some local farmers for long-term work."

Although she disapproves of the ancient practice of buying and selling people and exploiting slaves, these are extraordinary times. If she could buy them, they might have a chance of survival.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have any space to survive in the future world.

Besides, her secret cannot be exposed. She needs people who will keep their mouths shut, people who won’t betray her. As long as she holds the slaves’ contracts, she holds life and death over them, though she won’t really do anything, the necessary deterrent should be there.

As for the ordinary people, they could handle some simple tasks, only exposed to what she allows them to see.

Zhou Yanlan didn’t answer immediately. After pondering for a while, he spoke concisely.

"Dayi Continent is feasible."

Dayi Continent... it sounds familiar as a place name, but what does it have to do with her question?

Could it be to buy slaves from Dayi Continent?

She looked at Han Yi, uncertain.

"The closest place to Yuan Yang City is Dayi Continent. The people there are fierce, with fighting and looting as their norm. Whatever is captured, be it people or goods, can be bartered in exchange markets, and the slave market is the most prosperous, with rampant human trafficking.

It’s a gathering place for four out of ten human traffickers of Tianqi. Perhaps we can pick some people from there."

Oh~!

With such an explanation, doesn’t it make it clear?

"Is this feasible?"

Zhou Yanlan nodded, signaling Han Yi with his eyes.

Han Yi accepted the order and was about to proceed at once.

Cheng Xiaoxiao called out, "Wait a moment."

She generously pulled out a stack of silver notes, "These are silver notes for buying slaves. Commander Han, see if it’s enough."

Han Yi was surprised. He didn’t expect Miss Cheng, fleeing all the way, to have so much property, dozens of hundred-tael notes, and to carry them around. Definitely a wealthy landlord.

However, giving him the notes, how will she support people later?

"Miss Cheng should keep them!"

"How can that be? Buying slaves is such a trivial matter, it’s already troubling Commander Han to make a trip personally, if I further let you offer contribution and money, what would that make me, a freeloading carousel? I wouldn’t have the face to accept at that point."

Feigning annoyance, Cheng Xiaoxiao hesitated and continued, "Also could I trouble Commander Han to take one of my people along."

She called over Qi Fei who was busy, "Take him with you, and let him gain some experience."

Han Yi looked at Zhou Yanlan.

Receiving a positive answer, he agreed.

Cheng Xiaoxiao directly stuffed the silver notes into Qi Fei’s hands, "This journey is dangerous, be very careful. This money should be more than enough. See if there are any useful items for us, and you can also purchase them."

"Okay, got it!"

Just as Qi Fei turned to prepare his luggage, Cheng Xiaoxiao caught his arm, then placed something in his hand.

"Take this with you. Commander Han knows how to use it. Keep a low profile while out, learn more from Commander Han. Safety first, regardless of success, return soon."

Saying she wasn’t worried would be false; Qi Fei was slick and clever, but that is, after all, a wild city where reason is disregarded. If she wasn’t tied up now, she would have personally gone there.

A ticking time bomb hangs overhead, not knowing when it will drop. Can she not be anxious?

"Don’t worry, I’ve got it in mind." When did the boss become so fussy?

Watching both their silhouettes fade away, Cheng Xiaoxiao silently prayed in her heart, hoping for their smooth journey.

"Let’s go!"

She took Zhou Yanlan to a tent set up separately. The sisters had tidied it up, and though a bit small, it was fully equipped.

In the following days, life became fulfilling and busy. Cheng Xiaoxiao had a lot of affairs to manage daily.

She was either in the brick house with the kiln or in the cement workshop studying stones.

Or she was underground at the construction site, directing the digging work.

Occasionally, meetings were needed to discuss various progress aspects.

The mountain area they selected was a flat land located higher in a mountain range group. After digging down about ten meters, they had to tunnel deeper towards the mountain top, hence this area would serve as the gateway to the Underground City.

In the past few days, tents were set up, workshops built, earth was tamped to build stoves, ensuring the daily needs of team members. Now all is sorted, and this part of the men joined the digging and tunneling project.

In Cheng Xiaoxiao’s place, there was no such thing as men plowing and women weaving; anyone capable could do any job, regardless of gender.

Work points were calculated based on workload. Everyone had a work point card, recording earnings and expenses.

Every noon, there was a free work meal, but meals in the morning and evening, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, kitchenware, fabrics, needles, or ready-made clothes and shoes were exchanged with work points; this greatly increased the people’s work motivation.

However, there were still dainty ladies waiting at home for their men to feed them, or women excusing to take care of their children, led by Yang Ying, Ming Shan’s wife.

Currently, both Yang Fan and Ming Shan are team leaders in the engineering team’s vanguard, and earn more work points than ordinary workers, barely able to support their families.

Actually, those wanting to join the 132th Regiment’s member assessments had to be counted according to personal performance. Apart from children under five, and people over sixty not needing to work, all others were treated equally. Yet, Yang Ying incited some close sisters to ignore these rules, even spreading rumors and defaming the 132th Regiment’s various injustices in private.

Cheng Xiaoxiao had long been aware of this matter, just hadn’t had the time to clean up these brainless women who couldn’t distinguish the situation.

Now, with an increased workforce, naturally the project speed must be increased.

Eight pits were simultaneously dug. After entering the mountain, Cheng Xiaoxiao took out the Soldier’s Shovel for the production department and Patrol Team to manage. Workers alternated day and night shifts, responsible for the forefront digging work, greatly accelerating project progress.

Once the team members used the Soldier’s Shovel, they were continuously surprised. The hard rock turned to clay-like softness, and with each shovel, a large chunk was dug away, truly an unmatched tool for breaking mountains and rocks.