Jing Shu’s thoughts were quickly dragged back to reality. Transportation issues could be resolved, and after all, it was good for her parents to exercise. Unlike before when they were forced to work on an empty stomach, they were now as strong as bulls after drinking Spiritual Spring, bursting with energy that seemed inexhaustible—perfect for a routine run. COUGH COUGH. As for me, it’s better if I stay home when there’s nothing else to do.
The Maybach’s swaying made one dizzy, which only reinforced Jing Shu’s resolve never to modify it.
The closer they got to West Mountain, the fewer mudslides there were, likely because the undulating mountains here prevented the mudslides from submerging this area. Upon reaching Stone Garden, the super-fortress built with huge stones, there was only a thin layer of sparse mud on the ground.
One had to admit that Stone Garden was indeed a product of perfect timing, favorable geography, and human harmony.
The population of Stone Garden had grown. Beginning last year, Qian Duoduo had hired tens of thousands of temporary workers from the government to move stones, cut them up, and expand Stone Garden Phase Two.
At that time, half of Stone Garden’s expansion was compelled. Why? COUGH COUGH. Providing so many jobs daily and turning in so much food couldn’t all be for nothing, could it? When there was really nothing else to do, what was the solution? Expand, of course. The free labor shouldn’t be wasted... It was beneficial for everyone involved. So, Stone Garden was expanded over the entire year, supplying food for tens of thousands of people to the government and alleviating Wu City’s burden.
I never thought that right after the expansion was completed this year, a large number of people would move into Wu City. What did this mean?
Jing Shu flashed an ambiguous smile, stepped out of the car, and sure enough, saw Xiao Cai stamping his feet at the door waiting for her.
"Hurry, hurry... everyone is waiting for you!" Xiao Cai, wearing a thin black and white suit, his breath misting in the air, welcomed Jing Shu inside. Immediately upon entering Stone Garden, warm air rose from the ground, and a wave of heat washed over them as they stepped into the stone building.
Upon entering, the first thing that met the eye was a vast open space, unlike the cramped circular rooms of before. This area was expansive, spanning at least several thousand square meters, so large that one could hear echoes when speaking. Looking further, there were several identical halls. These could be partitioned into smaller halls with sliding doors, or the partitions could be removed entirely to form one large hall.
"You haven’t been to the newly expanded Stone Garden, have you? Look at this, the massive space on the ground floor here is a multi-functional hall. Usually, it serves as an exhibition room but can be converted into a cafeteria or temporary meeting room whenever needed. Mr. Qian plans to show a movie here every month, turning it into a theater. This hall can accommodate tens of thousands of people or even be converted into a shelter if necessary," Xiao Cai said with profound meaning. "Just place a few thousand bunk beds here, and this place alone could solve the housing problem for tens of thousands of people."
Jing Shu nodded. He was right. This environment was much better than an underground car park, though one shouldn’t expect a good night’s sleep here. Such a noisy place was bound to be continuously loud. But it was warm, at least, which would prevent many people from freezing to death.
"I’ll take you to the meeting room on the third floor now and show you around Stone Garden Phase Two after the meeting is over. You’ll find it interesting," Xiao Cai smiled.
Jing Shu nodded again, not bothering to ask what the meeting was about today.
This place is called a meeting hall, but it feels more like a private bar, decorated in a very retro style, with torch-like fixtures on the walls giving off a distinctive vibe.
This must be Qian Duoduo’s private bar area. The shelves on the walls are filled with bottles of unnameable liquor, exuding an aura of luxury.
About twenty people sat around the bar, all either rich or noble, dressed neatly and formally. Jing Shu found several of them familiar, including one particularly memorable individual—the one to whom Qian Duoduo had gifted an armed helicopter.
These must be the stakeholders of Stone Garden.
When Jing Shu arrived, the atmosphere was very heavy. There was no whispering, as if a severe issue had arisen. Her arrival did not cause any sensation. Qian Duoduo, dressed in a fur coat, was sitting in the middle of the bar. He stopped playing with the walnuts in his hand when he saw Jing Shu, waved, and motioned for her to hurry in.
A man in a black suit pulled out a barstool for Jing Shu and brought her a glass of red wine. Xiao Cai silently withdrew, firmly closing the conference hall doors.
Qian Duoduo, rolling walnuts in his hand, took a sip of his drink and then said, "Now that everyone is here, let us begin. I presume you are all aware of the government’s latest decision. We’re not only taking over the residents of several surrounding cities but also merging with Ningshan City and taking over their population of over a million, along with merging various administrative personnel. Departments will also need to downsize. Wu City will soon see an influx of new powers."
Jing Shu raised her eyebrows. So many people from Ningshan City are coming to Wu City? Moreover, the issues seem more complex than I initially thought. If people from various departments are also coming, then Mrs. Jing’s Ministry of Agriculture can’t possibly have two Directors, can it? Surely one would have to step down or be demoted. This would impact the personnel, and Mr. Jing’s farm would also be affected. Is this going to be a contest of backgrounds?
Then, a middle-aged man with a beard said, "It’s a decree from the Imperial Capital. Wu City has no choice but to comply. The problem is, aside from the resources Ningshan City brings, the several smaller cities around are poor as church mice, just bringing mouths to feed into Wu City, adding more pressure to the higher-ups."
"With pressure from above, we get squeezed too," another person interjected. "Mr. Qian, just tell us what the higher-ups mean. If we can concede, we will. Are they asking for grain donations again? We still have a batch of Insect Cakes; we might as well all of them."
"Now, even Insect Cakes are running low," someone else added.
"As long as they don’t make us give up our rice, anything goes," a fourth voice chimed in.
Qian Duoduo, usually a smiling tiger, could not manage a smile this time. He frowned and said, "The higher-ups want to requisition Phase Two of Stone Garden and take over the management team to create a second Stone Garden."
"They must be dreaming!"
For a moment, the conference hall erupted, tensions boiling over. They had mentally prepared themselves. They were used to being asked to contribute grain every time difficulties arose, but this time, it was too much.
"We spent a significant sum hiring people from the government to build this Phase Two of Stone Garden over more than a year!" one exclaimed. "It is even bigger than the previous one. And now they say they want to requisition it? Are they robbers?!"
"This is simply seizing without compensation!" another cried out. "We spent a massive amount of resources, and in the end, it seems we were just dressing someone else’s bride!"
Jing Shu narrowed her eyes. So, even before the tyrant came to power, the government had already set its sights on this fat sheep. She looked at these people, subtly shaking her head. Next year, they’re all going to be fleeced, and yet they’re still caught up in this issue.
"So, I called you all here to ask for your opinions: do we give up Stone Garden, or not?" Qian Duoduo continued. "The authorities have stated that after the requisition, they will pay us a rent of two hundred thousand Virtual Coins per month."
"Nonsense!" someone scoffed. "What can we do with Virtual Coins?"