Chapter 45: Chapter 44: Wang Tiejimu
Upon learning that the latest batch of personnel included someone with dual spiritual roots, Yan Shaohua immediately rushed over from the command post.
In reality, Cao Yi, as a grassroots officer within the functional system, did not have a direct leadership relationship with Yan Shaohua, who belonged to the military system.
However, since Lin Li was currently eighteen kilometers away in Chixian City handling other matters, Yan Shaohua was assigned to take over the responsibilities.
After all, during such special times, certain things need not be overly scrutinized.
The command post is very close to the Li Guang Gate.
In less than two minutes, Yan Shaohua hurriedly arrived at the scene.
Upon seeing the two floating lights on the Spiritual Origin Ball, Yan Shaohua immediately showed a trace of joy:
"It really is dual spiritual roots, yellow is earth... green is wood... which means Comrade Cao Yi has earth and wood dual spiritual roots!"
He happily patted Cao Yi on the shoulder:
"This is truly good news.
Dual spiritual roots...
This aptitude is at least at the seventh level of the Foundation Establishment Stage.
We have ample spirit stones now, and in the future, once spirit medicines are deciphered, it’s entirely possible to cultivate to a high-level Core Formation Realm!
Moreover, according to the information from Chixian City, earth and wood are the two strongest defensive attributes among the five elements.
The Military Institute is currently planning to research earth and wood arrays, hoping to inscribe defensive arrays onto alloy armor.
Now that we have someone with earth and wood dual spiritual roots like you...
If you are willing to provide some assistance, the research will probably proceed much more smoothly."
Cao Yi solemnly saluted Yan Shaohua:
"Captain Yan, I will fully comply with the organization’s arrangements."
Yan Shaohua acknowledged with a "good," then turned to greet Wu Fan and others:
"Hello comrades, welcome to the Damo Realm.
The organization has arrangements for everyone, and we’ll discuss the specifics when we arrive in Chixian City."
Then he said to his adjutant, Lai De, next to him:
"Lai, how’s the car?"
Lai De replied, "Captain, the car is ready."
Yan Shaohua nodded:
"Then get ready, we’re heading to Chixian City."
....
After half an hour.
With a screech, two military off-road vehicles steadily stopped at the city gate.
Everyone disembarked one after another.
Upon landing, Zheng Yuan looked at the city wall with his mouth agape:
"Wow, such a high city wall."
As a native of Haojing, Zheng Yuan’s hometown has the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in all of Huaxia.
The ancient city wall in Haojing stands close to 12 meters high, with a circumference of 13.74 kilometers, not far from the famously shabby... well, that’s off-topic.
In short.
Zheng Yuan grew up in an environment surrounded by such city walls, yet seeing a wall more magnificent than Haojing’s left him astonished.
Cao Yi, standing beside him, gave him a strange look:
"Why are you so excited after being identified with five spiritual roots?"
Zheng Yuan shrugged, looking indifferent:
"You have to take life easy. So, after being identified with five spiritual roots, should I be sullen for half the day, or find a place to kill myself?
There’s no sense in that.
People with abilities contribute greatly to the country, while people like me, a grassroots policeman, make small contributions.
It’s not like everyone can hit a 20% chance. I’ve been lucky enough to find a virtuous wife.
If I awakened dual spiritual roots too, would that be worthy of my Fei Qiu identity?"
Cao Yi blinked:
"What you said seems to make sense, but I feel like you’re implying something....."
While Cao Yi and the others gathered at the city gate, waiting for the command post’s reception staff.
At the base of the wall, beyond their sight.
A few refugees were secretly watching them—specifically, watching the notice behind Cao Yi and the others.
One skinny refugee with a piece of straw in his mouth nudged another refugee with his elbow:
"Lao Liu, do you think that Wei Family notice is real?
The Wei Family Main House is going to build a city nearby, providing meals and lodging for brick movers, and paying them too?"
The refugee, addressed as Lao Liu, was holding a bucket of Kang Shifu mushroom chicken noodle soup in one hand and a plastic fork in the other, fishing around for something in the broth.
Finally fishing out a piece of compressed chicken breast the size of a fingernail, Lao Liu gently placed it into his mouth as though it were a treasure.
He chewed with his eyes narrowed for a while and then took a sip of soup before wiping his mouth:
"Believe that? Nonsense!
Do you think such a thing could happen to us?
Ask around a thousand miles from here, has anyone ever encountered such a good thing in the past hundred years?"
Another refugee snickered:
"Come on, do you even know what a thousand miles is? You don’t even know what Celestial South City a hundred miles away looks like, do you?"
Hearing this, Lao Liu became unhappy immediately and let out a long ’hey’:
"Hey, maybe I’ve never been to Celestial South City, but weren’t there enough people fleeing from places like Celestial South City or even farther Donglin City recently?
The people of the Wei Family are good, much better than those lords of Celestial South City or Donglin City.
But people being good is one thing; you can’t believe every word they say.
These days, people are cheaper than grass."
A lame man hesitated for a few seconds and said:
"But they haven’t been stingy with food these days, have they? Not to mention the noodles you have, there’s even a meat-rich dish every noon, what’s it called... as those in charge say... "
A silent one-eyed man beside the lame man spoke:
"Gravy."
"Gravy, my ass; those people call that thing ’boxed meal’!"
Lao Liu spat lightly onto the ground and contemptuously glanced at the one-eyed man:
"Forget it, with an idiot like you who can’t even remember people’s names, what good memory could you have?
Honestly.
Boxed meals are good stuff; I’ve never eaten anything so tasty in my life.
But who knows if they’re just buying people’s hearts?
Exchanging a few meals over two days for a large batch of people, it’s bound to be a profitable deal no matter what."
Seeing everyone remain silent, Lao Liu grew more enthusiastic:
"So I think the best thing for us is to do nothing.
If the people holding long pipes continue like this for a whole month, then we’ll trust them once.
Only two days have passed, who would believe them... hey blind Woodman, where are you going?"
Lao Liu stared blankly at the one-eyed man getting up and grabbed him: "What are you doing?"
The one-eyed man turned back and said:
"Going to register."
Lao Liu jutted his chin forward, his neck stretching akin to a tortoise’s:
"You’re crazy, aren’t you? Weren’t you the one who didn’t believe any of this?"
The one-eyed man shook his head: "I’m not crazy."
The lame man who had spoken before asked: "Then why are you registering? Aren’t you afraid those people will sell you off?"
The one-eyed man said nothing but gently rolled up his sleeve, revealing a horrific wound:
"A few days ago, during the worst of the beast tide, a demon serpent sent a long blade flying near me, slicing deep into my arm.
You know how sharp those long blades from the Wei Family are.
Blood couldn’t stop flowing right then, not to mention the blade was smeared with gold sap.
That’s gold sap.
Besides cultivators, it’s deadly for ordinary people.
At that moment, I fainted from the pain, thinking my last thought was that I was done for.
But do you know what happened after that?
..... I survived.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by the corpses of demon beasts, and a person holding a long pipe was smiling at me—you wouldn’t believe it, drenched in gold sap, yet my worthless life somehow managed to survive!"
The one-eyed man finished, let out a wry laugh:
"In all fairness, I’m ashamed to admit I’ve even forgotten the face of that person who saved my life.
Can’t help it.
I’m dumb, had my head hit by a rock, and one eye blind.
Never learned to read since childhood, the content on the notice was what I heard from the steward.
I can’t remember your names either.
I can even confuse a boxed meal with gravy.
But there’s one thing I remember.
That thing hung on the chest of my savior, brighter than three suns."
The one-eyed man stood up, right hand pointing straight to a conspicuous emblem on the corner of the notice:
"I had asked the savior about it with gestures, and the savior told me....
That thing is called a military insignia.
I, Wang Tiejimu, don’t trust people, don’t believe in immortals, and definitely don’t believe in demons, but I trust that five-pointed star."