Chapter Sixteen: A Growing Population

The immigrants were moving much slower than Mo Fangyuan had anticipated. After just a day’s journey, he caught up with them easily. Fortunately, the great fire he had prepared in advance seemed to have served its purpose, successfully halting the skeleton forces’ assault on the group. Not once did the skeletons appear, even after the immigrants had completely left the desert and reached the shallow shores of Lake Qiansheng, a place Mo Fangyuan often passed by.

“We’ve made it to Lake Qiansheng.”

Lake Qiansheng was the very lake where Mo Fangyuan had once slept on his boat. Having crossed it so many times, he had casually given it a name—the water was shallow, and he had survived for a while in the area, thus christening it: Qiansheng Lake. Yes, it was a rather offhand choice.

Arriving at the lake, Mo Fangyuan knew they were now only about a day’s journey from the Block Kingdom. “There are too many immigrants, and so many belongings to bring—it’ll probably take two and a half days…”

During this time, Mo Fangyuan worked to build a rapport with the immigrants, offering them encouragement and instilling hope. He told them that as long as they worked hard in the Block Kingdom, a good life awaited them. In just two days, Mo Fangyuan used all the persuasive techniques he’d learned in the age of the “information explosion,” successfully establishing authority among the immigrants. If he could deliver on his promises, these people would become his most loyal supporters and followers.

In the distance, vague figures appeared, growing clearer as they approached—farmers, diligently toiling in the fields. They worked from dawn till dusk, forming the material foundation for human progress, doing the hardest labor for the smallest rewards—people deserving of the highest respect.

Walking the earthen road beside the fields, Mo Fangyuan nodded and smiled at the farmers, expressing his respect. The number of immigrants was large, and even before they reached the border of the Block Kingdom, guards had already spotted them.

The old village chief led a few others to the city gate to welcome the king’s return. “Your Majesty, you’ve finally come back. Your people have missed you every moment you were away.” The old chief was so moved he was nearly in tears. Throughout the half-month wait, he had been gripped by fear—afraid that their brave lord would suddenly vanish, reduced to nothing but an experience orb. Now it seemed his worries had been unfounded. The great king had not only returned, but brought with him a large group of refugees. The old chief did not know why Mo Fangyuan would bring back so many burdens, but he trusted there was a reason.

“Old Fu, how has the kingdom fared these days?” Mo Fangyuan gave the old chief a warm embrace and asked the question that weighed heaviest on his mind.

The village chief’s surname was Fu. As for his given name, it had been so long even he had forgotten it. So everyone simply called him Old Village Chief or Chief Fu. Mo Fangyuan had once done the same, but Old Fu would have none of it, insisting he was but a subject and unworthy of such respect, so Mo Fangyuan called him Old Fu.

After half a month apart, even Old Fu’s weathered face seemed dear to Mo Fangyuan.

“Your Majesty, thanks to the potatoes you brought back, no one in the kingdom is going hungry… You are the Child of the Dawn, favored by the Sun!” The Child of the Dawn was akin to the “Heaven’s Chosen” of Mo Fangyuan’s previous world—a title for those considered exceptional and blessed by the god of daylight.

From Old Fu, Mo Fangyuan learned that the ten guards he had previously trained had played a crucial role. They protected the fields at night, ensuring that by day, the farmers could harvest enough to feed the entire population of the kingdom.

“Our grain stores have grown even more plentiful!”

It was well known that potatoes yielded abundant harvests, and the people of the Block Kingdom cherished food, striving to avoid even the slightest waste. Their thriftiness had filled the granaries with carefully hoarded potatoes. Food was the foundation of human survival; without it, all else was meaningless.

Now, with a sudden influx of people, the kingdom’s population had nearly doubled overnight. With this growth came shortages—of housing, food, and jobs. Employment, however, was not an issue; many positions in the kingdom were in urgent need of more hands. As for food, the stores would keep hunger at bay for some time.

“Housing…”

The truth was, most residents lived in dirt “matchboxes”—harsh conditions in Mo Fangyuan’s eyes. “We’ll build some matchbox houses first, and once things are on track, we’ll tear them down and build proper apartments…”

Mo Fangyuan’s obsessive nature couldn’t tolerate such disorder; if he didn’t fix it now, he would eventually, regardless.

“Assign the immigrants according to their professions,” he thought. Those who could farm would farm; those skilled at making tools would do so. The rest—those without skills or with combat backgrounds—would be trained as warriors or guards to defend the villages and fields. With more guards, more farmland could be protected; with more farmland, more food could be produced; with more food, more people could be sheltered; with more people, every position in the kingdom could be filled… Everything fit together so perfectly.

Mo Fangyuan envisioned the bright future ahead.

“What’s your profession?”
“What are you best at?”

Within the entire Block Kingdom, only two people were literate enough to keep records: Old Fu and Mo Fangyuan himself. Thus, Mo Fangyuan had to do it personally. When he encountered “villagers,” he asked for their profession; when meeting “freemen,” he inquired about their strengths.

After questioning and assessment, Mo Fangyuan managed to classify the immigrants’ professions.

“Seventy-one people: twenty-three farmers, one fisherman, eleven with combat training, eleven lumberjacks… but why are there lumberjacks from the desert? Seven carpenters, five stonemasons, and the rest with no particular skills…”

Those eighteen with no special skills, Mo Fangyuan decided, would be sent to mine.

“It’s time!” Mo Fangyuan resolved that once the combat-trained men were prepared, he would reclaim the mine. The mine had long been a thorn in his side—not only had he nearly perished there, but its minerals were vital to the Block Kingdom. Without it, the kingdom would regress to the Stone Age—a fate he did not need to explain.

“With the ten original guards plus the eleven new ones… once properly trained, that’s twenty-one capable fighters.”

Mo Fangyuan stroked his chin in thought, deciding to wait until the guards reached the necessary standard before leading them into the mine; after all, he had waited this long—what was a little longer?

“Mo Fang… Your Majesty, is this our new home?” Lowy Yali seemed unaccustomed to the vibrant and beautiful city before her; she had never seen anything like it and was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Mo Fangyuan had marked her as a warrior during the registration, planning to have her join the guards and defend the Block Kingdom.

“That’s right, Yali. This is our home. Though it’s shabby now, one day it will be the most prosperous city of humankind…”

“No, no, it’s already beautiful…”

“Uh…” Mo Fangyuan nearly forgot that Yali had never witnessed the splendor of his own era.

“So, would you be willing to protect this… beautiful city?”

“I am willing. It was also my grandfather’s wish…”

At the mention of her grandfather, Mo Fangyuan sensed the sadness in her voice. Clearly, her grandfather meant a great deal to her…

“No, this won’t do—bad moods reduce productivity. That can’t happen!” Mo Fangyuan quickly said, “Then would you like to join the guard and fulfill your grandfather’s wish even more completely…”

It took a great deal of effort to lift Yali’s spirits, but once he did, Mo Fangyuan stated his real intention. Healthy, wheat-colored skin, short golden hair, a perfectly proportioned body—in Mo Fangyuan’s eyes, she was born to be a warrior. Her joining might even help the guards develop further.

“Yes! I’m willing!”

Free labor secured! Mo Fangyuan grinned to himself.