Take Good Care of Yourself

Lin Wen stroked his chin. Without a doubt, this was the simple wish of simple people, and it could not be judged with filthy thoughts.

Moreover, the disaster victims likely felt some fear at the thought of losing Lin Wen, so they dearly hoped that one of their own could stay by his side.

This also perfectly accorded with the people's simple moral code: saved by an immortal, they would work themselves to the bone for that immortal—both repaying the kindness and seeking shelter under the immortal's protection.

That was a blessing.

Thus, Bai Xiuyu, whom the great immortal had personally rescued, was an exceptionally suitable choice.

Of course, viewed through Lin Wen's cold physical logic, this was of little use, but it could set people's hearts at ease.

It could also build a bridge for direct communication between Lin Wen and the disaster victims.

Although Lin Wen was not afraid of being sidelined, being able to communicate directly and avoid frequently relying on spells would save good karma—a great merit in itself.

"Of course."

With a turn of thought, Lin Wen had already come up with a proper arrangement.

"From now on, be my personal secretary. Take a post at the Commandery Chief's Office. It comes with a salary."

"Your work will be helping me wash clothes, clean up, and occasionally make some food. There won't be much else."

"You can bring your child to work. Let there be a little more innocence and sunshine in that cold Commandery Administration Hall—it's a good thing."

"And before I sleep every day is my cultivation time. Absolutely no one is allowed to disturb me. That's all. Do you understand?"

Xiuyu still wanted to say something, but Lin Wen had already finished his rice porridge and held out the empty bowl.

"Here. Thank you."

A strange feeling filled Xiuyu's heart. She did not know what it was, and could only take the bowl and bid farewell to the great immortal.

When she stepped out of the tent, the morning sunlight enveloped her. Voices in the resettlement site gradually grew livelier. Having finished breakfast, people gathered in twos and threes, chopping wood, sewing clothes, and making tools for their new lives.

The air seemed to flow with the fragrance of honey, and everyone wore a smile.

Just like those glorious old days beneath the sun.

Then Xiuyu understood.

Elsewhere, Lin Wen received another uninvited guest.

Granite Lei Tiantong.

He brought over a bank card. It was the account the Empire had specially established for Lin Wen after his promotion to Commandery Chief.

It contained his first paycheck.

117,129 Imperial yuan.

When Lin Wen heard that figure, he could hardly believe it.

After all, the entire Long Mountain Commandery had suffered such a massive disaster, yet the Empire's total disaster-relief funds deposited into its account had only amounted to 100,000 yuan. His monthly salary alone was 110,000.

Lei Tiantong, however, misunderstood Lin Wen's expression.

"Commandery Chief Lin, because the commandery suffered a disaster last month, the figures on the books look rather poor. And since you are newly appointed and have not even completed a month in office, your salary has been discounted quite substantially."

A question mark slowly rose above Lin Wen's head.

"How much is your salary?"

"Mine?"

Lei Tiantong froze.

"About 3,000 or so. With benefits, around 5,000."

Fine, then.

Lin Wen had utterly given up hoping for any integrity from the Empire. He was only three ranks above Lei Tiantong, yet his salary was more than twenty times greater.

"Perfect."

Lin Wen stuffed the bank card back into Lei Tiantong's hand.

"Immediately send someone to use the money in it to urgently buy food."

"Remember, don't spend it all on dry rations and rice. Buy some meat as well."

"Also, tell Huang Mingxiao that from now on, the disaster victims' food rations will follow yesterday's standard. No deductions allowed."

Lei Tiantong had never encountered such a situation before. He stood there dumbfounded, a bellyful of words lodged in his throat.

But upon hearing that last sentence, he sprang up at once.

"That's impossible, Commandery Chief Lin! The supplies consumed by the disaster victims each day previously already cost 400,000. At yesterday's ration standard, it would be at least 1.2 million per day."

Lin Wen looked at him. "With a ration allocation of 1.2 million, what exactly did the disaster victims eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"

Though Lei Tiantong only managed finances, he was not wholly ignorant of the disaster victims' circumstances. A quick calculation on his fingers was enough for him to know.

"Half a bowl or two-thirds of a bowl of porridge in the morning. A bowl of porridge and half a flatbread at noon. Half a bowl of porridge at night, with half a carrot or one-third of a turnip."

Lin Wen sneered. "And you call that plentiful?"

Lei Tiantong fell silent.

Lin Wen continued, "You can imagine what the 400,000-ration quota has been eating. Huang Mingxiao told me that they even used pig bran to make do. Is that something people can eat?"

"What about the money?" Lei Tiantong asked. "If we use it this way, the newly purchased supplies won't last long either. We'll soon need to procure more. There are only a little over seven million left in the commandery's coffers, enough at most for a second purchase. But that still won't last very long, and then there'll be no money left to rebuild our homes."

"The Seventh Construction Corps has already sent notice. They'll arrive tomorrow. They specifically stated in the notice that they must be paid first before they begin work."

"Commandery Governor Lin, unless the Empire can release aid very soon, I truly do not recommend using the supplies this way."

Lin Wen sneered. "There won't be any aid from the Empire. We can only rely on ourselves for everything."

Lei Tiantong still wanted to speak, but Lin Wen no longer wanted to waste words with him.

"Enough. Go do it as I said. Keep a close eye on the supplies. If anyone still dares to slack off, I'll shoot them on the spot."

"Spread those words around."

Remembering yesterday's scene, Lei Tiantong could not help but shudder. He had been among the ranks then as well. Though his conscience was clear, it was impossible to say he had not been afraid at all.

Still, Lei Tiantong wholeheartedly supported Commandery Governor Lin's actions. He had never been able to stomach those corrupt scum and parasites.

In the first few years after graduating and entering the workforce, he had repeatedly been struck down for speaking up for justice, isolated for refusing to go along with the filth. A top graduate of Imperial Supreme Finance University, he had instead been kicked from department to department like a ball.

In the end, he had been kicked all the way out to this remote place, Long Mountain Commandery. From a shining star with boundless prospects, he had become an unlucky man with a bleak future. The girlfriend he had loved for six years left him, and his father had died in his hospital bed from the anger he caused him.

Only then did he finally awaken. The youth who once wrote with impassioned fervor became a taciturn middle-aged man. From then on, he said little about anything beyond his work and turned a blind eye to corruption and graft. All he could do was protect himself and do his job as well as he could.

That was how he settled down in Long Mountain Commandery. With his solid abilities, he quickly rose to become director of the Finance Department, but that was as far as he went.

He no longer hoped for anything more. He married, had children, and lived day after day.

The flame in his heart had nearly gone out. He had thought this would be the ending of his life.

Until yesterday, when he witnessed that there truly were people who dared to ignite the flame of righteousness in this world, dared to disregard every rule, dared to shatter the Empire's fences and walls.

One shot for each parasite, until corpses carpeted the ground, until no living person could stand beneath his feet.

Like a superhero from a comic.

A hero from a story.

Only—

In the Empire—

People who did that would not live long.

Fairy tales could not survive in reality. Like fish washed ashore, no matter how beautiful they had been in life, they would ultimately become nothing but brilliantly colored bubbles.

Lei Tiantong desperately did not want to see Commandery Governor Lin fall, but he had no other ability to help him.

All he could do, before leaving, was quietly say one thing.

"Be careful, Commandery Governor Lin. You must take care of yourself."