Zhao Minghui acted swiftly indeed.
On the very day their call ended, the Southwest Branch received an official document from above, promoting Wu Ming from Southwestern Inspector to Southwest Garrison Commander. His jurisdiction expanded from the areas near Sichuan Province to all six southwestern provinces.
On the morning of May 1, Wu Ming called several people close to him together for a meeting to discuss the arrangements for turning the Inspection Branch into the Garrison Headquarters.
"The problem we're facing right now is a severe shortage of manpower."
Wu Ming got straight to the point. "Fortunately, the higher-ups have authorized a force of fifty thousand and given us a month for training, so we have time to prepare."
"Dad, I'll leave recruitment to you." He looked at Wu Zhanguo and said, "You know the military better than we do. I've asked the higher-ups for a list of veterans, and I'd like you to select a group under thirty to call back into service."
"As for their benefits, I can guarantee that, besides their regular pay, the soldiers will receive cultivation resources and free instruction in the full set of cultivation methods, from internal martial arts to genetic energy."
After a pause, he added, "So when choosing candidates, I'd like you to prioritize those who were infected later and still have more of their prime cultivation years remaining."
"Understood. I'll choose carefully." Wu Zhanguo nodded.
Wu Ming continued, "Qingran, sorry for the trouble, but I'll need your help with this too. Find some people to screen the list first and remove anyone who's too old or has been infected for too long."
"Besides that, I'd like you to coordinate with the Inspection Branches in each province ahead of time, so my people can take over garrison duties smoothly when they arrive