Space-time disorder

"Everyone, sit down. You must be tired and hungry after coming such a long way.

Eat to your hearts' content today. When you finish your rice, get more.

If the dishes run out, we'll bring more. You'll eat well and have your fill," Tang Wen said from the platform.

"Master Tang, do you eat like this every day?" Tang Jun asked in disbelief.

"Of course, of course. We only have meat once every two days, but there's meat broth every day. You can eat as much white rice as you want, but you mustn't waste it," Zhan Dongwen said.

"If you sell yourself into the Tang household, you also receive a monthly allowance of half a tael of silver. If you know martial arts, you'll receive extra silver according to your strength," Zhan Dongwen said.

"That's right. I'm the head of the Tang household guards. Master Tang provides our food, clothing, lodging, and necessities, and we also receive three taels of silver a month," Zhao Du said.

"What do you normally do?" Tang Jun asked.

"All sorts of things. For instance, the young, able-bodied men build the dam.

Those skilled in martial arts are selected for the household guard. The elderly do light work, while the women sew clothes, cook, and so on.

Later, we'll also reclaim wasteland and grow grain..." Zhan Dongwen replied.

"But I still have a wife, children, and elderly family members at home. If I sell myself to the Tang household, what will happen to them?"

"They can come with you. If your wife can work, she'll receive an allowance too. I'll cover the elderly and children's food, clothing, lodging, and necessities.

We'll also build a school in the future so the children can study.

Everyone, being unable to read simply won't do. People will often bully you.

Sometimes, you might even help someone count the money after they've sold you," Tang Wen said.

"Will you really open a school?"

"Of course. By next spring at the latest," Tang Wen said.

"Will the tuition be expensive?"

"Members of my Tang household won't pay tuition. Even basic paper and brushes will be provided free.

Of course, if you use a lot of paper later, you'll have to buy it yourself.

I, Tang Wen, will supply it at less than half the market price," Tang Wen replied.

Tang Wen was answering a hundred thousand whys.

Then several representatives of the Tang household servants went up onto the platform to speak from personal experience, adding their testimony to Tang Wen's silver tongue.

After this dazzling series of maneuvers, around three hundred of the six hundred-odd people decided to sell themselves into the Tang household.

They signed their contracts of servitude on the spot.

Of course, more than three hundred others held back for various reasons.

For example, their wives and children were in Yanling, while Su Mei Island didn't even have houses.

Conditions naturally couldn't compare with those in Yanling Commandery's seat yet, and some still harbored doubts, so they didn't join the Tang household.

Still, Tang Wen was quite satisfied.

Ding-dong! You have accumulated 250 Popularity and can initiate your seventh space-time crossing.

Sure enough, the Great Landlord Space responded.

Immediately, more than three hundred streams of Popularity surged into him like a swarm of bees.

Tang Wen hurriedly activated the Origin-Harvesting Return-to-Truth Art. This earth-tier cultivation method really was excellent; it absorbed Popularity far faster than his previous Six Profound Return-to-Truth Art.

Tang Wen could clearly feel several more major acupoints being forced open, and the currents of energy felt thicker and stronger.

They circulated faster and more freely, while his previously scattered internal energy actually condensed into tiny, sandlike grains.

Those grains might have been small, but they were not to be underestimated. This was a sign that his internal energy was becoming astral force!

A sand-sized grain of internal astral force contained roughly a cubic meter of internal energy when dispersed. Small as it was, it was far more powerful than loose internal energy.

Once he came under attack, these grains of internal astral force would gather in his skin and muscles, making them as hard as wood.

When he threw a punch, its force and hardness would feel like a piece of wood slamming into his opponent, greatly increasing its destructive power.

In just a thousand breaths, he finished absorbing the Popularity.

The figures on the Great Landlord Space's large screen updated:

Popularity index: 996

Land area: 2,340 qing and 20 mu.

Wealth index: 46,000 taels of gold.

Martial arts realm: mid-stage eighth rank.

Luggage capacity: 800 tonnes.

Crossing duration: 40 days.

His population had increased by more than three hundred, bringing the total close to a thousand.

His land area had increased by over two hundred mu, presumably from taking over the Thousand-Leaf Workshop.

Although he hadn't formally taken over the Thousand-Leaf Workshop yet, a sale had already been agreed upon, so the Great Landlord System had directly added it to his land area.

His luggage capacity during crossings had increased further, reaching eight hundred tonnes.

This carrying capacity could only be used during a crossing. Once he reached his destination, the goods would be unloaded automatically.

The Great Landlord Space wouldn't store his goods for him. It was merely a temporary cargo space.

His stay after a crossing had increased by ten days, and absorbing Popularity had advanced his martial arts to the mid-stage eighth rank. All his figures had improved.

Of course, his latest advancement in martial arts also owed a great deal to his regular, arduous training and the large quantities of spirit pills he had consumed.

Otherwise, Popularity alone couldn't possibly have brought him another advancement in such a short time.

The totem on the space's eight trigrams lit up, and a beam of blue-green light struck the unnumbered Popularity gate.

Tang Wen reached out and pushed it, immediately entering the time tunnel. Space-time twisted, and he crossed over.

When he opened his eyes, he found that he had indeed returned to Yunhai City in the Great Eastern Republic.

Moreover, he had landed right inside his rented room.

He looked up at the clock on the wall and froze.

He rubbed his eyes. There was no mistake. Only a few days had passed.

What was going on? He remembered that the last time he had crossed from Yunhai City back to the Chu Kingdom, it had been June 8.

He had spent nearly two months back in the Chu Kingdom, yet when he crossed over again, only a few days had passed in Yunhai City. It was June 10-just two days later.

He had spent sixty days in the Chu Kingdom, while only two days had passed here. Didn't that mean sixty days in the Chu Kingdom equaled two days here?

A time ratio of 1:30.

Tang Wen recalled that he had noticed the same thing on his previous return to the Chu Kingdom: he had stayed in Yunhai City for a month, but only one day had passed in the Chu Kingdom.

The time ratio on the return trip seemed to be the same. In either direction, one day equaled one month.

It seemed the Great Landlord Space's space-time was rather disordered. There was simply no logic to it.

He checked his phone and found several missed calls from Zhao Jiang, so he called him back.

"Chairman, the company is back on track. I've expanded our staff to a hundred.

However, you'll need to approve their salaries personally.

Also, I hope you can come to the company and meet the employees.

It wouldn't be good if they didn't even know their own chairman," Zhao Jiang said over the phone.

"All right, I'll come over now," Tang Wen replied, taking a taxi straight to the Hengjiang Trading Company.

Zhao Jiang was already waiting at the entrance. He was Luo Jun's former comrade-in-arms and had once been deputy commander of the Great Eastern Republic's Red Sword Special Forces.

He was reportedly an elite among soldiers, with formidable combat skills.

However, he had later been injured and chosen to leave the military.

"With the expanded staff, this place seems a little small," Tang Wen said upon arriving at the company and finding the office space too cramped.

Everyone was squeezed together, and even the central aisle had been encroached upon. Walking through it meant bumping into desks.

"It really is a bit too small. I'd like to move somewhere bigger too, but we've only just started, and our funds are limited. Larger offices have very expensive rents. Including warehouses and so on, we'd be looking at two or three million a year. We can't afford that," Zhao Jiang said.

"That's all right. Have someone start looking immediately. This time, the premises must have large warehouses.

Also, set aside a warehouse exclusively for me. No one is allowed near it without my permission.

We also need to consider the future, when our staff expands to several hundred, or even a thousand.

So the premises must be several times larger than what we have now," Tang Wen said.

"Chairman, there is somewhere available. A friend of mine moved his company out, leaving an entire building vacant.

It's a standalone office building with a parking lot in front.

There are several enormous warehouses behind it, enough to hold hundreds of shipping containers.

But it's too expensive. The rent alone would be six or seven million a year," said the accountant, Liu Qihong.

"Take us to have a look," Tang Wen said.

"Chairman, I've been there too. The location is good, and it isn't too remote.

But it's simply too expensive.

Let's consider it later. Right now, we need to put our limited funds into running the company.

Otherwise, after paying all that rent, we won't even be able to pay salaries, much less keep the company operating," Zhao Jiang said.

"That's all right. I'm planning to inject another thirty million into the company.

Together with the previous ten million, we'll still have around thirty million left even after paying a year's rent. That's enough to keep the company running.

Listen, everyone. In the future, Tang's Hengjiang Company will expand into the Tang Su Mei Group.

As long as you're willing to work hard and remain loyal to the company, your salaries and bonuses will be generous.

But I, Tang Wen, have one rule: loyalty comes first.

I don't like people whose bodies are in Cao Cao's camp while their hearts belong to the Han. No matter how capable you are, the company will tell you to get lost.

If you have ability, show everyone what you can do.

Then you can ask General Manager Zhao for a raise.

Of course, if you have no ability, don't stand around here spouting bullshit and finding fault with everything.

My Tang Su Mei Group will absolutely treat every employee well and give you fair opportunities to advance.

Let me make this clear right now: from now on, General Manager Zhao Jiang will have the final say in all company matters. His annual salary this year will be one million.

If the company makes a good profit by the end of the year, I'll give him a bonus too.

Of course, the same goes for all of you," Tang Wen said.