Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space-Chapter 506: Value of Use

If it really doesn’t work out, just listen to what my parents said before and find a live-in son-in-law, then there won’t be so many problems.

...So annoying!!

Growing up really isn’t good, having to consider all these problems, it’s much better to be carefree like when I was a child.

Hua Jin buried herself in the covers and fell asleep unknowingly; when she woke up again, she didn’t know how long her mother’s knocking on the door had been going on.

"Mom, I hear you," Hua Jin quickly came out from her space and responded.

"Hurry up, lunch is ready."

"Coming, coming..."

"Oh, how did mom know her daughter wanted to eat cold noodles today, you’re the best, mom," said Hua Jin as she hugged Mrs. Qi playfully upon seeing the food.

"What’s this about?" Mrs. Qi playfully reproached her daughter with a smile, "Alright, stop fooling around and eat quickly," gently patting her.

"Hehe..."

The following days, apart from certain people, life was fairly comfortable.

And with the victory in Lingyun State, the common people finally stopped living in constant fear and began to dare come out of their shelters.

On the day they learned of the victory, all the townspeople cried tears of joy.

An earthquake had already taken their homes, and if the Tartars had really invaded, they would truly have no way to survive.

Where could they run to find a safe place?

With the victory, a huge weight on everyone’s hearts was finally lifted; this feeling was even more exhilarating than being dug out from the rubble.

Not only did they win, but they also captured a large number of horses, livestock, and grain that was not affected by the fire.

As for the nearly ten thousand Tartar captives who surrendered, they were disarmed and kept in an abandoned village with one meal a day, just enough to keep them alive but not strong enough to entertain other thoughts.

Even so, it’s a headache; nearly ten thousand people, even one meal a day, are a significant drain on food supplies.

The current season is still alright, wild vegetables grow quickly, and mixed with some coarse grains, they suffice for now, but once the season passes, these people will be a real problem.

And each day requires deploying many soldiers to guard them, which consumes a lot of manpower and resources. Many people suggest just killing them to resolve the issue.

General Sun and others also feel this way, especially since they’ve lost countless brothers to the Tartar blades, they are eager to drink their blood and eat their flesh, and were advocating for eradication when these captives were caught.

The number of nearly ten thousand Tartar soldiers is indeed large, and if any unexpected opportunity arises for them to return to their country, it would be a significant hidden danger to Guyan.

However, some people have different opinions.

Lingyun State’s population has rapidly declined due to continuous years of disasters, and there’s a severe shortage of robust labor force.

Although these Tartar soldiers are skinny, they are quite strong, so it’s better to make use of them; not only can they sustain themselves, but they can also exert any residual value.

Furthermore, who knows if the Tartars will invade Guyan again; Lingyun State is now the last line of defense in the north, and these people might become a bargaining chip.

After all, who doesn’t have relatives or friends, brothers or families? If these people are used as human shields, surely seeing their captured family members would cause some hesitation.

...An unstable military morale is a major taboo in the army.

In any case, letting them go is impossible, and killing them seems a waste; after several days of deliberation among the generals and the Lord Governor, it was finally decided to keep them.

After the major disasters, Lingyun State’s reconstruction requires labor everywhere; truly a waste to kill them, whether for farming, building houses, or mining, all these activities require people, and unpaid slaves certainly should be fully utilized.

But the premise is to disperse them completely; the Tartars are ferocious and irritable, so as a precaution, handcuffs and shackles cannot be removed. If it weren’t for the concern that piercing the pipa bone would render them unable to work, this method would be preferred. Plus, with unsatisfactory meals, they’re unlikely to stir up trouble.

General Sun, although not entirely satisfied with this outcome, knows it’s the best method for now, as it can extract value from these people and possibly serve as a trump card if the Tartars show any movement.

Overall, the benefits of not killing them are greater.

Subsequently, the captives were dispersed; a portion was put into the reconstruction of the state capital, while another portion was sent to various mines. With a shortage of resources, miners are urgently needed to sustain the needs of a state; they’re perfect for the job and using them comes without heartache.

Another portion was entirely used for farming to solve the quandary of having lots of land with no one to tend it, with special instructors teaching them.

As for any ideas of escaping, surrounded by armed soldiers, plus with handcuffs and shackles, any strength is quickly depleted by work, unless they don’t value their lives.

The cracks before the city gates remained unrepaired, and no bridges were built over them; given the unstable situation, they’re a natural barrier.

In summary, after several months of war, Lingyun State could finally catch its breath, the state capital began reconstruction, and the returning soldiers took their gains back to their respective states.

Other places were not as fortunate without the cheat-like presence of Hua Jin.

Though the extreme heat had passed, saving the populace from dying of thirst, wars were breaking out; externally, hostile nations were eyeing them, internally, opportunistic individuals caused chaos. It could be said that except for extremely remote, desolate places, there was almost no pure land left in Guyan, with the people still living in dire straits.

Therefore, the wars across the regions continued.

With the return of soldiers from several neighboring states, the powerful weaponry in Lingyun State couldn’t be hidden anymore, especially in the tense frontier cities, which quickly dispatched people to request support.

Subsequent battles saw heavy losses for Liaoxi, Nanzhong, and the Eastern Wu as they were ultimately defeated and driven back from Guyan’s borders, thanks to the thunder-bomb and explosive cannon.

This war led to great losses for all nations, and coupled with years of natural disasters, it wouldn’t be easy to recover strength within a decade or two.

Of course, these are stories for later; right now, Lingyun State is in the midst of a tense reconstruction.

In a flash, several more months passed, and it was now September; the temperatures remained unchanged, staying in the midsummer range. Fortunately, rainfall was sufficient, avoiding severe drought conditions.

Typically it would be the beginning of autumn, and another crop of grain was about to be harvested, creating a joyful scene everywhere in Hua Village.

Even the people in Songjiagou outside the village were smiling; the crops they reclaimed were growing splendidly, the best news in months.

Everyone was prepared to harvest the grains in the coming days.

With grain in the house, there’s no panic, and moreover, no household had much grain left.

...

"Big Bao, Little Bao, and Third Bao, slow down, be careful not to fall..."

The courtyard was filled with the anxious voice of Granny Hua, the "giggle" of several little boys chasing and playing, and the helpless grunts of a few large creatures being pummeled.

The life-weary creatures lay on the ground as the three little ones who had just learned to move took turns riding them. If seen by the village’s lackeys, Doggy Lord’s majesty would disappear; the creatures exchanged a human-like glance at the closed gate, making Hua Jin next to them stifle her laughter.

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