Listening to Tang Lu’s complaints, Xia Qing, who was slightly bowed, remained expressionless, but her mood was exceptionally good.
She had known the Tang family would come, but she hadn’t expected it to be the Tang Miss, Tang Lu.
With the brainless Tang Lu here, Xia Qing felt that the possibility of getting her desired plot of land had increased by thirty percent, making it almost a certainty.
If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, she would have loved to shout, “Today is a good day!”
Seeing Tang Lu condescendingly stand in line in front of an empty desk, the people in the hall couldn’t help but develop different thoughts about the task of farming outside the Safe Zone, which was considered “suicidal.”
Soon, the number of people lining up to claim land increased from over thirty to over a hundred, and the long queue snaked twice through the hall, like a long serpent coiled within.
Tang Lu looked back at the people fighting and squabbling for a spot, then glared fiercely at the two soldiers who were ostensibly maintaining order but were actually there to supervise her uncle, and she snorted disdainfully.
If it weren’t for the military personnel sticking to her like flies, why would she need to come here and smell this stench?
It wasn't until Tang Zhengrong walked out of the office area with his people that Tang Lu, whose face had been dark for over an hour, immediately straightened up and showed a sweet smile.
Tang Zhengrong, dressed simply, pretended not to see his niece and walked directly onto the half-meter-high platform built beside the desk, beginning his speech.
“All residents of the Safe Zone know that to combat natural hazards, our country’s agricultural system has collapsed over the past decade, and food shortage has become a major problem that urgently needs to be overcome.
Thank you all for responding to the national call and voluntarily coming to claim land, contributing to the nation’s food production.
As long as we unite, we will surely overcome all disasters, defend humanity’s dominant position on Blue Star, and rebuild our homeland…”
Xia Qing looked up, calmly gazing at this seemingly gentle man who firmly held the position of second-in-command at Hui Three Base.
“Residents who voluntarily claim land today will receive a special reward from the Base: two months of rations per person, five years of tax exemption for the claimed land, and the nation promises to provide professional assistance.”
“Whoosh—”
As soon as Tang Zhengrong’s voice fell, the hall inside and out erupted, and the queue instantly added two more turns.
“But there are two points that must be made clear to everyone,” Tang Zhengrong spoke again, his gentle voice turning stern, “First, the claimed land cannot be transferred or sold; it can only be inherited by the land user’s biological children.
If a lord has no heir, the land use rights revert to the Base after their death.
Second, the Base will assess the cultivation of the land annually, and if it fails to meet standards for three years, the land will be reclaimed, and the land owner will no longer be able to apply for any positions or tasks within Hui Three Base.”
After these two points were explained, the number of people scrambling to line up for land instantly dropped by more than half, and those still in line began to hesitate.
The tall man standing behind Xia Qing asked loudly, “Mayor Tang, how is ‘meeting the standard’ defined?”
Before the natural disaster, Tang Zhengrong was the Mayor of the city where Hui Three Base is located.
After the natural disaster, this place transformed into a Base, and he became the Deputy Base Chief, still in charge of civil affairs, while the main Base Chief was held by a military general.
Because “Deputy Base Chief” didn’t sound authoritative enough, residents still respectfully referred to Tang Zhengrong as Mayor.
Hearing the resident’s question, Tang Zhengrong smiled and explained, “For the first five years, an annual increase of two mu or more in the cultivated area of edible plants within the territory is considered meeting the standard.”
Only two mu a year, that’s not difficult!
The man breathed a sigh of relief, and Xia Qing’s taut nerves also relaxed a bit.
Seeing a few who had left return to the queue, Tang Zhengrong’s smile deepened, and he waved his hand, ordering, “The first land claiming ceremony of Hui Three Base officially begins.
All those who have claimed land should gather at the Safe Zone entrance within two hours; the Base will send vehicles to transport everyone.”
Two hours?
Xia Qing lowered her head; why the rush?
Were they afraid people would regret it after claiming the land and refuse to go?
As soon as Tang Zhengrong finished speaking, Tang Lu, who had long been impatient, tapped the desk with her fair finger, urging the staff member, “Hurry up.”
The clean-faced male staff member immediately picked up the land use rights certificate and handed it to Tang Lu with both hands, “Tang Miss, this is yours, please keep it safe.
According to regulations, the first resident to claim land can receive two additional months of rations.
Please present your certificate at the desk on the right to collect your rations, Supporting supplies and seeds.”
As Tang Lu, an ordinary person, snatched the certificate and turned, she looked back at the dirty and smelly evolutionaries, her eyes full of triumph.
After Xia Qing clearly saw the words “Second Land” on the land use rights certificate in Tang Lu’s hand, she stepped forward and stood in front of the desk.
The male staff member asked without looking up, “ID number, name.”
Xia Qing raised her voice and retorted, “According to regulations, the top three can choose their own land and receive double rations, right?”
“The top three can choose their own land and get double rations? Is that true?” The man in third place let out a yell, attracting the attention of hundreds of people.
Nonsense!
The male staff member frowned and looked up, and upon seeing the cold gaze and the green badge worn by the woman in front of him, he instinctively avoided the gaze of this evolutionary, who clearly wasn't to be trifled with, and cold sweat began to break out on his forehead.
If he said there was no such regulation, this evolutionary woman would definitely seize on the fact that he had just given Tang Lu extra rations and cause a big scene.
If the matter reached Base Chief Major General Qi, he didn’t know what would happen to Mayor Tang, but his own position would definitely not be secure.
His family of four relied entirely on his job for food.
He was wronged; Tang Lu’s preferential policy wasn’t set by him!
“You’re talking…”
Hearing the dirty woman’s words behind her, Tang Lu, who was collecting her rations, turned around to curse, but she had barely opened her mouth when she was silenced by a seemingly casual glance from her uncle, who was passing by.
Tang Zhengrong stopped his brainless niece, walked to the land claiming desk, quickly glanced at Xia Qing, who was slightly bowed, and asked with a smile, “There is indeed such an incentive policy.
Which plot of land would you like to choose, young lady?”
Xia Qing’s mud-stained finger pointed firmly to the territory north of the Safe Zone on the map, which contained a long, narrow blue body of water.
“Here, Third Land.”
Her target is the outermost territory.
Is she from the military or the Qinglong Squad?
Tang Zhengrong’s tone remained gentle, but his meaning was very clear, “Third Land is the outermost cultivated land cleared by our Base.
It’s over a hundred kilometers from the Safe Zone, making travel very inconvenient.”
Xia Qing pretended not to understand and spoke passionately, “Thank you, Mayor Tang, for the reminder.
I am an evolutionary; I should go to the most dangerous and remote places to grow more food for the country and make more contributions.”
Tang Zhengrong’s smile froze for half a second before he formally scanned Xia Qing’s ID badge, remembered her name, and said, “It’s excellent that this young lady has such ideological awareness.
Officer Zhang, please process the paperwork.”
Officer Zhang, relieved, quickly registered Xia Qing’s personal information and printed the Third Territory use rights certificate.
Xia Qing confirmed everything was correct, then collected her rations and other supplies at the adjacent desk, and went directly to the window on the east side of the hall to exchange her identity card points for two high-capacity phone power banks.
Power had not been restored outside the Safe Zone, and before solar power equipment could be installed, she needed to use power banks to charge her phone and radio.
Xia Qing carried her belongings out of the hall, walking quickly past the gaunt, yellow-faced onlookers who were staring intently at the bag of rations in her hand.
Tang Lu, sitting in a car by the roadside, stared at Xia Qing with a “you’re finished” look, but Xia Qing didn’t care at all.
Listening to the constantly repeating broadcast instructing land claimants to gather outside the main gate, she quickly returned to the evolutionary dormitory to pack her things.
As soon as she entered the room, Feng Wen, a level-three olfactory evolutionary who shared the dorm, immediately put down her makeup mirror, covered her nose, and feigned a posture as if Xia Qing’s smell made her want to vomit.
Xia Qing was too lazy to bother with her.
She unlocked the thick iron box under her bed, pulled out pre-packed bags of luggage, stuffed them into a large canvas bag, and then bent down to tidy the bedding on her single bed.
Feng Wen, covering her nose, asked in surprise, “You really claimed land? Are you stupid?”