12: Chapter 12 A Billionfold Return! City Lord's Skill!

"Great!" Zhou Yun laughed, grabbing Tie Shan's arm. "That is exactly what I needed to hear from you!"

He turned to face everyone and solemnly announced, "I hereby announce! Effective immediately, the Tiangong Department is established!"

"I appoint Tie Shan as the Minister of the Flower City Tiangong Department! He shall have full authority over all planning and construction matters for this great Flower City development!"

"Regardless of personnel deployment or resource allocation, apart from myself, everyone shall follow his orders alone!"

The entire crowd was in an uproar.

No one expected that Zhou Yun would have such audacity, directly handing over such immense power to an old man!

Tie Shan trembled all over, and turbid tears immediately streamed from his eyes.

A man will die for his bosom friend!

At this moment, he felt his long-cooled blood boiling once again!

With Tie Shan as the chief engineer, Zhou Yun felt half relieved.

Meanwhile...

[Ding! You have successfully bestowed the position of Tiangong Department Minister, triggering a 100,000,000x critical reward. You have received a qualitative reward: City Lord Skill: United as One!]

[United as One: After activating the skill, all construction efficiency increases by 100%! Stamina consumption decreases by 50%! Building stability increases by 100%! Duration: 24 hours. Cooldown: 24 hours.]

!!!

Zhou Yun was shocked!

City Lord Skill?

Isn't this a special skill that only has an extremely low probability of being comprehended the moment one picks up the city lord seal?

The higher the Rank of the city lord seal, the higher the probability of comprehension.

In principle, only those who take office in an A-Level or even S-Level city have a possibility of comprehending it!

But now...

He is merely a City Lord of an F-Level City, yet he actually comprehended a City Lord Skill?

This is... too broken, right?!

With the "United as One" City Lord Skill, combined with Tie Shan, the upcoming construction will surely be much smoother than expected!

But he knew this was not enough.

Construction is just the hardware; if Flower City wants to function, it also needs software.

Such as people's livelihoods, laws, finance...

"Elder Tie," Zhou Yun looked at Tie Shan and asked, "You have stayed in Flower City for a long time. Do you know of any other talent? For example, someone skilled in administrative management? Please feel free to recommend them!"

Tie Shan pondered for a moment, but ultimately shook his head helplessly.

"City Lord, it is difficult..."

"Our Flower City is remote and barren, and it has been going downhill for years. Any young person with a bit of ability or ambition has long since run away!"

"Among those left, few are literate, let alone administrative talent who can help you shoulder the burden..."

Hearing this, Zhou Yun couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment.

Indeed. Water flows to lower ground, and people strive for higher places.

It is indeed difficult for an F-Level small city to retain talent.

"Must I really carry this all by myself?" Zhou Yun rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

Just as Zhou Yun felt regretful and prepared to give up for the moment...

From within the crowd, a cold female voice suddenly came, "If City Lord is willing to use me, I am willing to try."

The voice was not loud, but it had a strange penetrating power, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound.

They saw a woman wearing coarse hemp clothes covered in patches, with a somewhat thin figure, walking out.

When they saw her face clearly, the people around couldn't help but gasp and hurriedly stepped aside.

Because on this woman's face, from the corner of her left eye to the corner of her right mouth, ran a hideous and terrifying dark red scar!

This scar almost ruined her entire face, making anyone who looked at it feel a chill.

However. In stark contrast to that terrifying face, she possessed a pair of very eye-catching eyes.

A pair of eyes that, even in such a down-and-out situation, remained as bright as stars, revealing an unyielding and proud spirit!

Ignoring the strange gazes of the people around, she walked straight to Zhou Yun, bowed, and said, "I am Wan'er, a commoner. I request to take the position of Flower City Chief Administrator!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene instantly quieted down.

Then, there was a violent gasp!

Everyone, including Lei Lie and Tie Shan, was shocked!

What a bold claim!!

Chief Administrator?

What kind of concept is that?

That is the highest administrative official who oversees all government affairs of the city and assists the City Lord in managing the city!

In the power structure of the city, one could say it is beneath one person and above ten thousand!

If this were said by a respected elder or a powerful Professional, perhaps everyone could accept it.

But this person before them...

She has no reputation, and as for strength... it seems she has none either!

The most critical thing is, she is a woman!

"Is she crazy?"

"I think she's starved out of her mind!"

"Chief Administrator? Does she think this is playing house?"

Facing the questioning and criticism of the crowd, Wan'er turned a deaf ear.

Her bright eyes just stared fixedly at Zhou Yun, as if all the noise around her had nothing to do with her.

No one knew what she had experienced.

Once upon a time, she was also a young lady of a noble Family, the apple of her Family's eye.

But overnight, her Family was raided, and the whole house was convicted.

She luckily escaped, hid her name, and fled all the way.

In order to survive and avoid pursuit, she did not hesitate to destroy her own appearance, carving this terrifying scar on that face that once captivated nations.

Along the way, she slept in the open and suffered countless cold shoulders.

Flower City was already the 17th city on her path of exile.

It was barren, chaotic, and lifeless.

Originally, she had already lost heart, intending to just wait for death like an ant in this corner forgotten by the world, ending her life.

But... Zhou Yun appeared.

This new City Lord, although he looked young and was new here, his every move completely subverted her cognition!

Whether it was the mountain of white sugar buns, the incredibly precious spirit rice, or that deafening "Cancel the execution line"...

Every single thing deeply struck her heart that had long been silent!

She looked at Zhou Yun, and a flame named "Hope" ignited in her eyes.

If it were him... If the lord she followed was such a person...

Perhaps, I could also, even if just once, display what I have learned and prove that I once existed!

Zhou Yun looked at the woman before him who, although tattered, stood as straight as a pine, and his expression became a bit more serious.

"Although Flower City is small, the position of Chief Administrator is not something anyone can sit in. It concerns the livelihood and future of tens of thousands of people in the entire city."

"However, looking at your eyes, you are quite confident?"

Hearing Zhou Yun's consideration, Wan'er did not retreat in the slightest.

On the contrary, she took a step forward, her voice crisp, every word resonant: "Although Wan'er is a woman, I possess the ability of photographic memory!"

Photographic memory?! As soon as these words were spoken, a low gasp sounded around them.

Wan'er ignored the reaction around her and continued:

"Not only that, Wan'er has been well-read in books since childhood. Whether it is classics, histories, or philosophy, or even the art of war and strategy, I know them all by heart!"

"I do not know needlework or embroidery, but I harbor strategies for governing the country and bringing peace to the people!"

She took a deep breath, her gaze burning, and although she spoke quickly, her logic was extremely clear:

"Regarding the calculation of household registration and money and food, Wan'er's heart is as clear as a mirror, with absolutely no errors or omissions!"

"Regarding the debate on criminal law and etiquette, Wan'er is well-versed in the laws and is upright and unyielding!"

"Regarding the method of rectifying officialdom, Wan'er has thunderous means to clear away malpractice!"

"Wan'er does not dare to be arrogant, but I consider myself to have the talent to assist a king!"

Talent to assist a king!! As soon as these four words were spoken, it was like a thunderclap exploding in everyone's ears.

Even Zhou Yun's pupils shrank slightly.

So wild! So arrogant! But... so exhilarating!

Wan'er looked straight at Zhou Yun, suddenly cupped her hands, and bowed again,

"If the City Lord does not disdain me, grant me the authority!"

"Internally, Wan'er will surely cultivate political governance, make the Granary full, ensure no talent is left in the wild, and let Flower City never worry about famine again!"

"Externally, Wan'er will strictly establish laws, make punishments and rewards clear, ensure orders are carried out and prohibitions are enforced, and let Flower City have no more treacherous villains causing trouble!"

"Above, I will assist the City Lord in strategizing and determining the universe; below, I will soothe the citizens so they live and work in peace!"

"This oath, heaven and earth shall bear witness!"

The whole scene was silent. Everyone was stunned numb by these words.

What a bold claim! What a grand vision!

Zhou Yun looked at the woman kneeling before him, and his heart was stirred with stormy waves.

How is this applying for a Chief Administrator position? This is clearly aiming for the position of a prime minister of a country!

"Strategizing and determining the universe", "Talent to assist a king"... Such vocabulary, when spoken by ordinary people, would only make people feel ridiculous.

But her words and demeanor, how could she be an ordinary person?

And for some reason, looking at Wan'er's eyes, which were firm to the point of being almost paranoid, Zhou Yun had an intuition.

This person has no exaggeration. He might have just struck gold!