44: Chapter 44 I absolutely must find a job!

Strategist Zhu Ge sat in his wheelchair, watching Minister Wang Fugui's back, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

"Minister Wang." He called out.

Minister Wang Fugui turned around. "What is it?"

Strategist Zhu Ge cupped his hands and bowed, his tone carrying a hint of shame.

"This one and this little brother are new here, having contributed nothing, yet we are troubling Minister Wang to spend money… I am truly uneasy."

Minister Wang Fugui waved his hand, interrupting him. "Trouble? What trouble?"

His tone became hearty. "The City Lord ordered me to be responsible for settling you all, so I must handle this matter beautifully!"

"The wages of a mere two people, what does that amount to?"

He slightly raised his chin, his tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Besides, this official is… Hmph! The dignified Minister of the Trade Department! My salary supporting you two, isn't that just… a piece of cake?"

Strategist Zhu Ge was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, it's settled!" Minister Wang Fugui waved his hand, making the final decision.

"You follow everyone in clocking in and out normally, but you don't need to participate in the work. After dinner, this official will personally take you to your residence."

Strategist Zhu Ge took a deep breath and bowed again. "Thank you, Minister Wang!"

Shang Youjun also hurriedly bowed, his voice slightly trembling. "Thank you, Minister Wang!"

Minister Wang Fugui laughed heartily, turned around, and strode away.

After walking a few steps, he couldn't help but smack his lips.

This feeling of being sincerely thanked… is actually quite nice?

Time passed unknowingly. At four in the evening, the horn signaling the end of the workday echoed throughout the construction site.

"Work is over! Work is over!" The foreman's shouts rose one after another.

The workers dropped their tools and raced toward the East City Gate.

That was where food was distributed!

Working is happy! Strength increasing is happy! But eating, without a doubt, is the happiest!

However, the new residents didn't know this at all, and almost all of them lagged behind.

"Hey, why are you still so slow? Hurry up!" An old resident looked back and urged.

The new residents were stunned and looked at him blankly. "Why hurry?"

A young refugee scratched his head. "Isn't work over?"

The old resident laughed and pointed to the East City Gate. "Work is over, that's right, but we haven't had dinner yet!"

"Din… dinner?" The new residents looked at each other, their eyes full of disbelief.

"There's dinner too?"

The old resident rolled his eyes. "What else? If you don't eat dinner, you can't get your wages!"

The new residents were completely dumbfounded.

No dinner, no wages? What kind of rule is this?

You have to eat dinner before you can collect your wages?

Is this a punishment or a reward?!

They were pulled toward the East City Gate by the old residents, looking confused, their minds still digesting the information they had just heard.

At the East City Gate, it was bustling with noise. Long wooden tables were lined up, covered with steaming hot food.

White rice was piled into small hills, emitting a faint fragrance.

Large chunks of meat were neatly arranged on plates, glistening with oil.

There were also plates of fruits that looked like purple jade, crystal clear, making one's mouth water.

Spiritual Rice, Demonic Beast meat, Spiritual Fruit… They had eaten these for lunch, and had been so shocked back then that they almost thought they had gone to heaven!

And yet, how long had it been? Half a day! And now they were eating a second meal!

What is this? This is a life like an immortal!!

A new resident said while shoveling rice into his mouth, "Too luxurious… really too luxurious…"

"Two meals a day, with Spiritual Rice, Demonic Beast meat, and Spiritual Fruit…"

"Sob, sob…"

"Mom! If only you were still alive!"

"Sob, sob… Don't worry! I'll eat your share for you!!"

"Hey! You really are a filial son!" The old resident next to him didn't know whether to laugh or cry, then corrected him. "But you got one thing wrong just now."

The new resident was stunned. "Ah? What did I get wrong?"

The old resident held up three fingers and shook them in front of him. "Not two meals, three meals!"

"You have to eat breakfast too!"

The new resident's chopsticks fell onto the table with a "clatter."

Elsewhere, a new resident was eating and couldn't help but ask the old resident next to him about the doubts in his heart.

"Big brother, with so many people in our Flower City, where does all that food come from?"

"Just for this one meal, with so much Spiritual Rice and Demonic Beast meat, how much must it cost?"

The old residents looked at each other, a trace of pride flashing in their eyes.

"Hey!" A dark-faced man put down his chopsticks. "Don't understand, right?"

"Our City Lord is—" His voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of pride and awe, and he cupped his hands high toward the direction of the City Lord's Mansion. "Destined City Lord!"

"Don't ever compare our City Lord with other City Lords!" He slapped the table heavily, his tone full of disdain. "They! They don't deserve it!"

The new residents were stunned by his words.

The dark-faced man thought they didn't believe him, so he immediately pointed to the Blazing Sun in the sky. "Don't believe it? If you don't believe it, then tell me, why is the sun still hanging there?"

The new residents immediately frowned. Indeed! They had felt it was very strange when they first arrived; the city was gloomy, yet outside the city, the Blazing Sun shone brightly. And even now, the sun showed no sign of setting.

"So! What is a Destined City Lord? This is it!" The dark-faced man said triumphantly. "Summoning wind and rain, changing the weather, words becoming law!"

"Even the sun! It has to listen to our City Lord! Understand?"

In a corner not far away, Strategist Zhu Ge and Shang Youjun sat side by side, eating rice from their bowls mouthful by mouthful. They had also heard the dark-faced man's words.

Destined City Lord… So that's it. No wonder everything is so unusual.

This day was especially long for Strategist Zhu Ge and Shang Youjun. The refugees who entered the city with them had all been assigned their own work. Some went to move bricks, some went to mix mud, some went to build walls, and some went to carry wood.

Everyone was busy, sweating profusely. Only the two of them were arranged to stay on the side of the construction site. It was said to be "staying," but it was actually just idling.

They tried to help several times, but were dissuaded, being told they weren't needed, and it would be bad if they accidentally got hurt.

So they endured for a whole day. Everyone was working, but only they were idle; this feeling was terrible.

So much so that even though the food in front of them was delicious, they couldn't eat it; it felt like a fishbone stuck in their throat.

Because this meal was not earned by himself. It was Minister Wang Fugui who paid for it; it was Flower City supporting him for nothing.

Strategist Zhu Ge put down his chopsticks, looking at the rice in the bowl with a complex expression. He had never eaten such "free rice" in his life.

"I must find a job." Strategist Zhu Ge said softly, as if speaking to himself, and as if making a firm resolution.