Alternate Dimension Game: Happiness is all that matters!
Chapter 403 - 291: To Get Rich, First Build Roads!_2

[A timid outsider, you deeply resist death in your heart, so you have adopted this strategy, showing that waiting for a few months is not a problem. It seems you finally don’t have to die on this full moon night.]

The word "Scholar" was hyperlinked. Upon clicking, it showed the name Ding Zhijing, which somewhat rang a bell.

After all, there were only a few talents like tiny cats and big cats in Qingshi Town.

A Scholar, also considered a decent talent, had some connections.

Moreover, Ding Zhijing had an optional mission: [This person fervently worships "Heavenly Gate" and is currently planning recruitment details to recruit the deity of Fenghua City, "Tortoise Spirit Great Mother". Current success rate unknown. If you’re willing to spend a certain amount of the Power of Illusion, the probability of recruitment might increase.]

"What the hell, all the recruits are tortoises!" Wang Hao’s mind conjured up an image of a huge throng of tortoises charging into battle, feeling a peculiar sense of absurdity.

However, he didn’t immediately allocate the Power of Illusion to this Ding Zhijing.

For one, he was broke, and the so-called "certain amount" was simply too expensive.

On the other hand, the so-called recruitment by "Heavenly Gate" also had some moral requirements; not just any misfit could join.

What exactly "Tortoise Spirit Great Mother" was like needed further investigation.

New lines of text appeared on the screen. [You order the militia to thoroughly search the island, empty it of food and treasures, transport all captives and servants onto the ship, then depart quickly.]

[With the help of "Great Mother Tortoise", your operation went smoothly.]

[During the search, you discovered a person—a flesh and blood horror—lying in a small house to the east.]

[His appearance was extremely terrifying; his skin had been peeled off, and maggots were wriggling in his flesh, his palms and soles chopped off, both eyes gouged out, ears filled with copper, tongue cut, vocal cords completely destroyed, rendering him speechless.]

[Facing this terrifying sight damaged your morale, and in anger, you demanded from the captured Water Ghost Pirates who he was and what grievance justified such torture.]

[The captured thieves quickly protested their innocence, claiming the person was brought back by their leader, and they merely took good care of him and treated him, having nothing to do with his condition.]

[Regrettably, their medical skills were poor, and seeing that his breaths grew fewer and weaker, his life was not long for this world.]

[They didn’t know much about him, possibly a monk skilled in Taoist skills; beyond that, they knew nothing.]

[You questioned several servants, all unaware of his identity, indeed caring for him well, feeding him liquid food daily without mistreating him.]

"But wasn’t that boss, ’Niu Sanda’, already blown up?" Wang Hao, confused by this strange plot, lamented that "Mountain and Sea Realm" was different from past games; there was no way to load a previous save, and a dead character could only stay dead; the story could only move forward.

[You choose...]

[1. Put him out of his misery.]

[2. Bring him back and treat him carefully. (*Treatment may require a significant expense)]

Without much thought, Wang Hao chose [2].

[Even though you felt that living in such severe pain, being put out of his misery might be another form of luck, you still chose to bring this poor person back and treat him carefully. (*A special event triggered)]

[You left Lake Heart Island.]

[Before leaving, you smeared human blood around the buildings, a thick scent of blood that would surely further enrage the "Water Ghost King".]

...

...

The return trip was hugely successful; the morale was high, and they had won a significant victory, capturing the remainder of the Water Ghost Pirates’ forces!

The looted gold, silver, and food filled over a dozen carts!

Even the old turtle’s shell was piled high with food!

There was nothing more uplifting than a grand harvest. The militia followed the carts, chatting and laughing.

"Now that Lake Entrance is ours, in a couple of months, after we’ve dealt with the Water Ghost King, we can go fishing in the lake and gather reeds. There are plenty of abandoned good lands by the lake. It’s just not clear who owns these lands."

"The road to Lake Entrance is a bit rough..."

"Didn’t the Great Witch say, ’To get rich, build roads first’?"

Not many people coveted the looted treasures because the local deity "Great Mother Tortoise" was watching from behind!

And the "Great Witch" and others were also generously sharing; they would surely give them a portion.

Pan Hao heard everyone’s discussions, remaining silent for a moment as he pondered over the distribution issues.

This share of "soup," no matter how little, could fatten up these poor common folk several kilos.

However, "rewards" would affect how things were run in the future. As the saying goes, uneven distribution would trigger discontent, and establishing a more equitable system of rewards and punishments was crucial for the organization’s operation. Without credibility, no one stands firm.

For "Heavenly Gate" to grow and prosper, a robust internal mechanism was essential.

...

...

Some were joyful, others sorrowful; Li Qingshan stared at the terrifying "human pig" atop the cart, lost in thought.

He had seen too many corpses and died several times himself, but those were quick deaths. Even when there was pain, it was bearable.