I Slay Gods and Demons in the Deceit Night
Chapter 294 - 209: Yue Family’s Old Ancestor! Various Tactics!_2

Chapter 294: Chapter 209: Yue Family’s Old Ancestor! Various Tactics!_2

"According to the original plan, the expansion of the city should have started ten days ago!"

Hesitating for a moment, Chief Clerk Yang said, "But due to various delays, the construction has not yet commenced..."

"Hmm?"

Lin Yan’s gaze became slightly focused.

Chief Clerk Yang continued, "Apart from Linjiang Square, the refugees from outside the city who have been taken in by the other squares have already died in large numbers, approximately over eight hundred, and people continue to die every day."

"How did they die?" Lin Yan asked.

"There is no cause of death," Chief Clerk Yang murmured softly.

"No cause of death?" Lin Yan mused softly.

"Because in the City Guard Mansion’s records, none of these people are dead."

Chief Clerk Yang’s tone was somewhat solemn as he said, "Thus, the City Guard Mansion’s storeroom needs to distribute rations and wages daily, as well as batches of straw mats, quilts, and clothing!"

As he spoke, he passed over a sheet of paper, whispering, "According to reports from the Observatory’s secret agents, some of the deceased were beaten to death or even perished from hunger and cold."

Lin Yan took the paper, glanced at it, and said, "So, for every person who dies, a portion of wages and food, as well as bedding and other items, is vacated... The murderers can then divide these among themselves?"

"About that," Chief Clerk Yang nodded.

"With so many dead, how will they proceed when the city construction begins?" Lin Yan inquired further.

"There have always been plenty of refugees in the Pure Land outside the city, especially after Jinliu Manor was destroyed. The number of refugees has increased even more.

Chief Clerk Yang gravely said, "Every day, many people die outside the Pure Land, perishing amidst darkness and Evil."

"Additionally, with winter approaching, hunger and cold will likely claim even more lives."

"Many refugees wish to enter High Willow City. Even if they aren’t paid a wage, as long as they are given food and a set of clothes, they would be extremely grateful."

"After all, for them, being able to enter High Willow City is the only hope of surviving the winter."

"In recent days, there are always refugees coming to the outskirts of the city, but as the expansion has not begun, they are all turned away at the city gates, left with no choice but to leave and search for a place to stay in the Pure Land."

"However, once the real expansion of the city walls starts, just by spreading the word outside, naturally, more people will come, and there won’t be a shortage of labor."

Chief Clerk Yang paused, then said, "According to the secret agents, those murderers, without exception, believe that what the world lacks least is people... but rather a place to stand and make a living."

——

Outside High Willow City, in the southeastern district, in the outermost square.

"Master Zhou, are you planning on doing in thirty more today?" At this moment, a clerk, rubbing his hands and grinning obsequiously, said.

"No."

This man, named Zhou An, was a servant of the Liu Family.

To these clerks in the outer city, he was already a high and mighty personage.

Currently, he was looking at some thatched cottages nearby and said, "There’s a message from the inner city, we’re not allowed to cause any more deaths."

"This..."

The little clerk appeared pained.

The shares of those who had died – their food, wages, clothing, and bedding – were naturally overlooked by the bigshots above.

These were all their gains. While it might not seem like much, with enough deaths, they could make a fortune.

In just over half a month, they’d likely have saved enough money to build houses outside the square.

"Didn’t you say that the refugees in the Pure Land outside the city are like weeds? Lowly yet tenacious; if one batch dies, after a few years, another batch appears, and we needn’t worry too much about their lives or deaths?"

This little clerk whispered, "How come there’s even a message from the inner city? Do those above actually care about the lives and deaths of these refugees?"

Zhou An glanced at him and said coldly, "If there’s a message from the inner city, there must be a bigger reason, something beyond your or my speculation."

He walked on and added, "Of course, it’s certainly not because we caused deaths. These people are like dirt, like chaff, no one cares about them."

"To those above, even if all the refugees in the Pure Land outside the city were to die out, as long as High Willow City remains, in twenty or thirty years, High Willow City itself won’t be sufficient to accommodate everyone."

"After a few generations, with the city crowded to the brim, even our descendants won’t have the privilege to live in the outer city."

"The more refugees who die, the more vacant spaces there will be for the new city, and then our offspring will be able to live in the new city."

"Don’t think I’m just eager to kill people to swindle food and money from above; I am doing this to prevent refugees from competing with our descendants for living spaces."

"Me, Zhou An, having served the Liu Family for so many years, have a vision far beyond what you mud-legged fools can compare to!"

He spoke with pride.

But after taking a couple of steps, he realized the clerk by his side wasn’t following.

Turning his head, he saw the clerk had collapsed to the ground with an arrow in his back.

His pupils contracted as he saw a group of people emerge not far away.

"The Observatory in action!"

"How dare you! I am from the Liu Family..."

"We’re looking for you!"

Flag Commander Pan Yun stepped forward and kicked him over, saying sternly, "Tie this fellow up and send him back to Linjiang Station... The rest, execute them according to the list!"

"Yes!"

His men drew their swords and charged at the remaining clerks nearby.

——

Back at Linjiang Station, Lin Yan listened quietly to the words of Chief Clerk Yang.

"In the southeastern district, this Zhou An comes from the Liu Family. Among the servants of the Liu Family, his tier is quite low."

Chief Clerk Yang said, "Killing the refugees and siphoning off food and money is a petty gain that would be insignificant even for a collateral member of the Liu Family, not enough for a single meal’s worth of wine."

"But for that Liu Family servant and those clerks, it’s as good as striking it rich."

"They dare to do this because they believe they’re backed by the Liu Family, so they act without any restraints."

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