Gao Wu: My freshman internship was a battle on the front lines.

Chapter 115 Jiangcheng, a City of Wealth and Power

The airship slowly rose into the air, changed direction, and flew north.

Zhang Lizhuo stood in front of the porthole, still holding the two jade boxes in his hands, looking down at them, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turning up.

It was worth it. This trip to Jiangcheng was definitely worthwhile. I not only met a truly extraordinary person, but also made a true friend and acquired a bunch of truly wonderful things.

He looked down at the jade box in his hand, recalling Ye Feng's words: "This is a gift for Brother Zhang, not for the Inspector."

This young man is someone I can get along with.

The airship disappeared into the horizon. Ye Feng withdrew his gaze and looked at Cao Keyuan.

"Commander Cao, how are your discussions going regarding the defense of the fortress and stronghold?"

Cao Keyuan, Director Zhou, and Old Zhang were squatting on the ground, with a huge military map spread out in front of them.

The map shows Jiangcheng's current defensive forces marked in red.

All sixteen fortresses and four fortresses have been returned to Jiangcheng's hands.

Jiangcheng's defense system has basically recovered to the level it was ten years ago.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

With a larger territory, there are more areas that need to be defended.

But there were still so many people.

"We are short-staffed."

Cao Keyuan pointed to the dense markings on the map, his brow furrowed.

"Jiangcheng's current troop strength is sufficient to defend the city, but not enough to defend these fortresses and strongholds."

"Especially since we've conquered so much territory now, from Xuanwu Fortress to Qinglong Fortress, the straight-line distance is over a hundred miles."

"Along this 300-mile defensive line, there are 16 fortresses and 4 strongholds that need to be garrisoned. Each fortress needs at least 500 troops, and each stronghold needs at least 2,000 troops."

"All told, we'd need over ten thousand troops just for stationing them. Where would we get that many?"

Director Zhou then spoke.

"Furthermore, these people can't be ordinary soldiers; they need to be at least first-tier martial artists. Although we've driven away the strange beasts in the southern mountains, who knows when they might return?"

"There are still some scattered strange beasts around, which also need to be cleared out. Ordinary soldiers can't handle them."

Old Zhang was even more direct.

"If all else fails, just fill in those fortresses and strongholds. What's the point of leaving so many? If we can't defend them, it's better to have none at all."

Cao Keyuan shook his head. "We went through so much trouble to get this done, and you want to fill it in? I don't agree."

The group of people argued back and forth, but no one could convince anyone else.

Ye Feng stood to the side, listened for a while, and was somewhat amused and exasperated.

In his view, this was not a problem at all.

Are you short-staffed?

Then we should hire people.

With a population of several million, how can we not recruit even 10,000 soldiers?

Lack of skilled players? Then train them.

He still has plenty of Qi and Blood Fruits and Blood Soul Fruits in his spatial ring; it's only a matter of time before he trains a group of experts.

But Cao Keyuan and his men didn't think that way. They were veteran soldiers who believed in taking steady steps and progressing one at a time.

Just as Ye Feng was about to speak, Zhang Lizhuo's voice suddenly rang in his mind.

No, it wasn't Zhang Lizhuo, it was the words he said before he left.

"By the way, the Dao Academy Research Institute has invented several new weapons of war. For example, that heavy fortress cannon can kill a fifth-tier alien beast with a single shot."

"There are also flying explosive golems that can fly into hordes of monsters and launch suicide attacks."

"There are also wolf-shaped puppets that can run, jump, and fire energy beams. They can fight autonomously and do not require human control."

Ye Feng thought to himself, "Isn't this just a tank, a drone, and a robot dog?"

This kind of technology already exists in the world?

At the time, Zhang Lizhuo also said, "These weapons should be useful in Jiangcheng."

He didn't pay much attention at the time, but now that he thinks about it...

Isn't this the perfect solution to the defensive problem?

"Cao Zhenshou." Ye Feng squatted down and pointed to the fortresses and strongholds on the map that needed to be garrisoned.

"The Dao Academy Research Institute has developed several new weapons of war, which are very powerful."

If we buy a batch, the garrison strength can be reduced by more than half.

Cao Keyuan looked up at Ye Feng, his expression one of disbelief.

He had heard of the things from the Dao Academy Research Institute. But those people at the Dao Academy were excellent at theoretical research, but as for the actual products they produced... well, it was hard to say.

They had previously purchased weapons developed by the Taoist academy, which were ridiculously expensive, but their effects were not as good as advertised.

"Will it work?" Cao Keyuan asked doubtfully.

Old Zhang interjected, "The things from the Taoist temple are all show and no substance. Last time they were promoting that 'Thunder Cannon'..."

"They boasted that one shot could kill a fourth-tier beast. But what happened? It could kill it, but it took forever to recharge. In one battle, they only fired two shots, and the rest we had to fight with our swords."

Ye Feng thought about it and decided that seeing is believing, after all, war is not child's play.

"Once we get to Shanhe Prefecture, we can go and see for ourselves, right?"

Cao Keyuan nodded, "That's true."

Ye Feng turned to Director Zhou: "Director Zhou, what's Jiangcheng's financial situation like right now? Can they afford the weapons for the Taoist academy?"

Director Zhou took out a small notebook and flipped through it; the expression on his face was hard to describe.

"If you had asked this question a year ago, I would have told you—Jiangcheng has no money, not a single penny. But now…" He looked at Ye Feng.

"The things you confiscated from the Li family sold for about 10 billion. The things you confiscated from the Zhao family sold for about 8 billion. In total, it's around 18 billion."

"This doesn't even include the alien beasts you killed with your three thousand warriors this time."

"If we sell these materials, Jiangcheng will have at least 30 billion more in its accounts."

Ye Feng's eye twitched.

Five hundred billion?

Is there so much money in Jiangcheng now?

Director Zhou adjusted his glasses. "You just didn't calculate it."

"This doesn't even include the profits from the minerals and timber within the territory we've conquered!"

"Those are all industries that can generate a continuous cash flow."

"From now on, Jiangcheng will never be short of money again!"

"Since we have the money, let's buy it." Ye Feng waved his hand, "The best, the most expensive, the most powerful, buy them all. I'll cover the cost if you don't have enough."

Cao Keyuan couldn't help but laugh when he saw his "not short of money" demeanor.

This kid is starting to act like a city lord more and more.

"Ten days from now, Commander Cao and I will go to Shanhe Prefecture City to attend the performance review meeting. Jiangcheng and the new army are now in your hands."

Director Zhou and his colleagues suddenly felt a heavy burden on their shoulders.

He took a deep breath and nodded emphatically to Ye Feng.

"Don't worry, leave Jiangcheng to me."

Cao Keyuan walked beside him.

"Ye Feng".

"Um."

"I wonder what's going on in the prefectural city at the performance review meeting in ten days. Prefect Zhao is a difficult person to talk to," Cao Keyuan said with some concern.

Ye Feng smiled. "Whether he's easy to talk to or not has nothing to do with me. I went to the prefectural city to buy weapons for the Dao Academy. As for the city lord's matter..."

He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"If he wants me to be in it, I'll be in it. If he doesn't want me to be in it, I don't care."

Looking at his nonchalant demeanor, Cao Keyuan couldn't help but shake his head.

When will this kid ever develop a sense of responsibility as the "lord of a city"?

But on second thought, it might be good to send him to Shanhe Prefecture City.

Let those big shots in the provincial capital see what kind of young man has emerged from Jiangcheng.

Cao Keyuan looked up and headed north, towards the direction of Shanhe Prefecture City.

Ten days later, I will meet you at Shanhe Prefecture.

……

Ye Feng, Cao Zhenshou, and three thousand soldiers returned to Jiangcheng.

Then the adjutant rushed over.

"It's terrible! Haicheng is under attack by an epic beast horde and is calling for our help!"

"Haicheng is in imminent danger!!!"