Chapter 51 I Want to Get an Identity Card

"Chief Chen, you are too kind! Giving our all for Black Wind Fortress is only right, but as for this compensation..."

A sturdy, honest-looking man said, somewhat embarrassed.

Chen Tong patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Take it. This is what you earned with your lives. Go settle your families well, and in the future, we will build Black Wind Fortress into an even better place together."

Following this, Chen Tong announced an important decision.

"During this battle, quite a few brothers showed exceptional bravery, and we must not forget their meritorious deeds."

"To honor their contributions, we will establish the Combat Hero Medals, divided into Special, First, Second, and Third Classes."

"The brothers who receive these medals are the pride of Black Wind Fortress!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted into an enthusiastic chatter.

"Really? There are medals too!"

"I'll have to perform well and try to win a medal myself!"

Everyone began discussing it with excitement.

Chen Tong began reading out the list of medal recipients. With every name called, a wave of warm applause broke out from the crowd.

"Liu Meng, Special Class Combat Hero Medal!"

"In battle, you charged at the forefront, slaying countless enemies and making monumental contributions to defending the city walls!" Chen Tong said in a loud voice.

Liu Meng stepped forward with a flushed, excited face, received the medal, and spoke in a booming voice, "Thank you, Chief Chen! Thank you, everyone!"

"This medal is my honor, but even more so, my responsibility. In the future, I will shed more blood and put in more effort for Black Wind Fortress!"

"If any more bandits dare to come, I'll be the first to charge up and send them running for their lives!"

The crowd was amused by Liu Meng's words, and the atmosphere grew even more lively.

Subsequently, Chen Tong presented the medals of the other classes in turn. Every recipient was deeply inspired, and the entire scene was filled with a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere.

At this time, the total population of Black Wind Fortress was just a little over two hundred people, making management relatively convenient. For Black Wind Fortress to develop for the long term, complete infrastructure was indispensable.

"Brothers, if we want to live well here, we need to get our housing, supplies, and utilities sorted out."

"Starting today, we are going to build houses, forge farming tools, and construct roads." Chen Tong announced his plan to the crowd.

"Chief Chen, no problem! We'll lend our strength wherever it's needed and make sure all of this gets done right!" Xie Hu said loudly.

"That's right! As long as Chief Chen gives the word, we won't hesitate even if it means going through fire and water!" Chen Feng chimed in with his pledge.

Everyone responded in unison and immediately sprang into action.

At the same time, Chen Tong arranged for a group of people to go and cut down timber in the surrounding area. In this era, timber resources were exceptionally abundant, covering the mountains and plains.

"Everyone, mind your safety and cut down plenty of thick timber. The construction of Black Wind Fortress depends entirely on these logs!" Chen Tong cautioned.

"Don't you worry, Chief Chen! We're off, and we guarantee the mission will be accomplished!" said the leader in charge of logging.

Chen Tong converted the harvested timber into system currency within his system interface. Looking at the steadily increasing system currency in the system, Chen Tong developed a more far-sighted plan.

This system currency would become vital capital for the future development of Black Wind Fortress. Whether it was purchasing more advanced weapons or exchanging for other scarce supplies, it was entirely dependent upon this resource.

Under Chen Tong's leadership, the people of Black Wind Fortress worked together with one heart and boundless enthusiasm. Everyone believed that under his leadership, Black Wind Fortress would only get better and better, eventually becoming a true utopia.

After a period of hard work, the basic houses were mostly completed. Looking at these brand-new homes, however, Chen Tong did not feel the slightest bit complacent.

For Black Wind Fortress to achieve continuous prosperity and development, having just these was far from enough.

Currently, Black Wind Fortress remained in a state where expenses exceeded revenue. If this continued for long, the city would inevitably fall into hardship. Moreover, although the population had increased, the problem of labor shortage remained prominent.

Chen Tong fell into deep contemplation. He knew he had to come up with some ways to stimulate everyone's enthusiasm for daily life while simultaneously solving the labor shortage.

After some thought, Chen Tong decided to call another meeting.

When everyone had gathered together, Chen Tong got straight to the point.

"Brothers, our basic housing is mostly built, which is a great start."

"However, we are still facing quite a few problems. Our expenses have consistently outpaced our income, and we cannot go on like this."

"Furthermore, our labor force is insufficient, and we must find a way to solve this."

Liu Meng scratched his head, furrowing his brow as he said, "Chief Chen, I know our situation isn't looking too good, but how on earth do we solve the labor shortage?"

"We've tried every method we could think of, and the people coming in are still not enough."

Old Zhao sighed heavily from the side.

"Indeed, if this keeps up, Black Wind Fortress, which has just started to show some promise, might just return to those hard times of the past."

Chen Tong continued, "I've thought of a solution: we are going to issue citizen cards."

"With this citizen card, everyone in Black Wind Fortress will have an official identity. This will not only give everyone a greater sense of belonging, but it will also make our management much easier."

As he spoke, Chen Tong produced a draft of the citizen card he had designed and showed it to everyone.

"Look, something like this. It will have everyone's name, photograph, and some basic information on it."

Everyone looked at the draft, astonishment written across their faces. In their experience, such a thing had never existed before.

"Chief Chen, this... will this actually work?" a chieftain asked doubtfully, his face filled with worry.

Another person chimed in, "That's right, Chief Chen. This is completely unheard of. Can this little thing really solve our problems?"

Chen Tong smiled and patiently explained, "Don't worry, everyone. These citizen cards have countless benefits."

"With them, we can clearly know how many people are in the city and what each person excels at. This will allow us to arrange work more effectively and boost labor efficiency."

"Furthermore, this will make everyone feel like a true master of Black Wind Fortress, giving them more drive."

"For example, if we know someone is skilled in carpentry, we assign them to carpentry work. If someone is good at farming, we assign them to manage the fields. That way, everything will run in an orderly fashion, and efficiency will naturally rise."

Xie Qingshuang nodded slightly and said thoughtfully, "Brother Chen, put that way, it actually makes a lot of sense."

"With this card, people will feel valued, and who knows, they might really work with much more enthusiasm."

Liu Meng was still somewhat hesitant. "That sounds fine and all, but is making these cards easy? It must take a lot of effort, right?"

Chen Tong patted Liu Meng's shoulder and said, "Liu Meng, no effort is too great as long as we are united. There is nothing we cannot accomplish."

"Making the citizen cards might be a bit troublesome, but as long as it solves our problems, it is entirely worth it."

Hearing Chen Tong's explanation, although the crowd still harbored some doubts, they had always trusted Chen Tong and knew his ideas were always visionary.

"Chief Chen, we believe in you! Since you think this method will work, let's do it!" Xie Hu was the first to state his position, his face glowing with a resolute expression.

"That's right, Chief Chen, we'll listen to whatever you say!" Others chimed in as well.

Looking at the steadfast gazes of the crowd, Chen Tong's heart was filled with emotion. As long as everyone worked together with one heart, Black Wind Fortress would surely overcome its present difficulties and march toward a brighter future.

"Very well. Since everyone agrees, let's begin making preparations for the citizen cards."

"Let's work hard together and build Black Wind Fortress into an ever-better home!"