In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

Qin Shaolang is the absolute core of this machine.

He seems to know everything.

He taught everyone how to use the lever principle to move huge rocks, saving time and effort.

He taught everyone how to build the most stable scaffolding to ensure safety.

He even drew up blueprints for a device called a "wheelbarrow" and had his carpenter-turned-soldier try to build it. This device had only one wheel, but it could maintain better balance on mountain roads and transport more materials than a two-wheeled cart.

The soldiers' admiration for Qin Shaolang had reached its peak.

In their eyes, Brother Qin was no longer an ordinary person, but an omnipotent deity descended to earth.

Su Jin silently observed all of this, her charcoal shavings flying across a flat stone slab as she made her notes.

She recorded not only the consumption of materials, but also the allocation of manpower, the progress of the project, and even every novel and effective method proposed by Qin Shaolang.

She discovered that all of Qin Shaolang's arrangements revolved around one core principle—efficiency.

He accomplished the most work with the fewest manpower in the shortest amount of time. This ability to make the best use of resources and plan ahead is something that an ordinary doctor's son could never possess.

This is more like... a style of military campaign.

A mark etched into their very bones, a mark belonging to the military.

Who exactly is he?

This thought resurfaced in Su Jin's mind.

She didn't ask; she knew it wasn't the right time yet. She simply turned herself into a sponge, frantically absorbing all the knowledge Qin Shaolang displayed.

She had a feeling that these things might come in very handy in the future.

Time flew by amidst this intense yet fulfilling work.

Five days later, when the valley began to take shape and the foundation of the first wall had been dug, the sentries responsible for guarding the perimeter sent back a message.

"Brother Qin! Brother Chu Wu is back!"

This shout was like a thunderclap, instantly piercing through the entire valley.

"Clang!"

The man, who was swinging his pickaxe with all his might, suddenly lost his grip, and the pickaxe struck a rock, sending sparks flying.

"You're back?"

The women who were washing clothes stopped what they were doing at the same time, raised their heads in unison, and looked towards the valley entrance, their eyes filled with anticipation and nervousness.

The bustling construction site fell into an eerie silence in that brief moment. All eyes were fixed on the same direction.

Among the crowd, only Qin Shaolang remained unhurried. He picked up the water from the earthenware jar beside him, carefully washed the dirt off his hands, and then slowly dried them with a coarse cloth. His face was expressionless, as if the person returning was not a key figure concerning the future of the entire valley, but a neighbor who had gone out for a stroll.

Su Jin stood not far from him, pausing her notes as well, her clear eyes also gazing towards the valley entrance. Her heart was beating a little faster than usual, but her good upbringing allowed her to conceal all her emotions beneath a calm expression. She knew that Chu Wu's trip would determine whether this budding "home" would take root or become nothing more than a mirage.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Chu Wu finally appeared at the entrance of the valley.

He was still wearing the same worn-out shorts, looking travel-worn and weary, his face showing undisguised exhaustion, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, filled with excitement and exhilaration.

However, what made everyone gasp was what was behind him.

That wasn't two people, nor was it a dozen or so.

It was a large, ragged procession.

The procession stretched as far as the eye could see. Leading the way were some able-bodied young men, all of them sallow-faced and emaciated, with numb eyes, carrying simple packs, and warily surveying the unfamiliar valley.

In the middle of the procession were a large number of women and children. Most of the women were holding infants in their arms or tightly holding the hands of their older children. Their faces were filled with fear and unease, and when they looked at the soldiers with swords in the valley, they instinctively hid their children behind their backs.

At the very back of the line were some elderly people with unsteady steps, supporting each other, each step seemingly requiring all their strength.

These are not slaves bought back; they are clearly refugees who have migrated here!

A rough count suggests that this team has at least seventy or eighty people!

The soldiers in the valley were dumbfounded. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock. Had Brother Qin... emptied out the entire human market?

Chu Wu rushed to Qin Shaolang, his voice trembling with excitement. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and bowed deeply, saying, "Brother Qin, I have not failed you!"

Qin Shaolang simply nodded, his gaze sweeping past him and across the group of newcomers who were as frightened as startled birds. "Tell me the situation."

"Yes!" Chu Wu straightened up, suppressing his excitement, and began to report in a clear and organized manner, "As you instructed, we exchanged the gold for silver in batches without attracting any attention. After that, I inquired in the people market and the areas outside the city where refugees gathered. This time, the area around Lantian Town suffered a disaster, coupled with rampant banditry, resulting in a large number of bankrupt farmers and refugees."

"I strictly followed your three criteria, specifically choosing those who had families and a clean background. In the end, I bought thirty-five able-bodied men, twenty women who could work, and twelve children. There were also a few elderly people who had nowhere else to turn, who came with their families, and I brought them back with them as well."

At this point, a smug glow appeared on Chu Wu's face. He lowered his voice and said excitedly, "Brother Qin, most importantly, I've found all the craftsmen you needed!"

He turned to the side and pointed to a few people in the crowd who looked particularly uneasy.

"That dark-faced man is called Wang Tiezhu. His family has been blacksmiths for three generations, and he has a family of five. The tall, thin man next to him is called Sun Mu. He used to be a carpenter in the county government office, and his furniture making was famous for miles around! And that one… that one…"

Chu Wu's report continued, but the indigenous people in the valley were already listening with great excitement.

Seventy or eighty people!

Overnight, the population of this small valley multiplied several times!

What does this mean? It means they are no longer a small, isolated group! With so many people, they have the confidence to build houses, cultivate land, and even defend against foreign enemies!

After listening to Chu Wu's report, Qin Shaolang's face remained expressionless; he simply uttered two words: "How much did it cost?"

"More than half of the gold is still left." Chu Wu took out a smaller money pouch from his pocket. "The silver and copper coins we exchanged for it have cost about 70%. This is the account book and the remaining money."

Qin Shaolang didn't take it, but patted him on the shoulder: "You've worked hard, you did a great job."

A simple "Well done!" made Chu Wu feel that all the hard work of the past five days was worthwhile. His cheeks flushed with excitement, and he waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "It's no trouble at all!"

Qin Shaolang ignored him and strode forward to the group of newcomers.

The moment he appeared, the previously restless crowd fell silent. All eyes were fixed on him, filled with scrutiny, fear, and a sliver of hope. They knew that this seemingly frail young man was the new master who had bought their lives.