Chapter 1 Reclamation_3

Fortunately, now there aren't as many battles. They essentially just go out to reclaim the previously lost hilly lands, engaging in various miscellaneous tasks like coordinating power supply, repairing and installing signal stations to provide power and internet, all of which residents and factories need, and the bases need to keep in contact with each other.

With fewer battles, the military doesn't require as many people, and the daily food consumption becomes a major problem; thus, some injured soldiers can retire.

The base has cleared the rural lands on the outskirts and plans to let Wood Power users clear the land for self-sufficiency. They allow Wood Power users to eat their fill, expand food production by cultivating new land, sell the produce to the base, and in turn, the base doesn't have to support as many people.

The base's land is limited, and daily consumption is enormous. Sending out some people relieves the pressure on the base, and the military also has to lay off some personnel to fend for themselves and restore production and life.

Li Pan got the news about land clearing immediately and Brother Xuedong also encouraged her to go out and seize the opportunity, trade a bicycle for a motorcycle, acknowledging that the era had changed and to consider post-disaster reconstruction and the subsequent plans for stable social development; one couldn't just strictly stick to the base without any prospects.

If she couldn't feed fully, she wouldn't starve but had no future.

Li Pan also wanted to clear the land and signed up immediately. The first hundred registrants received tax incentives: no tax for the first year and they could manage their own produce, getting a good price from the base if sold to them.

For the next five years, they only collected 30% in taxes, that is, thirty percent. Sixty percent went to the individual. Subsequent farm lands would belong to the state, but if you exceed your task, the farm's property rights belonged to the individual, and the subsequent tax rate was five percent; beyond paying taxes, all farm ownership belonged to the individual.

The terms were very favorable; Li Pan was the fifteenth person to register.

The base provided some grains and vegetable seeds for those clearing the lands, including basic staples like rice, wheat, soybeans, and vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins, but no fruit.

Tomatoes and peppers were quite expensive, sold individually and costing five yuan each with money or Contribution points.

Even in the market, a small tomato cost three to four yuan each. Robbing someone wasn't even this audacious.

Over the years, she had been diligent and honest, a major producer in the base, exceeding the base's targets every year, consistently ranking in the top three in outputs.

She earned quite a lot of Contribution points rewards, which could be exchanged for Medicine, Spiritual Medicine, and some precious resources. She usually exchanged them for Medicine for Brother Xuedong's use.

Exchanging seeds didn't require Contribution points. She had saved some money herself, but this time she spent it all, exchanging it for seeds and things urgently needed for the farm.

The rail-thin Li Pan pushed a small single-wheel cart, which held the last load of items, packed with belongings she had accumulated over the years, including a small table, benches, flower pots, and stockpiled food; she still needed to eat once she arrived.

Cars were already waiting at the base entrance, and beside them stood three tall, thin young men with crew cuts. Among them, dressed in blue clothes, was Wang Xuedong, standing 1.85 meters tall, slim and lean, exceptionally handsome. The other two men, slightly older than him, were also about 1.8 meters tall.

"Brother Zhao, Brother Qin, Brother Xuedong."

"Sister, give me your stuff, did you bring everything?"

Zhao Quan quickly took over the items.

"I brought everything, and what I couldn't carry, I gave to my colleagues at the base."

It helps maintain good relationships as she'd still need to visit the base frequently. If there was any news about exchanging for new seeds, she could still get in line.

"Brother Zhao, Brother Qin, here's something for you to eat on the road."

Li Pan pulled out two small bags from the cart and handed them to Zhao Quan and Qin Jianzhong.

"No need, keep it for yourself."

Zhao Quan saw they were buns and a few strawberries, insisting on not taking them.

"You guys keep it. It's not often available, take it back for your wives and kids to have a taste. I've saved some for myself."

What Li Pan offered were cornmeal-buns mixed with some white flour, steamed just yesterday, to take for her land clearing. It was from the new grain she harvested this year. Knowing she was leaving, the base gave her her share of the harvest early.

Apart from a bit of white flour, it was mostly cornmeal, along with potatoes and the majority being sweet potatoes and pumpkins, which were long-lasting and normally consumed as staple food.

"Just keep it, no need for formalities among our own people."

Xuedong gave Zhao Quan's arm a shove.

"Then I'll take advantage. I'll let my wife and kids try it when I get back."

Zhao Quan tucked the cloth bag into space, it was fine grain, not commonly available, so he saved it for his wife and child, who hadn't had fine grain in a long time.

He was a Space superpower user, specifically in charge of transporting goods to and from the base. Qin Jianzhong was a Wind Power user. They, along with Xuedong, had a close comrade relationship, sending them off to the farm and helping with some work while there.

"Let's go, I've exchanged all the seeds you requested."

Xuedong pooled together their money to buy seeds needed for clearing the land.

"Brother, how did the discussions about building houses on the farm go? I also saved some vegetable and fruit coupons; do you need them for gifts or not?"

Social exchanges were necessary, getting things done without pulling a single hair wouldn't cut it.

"No need, I've got it handled. I've already submitted my resignation report. We're going to the farm to start clearing the land, and we'll need to get rid of the weeds too."

"Alright, then let's hurry up."