Chapter 83 – Test

The three followers' strength was quite powerful. Among them, Shay and Winnie were in the peak of the first realm, the foundation of awakening. While Sky was in the second realm of body shaping awakening. Among the three of them, Tang Yu planned to put Shay and Sky in the patrol team. They could lead a team to expand the land after being accustomed to their task in the future.

As for Winnie, as a precious medical priest, she would go wherever she needed. She could also form a medical team. In simple words, aside from healing spells, she also had excellent medical skills. Although medical skills weren't easy to learn, learning a healing spell was even more difficult. He was lucky to have someone who mastered both aspects.

After the welcome party, Tang Yu didn't immediately assign the new followers to their job on the first day. He let them familiarize themselves with the territory. Winnie held Elaine and left, Shay was curious to explore this world's environment, and Sky went straight to the training facility as soon as he heard the news.

In the future, Tang Yu felt he need to make some kind of hierarchy and subdivision to assign followers according to their skills. But, he wasn't sure about this. Tang Yu scratched his chin and fell into deep contemplation.

After he finished the new follower business, he finally had the time to converse with Roger regarding the situation in the territory when he went to Lindong.

"The number of survivors increased to more than 300 people as of yesterday. Aside from foods, supplies, including daily necessities, medicines, etc. are enough to supply every survivor."

"In addition, the villa construction project has completed. With the increasing number of survivors, the construction center had moved outside the city. However, the survivors would rather live in a cramped area inside the city wall than outside."

"My Lord can ask Mr. Chen Haiping about the specific details of the construction project. Mr. Chen had more detailed statistic data."

Basically, Roger and Chen Haiping did everything in the territory while he left for Lindong. They both handled the territory very well, and Tang Yu was almost shocked to see how the territory progressed after he returned.

Suddenly, he felt something amiss.

"Huh? Wait a minute, didn't the population was only 100 when I left? Why is it 300 now?"

He didn't leave for a long time, but the entire territory had changed dramatically. He didn't think the territory had gone through such a drastic change before.

"It's because there's another shelter merged with ours. That's why our populations exceed 300."

"What? The entire shelter moved in?"

There were still some large and small shelters in the surrounding area. Although their power was below the original Tree Shade Shelter and Creek Forest shelter, most of the small shelters had hundreds of survivors. These shelters were just functioned as a sanctuary, a safe place for hiding. With a large number of survivors, most of the small shelters were far from reaching the real requirements of a proper shelter.

The leader was the most prestigious position in the entire shelter. The position held the fate of the entire survivors in the shelter. Although the living condition in his shelter was better than anywhere else, some people would choose to be a small shelter's leader rather than an ordinary survivor in a large shelter. Not everyone could give up their power and dignity as a shelter's leader and merge to another shelter.

"They had no choice. The demonic beast was going to destroy their shelter." Roger solemnly said, "This shelter located in a county town about 10 kilometers away. I lead a team to search for them before, but we couldn't find the shelter. That time, someone from the shelter went out to find food, but he was followed by the demonic beast. The entire shelter fell into crisis. After the crisis averted, the survivors moved to our shelters." Roger summarized the entire event.

Tang Yu noticed things didn't go well from the way he spoke. Perhaps the small shelter was about to be destroyed when Roger and the patrols intervened and rescued them. They were all grateful. However, when Roger wished to take the survivors with him, the original leader of the shelter refused. Even though after the demonic beast attack, their shelter was no longer safe. There were indeed some people who were unwilling to give up the power in their hands.

In the doomsday, people were competing for limited resources. They weren't just competing for resources like food or medicine, but also people. Men were forced to go out to gather foods, and sometimes they were used as baits for the demonic beast, while the women could be used to fulfill their sexual desire. They're both valuable resources—no wonder the former shelter resisted when Roger wanted to relocate the survivor.

The conflict was inevitable.

Of course, Tang Yu estimated that the leader and the official of the shelter were already dead. Maybe the grass in their graves was already more than 1 meter high. It wasn't a surprising thing because vegetation grew rapidly after the doomsday.

"Simple and brash."

In the doomsday, who would prefer to talk over fighting? Fighting was more efficient and time-saving.

Roger continued, "My Lord when you were away, there were some people who wished to join the patrols. But I waited for your return to discuss it with you."

"How many?"

"About 20 or 30. Back then, only a few people wanted to join the patrols. Now that they've seen the benefits, they wanted to join too." Roger smirked.

Tang Yu pondered. The patrol team's number was too little. They could use some recruits. But the patrol team was not a public park where people could enter wherever they want. Simply to say, the patrol team was also the guardian of the shelter. They had to be reliable.

"Hmm… we should conduct a test, written and physical. Applicants have to pass both tests before they could join."

Roger nodded and immediately left for preparing the matter.

...…

Even though the population of the Tree Shade shelter was only a few hundred, their population gradually spread as the patrols continuously roamed the wilderness. Shelters around their area already heard that the Tree Shade shelter was powerful and rich in materials and supplies. Some wandering hunters who explored the wilderness also heard it. Many hunters came to see the news.

"Whoa! Look at that towering city wall!" Two new survivors came to the shelter today. There were two of them, the one who just spoke had a tall and thin figure. The other one was short and fat.

"Big brother, I hope this shelter had good equipment. Otherwise, our journey here will be in vain." The chubby man said.

"It's your fault that we lost our weapon! Why did you feel the need to provoke that strange beast?"

The chubby man was scolded, like a 200 pounds little boy. The two of them saw many busy survivors as they walked into the shelter. They already knew how to get equipment from the shelter. They could choose between spending spirit stones or completing missions issued by the shelter in exchange for equipment.

"How can we get to the employment center?"

The hunter was annoyed, but he went pale after he felt the newcomer's aura. He couldn't help but shakily pointed to the distance. "I-I can take you there."

The tall man shook his head and left. The chubby man followed him. The hunter who was just being asked by the newcomer exchanged a glance with his companion.

"Aren't those two the Hammer Brothers?"

His companion nodded, "I think so. The Brothers of the Iron Hammer. They're one of the strongest wandering hunters in this area. They got that nickname after their weapon. People said their strength alone is stronger than most shelter."

"That's not all!" the hunter continued, "I heard they went to Lindong shelter but chose to live in the wilderness to strengthen their power. They're both is the perfect killing machine."

"I'm afraid they only come to buy weapons. These days, many hunters did that. But I didn't expect the Hammer Brothers would come here! Oh, how fast our shelter is growing!"

With a bitter expression, the hunter said, "I should've joined the patrols back then. Maybe we will be stronger by now."

(Author's note: The priest's name in the previous chapter is too long so that it will be changed.)