Chapter 134: Structural Reform (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The lake near New City is known as the "Mother Lake" of the settlement. This is not only because it serves as the primary water source for the city, but also because it provides irrigation for thousands of acres of rice paddies and serves as the most coveted habitat for fish. Since the aquatic zombies in the lake were completely eradicated, a dedicated Lake Management Bureau—a thirty-member organization—was established to oversee the entire body of water.

When Xiao Anbang became the director of the Lake Management Bureau, a heavy sense of responsibility settled upon his shoulders. He was well aware of the lake's importance to New City; almost everything, from industrial needs and daily living to agricultural irrigation, relied on it. As a graduate of a hydraulic engineering school, his expertise lay primarily in the design and construction of water projects, yet he understood that for New City to have established such a bureau at all was already a remarkable achievement.

He still clearly remembers the words of Chief Xie, the highest administrative commander of New City, who patted him on the shoulder when he was first appointed: "Do not look down on this small lake. Everything grows from small to large. Today it is just a Lake Management Bureau; tomorrow it will become a Water Conservancy Bureau, or even a Ministry of Water Resources. New City needs time—time to develop itself. Your bureau is like the lubricating oil for New City's engine. Do not underestimate any single component of this city; in the future, it may evolve into something beyond your wildest imagination." Xiao Anbang kept these words in mind, firmly believing that New City would grow into a massive post-apocalyptic metropolis. In the meantime, he had to protect the lake to ensure the city could develop without any hidden worries.

"Hurry up, everyone!" Xiao Anbang sat on a simple wooden boat, rowed by one of his staff members, as they navigated the river mouth connected to the lake. In the water, over a dozen Bureau workers were struggling to hold up a net woven from steel wire. At one end of the net was a motor-powered speedboat—the only one of its kind in New City, specially manufactured and assigned to the Bureau. Its job was to pull the steel wire net across to the opposite bank.

Although the aquatic zombies in the lake had been cleared, Xiao Anbang remained uneasy. The lake was connected to a river, and who could say for certain that more aquatic zombies wouldn't slip into the lake? Given the vital importance of the water, he refused to leave anything to chance. After assessing the risks, he submitted a report directly to the New City Management Command Center.

Everyone understood the importance of the lake. Since a security risk existed, it had to be addressed; there was no sense in waiting for a disaster to happen. Prevention was the best strategy. The report was approved that very afternoon, and the project to intercept and modify the river entrance was greenlit, with priority given to manufacturing and supplying everything he needed.

In Xiao Anbang’s plan, a wire net was clearly insufficient—it was merely the first line of defense to keep the lake's biological resources from escaping. Beyond the ten basic steel wire nets, he planned to build an iron mesh woven from high-strength steel bars as thick as a human arm, to be installed 1,500 meters upstream from the river entrance, complete with a small bridge for crossing.

Xiao Anbang knew the capabilities of aquatic zombies all too well, which was why he designed the iron mesh. The hardness of arm-thick steel bars was something no zombie could breach. If successful, this series of projects would ensure the lake remained safe from further infiltration.

While Xiao Anbang’s team was installing the nets, Xie Han and his colleagues were holding a tense meeting. The sudden population surge had made the existing five-square-kilometer residential base feel cramped. With tents, makeshift shacks, and temporary shelters constructed from sticks and scraps of plastic filling every corner, the chaotic situation was a source of constant headaches for the management.

"For a long time, New City has provided a minimum subsistence guarantee for everyone," Xie Han began. "While this was effective in attracting people early on, it has become a burden as the population has grown. I don't doubt the industry of our people, but the larger the forest, the more birds you find. Who can guarantee there aren't those who are lazy? If people believe they will get two taels of rice per meal regardless of whether they work, it fosters laziness. Eventually, they form the mindset that they can eat without working."

Xie Han felt the pressure of the food supply more than anyone. In just a few months, he had exhausted a quarter of the grain stockpiles from the Chaoyang City Grain Bureau—over 5,000 tons. While that sounded like a lot, it amounted to only about 250 kilograms per person for the 20,000 residents of New City. With the work-point system in place, industrious individuals had already earned over 250 kilograms, some even upwards of 400. The strain was evident.

Chen Liu and Xu Qiang, both from military backgrounds, were hesitant to speak on the matter, but Qi Feiwu and Chu Tianher, who managed the residential base, understood the implications. New City needed a thriving, energetic environment where everyone contributed to its construction.

Chu Tianher, who oversaw logistics, expressed his concern: "Boss, are you saying we should abolish the system? I know its flaws, but our city has just started. The population is still far from sufficient. If we cancel this abruptly, I fear people will riot, and our appeal to newcomers will diminish."

Xie Han smiled. "What Tianher says is a valid concern, but I am not abolishing the system; I am reforming it. The new minimum guarantee will no longer cover everyone. It will be selective, targeting minors under 15, the elderly over 55, and the disabled. Everyone else will no longer be eligible."

"There will be one exception: new arrivals will receive support for their first month. If they haven't found work after that, they will face hunger," Xie Han continued, showing no sign of cruelty. "Our work-point system complements this. In our current situation, any adult can find a job within days. Whether it's the brick kiln or agricultural maintenance, we need massive labor. As long as they are willing to put in the effort, they will be rewarded."

He looked at Xu Qiang. "As for the riots, those who cause trouble will face three months of forced labor for a first offense, or immediate execution for serious cases. We will not be soft. As for our appeal, do you really think they would choose to leave after seeing the environment here? At the very least, they can earn enough to eat and have surplus grain to trade for necessities."

Xu Qiang nodded decisively. "Don't worry, Xie. Our kindness is for the industrious. For those with malicious intent, our guns are the best way to communicate."

"This reform will also affect our housing policy," Xie Han added, looking toward Qi Feiwu. "Housing has always been provided by the city, which is another hidden danger. How do we reform that?"

Qi Feiwu, the highest administrative official of the residential base, stood up. "Housing is indeed our biggest issue. The disparity is clear: some live in comfortable military tents, while others are in makeshift shacks. Newcomers have the worst conditions, living in self-built tents, and they are the most resentful. This inequality is creating factions. If we don't resolve this, it will lead to conflict."

She proposed a solution: "We need to designate a much larger residential zone, plan the land, and distribute plots for free to the people so they can build their own homes."

Chen Liu questioned how destitute people could afford to build houses. Qi Feiwu smiled. "Think back to before the XR virus. Most people bought homes through mortgages—paying for twenty or thirty years. We can adopt a similar system, but instead of currency, we provide the raw materials. We control the brick and lime factories. By allowing these products to enter the market, we can stimulate the economy."

Xie Han was pleased with the direction of the discussion. When the issue of pricing the bricks arose, Xie Han intervened: "Remember, we aren't merchants; we are administrators. We aren't looking for profit, but for the development of the entire city."

Chu Tianher suddenly chuckled. "I think our people are actually quite wealthy. They may not have enough for the housing, but they have plenty of gold. In troubled times, gold is a stabilizer. Why don't we use this housing opportunity to collect their gold and establish our own gold reserve center?"

"Brilliant," Chen Liu said, slapping the table. "This not only prepares us for future currency issuance but also ties the people to the fate of New City. Without their gold, they’ll have less leverage to cause trouble. It’s a perfect, interlocking strategy."

The meeting concluded with a consensus on the reform path. The details—census registration, skills assessment, and implementation—would be handled by the lower-level administrators. As the highest authority, the leadership had successfully set the course for their ship to navigate the treacherous waters of this post-apocalyptic world.