Chapter 182
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Chapter 182: Completely Dumbfounded
“Pfft—”
After hearing a certain sentence, Luo Ji immediately spat out the mouthful of water he had just drunk.
Then he began to suspect if he had misheard.
“W-wait! Hold on! What did you just say you were going to do?”
“I’m going to the mine to earn money by digging ores!”
Looking at the person he disliked before him, Bai Ze said with a stiff upper lip.
After confirming he hadn’t misheard, Luo Ji felt an even bigger headache.
He was also a little bewildered, unable to understand.
He completely couldn’t figure out what was going on!
First, he suddenly said he wanted to see him, then after seeing him, he suddenly said he wanted to go to the mine to earn money by digging ore?
Had this fellow Bai Ze stayed in his tent for too long, completely dumbfounding himself?
He already had a city-defending general under his command who had grasped the ‘fishing’ skill.
Therefore, he absolutely did not want another cavalry general with a ‘mining’ skill!
“Do you know what’s going on here?”
Luo Ji turned to look at Liu Zheng beside him.
At this moment, a severe headache was clearly written all over Luo Ji’s face.
Liu Zheng decisively shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“Alright.”
Luo Ji rubbed his temples hard, organizing his thoughts.
Then, looking at Bai Ze, who had a determined expression, single-mindedly wanting to become a miner and earn money by digging ores, he asked with a slightly speechless tone, “What do you want to do after you earn money from mining?”
“After I earn money from mining, I want to buy that thing called a plate to compensate Yuan’er.”
Hearing this, Luo Ji wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but Bai Ze seemed to have blushed a little.
But it didn’t matter.
He then looked at Liu Zheng again and asked in a low voice.
“Who is Yuan’er?”
Liu Zheng was clearly much more familiar with the people of Iron Wall Tribe.
He quickly leaned close to Luo Ji’s ear and whispered.
“It should be Liu Yuan, a little girl in the tribe who has been responsible for delivering three meals a day to Bai Ze these past few days. This morning…”
As they spoke, Liu Zheng recounted everything he knew to Luo Ji.
After listening, a flicker of understanding quickly passed through Luo Ji’s eyes.
A faint curve flashed across his lips.
Following that, Luo Ji put on a troubled expression.
“So that’s how it is.”
“He actually broke a plate.”
“That’s public property, and its manufacturing process and material are much more expensive than ordinary plates.”
“That money will probably have to be deducted from Yuan’er’s salary this month.”
“Poor Yuan’er, she’ll have a tough time this month…”
Hearing this, Bai Ze’s expression immediately became anxious.
“I broke that plate, so I’ll compensate for it! It has nothing to do with her!”
“You’ll compensate?”
As he spoke, Luo Ji calculated an account for him with a smile.
“The three meals you’ve eaten these past few days, the tent you’ve stayed in, the daily living utensils you’ve used, as well as your medical expenses for treating wounds and the cost of having someone care for you, all of these cost money…”
“According to the rules, since you are a newly joined member, your expenses before work is assigned will be temporarily advanced by the tribal administration.”
“Once you have a job, before you pay off your debt, half of your monthly salary, after deducting the necessary taxes, must be used to repay your debt until it is fully settled.”
His entire expression completely froze.
Facing Luo Ji’s extensive list of arguments, Bai Ze couldn’t process it all at once.
However, one thing he did understand was that he likely couldn’t afford to compensate for that plate in the short term.
Yet, he had already given his word.
Should he spend several months to achieve it?
As soon as he thought of this, Bai Ze’s complexion also turned somewhat grim.
Luo Ji, seeing this expression, let out a silent chuckle inwardly.
It was wise of him to introduce the commercial system in advance.
Otherwise, as the population continued to rise, there would certainly be many who would question and be unable to accept such systemic reforms.
At the very least, the Bai Ze before him would definitely be one of them.
But now, before new recruits joined, this entire system had already taken shape within this civilization.
Everyone within the tribe naturally lived according to this system.
Therefore, every new person who joined, even if initially unwilling, would honestly choose to integrate into this system out of a sense of self-preservation, rather than raise objections or resist.
Simply put, it was a kind of herd mentality among the populace…
After sensing the timing was right, Luo Ji, taking a sip of water, unhurriedly spoke again.
“However, I do have a job with a decent salary for you. If things go smoothly, it will quickly allow you to pay off your debts and compensate for the loss of that plate. It just depends on whether you’re willing to do it.”
“What job?”
Hearing this, Bai Ze immediately perked up.
He no longer cared whether he disliked the person in front of him and quickly asked for more details.
“The army needs a horsemanship instructor.”
“To put it simply, it’s to teach them how to fight while riding horses.”
“The salary is good, and the benefits are excellent.”
“How about you just nod your head, and I’ll allow you to receive a month’s salary in advance?”
“In other words, you can fulfill your promise immediately.”
At this moment, Luo Ji was smiling almost like a devil.
He didn’t expect Bai Ze, whose loyalty to him was only slightly over sixty points, to lead troops into battle or anything like that.
Even if Bai Ze was willing, he himself wouldn’t be at ease!
However, tricking Bai Ze into becoming a horsemanship instructor was perfectly fine.
At this moment, Bai Ze also clearly realized Luo Ji’s objective.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally nodded.
“I agree to be a horsemanship instructor.”
“Now, how do I get my salary in advance?”
Hearing this, Luo Ji’s lips could no longer be contained in a grin.
He quickly wrote out a written order.
“Take this and go find Zhou Tao.”
“He will advance your salary to you.”
“After breakfast tomorrow, remember to report to the army on time…”
Speaking up to this point, Luo Ji paused.
After a moment of thought, he decisively delivered a preemptive warning.
“Work hard. After some time, I may come to inspect your work results. If you do well, your salary will increase. If you do poorly, your salary will be docked. If you do too poorly, it’s even possible that you’ll be given a different job then.”
“I know.”
After grumpily replying, Bai Ze directly took Luo Ji’s written order and went to Zhou Tao to receive his salary in advance.
Watching Bai Ze’s departing figure, Luo Ji couldn’t help but shake his head with a sigh.
He felt that a certain saying was truly correct.
Love really does lower one’s IQ.
This fellow Bai Ze was utterly stupefied now…
