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Resets Weekly! [Monday]
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Jinghang manipulated the iron sand in the air, forming a three-dimensional holographic diagram. As his fingers moved, the diagram shifted dynamically, displaying cross-sections, longitudinal sections, top-down views, and bottom-up views, making it easier for everyone to visualize.
"Everyone, please look—this is the desert highway I've designed!"
"Of course, this is just a preliminary concept. The highway would be 50 meters wide and 5 meters tall, with half-meter-thick supporting walls and a 20-centimeter-thick arched roof. These are rough estimates. Once the project begins, you'll need to conduct experiments and recalibrate the measurements."
The holographic iron sand diagram transformed into a structure resembling a subway tunnel. Maki, Karuke, and the others scrutinized it closely, their eyes filled with curiosity, clearly waiting for Jinghang to finish before asking questions.
"The primary material for this project will be the Crystal Release from the Wu Zhong family. Wu Zhong'ou, could you provide some samples for everyone to see?"
In no time, everyone held a palm-sized piece of amethyst in their hands.
"This crystal is incredibly strong. Whether it's struck by blades or detonated with explosive tags, it remains unaffected. My proposal is to first conduct experiments to verify its feasibility. Once proven successful, we can launch the project immediately! The initial goal is to construct a 400-kilometer desert highway connecting Sunagakure and Moon Lake. If this highway succeeds, we can build more, linking the entire Land of Wind together."
Jinghang's voice brimmed with confidence as he waved his hand. The holographic iron sand diagram morphed into a map of the Land of Wind, with a black line connecting Sunagakure and Moon Lake. More black lines radiated outward, linking the entire nation.
"I have a question. The sand in the desert is highly mobile, which means the foundation will inevitably be unstable. Even though this crystal tunnel is heavy, won't it still shift or sink into the sand over time? Won't the tunnel eventually get buried by the desert?" A construction corps advisor raised his hand and asked.
"That's an excellent question. The deserts in the Land of Wind are distributed in a west-high, east-low pattern. The section from Moon Lake to Sunagakure is in the eastern region, where the average sand depth is about 150 meters. This means that if we dig 150 meters down, we'll hit solid bedrock. My solution is to install two giant concrete pillars every 200 meters, ensuring that the pillars reach the bedrock. This way, the crystal tunnel will appear to rest on the sand but will actually be supported by the concrete pillars. This eliminates the risk of drifting or sinking. Even if a temporary sandstorm buries the tunnel, it won't matter. To crush this crystal tunnel, you'd need at least 800 meters of sand piled on top. And I doubt anyone has ever seen an 800-meter-high sand dune in the desert. Besides, if the tunnel does get buried, we can just have Karuke wave his fan a few times to clear it out."
The crowd burst into laughter.
"May I ask, Lord Kazekage, what should we do if we encounter obstacles like sand dunes or quicksand during construction?"
"That's a great question, and I'd like to elaborate on that. Karuke," Jinghang said as he sat down, and Rasa immediately poured him a glass of water.
"You, the construction corps, need to establish a dedicated highway construction department. Karuke, you'll lead this initiative for now. Select personnel from within the construction corps—recruit wind release and earth release ninjas. If you don't have enough people, submit a report, and I'll transfer more from Sunagakure. For example, if you encounter a sand dune during construction, you can have a team of wind release ninjas blow it away. Also, remember that building the highway isn't the end. Regular repairs and maintenance will be an ongoing effort. All participating ninjas must have their salaries, benefits, and logistics fully guaranteed. Don't worry about funding—I'll allocate the money. I'll start with 50 million, and more will follow in the second phase. In short, as long as this highway gets built, I'll provide whatever you need—money, manpower, anything."
Jinghang then proceeded to answer several more questions from the advisors, addressing each one thoroughly. The crowd nodded in agreement, feeling increasingly optimistic about the project. The thought of connecting Moon Lake and Sunagakure filled everyone with excitement. At this moment, Wu Zhong'ou timidly raised his hand.
"Brother Wu Zhong, please go ahead."
"If... I go to help build the road, what will happen to my farmland?"
"Hahahaha!" The crowd erupted into laughter.
Jinghang smiled faintly, understanding Wu Zhong'ou's concerns.
"It seems Brother Wu Zhong is still attached to those dozens of acres of land. Don't worry; since the land was granted to you by Sunagakure, it won't be reclaimed. However, we really need your family's help for this road construction. Farmland, well, if you don't have time to farm it yourself, you can lease it to others. By the way, how many strong laborers does your family have who can use Crystal Release? No kids, though—they still need to focus on their studies."
"Six," Wu Zhong'ou replied.
"Great. Bring them all. They'll join the road construction team, and I'll give them all jonin-level salaries! You, Wu Zhong'ou, will serve as the deputy commander of the road construction team."
"What?!" Wu Zhong'ou was so shocked that he froze on the spot.
"Does that mean... I'm an official now?"
"Hahahaha!" The room was filled with laughter once again.
"Currently, the Moon Lake base has a population approaching 500,000. Housing and food have been arranged, and we've established both a ninja school and a technical school. A medical unit is also being organized. Additionally, we've identified many talented ninjas and clans with kekkei genkai among the immigrants," Maki reported to Jinghang over dinner at the official residence's cafeteria.
"Oh? Tell me more," Jinghang said with great interest. This was a matter that could directly enhance the village's combat strength.
"There are quite a few, actually. For example, the Ueshiryu Clan, skilled in controlling bees; the Yuki Clan, adept at ice release; the Banchu Clan, who wield boil release; the Aotu Clan, who use light release; and the Akamine Clan, known for their red eyes..."
"Your work has been excellent, but it still lacks finesse," Jinghang said, clearly pleased. This effort would significantly enrich Sunagakure's foundation. Thanks to Jinghang's efforts, the village had managed to extricate itself from the quagmire of the Second Shinobi War earlier than expected. However, during the war's first and second phases, Sunagakure had lost a large number of elite ninjas. Many kekkei genkai clans had even gone extinct. As a result, young jonin like Rasa, Maki, and Karuke, who were in their twenties, held high-ranking positions—something unimaginable in villages like Konoha or Kumogakure, which had deeper reserves of talent. This was because the prime-age generation had been sacrificed under the Second Kazekage's leadership in Amegakure. Now, replenishing fresh blood was crucial; otherwise, Sunagakure's war potential would dry up within a few years.
"We must not only retain these people but also make them feel a sense of belonging, treating this place as their true home. For instance, if they left their original village due to discrimination, ensure they face none here. If they were ostracized, make them feel included here. If other villages are at war, we remain peaceful. If other villages face famine, we ensure four dishes and a soup every day. Only then will they want to stay, sweat for Moon Lake, and bleed for Moon Lake. This is called community work. Even you advisors need to step out and engage with the people directly. Understand?"
"Yes!" Both Maki and Karuke were deeply impressed by Jinghang's words. No wonder he was the Kazekage.
"By the way, one more thing. I've decided to upgrade the Moon Lake base to the Moon Lake New District. Maki, in addition to serving as the Director of the Immigration Bureau, you'll also be the highest administrative officer of the Moon Lake New District. Karuke, you'll serve as the Commander of the Construction Corps and the Deputy Chief of the Moon Lake New District!"
The cafeteria erupted in thunderous applause.