Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Second Year of Great Xia, June 4th.

At dawn, in the top-level grand hall, all the Cold Resistance Level members of Great Xia gathered together.

The rewards for the top five rankings in the group martial arts event of Cold Resistance Level, including Xia Chuan, Yuwen Dao, Chen Yingyuan, Peng Bo, and Yuan Cheng, as well as the Yangyuan Pills for Chen Yingba and others, have all been distributed.

Xia Hong glanced around at everyone below, finally placing his gaze on Xia Chuan and the Six Department Directors behind him.

"Xia Chuan, tell me, how many Earth-digging Realm Limits are there in the camp currently?"

Following the conclusion of the martial arts event, the specific matters of army building were next.

Everyone perked up, ears attentive, focused on listening.

Xia Chuan's expression turned solemn, bowing as he replied: "Reporting to the leader, there are a total of 782 people."

The estimate Qiu Peng reported two nights ago was that more than six hundred Earth-digging Realm Limits would be present after the martial arts event concluded, evidently underestimating the cultivation situation of the current camp population somewhat.

"782 people, according to the army regulations of Long Mountain and Zhaoyang, our numbers are still insufficient, but right now, Longyou urgently needs manpower, and cannot be delayed further. We'll temporarily make an exception and select 218 of the highest cultivation Earth-digging Realm to first complete the reorganization rules of the Cloud Dragon Army."

Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Yuwen Dao, who displayed a troubled expression and stepped forward to bow and say: "Reporting to the leader, I have something to say..."

"You want to say this 1000 people comprise the core elite personnel of the Hunting Department's subordinate teams. Should they be selected, it would greatly diminish the Hunting Department's strength, and the hunting revenue would plummet, impacting the camp's beast meat supply, correct?"

Yuwen Dao nodded slightly, and all the Cold Resistance Level members' expressions subtly changed.

Indeed!

The 782 Earth-digging Realm Limits, plus the 218 highest cultivation Earth-digging Realm, without doubt, are either team leaders of the Hunting Team or key personnel of the Intermediate Hunting Team. Their selection would undeniably greatly reduce the camp's hunting capability.

A reduction in hunting yields would have extensive repercussions, almost affecting all the other five departments, including procurement, craftsmanship, timber harvest, and even governance and livelihood.

The other Five Department Directors, including Qiu Peng, Yuan Cheng, and Mu Dong, came to this realization.

"Rest assured, I have already thought this through long ago!"

Xia Hong smiled slightly; army construction was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, he had already contemplated it a year ago, and at this point, he was well-prepared.

"At the current stage of Great Xia, survival still largely depends on gathering and hunting, especially as hunting is crucial to everyone's cultivation resources. Even the army should thus continue to hunt. From a certain standpoint, since the army gathers the camp's strongest individuals, their hunting tasks are even more challenging than those of the Hunting Team..."

What military system suits Great Xia?

This was a question Xia Hong had contemplated prior to building the army.

Considering the harsh conditions of the Ice Abyss World, when facing a camp survival crisis, deploying the entire population as soldiers was undoubtedly essential, but not during normal camp times.

Conscription, household soldier system, military household system, group solidarity soldiers, agriculture-soldier integration, militia, recruitment, garrison...

Xia Hong's mind was teeming with military systems, but speaking candidly, there truly wasn't one apt for Great Xia's current scenario.

Firstly, Great Xia's entire population is just over 110,000, which rules out many systems; secondly, selecting soldiers has cultivation standards, and the high Earth-digging Realm Limit standard further eliminates a large batch of systems;

Finally, applying by household registration is entirely impossible. Viewing the special nature of the Ice Abyss where cultivation dictates all, systems like household soldier and military household would inevitably foster an immensely terrifying special interest group, likely evolving akin to the elite system like the previous Beehive scenario, which clearly wouldn't work.

After careful consideration, Xia Hong decided to align with the camp's actual situation.

The military's purposes are none other than expansion and defense.

Summed up, it's about maintaining one's inherent territory whilst acquiring more new territories.

Territories boiled down simply mean resources.

Having clarified this, Xia Hong's thinking became crystal clear.

"Henceforth, Great Xia shall adopt the military-hunting unity system."

Military-hunting unity!

This is the system Great Xia's army shall adhere to in future; everyone present pricked up their ears at hearing these four words, eager to listen further.

"Military-hunting unity straightforwardly means soldiers and hunting personnel interchange, where the army not only secures the Great Xia territory through external combat but also doesn't abandon hunting.

Summarized into three points:

First, henceforth, all subordinate members of the Hunting Department shall equate to the army's reserve, with all personnel available for army selection;

Second, while the army's main task is combat, and without war, focuses not spared in mines for ore benchmarks, hunting duties intensify;

Third, despite nominal interchangeability compared to the Hunting Department, army tasks are evidently heftier, thus soldiers cannot enjoy the laid-back, free lifestyle of the Hunting Department anymore. Presently, only Xia Chuan has the qualifications to command the army, further military strategies will not be elaborated, discussed privately later."

No benefits, eh?

What Xia Hong delineated in three points were merely characteristics of military-hunting unity.

The cancellation of coal and iron benchmarks, converted to Cold Beast marks instead, when seen holistically as essentially equals; furthermore, the third point evidently emphasizes reduced personal freedom upon joining the army, which is a definite downside.

Breaking through to the thirty thousand jin limit allows army enlistment, surely the stronger shouldn't receive worse treatment in the camp, right?