The King of Black Fog

Every day, new problems arise.

To address these issues, Li Changzhou and Yang Qinglan had to sit in the living room for half the day and discuss them afterwards.

As time entered June, the workers' dormitories were completed, and workers began to move in.

The temperature rose and a large part of the sea ice thawed, but cargo ships still could not dock completely. Workers had to jump into the sea to transport goods, and not many were needed, so Li Changzhou built more worker dormitories elsewhere, ensuring all workers had employment.

The flour industry was now completely under Li Changzhou's control, with stable prices.

Some overseers who liked to deduct wages were executed on the spot by Li Changzhou the first time they were brought in by the workers, and the entrance to the Commander Mansion nearly became an execution ground.

There were also workers and other overseers who took the opportunity to seek revenge or frame others, but under the interrogation of "Guanyin," nothing could be hidden.

The reputation of Guanyin gradually became more prestigious than that of Li Changzhou.

Song City showed no obvious change, but the workers no longer had to worry about unemployment or having their pay docked, and everything was flourishing.

On the sixth day of June, Yang Qinglan lay on a soft chair in the corridor, leafing through the booklet in her hand.

This past month's issuing of orders had added a touch of majesty to her inherent ethereal grace.

Li Changzhou, in the courtyard below the corridor, had his mind filled with roiling dark clouds, yet they remained untriggered.

Every muscle, blood vessel, fascia, and cell in his body also trembled slowly, influenced by the clouds, as if they too had become Thunder Clouds, containing furious unbridled lightning.

Boom!

In his mind, the lightning within the dark clouds roared like a dragon, occasionally exposing a claw or a scale.

Li Changzhou remained expressionless but was on edge, forcibly suppressing the purple Thunder Dragon.

The lightning grew increasingly furious, like a chained wild dog going mad, struggling to break free and to tear at Li Changzhou's spine.

As time passed, controlling the Thunder Cloud became increasingly difficult, with the chains turning from iron to rope.

Not just control, but the prolonged Visualization required consuming a lot of energy. To maintain this level of expenditure, at least one attribute would have to be at its peak.

For Li Changzhou, the energy consumed was of little consequence. All he needed to do was focus wholeheartedly on maintaining control.

His body already felt a numbing sensation, and the Visualization process truly began to influence reality.

When the chains turned to rope, then from rope to cloth, and the cloth was slipping and tearing in his hands—

All his Qi-Blood and flesh shot out countless bolts of lightning, and his potential burst forth in an instant, rushing towards his spine.

Boom!

In his mind, the Thunder Dragon roared, nearly becoming a physical column of light that struck his spine, already coursing with lightning.

Yang Qinglan heard the dull rumble of thunder, lifted her head, and looked at Li Changzhou.

Li Changzhou slowly opened his eyes, which gleamed like lightning.

"Did you succeed?" Yang Qinglan asked.

"I did," Li Changzhou exhaled lightly, his eyes gradually dimming like clouds withdrawing their menace.

The first development of potential using the "Thunder Map" was complete.

If one were to dissect Li Changzhou at that moment and place his spine in the dark, they would find it glowing faintly, and by pressing an ear to it, one could hear the distant rumble of thunder, like the ocean's roar in a seashell.

Having practiced Visualization to this realm, in battle, even without fully visualizing the "Thunder Map," just sensing the spine slightly could activate a fraction of the potential.

Every move would produce a faint paralyzing effect like lightning, with twice the power of a normal punch.

"How much ability?"

"14, an increase of 5 points."

Furthermore, Li Changzhou felt a deeper urge for transformation in his body, with every muscle, drop of blood, and piece of flesh seeking to become something new.

He had moved even closer to the third "Physical Enhancement."

Li Changzhou was now filled with strength, itching to release it with a punch, but this was the Commander Mansion, not his own world of indulgence, and though causing a disturbance wouldn't be a big issue, it was still best avoided.

He was eager to hunt down the master of the Fire God Martial Arts Hall or, alternatively, have a bout with the Chun Emperor.

"Sss~"

"Ah—" Little Radish yawned, sitting cross-legged on the head of the King Cobra as she came out of the house.

This past month, Li Changzhou had given her the "Flower Girl" to feed various pollens to the King Cobra, expanding its poison repertoire.

"Brother!" Li Qianxia came into the courtyard holding a booklet.

"Quick, come and sign!"

Li Changzhou dropped his stance and took the item she handed over; it was a donation book for the Qing Shui Women's School.

"Again?" he laughed, "Didn't we just give money to the Women's Progress Association yesterday?"

"It's the 'Women's Progress Association Charter,' that was yesterday. Today naturally has its own business, so donate a little more!" Li Qianxia explained as she spoke.

Li Changzhou flipped through the book, noticing that many aunts and even servants like Liu De and Wang Dehai had been "coerced" into donating, each giving fifty.

"The Chun Emperor has donated too!" Li Qianxia flipped to the first page, where the first name was the Chun Emperor, who had donated 1,000 Money.

Li Changzhou took a pen and wrote his name, donating 200.

"You're only donating two hundred? Add a zero, and another zero!" Li Qianxia held Li Changzhou down, teaching him how to write, adding another zero after the 200.

"Is this a donation or a robbery? Is there no law anymore?" Li Changzhou said with a laugh.

He had intended to donate 2,000 from the start, and writing 200 was just to tease Li Qianxia.

"I am your law!" Li Qianxia retorted, snatching back the book and pen, running up the corridor past the blooming lotus flowers, "Qing Lan, hurry, it's your turn, write a lot!"

Over the past month, Li Qianxia had been dedicated to the women's movement, accompanied by Li Changzhou's fiancée, Lin Yin.