bookbashuk Chapter 353 Onoki, do you want the Land of Earth to perish?
Chapter 353 Onoki, do you want the Land of Earth to perish?
Three days later, in the dilapidated temple of Crescent Moon Village in the Land of Wind.
Dozens of villagers crowded around the corner, staring intently at the phone in Ali's hand.
On the screen, the first scene shows soldiers from the Water Kingdom beheading spies at the border.
Next, we see the textile factory workshop, where workers are busy chatting and laughing, their joy and happiness almost overflowing the screen... In the farmland, harvesting machines shuttle back and forth... Finally, we see a clinic where a white-bearded doctor is treating patients, with a sign next to him that reads "Free Treatment".
Ali held his phone up even higher and shouted, "I worked at the textile factory for over a month, and only after receiving my wages of 62000 taels did I dare to come back to find you all!"
Villager Zhao Er, arms crossed, took a half-step back and shouted, "Ali, have you been scammed by the people of the Land of Water? Six times the normal wage? That's outrageous! Could it be a trap? Last time someone said that soldiers from the Land of Water came to rob us of our food and money!"
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over them, instantly calming the previously excited villagers down.
Many villagers showed hesitation on their faces.
Although Zhao Er's words were somewhat harsh, they were not without reason. What if this was an elaborate scam?
Seeing this, Old Zhang quickly chimed in, "Yes! Ali, Zhao Er is right. What if this is a trap set by the Water Kingdom? If we go, we'll never come back!"
Ali took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.
He slammed the Water Kingdom's ID card and banknotes onto the stone table next to him.
"Fools! Did I risk my head to come back just to brag to you? The whole food-stealing thing is a lie. The Land of Water is so wealthy, why would they come here to steal the little money you have!"
Seeing that his relatives and friends didn't believe him, Ali roared angrily, "You all know how strict the border is these days. If you get caught, it's a capital offense! If I didn't want to get rich with you all, would I be risking my life? Zhao Er, if you don't want a good life, then stay in the village. My fields and my house are all yours!"
Zhao Er was so frightened by Ali's anger that he took a step back.
He looked at the pay slip with the red stamp on the ground, then at the image of a beheaded spy on his phone screen. His lips moved, but he couldn't utter a word of rebuttal.
Seeing the situation turning sour, Old Zhang quickly tried to smooth things over: "Ali, don't be angry. Zhao Er just heard some rumors and is a little scared. Besides, this is a matter that could cost you your head, so it's only right to be cautious. And we only came here with you because we trust you!"
As he spoke, he also winked at the other villagers, urging them to quickly express their opinions.
Seeing this, the other villagers chimed in, "Yes, Ali, we all believe you! That's six times the salary! Even if we die, it's better than starving together in this poor village!"
Ali took a deep breath, and the anger in his heart subsided a little.
He bent down to pick up the banknotes scattered on the ground and put them into his pocket.
"Old Zhang, I didn't mean to get angry, I just feel wronged. We grew up together, you all know what kind of person I am, why would I lie to you? When we get to the Water Kingdom, you'll naturally know that everything I said is true."
That night, more than 30 villagers, carrying dry food and luggage, headed towards the border in the dark.
Zhao Er walked at the back of the group, quietly clutching the bundle in his hand... His doubts had long been replaced by the prospect of six times the salary and a better life.
Such scenes play out every day on the borders of the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Thunder.
The phones that the returnees brought all contained videos of life in the Land of Water.
Seeing the wealth of the Land of Water completely shattered the rumors spread by spies. After all, there's no reason for a rich man to go and steal food from a beggar.
The monthly salary of 60000 taels for workers in the Water Kingdom, the income of 50000 taels for farmers, and the immigration reward of 20 taels are like keys that unlock the common people's desire for a better life.
For them, even at the risk of execution, they were determined to smuggle themselves into the Land of Water.
After all... they were terrified of poverty...
A few days later, inside the royal palace of the Land of Earth.
The daimyo of the Land of Earth, his face contorted with rage, slammed a report down in front of Ōnoki.
Onoki lowered his head, looking at the secret report: Spies captured... Immigration numbers surge... Millions smuggled themselves out...
"Oonoki! Look what you've done!"
Onoki's body trembled slightly, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead, running down his wrinkles.
He said with some regret and self-reproach, "My lord, please calm down. It was my mistake... I didn't expect the Land of Water to react so quickly and extremely, using a reward of 20 taels per immigrant... to snatch people away..."
However, the enraged daimyo had no intention of listening to his explanation: "You are the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki! Have you wasted these 75 years of your life? How could you not have thought of something so important!"
Onoki's lips moved as if he wanted to defend himself, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
"The Water Kingdom offers a 20 tael reward for immigrants. Anyone who goes there is guaranteed housing and a job. This has caused the border cities to nearly desert. Five border cities are now ghost towns! Even more than a dozen nobles with titles have fled!"
Daimyo became increasingly agitated and suddenly slammed the teacup onto the ground.
With a crisp "crack," the teacup shattered into pieces, and tea splashed wildly everywhere.
"Your previous plan to 'bring down the Land of Water' meant letting them lure our civilians away with high salaries? And the Land of Dawn and the Land of Water haven't even started fighting. Onoki, are you trying to destroy the Land of Earth in your hands?"
Onoki's face turned pale, as if he might collapse to the ground at any moment.
"This is my fault; I didn't expect it!"
The daimyo of the Land of Earth wore a constipated expression, his face grim and terrifying: "Onoki, from today onwards, you need to reflect on your actions! I'll assign someone else to handle the border matters. If we can't stop the illegal immigrants, none of us should live!"
Onoki slumped in his chair, his lips trembling as he couldn't speak.
Faced with a six-fold wage gap, even the strictest bans cannot stop ordinary people from pursuing wealth and status.
Meanwhile, in the Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Wind, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, slumped into a chair, as if he had lost all his strength.
Intelligence indicates that "the Kingdom of Wind has lost over 1000 million civilians in a single month... civilians have left more than six cities deserted..."