Chapter 370: Chapter 212: Passage Broken Through
Cheng Zongyang knocked on the earthen wall. Solidified by the Mole Beast’s Ability, it was incredibly hard, just like stone brick. He wasn’t worried about it collapsing.
As he walked south, pairs of oil lamps hung at regular intervals on the walls of the dim tunnel, providing some light. He could also see villagers hauling away excavated dirt.
They were quite excited to see Cheng Zongyang, and he naturally stopped to exchange a few words.
When he rounded a bend, he saw about ten more villagers clearing away the excavated earth behind the Mole Beast, hauling it cart by cart toward the tunnel entrance that led to Tiantuan Village.
And the one directing the Mole Beast was none other than his father.
He had entrusted command of the Mole Beast only to his father.
"Dad!" Cheng Zongyang called out.
Hearing the familiar voice, Cheng Guanghai snapped his head around and saw his son, Cheng Zongyang, standing in the dimly lit tunnel.
"Hahaha, son! Not busy anymore?" Delighted to see his son after so long, Cheng Guanghai stopped directing the Mole Beast.
Cheng Zongyang walked up to him and smiled. "Not anymore. Things in the County Town are mostly settled."
"Uncle," Zhou Zhendong also called out.
"Ah, good." Cheng Guanghai was equally pleased to see Zhou Zhendong had come too. "Come on, let’s go talk on the surface. It’s a bit stuffy down here."
With that, he told the others to continue clearing the dirt and let the Mole Beast rest. He then took out three elixirs and gave them to the beast.
The Mole Beast smelled the familiar scent of the Elixirs, quickly took them, and swallowed them down before plopping onto the ground to rest.
’This guy gets some food and doesn’t even recognize me.’ Cheng Zongyang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he didn’t dwell on it. The three of them returned to the surface to talk.
"I’ve taken a look at Tiantuan Village. It’s truly excellent. The grain and Medicinal Materials there will last us for some time."
Arriving at the entrance to a warehouse, Cheng Guanghai clapped his son on the shoulder, his voice filled with emotion.
This time last year, this area was just a collection of separate villages. Now, they’ve all been leveled to build a single, larger, and better village—one that belongs to the Cheng Family.
According to the plan, this place will gradually become a hub for Cheng Family Village’s external affairs. The farmland and medicinal gardens will also be expanded over time.
In the future, Cheng Family Village will slowly phase out its grain fields, converting the land into an ancestral ground for the aging members of the village’s various clans. It will be the roots of the younger generation!
Cheng Zongyang nodded. "That’s right. The grain will be ready for harvest soon, though the Medicinal Materials will still need some time. Is everything back in the village okay?"
Cheng Guanghai smiled. "Don’t worry. Everything’s under control. Your cousin is with your uncle now, gradually getting familiar with clan affairs. But enough about that. How are things in the County Town?"
Cheng Zongyang replied, "It’s mostly taken care of, with just a few loose ends to tie up. I’ll spend the next while helping Brother Zhendong get accustomed to it all, and then I can hand it over to him."
Hearing this, Zhou Zhendong, who was standing to the side, felt a bit nervous.
Although Cheng Zongyang had already told him this, and he had been doing his best to learn and get involved, he still lacked the confidence to take charge. Just then, he heard Cheng Zongyang add:
"Brother Zhendong isn’t completely familiar with these things yet, and it’ll take time for him to fully take the reins. So, I’ll arrange for two people to assist him. After learning on the job with them for a few years, a complete handover won’t be a problem."
Cheng Guanghai nodded. "That’s good to hear. Zhendong, do you have the confidence?"
As he spoke the last words, he turned to his nephew on his left.
Zhou Zhendong nodded. "I’ll study hard and do my best."
"Hahaha, good! The future rests on the shoulders of your generation." Cheng Guanghai was very pleased.
After that, they talked for another half an hour, during which Cheng Zongyang got caught up on the recent affairs of Cheng Family Village.
There had been steady progress, and everything was rapidly moving in the right direction.
