Chapter 343: He Unilaterally Follows Su Tao’s Arrangements
Overnight, Su Tao constructed dormitories and a simple office building above the open space for Shen Wencheng and his team.
To make things easier, she also built a small cafeteria and hired an auntie skilled in home cooking to prepare meals and handle cleaning.
The laboratory section would take more time since Shen Wencheng needed to coordinate with Old Mei before she could proceed with construction.
The next morning, Su Tao rushed to Dongyang to meet with the senior commander and various district leaders to discuss Dongyang’s integration plan.
Shortly after she left, Captain Duan from the Pozhu Mercenary Team came looking for her but missed her.
Zhuang Wan shook her head and said, “I suggest you come back in a week. Boss Su just returned from Xindu and has a mountain of things to handle. She probably won’t have time to see you.”
Captain Duan sighed, “I’m a bit too anxious. To be honest, my teacher has been staying in Taoyang for a few days. Although he’s still in pain, his spirits have improved significantly—even enough to teach someone a few martial arts moves. I feel both happy and heartbroken.”
He added with regret, “If I had known about Taoyang earlier, I would’ve brought my teacher here to retire long ago. Now…”
It was too late for regrets. All he could do was wait to meet Boss Su and be as sincere as possible, hoping she would allow his teacher to stay.
To show his sincerity, Captain Duan was even willing to forgo the reward for rescuing Shen Wencheng and his team and to pay a large pension to Taoyang. His teacher didn’t have much time left…
Zhuang Wan comforted him, “Mr. Ning is an invaluable military strategist. Our boss has always appreciated talent—there’s a good chance she’ll let him stay.”
Despite her words, Captain Duan remained uneasy. His teacher was indeed talented, with extensive combat and management experience—but which base would accept a dying man?
He returned home, his heart heavy. Watching his mentor, sitting in a wheelchair and guiding Meng Xiaobo’s punches, his eyes filled with tears.
If Su Tao were there, she would be shocked to see how much Meng Xiaobo had changed. The once simple-minded, muscle-bound man was now thoughtful, striking with precision rather than brute force. Even his gaze had grown sharper and more intelligent.
Meanwhile, an unprecedented argument was erupting at the Dongyang high-level meeting.
At one point, a district leader even took off his shoe and started hitting another district leader. The reason? The assaulted District Leader Wan had secretly tried to bribe Su Tao to prioritize integrating his district.
Everyone in Dongyang knew that once Taoyang took over, that area would gain absolute safety and material resources. Each district leader was desperate to be prioritized, fearing that any delay would leave them vulnerable to another zombie invasion.
District Leader Wan’s bribe sparked outrage.
Despite attempts to mediate, the fight escalated quickly, leaving District Leader Wan bruised and swollen.
Su Tao stood there, dumbfounded.
Some of these officials were prominent figures who frequently appeared on Dongyang’s news broadcasts. Two older district leaders had even been role models her father, Su Jianming, wanted her brothers to emulate.
Yet here they were—disheveled, red-faced, and hurling insults—completely shattering her childhood image of dignified and powerful officials.
As she tried to retreat quietly, the senior commander’s stern voice rang out behind her:
“Look at yourselves! What a disgrace!”
The room instantly fell silent, though someone still managed to sneak in a kick at District Leader Wan.
“Miss Tao, ignore these fools. Just present your original integration plan. If anyone disagrees, they’ll have to step over me first.”
The room remained quiet as everyone turned their anxious gazes toward Su Tao.
Faced with so many powerful figures, Su Tao couldn’t help but feel nervous. These were people she had once thought were beyond her reach—and now, they were waiting for her decision.
Taking a deep breath, she treated them like rows of cabbages in her mind and calmly outlined her plan:
“We will prioritize the outer regions of Dongyang, followed by areas closest to Taoyang. Based on these criteria, West District 3 and East District 2 will be the first candidates.”
The leaders of these two districts lit up with joy, while those ranked lower paled in shock.
The senior commander immediately confirmed her plan:
“It’s settled—West District 3 will go first, followed by East District 2, and the others will follow in order. Anyone who breaks the rules will answer to me. This is a matter of Dongyang’s survival, not just your district’s concerns!”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The senior commander then handed Su Tao a box containing 86 crystal cores, saying:
“This responsibility isn’t yours alone. Dongyang will continue collecting crystal cores to complete the integration with Taoyang.”
Su Tao was stunned by his use of the word “integration.”
Without elaborating, the senior commander instructed the West District 3 leader, Xie Kangda, to coordinate with Su Tao.
Although Su Tao intended to handle the matter efficiently and return to her duties in Taoyang, Xie Kangda’s first words caught her off guard:
“You’re Su Jianming’s daughter, aren’t you?”
Although reluctant, Su Tao nodded. “Have you met me before, District Leader Xie?”
Only after asking did she recall that her father’s home was in West District 3. Life in Taoyang had nearly made her forget those unpleasant memories.
Xie Kangda shook his head. “I’ve never met you, but I know your name. Years ago, I encountered your father at an engineering conference. He tried to introduce you to a senior official’s son—like he was selling a product. That left a strong impression on me.”
He remembered it vividly because Su Jianming’s overly eager attitude disgusted him. As a father himself, Xie Kangda felt a pang of sympathy for the daughter being treated like a bargaining chip.
And now, years later, the same girl who had nearly been sold off was sitting across from him—calling the shots.
No, not negotiating—he was unilaterally following her arrangements.
