Qin Siyang had just taken a sip of tea when he heard the number. He choked and nearly spat it out.
"4444? A good place? Principal Zhao, are you kidding? Just hearing the name sounds incredibly unlucky! Why would I build a military camp there?"
[T/N: In China, the number four is considered unlucky because it is a homophone for the word "death".]
"Precisely because it looks unlucky, you can build a military camp there. If it weren't for how ominous that district number is, someone would have claimed it long ago. Do you think it would still be available for you?"
Zhao Longfei stood up, pulled a map from the bookshelf behind his desk, and spread it across the table, "Come take a look."
Qin Siyang leaned over. The map was covered with intricate lines and densely marked district divisions, far more detailed than the maps Harrison had used in class.
His gaze followed Zhao Longfei's finger.
One area had been circled in red, standing out immediately.
"Here. This is District 4444."
"You took Harrison's geography class, so you should know that all of State 4 consists of internal districts that provide heavy industry, livestock, and other logistical support for the safe zones. There are no exits to the outside from any of them. District 4444 is no exception."
Qin Siyang froze, "An internal district? No, that won't work. If it's completely internal, then I won't be able to train my troops by hunting gods outside the safe zone or conducting joint operations. What use are soldiers who've never seen real combat?"
"You really don't know how to read a map, do you?"
Zhao Longfei drew a circle around District 4444.
"Look carefully. District 4444 itself doesn't have an exit, but three neighboring districts sit along the edge of the safe zone. If you want to take your troops outside for field training, just pass through one of those neighboring districts."
"Easy for you to say... Those districts don't belong to State 4. Why would their governors let me march my troops through their territory?"
"Are you stupid? You've got troops, all Sequence Ability users at that. Why wouldn't they let you pass through?"
Qin Siyang suddenly understood, his eyes lighting up, "That makes sense! A lot of sense! Go on."
"If you want to build your military camp in a district, the first thing you need is approval from the district government."
Qin Siyang frowned, "How many times do I have to say it? It's not my military camp. It's Chu Xiaoang's military camp!"
"I don't have time to play word games with you."
Qin Siyang stroked his chin, "You said District 4444 has a pretty good location. Why hasn't any force developed it?"
"I already told you. Because its name is unlucky."
"That's it?"
Zhao Longfei looked at him in disbelief, "Isn't that enough? You're the guy who checks the almanac before leaving the house every day, and you're saying, 'That's it?'"
Qin Siyang still didn't understand, "Is everyone really like that? Doesn't anyone refuse to believe in bad luck or superstition?"
"Refuse to believe in bad luck or superstition? What are the things outside the safe zones called? Gods! Where do you improve your Sequence Ability? The Path of Believers. The whole world is one giant theological cage, and you're telling me people don't believe in luck?"
"Besides, anyone who's made something of themselves inside the safe zones got there through thirty percent hard work and seventy percent fate. Take you, for example. Didn't you get where you are because of luck too?"
Qin Siyang coughed, "My own hard work played the bigger part..."
"Oh, give me a break! You should be thanking the Vine Core, thanking the Crimson Crystal, thanking all those treasures for throwing themselves into your arms! What the hell does any of that have to do with your own hard work?"
"..."
"4444. Die, die, die, die. In the post-apocalyptic safe zones, countless people die every single day. Even someone as powerful as Yan Budong lost his life. Everyone has an inexplicable taboo about the word 'death.' There's nothing irreplaceable about that district's location or resources, so who'd willingly invite that kind of bad luck?"
"Then I can't do it either."
"You've got a tough fate."
"?"
"I've lived this long and I've never seen anyone with a tougher fate than yours. Anyone else would've died dozens of times with everything you've been through. You've got incredible fortune. Your destiny is extraordinary. Things that ordinary people can't handle won't be a problem for you."
"..."
"Stop acting like a shy young lady and make up your mind!"
Qin Siyang gritted his teeth. He had already died once, so he wasn't particularly bothered by the idea of death anymore.
"Fine. If I build the military camp in District 4444, is there any strategic advantage? It can't just be about finding a place to stay."
Zhao Longfei gave Qin Siyang a long look, then traced a curved line across the map. It passed through District 4444, then District 7, and finally connected to the Qishen Mountain Range.
"As long as you secure District 4444, then if anything happens inside the safe zones, this entire area, roughly a thousand districts, will all fall under our control. No one else will be able to get in."
"What? More than a thousand districts?"
"That's right."
With a cigar between his teeth, Zhao Longfei blew out a ring of smoke that carried an air of dominance.
"When we wiped out the Richard family, we also secured several strategic points. That let our forces inside the safe zones connect into one continuous territory."
Qin Siyang looked again at the area Zhao Longfei had outlined and swallowed.
The Zhao family really kept a low profile while pulling off huge moves.
And the District 4444 Zhao Longfei had pointed out happened to sit right at the center of the territorial boundary.
"So you've been waiting to take District 4444 for a long time?"
Zhao Longfei nodded, "That's right. Without District 4444, there's a huge gap in our defensive line. Who knows what problems it could cause? Every time my elder brother and I think about that district, it bothers us more than when Kafu became the governor of District 7."
"Then why didn't you just find a way to take it? Don't tell me it's because you think it's unlucky too."
"Because the United Government doesn't allow black markets to operate in State 4."
"Huh? Principal Zhao, I've read plenty of laws. Don't try to fool me. Which law of the United Government actually mentions the words 'black market'?"
"It's not written anywhere publicly. Secretary-General Gu Weiyang told my elder brother and me privately."
"Why?"
"State 4 is where all kinds of basic resources are stored and produced. It's what keeps the safe zones running. They don't want us pulling tricks in those districts, hoarding goods, cornering the market, buying low and selling high, and disrupting order."
Qin Siyang nodded, "I see. Well, as the saying goes, every merchant has a bit of a profiteer in him. Secretary-General Gu's concern isn't unreasonable."
Zhao Longfei shot Qin Siyang an unfriendly look before continuing,
"In any case, we can't do business in districts whose numbers start with 4. We can't even take on legitimate construction projects there. The same goes for the three major chamber of commerces. Only independent businesses and people approved by the United Government are allowed to operate there."
"So chamber of commerces aren't allowed in, but military forces are?"
Zhao Longfei looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Merchants take money. Soldiers spend money. How can they be compared? As long as the army doesn't excessively bully the local United Government and manages its personnel reasonably well, almost every district welcomes you to set up a military camp."
"Seriously?"
"Of course! Because of its name, no one's willing to invest in District 4444, so development there has been mediocre across the board. But your military camp would bring in a thousand Sequence Ability users. Supporting a thousand Sequence Ability users would create at least ten thousand jobs for ordinary people."
Zhao Longfei tapped District 4444 on the map, "I can say with absolute certainty that the governor of this district would welcome you with open arms."