The news of Tumo's success was a spark cast into a dry pond.
Overnight, every corner of Newly Town was ignited.
At first, it was hushed whispers.
Then, the suppressed, heavy breaths from behind doors and windows.
Finally, when the next day's morning light pierced the horizon, the entirety of Newly Town exploded.
The sun had not yet fully risen, but a villager who usually slept in was the first to charge out of his house.
Shouldering a rusty hoe, he ran toward the wasteland, his eyes bloodshot.
One, two, ten, a hundred.
People poured out from the residential area, converging into a fanatical torrent.
Reclamation teams, hunting parties, gathering squads.
People spontaneously formed teams of all sizes, racing against time for merit points.
"John, you dig! I'm strong, so I'll move the stones!"
"Lina, you and the other women go gather fruit in the woods. The rest of us men will set traps. We'll split the merit points evenly when we're back!"
