Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1270: 419: Xiang Liang’s Prospects, the Dire Situation at Hongmen, and the Head-Cutting Schemer’s Big Heist_3

Not to mention the unique nature of the Chief of Punishment role, Xia Chuan demands at least 20-maned strength for directors of the Eight Departments, sticking to the rule of leaving seats empty rather than filling them with anyone weaker.

Speaking of Xiang Liang is unnecessary. In under half a year, his rapid rise to Silver Order Prison Warden proves his investigative abilities are far from ordinary. Yet his 6-maned strength remains a glaring weakness.

Such power doesn't even qualify for Vice Chief of Punishment, prompting Xia Chuan to grant him two months at the Martial Arts Pavilion for a swift power boost.

Bai Shanning's 17-maned level just scrapes by for Vice Chief of Punishment, positioning him as one of the elite among Silver Order Prison Wardens.

Across the whole Prison Warden ranks right now, only Hou Ming holds Golden Order status with his 25-maned strength, more than sufficient for Chief of Punishment.

The issue? There's just one Hou Ming!

This creates a major hurdle: placing specialized prison experts as regional Chiefs of Punishment is out of reach for the moment.

The fallback is compromising by letting powerhouses assume Chief of Punishment duties first, backed by teams of prison wardens to manage cases; Vice Chief spots can fill normally now that many Silver Order Prison Wardens have powered up.

Hongmen's pick of Zhao Bao as Chief of Punishment fits this compromise perfectly.

Prison Department rules allot a Chief of Punishment 3 Silver Order Prison Wardens and 30 Iron Order Prison Wardens typically; a Vice Chief, usually Silver Order themselves, gets 10 Iron Order Prison Wardens.

Thus, Hongmen boasts 6 Silver Order Prison Wardens and 90 Iron Order Prison Wardens, totaling nearly a hundred.

What scale is this?

Prison Wardens aren't everyday cabbage; the Prison Department pours massive resources into training them specifically for case probes and resolutions. Small outposts top out at 3 Iron Order Prison Wardens, while big ones standardly field 3 Silver Order and 30 Iron Order for 33 total.

Hou Ming previously mobilized 20 Silver Order Prison Wardens to the Outer City North Fifth District by tapping local reserves—most already oversaw nearby zones, making the aid a simple shift.

Under normal conditions, outpost backlogs stay fixed: small ones around 20 cases max, larger between 50 and 80; even North Fifth District under heavy recent strain holds just 78 unsolved.

But Hongmen City, loaded with that many prison wardens, has piled up 239 unresolved cases!

Last night, Xiang Liang glimpsed the Hongmen Scroll in the Prison Department's main hall and chalked up the huge backlog to manpower shortages. Hearing Bai Shanning reveal over a hundred prison wardens there now left him stunned.

“You’ve been secluded for more than two months at the Martial Arts Pavilion, so not knowing is normal…”

Bai Shanning understood Xiang Liang's jump from 5-maned strength and figured he hadn't dug much into Hongmen City's chaos. As the pair departed Xia City, took the Direct Path, and aimed for the Southern Dynasty's Xing River North Shore on their lengthy trek, he patiently laid out the details.

Bai Shanning's rundown of Hongmen City's woes made Xiang Liang's face grow grimmer by the moment.

From its July opening last year, folks from Great Xia and the Eight Towns surged into Hongmen City without end. By September 18 last year, amid the Six Towns Lords' united stand against Great Xia, the permanent population had soared past 150,000.

Hongmen City's public security strain was already immense back then.

Then, on September 18 last year, Xia Hong smashed Yang Zhun and crushed the Six Towns into submission, propelling Hongmen City's prosperity to unprecedented heights.

From then on, arrivals poured in daily from every corner, steadily swelling the permanent population. By early this year, it hit 200,000, with floating numbers pushing close to 300,000.

What kind of magnitude is that?

Great Xia's Outer City North Fifth District, built just for outsiders, houses barely over 63,000 people—yet it keeps Hou Ming in constant frenzy. Hongmen City's populace exceeds that by more than triple.

The crux: visitors to Xia City mostly come to watch and scout;

whereas Hongmen City draws pure traders without fail.

These folks haul money or merchandise in and out, prime targets for crime, and with origins shrouded from all quarters, it's pure survival of the fittest.

Slaughters, holdups, roadside traps, blood feuds, reprisals, underworld clashes, botched deals... such turmoil springs up nonstop.

Early on, chaos stayed outside the walls, but as crowds learned the ropes of Hongmen City, Great Xia Government Office, and garrisons—plus permanent settlers honing their edge—crimes started creeping indoors.

Pre-September 18 last year, Hongmen City saw 2 to 3 murders daily on average; post-September 18, with even Six Towns Lords shying from trouble there, killings exploded to 5 to 8 per day.

Keep in mind—this is every single day!

Today marks January 16; from September 18 until now, 117 days elapsed. Even at the low end of 5 cases daily, Hongmen has logged nearly 600 murders in that span alone.