Chapter 457: Chapter 211: Elite System, Mining, and Cheng Ping’s Grudge (Part 2)

The Hive Camp has more than thirty thousand people, with the most core and important part naturally being the Hunting Team led by Chen Yingba. The team consists of over seven hundred people, all at the Earth-digging Realm, forming more than thirty smaller Hunting Teams.

Among these seven hundred people, only a bit over a hundred have obtained elite status.

“Elite members have everything covered by the higher-ups, including clothing, food, living expenses, cultivation needs, even servants and women. They only need to focus on cultivation and can control their hunting frequency, going out when they want and staying when they don’t. They only need to follow the orders of the Captain and the two leaders, making them the most valuable group in the Hive!”

A bit over a hundred?

Xia Hong frowned and asked, “Only a bit over a hundred? The entire Hive Camp has over thirty thousand people, plus there are over six hundred Earth-digging Realm members to support them. It should be easy to sustain a bit over a hundred people; even if they don’t go out hunting, it shouldn’t consume much beast meat, right?”

“They might not need much, but their families, followers, even servant women would need quite a lot…”

With that explanation, Xia Hong immediately understood.

It’s obvious without even guessing that the so-called elite system was initially intended to select the camp’s best elites, who would focus on cultivation and enhancing their strength, while the others provided for them. The elites would then take on the duty of guarding the camp, ensuring the safety of others.

This system, when it first started, probably still functioned quite reasonably.

However, from Luo Ming’s tone as he spoke, it’s clear that this system has started to change its nature.

It’s not surprising; these over a hundred elites have likely formed a community of shared interests, essentially becoming an aristocratic class within the Hive, where the others can only live well by attaching themselves to this group.

“So what is the method for obtaining elite status?”

Upon hearing this question, Shang Ping couldn’t help but interject, “First, the Basic Strength must exceed thirty thousand pounds. Then, you need the joint recommendation of eight elite members. Finally, it must be reported to the Captain, who will consult the Great Leader and the second leader for approval before it is granted.”

……

Xia Hong was suddenly at a loss for words, a look of bewilderment appearing on his face.

This blocks any upward mobility entirely!

How has such a system operated in the Hive for so many years?

Seeing the incredulity on Xia Hong’s face, Luo Ming showed a helpless smile and said, “It’s actually not hard to understand. Once you understand the specific makeup of those over a hundred elites in the camp, you’ll know.”

Xia Hong lowered his head in thought for a moment, then suddenly realized the key point.

“Those over a hundred elites are all relatives of the three leaders, even if they’re not blood relatives, they have marital ties, correct?”

Luo Ming and Shang Ping’s expressions changed slightly. While surprised by Xia Hong’s keen insight, they both nodded, confirming his suspicion.

“The Hive has a total of 162 elites, which can actually be considered 162 de facto elite families. These 162 people are all intricately connected, with the vast majority having ties to the Chen Family and Wu Family. Even if there are no connections, daughters will be forcibly married off as concubines to the three leaders to form attachments, thus making the elite system even more established and unshakable!”

After Luo Ming finished speaking, Shang Ping immediately let out a cold laugh and said, “Each year, they symbolically grant one or two elite statuses, but those who ultimately succeed in advancing are not the sons-in-law of those elite families or their followers and retainers, basically having nothing to do with people like us.”

With this, Xia Hong roughly understood the situation.

As expected, these elite families band together, not only colluding to form an interest group, blocking the advancement of others, but certainly also endorsing each other and making the elite status circulate only within their own circles through hereditary means.

Cheng Ping, along with his sister Cheng Mei, must be members of elite families; otherwise, how would they have such audacity?

“The Hunting Team composed of elite families only consists of six teams, and they can take all their hunted spoils for themselves. The other twenty-eight Hunting Teams must submit half of their hunted spoils, including iron and coal mines and all other resources.”

In the long run, the members of those elite families naturally have much more strength and hunting experience than us. In the subsequent series of competitions, we can’t compete with them, and it’s only natural…”

Xia Hong heard this and fell silent, eventually just shaking his head without speaking.

Such an operational model, although making those elite families comfortable, is undoubtedly detrimental to the development of the Hive Camp.

No wonder the Hive has existed for so many years but still hasn’t developed.

If Chen Yingyuan isn’t foolish, he should be able to see the drawbacks, but the problem is he and his family, along with a series of marital connections, are all beneficiaries of this system.

Self-reform, how difficult it is?

Xia Hong turned his head to look at Luo Ming, a look of sympathy appearing on his face.

Luo Ming’s Basic Strength has already reached the limit of thirty thousand pounds. According to the rules of the Hive Camp, he has the qualifications to advance as an elite. But judging by his stance in front of Cheng Ping just now, obviously, this matter for him is also a long and distant goal.

If he were younger, he could still marry into an elite family, and after some time, he might eventually rise up. But given his age and the fact that he has a child, and considering Li Baihe, Xu Kang, and Shang Ping are all with him, it’s probably very difficult for him to integrate into that elite group.