The Karedi Empire seems to be getting increasingly chaotic!
Two groups of refugees fleeing from other villages have arrived in his territory.
Lynn is not panicked at all, instead, he is quite expectant.
The more chaotic the situation, the more time and opportunities he has to develop!
If the entire Karedi Empire were united, working as one.
Lynn would have surrendered immediately.
While everyone was enthusiastically mining in the open-pit coal mine.
Ten wagons drawn by two horses each, filled with various goods, along with slaves dragged behind, formed a long procession.
Even though on this trip, George brought back slaves for Master Lynn.
He did not show any joy.
Because the price of slaves has risen!
A draft horse was worth three slaves, with a top price of three shillings.
The vast majority of slaves were skinny and emaciated, not suitable for heavy labor.
The work of three slaves barely matched that of a healthy draft horse!
But now, even an ordinary slave costs four shillings.
This is daylight robbery!
Fortunately, it’s not long after the summer harvest.
A large amount of grain has appeared on the market, and prices have dropped a bit.
George returned to Master Lynn’s territory.
Watching the wagons transporting coal into the village.
The gloom on his face instantly vanished, replaced by joy.
He sighed in his heart, Master Lynn is truly chosen by God!
He got off the wagon and approached Lynn.
"Master Lynn, I brought back many slaves for you! Two hundred and eighty healthy slaves!"
Lynn’s eyes lit up, "Well done."
Two hundred and eighty slaves are enough for Lynn to accomplish many things.
George looked troubled, hesitant to speak.
Lynn asked, "What happened?"
Upon hearing Lynn’s question, George began to explain.
"Master Lynn, I heard some news when I was in Morgan Town... A group of bandits is prowling near Kakasong City, numbering at least one to two hundred people." This update is available on novel~fire~net
"They have already looted several villages, and the group of bandits is called ’Iron Blood Brotherhood’!"
George was all too familiar with them.
They were the ones who tracked him and attacked the village last time.
Lynn nodded, showing no surprise.
This information he already learned from the refugees who had joined the village.
In comparison to the appearance and scale of these bandits.
Lynn is curious about what Marquis Duca is doing now?
The villages are being looted, villagers turning into refugees, land left unworked, no one leasing land to pay taxes.
All of this damages his interests.
He let George step back and have a good rest.
Dusk slowly settled in.
The villagers who had gone out to work were returning to the village.
Lynn gathered all the villagers on the open ground in front of the village.
Looking at the nearly thousand villagers before him, Lynn felt a sense of vast numbers!
This is the number a territory should have!
Lynn’s gaze swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice.
"I am the Lord of this territory, Lynn!"
"I must share with you some troubling news... A group of bandits is prowling near Kakasong City!"
Everyone’s expression suddenly became tense.
Lynn continued, "The earliest villagers to join this village might know, it’s the ’Iron Blood Brotherhood’ who killed fifteen villagers here before!"
"I want to know, how many of you left the lands you’ve lived on for generations because of bandits?"
Lynn’s gaze continued to sweep over the villagers.
Many villagers wanted to speak, but found no one expressed anything.
They all chose silence.
The man standing before them is Master Lynn.
They are just villagers, slaves.
How could they dare to converse with the Lord?
The calm yet determined voice echoed on the open ground.
Everyone’s eyes turned towards it.
It was Kuisi, standing not far from Lynn!
Red’s firm voice followed.
Shouts filled with hatred erupted from the silent crowd.
"My family was killed by the bandits."
One voice after another, rising and falling.
Lynn raised his hand, and the shouting ceased.
"On my land, many of you live well; perhaps some have forgotten the feeling when family was killed, and they had to leave their homes!"
"I am now reopening your scars for you."
"Your parents died tragically under the bandits’ knives, your homes burned by bandits, your women..."
Everyone clenched their fists, some even gritting their teeth.
The scene of bandits entering the village seemed to flash before their eyes.
Lynn continued, "Now, I need to recruit a hundred soldiers! To protect the village you rely on, to safeguard my territory!"
"As soldiers, you will undergo grueling training, bathe in blood, stand on the forefront of war..."
Lynn’s direct gaze swept over each villager’s face.
This time, they did not look away.
A strong man raised his right hand.
Another man raised his hand.
Voices echoed one after another across the village grounds.
The solemn-faced Ross glanced at Lynn, with a complex emotion in his heart.
Because Lynn is a good Lord, he could be an excellent commander.
Lynn made sure everyone in the territory could eat their fill!
Thus, he could achieve the villagers’ sincere responsiveness to his call!
Seeing those excited faces, Lynn nodded with satisfaction.
"I see your determination, those willing, step forward to be selected by Instructor Ross!"
Lynn glanced towards Ross, and Ross understood.
The village’s total population had reached one thousand!
Aside from some specific work positions.
Selecting one hundred physically fit villagers to train as soldiers.
Adding the fifty guards from the Red Guard Team.
The village’s armed force reached one hundred and fifty!
After subjecting one hundred and fifty soldiers to a full military training process, then equipping them with suitable weapons.
They would be sufficient to deal with an ordinary bandit corps.
Ross finally finalized the selection of one hundred soldiers.
Lynn casually glanced over them.
Among the one hundred soldiers, over fifty were slaves from the Shar Khanate.
Lynn saw no issue with this.
Even though these slaves from the Shar Khanate had been starved for over a month by slave merchants, becoming thin.
After Lynn’s care, with generous portions of stewed meat barley porridge and coarse grain feedings.
They had long recovered.
Furthermore, their physical fitness was originally stronger than ordinary slaves!
Even Lynn would choose them first.
To train villagers who have never undergone any training into qualified soldiers is not easy.
If earlier, under the influence of the vengeful, angry atmosphere.
At Lynn’s command, they would have picked up the nearest iron tools without hesitation to fight bandits.
Now that the atmosphere had dissipated, the blood had cooled.
To have them hold weapons and fight bandits, that would be impossible.
To achieve ’words mean action, and actions are ceased by words’, they must undergo a baptism of sweat and blood.