Chapter 163: Second Battalion
Chapter 163: Second Battalion
September 25, 2017
With gratitude to 'Gu Feng Langyou', '7-Year-Old Tiger Fighter', 'justforlhq', 'ABC Theory', 'Decathlon Individual', 'Divine Knight', 'Yin Mo Ai Yi', 'Liangshan01', '30 Thieves', and 'Wind Without a Trace' for their generous support!
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Despite Lu HaiKong's choice of pillaging, the resources obtained from the Iron Stronghold still left him astonished.
The monetary gain alone was 30,000 Copper Coins, and there was even a hundred tons of food. Other items like weapons, Cotton Robes, and the like added up to an estimated total of 50,000 to 80,000 resources.
This was just a small portion of the Iron Stronghold's wealth, and it's hard to imagine the bounty if the entire stronghold's resources were acquired. Even if it's not as prosperous as the Black Wind Fort, it's likely not far off.
Such a massive amount of resources, although Lu HaiKong had brought many people with him, was still challenging to transport back solely by manpower. Moreover, the absence of cargo wagons in the Iron Stronghold made the situation a bit awkward.
In the end, Lu HaiKong had to summon a transport team from the stronghold to carry the loot back.
After more than a day's journey, this large group triumphantly returned to the stronghold. Under the admiring gazes of the Citizens, they transported cart after cart of resources to the warehouse, where the items needed to be sorted and categorized for storage.
Naturally, Wang Jun designed this tedious process, which, despite its complexity, significantly improved resource management efficiency. Lu HaiKong didn't pay much attention to this, as his focus was elsewhere.
Upon returning to the stronghold, Lu HaiKong immediately summoned the propaganda minister, Li Feng, and instructed him to get to work.
With such a great opportunity, how could he not promote the Mountain Leader's achievements? That very night, stories of Lu HaiKong's bravery in conquering the ruthless Iron Stronghold spread throughout the stronghold.
However, the propaganda didn't just highlight Lu HaiKong's accomplishments; it also featured the four figures of Zhao Gang, Wang Yi, and Zhang Yi, each portrayed as exceptionally outstanding. They were depicted as powerful, courageous, or decisive, all revolving around Lu HaiKong's loyal and valiant young companions.
Although this kind of promotion was a bit shameless, there was no other choice in Lu HaiKong's current situation. By not deifying himself, he was already demonstrating a sense of integrity.
After clearing the final hurdle for the stronghold's promotion, Lu HaiKong began preparing for the celebration following the stronghold's advancement.
In reality, promoting the stronghold didn't require much effort, but Lu HaiKong intended to host a grand celebration afterward, which needed considerable work. However, Wang Jun was in charge of the preparations, leaving Lu HaiKong relatively free.
The celebration's planning would take two to three days, and Lu HaiKong noticed that Wang Jun had lost several pounds from running around. Feeling a bit guilty, Lu HaiKong decided to take advantage of this time to infuse some fresh blood into the Flame Battalion.
The previous departure of Zhao Gang, Wang Yi, and Zhang Yi had directly taken away over a hundred members of the Flame Battalion. While their absence had swiftly strengthened the Third and First Battalions, it had significantly reduced the Flame Battalion's numbers.
So, on the day after Lu HaiKong's return, he began working on replenishing the Flame Battalion's ranks.
In reality, the Flame Battalion could recruit new members from the Mountain Bandit Archers (Elite) or the Bandits (Elite). However, these individuals were mostly fixed in their roles, with decent combat skills but not high intelligence. Moreover, most of them lacked growth potential, except for those who had experienced numerous battles and surpassed their limits, making them worth cultivating.
At present, within the Third Battalion and the First Battalion, such individuals are few and far between. Therefore, the most reliable way for Lu Hai Kong to replenish the Flame Battalion is still to nurture them from the lowest-ranking bandits.
Even though the lowest-ranking bandits might start with just a single line of dialogue, once they are trained to become bandit chiefs, they will swiftly grow. In less than a month, they can appear almost indistinguishable from ordinary people.
Zhao Gang and his group are a testament to Lu Hai Kong's success in nurturing them from the most ordinary of bandits. Now, they are capable of holding their own, although they might not yet measure up to the legendary generals of history, and may even be far from it. Nonetheless, for Lu Hai Kong's current situation, they are more than sufficient.
Moreover, they are merely the first batch of trainees in the Flame Battalion. The most remarkable aspect of the Flame Battalion is the speed at which it can produce talented individuals—in just three months, four capable individuals can be trained. Does this mean Lu Hai Kong can train twelve such individuals in a year?
Furthermore, the Flame Battalion is still in its infancy. Whether it's Lu Hai Kong's training methods or the curriculum, they are far from mature. Lu Hai Kong is constantly refining and improving these aspects, ensuring that every battle, big or small, is recorded for future use as teaching material.
Although Zhao Gang and his group have already left, they are still considered part of the Flame Battalion. Every battle they engage in from now on will be documented to enrich the battalion's curriculum.
With this method of nurturing, Lu Hai Kong has reason and confidence to believe that his Flame Battalion will become a military academy, a place where he can systematically produce a loyal military elite.
However, apart from training ordinary bandits, Lu Hai Kong is also considering selecting a group from the Second Battalion, which is comprised of indigenous NPCs, or ordinary commoners.
This consideration goes beyond talent; it is also about fostering a sense of belonging among the mountain fort's residents.
In the current version, the Second Battalion is already composed entirely of indigenous NPCs. Its formation was a result of Lu Hai Kong's efforts to cultivate a sense of belonging among the fort's residents. However, it seems that allowing the Second Battalion to enter the Flame Battalion at this point may not be the best idea.
Lu Hai Kong is striving to elevate the status and moral standing of the bandits, encouraging the residents to admire them. Simultaneously, he provides the residents with an opportunity to become bandits themselves, further integrating them into the fort's community and fostering a sense of unity.
This is the very reason the Second Battalion was established. However, Lu Hai Kong has not yet managed it well; the battalion doesn't even have a battalion commander.
On the one hand, the mountain fort lacks talented individuals. On the other, Lu Hai Kong initially intended to weed out the less capable ones.
But upon further reflection, Lu Hai Kong realizes that if the Second Battalion cannot be developed into a true military force, one that aligns with their ideals, its existence becomes pointless and may even have drawbacks.
"It seems that I'll need to dedicate more effort to the Second Battalion from now on," Lu Hai Kong ponders. Considering the current situation in the mountain fort, who else but himself is suitable to take charge of the Second Battalion?
(End of Chapter)
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