https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-197-The-Establishment-of-the-Pasture/13030993/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-199-Wang-Hao-s-Second-Historical-General/13030995/
Chapter 198: Expanding the Third Battalion
Chapter 198: Expanding the Third Battalion
After the completion of the pasture, Lu HaiKong did not immediately return to the Mountain Camp.
With the arrival of Elder Wang Shou, Lu HaiKong handed over all the affairs of the pasture to him and focused on handling some defense-related matters.
Among the captured Huns, there were several elderly men who could speak Han language. From them, Lu HaiKong learned that there were several tribes with a scale of several thousand to tens of thousands of people within a few dozen kilometers of the pasture.
These tribes were located at a certain distance from the pasture, and there were close connections between the tribes. For now, Lu HaiKong had no plans to cause trouble for them.
Instead, he sent members from the Flame Battalion to gather intelligence on these tribes.
Lu HaiKong then returned to the Mountain Camp, intending to build a checkpoint near the pasture.
This was a necessary measure, as the area was the rear of the Mountain Camp and currently the weakest point in its defense. If the Huns were to launch an attack from this direction, it would be a devastating blow to the camp. Therefore, the defense had to be strengthened.
Of course, building a checkpoint was not something that could be done immediately. Lu HaiKong did not have a blueprint for it, so he would have to design and construct it himself, which would take at least a few months.
Lu HaiKong also needed to discuss this matter with Wang Jun, not because he couldn't make such a decision as the leader of the Mountain Camp, but because it was a formality to inform Wang Jun, who would then take charge of the project.
Whether this project would conflict with Wang Jun's existing responsibilities or encounter other issues during execution were concerns for Wang Jun alone. Lu HaiKong only needed to wait for the results.
After delegating this task to Wang Jun, Lu HaiKong visited the Second Battalion.
Having obtained the Wolf Herder Professional Certificate from Wolf Valley, Lu HaiKong wanted to select ten people from the Second Battalion.
The members of the Second Battalion were originally civilians from the Mountain Camp, and a large portion of them had been ransomed from the Xianbei Clan. Many of them had mastered herding skills.
However, finding ten people with a Strength of 20 among them was challenging. Lu HaiKong searched through the entire Second Battalion and finally selected these ten individuals, who were among the best in the battalion.
Zhao Er watched helplessly as the few elite members of his battalion were chosen by Lu HaiKong, feeling a sense of loss. But there was nothing he could do except train the remaining members of the battalion even harder after Lu HaiKong's departure.
The ten selected by Lu HaiKong easily changed their profession to Wolf Herders. After their successful transformation, Lu HaiKong directly gave them a den of forty to fifty wolf cubs to raise, hoping they would quickly become valuable contributors to the Mountain Camp.
The ten Wolf Herders were stunned and hesitated for a while. Eventually, someone informed Lu HaiKong that they could directly tame adult wolves. There was a moment of slight embarrassment, but fortunately, Lu HaiKong's thick skin allowed him to brush it off.
Despite the slight awkwardness, the ability to tame adult wolves was undoubtedly the best option. Lu HaiKong immediately made arrangements, and the next day, the ten Wolf Herders each led two newly tamed wolves towards the pasture.
The presence of Wolf Herders was of great significance to the pasture. The tamed wolves could not only assist in herding but also act as an invisible patrol force across the grasslands, alerting Lu HaiKong of any approaching Huns.
This is the first layer of Lu HaiKong's defense for the pasture, and after its completion, the three battalions essentially moved over. They are the true defensive force that the pasture can rely on.
However, the three battalions are now divided into two parts: the Black Wind Legion with 500 men and the elite bandit cavalry with only 200 men.
This combination is somewhat disharmonious, so Lu HaiKong eventually separated the Black Wind Legion from the three battalions. He assigned the Black Wind Legion to Zhao Gang and the three battalions to Wang Yi, and initiated the recruitment plan for the battalions. After all, with just over 200 elite bandits, it's difficult to call them a battalion, let alone protect the pasture.
With the current recruitment speed at the mountain camp, Lu HaiKong can recruit 50 archers (elite), 30 elite bandits, 5 mountain bandit bodyguards, and an uncountable number of 1,000 ordinary mountain bandits in a day.
Of course, the last group, despite its large number, is currently useless except for being cannon fodder, so it can be largely ignored.
With 30 elite bandits recruited per day, the three battalions can reach 1,000, the current quota given by Lu HaiKong, in just over a month.
Wang Yi is naturally pleased with the expansion of the three battalions, but Wang Jun is not as happy. Wang Jun also knows that a powerful cavalry force is necessary for the mountain camp's rear defense, but they are truly short on funds.
Recruiting an elite bandit costs as much as 50 gold, so recruiting 30 in a day amounts to 1,500 gold. Moreover, Lu HaiKong also recruits 5 mountain bandit bodyguards daily, costing another 500 gold. This is a significant expense for the mountain camp.
Adding to the fact that the mountain camp just spent 100,000 gold, they are truly stretched thin. So, Wang Jun discussed with Lu HaiKong several times, hoping to extend the recruitment timeline and reduce the daily recruitment.
Lu HaiKong firmly opposes this idea. The construction of the three battalions can only accelerate and must not slow down, as it concerns the security of the mountain camp's rear.
This puts Wang Jun in a difficult position, living a tight daily life, wishing he could split a gold piece into two.
Fortunately, Wang Jun's hardship doesn't last long. Soon, his financial situation improves, and the turning point comes from the Iron Camp.
With Old Gongsun's arrival, the Iron Camp's gold ore smelting speed significantly increases. They can now smelt 500 jin of gold ore daily, and the gold ore refinement rate has improved to 60%. This means the Iron Camp can provide 15,000 gold to the mountain camp daily.
This influx of funds eases Wang Jun's worries. He gains more respect for Old Gongsun, knowing that the 10% improvement in refinement equals 100,000 gold (Note: An earlier calculation error, 1 gold unit is 10 grams, so 200,000 gold should be the correct amount).
The daily smelting of 500 jin also means the remaining 10,000 jin of gold ore can be completely smelted in less than a month, bringing in 600,000 gold to the mountain camp.
With this calculation, not only is Wang Jun delighted, but Lu HaiKong, who just returned after establishing the pasture's defense, is also pleased. He still has the Savage Wolf Altar to build...
(End of Chapter)
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