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Chapter 301: Arrival at Dingxiang County
Chapter 301: Arrival at Dingxiang County
2017-09-25
After returning from the Grassland, Lu HaiKong's days had been rather leisurely.
He would either visit the Second Battalion to train those guys, play with the little Silver Moon, have tea with Xi ZhiCai, or make rounds at the Blacksmith Camp.
Speaking of the Blacksmith Camp, there was one particular matter worth mentioning.
After Elder GongSun started working, the efficiency at the Blacksmith Camp was surprisingly good. In just one day, they delivered a set of Elite-level equipment.
Lu HaiKong was very satisfied with the equipment. It was hardly a replica; it was more like an upgraded version of Cheng Yi's set. Not only was the design more exquisite, but it was also more reasonable and, more importantly, had significantly better defensive capabilities than Cheng Yi's set.
Lu HaiKong had the Elite-level Mountain Bandit Archers from the First Battalion test the equipment using the Wolf-Tooth Bow and arrows left behind by the cavalry unit. Even at a distance of fifty meters, they couldn't penetrate the armor. Its defense was exceptionally strong, far superior to Pan Feng's previous set.
To Lu HaiKong's surprise, this set of equipment only cost two thousand gold, which he found unreasonable. He had purchased quite a lot of equipment from Old Man Wang and had also seen this type of Elite-level gear at Wang's place, which cost at least forty to fifty thousand gold for a complete set, yet he had acquired it for just two thousand.
If it weren't for the material wastage involved, Lu HaiKong would have considered becoming an arms dealer; the profits were astonishing!
Later, Lu HaiKong learned that the materials consumed to create such a set of equipment were worth nearly ten thousand gold. Although the wastage was significant, Lu HaiKong still got a great deal, as a complete set of Elite-level equipment could be obtained for just over ten thousand gold, which was at least four to five times cheaper than Wang's price, and Wang didn't even have it in stock.
After gaining a basic understanding of Elite-level equipment forging, Lu HaiKong realized that Elder GongSun wasn't as bad as he had imagined. In fact, he had never been unfair; it was just that Lu HaiKong hadn't found the right way to utilize his skills until now, which led to the old man picking up bad habits from Old Man Wang.
To prevent Elder GongSun from being further influenced by Old Man Wang, Lu HaiKong immediately ordered the full production of Elite-level basic equipment sets, leaving no idle time for the old man. He also posted a sign outside the Blacksmith Camp that read, 'Old Man Wang and his dog are not allowed to enter.'
Lu HaiKong wasn't concerned about the cost of producing the Elite sets; it was only a matter of a few thousand gold for the workers' wages, and materials were not an issue.
Lu HaiKong had his own small iron mine, and within his territory were several undeveloped resource points, more than enough to equip an entire force with Elite-level gear.
While Lu HaiKong focused on the development of the Blacksmith Camp, news arrived from the Phantom Guard and Li Xiong. The information on Zhang He and Li Ke was also delivered to Lu HaiKong.
The data on these two individuals wasn't particularly impressive, but Lu HaiKong was more interested in the strength they commanded and the current power dynamics in Dingxiang County. Although the information from the Phantom Guard and Li Xiong might not be comprehensive, it provided some insights.
After gaining some understanding of their enemy, Lu HaiKong set out with Dian Wei in tow.
Before leaving, Lu HaiKong paid a visit to Cheng Yi, who he had knocked unconscious. The guy was in a pitiful state; although he didn't die from Lu HaiKong's Savage Axe, the blow was severe enough to leave him unconscious for two to three days.
Cheng Yi was currently being cared for at the medical clinic, and Lu HaiKong had also assigned an elite guard unit to keep an eye on him.
Lu HaiKong was reassured to hear from the physician that even if Cheng Yi regained consciousness, he would remain weak for a while and wouldn't pose a threat in the short term.
………………
Lu HaiKong made no attempt to conceal his arrival. He marched into the city with Dian Wei and forty Wild Wolf Guards, all armed to the teeth.
The defending soldiers seemed to have been given prior orders, as they didn't stop Lu HaiKong and his group. They only disarmed them as they entered the city.
Speaking of which, Lu HaiKong had been in this world for over a year, yet he had rarely visited the county town, let alone the capital city.
Upon reflection, the only county town Lu HaiKong had visited was Shannu, and most of his time was spent roaming the mountains and Wang Hao's territory.
So, when Lu HaiKong arrived at Dingxiang County, he was inevitably struck by the bustling scene of the capital.
Dingxiang County was more prosperous than Lu HaiKong had expected. From the moment they entered the city gates, a five-meter-wide cobblestone road stretched before them, lined with pavilions and towers on both sides, and various shops stood side by side.
As Lu HaiKong entered the capital, a scholar-like official approached him: "You must be Lu HaiKong, the Chieftain of Lu Mountain Camp. I've long heard of your heroic reputation, and today, I can see that you indeed possess a commanding presence. My lord, the Governor, has been eagerly awaiting your arrival. Please!"
Lu HaiKong didn't even glance at the official and proceeded forward with his group.
Not far ahead, Li Xiong's men respectfully waited at the side of a tavern. Lu HaiKong dismounted and handed his horse to one of Li Xiong's men, then strode into the tavern.
(End of Chapter)
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