https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-97-Fundamental-Inner-Strength-Level-20/13030842/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-99-Annihilating-the-Black-Wind-Fort-1-/13030844/
Chapter 98: An Opportunity for Growth
Chapter 98: An Opportunity for Growth
September 25, 2017
Special thanks to 'Hermit in Training' and 'Fudanshi Obsessed with Me' for their generous rewards!
..........................................................................
Putting aside the deaths of the villagers, Lu HaiKong's unexpected battle had actually yielded significant gains.
Not only had his "Fundamental Inner Strength" reached level 20, but his Strength directly surged to 60 points. Lu HaiKong also acquired a substantial amount of money and over a hundred horses that had been tied up by the Xianbei tribesmen.
The horses, in particular, were an excellent resource. Lu HaiKong inspected them and found that each horse was of high quality. If he were to purchase them, each horse would cost several hundred to a thousand gold coins. In other words, this herd of horses was worth tens of thousands of gold coins.
However, despite such abundant rewards, Lu HaiKong couldn't bring himself to feel happy. Especially when he saw dozens of women huddled together in the square, their eyes filled with despair and fear, and a young girl, no older than ten, with a frosty expression as she stood by the body of Xu Pu Gan, whose throat had been mercilessly slit, Lu HaiKong couldn't help but sigh.
Lu HaiKong was no stranger to slaughter, but the ones he had killed were either vicious horse bandits, county soldiers he fought against, or numb humanoid monster bandits and refugees. He had never encountered a situation like this, and it weighed heavily on his heart.
In the end, Lu HaiKong left, taking the little girl, the group of victimized women, and a few survivors from the village with him. It was clear that this place was no longer suitable for them to live, so Lu HaiKong had no choice but to bring them back to his mountain fortress.
Fortunately, the villagers seemed to trust Lu HaiKong immensely, and there was even a hint of worship in their eyes. After all, Lu HaiKong had appeared like a heavenly deity and saved them. Even after he revealed his true identity, they resolutely followed him.
Since none of the villagers knew how to ride horses, Lu HaiKong had no choice but to walk back with them, which took a considerable amount of time.
By the time Lu HaiKong returned, Wang Chao MaHan and the others had already been waiting for him at the mountain fortress.
Lu HaiKong summoned Wang Fat and asked him to settle the villagers first, then instructed Wang Ti to lead a team out to retrieve the village's food and wealth and bring back the bodies of the villagers for cremation.
Wang Fat first settled the villagers without hesitation, then found Lu HaiKong and asked, "What happened?"
"When we were ambushing the horse bandits, a group of Xianbei tribesmen suddenly appeared. I didn't expect them to massacre the village. I killed those tribesmen when I passed by and rescued the villagers," Lu HaiKong explained, his mood having mostly recovered by then.
Upon hearing this, Wang Fat's eyebrows furrowed, "Has winter come so soon?"
"It seems so," Lu HaiKong replied.
"According to Li Xiong's description, this kind of incident will become more frequent over the next three to four months. This is an opportunity for you and the mountain fortress," Wang Fat said, raising his head and fixing his gaze on Lu HaiKong.
"Although our mountain fortress has gained population through the refugee camp, the rate of development is too slow. If we rely solely on the refugee camp, it's uncertain how long it will take for our fortress to grow to a population of tens of thousands, let alone hundreds of thousands. Moreover, most of the people generated by the refugee camp are unintelligent, and they don't contribute to the long-term development of the fortress. Therefore, relying solely on our own efforts, the fortress won't be able to develop in a short period,"
"If we take advantage of the harsh winter and the chaos caused by the foreign tribes, and while you strike against them, we can gather a large number of refugees. Not only will our mountain fortress gain a significant population and abundant talents, but it will also ensure excellent development. Moreover, you can establish a good reputation among the common folk."
"This is the best opportunity for you to turn the tide in this hostile world. If everything goes well, I, Wang, dare to guarantee that by the end of this winter, we will have a town with a population of no less than ten thousand!"
Wang Fat's words resonated with determination, but Lu HaiKong's expression remained unfazed. He had heard these words long ago; this was the very reason they established their mountain fortress in Qiang Yin. It was the grand direction for their development.
Once Lu HaiKong had a massive town with a population of tens of thousands under his command, he would effortlessly break through the external blockade. As long as Lu HaiKong demonstrated his formidable strength and didn't push his luck too far, even the Imperial Court would think twice before directly confronting him.
Although the recent village massacre had shaken Lu HaiKong, and Wang Fat's words carried a hint of self-interest, Lu HaiKong had no intention of abandoning the primary direction of his mountain fortress's development.
Lu HaiKong pondered for a moment: "Go and buy five 'Bandit Leader Employment Certificates' from Wang Oldman."
"What's your plan?" Wang Fat's eyes glinted with understanding.
"With the foreign tribes invading in full force, I need more resources to make a difference. Before the harsh winter truly sets in, let's erase the Blackwind Fort and use them as fuel for our growth!"
Lu HaiKong's growth far exceeded Wang Fat's expectations. He clearly understood that to save the villagers to the greatest extent and maximize their gains during the harsh winter, Lu HaiKong's top priority was to increase his strength.
And what better way to gain strength than by spending money?
From the moment Lu HaiKong arrived, he had been preparing to eliminate the Blackwind Fort. Aside from a group of bandit archers under his command, Lu HaiKong personally trained another group of around fifty bandits.
After half a month, this group had become a force of bandit leaders, all at the fifth level, each with the potential to become near-commanders. With the 'Bandit Leader Professional Certificates,' Lu HaiKong could instantly create fifty near-commander-level subordinates.
Unfortunately, Lu HaiKong's mountain fortress was only a small one, and he could only cultivate fifteen subordinates. After accounting for Wang Chao Ma Han and the others, Lu HaiKong could only create five near-commander-level subordinates.
That very night, Lu HaiKong's mountain fortress gained five near-commander-level individuals. Including Li Xiong and the bandit leader convinced by Zhang Feng, the fortress now had a total of seventeen near-commander-level individuals, plus Lu HaiKong, a commander-level expert with a strength of over sixty. This formidable force was more than enough to overwhelm the Blackwind Fort.
The next day, as Lu HaiKong prepared to confront the Blackwind Fort with his troops, an unwelcome guest arrived to cause trouble...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
