Chapter 15

Just at this moment, the sound of neat horse hooves came from afar.

It was Hate and the others returning.

Roko withdrew his hand, stood up straight, and looked toward the entrance of the camp.

A moment later, Hate led those twenty knights and appeared in the field of vision.

They were dusty, their armor covered in mud and grass clippings, their faces carrying undisguised fatigue.

But their eyes were still sharp, and the formation was kept strict.

Seeing Roko, Hate immediately flipped off his horse, walked up quickly, and knelt on one knee.

"Young Master, your subordinate has returned."

"Get up."

Roko raised his hand.

"How is the situation?"

Hate stood up and took out a map drawn with animal skin, looking slightly rough, from his bosom.

On the map, the rough outlines of mountains, rivers, and forests nearby were outlined with charcoal pens.

"Young Master, please look."

Hate pointed to several areas on the map.

"According to the exploration of these seven days, we have initially explored the rough terrain within a hundred miles."

"Fifty miles to the north, it is indeed the edge of the Orc Wasteland; we found traces of activities of several small Dog-headed tribes."

"Thirty miles to the west, there is a river, the water is abundant, and the land on both sides of the river is relatively fertile."

Hate's face became a bit solemn.

"However, that piece of fertile land, and a mountain valley upstream of the river suspected of having a small iron mine, were occupied by a large number of Goblins and Dog-headed people."

He pointed to several areas marked in red on the map.

"The number is very large, initially estimated just in that river valley area, the Goblins and Dog-headed people combined, I'm afraid there are no less than a thousand."

"And, we also observed that they seem to have simple tribal organizations, and even have existences similar to Shamans or leaders."

The information Hate brought back was like throwing a stone into this dead wilderness, stirring up layers of ripples.

That rough animal skin map was spread out on the only table in the temporary wooden shed.

Under the dim oil lamp light, the lines outlined by the charcoal pen looked a bit ferocious.

Rivers, valleys, and those few eye-catching red marks represented the entrenched threat.

More than a thousand Goblins and Dog-headed people.

This number made the atmosphere in the wooden shed instantly condense a bit.

Besides Hate, there were three other guard knights whose strength reached the Initial Stage Knight or above.

Other guard knights were basically at the Quasi-Knight realm.

And at this time, they were surrounding the table.

Brows furrowed, looking at the marks on the map.

Roko sat in the main seat, his fingers tapping on the table unconsciously, his gaze calmly sweeping over the map.

"More than a thousand Goblins and Dog-headed people, occupying water sources and suspected mineral deposits."

"What are your opinions?"

Roko's voice broke the silence, unable to hear any emotion.

Hate Gelin spoke first, his voice steady.

"Young Master, Goblins and Dog-headed people, although numerous, have weak individual strength and chaotic organization."

"With our existing power of twenty knights, plus you, Young Master, a frontal charge is enough to crush their main force."

"Just need to be careful of the Shamans or elite individuals that might exist among them."

Hate's suggestion was very direct, and also very consistent with the knight's combat style.

A bearded knight beside nodded in agreement.

"Captain Hate is right, dealing with these scum doesn't need any schemes, just crush them directly!"

"Kill them all, take back the land and mineral deposits!"

Another knight appeared a bit more cautious.

"A frontal charge might be feasible, but our manpower is limited after all, need to guard against them sneaking attacks from the flanks or behind."

"And, farm slaves and those captives, I'm afraid they can't be of much use, and might even become a burden."

Their discussion basically revolved around how to use the existing twenty-plus knights to launch a strong attack.

Simple, direct, full of knightly bravery.

Roko listened quietly without interrupting.

He raised his eyes and swept over these knights.

【Name: Hate Gelin】

【Level: Peak Great Knight】

【Talent: B+】

【Status: Healthy】

【Favorability: 70】

【Loyalty: 70】

【Name: Bake】

【Level: Late Stage Knight】

【Talent: B】

【Status: Fatigued】

【Favorability: 65】

【Loyalty: 65】

【Name: Luoen】

【Level: Mid-stage Knight】

【Talent: B】

【Status: Excited】

【Favorability: 60】

【Loyalty: 60】

The strength was indeed not bad, and the loyalty was currently maintained at the baseline of 60.

Unfortunately, just as he expected, most were good hands at charging, but in strategic planning, the ideas appeared a bit single.

Relying on twenty-plus people to charge more than a thousand enemies?

Even if they could win, the loss would definitely not be small.

Moreover, what he brought was not just knights, but three hundred farm slaves, dozens of craftsmen and blacksmiths, and those surrendered horse thieves.

These people were the foundation of his future territory.

What he needed was a victory with low loss and high return, not a tragic victory.

"A strong frontal attack, the loss is too big."

Roko finally spoke, his tone flat, but carrying unquestionable determination.

The discussion of the few knights stopped abruptly, and they all looked at Roko.

"Hate."

"Subordinate is here."

"Starting from tomorrow, you are responsible for integrating all personnel who can fight."

"Including family guard knights, soldiers aided by my uncles, those surrendered horse thieves, and farm slaves who are physically strong."

"Conduct basic formation and combat training."

Hate was stunned for a moment, seemingly not understanding Roko's intention.

Integrating farm slaves and horse thieves for training?

Those mobs, what combat power could they have?

But he didn't question and responded immediately.

"Yes, Young Master!"

Roko's gaze turned to the river valley area marked in red on the map.

"Our goal is here."

His finger pointed at the entrance of the river valley.

"Fertile land, abundant water sources, and potential iron mines."

"These, we must get our hands on."

"But not by exchanging with the lives of knights."

After speaking, Roko stood up and walked to the door of the wooden shed.

He lifted the curtain and looked at the sky that was gradually darkening outside, and the bonfires like stars in the distance.

Beside the bonfires, those farm slaves who had just obtained a moment of respite were staying together, their faces carrying numbness and fear of the unknown.

"Hate, before training starts tomorrow, announce my order to everyone."

Roko's voice clearly spread throughout the wooden shed.

"Anyone who participates in the battle and beheads a Goblin or Dog-headed person will be removed from slave status and become a free person of the territory."

"Those who behead two can obtain a piece of land belonging to themselves."

"Those who behead three or more, depending on the size of the merit, will have other rewards, including weapons, coins, and even positions."

The few knights in the wooden shed all showed surprised expressions.

Exchanging military merit for freedom and land?

This was undoubtedly an unimaginable temptation for those horse thieves who had been slaves for generations or were living from hand to mouth.