Chapter 110: Could There Be Pirates?

【Ding, daily intelligence system has refreshed…】

【Intelligence One: The merfolk who made a trade agreement with you have prepared their goods, including thirty luminescent pearl oysters, three sea corals, two hundred jin of sea lobster, five hundred jin of common sea clams and snails, and one thousand five hundred jin of sea fish.】

The merfolk will arrive at the shoreline in the afternoon, and their most anticipated trade item is beer.】

【Intelligence Two: Ten li east of Huoshandao, a sea beast carcass will drift into the reef zone today.】

It is a fourth-rank sea beast named Bao Yan Lan Lin Shou, its body length reaching a terrifying hundred meters.】

Notably, though a supernatural creature, all its magic is concentrated in its scales, so its flesh contains no magical energy and cannot nourish the body like demonic beast meat—it is nearly identical to ordinary fish meat.】

Intelligence Three: Along the coastline of Kenneth Jue’s territory, a damaged ship flying a skull flag has been drifting at sea these past few days.

It is a pirate gang called Skull Gang, defeated and dispossessed by other pirates.】

The Skull Gang fled southward with nowhere to go, and upon reaching Kenneth Jue’s coastline, they sought to establish a new base in this remote southern region.

After days of patrolling, they accidentally discovered the refugee island and decided to launch an attack.】

Facing over a hundred ruthless pirates, the refugees had no means of resistance; ultimately, the refugee island will be seized by Skull Pirates!】

【Intelligence Four: At the southern edge of the Death Mountains in Baofeng Jue, there exists a hill known as Bingxiong Shan.】

There is a pitch-black cave there, where biting, icy winds howl year-round.】

Once, some bold serfs entered the cave and slipped into an ice pit with a ten-meter drop, never to climb out again.】

Later, a few locals who knew of the cave began calling it the Demon God’s Ice Cave.】

People believed a terrifying frost demonic beast must dwell inside.】

Yet, it is not the lair of any monstrous beast—it is merely a cold spring welling up from the earth vein.】

Though the spring contains no magic, its temperature is so low that the cave remains perpetually frozen, with ice persisting even in summer!】

【Intelligence Five: After half a month of irrigation, the Dragon’s Blood Grass in the southern gorge has grown increasingly vigorous.】

Due to its lethal attraction to dragon-blooded creatures, an entire wild group of Firehorses has been lured into Baofeng Jue this morning and has reached the gorge.】

This Firehorse group numbers over forty, including mares and foals.】

【Intelligence Six: Tribal raids along the kingdom’s southwestern border have intensified, and the situation has indeed spiraled out of control.】

So far, fifteen noble territories have been captured by tribal natives: eight knightly fiefs, five baronial fiefs, and two viscounties!】

Of these conquered territories, all nobles except two who fled early have been killed.】

The tribes’ savage brutality has shocked the entire realm; the king has finally agreed to issue the kingdom’s first conscription order of the year.】

The conscription order has already been delivered to Xiongying, the southern region’s strategic stronghold, and will be dispatched personally by the Viceroy of the Southern Region, Duke Edward.】

This conscription targets all southern noble lords and select border regiments of the kingdom.】

The conscription order will reach each noble territory no later than next week!】

Time flies; another week has passed since Old Andrew departed.】

Over these past weeks, thanks to ample supplies, Gervas has accelerated the development of his territory.】

Not only has he initiated construction of a blacksmith’s workshop in the small town, but he is also preparing to build a mill, granaries, and other public facilities.】

Of course, another crucial project has also begun planning.】

That is, the stone wall of Maidian Town.】

In Baofeng Jue, Maidian Town’s wooden wall is purely decorative—useless for defense!】

Thus, with ample supplies, planning and construction of the stone wall can now proceed.】

After all, building a complete, sturdy stone wall cannot be accomplished in a day or two—it typically takes months, even years.】

Especially since Gervas has great ambitions; with his intelligence system, he is confident he can transform Baofeng Jue into a prosperous and powerful territory.】

Therefore, the stone wall’s design must not follow the scale of a small town—it must follow that of a city.】

The first phase of the stone wall will serve as the inner wall of the future city.】

Later, as the territory grows, an outer city wall will be constructed.】

One can imagine that many years from now, a magnificent city will rise along this kingdom’s border.】

Of course, that is all in the future—for now, it is merely the beginning.】

Not even considering money or supplies, the manpower required is more than Gervas can currently spare.】

In short, start with a foundation—the rest will improve over time.】

Ding ding ding!】

With the intelligence report complete, Gervas could no longer sit still.】

Today’s intelligence was truly weighty.】

Not only has an entire Firehorse group appeared.】

But pirates are also arriving.】

Everyone said this world’s seas were dangerous, and minor nobles had little seafaring ability—how could pirates possibly exist?】

Yet, upon reflection, if refugees can drift across the sea, pirates appearing is only natural.】

As for how they got their ship?】

Obviously, by seizing noble merchant vessels or other means.】

Didn’t countless stories from my past life involve exactly this?】

Still, overall, the pirates’ arrival isn’t necessarily bad.】

They’re not attacking Baofeng Jue—they’re targeting the refugee island.】

After Old Andrew and others left, Gervas had sailed the Baofeng Hao back to the refugee island’s waters.】

On this second visit, he specially prepared a small wooden raft with a sail made of linen.】

On the raft he placed a basket of black bread and an envelope, letting the wind carry it to the island.】

His goal was to reveal his identity, extend goodwill, and make clear he only wished to recruit them as serfs.】

But unexpectedly, in response to Gervas’s noble lord’s goodwill,】

the refugees replied with a hail of arrows.】

If we rule out the possibility they were illiterate, then they were utterly determined to reject recruitment.】

For this, Gervas had already decided these past days to take the refugee island by force.】

He began training his guards in amphibious assault tactics.】

Once training is complete, by no later than next week, he will launch a military landing on the refugee island.】

Now, with pirates arriving, it might be even simpler.】

Gervas can play the role of the bird waiting behind.】

Maid Karoline entered the bedroom gracefully, carrying clean water, attending to Gervas’s morning ablutions.】

She then followed routine and administered the daily punishment; after watching the waves crash, Gervas savored the slippery sensation before heading to the dining hall.】

Upon arriving, Old John immediately reported good news: Lu Kasi the blacksmith had finally completed forging the Meteorite-Silver Sword.】