activa-t Chapter 13 The Defeated Soldiers Attack!
Chapter 13 The Defeated Soldiers Attack!
More than half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
"Ready—Stab!"
"Swish, swish, swish!"
In the square, the militia were practicing bayonet fighting with great enthusiasm. Compared to two weeks ago, their movements were much more agile and powerful, and everyone was able to hold the position for the thousandth time.
Equally striking changes were their equipment: all one hundred militiamen wore high-quality light iron helmets and half-plate armor, lined with chainmail that provided both defense and mobility, carried single-handed shields on their backs for protection, and had swords, daggers, and other melee weapons at their waists.
When they stand in formation, their iron armor reflects the sunlight, making them look like a magnificent steel fortress; and when they march around the territory, the entire column moves in a neat and rhythmic manner, like a moving Great Wall stretching endlessly.
The people had few entertainment options; their favorite things to do, besides chatting and gossiping, were watching the militia drills during their free time.
"I really envy them. They can earn 100 work points every month and eat eggs and meat twice a day."
"But they're much more tired than us, aren't they? Sean often goes straight to sleep when he gets home."
"That being said, I still want to become a militiaman. Watching them beat the evil beast last time really got my blood pumping! It's way more exciting than farming!"
Listening to the chatter of the crowd, Payne remained standing at attention, secretly feeling incredibly pleased with himself.
That happened three days ago: while the farmers were working as usual, six black thorn centipedes broke into the reclamation area, and the militia team happened to be conducting routine training nearby at the time.
Upon learning that these black thorn centipedes were only level two larvae, Ronan did not immediately send Maddale to fight. Instead, he had Maddale present to cover for him while he directed the militia to engage the enemy.
The training proved effective: these warriors, who were farmers just half a month ago, followed the combat regulations taught during training, worked together step by step, and actually managed to eliminate all the evil beasts without Medel even lifting a finger.
Payne killed one himself, and it felt incredibly satisfying!
He received a "performance bonus" of twenty work points for this. However, upon reflection, Payne realized that he was not only happy because of the performance bonus.
If that was indeed the case at the beginning, then now it's more due to other reasons. When he shouldered his weapon and was greeted by the cheers of his neighbors after the battle, he felt an indescribable sense of pride.
He had seen soldiers before in other territories, but people were terrified of them—let alone lining the streets to welcome them like this, it was good enough if they didn't avoid them.
Those soldiers act arrogantly in front of civilians, but when they encounter evil beasts, they scatter like birds and beasts.
Payne was illiterate, but he understood the meaning of Ronan's words: a truly powerful army must come from the common people and fight for the common people.
Because he was a member of that army.
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While the militiamen continued their training as usual, Ronan's guards announced some exciting news in the square: the recruitment of the second batch of militiamen had officially begun, with a total of 100 people!
People who were already thinking about what to have for dinner were overjoyed.
Many people were not selected in the last recruitment, and upon hearing the "rumor" that the militia would expand its recruitment in the future, they were almost ready to fight at any moment.
Not only would they privately consult with the regular militia members to learn about the discipline of the unit in advance, but they would also learn from them and train themselves in the same way—this was the day they had been waiting for!
"Excellent! I knew hard work would pay off! Thank you, wise and mighty lord!"
"You should thank that witch. The lord said that without her divine help, the militia would not have enough equipment and would not have been able to expand its ranks."
"That's right, the iron farm tools we use for land reclamation are also thanks to Miss Madonna; they're much more efficient than my own wooden pickaxe."
"Oh! Praise be to the witch! Praise be to the lord!"
Hearing the lively discussion from afar, Ronan nodded in satisfaction.
Inserting a few shills really worked!
These people initially had some reservations about Madel, but under the combined influence of public opinion and tangible benefits, no one now associates witches with misfortune.
"That's a brilliant tactic."
Bart exclaimed, "After you announced the expansion of recruitment, people will hold themselves to high standards in order to be selected for the second batch of militia. In this way, when the official conscription begins, they will be excellent reservists without much training."
"And I don't have to worry about food or wages. It's like I trained two hundred people at the cost of one hundred, and in the end they have to thank me for recruiting them."
Ronan added leisurely.
He didn't even count how many times he won this round, so let's just consider it a win-win situation.
Maddale listened silently to the discussions about herself, her eyes sparkling as she noticed the admiring and friendly looks people were giving her.
"However, sir, I originally thought you would conceal the source of that iron."
Bart seemed to be deep in thought. "Putting everything else aside, why did you directly allow Miss Madonna to forge iron on the open ground next to the warehouse, and even allow people to witness and spread the news?"
"Because the truth will eventually come out. Instead of going to great lengths to conceal it, we should fundamentally change people's prejudices and make them realize that witches not only do not bring misfortune, but actually bring tangible benefits."
Ronan answered without hesitation, "Sooner or later, in the territory I govern, witches will be able to live like normal people, without fear or being looked down upon."
"I am willing to go through fire and water for this, without hesitation."
Madonna also looked at Ronan, the man who had given her a second life, and earnestly echoed him.
[Current Witch: Medallion]
[Status value: 50%]
[Cumulative purification amount: 980/1000]
Just a little short. Looks like I won't reach the target until tomorrow morning... Ronan couldn't help but feel a little excited. According to the pattern of unlocking things one at a time, this time he should unlock something new?
As a key milestone in a phase, it may receive more upgrades than a regular node.
Putting the data aside, Madonna's mental state has indeed been completely transformed. If before she was prepared to die at any moment, now she has found the motivation to live.
"Good, very energetic."
Ronan winked mischievously. "So, Miss Madonna, have you had dinner yet?"
The girl opened her mouth, then lowered her head, instantly transforming into a guilty young girl: "Not yet."
"That won't do."
Ronan smiled and patted the girl's head.
"You're still growing, you need to eat properly."
The girl pouted petulantly and nudged his hand with her head: "You're always criticizing me, but you're often so busy you forget to eat. You should eat properly too."
"Oh, I was wrong, I'll eat on time tonight too..."
As they were speaking, a caravan bearing the emblem of the mountain territory slowly approached from afar.
Each vehicle was fully loaded with the weapons and armor ordered by Ronan. After delivering these items, they would return laden with pig iron from the Thorn Territory.
Vance would always go to the site in person and chat with Ronan for a few minutes. Sometimes it was about trade, sometimes it was just casual conversation, and he would occasionally bring some local specialties from the mountain territory.
"Nephew Ronan, come and try our mountain territory's mille-feuille, it's our traditional pastry!"
"Thank you very much, Uncle Vance. There's not much good food in Thorn Territory, but I'll get you some boiled eggs."
Ronan felt a little embarrassed, after all, the other party was an elder. "The weather has turned cooler recently, so you don't need to come in person every time!"
Initially, the two parties did have purely business dealings, but after dealing with each other for a while, their personal relationship gradually improved as well.
The people at Vans were quite nice; they not only delivered all the ironwork orders on time every time, but they also provided free oiling and waxing for maintenance, and even put charcoal blocks in each suit of armor for moisture protection. They were very pleasing in their attention to detail.
Everyone enjoys communicating with likable people, and for Ronan, making many friends is always better than being isolated and helpless.
"Staying in the territory all the time is so boring! Why not come out for some fresh air? Thornlands is constantly changing; every visit brings something new!"
Vance chuckled. If his initial intention was mostly to curry favor, now it was more of a genuine expression of his feelings.
At first, he was worried that Ronan, as the more powerful party, might take advantage of him in the transaction, such as delivering pig iron of insufficient quality, or secretly making money with others without his knowledge.
If Ronan really does that, there's not much Ronan can do.
But he found that the young man was quite contract-abiding. Not only did he not suffer any losses, but he would also sometimes supply extra pig iron according to the needs of their mountain territory, without attaching any other conditions.
What else is there to say? Of course, we should cling to their coattails! There's nothing shameful about taking the initiative!
On the other hand, he did admire Ronan's skill level.
To date, 5 heydays of farmland have been reclaimed in Thornlands, ready for planting next spring. The estimated grain yield is sufficient to feed at least half the population. Once these newly reclaimed wastelands are converted into cultivated land, the yield will be even greater.
The militia of Thornlands is simply incredible—Vance is quite certain that, given time, this force will be the strongest military force in the West, bar none.
Turning a small, broken territory into this state is no easy feat; it can't be accomplished simply by acquiring a little iron!
Vance is very glad he chose to cooperate; otherwise, he'd probably be two and a half meters old by now.
"Then I'll head back now. See you another day, my dear nephew Ronan."
"Okay, goodbye Uncle Vance."
The mountain convoy drove further and further away, and it seemed to be another peaceful day.
The tranquility was broken by the rapid sound of horses' hooves.
"My lord! Something terrible has happened!"
Without even bothering to soothe the panting horses, the border patrol sentry reported an emergency to Ronan: dozens of refugees had appeared in the direction of the Fulong Valley to the north.
According to their accounts, a rebellion broke out in the North three days ago, and the allied forces that quelled it were routed in just half a day, leaving devastation in their wake. Now, behind these fleeing refugees, thousands of defeated soldiers are advancing towards the West!
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