Ronin had commandeered Willie Knight’s house. He sat on a long bench, continuing to question Wodun and Dandy to gather more intelligence.
"I’m curious, how did your Wilderness Tribes get their nas?"
Ronin asked, "The Cyan Bamboo Tribe is located in a bamboo forest, so I can understand why it’s nad Cyan Bamboo. But what about Purple Fruit, Grey Soil, and Black-collar? What do they represent?"
"My lord, as far as I know, the Purple Fruit Tribe is called that because around June every year, their territory produces purplish-black and purplish-red fruits."
Wodun replied, "I was fortunate enough to eat one once. The taste of the Purple Fruit is different from grapes or plums. It’s sweet and sour, very juicy, and quite thirst-quenching. It’s just a pity that it’s September now, so you probably won’t be able to enjoy them if you go, my lord."
’Purplish-black fruits?’
Ronin searched his mory for information about this kind of fruit but found nothing. ’It must be a specialty unique to the mountainous region.’
He had already decided that once he conquered the Purple Fruit Tribe, he would be sure to inquire about the Purple Fruit in detail.
"What about Grey Soil and Black-collar?"
"I know this one."
Dandy scrambled to answer first. "The Grey Soil Tribe is called that because there’s a grayish-white soil found all over their territory, which is how they got the na."
"The Black-collar Tribe is very similar. Their soil is quite dark, so they’re called ’Black-collar’."
Ronin slowly nodded. So, the nas of both tribes were related to their soil.
"Do you know if these two types of soil have any use?" Ronin asked.
To this question, however, Dandy shook his head. "It seems they don’t have any special use. They’re just a bit unusual, so they attract people’s attention."
’Is that so?’
Ronin tried hard to recall.
He didn’t have a strong impression of grayish-white soil, but he knew about black soil.
’Could it be black earth?’
He had always felt the soil quality in Mountain Forest Town was quite good; otherwise, it wouldn’t be possible to get such yields with such crude farming techniques.
If this black soil was indeed black earth, then after he conquered the Black-collar Tribe, his domain’s food supply would be even less of a problem.
"Alright, I’ve asked pretty much everything I needed to. Since you’ve surrendered to and are willing to pledge your loyalty, I will give you two an opportunity."
Ronin looked at the two Knights before him. "Today is the 21st. Until the end of this month, you will both be under an observation period. If you pass, I will accept your allegiance and pay you a daily salary of 20 Copper Coins, the standard for a trial period."
"If you remain loyal for the next three months and perform your assigned tasks well—whether they co from , the Commander, or the Guard Officer—I will grant you permanent status. Your daily salary will then increase to 30 Copper Coins."
A salary?
Copper Coins a day?
Wodun and Dandy’s eyes went wide!
Although they had lived in the Cyan Bamboo Tribe all these years, they would sneak out every so often to purchase daily necessities like salt.
They were no strangers to money.
It was just that Willie Knight had always controlled the money, so they’d never had a chance to touch it.
But now Ronin was actually offering them a salary—twenty Copper Coins! That was enough to buy a pound of Gaza Salt!
More importantly, those twenty Copper Coins were just a daily salary. ’How much is that a month?’
They subconsciously started counting on their fingers, only to find they couldn’t do the math.
Just then, Ronin’s voice interrupted their muddled thoughts.
"And you don’t need to worry I’m tricking you."
He pointed to Tom at his side. "His na is Tom. When I defeated his forr master, he chose to surrender willingly. He also started at a daily salary of 20 Copper Coins, but due to his excellent performance, I granted him permanent status ahead of schedule. His daily salary is now 30 Copper Coins."
A concrete example was more persuasive.
Of course, Ronin had no intention of giving Wodun and Dandy permanent status early; they were not as outstanding as Tom.
But that’s not how it sounded to the two of them. They couldn’t help but look at Tom, as if seeking confirmation.
Tom puffed out his chest. "Yes. My lord not only pardoned my cris, but he also granted everything I have now. If you serve my lord wholeheartedly, I’m sure you will receive the sa treatnt."
After Tom’s confirmation, Wodun and Dandy could finally rest easy.
"Thank you for your rcy, my lord!" Dandy began. "From this day forward, I will be your loyal follower!"
"And I, Wodun, will be your loyal follower from this day forward!" his companion quickly added.
They had already made up their minds to work hard and earn their permanent status as soon as possible.
Ronin smiled and gestured for the two of them to stand up.
At that mont, Elron, who had been busy for a long ti, walked in from outside.
"My lord, I have finished compiling the exact numbers for the Cyan Bamboo Tribe’s population and casualties."
Ronin adjusted his posture. "Go on."
"There were originally 362 Wildn here. In the battle just now, a total of eight people died, including Willie Knight. The remaining 354 have all beco your prisoners and are currently being held under guard."
’So eight people died after all?’
Ronin hadn’t expected so many to die. He had thought at most only Willie and the sentry he had blasted down would die.
Indeed, once a battle began, much of what happened was uncontrollable and unpredictable.
"What about our casualties?" Ronin asked.
Elron smiled. "Congratulations, my lord. In this battle, none of our n were seriously injured, and no one was killed. The only minor issue is that four militian suffered minor injuries, two of whom fell because they weren’t watching their step and slipped on a slope."
He added, "This battle against the Cyan Bamboo Tribe was a resounding victory!"
Ridder, at the side, also smiled, but looked sowhat unsatisfied. "It’s just a sha I barely did anything from start to finish. I only used a bit of Fighting Qi to shout a couple of tis."
"At least you exchanged a blow with that Willie. What about ?"
Macken shrugged helplessly. "I didn’t even get a chance to do anything before the other side surrendered. I feel like I just ca along on this expedition with the lord to make up the numbers."
" too, hahaha, I didn’t even cast a single Healing Skill."
Hearing his subordinates complain to each other like this, Ronin also started to laugh.
’Looks like I was the one who did the most in this battle, taking out one person with a Fireball Skill and another with a Wind Blade Skill.’
"You’ll all have your chance to act in the future."
Ronin smiled, interrupting everyone’s complaints. "Wodun and Dandy have just told us the details about the Purple Fruit and Grey Soil Tribes. Since we suffered almost no losses this ti, let’s press our advantage and take down these two Wilderness Tribes as well!"
The Cyan Bamboo, Purple Fruit, and Grey Soil Tribes ford a Tripartite Alliance to fight against the Black-collar Tribe.
As so of the few Transcendents in the Tripartite Alliance, Wodun and Dandy were naturally part of the inner circle. They certainly knew more than the Hunter that Ridder had captured.
According to the two, the Purple Fruit Tribe had the fewest Transcendents—only two. They were a married couple; the wife was an Interdiate Water Attribute Mage, and the husband was an Interdiate Knight.
In Ronin’s eyes, a tribe like this had no ability to resist whatsoever. He could probably take them down with minimal cost.
As long as he took down these two, the Wildn living in the Purple Fruit Tribe would surely all surrender.
’A Mage... To think a Mage could erge from a Wilderness Tribe.’
Ronin felt a stir of anticipation.
Although this Female Mage nad Jenny Frank was already thirty-six years old, which was a bit old, the benefits of having a Mage under his command would be imnse.
If she had a high success rate in making Magic Scrolls like Elron, then Mountain Forest Town’s Magic Scroll industry would reach a whole new level.
However, Ronin didn’t get his hopes up.
Jenny Frank was thirty-six and still only an Interdiate Mage. Her skill level was probably similar to Pedro’s, so it was unlikely she could create Magic Scrolls.
In addition to the details on the Purple Fruit Tribe, Ronin now also had a relatively clear grasp of the Grey Soil Tribe’s situation.
The Grey Soil Tribe, as the most powerful mber of the Tripartite Alliance, had not only been fighting the Black-collar Tribe but had also absorbed so of the Transcendents and common people that should have rightfully belonged to the Purple Fruit and Cyan Bamboo Tribes.
Yes, it had absorbed its allies’ population.
Otherwise, the Grey Soil Tribe wouldn’t have an Advanced Level Knight, two Interdiate Knights, and three Basic Level Knights, for a total of six Professional Knights.
Taking down the Grey Soil Tribe would surely be much more difficult than conquering the Cyan Bamboo Tribe. But once he succeeded, and added the two Transcendents from the Purple Fruit Tribe, the number of Transcendents under Ronin’s command would likely exceed twelve!
At that ti, he would be able to form his own Knight Squad, just like a proper Baron.
The only tricky part was that these conquered subordinates wouldn’t be as loyal as David, Juliet, and Sim. Their loyalty couldn’t compare to Tom’s, who had surrendered willingly. It would take a long ti to earn their sincere submission.
However, Ronin wasn’t worried about this. In this world, aside from Macken, Elron, and Ridder—the three followers he had summoned—which of his remaining followers didn’t have their own hidden agendas?
Tom wanted to restore his ancestors’ glory; David, Juliet, and the others wanted to achieve great deeds and even climb the social ladder; Chahar wanted to beco the head steward to a nobleman, and so on.
Everyone had their own agenda.
Therefore, as long as Ronin was strong enough to show them that following him was the path to achieving their personal ambitions, they would willingly serve at his command.
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