Since the pirate attack, there had been few surprises, with smooth sailing all the way.
The old captain took so people to control the clipper while also sharing so of the cargo and passengers, which alleviated the crowding on board.
At any rate, Lance could finally have a room to himself and no longer had to squeeze in with the others.
Until suddenly, there was a commotion outside...
"Land! It’s land! Go quickly and inform the Lord!"
The lookout perched at the top of the mast with a telescope suddenly shouted as if he had discovered sothing.
The ship grew bustling as news of their approach to land spread quickly.
Upon hearing the news, Lance also ca out to look towards the horizon. It had been nearly half a month since he left Hamlet, and now, finally returning, his heart inevitably stirred with excitent.
I wonder how things are in the town?
Boudica was even more excited than him. Like a husky finally freed from its cage for a walk, he was eager and ready for a hearty indulgence in all the drinks he’d missed out on.
The ship could see the land, and equally, the land could see the ship. The small fleet of three vessels drew the attention of so people, starting with those on watch at the harbor lighthouse.
Before setting off, Lance had been very worried about pirate attacks, so he had those three cannons transferred here and also arranged for people to stand guard.
Today, his foresight finally paid off. The lookout high above spotted the incoming ships and the bright red flag atop the main mast.
"Red flag! That’s the Lord’s signal flag! Quickly notify the officials!"
This news imdiately set the whole town abuzz, and people unconsciously began converging towards the harbor.
Sighting land, no matter how distant, brought hope; arrival was now just a matter of ti.
Soon, the ships docked at the shabby little pier. For a place like this, three ships represented a considerable burden.
From the deck, one could get a rough view of the town. However, having seen the prosperity of Totnes, the dilapidation of this town presented a gaping disparity.
Ordinary people wouldn’t dare say anything, nor would they want to, but Boudica, having no such reservations, blurted out.
"Boss, why does this place look so rundown?"
"Hahaha!" Lance was not angry at all but instead laughed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention.
It was then that he confidently explained.
"Totnes may be nice, but it belongs to others. Hamlet, however, will always be your ho."
This statent elicited a range of thoughts from the crowd.
They were all from Totnes. Even if not locals, they had experienced its prosperity. Who wouldn’t want to stay in such a place?
But they had all been harshly treated and had felt the malice of Totnes; otherwise, they wouldn’t have ended up here.
Lance was right. As wonderful as Totnes might be, it belonged to others; this place, Hamlet, was their own ho.
"Pass the word: everyone return to their cabins. You will disembark in an orderly manner by cabin later. Anyone causing trouble will be severely punished."
Over the past few days, Lance had already formulated a resettlent plan; otherwise, managing two thousand people suddenly pouring out would have been difficult.
He, along with the doctor and Boudica, disembarked to head to another ship and prioritize arrangents for the craftsn he had recruited.
Bringing them back was just the first step; the real challenge lay in managent. He had to quickly establish policies and start assigning them jobs.
anwhile, Tiffany had also disembarked, along with Master Eugene, Winston, and other craftsn.
It had to be said, these were experienced people. Upon seeing the state of Hamlet, they were sowhat baffled. Can such a small town really support our research? Can it really offer such high salaries? Is there truly a future here?
Lance was well aware of his territory’s weak competitiveness, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. For now, the only way to stabilize them was to pave the way with "sincerity."
"As I’ve said, you get priority in choosing your hos. Everyone gets a month’s advance on their wages. After a month, whether you stay or leave is up to you."
Lance’s words, laid out so straightforwardly, imdiately soothed their moods.
He said this, but since these people had brought their entire families, how could they truly leave after just one month?
People are subject to sunk costs. Once they settle in, it’s hard to leave.
"Lord Lance!"
"My Lord!"
"..."
So people hurried over, led by Susan, Balistan, Barton, and a few other responsible figures.
Lance turned to look, and the sheer force of his gaze halted their steps, leaving them rooted five or six ters away.
Dismas and the others, who were around Lance every day, hadn’t noticed much change. Balistan and the rest, however, hadn’t seen Lance for so ti. Their impression of the Lord was still based on how he was when he departed.
Yet to their surprise, in little more than half a month, the Lord’s authority seed even more formidable. Every move he made inadvertently inspired awe.
"You’ve all worked hard. There haven’t been any issues in town while I’ve been away, have there?"
"Nothing major, but..." Balistan’s one-eyed gaze swept over everyone, "there are so matters in town that require Lord Lance’s decision."
So, trouble has arisen.
Lance sensed sothing but didn’t intend to press the issue. So matters were best not laid out in the open.
"We can discuss any matters later. Co here for a mont; let make so introductions. This is Master Eugene, the Empire’s top gunnery designer. This is Winston, a skillful weaponsmith. These craftsn are all seasoned gunnery craftsn..."
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