Chapter 491： mercenaries

,!

"Hey Hugh!"

Doug swung his shovel vigorously, loading a shovel of coal into the bed of a nearby coal truck.

The appearance of this burly man in his thirties was quite different from his previous appearance as a mercenary captain.

When Doug was the captain of a mercenary team, he had long hair with a shawl, and although his face was unshaven, he had a rough charm, and the brown boyish eyes shone sharply all the year round. It was the first time he met his eyes. Many people tend to think of birds of prey such as falcons. Years of adventure and fighting career made him so confident and even arrogant, stubbornly believing that good luck is always with him.

But now Doug, the original unruly long hair has disappeared, replaced by a plain round hairstyle, the beard on his face has been shaved clean, and the sharp eyes can no longer be seen. It's like the light of a falcon, but it gives people a somewhat dull and numb feeling like an old farmer who has been farming all his life, that kind of feeling that he can't see the slightest hope and lives like this all his life.

In front of or around Doug, there are piles of coal piles like hills. Doug’s daily task is to smash these mined coal mines into the wagons. No powerful martial arts are needed. Brilliant move, his daily movement is to swing the shovel over and over again.

These charcoal mountains seem to never run out, and every time a pile of coal is loaded, more coal is brought out of the mine and piled up to form a new charcoal mountain.

One after another, the pitch-black charcoal mountains seem to be taller and more majestic than the tall and majestic Rocky Mountains in the distance, so that Doug can't see the hope of crossing the past, like a huge cage that firmly locks him to death in this place, Until all the rest of his life is exhausted.

Those glorious years in the past can only be reproduced in dreams. In the dream, he was still the mercenary leader who drank heavily and ate a lot of meat every day, until the sound of gunshots and cannons woke him up.

Sometimes he would secretly assume that in his life in the past few years, if he hadn't accepted the employment of the Aldo nobleman named Emerson, he would not have been reduced to the situation of being a prisoner in the Northwest Gulf. what's the point?

Who would have thought that there are such powerful weapons and such a powerful army in the Northwest Gulf?

…

"Mercenary?"

Paul looked at his chief of staff and asked suspiciously.

Schroeder offered Paul a proposal that took him by surprise.

"Yes, mercenary!"

Schroeder nodded, "And it's the mercenary group on the corner of the bay."

He slightly raised his right hand, "Locals! Their hometown is Jiaowan, and they are familiar with everything there. They have adapted to the climate and geography since they were young. They also know what can and cannot be eaten in the wild. Pivotal…"

The elderly knight said with a smile: "We don't have to bear too many obligations to the mercenaries, and we can save a lot of allowances and pension expenses."

"That's a good idea."

Schroeder proposed to make Paul Mose enlighten.

He said: "You mean, we spend a sum of money to hire a mercenary group in Jiaowan, just tell them the mission, and let them solve the logistics and supplies by themselves."

Schroeder nodded again, "It's basically like this, Master Graham."

"Okay!" Paul was happy, "I'll send someone to Jiaowan to find suitable mercenaries."

"Wait a minute, Master Graham." Schroeder stopped him.

"Huh? Why?"

"Actually, you don't need to work hard to find the mercenary group. There is one..." Schroeder said with a smile, "There should be two, the Jiaowan mercenaries, just in our northwest bay."

Paul frowned and asked, "Which lord hired them? Or is he doing something bad? If it's the latter, then I have to send someone to destroy them."

"No no!" Schroeder shook his head, "They haven't done anything bad now, but in fact they have been wiped out by you. These mercenaries are all in the labor camp you created."

"Huh?" Paul didn't understand.

Seeing that Paul didn't think about it, Schroeder had no choice but to explain to him, "Master Graeman, do you still remember the usurper war?"

"Of course!" It's only been a few years since it was over.

"During that war, we encountered two bands of mercenaries hired by Maltz Kent from the south to deal with us."

Paul suddenly realized, and patted the table, "I remembered."

Schroeder: "The members of one mercenary group are good at using longbows, and the other mercenary group has a more balanced mix of personnel."

Paul: "Yes, yes, that's right. They have all become our captives, and now they are scattered and sent to different places for labor reform."

Schroeder suggested: "According to our interrogation, most of them are from the Horn Bay. Perhaps, you can consider using this group of people, regrouping them again, and using our equipment—I mean cold weapons such as swords and shields." —arm them again, and send them to the Horn to fight for our good, to atone for the crimes they committed against us in the War of the Ustor."

Paul nodded secretly in his heart, Schroeder's suggestion really hit his heart.

These captured mercenaries have rich combat experience and are familiar enough with the local area. Where can they find such good ready-made consumables?

But in an instant, he thought of a problem.

"Schroeder, what if they get out of control after arriving at the corner? Do we have to send troops to the corner to catch them?"

The chief of staff breathed out a smoke ring comfortably squinted his eyes and said, "You don't have to worry about their loyalty, there is a very good way to solve it."

Paul: "What way?"

Schroeder: "Turn them into your slaves."

Paul was a little puzzled: "But they are my de facto slaves now."

Schroeder: "Haha, Lord Graeman, I'm talking about using Jiaowan's method—branding your unique mark on their bodies."

Paul: "Branding?"

At this moment, Ladi, who had been silent all this time, intervened in the discussion, "Lord Graman, in Horn Bay, if a slave with a brand on his body dares to betray his master, he will be captured by those who see him, and then sent back to the It is the master's power to give it to his master, no matter how the master punishes him."

After hearing this, Schroeder nodded and said to Paul: "That's right, it's exactly what Advisor Setia said. These people were captured by you during the war. According to the customs of Jiaowan, treat them according to your situation They are all your slaves, as long as other people in Jiaowan know their relationship with you, these mercenaries will not be able to turn over."