The mage arrives

Although he was attacked by pirates, the impact on Gordon was not too great.Sea Cliff Fort has high walls, and the gravitational trebuchets that Gordon designed and manufactured to destroy the castle were all placed at several commanding heights in the castle and used as long-range firepower, covering the entire new city.

However, the pirates who landed lightly did not have any siege weapons to defeat the Sea Cliff Fort.

So they wisely gave up the Sea Cliff Fort that couldn't be eaten down, and the new city that didn't have much oil and water, and set their sights on the old city of Yunlin City.

Regardless of the small size of the city, the geographical location is superior, it is a rare good port, and it is on the main road connecting the north and south of the entire peninsula, so whether it is smugglers or pirates who want to sell their stolen goods, they all gather here.It is precisely because the prosperous illegal trade has attracted a large number of people, and there is no government control and planning at all, which has led to the chaotic, crowded and dirty status quo of Yunlin City, which is the seat of the entire peninsula.

Accepting the entrustment of the King of Haiwen, the pirates who came to harass Gordon's territory, because they found that the sea cliff castle was difficult to capture, and the enemy responded well, and they could not get any sweetness, so they turned their attention to Yunlin City.If the King of Haiwen found out, he would probably scold these pirates for being bullying and afraid of toughness. They can't deal with their number one enemy, but they will only go black and eat black.

Of course, the pirate who made a lot of money from this robbery didn't care about it.

When Gordon returned to the territory, he first came to the newly built new city to check the damage caused by the pirates.When the situation was not clearly understood at the beginning.Pirates also attacked here, killed some farmers who were working in the fields, and burned down several wooden houses.

Today this new city has no official name.It's just a prototype, not even the simplest wooden fence has been built, so it's more appropriate to call it a rural community than a city.

Naturally, such an undefended place would be the first choice for pirates.

However, Gordon has long been prepared for such a situation where the territory is attacked.Although the city does not have any defenses.However, in the artisan district at the junction of the city and the edge of the forest, not only a four-meter-high earthen wall was built early, but also heavily guarded.

And the real valuables in Gordon's hands.Either stored in the castle, or stored in the warehouse of the artisan district, it is an existence that pirates can't reach.So after killing a few unlucky civilians to vent their anger, the pirates took the pots and pans they had snatched from the houses.Killed and rushed to Yunlin City.

A few old men who were crying around Brian.After discovering that Gordon was back, he immediately surrounded him, and changed the object of his crying from a tall and mysterious butler who always wore a mask to the lord himself.

These old men were the clan chiefs who had sworn allegiance to Gordon one after another and brought their clansmen to join them.Now they have all settled in rapidly expanding cities, and their identities have changed from tribal chiefs to "community tribunes."

Anyway, I am the master of my territory.As the lord of Haiwen, Gordon can naturally set any official position.Use one of these aborigines though don't understand.But I always feel that it is a very effective and low-cost thing to appease and win people's hearts for a very powerful official position.

In fact, the position of "Community Tribune" is, to put it bluntly, similar to that of the director of a neighborhood committee, not even a sub-district office—at least the latter is a government department.

However, even though he was not an official civilian official of Freyton, Gordon still spent a lot of money to buy a batch of high-grade printed fabrics from smugglers, and made a set of noble robes for each of these "community tribunes" , and then asked the blacksmith to create a batch of imperial medals with the head of the Platinum Dragon printed on them.

After getting these outfits, the elders of the former tribes naturally couldn't put it down. They must say that they admire the splendid culture of the Platinum Empire and want to lead the tribe to naturalize.

It is not a one-off thing for these aborigines to change their identity and become citizens of the empire.So Gordon is going to start with the upper class of the aborigines who have wealth and prestige.

Now, at least from the outside, several tribunes of the community who have been completely "Fretonized" are speaking the common language with a strong accent, telling Gordon the losses caused by the pirate attacks on their people.

Gordon inspected the houses burned by the pirates and dozens of civilians who were killed, calmed down, and then returned to Sea Cliff Fort.

The half-elf Yang Qi is in charge of defending against the pirates.He organized a mobile force with the redstone guards who stayed behind and the personnel drawn from the security patrol team. He usually stationed in the artisan area, and if he received a report of a small group of pirates, he would attack quickly.Not seeking to kill the enemy, the purpose is only to prevent the pirates from causing too much damage.

As for Sea Cliff Fort, Theodore led more than 300 newly recruited recruits who had not yet completed their training to defend.Their task is the easiest.The pirates who landed lost all desire to attack when they saw the tall and thick walls of the castle.And for these recruits, the heaviest daily work is nothing more than carrying stone bombs for several gravity trebuchets.

Although the pirates who landed can't pose a threat to the castle, the pirate ship is a bit of a problem.

In the beginning, there were still some pirates who wanted to break through the Sea Cliff Fort, so they sent a total of twelve pirate ships with crossbows on their bows to attack the Sea Cliff Fort.

Thus, a artillery battle between the old and new generations of siege weapons began between the backward torsion catapult and the advanced gravity catapult.

Of course, the final result was a fiasco for the pirates.Because the gravity trebuchet designed by Gordon is far stronger than the torsion crossbow on the pirate ship in terms of range, accuracy, and power.And the most important point is that the walls of Sea Cliff Castle are thick and will not sink.And those pirate ships with no more than three to five hundred tons could not bear the bombardment of a few stone bombs.

Therefore, the pirates who were quickly bombarded by the gravity trebuchet no longer dared to enter the waters within one kilometer of Sea Cliff Fort, and just cruised in the open sea.

Although they won a complete victory in the defensive battle, Gordon's army had little to do with the pirates.

After all, the other party has a ship in hand, and can choose the time and place to land at will.Launch an attack on the target you fancy.Many small tribes who had sworn allegiance to Gordon but did not move to the new city were looted by pirates.lost heavily.In addition to Yunlin City, there are three other large-scale settlements that can already be called "towns", and they have also been patronized by pirates.

Because of the complex inland terrain, almost all large-scale settlements on the Haiwen Peninsula are by the sea.Although the traffic is developed in this way.But it also provides convenience for pirates.

"Where's Xiona?" After Gordon returned to his study, he didn't deal with business immediately.As his only relative in this world, of course he had to care about his sister's situation.Pirate attacks are such a noisy thing.She should be able to show her talents.

But Brian's answer surprised Gordon a little.

"Master, Miss Xiona personally killed a pirate captain who was said to have the strength of a tenth-level fighter when she attempted to attack Sea Cliff Castle on the first day of the pirate attack. Then she said that she seemed to have a new understanding of swordsmanship." Comprehension. I have been staying in the indoor driving range for the past two days."

"That girl, is there no problem?" Gordon couldn't help but wonder.Ever since she used the imperial sword "Platinum Light" in the battle with Delington in the imperial capital, she has become a little too immersed in swordsmanship.

Fortunately, the little sister who serves Xiona every day and is responsible for delivering meals told Gordon that everything is as usual for the eldest lady of the Freeman family.

As a game otaku from another world.Gordon knew what it was like to suddenly become obsessed with something for a while.So regarding Xiona's current state, he was reasonable and didn't interfere too much.

"My lord, in this pirate attack, eight of our houses were burnt down, 26 people were killed, 33 people were injured, and the economic loss and consumption of various materials totaled more than [-] gold coins..."

Brian skillfully listed data one after another to Gordon, allowing him to immediately understand the changes in the territory after he left.

The mage nodded and said, "Very good, you go down first, let the chef make you two extra steaks tonight."

Unlike the ice fairies headed by Ania, who love sweets, Brian is an out-and-out meat eater, and he especially likes steaks that are grilled until the skin is browned and crispy.Gordon could already imagine that, after hearing that there was a steak dinner available, the ridiculously fleshy brain, hidden under the cold and mysterious metal shell, would be dancing in ecstasy now.

After the earl's butler, who was mysterious and profound in the eyes of outsiders, ran to the kitchen with sonorous steps, several anxious people who had been waiting for Gordon's return for a long time poured into the study almost regardless of etiquette.They are all sea merchants based in Cloudscale City and have a large trade volume on the entire peninsula—or to be precise, a group of greedy smugglers.

In the past, these smugglers made huge profits by selling all kinds of contraband that were abundant on the Haiwen Peninsula.Such as slaves, such as various alchemy plants that are highly poisonous and dangerous.In addition, the circulation of silver, which is strictly controlled due to the Precious Metal Act, can be used to mint coins, and it is also an important commodity for smugglers to make money.

The King of Haiwen, who controls the silver mines on the peninsula, has conflicts of interests and conflicts with these smugglers, and the relationship is quite complicated.

However, after Gordon's arrival, the smugglers discovered a new source of income, which was to provide a channel for the lord, whose foreign trade routes were almost blocked, to obtain supplies from the outside world.It's just the price, it's more "touching".

The reason why Gordon left the chaotic and dirty Cloudscale City and kept the city in a state of autonomy is also because it still relies on these smugglers.

So this time the pirates came and ransacked Yunlin City, causing the smugglers a big loss. For Gordon, this was a good thing.

In the past, it was Gordon who asked for these greedy smugglers, so the pricing power of all commodities was in the hands of the other party.Gordon could only endure the disgust of being ripped off.

But now, with Sea Cliff Fort intact in the pirate attack as a comparison, the looted smugglers finally realize that if they want to keep their property and life safe, they can no longer be shaved by pirates. Turn to the young lord for help.

Although there were many people scrambling to enter Gordon's room, there was only one person who was elected by the smuggler group as a representative and qualified to talk to Gordon.

His name is Usserman.It was a middle-aged man with gray hair.But although he is old, this guy from the Willfast area across the sea of ​​steam.The energy is still strong.Usserman was good-looking, with a handsome face enough to deceive a little girl, but Gordon was not at all impressed by his appearance in a wide-sleeved short shirt and tight trousers.

For the fashion taste of the Willfast people, Gordon only has the evaluation of "wonderful".

The strangely dressed smuggler cried to Gordon: "My lord, the pirates are too arrogant this time! These villains killed our people and robbed our property. They burned our ship and drove us to a desperate situation ! Now, we can only rely on you to protect the property of our people!"

For this man who claims to be a leader.Gordon said with a disdainful smile: "I don't remember that Mr. Usserman paid me a penny of commercial tax, nor did he fulfill his obligations as a citizen. Even when we first met, you said, I don't recognize the noble title of 'Earl of Haven'. I only recognize gold coins."

"This..." Usserman took out a perfumed handkerchief from his pocket.Wiping the sweat from his brow, he explained, "These are things in the past. Sir, now that we are facing a common threat, we should put aside the past and work together."

Businessmen have thick skins, and smugglers have even thicker skins.

However, Gordon faced these lions who used to blackmail him, but now he is a guy who looks like "haha, those things are over, we are still good friends".But there is no good attitude: "I have a strong sea cliff fortress, and pirates are no threat to me. Don't talk about fair cooperation with everyone. Please remember. You are here to beg me today, please show sincerity."

Usserman knew that he used to rely on Gordon's inability to trade with the outside world, and he was a bit too ruthless when trading with him.For example, the high-end fabric Gordon bought for the next group of community tribunes was ten times more expensive than the market price.

So when I came to see Gordon today, Usserman and his party were already prepared to be ridiculed by Gordon.Moreover, since the other party is willing to see him, it means that the lord has not completely closed the door to cooperation.The attitude at this time is nothing more than to blackmail a group of people and get back the losses they suffered before.

Usserman said: "My lord, although the pirates can't do anything to this magnificent castle, the city you are building, as well as the scattered villages and small towns in the surrounding area, can't resist the pirates. In addition, I know that you We are building sea ships and forming our own fleet. If the fleet is really built in the future, I am afraid that we cannot ignore the threat of pirates."

The smugglers were right.Gordon knew that these pirates were always a big threat to himself who had no command over the sea.Fortunately, in order to maintain the speed, pirate ships are generally designed to be narrow and light, and cannot carry many people. It is impossible for pirates to have a large army to land.

Although pirates are not a priority in the real stage, in the long run, these desperadoes on the steam sea must be dealt with.

Seeing that Gordon did not speak, his attitude seemed to ease a little, Usserman continued: "Lord Lord, do you know the identity of the pirate who attacked the territory this time?"

"Baromeo Bellamy, nicknamed 'Man-eating Vulture'." Gordon said in a deep voice.

This Baromew Bellamy is the most powerful pirate on the steam sea. He owns a total of fifty pirate ships, large and small.Gordon knew something about this pirate because he was the one who attacked Jill and Sigrid.

"Then, my lord, do you know that this Bellamy is actually old with the Aldrich family. When the King of Haven was still a pirate, Bellamy was the first mate on his ship. This time the opponent's attack, in fact It is mainly aimed at you. After all, we used to do business with peace of mind and did not offend the King of Haiwen. However, the opponent's attack was not good, and after turning to Cloudscale City to rob our supplies, these pirates discovered that we had been Use your own trade routes to buy all kinds of supplies for you, my lord. So now, we poor merchants are no longer the unlucky ones who are accidentally affected, but the main targets of Bellamy's attacks in the future."

Gordon heard what Usserman meant.It means that if you don't care about it, you won't be able to buy anything from smugglers in the future.

At that time, the gold coins in his hand will be rotten forever.

Although he didn't like these smugglers, in the end, because of mutual interests, Gordon reached an agreement with them.But the premise is that the smugglers will provide him with a considerable amount of military expenses to destroy the pirates.

The next question was how to eliminate Bellamy.

In fact, not just this time, the residents of the Haiwen Peninsula often suffered from pirates.After all, there are very few tribes that can have the Austrian Law Federation as a backstage like the Aikan people.Facing the harassment of pirates landing on the shore, most people can only run as hard as they can.

Although the various tribes once united and organized forces to deal with pirates.But since the entire sea is in the hands of pirates, they can come and go whenever they want, and they can land from wherever they want.So it's impossible to guard against.

And now, Gordon, who didn't even have a warship in his hands, seemed powerless to change this passive situation.

As a representative of smuggling merchants, Usserman also participated in a special meeting held by Gordon to discuss how to deal with pirates.

And this young lord proposed a very stupid and useless method at the meeting.

"Since we are unable to take the initiative to attack, then we should lure the pirates to take the bait." Gordon said. (To be continued..)