Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 86 The Intelligence Chief and the Moon of Life (Part 2)

By the end of the month, the major infrastructure project for this season's Little Elf event was almost finished.

Sumu inspected each area and handled internal affairs.

The Magic Guild wasn't upgraded, but an additional magic tower was added to the side, attracting many aspiring magic apprentices. Regardless of talent, learning magic is extremely expensive; most people spend the money but fail to grasp the skills, ultimately giving up.

Those who truly possess magical talent will shine wherever they are; even in a small guild in a town, they can stand out.

"Reporting to you, sir, the guild has recruited three magic apprentices this month to study potion-making, alchemy, and elemental scrolls, respectively, and they are working hard on their research."

Su Mu entered the assemblies, where an old monk led three apprentices, all young men around twenty years old. They looked around curiously, somewhat uneasy.

Su Mu reviewed them one by one, then gave a brief comment: "Hmm, these magical contents are all required courses for apprentices. Keep up the good work."

"Yes, my lord."

Overjoyed to have gained the lord's approval, the three returned to the magic house to conduct their research.

After exchanging pleasantries with the old mage, Su Mu left the magic guild.

The old mage was borrowed from Eugen and was temporarily in charge of Kuraki's magic guild. Although he wasn't even a leader, he was knowledgeable and patient.

He used his aura-gazing technique to assess them, and concluded that the three apprentices' aptitude was only mediocre; they might remain apprentices for life. Their greatest contribution was assisting in the production of potions or scrolls.

This was within Su Mu's expectations. Although Cangmu Town had experienced a population boom, it was still a small town with few people possessing both talent and ability. Compared to county towns like Langlit Castle, these teenagers had not undergone systematic training, nor had they built up a knowledge base, making it extremely difficult for them to learn magic.

Even so, they were already among the best talents in Kuraki, having defeated countless peers in the town to reach this position. It's just that the higher they climbed, the more talented they encountered, and the more they realized their own insignificance.

Of course, if someone is truly exceptionally talented or has the best of luck, and can be promoted to a mage or priest-type hero, then everything will be clear and the mystery will be solved.

Heroes are not defined by their origins; they are endowed with magical powers and can comprehend the mysteries of magic in the world—this is a qualitative leap.

The old mage is physically weak and has already submitted his resignation several times. Currently, there is no suitable person to lead the magic guild; Su Mu and Ouling are frequently away on campaigns and cannot be stationed at the guild. Forrest is in charge of city construction, and his responsibilities are already quite heavy; even if he were to take on additional duties, it wouldn't be as effective.

After much deliberation, Su Mu decided that he still needed to recruit some talent from Langlitburg.

Next, Su Mu went to the newly built Hero's Tavern, which had been open for several days and was still packed with people.

The bartender was the same owner who had previously made the Flaming Red Serpent for the two of them. For Forrest, a drunkard, he had basically tried everything in Kuraki. Any drink that could make him linger must have some skill.

Because it is a special building, Forrest also uses the magical environment to teach bartenders various bartending techniques, enabling them to make better drinks.

Ordinary people have never tasted this before. They were immediately captivated by the fine wine, drinking heavily for three days and even forgetting to go home.

However, these were all wealthy traders and landowners. Their spending allowed ordinary people to earn more income, which can be considered a form of redistribution.

Planting, harvesting, transportation, brewing, service, bartending, and even gatekeeping—it's a whole service chain that supports many people.

Upon seeing Su Mu enter the tavern wearing a hood, Forrest instantly snapped out of his daze and led the lord to a private room on the second floor.

The tavern was noisy and chaotic, certainly not a good place to discuss business.

As he passed the corner of the stairs, he could still hear some creaking sounds from the wood. Forrest could only scratch his head awkwardly: "The spell barrier isn't completely fixed yet, so the soundproofing is a bit lacking!"

Once the two reached the second-floor room, the hustle and bustle of the world was instantly shut out from them. What came into view was a courtyard with an architectural style similar to ancient Rome, grand and magnificent.

"Stop with this nonsense, let's talk about what I care about."

Forrest immediately took out the roster, which contained the names of three people.

“Bahrain, a spearman commander who fled from another town, is quite skilled in martial arts and wants to join us. I think he is quite capable and could be a captain of the guard. However, his background is somewhat unclear and we are currently investigating him, so we will put this on hold for now and have him train with the spearmen in the city.”

“Wayne, a roaming bandit leader, has a knack for gathering intelligence. He originally ran a workshop in Kuraki Town, and after the tavern was built, he took on more business. I discovered him, talked to him, and he agreed to take over the intelligence work in Kuraki. He has excellent investigative skills, but as a thief, he often operates in the shadows, so it’s impossible to verify his past.”

"George is a veteran of Kuraki Town. He was a forest ranger when he was in the forest farm and has excellent archery skills. Now, after training as an archer, he has improved and may soon be promoted to archer commander. As for becoming the commander of the Earth Bow, he is probably still a bit short. However, he is honest and reliable and very loyal to the town."

Su Mu held the character introduction and portrait, studying them carefully.

Forrest's intention was to include these individuals in the evaluation process. Jon, needless to say, was a native of Kuraki Town with a clean record, and would naturally be given priority in training if he could be cultivated, even if his abilities were somewhat lacking.

The key is the first two, both of whom are outsiders. They were discovered by the Hero's Tavern, and Forrest took the opportunity to include them on the list.

Kuraki will expand further in the future, and will inevitably rely on capable outsiders. The key is to discern their intentions.

"They're in the tavern, should we call them up?"

"No need, let's go outside. I'll just take a look from a distance."

Forrest led Su Mu down the corridor and pointed to a certain spot in the tavern.

The first thing you see is a tall, neatly dressed man, who is holding a wine glass and chatting with two female companions beside him.

"I used to fight alongside the Angry Bear Clan, battling across the northern part of the Xilin Plain. You don't understand the cruelty of the battlefield; it's full of dead bodies and skeletons. Yet, a spearman's duty is to raise his spear and advance bravely."

To serve the kingdom and fight for our lord is our destiny.

Several young women were clearly drawn to the war stories, their eyes filled with admiration.

Bahrain happily drank a few glasses of wine and began to spout wild talk.

"With my skill level, I could easily become a military commander. I had heard that the general of Kuraki Town was brilliant and brave, but now it seems he's just average. He's been training those new recruits for so long, he should have seen my martial arts skills by now, yet he's been hesitant to recommend me. If I could meet the lord, I would surely be appreciated."

If he fails to recognize talent, I will seek refuge elsewhere and surely achieve great things!

After saying that, he drank a glass of wine, then embraced the woman next to him and began to grope her.

Although the tavern was noisy, the two heroes had incredibly sharp senses and could clearly hear what Balin was saying.

Forrest's expression was somewhat unpleasant. He had interacted with Bahrain regularly and understood his desire to prove himself. Everyone joined the army to advance their careers, and there was nothing wrong with showcasing one's abilities. That's why he'd included Bahrain in the first batch of recruits; he hadn't expected him to become so arrogant after a few drinks.

【Bahrain (Spearman Commander): Attack 8, Defense 10, Damage 2-6, Health 30, Speed ​​5, Small size.

Loyalty: 10, Element: None.

Characteristics: hypocritical, rebellious, and self-righteous.

Spearman Commander: The spear can attack enemies at a greater distance. The first attack is a thrust, dealing 120% damage.

If it were just a few complaints about being underappreciated, Su Mu might at most think the person was a bit careless and could make them a training officer. But if the Qi Observation Technique directly labels them as rebellious, then they absolutely cannot be allowed to live.

"Expel him from the camp and cease providing him with the treatment of a spearman. Let him seek a worthy ruler elsewhere." Upon hearing such a stern order, Forrest paused for a moment, then obeyed.

The lord's leniency towards his core generals does not mean that just anyone can run rampant in Kuraki. Those who think they have some ability and become arrogant are courting death.

After ruling out Balin, Forrest pointed to another thief, though he wasn't very hopeful.

He had participated in previous battles and knew that Su Mu had never been fond of thieves, especially since these guys usually behaved in a despicable way and were hard to like.

In a corner of the tavern, a disheveled man drank alone, his face utterly cold. He rubbed the dagger in his hand as he drank, only showing a hint of tenderness when dealing with his weapon.

【Wayne (Thief Leader): Attack 16, Defense 6, Damage 4-8, Health 20, Speed ​​6, Small Size】

Loyalty 60, Element: None.

Characteristics: They take money to do things, abide by industry rules, and conduct investigations.

Reconnaissance Specialty: Enhances the Thieves' Guild's intelligence gathering capabilities, sometimes even bringing unexpected information.

It's unbelievable that a thief could be more loyal than a spearman. But his loyalty is to money and the rules of thievery, so there's nothing wrong with that.

After all, Wayne is an outsider; he has no attachment to Kuraki Town. He was simply recruited by Forrest, and all he needed to do was get paid. Only after he's lived there longer and accomplished more can we truly see if he's trustworthy and capable of great things.

"We can put Wayne in the underground thieves' guild of the tavern and let him be in charge of intelligence gathering. Don't be stingy with the money he deserves; let him do the work. Observe him for a few more months."

Forrest was quite surprised that the lord would take a liking to this thief.

Just as the two were discussing, Wayne, who was in the corner, suddenly raised his head, looked around, and spotted Su Mu and the others on the second floor in the dim light.

The place was a melting pot of all sorts of people, and with all the noise, ordinary people wouldn't notice anything unusual on the second floor. Besides, with the soundproofing provided by the spell, Su Mu and Forrest were basically in a state of silence. Even so, when Su Mu used his aura-observation technique, Wayne still sensed something amiss—truly a talent for reconnaissance.

Wayne had a keen eye; he immediately spotted Forrest, Kuraki's chief financial officer, whom he had met before and wouldn't forget the powerful architect.

But Forrest stood respectfully behind him, his body slightly bent and a smile on his face—a gesture befitting a superior.

Wayne turned his gaze to the man beside Forrest, who looked to be no more than twenty years old. He was expressionless, and outsiders could not discern any emotion from his face. However, a powerful aura of magical energy could be vaguely sensed surrounding him.

Lord Sumu!

Almost instantly, Wayne knew who the other person was.

So he put away the dagger, raised his wine glass, smiled toward the second floor, and drank a large glass of wine by himself.

Su Mu nodded and left through the corridor.

Forrest, however, looked at Wayne again and gave him a thumbs up.

This thief's ability to detect a heroic aura in such a chaotic environment certainly makes him a natural intelligence agent. The fact that he could instantly recognize Su Mu and respond with a toast despite never having seen him before demonstrates his quick reflexes. With these two advantages, and most importantly, the lord's appreciation, Wayne's future looks bright.

Forrest had no doubt about the lord's judgment.

Even if Su Mu pointed to a pig today and said he would raise it, Forrest would still think that the pig was handsome and could one day be trained into a magical beast mount, which would have to be taken care of day and night.

The logic is simple; he and Ouling are the most direct examples. Without Su Mu, with their talent, could they have achieved what they have today? Don't even think about it.

Su Mu's guidance to talented individuals is nothing short of miraculous. In short, just follow the lord's lead.

Having dealt with these two troublesome figures, and knowing that the last one wasn't around, I couldn't be bothered to use my aura reading.

People like George, with their respectable background, usually don't have many problems, and Forrest's intelligence allows him to manage them.

Overall, the advantages of the Hero's Tavern are gradually becoming apparent. At first glance, it may not seem as directly helpful as the Barracks in providing combat power, but in reality, it can play a significant role.

A bad soldier is just one bad soldier, but a bad general makes a bad army. Commanders and heroes capable of leading troops are the key figures Su Mu is observing.

Once we gather more intelligence, it would be even better if we could recruit a few more heroes.

After finishing up the tavern's affairs, I can now relax and wait for the start of the next month.

After the dawn dispelled the darkness, a new astrological month finally arrived.

[Month of Creatures: Summer is here, everything is coming back to life, this is a month for encouragement and hard work, +50% production of all unit types]

When Su Mu saw the astrological tips for this month, he couldn't help but clench his fist. It was truly a blessing from heaven.

He hastily dispatched Forrest and Orling to collect troops from various locations.

[Shieldbearer +56, Earthbow +55, Wild Griffin +32]

The "accumulate sand to form a tower" strategy was naturally used for the Archer Tower in the main city. Since the Archer Tower's special effect is to increase base production, it can generate the highest bonus during the Biological Month. Moreover, they were very lucky; in the first week of the renovation, they directly experienced a 3x increase in base production, so even with only one Archer Tower, the output was not low.

The benefits of the Month of Life are not calculated based on multiple bonuses, but rather on the base production. Therefore, building high-level castles is still of great strategic significance.

The one that benefited the most was the Griffin Cliff to the south, which had been blessed. Forrest took some time to visit it last week and improved the effect of the intermediate civil engineering.

[Griffin Cliff Special Effect (Intermediate Civil Engineering): When the Astrological Month is a Growth Month (regardless of whether it's a Griffin Growth Month), base production is doubled. When the Astrological Month is a Plague Month, production is reduced by 50% (but will not stop completely). Additional cost: 5 Primogems, 3 Gems (since the previous expansion included repairs, this expansion cost is calculated separately).]

At the time, Forrest didn't think the effect would be significant, but Su Mu knew the terrifying power of the Star and Moon Astrology. This kind of base-like buff was rare and hard to come by, which led him to choose this option. It's just a pity that outdoor buildings are not affected by city bonuses, otherwise Griffin Cliff would have become an extremely terrifying source of resources.

Su Mu stood on the training ground, watching the generals drill the newly recruited soldiers, and was very satisfied.

No one can understand the thrill of building up an army from scratch, little by little.

If the surrounding circumstances hadn't prevented it, he would have waited forever before leading his troops to push out.

However, the costs were enormous. Training and recruiting these soldiers not only depleted all the gold coins they had accumulated, but also recently exhausted their reserves of wood for exchanging for gold coins.

Sumu also got some money from Valentine, otherwise it wouldn't have been enough to buy soldiers.

Now, it's time to go out and make money.

Just then, the person urging them arrived at Kuraki.

"My lord, Baron Eugen has arrived at the council chamber!"

"Okay, I'll go see him right away."

(End of this chapter)