Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 9 Refugee Camp

Su Mu kept his word, and during the three-day rest period, he did not assign any tasks, but still paid his wages.

As for the timber handed over, he left a surplus, enough to make up for the shortfall.

The timber guild's transactions are a mandatory task for the kingdom, and the subsidies they provide are meager, barely enough to keep the forest farm afloat.

Eugen made it very clear to him that since he won the competition with a log quota of 1.5, the amount he had to hand over had to be 1.5; otherwise, not only would Franz and his group report him, but Eugen would also be unable to fulfill his obligations.

In fact, Franz and others did not think highly of Sumu as the forest owner. They were very familiar with Cangmu Forest Farm. No matter what methods Sumu used, handing over 1.5 logs was overdrawing on its spiritual potential. It would be abandoned after at most a month.

But they simply cannot comprehend the power of rudimentary governance in terms of construction.

"This timber is infested with insects and cannot be stored or used."

“This area is flooded. The damage may not be visible in the short term, but it will rot the ebony roots in the long term. We need to organize people to clean it up quickly.”

"Also, the materials manager needs to go to the market and buy the latest equipment, otherwise the desired effect won't be achieved."

Forrest has taken office as the deputy head of the forest farm, focusing on production and making up for the shortcomings that had not been addressed before, and the output has almost reached 3.5 logs.

Under his careful supervision and guidance, the carpenters gained a more detailed understanding of the entire timber harvesting process, and the entire forest farm ushered in a technological revolution.

Sweating profusely, Forrest entered the tent: "There is still room for improvement in production, but it requires workers to understand and learn, and it takes time to accumulate experience."

Wood won't let this go easily after losing to you. He might not cause trouble in the next few days due to the Timber Guild's intimidation, but he'll definitely resort to underhanded tactics later. We need to prepare in advance.

Currently, both Su Mu and Forrest have been promoted to heroes, which is more than enough to deal with a few spearmen. However, as two commanders without troops, they cannot fully utilize the hero's buff to their units, which is somewhat of a waste of their talents.

Su Mu had already considered this issue, since military strength is the key factor in measuring power in the world of heroes.

"I have informed Baron Eugen and asked him to help contact the nearby explorer camps and introduce some skilled individuals."

"Put down what you're doing and come with me."

Since Cangmu Forest Farm is located in the town, and Su Mu has just taken office, even if Wood is dissatisfied, he will not take immediate action. The most urgent task is to build up a team.

The two put on trench coats and rode off on horseback along a mountain path, passing through towering mountains and arriving at a barren plain.

A small stream meandered through the area, filled with mud, sand, and filth. The banks were littered with livestock excrement, creating a stench that filled the air.

As more people arrived, they were all ragged and emaciated, keeping their distance from the two important figures on horseback, and numbly lowering their heads.

"This is a refugee camp, right? What skilled people could they possibly recruit?"

Forrest remained unmoved; having come from a poor background, he was used to this environment. But these starving people were probably worse off than even the town's strongest adult men; how could they compare to elite spearmen?
Su Mu didn't explain, but continued forward, and soon came to an open space full of tents, all kinds of people, and incredibly strange creatures.

He pulled out a gold-embossed pass before entering through the wooden door.

A rat-headed man with shifty eyes, a cave monster with a huge head but no eyes, a fish monster with azure skin covered in a film of water, and a centaur warrior who is human when lying down and a horse when standing up.

It was full of strange and wonderful things, but the majority of the population was human, though they were quite destitute.

“There are already small-scale wars on the border, and there are tribes in distress everywhere. Refugee camps are places where spiritual beings gather and can provide temporary rest.”

[Refugee Camp: The refugee camp allows you to recruit random types of troops (levels 1-3, including neutral troops) every week.]

Commentary: These are down-on-their-luck fellows from all corners of the country; all they care about is having enough to eat. What does it matter who they serve?

A slight glint of his aura-gazing technique allowed him to determine the building's origins. Although it looked chaotic from the outside, there were reasons to visit.

"My lord, look at the Sogdian girls, with their red hair and green eyes, they can do any kind of work! Buying them is a sure win."

"The snow-covered region's magnetic people are skilled at carrying supplies, traveling a hundred miles a day, and only needing to be fed some iron ore."

"A green elf from the forest, with fair skin, beautiful face, and strong legs."

Most slaves have rotten teeth, but the elves, who are vegetarians, have white teeth and are therefore rare here. However, Su Mu did not come here to see them.

"I'm looking for Eagle Dove; someone recommended me!"

Su Mu handed over the pass, and someone immediately led them to the camp inside. There were no outsiders there, and it was very quiet.

After a while, a man wearing a leopard mask came in and strode forward to greet them.

"The Baron told me that you must redeem those people. Let's take a look first."

They soon entered a two-story building with a large open space below, where dozens of archery targets were set up and nearly fifty people were shooting with wooden arrows.

Some carved wood into arrows, others forged bows from tendons, and one of them fired five arrows in quick succession, each hitting the bullseye from a distance of a hundred paces. Even Forrest, now a hero, couldn't help but secretly applaud.

The masked man pulled the curtain shut, blocking their view.

"Since you were introduced by Baron Eugen, I'll do honest business. Although these people have lost their armor and bows, they are all archers. If I take them back and train them, they will all be excellent."

Because they had committed crimes and were in debt for ransom, each person needed 70 gold coins, and the leader needed 500 gold coins.

Upon hearing the asking price, Forrest, who had been full of admiration just moments before, instantly wilted like a deflated eggplant and dared not utter a sound.

Su Mu didn't care. He glanced at the masked man out of the corner of his eye, then quickly looked away.

This person's aura is ordinary, lacking any magical power, yet the aura-observation technique subtly warns. They must possess a mid-level stealth skill, making them undoubtedly a hero-level figure.

This refugee camp looks like it belongs to all sorts of people, but the fact that they can establish themselves in the country and even control businesses suggests that they have unfathomable backgrounds.

"The price is indeed not expensive, but their identities are questionable. Each of them has a rat's head branded on their right arm, which is a crime of mutiny. If I take them in, someone will definitely investigate."

Even if no one looks for him in this remote and impoverished place, the damage to his right arm will affect his magical power, making it difficult for him to wield a bow in the future.

The masked man glanced at Su Mu in surprise, not expecting him to be so observant. Few people understood the meaning of the disciplinary brand.

"They are guilty, but only temporarily. The border is becoming increasingly chaotic, and war is inevitable. When that happens, these experienced soldiers will be our most valuable assets."

Now that you understand the Kingdom's punishments, you should understand the value of this group of people.

"The group took all 4000 gold coins."

Su Mu stepped forward and looked at the other party: "6000 gold coins. These people will come with me, and each of them will be equipped with archer gear."

If you simply lead people away, without arrows that possess spiritual power, they won't be able to unleash their full potential.

The other party hesitated, so Su Mu continued to offer more: "I don't have that many gold coins right now, but I have better items to exchange for."

Upon hearing this, the masked man's expression immediately changed: "You have no money and you still come here to cause trouble? Do you think this place is a vegetable market?"

Behind the curtain, his steps were unsteady, and his longsword was drawn, its silver light dazzling.

"I'll use it to pay off my debt!"

Su Mu calmly took out a piece of log and handed it to the other person.

"With a major battle imminent, the channels for transporting logs are extremely scarce. You can't get such high-quality timber from anyone other than me."

The masked man took it, squeezed it hard, and wood chips flew everywhere. The magical energy in the air dissipated, confirming that it was indeed high-quality raw wood.

"30 logs. Send someone to transport them to the designated location without letting the duchy find out."

"make a deal!"

The two embraced, their faces lighting up with joy once more.

The soldiers behind the scenes withdrew one by one, and the masked man went to arrange the release of the people.

Su Mu can take them away in advance, as long as the timber is delivered on time. The masked man is not worried about breaching the contract at all. Don't underestimate this dilapidated refugee camp. If we don't consider Langlit Fortress, it would be easy to wipe out Cangmu Town.

During the break arranged by the other party, Forrest quietly raised his thumb.

It's important to know that the market in the principality is quite shady. Without sufficient territory and channels, you often have to pay 10 times the price to buy goods and only 1/10 the price to sell them, and there are often no buyers even when there are prices available.

Logs are typically worth 250 gold, and selling them to the Timber Guild is a mandatory task that only yields 25 gold.

According to the price Su Mu negotiated with the masked man, one log was worth 200 gold coins. Although it hadn't reached the base price, it was still quite considerable, since they had no say in the matter.

Su Mu didn't explain much. He had delayed coming for several days, not only to fulfill his promise but also to wait for news from the border.

As war approaches, timber will become increasingly valuable, rising in price every single day.

In the mid-to-late stages, it can even be more expensive than rare resources.

After all, not every city can build a Cloud City, but all castle factions can build watchtowers and archer towers, and the rest of the buildings also require wood.

Just as Su Mu was taking possession of the group of "criminals," dust billowed in the distance, and a sentry in blood-stained armor brought shocking news.

"The Kingdom's Wall, the Holy Shield surrounded by mountains, the border city forged of steel has fallen!"

(End of this chapter)