Chapter 43: Major Expansion
“Anyway, let’s put this quest aside for now…”
The quest rewards were indeed plentiful, but it was clear he couldn’t complete it at the moment.
Immediately, Colin shifted his focus and started inventorying other gains.
This time, he acquired thirty-nine slaves and four survivors, totaling forty-three people.
Including his own team, he now controlled fifty-seven people.
The number had increased dramatically!
However, more important than the number were the nine lanterns, nine crafting tables, and nine scrolls.
These items were the key to the expansion.
Colin pulled out a somewhat broken chair, sat down in the wilderness, and squinted his eyes in thought:
“If you use a crafting table to synthesize ‘ordinary’ blood, then this crafting table triggers the condition for synthesizing ordinary blood…“Servants can use crafting tables, that’s been confirmed…
“That means these nine lanterns do not have to be like Team One’s, which only fit a few people; instead, they can be expanded into large teams, each set up like mine with fourteen people!”
Colin squinted his eyes and breathed heavily. Doing the math, he realized that ten teams, each with fourteen people, totaled over 140 people, nearly ten times his current number…
This instantly solved his urgent need for more manpower for mining.
Thinking of this, Colin looked gratefully at the other survivors…
Truly, they were lifesavers in his time of need!
However, the four survivors felt a chill down their spines, sensing danger.
“Why do I feel like I’ve gotten stronger without doing anything?” Colin muttered to himself.
He continued thinking about the scroll’s friend function (only both parties taking out the scroll could add each other), allowing for remote material transfers, even if not in the mining area, enabling private transactions.
In simpler terms, Colin could arrange several teams to mine, and after mining, have the materials sent directly through the friend list in the personal channel…
As long as they mined quickly, Colin could unleash unlimited firepower at the front without worry.
“The only risk is that servants can’t operate the scroll. The transaction requires survivors to transfer the materials to their inventory before sending them…”
This was the only risk in the plan.
However, this risk was controllable because servants could see the scroll’s contents.
And due to their absolute loyalty, they could effectively prevent harmful actions, avoiding danger.
“Three to five teams should be left in the mining area, with corresponding crafting tables and two scrolls one for regular use and one backup. This area is crucial and must be strictly controlled.”
“Then, I can free myself, leave here, and use a few territories to create ‘war chariots’ to flatten Crow Mountain Forest…”
“I remember war chariots requiring a lot of iron…”
“But after so long, those miners should have dug up some minerals…”
“By the way, the team structure can still be improved. After this trip, I feel it can be sixteen or seventeen people, four teams of three, one ‘lantern bearer,’ and three ‘lantern guards’…”
Colin roughly planned the setup for later, but suddenly thought of something…
There were more people coming to help him.
This area was sorted out, but there were still people approaching from four directions…
They should be near this area soon.
Even one more person meant four more teams and over fifty additional fighters for Colin.
He didn’t know how to thank them for their kindness.
As for the food issue, he wasn’t too worried. The current supplies were enough for a day, which was plenty of time to get things done.
If not, he could trade on the market.
This morning, he reaped a good harvest with everyone; it had been four or five hours, so fresh sprouts should be ready.
“In addition, there’s over five thousand ml of foul tainted blood here, which can synthesize over sixteen hundred ml of ordinary blood, which is enough for a while…”
“And over two hundred black bread, various fresh and not-so-fresh meat over a hundred portions, totaling over a hundred pounds. Someone even specifically killed a wild boar and brought it over, very considerate…”
Colin checked his inventory and sighed…
The money came in no slower than robbing.
Oh… This seemed like robbing…
In his thoughts, ten minutes passed quickly. The five servants on the ground had opened their eyes and looked at Colin with gratitude.
Apart from being relatively weak and having just reattached their legs, they had survived this crisis successfully.
They understood their value and the cost of what Colin had given them.
All they could repay was loyalty.
Though loyalty meant little when a lord had absolute control over servants, it was all they had to offer.
Sanna, having used “Wind of Revival” for a long time, stood weakly, waiting for Colin to speak.
“Can you still walk?” Colin asked, simultaneously checking their stats. Their basic attributes were around 1.5, and the word “invigorated” appeared even without intervention.
“Yes, Lord!” They stood trembling, their legs still in pain from the recent healing.
But by tomorrow, this would significantly improve.
Compared to ordinary people, servants recovered faster.
And perhaps, due to long-term labor, their bodies efficiently used food.
“Rest and eat a bit, Sanna, you too.”
Colin then turned to Number Two, his longest companion, and began his second expansion plan.
Soon, nine carefully selected servants stood before Colin in a line, their eyes filled with unwavering loyalty.
Among them was Number Two, all chosen as “lantern bearers” and team leaders.
“You will be team leaders for my squads two to eleven. Your only purpose is to follow my orders and ensure your lanterns burn at all costs…”
Colin said solemnly, “Any questions?”
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