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Chapter 458: Integrating SoldiersĀ
Many lords who had prepared to watch the drama suddenly found it uninteresting.
Matthew dealt with the other lords too quickly. Those smiling faces seemed unlike the troublesome opponents they usually encountered.
Soon, soldiers from all the territories gathered together.
Angela skillfully began integrating the soldiers.
Her first step was to reclaim command authority.
Occasionally, there were commanders in the lords' armies who were unwilling to comply, but their respective lords quickly reprimanded them.
These commanders could be confused, but the lords had to toe the line.
Otherwise, the purchase orders issued by Bay Village might no longer be guaranteed!
Squad leaders from Bay Village, who had attended command training, took charge of the eight lordly armies, each with their own trusted subordinates.
Information about the soldiers' strength and details was soon delivered to Matthew.
"The number of Professionals accounts for only about one-fifth, the average challenge level is just 2, and weapons and equipment make up two-thirds of their effectivenessā¦"
Matthew was not surprised by this.
Improving military strength is not an overnight process.
In fact, the lords of the Eastern Province already did relatively well compared to the rest of the Netheril Empire.
Few lords in other regions maintained large-scale armies.
Especially in the northwest, a recent article in the Arcane Daily reportedā
Two earldoms and their main cities had already been destroyed by the orc armies.
Angela frowned slightly; the combat strength of these soldiers was relatively low.
They might barely manage to defend a city.
But for field battles, they were not to be relied upon.
Angela could hardly imagineā
Earls, with so many resources, populations, and finances, along with fortified large citiesā
Could still lose to orc armies equipped with makeshift weapons and lacking siege machinery.
Others were equally puzzled.
After spending time in Bay Village, they had almost forgotten what the other lords were like.
Matthew set aside the materials in his hand, a glint of regret in his eyes.
He had not found any particularly outstanding talents among these soldiers.
As expected, exceptionally gifted individuals are not easily encountered.
While reviewing maps and information on the Scarlet Fortress, Matthew explained:
"Most ordinary lords' recruited militia don't even reach this level."
"These are just temporary conscripts, meant to fulfill the imperial draft requirements."
"They're unwilling to bring out their regularly trained armies."
Everyone understood this well.
But precisely because of this, they felt even more impressed by the lord's wisdom.
Bay Village's combat forces had grown stronger through repeated battles.
The more capable they became, the easier it was to defeat enemies and reduce their own casualties.
A battle-hardened, undefeated army naturally exudes an aura of invincibility!
The Bay Village army achieved this thanks toā
The lord's meticulous training.
Support from territorial policies.
High soldier benefits and generous rewards that allowed them to focus entirely on their duties without worries, creating an invincible army.
All this was brought about by the lord.
Matthew reviewed the draft mission's plan, thoughtfully adding:
"First, arrange for them to undergo formation training, focusing on using crossbows, shields, and spears."
"The journey from Bloodmoon City to Scarlet Fortress is expected to take 20 days, covering 800 kilometers."
"During these 20 days, we can refine and integrate these 8,000 soldiers."
"Additionally, we can introduce them to Bay Village."
"Now, let's discuss the battle plan."
Angela understood Matthew's intent, her eyes lighting up with anticipation.
She spread out the map and expertly explained:
"Scarlet Fortress is divided into three combat zones: the fortress interior, the southern sector, and the northern sector."
"The fiercest fighting will occur inside the fortress."
"That's where the Eighth and Third Legions' main battlefield lies. We may be assigned some defensive tasks there."
"The southern sector usually sees skirmishes, with orc scouts ambushing supply convoys."
"Our target, however, is the northern sector, where the orc forces are most concentrated!"
"ā¦"
Angela's bold battle plan left others both shocked and oddly expectant.
The lord had already made it clearā
This time, Bay Village must achieve the top military merits!
...ā¦
Calling over Elio, Jifan glanced curiously at the veiled Feili behind her and asked:
"What's wrong with Sister Feili? Afraid of being recognized?"
Elio gave a light hum, equally unsure why Feili behaved this way, and pointed at the soldiers lining up:
"What's going on here? Are they picking recruits?"
Flipping through a roster, Jifan, noting several identical names, smacked his lips and replied:
"That's right, selecting Professionals for focused training."
"As for recording their names and details, it's to ensure they get paid."
Eager to shift the topic, Feili widened her eyes in disbelief and asked:
"Paid? Why pay them? Isn't this a draft mission? Most lords only provide mealsā¦"
Feili's surprise mirrored that of the soldiers upon hearing the news.
They stared blankly as Bay Village soldiers carried two chests forward.
When Jifan opened them, the gleaming gold and silver immediately excited the crowd.
Actions speak louder than words.
Suppressing thoughts like "The lord has strange preferences," Jifan loudly declared:
"That's right! Although you're temporarily enlisted in Bay Village's combat units, you'll still receive wages."
"Regular soldiers will earn 30 silver coins, while Professional soldiers will earn 1 gold coin per month."
"Combat merits will bring additional rewards."
"Furthermore, in the unfortunate event of death, regular soldiers' families will receive 5 gold coins, and Professional soldiers' families will receive 20 gold coins."
The soldiers, previously disheartened, instantly grew animated.
They never expected Bay Village to be so generous and eagerly discussed it:
"30 silver coins? That's what I earned in the second half of last year."
"Can we really get 1 gold coin? Just for being Professionals?"
"1 gold coin per month? Is that true?"
"The front lines are collecting their pay. We'll know soon enough."
"Is this hazard pay?"
"Draft missions inherently involve danger, and other lords only provide half a mealā¦"
"There's compensation? 5 gold coins? Will my family actually receive it?"
"Probably. They wrote down my address earlier."
"It's not a scam, right?"
"Why would they scam us? They could've just skipped the money part entirely."
"True. I heard there's a prize for spoils of war too?"
"Looks legit!"
"Which territory is this?"
"Weren't you listening earlier? This is Bay Village."
"Bay Village? I've heard of it. They've been taking in refugees. I thought they were poorā¦"
"Poor? Do you know any adventurers? Many have gone to Bay Village recently and made a fortune!"
"ā¦"
Under the lure of money, the previously lax soldiers quickly became disciplined.
The soldiers remarked: "It's not that we want to listen, but Bay Village is offering too much."
Other lords, watching this unfold, concluded that Bay Village's people were foolish, and their lord was a spendthrift destined to ruin his territory.
After all, these soldiers weren't from Bay Village; once the draft ended, they'd return homeā¦
Truly, "naive and rich"!