I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 235 Strategic Fortress

Chapter 235 Strategic Fortress
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"You are indeed wise."

Camille lowered his head slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "You will definitely send troops to garrison here if you are mining here."

"I hope that your mine can form a military alliance with Icebreath Town so that we can jointly deal with any enemy situation."

"Oh, I understand what you mean."

Rhodes nodded slightly.

Rhodes believed in Baron Camille's sincerity.

However, given the current strength of Icebreath Hills, this probably doesn't count as an alliance at all. It's more likely that Rhodes' people are helping to guard Icebreath Hills and deter other people and alien races.

As someone who transmigrated from Earth, Rhodes had seen a lot in his previous life.

Under the guise of project development, additional troops were deployed to provide military assistance.

"That's a very good idea."

After thinking for a moment, Rhodes said, "But it's not good enough. I think we can go a little deeper."

"Deeper?"

Camille frowned slightly, then immediately relaxed upon realizing it was impolite, raising her hand in acknowledgment.
"Please tell me."

“I don’t know the exact location of your copper mine, but I feel that just one mine is not enough, after all, my people need to make a living.”

Rhodes waved his hand, signaling Vivian to take out the map and unfold it.

Rod pointed up and said,
"Why don't you give me the right to use this land, so that my farmers can cultivate the land here and my hunters can hunt around it?"

"That way I can have a stable mine and army here, to assist you when there is danger in the Icebreath Hills."

Rhodes reached out and drew a line between Icebreath Hills and Blackpine Ridge.
"Otherwise, it's too far away, and a copper mine wouldn't mean much to me."

If Camille were perceptive enough, she would have realized that Rhodes was referring to "meaning" rather than "interests."

In fact, what Rhodes valued most was the location of Snake Tail Canyon.

Snake Tail Canyon is a small place, located near the Frozen Bone Wasteland, and is not visible on the map unless you look closely.

However, this location is a relatively central position in the western part of the Northern Wastes.

To the west lies Icebreath Town, to the east Frozen Bone Wasteland, and to the south are Longwinter Town and Frost Town.

Originally, Black Pine Ridge was too far away from these places, a location beyond the reach of the authorities.

If such a stronghold were established, then Rhodes would have an outpost in the western part of the Northern Wilderness.

Of course, there is another crucial point here, namely the existence of Lord Camille.

If Rhodes only has an outpost, then that outpost is a lonely village, weak and isolated.

When the incident occurred, Rhodes was unable to provide assistance in time.

However, if military cooperation with Icebreath Town could be added, the outpost could develop steadily.

Rhodes was confident he could turn the village into a fortress within three years.

As for the so-called twenty-year usage right...

Even if Rhodes underestimates himself, he is confident that he can turn the limited right of use into a permanent territory within twenty years.

If it's just a standalone mine, as Rhodes said, it's not very meaningful.

After all, Black Pine Ridge is not fully developed yet; there are still Razor Plains, Ice Peak Valley, and even Frozen Bone Wasteland.

Camille, as the lord, though unclear about Rhodes's intentions, couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

After all, it was his own territory, and according to Rhodes's intentions, it meant ceding a piece of land.

"The land of Bingxi Hills is even more vast than that of Heipong Ridge."

Seeing her hesitation, Rhodes spoke first, his gaze sweeping across the surrounding wasteland before finally settling on Camille.
“Baron Camille, these lands are abandoned even if my men don’t cultivate them.”

"Leave it to me for now; you won't actually suffer any loss."

"To be honest, if you weren't the daughter of the Marquis of Moon Lake..."

Rod smiled and shook his head. "I won't bother with places that far away."

"Don't forget, there's no lord in the Frozen Bone Wasteland right now, and that land is closer to me."

Rhodes' words moved Cammy.

"You're right."

Camille nodded seriously. "Land isn't that valuable here in the wasteland; slaves and talent are far more important."

"Of course, I'll be sending people to guard the copper mine."

Rod lamented, "Their food cannot rely solely on transportation."

“Alright, Baron Rhodes.”

Camille finally nodded. "But you can't go too far, and you can't interfere with the cultivation of my territory."

"Definitely not."

Rhodes drew a diagonal line on the map. "We won't go beyond here. If necessary, we'll expand eastward."

The east that Rhodes mentioned is the Frozen Bone Wasteland—this is not needed in the early game.

"We can plan out the specific scope when we sign the alliance agreement."

"Okay, then it's settled."

Camille nodded readily.

"I'll go back now and have the chef arrange a dinner to entertain you. After dinner, we can have a proper discussion tonight."

"Don't rush this, there are still many things to arrange later."

Rhodes refused without hesitation, and then explained,
"Tonight we have to clean up the battlefield and hunt down deserters. There are many things to take care of, so I don't have time to enjoy dinner."

“I imagine there must be many things in Icebreath Town that Baron Camille needs to handle,” Rhodes countered.

"You're right."

Camille immediately realized her mistake. "I was in a hurry. You should take care of your business first. I also need to go back and handle matters in town."

"If you feel tired, you can always go to my manor to rest."

"it is good."

Rhodes nodded in greeting, and Camille returned the greeting with a slight bow. Then he quickly turned and called his attendants back to Frostleaf Town.

Rhodes turned around and saw Kyle already sitting with Sejuani, leaning against the giant boar, chatting and laughing.

At this moment, Sejuani no longer exuded any murderous aura; instead, she appeared more honest and simple.

Rod couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Sejuani didn't look very old, just turned 18. Even though she was precocious as a non-human, she was still driven to madness when faced with the disaster of her entire tribe being killed.

Perhaps sensing Rhodes' gaze, Sejuani stopped chatting with Kayle, turned around, stood up, and walked to Rhodes.

"Thank you for the gift, Lord Rhodes."

Sejuani bowed slightly in greeting, “Lord Rhodes’ rations are truly abundant, not only with delicious jerky, but also with this sweet treat I’ve never tasted before…”

“Marching sugar cubes,” Kyle added.

"Yes, marching sugar cubes."

Sejuani exclaimed, "After eating, I feel like my fatigue has been reduced by more than half."

Rhodes smiled, feeling that Sejuani had exaggerated a bit.

That piece of maltose was about the size of a walnut, and it only contained crushed nuts and herbs. How could it possibly relieve most of the fatigue?

Even taking three pills can boost your spirits and make you more alert.

In fact, the jerky that Sejuani ate probably played a big role.

"Our military rations are specifically designed to help soldiers recover quickly after the war."

Rhodes looked at Sejuani and casually said, "If you like, I'll have someone prepare some more for you."

"Lord Rhodes, you don't need to eat so well all the time, hahaha..."

Sejuani laughed awkwardly, "When we go to wipe out the lizardmen, please give me even more."

"it is good."

Rhodes nodded; it was true that soldiers could eat fresh game while stationed at the garrison.

"There's one more thing I'd like to trouble Lord Rhodes with."

Sejuani glanced back at her boar, a little embarrassed. "My partner Snow White hasn't eaten in a long time either. Could you please..."

"No problem, I'll have Wolfhoof share some with you."

The wolf riders' giant wolves also have a large appetite. Although they often hunt for themselves, they need to stock up on a lot of dried meat when they are on a fast march and don't have time.

The giant wolf's jerky was of slightly worse quality than what the soldiers ate, but the soldiers could still eat it when time was of the essence.

Sejuani bowed. "I will repay you double after I wipe out the lizardmen, I promise."

Rhodes nodded slightly, not paying much attention.

Accompanied by Kyle, Sejuani went to the supply depot hidden in the rear to collect supplies.

But before they even reached their destination, they turned back.

Rhodes was slightly taken aback when he saw Sejuani return so quickly.
"Is it the quartermaster who won't give it to you?"

"No, my lord, we were stopped by the thunder before we even got close..."

Kyle looked embarrassed. "The Thunder don't know Leader Sejuani and forbid her from approaching."

Rhodes immediately realized that there was a Thunderman stationed at the quartermaster.

Frost remained in Frostleaf Town to guard the town, while Thunder followed Rhodes on his expedition.

Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, Rhodes had left the Thunder to guard the supply depot temporarily, but for a moment he had forgotten about it.

In reality, Thunder wouldn't usually intercept ordinary people, but it's probably because Sejuani, as an unfamiliar target, made Thunder sense danger from her aura.

"I sent men to get the quartermasters to move forward."

Rhodes turned and waved to the guard, who nodded, mounted his horse, and galloped off.

"Then let Chief Sejuani's companions wait a while."

"Yes, Lord Rhodes."

Sejuani nodded, then changed the subject, asking, "When does Lord Rhodes plan to go and deal with the remaining lizardmen?"

"We're still missing something."

Rhodes explained with some helplessness, "The Ice Clan is born with the ability to resist wind and snow, but my soldiers are not."

"Entering the icy mountains like this, the cold will cause my soldiers to lose some of their combat capabilities."

A smile appeared on Rod's face.

"But it's alright, this problem will be resolved soon, just wait a few more days." ...

……

Frosty Leaf Town.

Beneath the herb warehouse, Luna's workshop reeked of the stench of crab entrails, mixed with the strange smell of herbs.

The wooden table was covered with various containers, containing crushed crab entrails, white wolf blood, and minced magic rabbit meat, among other things.

Avril, Luna, and Musen were all busy at the table.

Avril gazed at the steaming liquid in the wooden jar, its surface shimmering with a bluish hue in the candlelight, and sighed.

"I never expected that the internal organs infused with magic would emit such a chilling aura."

Avril turned to look at Musen.
"Now I'm going to add the other ingredients."

"When I put in the second-to-last piece of monster meat, you should start chanting to make sure that you can freeze it immediately after the last ingredient is put in."

"Yes, Lady Avril."

Musen nodded emphatically, his spirits lifted.

Avril turned her head and took a deep breath.

"This is the sixth time already, we must succeed."

Avril muttered to herself, then grabbed the first plate from the table next to her.
"30 grams of shell powder, 50 grams of wolf gall powder, salted cabbage leaves... minced monster meat, frost-talented monster blood, Musen!"

Avril cried out and quickly retreated!
In an instant, a cold current swept in from one side, completely enveloping the wooden jar!

The wooden jar was instantly covered with a layer of frost, and even the liquid inside turned into a large block of ice!

However, this scene caused both Avril and Musen to frown.

"Looks like it's failed again."

Avril sighed helplessly, "The ancient texts say that the semi-finished potion will absorb the cold it encounters, thus transforming into a true frost resistance potion..."

"Click——"

Just as Avril finished speaking, the frost on the surface of the wooden jar suddenly cracked, then turned into spiderweb-patterned ice fragments, and then into water droplets hanging on the outer wall.

The liquid that had frozen inside the wooden jar melted rapidly, and even the previous chill disappeared completely.

"Is this a success?"

Avril's eyes lit up with surprise, and she couldn't help but lean forward to examine it closely.

The liquid in the wooden jar had turned into a blue, viscous, gelatinous substance.

"It looks like a success!"

Avril exclaimed with delight, "Just like it's recorded in the books!"

Luna curiously leaned closer, and after looking at it, she said, "I'll take a little, and then try it in the ice cellar."

"No, you're not a wizard apprentice, you haven't even practiced breathing techniques, so I can't determine the dosage you took."

Avril shook her head, directly rejecting Luna's suggestion.

Before Avril could speak again, Musen volunteered, "Then I'll do it."

“I read in the ancient texts that this potion contains a trace of frost energy, which has some additional benefits for wizard apprentices with frost talents.”

"Then, you can come."

Avril stepped back to make room for her.

Musen stepped forward, scooped out half a spoonful with a wooden spoon, carefully weighed it, and then put it in his mouth.

A strong, strange, and foul odor instantly assaulted Musen's taste buds, and his previously calm face was instantly replaced by a mask of pain.

However, the nausea was only temporary, and the next moment Musen felt a chill in his stomach.

Immediately afterwards, a chill swept over his entire body, and Musen shivered several times in succession.

The cold intensified, and Musen curled up, his lips turning blue from the cold.

However, neither Luna nor Avril were nervous; instead, they draped the prepared leather blanket over Musen.

Ancient texts record that this is a normal phenomenon after drinking the medicine.

Musen lay trembling in the corner for a long time before his face finally returned to normal.

"It feels so comfortable!"

Before Avril could even ask, Musen spoke up with a delighted expression.

Stretching, Musen said again, "I'll try the ice cellar."

"it is good."

Avril nodded in agreement, and Musen quickly left.

Soon, Musen returned from the ice cellar.
"It worked! I can't feel any cold even when I put my hand on ice!"

Musen cheered loudly with joy, "We can now deliver these frost resistance potions to the lord!"

"Great! Let's make some more!"

Avril was also very happy.

It took nearly ten days to familiarize myself with the process and finally complete the production.

"I don't think it's necessary, Lady Avril."

Musen spoke up, saying, "That little bit of medicine I just took made me feel extremely cold. I think two drops would be enough for an average person."

"If there's too much, they might have a hard time withstanding the initial frost energy."

"That's it..."

Avril thought for a moment and said, "Then shall we try the dosage you suggested with the militia?"

“I think it’s a good idea,” Musen nodded.

"Then I'll go find someone."

Avril left the cellar and gave instructions to the captain of the Winter Iron Guard, who was in charge of guarding it.

Three militiamen who volunteered for the test were led to the threshold, and then Luna began the experiment with the medicine.

As it turned out, Musen's view was correct, but not entirely correct.

The appropriate dose for these militiamen is four drops, about the volume of a small raisin.

After consulting with Rhodes, Avril carefully packaged the potions and sent them to Icebreath Hills with her Shadow Guards.

It was already night when she finished making these arrangements, and a busy Avril dragged her tired body back to the manor.

Franny and Millie came forward to greet them.

"Madam!" "Sister!"

The two little girls, one on each side, hugged Avril, bringing a motherly smile to the tired Avril's face.

"Have you finished doing what I asked you two to do?"

"finished!"

The two little girls said in unison.

"I've translated fifty-five pages of the 'Magic Plant Cultivation Handbook'!"

Millie held up five fingers.

Avril smiled and patted Millie's head. "Great job! You exceeded the target. I'll reward you with an extra piece of candy later."

"I've also mastered the spell to soften hard soil, my lady!"

Franny hurriedly reported, "I can demonstrate it for you right now!"

"I believe in our cutest little snow rabbit."

Avril couldn't resist gently stroking Franny's bunny ears. "Let's go, let's go have dinner first."

"Okay!"

The two little girls took Avril's hands, and the three of them walked together toward the lord's hall.

As soon as I entered the lobby, I saw Lawrence standing at the door.

"Miss Avril, you've worked hard."

Lawrence smiled broadly and bowed, "I'm very sorry to bother you, but there are some things I need to report to you."

Avril nodded slightly and said to the two girls, "You two go and see what delicious food Ms. Martha has made tonight."

"Mmmmmmm!"

The two girls nodded at the same time, and left the hall hand in hand.

Lawrence presented the report to Avril with both hands and reported in a low voice,
"This is the list of the new batch of Night Whisperers. If there are no problems, they will be setting off soon."

Avril took the documents. "Please have a seat and wait a moment."

"Yes."

Lawrence obediently sat down to the side and waited.

Avril carefully looked through the list, and after a while asked, "Aren't Cardalen and Oller disabled? Can they make it?"

It appears to be Avril asking the question, but it is actually Rhodes asking; Avril is merely relaying the message.

"Their disabilities make them more easily looked down upon and ignored."

Lawrence explained, "For example, a homeless, disabled beggar."

Avril nodded slightly and handed the report back to Lawrence.

"Everything else is fine, let's arrange it like this."

"Ok."

Lawrence respectfully accepted the document, then threw it into the furnace, where the flames instantly licked it to ashes.

"There's one more small thing."