Wizard Farming Guide

Chapter 82 Military Development

After dealing with the Icebreaker, Rhodes turned his attention to the remaining one.

The saber-toothed tiger was blocking the way, confronting the ice-breaking beast.

The atmosphere between the two sides was tense, and a battle was imminent.

"You've done a good job. Leave the rest to me." Rhodes walked over and patted the saber-toothed tiger on the head.

As a reward, toss it the heart of the Death Icebreaker and let it feast on the other side of the open space.

Then Rhodes looked at the still-alive Icebreaker.

We kept a distance of 100 meters from it.

Seeing that the Icebreaker didn't charge angrily but instead hesitated in place, a smile appeared on Rhodes' face.

He took out a cookie and tossed it at it.

Quietly await the reaction of this ice-breaking beast.

The Icebreaker's cloudy eyes scanned Rhodes up and down, finally settling on its dead brethren.

It wasn't angry; those were its enemies, trying to seize its territory. It was better that they were dead.

The human in front of me was able to kill that guy; he was stronger than me.

He didn't kill me, so he probably isn't a bad person.

Despite possessing considerable intelligence, Warcraft's thinking is relatively simple.

Rhodes could sense that the Icebreaker's hostility was gradually dissipating.

The aroma of the golden roughage biscuits constantly stimulated its taste buds.

In the end, the Icebreaker couldn't resist the temptation.

As it approached the cookie, it lowered its head and used its large tongue to roll it into its mouth.

"It's delicious, isn't it? Want another piece?" Rod took out another piece and approached it with a smile.

How could a country cow, which can only chew on moss all year round, resist the delicious temptations of the big city?

They quickly succumbed to the deliciousness of the golden cookies.

Deceived by malicious humans, they signed a contract to sell themselves into servitude.

Having successfully concluded the [Ranch Contract], Rhode happily stroked the chin of the Icebreaker Beast.

Then, it spread its arms toward the herd of black yak cattle behind it.

Since the leader has surrendered, these eighty-odd black yak cattle naturally belong to him.

Rhodes examined them one by one and was quite satisfied.

As expected of wild cattle capable of surviving independently on the snowfield, they are much stronger and more robust than the domesticated cattle bought from the fortress.

Rhodes glanced over and noticed that four or five black yak cattle were already on the verge of evolution.

However, due to a lack of nutrient intake, moss alone cannot provide the high energy required for evolution.

Over the next hour, Rhodes collected a large amount of the valley's heat-generating mycelium and packed up all the materials from the Death Icebreaker.

"A bountiful harvest!" Rhodes said happily, hanging the packaged materials on the cow's back.

Then he sat on the back of the Icebreaker and let it lead the yak herd away from there.

Unlike the sprint they made on the way here, this time they brought along a large herd of black yak, slowing down their journey.

They set off at dawn and didn't return to Hekou Town until evening.

Holmes and the town's steward, Mullen, were notified by the soldiers and rushed out to greet them.

The two stood beneath the Icebreaker, staring dumbfounded at the colossal creature that was twice their height.

The shield-wielding soldiers around them were even more tense, their throats bobbing up and down.

This is a monster capable of destroying an entire town.

The absolute suppression from a higher level of existence made them unconsciously tighten their grip on their weapons.

If Rhodes hadn't been riding on the back of the Icebreaker, the lord's majesty wouldn't have overshadowed his fear of the monster.

These soldiers had probably already raised their spears and launched an attack on the Icebreaker.

Holmes stepped forward and asked, "Sir, what is beneath you?"

Rhodes, riding on the bull's back, reassured him and announced to those around him, "This is an icebreaker I tamed from the snowfields. There's no need to be afraid; it won't harm humans and will become a new companion to our territory."

With his assurances, and the example of the saber-toothed tiger, the fear in the eyes of the residents and soldiers slowly subsided.

They had lost count of how many times they had praised the lord and cheered for his wonders.

Many people excitedly gathered around the Icebreaker Beast, watching it with curiosity as if it were a festival.

It wasn't until the Linmu Guild members arrived that they carefully led the old man away.

After the entertainment wore off, the crowd began to disperse.

Although the Linmu Guild had never raised Icebreakers before, Rhodes was not worried.

The Icebreaker is quite intelligent; in Rod's words, it has a strong ability to manage itself.

Even if there is a problem, he will be notified in a timely manner through the contract.

"The soldiers are well trained. Although they are still a little flustered, they have not backed down. You have done a great job during this period."

After the others left, Rhodes praised Holmes.

Having received no prior notice, the soldiers were filled with panic as they faced the overwhelming size of the Icebreaker.

Instead of fleeing in fear, they chose to step forward.

It's clear that Holmes was quite capable of training soldiers, and he put a lot of effort into it.

He did not neglect his duties due to personal life issues.

Since the soldiers from River Mouth Town had passed the test, Rhodes chose to ignore this minor issue.

Hearing his words, Holmes breathed a sigh of relief, and the gloom in his heart completely dissipated.

He realized this was a test from the lord.

He passed the test and doesn't need to worry about any difficulties that might follow.

Because of their meeting last night, even though Rhodes didn't say anything, Holmes was still very worried.

Having an affair is a serious matter, though not a major one.

Having finally achieved his current status and being able to manage a small town, he couldn't help but be fearless.

If you can't guess what Rhodes is thinking, you're bound to scare yourself unnecessarily.

Now that he had passed the test and received praise, Holmes unconsciously straightened his back and bowed solemnly to Rhodes.

"My lord, please rest assured, I will remember my mission and become your most loyal blade, never betraying your trust!"

These were his heartfelt words, not just because of Rhodes' identity, but more importantly because he could see hope.

His territory was growing stronger, and countless miracles were unfolding before his eyes.

The lord before them had a broad vision, was willing to share, and had never mistreated his subordinates.

This thrilled Holmes; he had never been so grateful to embark on this journey.

At the same time, I reminded myself to do my best to fulfill my duties.

We absolutely must catch up with this carriage that's about to gallop!

Sensing the motivation in Holmes's heart, Rhodes nodded in satisfaction.

After he left, Rhodes summoned the head of the Craftsmen's Guild and asked him to send people to handle the various materials for the Icebreaker Beast.

"The materials from one Icebreaker Beast can be used to make thirty sets of sturdy leather armor and five Tier 1 longbows."

Through the report from the person in charge, Rod understood the situation.

The sturdy leather armor can be made by the town's craftsmen, offering defensive capabilities comparable to plate armor.

However, for a Tier 1 longbow, the materials need to be delivered to Dragonbreaker Fortress, where master craftsmen will craft it for you.

Tier 1 weapons, also known as Knight-level weapons, are strategic reserves and cannot be purchased simply by having money.

Furthermore, according to the laws of the kingdom, ordinary people are prohibited from possessing or carrying such items; if discovered, nobles have the right to kill them on sight.

With the help of the Sword Tomb Merchant Guild, Rhodes could only buy three or four sets at most.

The main problem is that there is no stock.

The solution is simple: prepare the materials yourself and ask the master at Dragon Fortress for help.

The masters will leave some materials as payment and deliver the agreed-upon Tier 1 weapon.

"With sturdy leather armor and a Tier 1 longbow, we can consider a mounted archer-type extraordinary unit," Rhodes thought to himself.

Plate-armored cavalrymen cannot shoot arrows while on horseback.

They were quite formidable when they carried lances and charged into battle.

However, when it comes to harassing and disrupting the enemy's rear formation, the cooperation of mounted archers is still necessary.

With a general plan in place, Rhodes sent someone to inform his three knights.

The top fifty of the one hundred longbowmen from the Third Archer Battalion were selected and incorporated into the First Royal Guard Battalion.

They were taught horseback riding and archery by their knights and squires, in preparation for the establishment of the mounted archer unit.

As a result, the number of cavalrymen in the First Royal Guard Battalion increased from the original sixty-two to one hundred and twelve.

In order to appease Loren's emotions and ensure the fairness of the army.

Rhodes allowed Loren to select fifty men from the construction teams of the three territories to join the longbowmen.

Thanks to the addition of the Icebreaker Beasts and the Herd of Lizards, the construction team's efficiency has increased rapidly, and it's no problem to spare another fifty people.

After adjustments, the number of troops in the territory has officially exceeded one thousand.

Rhodes' title as the leader of the Knights is well-deserved.

"The soldiers' skills are not up to par, and their equipment is incomplete."

After reviewing the various gaps in the army, Rod did not lose heart. He patted his cheeks to encourage himself.

The territory has only been established for three months. As long as it continues to develop steadily, these issues will not be a problem.

Moreover, with its current military strength, it should not be underestimated even within the kingdom.

Apart from the outrageous border barons of the Great Plains, he no longer considered ordinary barons a threat.

Weaker viscounts would probably turn tail and run if they saw him.

Aside from a shortage of knights, their strength is comparable to that of an old viscount family.

"That's the charm of pioneering."

Rhodes thought to himself, "Opportunities are everywhere, and nobody around will care how you expand your army. You can develop your military as you please."

If this were happening within the kingdom, such a frenzied expansion of the army would have already attracted the attention of the nearby neighbors.

Why are you training so many soldiers for no reason? Are you planning to attack me?

They're not blind. They'll bring all their relatives and a whole host of troublemakers to their door. It's a pipe dream for them to develop peacefully.

Rhodes then stayed in Rivermouth Town for a while longer to resolve the resettlement issues for the Icebreakers and the lizard herds.

A few days later, he returned to Pingdingshan.

Despite the addition of yak herds to the farmland workforce, it is still far from enough to expand the agricultural area.

Rod understood that he needed to find a way to create more farm labor.

The castle was still under construction, and Rhodes remained seated in his hut.

In the fireplace, the magical flames of the Ash Stove Rat burst forth, scorching the high-purity silica dug from the brickyard.

Under Rhodes' control, the quartz inside gradually melted and was used to construct transparent quartz tubes.

He then took out a piece of pure silver.

At the temperature of the magical flames, pure silver is forged into a scalpel for cutting, a forceps for separating blood vessels, and tweezers for grasping.

"The accuracy isn't enough, but there's nothing we can do but make do with it." Rhodes checked the tool's condition and confirmed that it was barely usable.

Sitting at his research table, he reviewed the relevant knowledge about artificial magical beasts in his mind.

The first method is the creation of the glue catfish, where witchcraft is inscribed into the animal's body to form magical organs.

This is often reserved for high-ranking wizards, requiring exceptional control over magic.

Rhodes was very lucky; the combination of the cold water catfish and the mud-to-stone technique was extremely good.

After just a few thousand attempts, he found the right burning method.

But fossils are different from mud, and he couldn't find a suitable object for modification nearby. After countless failures, he had to change his strategy.

The second method is the selection of magic under the intervention of a wizard.

On the experimental table, Rhodes neatly arranged tubes of monster blood.

(End of this chapter)