Chapter 325: Lack of manpower (2/2)
The first thing Han Shuo could do now was secure the safety of the city before gradually turning to expansion of other aspects. He then could slowly attract people from other cities to inhabit Brettel City through good security conditions that are beneficial to their development.
However, this wouldn’t be an overnight process, it required quite a long transition period. At least, the pillaging and threats from the seven grand duchies had to be halted before the Brettel City could slowly prove to outsiders that it was safe. Only then would fear and panic be dispelled.
“Mhm, I know this is indeed our biggest problem. We temporarily have no way to attract new residents. However, as long as we can stop the pillaging of the seven grand duchies and spread the news that the Brettel City is safe, some original inhabitants missing their hometown might be willing to come back. We will tackle this problem from multiple angles. I think Brettel City will be much more bustling sooner or later.”
“First, about the lack of staff and soldiers, we can start from the mountain people in the surrounding mountains. This is why I’ve invited them to the city. I heard from Dick that there are thirty, forty thousand of them, of which around ten thousand have the ability to fight. If we can firmly grasp and use this force, in addition to being equipped with six advanced magic crystal cannons and a sturdy city wall, our odds of successfully blocking the invasions of the seven grand duchies will be much higher.” Han Shuo had considered this issue early on. He explained himself leisurely regarding why he’d invited the mountain people.
“If my lord has made careful considerations already, then I will say no more. On the other hand, young master Lawrence will soon send over several talents who are knowledgeable in city and financial management. The military of Brettel City is also getting on track.” Faulke said respectfully.
Nodding his head, Han Shuo said noncommittally, “Mm, for the time being these things are under your arrangements.”
At the present, there were hundreds of things are waiting to be done in Brettel City. All kinds of talents were greatly lacking. Lawrence’s arrangements of talented military and political personnel would indeed play an important role. However, since they were arranged by Lawrence, it would be difficult to remove them once these military and political talents officially took control.
If this situation was left to develop as it would, if Han Shuo still continued to use Lawrence’s people, then this subconscious infiltration would slowly turn Brettel City into Lawrence’s territory. Han Shuo was now much more mature than in the past and understood clearly this drawback clearly. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any of his own people to use at the moment. He also temporarily couldn’t identify if Lawrence’s help was out of good intentions or other purposes. What Han Shuo currently lacked the most was manpower, so he could only leave things as they were.
However, Han Shuo had started thinking for the future and was seriously considering using his own trusted people. Be it developing or discovering these people, neither were simple matter. He slowly walked to his room with this idea in mind.
Staying in the city lord’s mansion for two days, Han Shuo monitored the progress of enhancing the city’s defense facilities during the day, and tirelessly practicing demonic cultivation and necromancy magic at night. However, breakthroughs in cultivation became harder the more he progressed, and there weren’t many gains to be had in his boring regular day to day practices. On the other hand, since his mental strength was at the grand magus rank, his grasp over necromancy magic actually made rapid progress.
Therefore, Han Shuo put more effort into studying necromancy magic. Using the secret chamber in the city lord’s mansion, he could easily transport to the Cemetery of Death – the most perfect training grounds for necromancers. Not only the scent of death here dense, this place even had plenty of magic tools and laboratory. Han Shuo stayed here alone every night and captured some live magic beasts to practice the spell “Soul Tremor”.
For a demonic practitioner at the separate demon realm like Han Shuo, their soul had become the even more mysterious consciousness which possessed some truly wondrous uses. Based on his study of the soul, in addition to his memory of demonic magic, Han Shuo gradually felt that there was a link between the understanding of the soul in necromancy and the changes in the consciousness in his demonic cultivation.
Especially at this realm, the consciousness had miraculous abilities to sense the presence of all creatures in the surroundings, to create illusions and implant magical brands on the soul, and seemed to be able to communicate with the magic elements that existed everywhere in this world. Han Shuo suddenly had a whim to consider if it was also possible to integrate demonic cultivation and magical training so they could complement each other.
However, this wonderful idea was still extremely difficult to implement with Han Shuo’s current situation because his knowledge had yet to reach true proficiency in any field. There would be a long process of exploration if he wanted to master the two aspects. It seemed this wouldn’t be able to be applied for a short while.
This spell “Soul Tremor” used the consciousness to attack the opponent’s soul. Han Shuo had experimented it on living magic creatures over the past two days. Moreover, he had certain reflections in some areas of using the mind to attack, gradually grasping some key parts of this spell in two days.
Han Shuo walked out from the Cemetery of Death on the third day. Bathing under the warm sunshine, he felt a very leisurely pleasure. While he was checking on the progress of the city, Dick ran out from an unknown location to Han Shuo’s side and said respectfully, “My Lord, I have sent out the invitations according to your orders. The five mountain leaders on the surrounding mountains all agreed to come to Brettel City seven days later.”
Smiling lightly, Han Shuo looked at Dick deeply before finally saying, “Dick, you are also a mountain man. I know that you wouldn’t let me down if I placed this in your charge.”
“But of course. Otherwise, with your methods, all the leaders who didn’t come with definitely meet with some accidents. I didn’t want to become the villain of my people.” Dick thought inwardly, his expression still respectful as he said smilingly, “My Lord has gained the mountain people’s trust after you exterminated the Red Beard bandits. I think they’ll be coming here with hearts full of hope.”
“Perhaps with more fear than not, haha!” Han Shuo laughed heartily with Dick. How could he not know what these people wanted to do? Dick had said all that needed to be said, and so they naturally knew what to do.
“Eh… They actually are a bit afraid. Heh heh!” Dick answered with a laugh. He looked into Han Shuo’s eyes and felt as if the latter knew the thoughts in his mind. Dick involuntarily felt scared in his heart.