Lord Harland

Hayden is two years older than Richard, and his professional level has just been promoted to the fifth level. Although he has served as the Minister of Intelligence for a long time, he is actually just a civilian bureaucrat. His accumulated merits are far from enough, and he is still not a hereditary noble.

Although Rogge is the prime minister of Harland's cabinet and the leader of the civil service system, he also does not have many meritorious achievements. His status is the same as Hayden. Although he has great power, he is also not a hereditary noble.

The two people have followed Richard for many years and are both important figures in the Harland Territory. Now the territorial title system has changed, and they can exchange money for titles. Once the two engage in corruption for money, it will be difficult for Richard to handle it. In the end, after Richard had a deep discussion with the two of them, he decided to take out a sum of funds from his private account and lend it to Hayden and Rogge, so that they could be promoted to hereditary nobles in this way. The two also promised Richard that they would never accept bribes or corruption, making it difficult for Richard.

One day in late March, the sky was unusually dark, and the dense clouds looked low, making it look like dusk even though it was noon.

Especially near the mouth of the Black River, the wind was raging. Seven or eight ships were moored in the shelter. Even the legendary magic ship with a displacement of several thousand tons would not go to sea in this weather and would stay docked on the shore.

During the Five Kingdoms War last year, the mouth of the Heihe River was captured by the Sith Kingdom's Yunhai Slave Catching Group. Although Harland's navy team cooperated with the Jonathan family and defeated the Yunhai slave-catching group, the stronghold they had been operating for several years was burned down, and many years of hard work were ruined.

After the war, the Harland leader mobilized a large amount of manpower and material resources to rebuild this coastal stronghold. In order to quickly transport various supplies, Harland also used the magic airship force to transport thousands of tons of supplies at one time. After Richard returned with his troops, Rogge had already sent people to build a small castle on the original site, and built infrastructure such as trestles, which could accommodate more than a dozen ships to dock.

This new castle, named Xinghui Castle by Richard, is the first stronghold for Harland to manage the ocean.

Last year, after repelling the Yunhai slave-catching group, Harland captured several sunken and stranded magic ships. The Harland Mages Association has the technology to build magic ships, and soon successfully repaired four magic ships.

By the time the four magic ships were incorporated into the army, the Black River Navy already had four ordinary magic ships, one large legendary magic ship, and twelve steamships equipped with magic crystal cannons.

The ocean in the Dawn Plane is very dangerous. There are not only fishmen but also many ocean monsters and deep sea monsters. Without the protection of magical power, ships cannot leave the land too far.

Although the steam magic ships are equipped with magic crystal cannons and have extraordinary attack power, such ships lack the protection of magic shields and cannot sail across the ocean. They can only operate in rivers and offshore waters. There are only five magic ships that are truly capable of long-distance navigation.

Starting last winter, Harland Leader has started building the second legendary magic ship. According to the progress of the project, this ship will be able to launch a long voyage in August this year.

By the time the second legendary magic ship is put into service, Harland's navy, although not as powerful as the Sith Kingdom, can already compete with the United Kingdom on the East Coast. As Haaland's naval force becomes stronger and stronger, it is enough to block the waters of the Black River and Samba River and protect its coastline.

In the past two years, the Harland Territory Railway line has been under rapid construction. After the north-south artery was connected, the railway went north along the No. 10 Military Station and has been built to the Samba River.

The railway was built to the Samba River, leaving only more than 80 kilometers away from Pulilan Castle.

Although there is no railway bridge, the transported goods need to be unloaded from the Samba River Station and then sent to the north bank by ferry. The movement of materials is particularly troublesome, but compared to a few years ago, logistical supplies are very easy and simple.

In addition to the northbound railway, the section from No. 3 Military Station to Double Star Castle has been opened to traffic, and one-third of the section from King's Castle to Double Star Castle has also been built. The Western Railway has also been built from Songtao Castle to Martins Castle.

By the end of last year, the Halland Land Railway had been built over 1,500 kilometers.

In the blink of an eye, the railway age is approaching.

Samba River Station is the terminus of the Northern Railway.

This railway still extends to the north and south ends. According to the short-term plan, the northern railway is going to be built to Pulilan, and the southern railway will extend to the south of Dragon Canyon.

The only factor limiting the penetration of this railway is the two large rivers, the Samba River and the Heihe River, which cut the planned railway line into three sections. In order to connect this artery and increase the efficiency of railway transportation, two railway bridges must be built to connect the three sections of railway lines.

Although it was very difficult to build a railway bridge, Richard decided to start the project. The construction of the first railway bridge had already begun, and a large amount of construction materials were transported to the Samba River Station by train.

Samba River Station is the terminal station, and there are many people getting off the train here. Many passengers are mercenaries with their families. These mercenaries are preparing to enter the northern part of Puliland to hunt the undead and earn titles for their meritorious service like their predecessors.

As of April, with the support of Richard providing a large amount of gold coins, Hayden and Rogge also followed Odaye and Immorton and successfully purchased enough soul crystals from mercenaries with money and materials, and successfully became knights. .

Counting Hayden and Rogge, there were already eleven barons in the northern part of Pryland, forming a defense line two hundred kilometers long and thirty kilometers wide. The eleven barons combined have a total of nearly 7,000 private soldiers. With this army at the front, it greatly reduced the pressure on Pulilan's defenders.

In addition to the eleven hereditary nobles, there are also a large number of mercenaries active in the north of Pulilan, numbering more than 20,000 to 30,000. These mercenaries are basically active in the Bolton Forest. They not only hunt the undead that have infiltrated from the Bolton Forest, but also hunt the magical beasts in the Bolton Forest. Their living conditions are very difficult and they earn hard-earned money.

In just two years, the mercenaries active in northern Puliland have lost more than 4,000 people.

If it weren't for the successful knighthood of mercenary captains who set an example and could continuously replenish new blood, many mercenary groups would have already planned to retreat.

Fry got off the train at Samba River Station and prepared to go to Pulilan area to try his luck. He is over forty years old and has been licking blood for more than twenty years. As an adventurer, his professional level has reached level seven.

As a seventh-level warrior, Frye can easily seek mid- to high-level positions in the regular army, possessing an enviable social status and high financial income.

After being promoted to such a professional level, no matter where you go, the fate of your family will change.

Even if soldiers like Harland and Frye join the military under strict vetting procedures, they will be appointed as lieutenant colonels or even colonels when they enter the army.

Generally speaking, it is very rare for seventh-level professionals to become adventurers.

Fryeburn is an officer in the Duke of York. He has accumulated some merits and has an enviable future. He is expected to be promoted to a hereditary noble title.

But he has now become a criminal, having killed Viscount Snyder with his own hands two months ago.

Viscount Snyder is the sixth son of the Duke of York. He was knighted in the southern region last year. His territory is not far from the Earldom of Philip. Frye is a heavyweight officer assisting Viscount Snyder.

Because Viscount Snyder was drunk and took Frye's daughter, and was killed by the furious Frye.

The Duke of York is the third-largest nobleman in the Kingdom of Grant, and he is closely related to the royal family. Although Frye has a high professional level and is a good talent, other nobles would not risk offending the Duke of York by accepting and protecting Frye. Even Harland Leader would not do this.

Because the Duke of York borders the Harland Territory, and both parties have significant economic and political interests, it is impossible for Richard to offend the powerful Duke of York just because of a seventh-level warrior.

The great nobles would not accept him openly. After causing great trouble, Fry had no choice but to change his name and sneak into Harland for refuge.

As a seventh-level warrior, Frye quietly hid for a while. Because there was no way to support a large family and sit idle for a long time, Frye had no choice but to venture to the north of Puliland alone.

In order to avoid exposing his identity, Frye also disguised himself as a third-level warrior and prepared to join a mercenary group.

Although the orcs were repelled, the Pulilan area was not too safe. There are still orc troops wandering nearby, and in January this year, the Silver Moon Wolf Cavalry even entered the Puliland area to plunder.

Although the stationed fifth legion cooperated with the magic airship troops, they successfully encircled and suppressed the two orc troops, severely damaged the Silver Moon Wolf Cavalry, and kept the elite orcs away from the shop.

But there are still many kobold tribes around Pulilan. These kobold tribes have a very high fertility rate and have been killed for more than two years.

Because there are many kobold bandits on the road, the eighty-kilometer stretch from Samba River Station to Pulilan Castle is not very safe.

Fry got off the bus from Samba River Station and took a ferry to the north bank. He waited for three days before gathering enough people to join a supply caravan and prepare to go to Pulilan together.

This team has a large number of people, with a total of five to six hundred personnel, including an auxiliary transport squadron, more than 60 caravan guards, plus scattered mercenaries, more than half of them are armed. The rest are old, weak, women and children, and most of them are mercenary family members. In the past two years, the total number of mercenary family members who immigrated to northern Puliland has reached 50,000 to 60,000.

After crossing the Samba River, there are two grain-harvesting strongholds along the way to Purilan. These two grain-harbouring strongholds were also post stations and hotels along the way, and could serve as military depots during wartime.

The two food stations are located on one of the most important supply lines in Prilan, and each is guarded by a squadron of auxiliary troops. Although the combat effectiveness of Harland's auxiliary troops is not as good as that of the regular army, they have sufficient equipment and their combat effectiveness is no less than that of the main army of the Kingdom of Grant.

Normally, a military station with fortifications can withstand an army of three thousand kobolds.

Puliland Castle has a powerful flying force, with the main force numbering more than 20,000. The kobolds simply do not dare to assemble in large numbers to fight against the regular army led by Harland. Instead, they are scattered around Puliland, competing for territory with humans and engaging in guerrilla warfare.

In the past two years, Harland Territory's development in the Puliland area has achieved considerable results and has established more than 30 strongholds, large and small. However, it has been facing harassment by kobolds, and the pioneers died in kobold attacks. , which adds up to more than two thousand.

Although this kind of casualties are not particularly serious, the continuous casualties have greatly dampened the enthusiasm for land reclamation in the Puliland area and made the development of this land even slower.

Because the main force cannot be dispersed easily, local protection relies on mercenaries to a certain extent.

Some mercenaries who don't want to take risks often stay near Pulilan and mainly fight against the kobolds.

Although the Harland leader's bounty on the kobolds is relatively low, compared with the huge undead in Bolton Forest, it is easier and safer to eliminate the kobolds.

Frye followed the large army and fought two groups of kobolds along the way.

The combat effectiveness of kobolds is not strong. The combat effectiveness of ordinary kobold warriors is inferior to that of ten-year-old children. With the same number, the strength and physical strength of old, weak, women and children are stronger than that of kobolds.

But in the Puliland area, the number of kobolds exceeds tens of millions, and the number of humans does not exceed 200,000.

Although the kobolds cannot be gathered together, they are an intelligent race after all, and the threat to humans is still very high. A small number of kobold professionals will also cause great trouble to the pioneers.

More than ten kilometers away from Pulilan Castle, you can see scattered kobold activities. Once you are alone on the northern prairie, you will face kobold plunder.

Even a caravan of more than 600 people was attacked and robbed by two to three thousand kobolds.

Because of the protection of the army, Frye and others easily defeated the kobold troops and destroyed a kobold lair along the way, killing more than a thousand kobolds.

However, this level of killing and eradication cannot completely eliminate the kobolds.

The humans in Harland's territory and the kobolds on the orc prairie will inevitably be entangled for many years. Only with a large enough population to fill up the northern prairie and establish enough strongholds can the kobolds be completely wiped out.

Frye did not show any strong fighting ability on the road. He followed the caravan to Pulilan after a little paddling.

He directly entered the mercenary union and planned to register as a member of the mercenary union first.

The Haaland Leader Mercenary Union has been established for about 20 years. Although Soros serves as the president of the Mercenary Union, the actual management has always been coordinated by the military and intelligence agencies.

In the past, the strength of the mercenary union led by Harland was average. Both in terms of mercenary scale and combat effectiveness, it was far behind the demon hunting union.

But in recent years, in order to prevent the undead from going south, Richard established a system in which soul crystals, orc heads, and Warcraft materials can be exchanged for meritorious service. More than 30,000 mercenaries poured into Pulilan.

In order to take over the tasks, these mercenaries joined the mercenary union one after another, which led to the mercenary union's strength greatly increasing, even stronger than the demon hunter union.

The Pulilan area is the headquarters of the mercenary union, with a total of six to seven hundred people stationed at the headquarters. These include three infantry squadrons with approximately 450 armed personnel. The rest are basically intelligence and civilian personnel responsible for dispatching tasks and registering files.

Frye entered the mercenary union and, under the reception of a female clerk, quickly began to register files.

"Name?"

"Freisolani."

"age?"

"forty three."

"gender?"

"male."

"Place of origin?"

"The Duke of Lorraine."

"Professional level?"

"Third-level warrior?"

The two asked and answered questions, and with Fry's help, the file was quickly completed.

After registering the file, the female receptionist asked: "Mr. Frye, are you willing to become a free mercenary, or are you ready to join a mercenary group?"

"What's the difference between the two?"

"Free mercenaries can only take on some small tasks, which is relatively safer. If you join a mercenary group, you may be recruited to fight in Bolton Forest. But if you join a mercenary group, you will have a fixed salary and the opportunity to make meritorious deeds." More."