"Your Highness, urgent report. Commander Ell has successfully occupied Gipsy City. According to the captives, the next fortress, Robertvia City, is also guarded by only a thousand soldiers. Furthermore, it is said to be a medical base for the Trade Alliance's armed forces to treat their wounded soldiers. There is a large amount of medical potions stored there. Commander Ell requests to continue the assault on Robertvia City. He is confident that he can take this city before the Trade Alliance's armed forces can react … "
Genolio's expression was a little sleepy. He yawned as he read the message from the messenger eagle that had just arrived. After taking over Moronte City, Laurist had not slept for three days and two nights. As his personal attendant, Genolio had only taken the time to rest for less than four hours, and this was with Laurist taking care of him. Basically, all the higher-ups of the Norton Family were busy. If they did not make proper arrangements in these three days, no one would be able to sleep.
"Send an order for Ell to come back. Taking down Gipsy City is enough. We don't need to take down Robertvia City. Auvix has already recruited nearly 30,000 laborers from the slums and slums outside the city to transport rations and supplies to Thomas City. Get Commander Ell to clean up the military supplies in Gipsy City and transport them to Thomas City. He only has two days. By then, all the supplies that cannot be transported will be burned. We cannot let them fall into the hands of the Trade Alliance's armed forces. We will just leave an empty city for them. "
Laurist's eyes were slightly bloodshot. Even though he was a Sword Sage and had an extremely strong physique, sleep was a human's instinct. After enduring for so long, he was also very tired. However, he could not collapse at this time. He had to persevere.
"Tell Commander Ell that if the Trade Alliance's armed forces at the frontlines receive news that Moronte City, Thomas City, and Gipsy City have fallen into our hands, they will definitely send reinforcements to attack Moronte City. Without the supplies from the rear, the Trade Alliance's armed forces at the frontlines will definitely not be able to last for half a month. Therefore, if they do not want to be completely annihilated, the Trade Alliance's armed forces must take down Moronte City within half a month. What we need to do now is to gather our forces to defend Moronte City. Leave the rest to the Flying Tiger Army and the Hunting Cavalry Army. "
"Yes, Your Highness. I understand. I'll send a message to Commander Ayer right away." Genolio pulled himself together and left in a hurry.
"Your Highness, Sir Tagger requests an audience." A guard came in to report.
"Let him in," said Lollister.
Tagger, who also looked exhausted, appeared in front of Loriste.
"Has everything been arranged?" Laurist asked.
"Yes, Your Highness. Twenty-nine merchants and their families, seventeen master swordsmen and their families have boarded the ship. At the same time, ninety-two nobles from the Trade Union and the Gold-tier swordsman's family have boarded the ship. There are a total of one thousand seven hundred and forty-eight people. There are also six hundred and forty-eight maids and servants have also boarded the ship. Sir Jim has placed five bronze cannons on each of the eight large armed battleships in the surroundings. They are fifty meters away from the chain of berths to ensure that the VIPs on the ship have no way to escape … "Tagger stood at attention and reported.
"Phew …" Laurist heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally, everyone can have a good night's sleep. You should go and have a good rest too. The past three days have been hard on everyone."
The surrender of the inner city and the acquisition of Moronte City did not mean that everything was over. On the contrary, Laurist and the higher-ups of his family increased their vigilance. There was no other reason than the fact that there were seventeen master swordsmen and around forty Gold-tier swordsmen in the inner city. This was a high-end combat force that Laurist could not afford to ignore. Although they had already put down their weapons and surrendered, Laurist could not just casually place them aside.
As long as Laurist was around, nothing would happen. However, if Laurist was not around, no one would be able to stop these master swordsmen and Gold-tier swordsmen from launching a sudden attack. The problem was that Laurist could not always be responsible for watching over these high-end combat force captives. After much thought, it was Tagger who came up with an idea.
Tagger suggested that these captives should be placed on the ship. Cangjin Bay was now under the control of the Norton Family's fleet. Placing these high-end combat force captives on the ship would reduce the number of guards. If they were placed on land, they would need at least an entire army to guard against these captives.
Laurist was overjoyed. He received inspiration from Tagger's suggestion. He immediately ordered the Invincible Fleet's Fourth B Squadron to surround the two Sepnim battleships that had surrendered in the center. He also ordered the large, damaged armed battleships that he had captured to be connected to the periphery. All the masts were removed, and wooden planks were used to connect them together to form a three-story chain of ship berths. He then towed them to the center of Cangjin Bay, anchored them, and placed all the master swordsmen, Gold-tier swordsmen, higher-ups of the Chamber of Commerce, and nobles of the Alliance on this chain of ship berths.
Cangjin Bay was calm anyway. There was no need to worry about such a huge chain of ship berths being tossed about by the wind and waves. Standing on the berths was like walking on flat ground. In order to not let the captives feel unpresentable, Laurist even ordered people to transport large amounts of exquisite daily necessities from the inner city. He even laid expensive carpets on the berths, and allowed these high-status captives to bring their attendants, maids, and servants to this huge berths to spend their lives as captives.
With this chain of ship berths as a place to settle these high-status captives and the high-end combat force of the Trade Alliance that even Laurist had a headache over, the Norton Family's armed forces that had occupied Morent City could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They did not need to mobilize a large number of troops to guard against these captives. Laurist took eight of the dozen or so large armed battleships that were equipped with bronze cannons to seal off the estuary. He anchored them around the berths, and ordered the deputy commander of the artillery battalion, Jim, to arrange five land-type bronze cannons on each large armed battleship to aim at the berths. Only then did he feel that it was absolutely safe.
"Your Highness, the high-status captives on the berths have been settled. However, the hundred thousand or so inner city residents who were arranged to stay in the captive camp in the fleet area have protested." Tagger did not go to rest, and instead said with a wry smile.
"Protest? What are they protesting about? We've already done what we promised them! "The corner of Laurist's mouth curled up. After separating the upper echelons of the Trade Alliance, the nobles, the Great Swordsmen, and the Golden Swordsmen from the ordinary members of the Trade Alliance and the armed guards, these ordinary captives could only be at Laurist's mercy.
"They are protesting that the food we provided is too sparse and cannot fill their stomachs …"
"Hehe …" Laurist laughed loudly. "If they can't fill their stomachs, they can take out their gold coins to buy it. It's not like we've violated their sacred private property rights. In any case, they brought their money with them when they left the inner city. As captives, they should have the self-awareness to endure hardship. We've already provided them with free food and clean water to ensure that they won't starve to death. This is a time of war, and they should know how precious food is. They can't possibly become captives and still ask us to provide them with wine and meat. There's no such logic in this world. "
Laurist had always been a man of his word. He had indeed fulfilled his promise, and provided the hundred thousand captives in the inner city with free food and water. He also guaranteed that he would not touch their personal property. However, he only provided each captive with two bowls of porridge a day. There was enough clean water, though. Laurist had people dig a canal for them to drink in the prison camp. If they wanted to drink water, they could just lie down and drink their fill.
At the same time, Laurist opened a tavern in the prison camp. As long as the captives paid, they could eat and drink to their heart's content in the tavern. Because it was a monopoly, the price was slightly expensive. A mug of ale outside cost five copper coins, but here it cost one large silver coin. Three honey croissants outside cost only one small silver coin, but here it was sold for one gold coin … Because the prison camp had only been open for three days, the tavern had very little business. However, Laurist was not in a hurry.
"How about this. I'll order Paciko to bring a group of guards to maintain order in the prison camp and the fleet area. After all, the Invincible Fleet is gone. When Sunbarwood sends the captives from the Invincible Fleet to Syrovas Island and sends over the list of captives, we can split the families of the sailors and sailors in the fleet area into two groups. Those who are still alive can send their families to Syrovas Island, while the families of those who have died in battle will be grouped with the captives in the inner city. I believe that Paciko's twelve thousand guards will be enough to deal with the hundred thousand unarmed captives. "
Laurist thought for a moment and made his decision. The hundred thousand captives in the inner city were the backbone and loyal members of the various merchant guilds in the Trade Alliance. They were either managers or armed guards. Laurist had no interest in winning their allegiance and loyalty. In his eyes, these captives were all human wallets that shone with golden light. He was thinking about how to squeeze these people dry. In order to get these people to surrender, he had agreed to very generous conditions and promised not to plunder the personal property of these captives. However, this did not mean that he could not empty the wallets of these captives …
If it was the twenty-fourth district of the outer city, Laurist might have to think twice. After all, the twenty-four districts had a population of a million. Even if they were suppressed, both sides would suffer great losses. However, these hundred thousand people in the inner city had left the inner city and were placed in the prison camp of the fleet area. This was equivalent to a fish on the chopping block in front of Laurist. He could do whatever he wanted with them. It would be great if they caused trouble. Laurist could use this as an excuse to go back on his promise and plunder their property. These people would not be of use to him anyway, so he might as well kill them all.
"Oh right, have the sailors and their families of the surrendered Fourth B Squadron boarded the ship?" Laurist asked.
"They have, Your Highness. They will leave for Syrovas Island at three in the afternoon today," Tagger answered.
The dock area of Morent City was for public use, but the fleet area was the exclusive residential area for the members of the Invincible Fleet. Laurist was already thinking about the sailors and sailors of the Invincible Fleet who had surrendered. They were all experienced navigators. In his next plan, Laurist needed a large transport fleet. In a situation where he lacked manpower, he turned his attention to the sailors and sailors of the Invincible Fleet who had surrendered.
It was not Laurist's kindness to send the sailors and sailors who were still alive and their families in the fleet area to Syrovas Island to be reunited. It was to force the sailors and sailors who had surrendered to the Norton Family so that their families could live a better life. At the same time, it was also to use these families as hostages. As long as there was something in their hearts, these sailors and sailors would do their best to complete the tasks they were responsible for.
"Also, Your Highness, the Monolith Army's Regiment Commander Belluniak has already taken over the warehouse area outside the east gate with a regiment. Regiment Commander Jedes has taken over the trade area with three battalions. Lord Redi has gone to the twenty-fourth district of the outer city to maintain order. Lord Bofinger has taken a battalion to guard the inner city. Morent City is basically under our control … "Tagger concluded.
"Sigh!" Laurist let out another long sigh. When the time came to use troops, one would regret not having enough. Two corps and eight divisions had 96,000 men, but when spread out in this city with a population of more than a million, they were stretched thin. Manpower was needed everywhere, and there were gaps in the defenses everywhere. They were still thinking about plundering the wealth, but now they lacked manpower to clean up the treasury of the merchant guilds in the inner city.
The Royal Guard Corps had four divisions. Aire and Ovis led one division to attack Thomas City and Gipsies City, while Swordmaster Theseus led one division to defend the outer city walls. Of the remaining two corps, one defended the docks while the other was commanded by Pacico to guard the fleet area and the prisoner camp in the inner city.
The Monolith Army had four divisions. Redi had taken two divisions to maintain order in the twenty-fourth district of the outer city, while Belluniak had taken over the warehouse area outside the east gate. That was the largest material storage base that the Trade Alliance had set up in Morent City. They could not afford to lose it. The remaining division was split into two. Jades took three battalions to occupy the trade district. That was the trade center of Morent City. The Trade Alliance had gathered all the registered merchant guilds to set up shop there, and it was also a treasure land where wealth gathered.
Boddfinger led the remaining battalion to stand guard in the empty inner city. No one had bothered to clear out the warehouses, vaults, and armoury there. Morent City still had the Temple District, the Academy District, Bryn Hill, and some other places that did not have the manpower to occupy. Laurist could not mobilize any more men, and even he only had a hundred guards by his side.
"It'll be fine when Aire and the others return." Laurist lied to himself, "Tagger, is there any news from the messenger eagle that was sent to the family's territory?"
"Not yet. I estimate that it will take another one or two days." Tagger replied.
"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. Coaxing those great swordmasters to the dock has already reduced a lot of our pressure. Comparisons are odious. The Trade Alliance actually has so many great swordmasters, and there are so many from the merchant guilds staying behind in Morent City. It has already exceeded the total number of great swordmasters in our kingdom … "
"Your Highness, do you want to recruit a few of these imprisoned Great Swordsmen for our family?" Tagger suggested.
Laurist shook his head, "Forget it. It's hard to guarantee the loyalty of the recruited great swordmasters. These great swordmasters are either nurtured by the merchant guilds, or they are the same as Ingarek. They are greedy for life and afraid of death, and they don't have much ability. Forget it, our family will have a few more great swordmasters in a few years. Ferocious Tiger Roth and Bofinger both have a chance of becoming great swordmasters. "
As he spoke, Laurist yawned, "How about this for now. I'm going to lie down for a bit. I haven't slept for three days. Tagger, you should go rest as well. Take care of your body so that you can serve the family better … "
"Yes, Your Highness. Rest well, I'll take my leave first."
Laurist said that he was going to lie down, but he slept for seventeen hours straight after lying down. When he woke up and opened his eyes, he found Genolio standing in front of him with bloodshot eyes.
Laurist was startled by him, "What's wrong? What happened? You didn't rest at all? "
"Your Highness, it's bad. Lord Berronik has done some calculations after occupying the storage base outside the east gate. He discovered that the food reserves there aren't enough to supply the millions of people in Morent City. Most of it is coarse grain, and it can only last for another fourteen to fifteen days." Genolio reported the bad news to Laurist.
… …
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