Chapter 27: Luo Xiangluo
Wu Yuan examined the Storm Insect Bow closely, even testing its draw. He found it impressive—more than twice as powerful as the standard hardwood bows from Qingqiao Town, comparable to the renowned Brute Iron Bow among ordinary strong bows.
However, it demanded considerable strength from the user. Only those born with exceptional power or unique bloodlines could wield it freely.
An average strongman might manage to draw it, but firing multiple shots would be impossible.
Yet Wu Yuan wasn’t concerned. Though the Storm Insect Bow might not suit his five hundred slave archers yet, with enough resources invested, they would eventually et the requirents.
“The success rate is still low, unfortunately. So far, only three have been crafted, and they’ve consud a lot of materials.”
“Materials are ant to be used. It’s no issue!”
Wu Yuan dismissed the concern. The relay station was overflowing with supplies. If expending so resources could nurture a skilled weapon craftsman, it was well worth it.
“Shi Jian needs more hands. He requested additional workers.”
“Granted. Assign him fifty male slaves from the wooden fort to expand the relay station’s forge.
Once the station upgrades and gains proper facilities, he’ll be appointed head blacksmith, overseeing operations.
You can share the good news with him in advance, and here’s a gold coin as his reward.”
With a thought, a gold coin flew from his private treasury into his hand, which he then passed to Chen Yong.
“Thank you, Master. On behalf of Shi Jian, I accept this reward.” Chen Yong bowed respectfully.
Wu Yuan nodded, then frowned slightly. “You didn’t wait outside just to plead for Shi Jian’s reward, did you?”
“Master is perceptive. I have a suggestion to offer.”
“A good thing? Why hesitate?” Wu Yuan smiled. He truly appreciated Chen Yong’s tact and judgnt. “Speak. If it’s reasonable, I’ll adopt it.”
“I’ve noticed the monster attacks on the relay station are weakening. The hundred ard guards (sixty converted from the second batch of Qingqiao Town recruits) are growing idle, while the wooden fort still has many unused laborers.
I propose training so clever individuals to scout the surrounding areas—at least mapping out monsters, resources, terrain, and water sources within a hundred li. Once experienced, they can expand their range.”
“An excellent idea.” Wu Yuan clapped in approval.
Had Chen Yong not reminded him, he would have overlooked this entirely.
He had always assud he knew the area around Redleaf Cliff well, including key resource locations. But he’d forgotten one thing: even with two sets of future mories and a century of experience in his dreams, that didn’t an he knew every inch of the land.
Upon reflection, his familiarity was limited to established paths.
The wilderness, dense forests, and uninhabited areas? He knew little. There might even be hidden secrets his dream mories never uncovered, or resources already claid and concealed by others, like the small yuan coal mine three li away.
“This must be done quickly. I’ll arrange it.
Your main task now is training the five hundred archers.
If the selected slaves lack the strength for the Storm Insect Bow, intensify their training and develop suitable bows for them.”
“Understood, Master.”
Chen Yong departed to carry out his orders.
Wu Yuan acted imdiately. Though Chen Yong had contributed a valuable suggestion, he was already overburdened and couldn’t lead the scouting mission. Soone else was needed.
The relay station had no shortage of manpower, the right person had to be there. This ti, Wu Yuan aid to resolve the intelligence gap comprehensively, establishing detailed surveillance within a two-hundred-li radius.
A candidate ca to mind, soone among the wooden fort’s slaves.
He returned to the fort, heading straight to the Supervision Office. There, he ordered subordinates to retrieve a woman from a heavily guarded area and bring her before him.
Even in dirty, disheveled clothing, her willowy figure and innate grace were unmistakable.
She might wear rough attire, but her charm was undeniable.
In truth, her robes were fine silk, and she still wore several high-grade yuan artifacts as jewelry. Twenty days in confinent without a change of clothes had simply left her looking unkempt.
“Her na is Luo Xiangluo. Tempered Tendon Realm, early stage. The slave rchant’s favorite concubine,” the supervisor explained casually.
Wu Yuan nodded, dismissing everyone so he faced her alone.
His mind flashed back to the rchant caravan’s destruction by the insect swarm. Though the burly leader had escaped badly wounded, and the rchant and other elites had perished, not all high-ranking mbers had died.
A dozen or so, hiding in the lighter carriages at the rear, had survived, including Luo Xiangluo, four maids, the third brother’s wife (who had fought the Throwing Centipede and died), and an older attendant.
Luo Xiangluo and the third brother’s wife were clearly high-status captives. Unsure how to handle them, Wu Yuan had ordered Liu Yan to confine them separately in the wooden fort.
The maids and attendant were also kept apart from ordinary slaves, housed near their mistresses.
Wu Yuan had thought of Luo Xiangluo because he knew she wasn’t just a concubine—she was of the Dongjin tribe.
The Dongjin were renowned for scouting and intelligence-gathering, a fact well-docunted in his dream mories.
Luo Xiangluo studied Wu Yuan just as intently, curious about the man who had profited from the rchant caravan’s clash with the insect swarm.
Wu Yuan gave her no ti to strategize. “You have more than one identity. You’re also Dongjin, aren’t you?”
She bowed gracefully. “You continue to impress , Master. I had assud you were rely a minor figure blessed by fortune. Yet you know of the Dongjin—a rarity even among thousands of towns.”
Wu Yuan scoffed, refusing to let her flattery elevate her status. “Your hairpin bears the Dongjin insignia. It’s no secret. Your people aren’t that mysterious—else you wouldn’t have beco a rchant’s caged songbird.”
Luo Xiangluo smiled. “You know only half the truth. The rchant, Huan Su, was a distant descendant of the Huan clan—one of the Dongjin’s four great families (Wang, Xie, Huan, Yu).
For to serve him was no disgrace.
As for why a Huan clansman beca a slave trader, that’s a family secret beyond my knowledge.”
“So that explains the wealth and slaves far beyond a typical rchant caravan’s scale.”
Wu Yuan felt no fear upon learning the fat rchant’s origins. The Dongjin holand was remote.
Even if a branch family sent investigators to Redleaf Cliff, crossing thousands of towns and traveling countless miles would take eight to ten years, far too long to matter.
Reviews
All reviews (0)