Logan trailed behind Kodiak, his gaze diverting from the rabbit and dragon rat breeding pens to the unexpected sight before him. What was once a barren wasteland just half a month ago now sported several newly constructed earthen houses.
"Last ti I was here, this place was rely the outskirts of our animal enclosures!" Logan exclaid, his voice tinged with surprise.
Kodiak turned, a knowing smile on his lips. "After you brought back those Warcraft cubs, we needed more space. So, we expanded and built a new breeding section here."
Indeed, Logan had entrusted Kodiak with 500 gold coins for the purchase, a sum that left little change—barely over a hundred coins remained. Plans to acquire more cubs were in motion, though funding them would be tight.
Kodiak's satisfaction was evident, however. Having been with the Silver Mane Tribe for nearly a decade, he owed his allegiance to Logan's father, the late chief Kotas, who had rescued him during troubled tis. In gratitude, Kodiak had pledged to ta legions of wargs for the tribe—a promise made to a visionary leader whose ambitions were cut short by his untily demise.
Yet, in Logan, Kodiak saw the resurgence of those old aspirations.
"Five hundred gold coins, handed over without a second thought—such boldness in our young chief!" Kodiak mused aloud.
He continued, "Also, there's been a sharp increase in our tribe mbers. Lord Lot has cramd the animal pens with people. We're practically overflowing with manpower now."
"That's advantageous," Logan replied briskly. "With surplus hands, we expand. We buy what we need and provide greater value to the tribe!"
Logan nodded, his thoughts on the surge of tribe mbers Lord Lot had ntioned. The unexpected boom in labor was puzzling—how could they be understaffed with such numbers?
Despite Lord Lot being his uncle, Logan was critical. He had sternly instructed Lot to distribute the excess manpower across various departnts. "If they're still idle, send them to Covos. Let them clear and farm the land," he had said, determined to utilize every available hand.
Logan pondered the tribe's conservative mindset, akin to a small, insular nation unaware of how to leverage a growing population to foster expansion. Many tribes, he knew, operated in this complacent manner. Satisfied with sustaining themselves on limited resources, they shied away from expansion, which only hindered their progress in tis of unforeseen calamities.
"Yet they call it a planned society," Kodiak remarked, his voice laced with irony. "But when disaster strikes, what then? There's never enough to go around."
The Silver Mane Tribe, like many others, was caught in a cycle of short-sightedness—a mix of complacent laziness and a lack of strategic foresight.
"Frankly, it's either an unwillingness to plan ahead or perhaps a limitation in thinking long-term," Kodiak mused, reflecting on the tribe's historical reluctance to expand or innovate.
Logan, however, was not one to dwell on past inefficiencies. He was already formulating plans to capitalize on their labor surplus to bolster the tribe's resources. "Indeed," he affird with determination.
"Don't worry," Kodiak began, a spark of enthusiasm in his voice as he outlined his plans. "I've already laid out plans to expand our dragon rat breeding operations. With the current pace, we can boost our stocks to provide over 10,000 dragon rats for at within the next one and a half months."
"Really? Well done!" Logan responded, genuinely impressed. Though 10,000 dragon rats might seem modest, it represented a significant stride forward for their tribe.
Kodiak's face bore a mixture of relief and pride. Just two months prior, the prospect of adequately feeding the tribe had seed daunting due to a lack of manpower. Now, reflecting on the rapid enhancents in their breeding capabilities, he felt a surge of optimism. "With this improvent, we can not only feed the wargs but also ensure a steady at supply for our people."
As they continued their tour of the newly expanded facilities, Kodiak halted before a partially completed structure. "Chief, we're here," he announced, gesturing towards the building.
Stepping inside, Logan was greeted by the sight of a large enclosure housing a group of creatures resembling wild boars, yet covered in yellow-brown fur. "These are pigs," Kodiak explained, noting the 220 animals comprised of 20 boars and 200 sows.
"Pigs?" Logan echoed, examining the docile beasts grazing contentedly.
"Yes," Kodiak continued, "They are first-level monsters and could potentially evolve into second-level ones. However, these particular pigs have been dosticated for many generations by monster rchants, losing much of their ferocity and the capacity for advancent. They've beco quite ta, akin to those dosticated in human societies."
"I see," Logan nodded, processing the information.
Kodiak then led him to another enclosure, this one imdiately striking a stark contrast to the docility of the first. Here, a formidable pig with large, curved, blood-red tusks caught Logan's eye. Its bristles were also blood-red, contrasting sharply with its black body fur.
"This," Kodiak introduced with a hint of awe, "is a blood-fanged wild boar, a second-level monster with the potential to reach the third or fourth level. This particular one is a second-generation specin, with a very pure lineage."
Logan was montarily taken aback by the creature's fierce appearance. This piglet, though young, was already one and a half tis the size of an ordinary boar, its wild nature evident even in captivity.
In the next enclosure, Kodiak pointed out a group of pigs, detailing their lineage and current status. "We have a total of one hundred here, with ten boars and ninety sows."
"Due to many generations of dostication, these boars have not only reduced in size, but their at has also toughened," Kodiak explained. "Compared to wild boars, their at quality has deteriorated significantly—it's more than ten tis inferior."
However, his tone brightened as he shifted the topic to the more formidable blood-fanged wild boars. "But the blood-fanged wild boars are a different story entirely. Their at is among the finest of all monster ats, and their blood fangs are highly sought after as top-tier materials for crafting exquisite jewelry."
Logan raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "They must be quite valuable, then?"
"Indeed," Kodiak responded with a nod. "A single blood-tusked wild boar cub could fetch the price of six or seven common pig-beast cubs. Fortunately, my trainer's certificate affords us a sowhat better deal."
Logan was familiar with such certifications. "Many professions have their own guilds or associations, much like the human world—rcenary Guilds, Magician Guilds, Craftsn Unions, and so forth. These organizations not only provide a form of recognition but also offer various perks and discounts to their mbers."
Kodiak, benefiting from his junior trainer certificate, enjoyed such discounts, making it more feasible to acquire and maintain exotic creatures like the blood-tusked wild boars.
After discussing the blood-tusked boars, they moved on to the next enclosure, which housed an entirely different type of beast. "This enclosure is ho to our kodo beasts," Kodiak introduced. "As the tribe grows, it becos essential to dosticate robust pack animals like these."
Logan nodded in agreent. "Indeed, it is necessary."
His gaze then fell on three particularly large creatures among the group. "Why are there three adult kodo beasts among them?" he inquired, curious about their presence.
Kodiak explained, "Kodo beasts are so of the most reliable pack animals. They resemble rhinos but are much larger and stronger."
He described their impressive size: "An adult kodo beast stands three to four ters at the shoulder and can be eight to nine ters long, reaching up to twelve or thirteen ters including the tail. Their limbs are sturdy, akin to those of an elephant, and despite their massive size, they're incredibly docile creatures."
Logan was impressed by their size and utility, understanding the strategic value of such beasts for the expansion and logistical capabilities of the Silver Mane Tribe.
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