Chapter 644: Chapter 476, Life-taker Mountain Stronghold_1
Ma Hong was taking the lead, and Fang Hao was following closely behind with several heroes.
The group quickly arrived at the barracks where Fang Hao began recruitment.
[Hundred-fold enhancement triggered, recruiting 505 heavy sword infantry.]
[Hundred-fold enhancement triggered, recruiting 505 Lionheart Knights.]
There were flashes of light everywhere.
Over a thousand soldiers appeared on one side of the barracks.
Fang Hao didn’t put much thought into recruiting these soldiers.
It was meant to avoid any further danger, and to compensate for the losses suffered by the Lyss City forces.
After all, many people had been injured.
They were no longer suitable to journey along with the army.
The soldiers lined up according to their units.
Fang Hao continued providing the newly recruited soldiers with their corresponding equipment.
He let the heroes each take command and handle equipment changes.
Once everything was prepared.
The mercenaries were also ready.
The total number was more than seventeen hundred.
“Ma Hong, you are to stay here, and the injured will stay with you. I will keep you informed if anything happens.” Fang Hao patted Ma Hong’s shoulder.
“What? I’m not going with you? I also have many men.”
By now, Ma Hong had also counted his men.
He had even made his pre-war speech to his civilian soldiers.
Everyone was ready for battle, but now he was tasked with staying home.
“We still need you to hold down the fort here, take good care of this place.” Fang Hao continued.
“Well, alright.” Ma Hong reluctantly responded.
He was hoping to join in fighting the bandits too.
However, he was assigned guard duty at home.
But then again, this was also good, there was no danger.
Fang Hao looked back at the assembled troops once again.
He waved his hand, “Let’s go, we’re exterminating the bandits.”
The soldiers sprang into action.
An impressive force left the city, heading south.
…
Two days later, at noon.
The scorching mid-day autumn sun was like a steamer, with not a breeze in sight.
A large black dog lay on the ground panting heavily; a rooster in a cage also dropped its head, appearing sick and on the verge of death.
This made the already worried bandits even more irritable.
In a shaded area under a wall, a few bandits leaned against the wall, whispering to each other.
“Damn, why is it so hot at noon, even hotter than summer.”
“In half a month, it’s going to be cool, and you’ll be missing this warmth.”
A young bandit lowered his voice and asked, “Is the lady really as powerful as they say, capable of calling in an army to fight us? Does a woman have so much power?”
The mention of this caused the group to move closer together instinctively.
“You haven’t heard the name Rebecca before?” one of them asked.
“I’ve heard that she’s attractive and is the wife of Lyss City’s city lord, but that’s all I know.” the young bandit continued.
“Think about it, a woman who can firmly hold onto a city. Every person who maintains power does so by stepping over corpses. Do you think a woman like that, who survived death, will come back to seek revenge on us?” another bandit explained.
“Really? Can she be that powerful?” the young bandit appeared doubtful.
“Humph! Judge for yourself, the three bosses. Since the day before yesterday, have you seen them fooling around with women or drinking? They are probably worried too.” said the seasoned bandit.
“So, isn’t the camp in danger?” the young bandit asked anxiously.
The seasoned bandit calmly replied, “Don’t be hasty. Lyss is a big city, even raising an army isn’t an easy task. Now that all cities are preparing for winter, I guess even if there’s going to be a war, it won’t be until spring next year.”
“Boss, you’re very knowledgeable.” the young bandit said admiringly.
Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, he already surpassed most of the bandits by speaking such words.
At that moment, a door nearby opened.
A man, naked and scarred all over, walked out.
Upon seeing the naked man, several men quickly got up, smiling obsequiously, “Third boss, it’s hot. Let me shade you.”
The seasoned bandit was ready to shade him from the sun.
Li Zhenhu, with a stern look on his face, yelled, “Don’t fuss around! All of you, carry these boxes onto the carriage.”
“Oh, alright.”
The bandits sprang into action, quickly.
The seasoned bandit and the young one entered the house together, joined forces to lift a huge wooden box, and walked away.
As they were moving, the sound of ‘clanging’ gold coins could be heard from inside the box.
At this, the expression of the seasoned bandit changed and he quickly scanned the surroundings. Noticing no one was paying attention, he rapidly lifted a small crack in the wooden lid of the box.
Golden coins shone from inside the box.
The young man on the other side also saw the gold coins and a surprised look flashed across his face.
After a single glance, the box was immediately closed again.
The box was carried onto the carriage.
The seasoned bandit quickly ordered, “You guys go and find some rope to secure the boxes, go to the cellar to get two jars of fruit wine, hurry up. The third boss always takes care of you guys.”
Li Zhenhu, who was absent-minded, thought of the seasoned bandit as very considerate.
“You’re not bad. When we return tonight, I’ll tell the big boss to assign you a better task.” Li Zhenhu patted the bandit’s shoulder.
With a sycophantic smile, the seasoned bandit replied, “Whatever you say, boss. To be able to follow you definitely means a good deal.”
“Haha, you know how to speak.”
The seasoned bandit continued, “Third boss, what big business are you going to do this time.”