Struggle in the Steam Age

After figuring out the level of the militia under their command, Lawrence and the others quickly changed their original plan. In the original plan, a large number of places that needed regular troops were replaced with armed militias. At least for the current island, as long as the wages and bonuses are paid enough, it is not too difficult to recruit enough volunteers.

Of course, there is another very important reason why enough volunteers can be recruited so easily. That is, Lawrence has always kept his promise before, and has a very high reputation. Moreover, in the previous several wars, a large number of enemies were wiped out with almost zero casualties each time. So everyone is willing to respond to his call out of trust in him.

Okay, I think we have basically sorted out this matter. Lawrence stood up and concluded. In the following time, everyone discussed the details. It wasn't until the sky started to get dark that a general framework was discussed. Considering the current shortage of manpower, I suggest that tomorrow you tauren can send representatives to visit the rat people with me, and see if we can recruit some people from them.

With the increase in the number of ratmen immigrating from the surrounding islands, the situation that they could only barely block the group trying to pass through the tunnel inside the mountain to the plain goblins where Lawrence and the others were located was greatly eased. So they finally have time to develop, at least the large piece of farmland in front of the Ratman cave has finally seen arable land.

Rat people don't use this land to grow any food crops. Like other mixed areas, they can easily obtain a large amount of food through trade with humans. If it is for emergency, the lichens, mosses and fungi in the cave That's enough. So they asked Lawrence to purchase a list full of various fruit tree saplings and seeds. Obviously, these arable land allocated to the Ratmen will definitely become a tropical fruit plantation in the future.

Rat people can indeed survive by eating only various mosses and fungi that grow in caves, but this does not mean that they do not like to eat other things. At least according to Lawrence's observations. As long as it is something that humans can eat and like to eat, the rats will not refuse. For example, Fatina likes all kinds of creamy snacks, and the more sugar you put, the better.

On the way to the mission together in Eagle Fort, Fatina would take a box of snacks that Lawrence thought were very sweet and greasy, and ate them. At that time, Lawrence and I were always worried that she might become as fat as a hamster, but later he found that maybe because of the high amount of activity, rat people seem to be more difficult to eat and fat than humans.

After the two sides got acquainted, he also knew that except for a very small number of Ratmen who prefer slightly sour lichen with mushroom soup. The taste of most rat people is actually not much different from that of humans, except that they prefer sweets. So a while ago, they used the guinea pig skins and dried mushrooms from there to exchange various foods with humans, such as various seasonings, grains, dairy products and meat.

Especially sugar, the amount they want significantly exceeds the normal human intake. Then Lawrence found out by asking the person in charge of the Ratman who came out to purchase that what they were most satisfied with after they moved to this island was the absolutely cheap local sugar and a bunch of other things besides the exclusive space for the Ratman in the mountainside. A big push for sweet-tasting fruits.

Lawrence had heard from Fatina before that when they built their own land, the orchard outside the cave was at the end of the construction sequence. In other words, when they came out to build this orchard, it meant that the rat people had entered a normal state, and at the same time they should be able to spare enough manpower.

So in the early morning of the next day, a temporary mission composed of five tauren and Lawrence left the hilly area and took a boat to drive downstream along the river, and then from the easternmost part of the plain in Niujiao Bay. They went ashore at the pier and walked towards the south. In the afternoon, they successfully arrived at the mountain where the Ratmen were.

Welcome, my friend. Just after they arrived, the ratman guards at the entrance of the cave quickly entered the cave to announce the news. A few minutes later, Fatina walked out of the cave with several followers to meet them. You were half an hour earlier than expected. It seems that you have been going well along the way.

Of course, of course, this journey was indeed very smooth. Lawrence greeted everyone and followed Fatina into the cave while saying. Because when we came here, we happened to come from the hill where the Tauren and the others lived, and we happened to be going down the current, so the ship was obviously faster than the actual speed.

By the way, did they come here with you last time for something? After chatting with Lawrence and Safir about their recent encounters and friendship, Fatina slightly tilted her head to look He glanced at the tauren who followed behind and asked. I don't think they are just here to visit our cave.

Of course not. We came here today mainly because there is a big project on the island, so I hope that you rat people can also participate in it. Having said that, Lawrence paused for a moment, then continued. This project requires you to pay a certain price, but I assure you that no matter how much you pay for this matter, you can get the corresponding benefits fairly.

I believe you, but I have to find some professionals to discuss the specific situation with you. Just after Lawrence's voice fell, Fatina nodded and said very seriously. Then they were introduced into a standard basketball court-sized, two-story high cave hall, which seemed to be a conference room, and invited everyone to sit down, and then asked the two followers who followed him to go out and escort the subordinates in this area. find.

It feels like there is more space here than before. Because it took a little time to gather the ratman affairs officers who were drilling in various caves in the mountain, everyone simply used this time to chat. I remember the last time I came here to clean up, I felt that the cave was much narrower than it is now, and it was dark as hell.

We have actually been renovating the cave during this period of time, but because of the lack of manpower and the need to fight the goblins, it is probably less than 1/10 of the entire cave that has been repaired like this. Fatina said, and what most people imagined Different, although the Ratmen like to live in caves and underground spaces, they hate small spaces just like the dwarves, and are full of interest in various wonders. Therefore, in this kind of place that belongs to them, the rat people will naturally make the cave spacious and bright.

Less than 1/10? It's a huge amount of work. A tauren sitting on the floor said, because the size of the furniture prepared by the rat people is a little bit small for humans, let alone tall. the Tauren. For the helpless tauren, the ratmen could only find some cushions and put them on the edge of the table, and then they sat directly on the floor.

The amount of work is really not small, especially some places need comprehensive renovation, such as digging a new tunnel between two caves. If it weren't for Lawrence and the others to help provide a few machines, I think we can finish half of it at most work. Fatina said that the few small steam engines she had borrowed from Lawrence earlier were err. The driven steam drill played an excellent role in the construction, especially when configuring some magic potions and spells unique to the Ratmen.

You are right, the machines are really useful, such as our steam water pump— This topic quickly resonated with the tauren, although there are only a few steam engines used by the tauren for their water storage tanks , but they have been able to fully experience the high efficiency of these machines.

As we chatted, everyone began to get to know each other, and the atmosphere in the room gradually became active. Ten minutes later, seven or eight ratmen opened the door and walked in, and then the negotiation officially started.