Chapter 137: Orgrimmar’s Development

Except for the soldiers on duty, the majority of people joyfully indulged in heavy drinking.

Wu Qingsong received the most toasts, but alcohol had become meaningless to him. No amount of drink affected him any differently than water would.

Liuli, on the other hand, had mysteriously acquired some liquor and, in her drunken state, clung to Wu Qingsong’s legs, unwilling to let go, effectively spoiling any plans Wu Qingsong had in mind.

Though Ram had her share of drinks, she was brisk and energetic the next morning, promptly briefing him along with Harold on the events of the past month.

Upon Wu Qingsong’s departure, they had divided the responsibilities. Harold oversaw military matters, while Ram handled everything else.

There wasn’t much to report from Harold’s end. The group of houndmen recruited before Wu Qingsong’s departure had finished their basic training and were now in good shape. Although their combat readiness was debatable, their discipline was impeccable, making them reliable for city defense and public safety.

The recently recruited terriermen, who had joined less than a month ago, were still getting accustomed to Orgrimmar’s regulations. They weren’t as obedient as the houndfolk, exhibited stronger aggression, and sometimes caused headaches for Harold and Angus.

Despite their small size, these fighters proved to be formidable.

An incident had happened where a mastiffman from a small mercenary group got drunk and caused a ruckus in a lower city tavern. While the houndman officer in charge attempted to negotiate, his terrier recruits swiftly intervened, delivering a thorough beating, effectively putting an end to the disturbance.

“They’ve begun to feel a sense of belonging to Orgrimmar, but their obedience is lacking.”

“Why is that?” Wu Qingsong asked.

“The houndmen excel in discipline and tracking but fall short in combat strength and willpower,” Harold said. “Moreover, the significant life lost in the recent battle meant many squad leaders were promoted from the ranks, lacking sufficient capability. The terriermen, by comparison, are much more resilient, with some individuals possessing exceptional combat skills, potentially outmatching even Angus. Their disdain for the veteran houndmen grew after learning about the details of that battle, blaming their incompetence for the heavy casualties.”

This response made Wu Qingsong slightly uncomfortable. 

“What do you propose?”

“We have two options. Either give them a hard time to temper their disposition or organize them by breed. Hound squads could focus on patrolling and guarding, while terrier squads could be tasked with combat and public order.”

Harold clearly favored the latter approach. However, Wu Qingsong maintained that discipline was paramount in any military force. Even if organizing by breed, it should come after they’ve been disciplined and understand this concept. His army would not allow the incompetent to occupy high positions based solely on seniority, but it also could not operate without strict rules.

If a battle were to happen, such issues might be resolved naturally. However, given the current situation in Esola, the likelihood of a battle breaking out was greatly diminished

“Have Angus come to see me later, I’d like to hear his perspective,” Wu Qingsong said.

Next, Ram provided updates on infrastructure, agriculture, commerce, and administration.

After months of diligent effort, the new Orgrimmar had essentially been built. The tasks that remained were primarily focused on internal improvements and finishing touches. The irrigation channels and farmlands damaged during the insectoid disaster had been cleared. Although the rabbit and mouse serfs hurried to plant crops, they followed their traditional farming practices rather than the innovations Wu Qingsong had hoped for. Any significant changes would likely have to wait until the next spring.

A clearing in the forest was allocated to the deerpeople for cultivating their traditional herbs. Within about six months, Orgrimmar should expect an additional revenue stream.

The mines hadn’t yet been cleared, possibly still harboring antpeople and other insectoids. 

The entrance sealed off previously had been breached by antpeople, all of whom were eliminated by Angus and his team. The Osaga Trading Company, particularly eager More, was pushing for the Thirteenth Mercenary Group to resume production as soon as possible.

“Several nearby mines have already started to produce iron,” mentioned Ram.

“We’re not in a hurry,” countered Wu Qingsong. “We’re not as financially strained, so there’s no need to exchange lives for money like they do.”

He had alternative plans for the mines, yet the timing to disclose them wasn’t right, at least not until Xeila arrived and there was a clear direction forward.

“I’ve placed an order with the Osaga Trading Company for hard leather and hired several mercenary groups to transport the hard leather we’ve purchased from Umber. Currently, we’re able to produce about ten sets of leather armor per day, mainly limited by the shortage of raw materials. Once Nina’s leather workshops begin producing, we should see an improvement in supply.”

Wu Qingsong wasn’t informed by Nina about this issue, but it wasn’t a significant problem, so he nodded in acknowledgment.

“The market price for insectoid shell armor has tripled. If sold in major cities, the markup could be at least fivefold,” Ram mentioned regretfully. “This has caused the price of insectoid shells to also skyrocket. I’ve halted our purchasing and sales temporarily to assess the market.”

“No worries, you have more say in business matters than we do,” Wu Qingsong said.

The halt in insectoid shell armor production also stopped the production of associated items. With their current manpower shortage, especially after the deerpeople returned to farming, the industry was almost solely reliant on the horsepeople and was nearing full capacity.

“All the soap you made earlier has sold out, and our buyer is pressing us for more. What’s your plan?”

Although they weren’t short on money, maintaining and managing distribution channels was essential. Wu Qingsong nodded, signaling he would produce another batch soon. The technology for soap making wasn’t complex, but each batch of raw materials required multiple tests to finalize the formula. They needed to train a few trustworthy individuals in this method. Additionally, constructing a lime kiln was necessary, and it was nearly time to experiment with a cement kiln.

The rest were merely minor matters.

With the arrival of the terrierfolk, Orgrimmar’s standing forces swelled to nearly two hundred and thirty, and the civilian population hit around one thousand. Adding the over five hundred slaves, staff from the Osaga Trading Company, and Ram’s subordinates, the permanent resident count soared to two thousand. This nearly matched the population of a typical small town in any given territory, even surpassing some in less fertile regions.

Were it not for the necessity of keeping secrets, leading to a deliberate policy of not inviting small mercenary groups or hunter bands, and limiting commercial activities exclusively to the Osaga Trading Company and the Silver Moon Wolf Clan’s trading company managed by Ram, this place could have been bustling even more.

“You’ve all done a great job, better than I could have managed,” Wu Qingsong complimented.

If Liuli had heard such praise, her tail might have wagged sky-high, but neither Ram nor Harold were particularly moved by flattery.

“I’ve roughly estimated the value of the jewels you’ve brought back. Their market worth is between five hundred thousand to eight hundred thousand renals. The value might drop if we rush to sell them, but… did you raid some treasury?”

“That’s nothing,” Wu Qingsong eventually couldn’t resist boasting. “The real treasure is this.” 

He then took out the magic book he had entrusted to Ling for safekeeping and carefully laid it before them.