Chapter 83: Rebuilding from Ruins

“The Elmons Mine was actually quite an impressive place, at least before the insectoid disaster struck,” Ram said with evident familiarity. “It’s one of Esola’s most consistently productive iron mines. Reportedly, just the mine’s net income amounts to twenty thousand renals annually. The mining area is nestled in a small mountain basin, blessed with abundant rainfall and several small rivers passing through. The temperature is suitable, and there are many cultivated fields, making it a renowned grain-producing zone north of Esola City. Besides the mining income, they used to sell grains to nearby mercenary groups and even held a market every ten days, becoming a crucial hub for local trade.”

The situation seemed less dire than Wu Qingsong had feared. Although the location was a bit of a letdown, it appeared to be one of the best in the vicinity.

“What else?” Wu Qingsong asked.

“The last proprietors of this land were the Dark Hand Mercenary Group,” Ram revealed.

“The same Dark Hand that was wiped out?”

Ren nodded.

“Okay,” Wu Qingsong sighed deeply. “Looking on the bright side, the basic infrastructure should be in good shape. The fields and irrigation systems should be intact, and the mines might still be salvageable. Who knows, there might even be hidden treasures from their accumulated wealth over the years?”

He suddenly felt a newfound appreciation for Marquis Osaga. Although acquiring the place seemed challenging, it was potentially a veritable treasure trove once secured.

With the surrounding area deserted or evacuated, a power vacuum had emerged. While new mercenary groups would eventually fill it, the Thirdteenth Mercenary Group had the upper hand by being there first. If they couldn’t capitalize on this opportunity, they had only themselves to blame.

“You first have to actually reclaim it,” Harold pragmatically pointed out. “Right now, there are at least a thousand antpeople scattered outside. With our current manpower, we likely can’t even make it to that place alive. I suspect it’ll take two or three months for aspiring mercenary groups from different regions to gather here, and clearing the antpeople in the vicinity of the city will take at least half a year. Although the elves will definitely seal off the tunnel near the Eryk mine soon, given its proximity, that area will likely have far more insectoids than other locations.”

“Great achievements require great struggles,” Wu Qingsong remarked. “Even if it takes us a year or two to firmly establish ourselves there, and a few more years to return it to its original state, it’s all worth it, right?”

“I still can’t wrap my head around it,” Ram confessed.

To her, elves were synonymous with savage cruelty. So why had Marquis Osaga refrained from dealing with Wu Qingsong?

This completely contradicted her perception of elves.

“Perhaps not every elf is a psychopath like Grand Duke Sentalus. It’s not impossible for there to be one or two decent individuals among so many elves, right?” Wu Qingsong said, his mood lightened.

“We need more hands on deck,” he declared emphatically. “Harold, head to Bota and recruit more houndmen. Take Angus with you to choose the reliable ones, and bring their families over as well. Ram, I need money, the more, the better. You must have some emergency reserves, right? Can you lend them to me for now? I’ll pay back with interest at the highest standard loan rate.”

Ram nodded, “That shouldn’t be a problem, but I’ll need to discuss it with Nina first.”

“That makes sense. She should also be informed about the recent events here. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I must ask you to make this journey.”

“Do you need us to lend you some manpower?” Ram asked.

For Wu Qingsong to gain a foothold in this region would also be greatly beneficial for the Silver Moon Wolf Clan. At the very least, they would have a reliable source of weapons, armor, and agricultural tools. The loan could be repaid gradually with these goods, in addition to the profits from soap sales, so there should be no issues.

Wu Qingsong pondered for a moment before declining her kind offer, “No, thank you. The newly recruited houndmen still need time to be assessed, and I plan to enlist even more people soon. For now, it’s best we keep our interactions to a minimum.”

With plans in place, the trio sprang into action.

Wu Qingsong offered an opportunity to the bear, horse, and pig people who had previously fought alongside him. The bearmen rejected his offer, as their blacksmithing trade was more profitable and less risky. However, the horse and pig people, who had lost their homes, eagerly accepted his proposal and even started recommending additional manpower to him.

The minor incident in the audience hall didn’t become widely known. To these beastmen, Wu Qingsong’s ascent to control the territory once held by the Dark Hand seemed just a matter of time.

Taking over a cold stove might not appeal to everyone, but Wu Qingsong was now seen as a star on the rise. Aligning with him promised at least a stable life.

Beastmen who had lost their livelihoods flocked to him, almost breaking down the temporary headquarters of the 13th Mercenary Corps. Wu Qingsong had to slow down his recruitment plans from Bota and instead focus on selecting from these survivors.

The number of beastfolk who survived in Esola City was relatively low, and the city’s defense forces were also recruiting more soldiers. This eased the number of applicants at Wu Qingsong’s place.

In a generous move, Wu Qingsong allowed those beastfolk who had passed his preliminary selection to also enlist with the city’s forces. However, he decisively closed the door on their joining his mercenary group thereafter.

Opportunists are found everywhere, and identifying them at this early stage was indeed advantageous.

Ultimately, Wu Qingsong’s mercenary troop swelled to over eighty, along with nearly sixty family members. The burden of securing sufficient food, and more directly, financial pressure, mounted significantly. Ram had to venture riskily with a group of traders eager to depart Esola, avoiding the insectoid disaster-affected areas on a southern route back to the Silver Moon Wolf Clan’s territory.

Shortly after her departure, a local merchant from Esola City sought Wu Qingsong out.

“You’re offering me a loan?” Wu Qingsong expressed mild surprise.

“Exactly.” The visitor, also a half-elf, had made it a point to introduce himself upon entering. He was a manager at the local branch of the Defielna Commercial Guild, a business under the ownership of a great noble in the empire. 

“We accept various types of collateral, mortgages, and repayment methods. If necessary, we can even invest in your ventures, assisting you in building your domain from the ground up. Rest assured, we have a solid history of cooperation with numerous mercenary groups, which you can verify. The Defielna Commercial Guild has an excellent reputation.”

This appeared to be a unique situation characteristic of border regions or areas overwhelmed by anomalies, as Harold’s expression indicated his unfamiliarity with such arrangements.

“Please, then, tell me more about it,” Wu Qingsong said.