There is an embarrassment called the sudden silence of the air.

The complacent Iluri didn't realize that her magic ability was only a mere lv1, and whether it was the strength of the shield or the duration, it was completely a rookie level.

"Hehe......" Yiluli laughed dryly twice, and touched her nose weakly: "This is divine power, not a child's toy, and it's very tiring to maintain it, so, that, I just took it back." ”

Eslena forced a smile, but Iliel asked sternly, "Really? Iluri, can you freely control its existence and disappearance?"

"Ahaha, of course, of course. It's indestructible after all!"

Iluri avoided Eslena's gaze and glanced at the gray and black city wall in front of her, and quickly changed the subject: "Huh, I finally see the city wall, let's go, I'm dying of hunger." ”

The fish monster attack caused an uproar throughout the city of Arabe, and the eastern suburbs near the coastline bore the brunt, with farms, vineyards, workshops, mills, and fishing villages suffering heavy losses, displaced refugees, and terrifying and grotesque rumors spread throughout the city.

In order to deal with the invasion of the fish monsters, almost all the knights of Arabe City were dispatched, including the mage regiment, stationed on the front line of Dongcheng District, and the Duchy Navy was also assembled in the sea near the port and was ready for battle.

However, the fish monster's movements are extremely secretive, and its range of activity has always stayed near the coastline, and it seems that it has no intention of launching a full-scale attack.

However, no one could have imagined that a terrible plague was sprouting in the city of Arabe.

......

"Your Excellency, what do you think of the ransom offered by the Blackstone Collar?"

The Templars spoke of the frontline positions, where the heavy cowhide tents crackled as the campfires crackled, and the frontline commander, Marcellus, wore a bearskin cloak and held a piece of parchment—a deed of ransom from the Blackstone Messenger.

"Deed of Redemption. Lord Mister on the other side frowned and rubbed his palms on the campfire: "It seems that they have made up their minds to go to war with us." It was a real guts, and the Golden Icon did not seem to deter them. I've heard that their fortifications on the front line are getting more and more numerous. ”

"More and more. Marcellus's gloomy face flickered in the firelight, and his tone was a little self-deprecating: "It's ridiculous that we all thought the walls would take a long time. Who would have thought that in just half a month, a stone wall nearly two meters high and nearly 100 meters long would be erected like that. ”

The line of defense established by Sir Crick at the Blackstone Pass was reported daily by messengers, and the stone wall, which no one thought was impossible, changed surprisingly every day, and they were amazed.

No one knows how the black stone collar did it, but in short, it was just a stone by stone, higher and longer, which was the most depressing.

"I don't believe it. Lord Mister shook his head, "For this reason, I specifically asked the president of the Stonemasons Guild of Waterdeep City, and he asserted that this was impossible. The truth of the matter is that they improvised stone walls made of gravel and mud, which only look tall and don't actually have any strength. ”

"Who knows. Marsalus shrugged: "Let's talk about the ransom." They don't want gold, they don't want jewelry, they don't want grain, they don't want iron tools, they just slaves. Why, you say? I've always thought this was a strange and illogical request. There were more than fifty captives, and the average Holy Spirit Knight was to exchange 10 healthy serfs, 3 ewes, 1 ram, 2 pigs, 10 chickens or ducks and geese. His Excellency the Viscount and his noble guards were to use 30 serfs, and the rest were tripled. ”

"I have calculated, adding up to 830 serfs to be delivered, and the rest is not counted. Moreover, they are required to be healthy farmers, preferably family-style, with men and women in half. Lord Mister continued, "Winter is coming soon, and it is inevitable that the Blackstone Collar will take over the town of Daotan, plus this is more serfs than they originally numbered. I'm a little curious, how much food do they have to feed such a large population?"

"Perhaps, that's the witchcraft of demons. Marcellus snorted coldly, and put the stove hook in his hand to make the campfire a little stronger: "You can see that they have a great appetite. There are requirements for age, gender, including the age of the child, and I really don't know what the hell is going on. ”

"What is the opinion of the Inquisitor?"

Lord Mister raised his head, according to his spies, the population of the Blackstone Territory was currently around a thousand, and the conditions they had to offer were equivalent to the number of people in a medium territory.

Of course, they did not know that Ralph had taken another eight or nine hundred prisoners from the sea. In other words, now the population of the Black Stone Collar is approaching the 2,000 population mark.

Regarding the ransom, the Black Stone Collar held a special meeting to study, according to the usual rules, the ransom is generally gold, food, livestock and iron tools, and the use of slaves also exists, but not much, because of the increase in population, the burden will increase accordingly.

But for Blackstone Collar, none of this is a problem.

Luna's idol worked, and in the farmland planted around the idol, the mutated Luna Wheat 1 grew well, and Luna's inference was that it would be harvested in about two months, and the yield was amazing.

To this end, Qin Song proposed a further plan for improving the farmland - diversion irrigation and regular fertilization, and under the condition of ensuring fertility and water sources, the use of the Fengmao fairy sigil will be further improved.

Thus, the problem of rations was solved.

Next came the gold coins, which were perhaps the most valuable for the other nobles. However, Blackstone Collar is currently basically self-sufficient, with maltose, long-handled sickles, hand-cranked juicers, and cotton strippers, and can reach a buyout contract with the Pierre family at any time to earn a lot of gold.

As for the livestock issue, the initial opinion was to exchange a small batch of cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, and so on. However, it was ultimately denied. The new type of army has completely abandoned the war horse, so the original war horse, plus the dozens of war horses captured, temporarily switched to their own job - plowing the field.

The reason why sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese are asked is entirely to improve the food conditions of the black stone collar as a source of meat.

Finally, there is the iron tool, which was originally the most lacking resource of the Black Stone Collar, but just two days before the meeting, it was perfectly solved!

The first batch of stone forest ores collected in the crystal mine cave by the ghost ship was transported to Daotan Port, and after the trial smelting of the blacksmith Marbury, he was pleasantly surprised to find that as Qin Song guessed, this was indeed a metal mineral, and the purity was extremely high.

Of course, the high temperatures required to smelt this ore and the fact that its metal properties are not fully understood, can only be produced in small batches at present.

Alice took this as a PR topic and threw herself into it, and it was only a matter of time before it was mass-produced.

So, at the end of the meeting, everyone was surprised to find that the Blackstone Collar actually lacked nothing. Population, then, has become the biggest bottleneck restricting development.

Ralph began a second pirate trap, and the deed of ransom was delivered to Marcellus.

The conditions seem very simple, but in fact they are very harsh, including the ratio of male and female serfs, age, physical condition, and even weight and height are mandatory.

I'm not afraid that they won't agree, or they will be indiscriminate.

If you don't like it, you can return it, because Blackstone Collar has the final right to explain.

"Their appetite is too great. Marcellus frowned tightly: "Viscount Hein is from the royal capital, and in his status as a viscount, it is not too much to exchange thirty serfs. There are also those Holy Spirit Knights, who come from well-to-do families, and it is not a problem to purchase 10 serfs. The problem is that this is equivalent to the inflow of the population of a medium territory into the Blackstone Territory, which is bound to greatly increase their power. ”

"What did Your Excellency the Inquisitor say?"

"He was only involved in church matters and dealing with pagan issues. After the arrival of the golden icon, he was busy preparing the golden solution. He wasn't interested in this kind of thing. Marcellus shook his head helplessly: "According to the rules, this deed of redemption needs to be handed over to the Viscount's family to decide whether to accept it or not." ”

"They're going to take it. Mister also smiled bitterly: "That's a Holy Spirit Knights, the glory and face of the whole family." ”

"So, what do you mean?"

"Since Your Excellency the Inquisitor is unwilling to interfere, then we can only follow the rules. Mister sighed, "There's no way we can't say no." ”

Yes, they really can't say no. Because the foundation of the empire is the aristocracy, and both eyes are on it.

If they refuse the ransom, or if they prevent the family from paying the ransom, it means that they have given up the captured nobles. So, who will fight wholeheartedly in the next war?

Aren't they afraid that after being captured, they will be reduced to prisoners?

"That's all there is to it. Marcellus folded the parchment and put it in his bosom: "I will send a letter crow to inform the family of Viscount Hein, that they should pay the ransom according to the time limit of the contract." I hope that Viscount Hein can return smoothly, no matter what, they are all Holy Spirit Knights, a force to rely on. ”

This feeling of being blackmailed by hated heretics is terrible.

"I won't forget this shame. Marcellus gritted his teeth, his eyes full of resentment, since he was promoted to the commander of the battle line, he has repeatedly fought against the orcs, against the infidels, and all of them have been captured.

This was like a slap in the face to a Templar who swore everything before the Holy Spirit to defend the glory of the Holy Spirit.

"I don't know what Your Excellency Inquisitor has prepared. Lord Mister was in an equally bad mood: "We urgently need a victory now, a victory worthy of praise." ”

"Soon, I promise. Massares spoke in a low and hoarse tone: "Damn orcs, damned heretics, I will let them taste the bitter fruit of defeat, and the Templars will conquer everything." ”