The courtyard in Soratinok was also as large as his manor, the only difference was that it was not as luxurious as the outside, the entrance to the courtyard and all corners were guarded by heavily armed guards, and in the center was an empty field about the size of four football fields, where some strong men dressed as apparently servants were exercising with various equipment.

While leading Lao Luo into the courtyard, Soratinok introduced quite conceitedly: "Bartol, it is no exaggeration to say that there is no better goods in the entire eastern Mediterranean coast than I have on hand, and you can see that these are specially mobilized from all over the world, and many of them are used to train as gladiators. ”

"Gladiator?" Lao Luo couldn't help but ask in surprise: "There are still gladiators now?" Is there still this profession in this day and age? ”

"Yes, how could it not?" Soratinok pursed his lips, "Those dignitaries and nobles have nothing to do all day long, and gladiator competitions are their favorite shows. ”

Lao Luo thought about it for a while, and he understood that even in later generations, there were also underground black fists and the like, and the audience present was often those executives and wealthy businessmen. The present era is no different from the afterlife, except that the material things are different on the outside. Lao Luo looked at the ** people who were active in the empty field, "Soratinok, aren't you also one of the dignitaries?" Don't act like you're noble. ”

"But at least I gave these people food and a chance to survive." Soratinok was unimpressed by Lao Luo's words, "Do you know where they came from? Most of them were prisoners of the battlefield, and if it weren't for me, most of them would have been killed like wild dogs. ”

"Well, I'll admit you have a point." There was actually no point in sorting this out, and Lao Luo quickly changed the topic, "These are gladiators in front of you?" ”

"Not all of them, but a lot of them have a lot of potential." Soratinok pointed to a shirtless man not far away who was punching and kicking a stake, "Well, that guy, who my men picked up from the Bulgarian battlefield, was dying, but now he's back like a lion." ”

Indeed, the big guy has messy brown hair, a full beard, and his height is even taller than Lao Luo, Lao Luo estimates that the other party is at least two meters and one or two, Lao Luo is very interested in such a strong man, "Where is he from?" ”

"I don't understand what he's saying, and it's said that he's not Bulgarian." Soratinok paused and thought for a moment, "According to the Kievan Rus', he seems to have come from further north, but not from Normans. ”

"Well, I see," Lao Luo thought to himself, maybe this guy is from Northern Europe, maybe it's a Viking Viking, "I can choose some people of different races, it doesn't matter if it's complicated, as long as you can communicate." Hey, I said Lord Soratinok, give me the gladiator, it won't affect your business, right? ”

"As you wish, Bartol." While Soratinok breathed a sigh of relief, he also said with some relief, "I don't expect gladiators to make money, besides, you don't know, do you?" I also trained as a gladiator when I was younger. ”

"You?" Lao Luo took a closer look at Soratinok's obese figure, and he really didn't pay attention if he didn't look carefully, this old guy's hands were not only fat, but also had thick finger joints and thick arms, he should have been trained, he nodded, "You don't say it, I really don't see it, a cunning businessman like you also has experience in gladiator training." ”

"Yes, after decades of good life, the traces of past training are not obvious." Soratinok's tone was visibly emotional.

But Lao Luo is not in the mood to care about this, God knows if this old guy is playing a bitter drama for himself again. "Alright, pick someone, three gold solidus per person, according to the agreed price."

Old Soratinok commanded his men to shout for everyone to gather, and soon all the servants in this courtyard were gathered, there were hundreds of them, most of them were strong men who were training shirtless, and they all looked like all kinds of things, like the Nordic mans, and there were also bald heads and beards and eyebrows that were shaved clean with knives, mostly Caucasians, and some who obviously looked of Central Asian blood, as well as equally strong blacks, and even women who were very scantily dressed, but all of them also had a fierce atmosphere, many people can see from their eyes that they have obviously seen human lives.

Soratinok and Lao Luo stood at the front, introducing that this side is all Bulgarians, the other half are scattered Italians, and the fierce Normans from the north, as well as the Berbers from the west of Efelica, the Caucasians from the East, and the Kurds who also have Eastern blood, of course, the black-skinned ones are also from Ephilica, but they are unknown tribes a little further south, and their origins are generally secrets, which were transferred by Soratinok's friends, It is said that those guys specialize in capturing the population from Efeliga.

Lao Luo was not interested in the origin of these people, he was most concerned about a group of scarred Thracians, the bravest warriors of the Cold Weapon Age he knew.

Noticing Lao Luo's gaze, Soratinok introduced the Thracians in the distance, "Those Thracians are fierce warriors, and although their traditions have been lost a lot, they are all fellows who have defeated their opponents in the gladiatorial arena many times. ”

"Well, you can see, those scars speak for themselves." Lao Luo's all-round warriors, of course, are no strangers to these, and the scars on those Thracians are mostly on the front or outside of the body, indicating that they are all guys who have the courage to face the battle. "They don't seem to have many of them, Soratinok?"

"By the way, Mr. Bartoll is also a very clever warrior," Soratinok patted his head, as if he hadn't noticed it, but he didn't see the cunning old man in front of him, "There are only about sixty Thracians here, but they should all meet your needs Bartol." ”

"It's okay, I need those Thracians, and the Norsemen just now," Lao Luo slowly weighed in his heart, he was going to the east, and it was estimated that he would be in the north most of the time, so the warriors who adapted to the hot climate were not suitable, he pointed to some warriors in front of him to Soratinok, "These Normans, a few Bulgarians over there...... I'm going to do it all. ”

While listening to Lao Luo's instructions, Soratinok asked his men to bring those who had been picked out aside, and Lao Luo stared at the approximate number. Seeing that most of the warriors selected by Lao Luo were strong physiques, Soratinok suggested on the side: "Bartol, don't you need some agile warriors?" And I also have a couple of nice intelligent people here, who are said to have been generals in the army. ”

"Forget about the agile type," if you talk about agile talents, you still have to say that the advantages of the oriental race are relatively large, and most of the white people are strength-type warriors, of course, there are also differences in individual cases, but the general situation is like this, just such a small team, there is no need to think about it so much, Lao Luo naturally has his own opinions, "You still have the general's slave here?" ”

"That's right, captured in the Northern War, Normans, are you interested?" Soratinok looked like a strange thing, he didn't believe that Lao Luo didn't have a demand for this, "One hundred gold solidos per person, guaranteed to be worth this price." ”

Lao Luo thought about it carefully, such a small team of 100 people does not need any roles such as generals, and from a practical point of view, although there is an officer who has led the army to help integrate the team, but in the long run, this kind of character often means more trouble, and their minds are not easy to grasp, "Forget it, all I need is a small team of 100 people, and it is overkill to choose a general to lead the team." ”

"Really, no? Don't worry, Bartol, this price is very cost-effective, for the sake of our relationship, this is not a profitable business. Soratinok's words sounded sincere.

But Lao Luo felt that the old guy in front of him was bewitching him all the time, so he pretended to ponder for a while, and then said: "Forget it, just more than 100 people, how can it be easy to manage, there is no need for Soratinok you to do a loss-making business." ”

Soratinok had no choice but to stop talking, this guy in front of him was not a good stubble, he learned from Mussos again about Lao Luo's short moment of fighting on the ship, the guy who can use a person as a weapon to wield, a hundred and ten ordinary warriors can't defend him at all, maybe the attack of the bow and arrow is okay, but it is not the enemy, there is no need for the time being.

A total of more than one hundred and fifty people were selected, and Soratinok sent the others away, and Lao Luo stood in front of these people who had been gladiators or were participating in gladiator training, carefully looking at each of these people who had experienced ups and downs. These people may have been unwilling, and they may have thought about resisting, but most of the eyes of these people in front of them are blank, and of course, some of them have violence, anger and frustration in their eyes. But when they were left behind, and Lao Luo was standing on the high platform in front of them, they were all looking at the equally tall man in front of them involuntarily.

Lao Luo and Soratinok determined that these people basically knew Greek (because Greek was the official language of Byzantium, and Constantine the Great preferred Greek, in other words, it was the fashionable language in the West in this era), and he said to the hundred and fifty people in the clumsy Greek that he had not learned for a long time: "As you can see, the people here call me Seris, and I will rush back to the East in the near future, and I need a hundred warriors with combat skills." ”

Among the more than 150 gladiators and candidate gladiators who listened to Lao Luo's words, some of their eyes lit up, some were indifferent, and some looked depressed. Lao Luo can see that there is a big difference, his eyes may be bright because he has heard of the riches of the East, those who are indifferent may be numb, and those who are depressed may not be willing to stay away from this hometown.

But anyway, Lao Luo's next words gave them some motivation, "Some of you may not want to stay away from here, don't worry, I won't force you to follow me." Those who don't want can now quit. ”

More than thirty of the people immediately quit the team, Lao Luo smiled in understanding, and then continued: "The rest of you may want to find a new place to start, but let me explain in advance, there may be many dangers on the way to the east, and they will also face battles, and they are likely to be battles that everyone is not familiar with, completely different from the gladiatorial arena. If you don't feel comfortable, you can quit, don't worry about others saying that you are timid, this is an option. ”

After this, among the remaining people, more than a dozen people withdrew one after another. Lao Luo smiled with relief, "Okay, everyone who quits can leave." ”

He gestured to Soratinok, and the other party's men began to direct the people on the periphery to disperse, and the rest of the people, who knew each other well, began to talk in a low voice, some of their expressions began to move, and some of them remained silent.

The people who should have left have already stayed away from here, and Lao Luo continued: "There are many dangers in going to the east, and as a warrior, I think I will give you the reward you deserve at that time. When you go to the East, if you are willing to stay, I will give you a stable living condition, and if you are not willing to stay, I will let you be free to become civilians, and you can still choose to do what you want. ”

Reward, survival, freedom, these words touched everyone who remained, and even the Naga behind Lao Luo could feel the heat in the eyes of these people.