Ironforge Castle.

This small fortress city on the edge of the kingdom is as calm as ever.

The changes from the top did not seem to affect the city's large and small workshops and shops, which were still thriving with the smelters and foundries, smelting ore dug out of the mountains into metal for weapons.

On both sides of the black-and-gray streets, most of the shops are open, but there are few customers, and the mercenary adventurers who usually come and go are rare, but the taverns and bars in the city are doing brisk business.

The mercenary adventurers who came here, either entering the dark places to hunt monsters and monsters, or working hard for various workshops and mines, were well-informed and had a keen sense of smell, and they had long sensed the undercurrents lurking beneath the calm surface of Ironforge Castle.

It's just that for them, the most important thing is to be able to earn money to support their families, eat, drink and have fun, and no one wants to step into the whirlpool of turbidity, so they prefer to watch from the sidelines at this time.

A middle-aged mercenary sitting on the windowsill of the tavern watched a group of Thunderbeast warriors walk down the street through the glass window, the hideous face of the bear-born warrior and the heavy crossbow he carried behind him made him swallow quietly, and there was a hint of awe in his eyes.

The prestige of the Thrall Thunder Beast warriors has been known to many people, and they have made great achievements in that battle in the north.

Don't look at the ordinary brute warriors who patrol the streets, but they have heavy crossbows that can easily shoot a low-level samurai.

A few days ago, next to the tavern, two drunken adventurers tried to attack passers-by and were shot directly by the patrol team that arrived.

This makes everyone feel awe-inspired, and many people who like to drink are careful not to get killed in confusion.

"Look at how proud they are...", said another werewolf mercenary sitting next to him disdainfully, "I see how long they can hang out in Ironforge, I have heard that the workshop owners and merchants are ready to unite and demand autonomy from the Saarlands to the kingdom. ”

The news is now spreading everywhere in Ironforge, and although it is not known whether it is true or not, everyone understands that it must be directed at Lord Thrall Leon, who has just settled in Ironforge.

Under normal circumstances, it is extremely difficult for a city to seek autonomous status, but the situation of Ironforge is relatively special, and all forces have interests.

If they are violated by the interests of the new lord, then it is entirely possible to unite and put pressure on the kingdom.

"Don't think about autonomy, how can the kingdom set such a precedent, those guys also think too highly of themselves!" The middle-aged mercenary lowered his voice and sneered: "It's nothing more than giving the new lord a dismount, or a test." ”

Although Ironforge has the interests of all parties, for those big forces, this interest is nothing more than that, and it is not something that cannot be sacrificed.

It's just that as the local principals, it is where their fundamental interests lie, and when the situation changes, they naturally have to be ready to make plans.

Boom!

The wolf-descended mercenary was about to say something more when the door to the tavern was suddenly pushed open.

Everyone in the tavern turned their eyes away, only to see a fierce tiger warrior striding in.

The warrior was clad in black armor, with a silver thunderbeast insignia gleaming on his chest, and a double-edged battle axe hanging from behind him.

He walked straight to the counter, his eyes glancing coldly.

The mercenaries swept by him were all awe-inspiring, the tavern was so quiet that it was audible to drop a pin, and some adventurers with ghosts in their hearts even quietly grabbed their weapons.

But the Thunderbeast warrior wasn't here to trouble anyone, he turned around and nailed a piece of parchment several feet long to the wall next to the bar.

This location was originally used by the garrison military to post notices, such as announcing orders, issuing missions, or chasing fugitives.

After nailing it, the samurai turned away without saying a word.

For the first time, the Sal lord has issued a notice!

The mercenary adventurers immediately understood, and several of the nearest fellows got up and stepped forward and read aloud to the parchment.

This is a recruitment order from Count Leon, Lord of Sal.

The new Sal Territory is preparing to expand the Thunder Beast War Band, recruiting warriors, warriors, and knight officers throughout the territory, with twice the salary of the kingdom's regular army, requiring allegiance to the Sal Leader and Count Leon, being young and suitable, and being innocent, etc.

Such recruitment orders are common, and local lords will regularly issue recruitment orders in order to increase their strength, and mercenaries and adventurers have already seen a lot of them.

However, the conditions of treatment stipulated in this recruitment order have made many people feel excited—twice as much as the regular army of the kingdom!

You must know that the treatment of the regular army of the kingdom is still quite good, and the kingdom of Bimeng pays attention to military merits by establishing the country with martial arts, and the salary of regular soldiers is not low.

Twice the pay is enough to make many people willing to give up their free but precarious adventure and join the Thunderbeast Warband to save money to support their families.

The mercenary adventurers were amazed by Leon's handiwork, and the tavern quickly became lively, and they whispered in groups to talk and negotiate, and the topic was naturally inseparable from this recruitment order.

The same was true in every bar and tavern in Ironforge, and was quickly posted in the surrounding villages and towns, but with more recruitment of artisans and workers.

At the same moment, at Carrington Manor on the eastern outskirts of Ironforge, a secret party was taking place.

The open plains to the east and south of Ironforge are dotted with dozens of manors, large and small.

The owners of these estates were small aristocrats or merchants in the city, who owned or managed property in Ironforge and were all very wealthy.

Although they could not buy large tracts of land, they had no problem building villa-style leisure estates as long as they paid a tax to the kingdom.

Although Ironforge is safe, due to the presence of many workshops and the crowded population, the environment is quite bad, especially the air is always filled with dust and burnt smell, which is very uncomfortable.

Therefore, most of the time, these rich people like to live in suburban manors, they have guards and do not have to worry about safety, and they can quickly withdraw to the fortress if they encounter a beast disaster.

Carrington Manor is one of the best, with a history of more than 100 years, and its owner, Viscount Carrington, has a Senate background and more than a dozen workshops, and has a high reputation in Ironforge.

The manor was heavily guarded today, the road leading to the villa was guarded, and the grassy slope in front of the villa was full of horse-drawn carriages.

In the conference room on the second floor, the atmosphere was filled with smoke and solemn.

More than thirty well-dressed aristocratic gentlemen and merchants sat around long mahogany tables, leaning on soft and comfortable chairs, smoking cigars and sipping rum, and occasionally whispering to each other.

And behind every nobleman and merchant, there were a few fierce samurai, plus maids delivering drinks, crowding the small conference room.

"Gentlemen!" a middle-aged lion-born nobleman sitting on the throne stood up and said loudly, "What are you still hesitating about, with our combined strength to seek the autonomy of Ironforge Castle, the chances of success are very high. ”

"Once it's successful, it's good for everyone!"

This lion nobleman is none other than the owner of Carrington Manor, Viscount Carrington, as a member of the side line of the Great Rhine family, he inherited the family business, and operated in Ironforge for more than twenty years, and the last thing he wanted was to see an extra lord above his head.

It's like putting a string around his neck, which is not fatal but uncomfortable.

So he is the advocate and promoter of the autonomy of Ironforge and the convener of this meeting today.

These dozens of people here are the representatives and spokespersons of the various forces in Ironforge Fort, and they all have their own interests in Ironforge Fort.

Despite their contradictions, some of them even enemies, they all sat together in the face of a common threat.

"It's not that simple...", an old nobleman of fox descent sitting next to him spat out a smoke ring and said lightly: "It is difficult for our self-government request to be recognized by the kingdom, after all, the young earl has just arrived, and so far, he has not done anything that violates our interests." ”

"We can't really get support from above without the proper reasons. ”

The people sitting here can be said to be infinitely beautiful in the Ironforge Fort area, but when they are placed in the entire Southwest Province and even the Beamon Kingdom, they are actually small players under the big forces, with a little power but unable to decide their own fate.

It is precisely because of this that they cherish the power and wealth in their hands, and they must try to stifle even the slightest sign of danger.

But these people are smart, and every one of them knows why Viscount Carrington is so active in this matter, and the contradictions between Leon and the Rhine family are an open secret.

Therefore, their attitude is very ambiguous, and they do not oppose Viscount Carrington's initiative, but they definitely do not act lightly.

The old fox!, Viscount Carrington cursed in his heart.

This old nobleman of fox descent is one of Viscount Carrington's biggest opponents in Ironforge Castle, although the forces behind him are not as good as him, but with his clever means, the Viscount has suffered several losses.

If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't avoid the other party on the issue of autonomy, Viscount Carrington really didn't want to squeeze out a smile and be vain.

"This is just a show of our attitude!" the viscount smiled confidently, "If we don't take concrete action, how can we make that Earl understand that if he doesn't show some sincerity, he doesn't want to really take charge of Ironforge." ”

(To be continued)