Chapter 954: Chapter 539: The Fish Took the Bait (2)
For those veterans, there is no reward better than the lord’s recognition.
If it weren’t for some injuries holding them back, they would want to return to the battlefield now and declare their loyalty through the death of their enemies.
Lance’s prestige was built on the corpses of enemies through battles, but what truly united everyone was the lord’s acceptance.
Only he was willing to stoop down to listen to the feelings of these ordinary people.
More importantly, the lord knew how to respect them, even if they were just insignificant ordinary people.
This scene also stirred some fighting spirit among the new recruits, their slight fear overshadowed by fervor, for they too desired the lord’s recognition.
For this reason, the brutal battle seemed less terrifying.
At that moment, Lance seemed to sense something, he couldn’t help but look outside.
But then he turned back, smiled, and told them to rest early and heal, before striding out.
You old thing, I’ve waited for you long enough, finally took the bait...
......
After night fell, the area around Hamlet Town’s central square still appeared bustling.
Sailing on a ship was definitely not a comfortable thing, and the high pay of this era indicated its hardship.
Not to mention the risk of encountering pirates, the money in hand wasn’t safe either, it was usually spent to relieve accumulated stress.
So, the sailors brought by the fleets were usually the main customers at the ports, and now their arrival had livened Hamlet up.
Not just visiting sailors, some locals also had money in their pockets. Those with families might save it, but some didn’t mind rewarding themselves after a hard day’s work.
The reason is simple, they also have money in their pockets now.
The cargo ships, even just for show, would carry goods here, having researched or bought intelligence from Sela, and the supplies were indeed what Hamlet urgently needed.
Such as gunpowder, various tools, and metals like copper and iron...
The buying prices were often a matter of negotiation between both parties, unless the prices were too outrageous, they wouldn’t take the goods back, as considering the cost of freight wouldn’t make it worthwhile.
Both parties were interested in deeper exchanges, so the price wasn’t as important.
It’s all about human interactions, not just fighting and killing.
There has to be someone to carry the goods, which also boosts Hamlet’s economy.
Many people can be seen smiling.
Why wouldn’t they smile? Although transporting goods is a bit hard, the pay is good, and there’s no gang demanding protection fees or officials taking a cut; anyone with such ideas would be out in the wilderness fixing roads.
The taxes that should be collected are already included in the goods, so they receive exactly how much they’re owed.
This money can buy their family some new clothes, buy some meat for a good meal, can...
They hold onto their visions of a better future while something else laden with malice toward Hamlet is closing in.
Unlike the lively square, Hamlet isn’t qualified to become a City That Never Sleeps like Totnes, the port docks choose rest as night falls.
Except for a few on duty and the occasional patrol, only crew members arranged by the fleets were present.
On that Romani ship, Sela had just finished handling the goods exchange with Hamlet, and due to her conversation with Amanda, no issues arose in business matters, rather it was prioritized.
Everything was already in the cargo hold, ready for the return trip early tomorrow morning.
These goods, after a single turnover, could bring thousands of gold coins in profit, not to mention the information.
Given the lack of channels to communicate with the organization here, intel couldn’t be delayed; a day of delay would diminish its value significantly.
Thinking about this, Sela couldn’t help but ponder deeply, recalling the information Amanda had gathered, excluding the princess, which Imperial nobles could be coming here now?
Sela, after working as an intelligence officer in the Empire for so long, and following Amanda’s voluntary relinquishment of her organizational identity, though not officially appointed, had begun assuming the position.
Even though the difficulty of necromancy in the Empire had increased, she still had her channels; the unique geographical position of Totnes as a junction for information contributed to her strength.
Quickly ruling out several possibilities in her mind, she soon seemed to think of something and was already considering to whom this intelligence could be sold for maximum profit.
But during this contemplation, an unsettling feeling suddenly surged in Sela.
Rising to her current position, you might say her extraordinary talent was not as outstanding as Tamara or Amanda, those top geniuses.
But never doubt her ability; the Romani engaged in numerous misdeeds, especially in intelligence, inevitably offending many people, so they were always on guard; without this mindset, they couldn’t survive in Totnes.
For this ship was also filled with transcendent rituals, although not alive, it was imbued with significant supernatural power.
Sela took out a crystal ball, the core of controlling the ship; using it, she could mobilize the ship’s powers.
This amplification of her power was terrifying.
On land, she might fear Amanda, but on the ship with this control device in hand, she wasn’t afraid at all; she could even suppress Amanda by leveraging the ritual’s power.
What is the foundation of a supernatural organization?
This is it.
Even as strong as Lance is, he couldn’t create such a thing, for his rise hasn’t even been a year, possessing many valuable items but having no systematic framework, like a nouveau riche with wealth but no structure.
At this moment, Sela’s heightened inspiration continuously warned her; for the Romani, divination was almost like an innate talent akin to their lineage; no one prioritizes inspiration fluctuations more than they do.
She couldn’t see, simply couldn’t see, the sudden enhancement of her spiritual essence due to the ritual plunged her into trouble.
On this stable land lay a feeling akin to raging storm waves in a tempest.
Chaotic and frenzied eerie forces even attempted to corrupt her spiritual essence; if not for the ritual protections on the ship...
This is a place of ill-omen!
What on earth is happening!
Unable to care about much else, she called her guards, commanding with words that couldn’t be questioned.
"Wake everyone up immediately, call everyone back, and leave this cursed place at once!"
The two guards, seeing this situation, were slightly stunned; weren’t they scheduled to depart tomorrow?
But clearly, they wouldn’t question Sela’s decision, nor would they ask why.
"Yes!" They responded immediately, turning around and getting busy.
Because of the sailors, some Romani had gone into town to make a living, and Sela didn’t want to abandon them.
She wasn’t sure if it was psychological, but once the unease surfaced, Sela’s anxiety intensified.
She could directly depart, but she barely managed to connect with Amanda’s line, and the hesitation was quickly cast aside as she used the artifacts in her hand to summon Amanda, presumably in town.
The Romani’s quick escape nature had its advantages, such as the decisiveness now.
Now she and Amanda were the only Romani spellcasters, not far apart, naturally having a special means of contact.
"What’s happening?"
Amanda sounded somewhat serious, seemingly aware of the gravity of the situation.
Because this short-range necromancy contact method was for emergencies, unless Sela was foolish beyond remedy, she wouldn’t randomly use this method over minor matters like bailing out a few Romani from trouble.
Let alone disturbing her sleep at this time.
"I need to leave right now!"
Sela’s voice, trembling with emotion, immediately cleared the last trace of sleep from Amanda, making her wholly alert, questioning sternly.
"I can’t explain, but I feel uneasy; I just want to get out of this cursed place quickly."
Sela had no intention of saying more, and after leaving these words, she directly cut off the spell.
