Chapter 247 Chapter247-Dominating Tarl City
With Chris at the helm, Howard was confident there wouldn't be any issues.
Over the past three days, the Frostwolf Mercenaries had impressively expanded their ranks to over a hundred members, each handpicked by Chris for their exceptional skills.
It was safe to say that the most formidable fighters in Tarl City were now under Howard's command.
The first day had brought them six recruits, but by the second day, as their reputation soared, the numbers increased tenfold.
On the third day, they doubled again.
Now, nearly a thousand aspirants were showing up daily.
If Chris hadn't been so stringent in her selection, refusing to settle for mediocrity, their numbers would have been even greater.
This explosive growth was the real reason behind the nobles' fury and unease.
Clearly, Howard's actions posed a threat to their status.
If Howard were in the nobles' shoes, he probably would have acted on the first day of his arrival, unable to endure until the present situation.
Had they confronted him on the first day, Howard had a simple strategy: pay them off.
Most people are driven by greed, and providing enough incentives could have swayed some nobles to his side.
With Chris's combat prowess as a foundation, they wouldn't have been able to do much harm to Howard.
Of course, at least then they would have had a chance at victory.
Now, however, the situation was entirely under Howard's control.
No faction in Tarl City could rival his power.
As night fell, Howard lay in his bed, resting.
Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside, followed by a crescendo of war cries.
Unperturbed and seemingly oblivious, Howard closed his eyes, indifferent to the chaos unfolding around him.
The next day, Howard awoke to find Chris and her team busily cleaning up the aftermath of what appeared to have been a bloody battle throughout the night.
Chris hurried over to report the outcomes of the conflict.
The mercenary group had lost thirteen of their own but had successfully eliminated two to three hundred of their adversaries.
Howard was pleased with these results, though not particularly surprised.
Chris, once a commander in the empire, possessed a talent for leading troops in battle.
The ambush they had set the previous night played to her strengths.
If the casualties had been higher, Howard might have begun to question her loyalty.
The members Chris had selected were no pushovers; most were even stronger than Howard.
While their prowess was commendable, Howard also recognized a critical issue: the challenge of commanding such a group.
Should they ever rebel, Chris alone would not be able to withstand them.
Fortunately, her extensive experience ensured stability, at least for the time being.
Simultaneously with the recruitment drive, Howard had been discreetly selling the treasures he acquired from Kaedwyn.
The sales were almost complete, a swift process aided by some of the local nobles.
In any society, there are always a few astute individuals seeking to secure their own futures.
From the onset, a few nobles had expressed their willingness to assist Howard, a sincerity distinct from others' feigned interest.
Of course, Howard initially distrusted them, especially one noble whose reputation was less than stellar, known for oppressing the good.
To ensure the security of his operations, Howard had Chris take the noble's family hostage, compelling him to expedite the sale of the treasures to neighboring cities.
With these moves, Howard had successfully executed his plans in Tarl City.
Next, Howard focused on addressing internal issues within the mercenary group.
Rapid expansion necessitated measures to ensure the group's stability and prevent internal decay, a common downfall of rapidly growing organizations.
Therefore, Howard personally undertook the task of investigating the background of each member.
He also held individual conversations with them, assessing their capabilities and character, before assigning positions.
Progress was smooth and efficient.
...
"Who would have thought Howard's power would grow so immense?" a noble exclaimed.
"What do we do now?"
"Let's seek assistance from Lord Kaser.
With the Empire Knights Order from Holy Light City, Howard will stand no chance," suggested another.
The nobles of Tarl City, having suffered defeat, reconvened at Bert's residence to strategize.
Bert was starting to feel the pressure.
What he had assumed would be an easy task turned out to be dauntingly difficult.
With their current strength, eliminating Howard seemed an impossible feat.
"We have no choice but to seek Lord Kaser's help," Bert sighed, resigned to their situation.
...
The nobles of Tarl City were not the only ones seething with anger.
Phileste, having returned to his camp, was in a state of uncontrollable fury.
"The scoundrel, he dared to deceive me!" Phileste raged.
This was the first time he had been outwitted, and by a mere youth at that.
His pride and self-proclaimed intelligence had been mercilessly trampled by Howard.
The more Phileste thought about it, the more it didn't add up.
If that person was truly Kariov, why hadn't they pursued him? Howard wouldn't miss such an opportunity to eliminate a threat.
The only logical explanation was that the Kariov was an impostor.
Phileste immediately sent people to investigate, and the findings confirmed his suspicions.
The real Kariov was on the southern battlefield, and Howard had used a fake Kariov to scare him off.
It was a humiliation too great to bear.
Phileste couldn't swallow this insult.
In his heart, he vowed to kill Howard.
This incident had further eroded Phileste's already waning prestige within the newly reformed Black Hawk Mercenaries.
...
Having settled all his affairs, Howard knew it was time to leave.
The Frostwolf Mercenaries had grown to a formidable force of three hundred, encompassing the elite of Tarl City.
For Howard, Tarl City had served its purpose and lingering there posed a danger.
The city's nobles weren't much of a threat, but after their recent defeat, they would undoubtedly seek reinforcements.
The closest and most potent ally for them was Holy Light City.
If Holy Light City decided to join the hunt for Howard, his situation would become perilous.
As of now, he lacked the strength to contend with Holy Light City.
Not to mention their Empire Knights Order of over a thousand men, Howard would struggle to face even an ordinary noble from there.
With several chests of gold coins, Howard set off for the northern cities, planning to build his strength in those smaller towns.
When leaving Tarl City, the nobles didn't dare to stop him; they had already suffered defeats against him and were no match for the current Howard.
They could only swallow their pride for the time being, waiting for reinforcements from Kaser to arrive and join forces to corner Howard.
Bert had sent men to secretly follow Howard's group, but this didn't escape Chris's vigilant eyes.
She reported this to Howard, who chose not to act on it.
Even if they dealt with this tail, others could still find them.
It was better to pretend ignorance and turn the situation to their advantage.
Howard divided the Frostwolf Mercenaries into three groups of a hundred each, further subdivided into ten squads per group.
These were the combat units, supplemented by a logistics team of several dozen people, managed by Tina.
The current combat power of the Frostwolf Mercenaries in Howard's hands was even more formidable than during Kellman's peak.
And this was not the limit; with Howard's financial resources, he could further expand the force by twice its size.
While Howard's current wealth was substantial, he was aware that money would eventually run out.
It was crucial to start planning early and seek ways to generate income.
However, these concerns were not immediate, as the fortune left by Kaedwyn to Howard was vast, enough to sustain him for a considerable period.
Phileste's relentless pursuit of this wealth was evidence of its value; it represented half a lifetime of savings from Kaedwyn and his brothers, which now conveniently benefited Howard.
Howard assigned Chris to protect the rear of the group, especially Tina's logistics team.
This part of the team was the lifeline of the entire group, carrying essential supplies and thus of utmost importance.
Chris had been appointed as the leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries, with Tina serving as the deputy leader.
Howard made these appointments as he preferred to remain behind the scenes, always cautious in his approach.
Yet, it was common knowledge that Howard was the true leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries.
Howard placed two of the three team leaders he had personally selected at the front of the group.
These individuals were chosen for their strength and thoroughly vetted backgrounds.
They appeared reliable, but Howard never let his guard down.
Apart from Chris and Tina, there was no one else he truly trusted.
"Lord Howard, would you like some water?" a team leader named Grice approached, offering a gesture of goodwill.
Despite there being no apparent reason for Grice to poison him, Howard cautiously declined.
Better safe than sorry.
Grice mistook this for disapproval and felt dejected.
Grice, a veteran from Tarl City, didn't harbor any ill intentions.
A seasoned warrior, he had earned many commendations yet often struggled to get enough to eat.
Meeting a generous employer like Howard felt like a blessing from his ancestors.
Receiving a gold coin each month, regular meals that included meat, and even being appointed as a team leader overseeing more than a hundred men was more than he had ever dreamed of.
In Tarl City, he would have been no more than a general, and here his team, each member strong in their own right, carried far more weight than the soldiers of Tarl City.
Grice was overwhelmed and unsure how to express his gratitude to Howard.
Howard, appearing unassuming and approachable, made Grice overly cautious.
In his heart, Grice resolved to prove himself, to maintain his position and show Howard he hadn't made a mistake in choosing him.
He didn't want to let Howard down.
Thus, Grice worked tirelessly, taking charge of the defense on both flanks of the team with meticulous planning.
Howard had already observed Grice's capabilities, which was precisely why he was wary of him.
How could he be sure Grice wouldn't attempt a power grab?
This was a new team, after all, and apart from the generous financial rewards, Howard had not invested much emotion into it.
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