Just as Zuo Si expected, when the Xian Empire's fleet pretended to be returning victoriously and launched an attack on Surdover, an important city guarding the Sea of ​​Glory and Lake of Steam, the city had no defense at all.
A group of politicians who wanted to show off even arranged a grand welcome ceremony and went to the dock to greet them in person.
As expected, he was caught directly by the soldiers who rushed off the ship.
The few remaining troops used to maintain law and order were no match for the wolf-like and high-spirited soldiers of the Shane Empire. They were completely defeated in just one charge, and the entire city quickly fell.
General Taylor did not even use the magic horn given to him by Shane VII, and then personally led people to seal the city gate, not giving any noble, wealthy businessman or slave owner a chance to escape.
After the last resistance forces on the streets are cleared, what is left will naturally be the welcome news of ransacking homes and exterminating families.
Since they can get astonishing benefits from it, everyone from officers to soldiers is full of indescribable "enthusiasm" for this matter.
They first tortured the prisoners to learn about the general situation and political leanings of the wealthy people in the city from the upper echelons of the ruling group, and then "visited" each family one by one.
For those merchants who are willing to free their slaves and cooperate with the empire to implement the new laws, usually they can save the lives of their entire family and continue to operate their original business and industry as long as they hand over half of their property.
But when dealing with nobles, slave owners and top wealthy businessmen who are unwilling to cooperate, there is only one outcome. Following the ancient tradition of the Calishan region, all the male members of the entire family are killed, and the young and beautiful women are gathered together.
, and then let the officers and soldiers make the selection according to their military merit.
However, the group with the best quality will almost certainly become adventurers and those with mercenary backgrounds.
Because Xia En VII followed Zuo Si's suggestion, he introduced a large number of adventurers and mercenaries who could only be active among civilians into the military system.
In order to climb up and get that high reward, these guys often work extremely hard on the battlefield.
Most guys with professional levels above LV5 have basically become officers after several battles, and some have even obtained noble titles.
In addition, the entire Xian Empire is still in its infancy stage. There is no huge ruling class or vested interest groups at all, so the upward path is almost completely open.
For example, General Tyro, who was entrusted with an important task, was originally the leader of a well-known elite adventure team in Calimshan.
It only took less than a month from joining the army to becoming a powerful general.
Although this has a lot to do with his total warrior professional level of LV15 and the fact that he once killed a brown dragon.
After all, in a dangerous place like Faerûn, you still want to be a general of the empire without any strength?
I'm afraid that if the front foot hadn't just taken office, the back foot would have died from the enemy's assassination and curse.
But even so, many talented people who are capable but lack promotion channels still see hope and want to firmly seize this opportunity to change their own class and destiny through hard work.
Don't underestimate this.
You must know that in other places where blood and origin are important, if you are not a noble child, no matter how high your professional level is, even if you save a city or even a country, at best you will only be awarded an honorary title with more symbolic meaning than actual significance and a large number of students.
A bounty.
The nobles will never allow an outsider to enter their circle, let alone allow "lowly" adventurers to participate to break the balance between them.
The final endings of many heroic stories sung repeatedly by bards can well support this point.
The direct effect of Xia En VII's incorporation of a large number of experienced adventurers and mercenaries into the army was that the morale and combat effectiveness of the city defense army and the imperial guard, which were originally a little stretched, increased at an incredible speed.<
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In addition, Zuo Si provides excellent armor, weapons, and modern compound bows and crossbows equipped with pulleys made by industrial assembly lines, with super range and penetration, which can be used by ordinary armies in most countries and cities in Faerun.
A crushing advantage has been formed.
That's why the army of the Shane Empire was able to win one war after another.
It only took General Taylor three days to complete the "liquidation" of the ruling group in Surdover City. At the same time, he screened and integrated the prisoners held in the cabin. The number of troops quickly expanded from the 4,000 people at the time of departure.
Twelve thousand people arrived.
He left almost a third of his army behind and was responsible for continuing to maintain military control in Surdover, while also attacking the manor outside the city that occupied a large area of ​​land and controlled a large number of slaves.
He led the fleet into the Steam Lake, and attacked the crescent-shaped bay along the coast towards Calimshan's last two cities in this area - Tumon and Jespike, hoping to pacify the entire south for Shane VII in one fell swoop.
To repay His Majesty the Great Emperor for his appreciation and exceptional promotion.
Of course, none of the above has anything to do with Zuo Si.
Ever since he witnessed the complete fall of the city of Surdover, he had clearly realized that there was no suspense in this war.
Unless the ruler of Minta City in the northernmost part of the Alamere Mountains, which is controlled by the Zhentarim, An Ji (Priest of LV9 Bane) has a brain attack and feels that he has the ability to kill a legendary demilich with a total arcane casting level of LV36.
.
Otherwise, this guy should be more worried about whether he will be attacked by Shane VII.
You must know that the area surrounding Steam Lake used to be under the control of the Shane Empire.
From Innalis in the east to the border kingdoms still in chaos in the south, Shane VII has undisputed claims to them all.
However, in the nearly a thousand years since the fall of the Sharn Dynasty, most cities have become independent from Calishan.
Some places have also been infiltrated, occupied and controlled by evil forces, such as the Zhentarim and the Church of Bane.
In addition, a large number of careerists and wealthy businessmen trying to usurp power have also made the regime in this region extremely fragile, and wars and internal struggles for power among towns are frequent.
In a place like the Border Kingdom with a population of just over 10,000, any adventurer with some strength can commandeer a town or a few villages, and then proclaim themselves lord or even king for a short period of rule.
Compared with the chaotic situation around Steam Lake, the "West Heartland" area east of Baldur's Gate, which has countless independent villages and towns and an abundance of monsters, can be considered "peaceful and peaceful".
At this moment, Zuo Si was sitting in the tavern in Ankhep, tasting the most famous local oyster feast, while waiting for someone to arrive.
This port city is located due north of Steam Lake, close to the mouth of the Thorn River, and has a population of more than 50,000 if slaves are included.
It was once ruled by an undead creature as a king for a long time, and was later successfully overthrown and eliminated with the joint efforts of the current king Janol Fahaisuo (LV10 rogue) and his companions.
In order to consolidate their rule and suppress the original vested interest groups, the latter not only liberally opened the market and lowered commercial taxes to attract businessmen, but also increased the land taxes of the nobles.
At present, Ankhep has gradually formed a situation where two political forces are tit for tat. Under the calm surface, there are undercurrents surging, and fierce conflicts may break out at any time.
But the reason Zuo Si appears here is not because he is interested in the local political situation.
But I heard that there is a businessman named Ilmer Barascolo here who accidentally obtained a very interesting magic item that allows the holder to create multiple truly permanent physical clones at will, and make
Your own freedom of will is transferred among all clones.
He himself once relied on this ability to avoid assassinations from the enemy three times.
Now, he is willing to sell it to anyone interested in it for two million gold coins.
Some scholars who have studied history have inferred that based on the description of the ability, there is a high probability that this magic item may be the legendary [Sgrim's Neck Guard].
Its creator created too many bodies and frequently switched between different bodies, eventually leading to a mental disorder and going completely crazy.
If this speculation is true, then Zuo Si will get it no matter what.
Because this is an out-and-out artifact, not a sub-artifact like the Archmage's Staff.
The real function of [Sgrim's Neck Guard] is to create a clone with the same strength as the main body.
Taking Zuo Si as an example, if he wears this magic item and creates a clone, the clone will perfectly inherit almost all professional levels and spell-like abilities.
The only thing that may not be inherited is the power of the spark and the planeswalker.
But even so, based on the current spellcasting level of the mage, the spellcasting level of the priest, the power to transform into the form of a dragon, the ability to breathe, and the spellcasting level of the natural warlock, it is already quite powerful.
When the time comes, coupled with some powerful magic equipment and props, you will not be afraid at all even against those veteran legendary spell casters.
Moreover, if the clone is injured or even dies, it will not cause any substantial harm to the main body, but will only have some "trivial" side effects.
Although consciousness can only come into one body at a time, it is not like [Simulacra] where even consciousness and memory can be copied and act together.
But Zuo Si inevitably had a strong interest in it.
He really wanted to try if he could transfer his consciousness instantly if he placed his clones in different planes or even time and space.
If the answer is yes, then he will be able to place one in each world or wherever needed in the future, without having to travel back and forth between different worlds like now, which is a waste of time and energy.
You can even send a clone to Mirrodin time and space to study [Shining Oil] and uncover the secrets of Phyrexia's magic technology.
With this idea in mind, Zuo Si sat in the tavern for a full hour based on the information he spent several hundred gold coins to buy from the black market, and also ate for an hour.
Until the terrifying amount of food shocked everyone, including the chef, the boss, and the surrounding customers, and they began to wonder whether its true identity was a dragon or other monster disguised through magic, a man with gray hair
The little boy with short hair walked in from the door and said in a slightly panicked voice: "Sir, I have a letter for you. The person who gave it to me promised that as long as I deliver the letter to you, I will get a reward.
."
"What reward do you want?"
Zuo Si threw an oyster shell into the trash can nearby, then turned around and asked with interest.
To be continued...