“How many gathered?”
Adam stood up and looked at the crowd through the gate.
“4000. More are still coming.”
“Oh?”
Asher turned to look back as Adam looked behind him several times. He saw more civilians heading for the barracks with small luggages. They must have gotten the nudge from the system.
Asher and Adam walked into the barrack. As they strolled around, civilians kept paying respects to him, and he responded with soft smiles.
While looking at the civilians, Asher discovered that most of them were in their mid-thirties and mid-forties. Some were the ones deemed useless by the barbarians because they did not have strong physiques, which barbarians respected.
Some of them had not even married, as the able-bodied ones had married two or sometimes three wives. Besides, the rule of the strong having it all reigned supreme in the Bashan clans.
Those who were farmers struggled to even have a woman to themselves and live peacefully without a strong warrior snatching her away.
The rule was too barbaric for Asher, who came from modern earth, but it had given him lots of men who wanted to change their fate.
“How many are we going to recruit?”
Adam turned toward Asher.
“About 4000. I plan to bring about 10,000 or more civilians to Nineveh, and the Bladebreakers will slowly increase until they hit 1000.”
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“Oh? 4000 Ashkelon Guards are already enough to protect the city from external threats and also keep the internal peace. But the city is big enough for 300,000 to live in. The remaining population is too little for such a large city.”
Asher patted Adam’s shoulder.
“This is the beginning; do not rush. The lives of these men are important, and the loyalty of the city is also in the dark. We must make sure they stand solidly behind us before launching wars to conquer more, or there will be a rebellion that will tear the city from inside.”
Adam had a sudden realization after Asher said that.
All Adam knew were their old ways of rampaging through the lands and gathering people so they would work for them and do much more.
When the gate was locked and the civilians began to enter the transformation building, Asher chuckled inwardly.
Kelvin would be extremely pissed at him due to the disappearance of coins from the Treasury.
Recruiting 4500 Ashbounre Guards cost him 4500 silver coins, which was equivalent to 450 gold coins. At least it was cheaper than the Bladebreaker recruits.
The cost of each bladebreaker was equivalent to 1000 Ashbourne Guards!
Also, while the Bladebreakers began at the silver rank, the Ashbourne Guard recruits began at the bronze rank.
Both troops were obviously not in the same league.
But one had the advantage of numbers while the other did not. This was the sole disadvantage of high-grade troops.
But when their strengths were considered, lacking numbers wasn’t much of a disadvantage.
Finally, when the sun had emerged, the last of the citizens came out of the transformation building, now as an Ashkelon Guard.
All 4500 of them stood tall, their shields on their left and their other hand on the hilts of their swords neatly sheathed in their scabbards, supported by their waist belts.
This was the first time Asher had ever gazed at 4500 strongmen that belonged to one troop.
Their uniform armor, discipline, and combined aura struck him without reserves. He felt awe at the sight of the mighty Ashkelon Guards.
“On your knees before the authority, Ashkelon Guards!” Adam’s voice resounded.
Instantly, the 4500 city guards half kneeled and slammed their right fist against their chests with their heads lowered.
“We greet His Lordship!!”
Their voices reverberated like the waves of the sea, crashing down on Asher’s ears so much that he had to pin himself to the ground or he would stagger backward.
This was the magnitude of their aura.
Asher did not know why. But the system’s military taste was just too magnificent. He was indeed fortunate to have a subordinate as obsessed with perfection and military might as the system.
“Arise.”
They got to their feet. Looking at them standing up like men that had trained all their lives and had fought several battles, Asher couldn’t hide the growing smirk that graced his lips.
This was another elite troop.
Even though they were just a normal grade troop and Ashkelon’s garrison, they were the best in their category. United they could go against stronger troops, and with the aid of the wall, Ashkeon was in safe hands.
He could now leave without being worried.
For now, the Jackals would not attack for the confidence he felt from Ariel strengthened his heart.
Even if they attacked, the Ashkeon Guards would be able to defend the city until he came with forces from Nineveh.
…….
Hebron City.
Claude Flameheart walked through his hallway with hurried steps with his bodyguard behind him.
He had just returned from Nineveh yesterday, which was the second day of the new month. They were in full-blown spring, and the crops in Nineveh were ripe for harvest.
Having known the fast growth period of Nineveh’s crops, he made sure he was there during the harvest, and because of that, he gained lots of fresh products from Kelvin. Golden Fragrant corn, Hexakad eggs, and over 30 bags of milled golden wheat, a rare product caused by the rich fields.
All that the golden wheat produced was ten times better than the normal ordinary wheat. This gave a great advantage in the market, and Claude couldn’t lose that because he was already making progress in the high plains.
Not only that, but he also purchased 1000 boxes of iron ore, and in exchange, he gave them gold coins, spices, and all that Nineveh lacked. Mostly good fish, salt, and sugar.
He was in a delightful mood before sleeping last night, but the news that came to him this morning was horrifying.
Jordan Zebulun was now a viscount with a fierce army of slave warriors and had also made an alliance with Baron Scarlet and Baron Tyre to conquer his territory.
They had already conquered Hebron Town during the night!