LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 3: The Storm on the Plains
Recruitable Unit: Mounted Nomad
Ranged Damage: 55-65
Melee Damage: 45-55
Armor: 0
Defense: 25-35
Speed: 250-350
Morale: Good
Discipline: Low
Sustenance: 5-15 (Daily)
“What’s with these lousy numbers?”
After using his initial capital to purchase a recruitment token, Shu Yichao found that he could only recruit one type of soldier—Mounted Nomad.
“60 ranged damage? That’s only marginally better than farmers!
“50 melee damage? They only bully farmers, don’t they?
“400 dinars for recruitment, with a maintenance cost of 200 dinars per week. They are practically highwaymen!
“Forget it, forget it.”
Despite Shu Yichao’s disdain for the mounted nomads, this was the only option he had.
“Let’s think on the bright side. These numbers are still fine for mounted units. My talents, , buffs mounted units’ ranged damage by 15% and melee damage by 20%, and, , increases ammo capacity by 15% and stamina recovery by 20%.
“With a ranged damage of 70 and melee damage of 60, I can still somewhat use them. It’s a pity that this ‘Empire Bewitcher’ has wasted one slot.”
It was with such thoughts in mind that Shu Yichao tapped on the ‘Recruit’ button.
Hu!
With a gust of wind, eight nomads dressed in warm furskin and riding on tall steeds appeared before Shu Yichao. They were carrying bows and arrows on their backs.
“Wu wu wu!” The nomads brandished their swords toward Shu Yichao as a sign of respect.
Shu Yichao glanced at his own sword and steed.
“You, come here!” he pointed at one of the nomads and ordered.
Seconds later, the nomad led his steed over and handed his bow and sword to Shu Yichao with tearful eyes.
“Hmm. Nomad Bow, 30 damage. Acceptable.
“Nomad Arrow, 5 damage. So-so.
“Nomad Sword, 40 damage. I can take that.
“Nomad Steed, 300 speed. That’s not bad—why are you staring at me?”
Shu Yichao couldn’t stand looking at the nomad’s pitiful appearance, so he dismissed him with a wave of his hand. The stripped nomad disappeared on the spot.
“Oi oi, why did the morale drop? Perk yourself up! We’ll be plundering some villages!”
“Heh! What simple-minded nomads these are.”
Beacons of the Otherworld had a complicated economic system, which allowed income to be earned from many different sources such as from commerce, military, agriculture, trading, and managing fiefs.
However, to Shu Yichao, there were only three real ways of earning money—war, plundering, and selling prisoners of war.
He only had this many troops despite having depleted his initial capital, so plundering, which didn’t require too much military prowess, was the most profitable business for him.
Little did he expect…
“Someone is stealing my business?!”
Shu Yichao stared at the leveled village with slackened jaws.
“My money! My money! That’s all my money! Which bastard dares to rob me?!”
He grabbed a fistful of ashes from the ground—it was still warm.
“They haven’t gotten far yet!” Shu Yichao roared. “Chase them!”
…
“What’s that?”
A group of Ottomain cavalrymen carrying their spoils of war slowed their pace. Something was stirring the sand in their direction.
“A sandstorm? But it’s too small.”
The answer was revealed seconds later.
A few nomads were charging in their direction. Their leader was glaring at them with widened eyes and clenched jaws, as if they owed him a lot of money.
“Enemy att—”
The Ottomain cavalryman fell off his mount before he could finish his report. An arrow pierced through his eye and emerged from the other end of his head.
“Impossible!”
The remaining Ottomain cavalrymen were horrified. How could the arrows connect when they were over a hundred feet away?
Shoosh! Shoosh shoosh shoosh!
Shu Yichao shot ceaselessly, not giving them time to rest. With each arrow he shot, an Ottomain cavalryman would fall to the ground, never to move again.
“Monster!”
“Demon!”
Seeing their comrades being reduced by half in real time horrified the Ottomain cavalrymen. They hurriedly giddied up and fled… but it was to no avail. In a matter of moments, they were completely wiped out.
“Hmph!” Shu Yichao finally put down his bow and harrumphed. “Let’s see if you dare steal my money in your next life!”
The nomads under his command joyfully rushed forward to loot the deceased’s weapons, money, and rations. Every now and then, they would even cross blows with one another.
“What poor discipline,” Shu Yichao murmured before snapping out of his reverie. “Wait! I solo-ed this entire platoon by myself. What right do they have to share my loot?! You scoundrels, hold it right there!”
【My points… My internship score…】
System 12345 cried.
【What’s wrong with the program? Why is my internship score being penalized so much? At this rate, won’t my graduation be delayed?】
It shuddered.
【No, this absolutely can’t happen. 】
【I’m a System with lofty dreams. I can’t allow such a stain in my Systemhood. My host, you have to work harder and conquer more femme fatales. My grades are counting on you!】
【Wait, my host! There are important targets nearby. Let me send their information to you.】
“Is our khagan… dumb?”
The nomads exchanged looks.
Shu Yichao had just given them a painful beating before taking everything they had looted away… but a minute later, he returned the loot to them.
“A bunch of scrap…” Shu Yichao sighed. “Oh? It raises their armor?”
He was surprised to see the delighted nomads changing into their new equipment, raising their armor from 0 to 30.
“Ey, I was rash. I could have bought armor for that fellow instead of dismissing him. Hm? A new notification?”
Shi Yichao tapped into the notification, and two figures popped out.
Two women with identical faces stood side by side with interlocked fingers. One had a gentle smile, whereas the other looked stoic.
【My hostie~ It’s a twin this time!】
System 12345 cackled gleefully.
【Sereya and Serena are Ottomain’s Ink Sea Chief Inspector’s daughters.】
【One is as passionate as the wildest flames, whereas the other is as cool as ice—if that’s what you think you’re in for a rude shock!】
【Sereya looks to be a warm-hearted person, but she’ll coldly push you away if you approach without a plan. That’s an instant gg!】
【Serena may look cold on the exterior, but she’s much kinder than her sister. 】
【You should find a way to first win Serena’s favorability. As long as she opposes it, Sereya will not sentence you to death. With that, you will be able to…】
System 12345 excitedly shared the plan it had devised for Shu Yichao, but the latter only knew one thing.
“The next mission is to conquer a city?”
Shu Yichao first looked at the flashing targets inside the city, followed by the weak-ass subordinates trailing behind him, and he didn’t think that he would stand a good chance against the thousands of garrison troops stationed in the city.
“I should clean the area first.” Let’s see how many troops I can get.
Shu Yichao used the money he had just plundered to recruit more nomads. This time, he didn’t forget to issue them clear commands.
“You bunch of trash, we are an army! Where the fuck did your discipline go? We might be plundering, but you better be hella sure that I see you queuing!”
…
“Pasha Dilber isn’t back yet?” a chief inspector dressed in fineries nervously asked while combing his mustache.
Dilber had come here, claiming that the sultana had ordered her to clean up the powers along the coast of the Ink Sea, so as to cut off all supply routes to Constantinope in preparation for the encirclement.
But who knows if she has other intentions in mind? What if she intends to overthrow me?
He had been abusing his power in recent years, from accepting all kinds of bribes to money laundering. He was not in a good position for a spot check.
Thus, he had been uneasy since Dilber headed out.
“The pasha isn’t back yet.” One of his military commanders shook his head.
“Then find her!” the chief inspector bellowed before taking out a silk handkerchief to wipe off his cold sweat. “We need to get to the bottom of her movements…”
And figure out Dilber’s motive. As long as it’s not the worst-case scenario, I should be able to buy her over with money. I was personally appointed by the sultana. I doubt she’d dare go too far…
“Right! Tell Sereya and Serena to lie low for the next few days,” the chief inspector suddenly remembered something and said. “Don’t go around messing with people of unknown identity.”
“Old master.”
“Yes?”
“The young misses left the city earlier in the day, and they aren’t back yet.”
“WHAT?!”
—
Starve’s Historical Trivia:
Khagan means emperor in Turkic/Mongolic.