Chapter 132: Recruiting Refugees, Preparing to Leave the Territory
East of Apushi Village, a frail horse pulled a battered caravan along a rugged mountain trail through the woods.
"Dad, I'm so hungry," a little girl's faint voice came from inside the caravan.
"Just a little longer, Cathy," her father replied gently, running his hand along the side of the caravan. "They put up notices in the city about a territory up ahead that's recruiting refugees. Once we get there, maybe we can finally get something to eat."
Behind the caravan, an older man carrying a hammer sighed as he overheard their conversation. "I hope this time it's true. We started out with more than thirty people; now we're down to twelve. Any more losses, and I don't know how much longer we can survive."
"May Her Royal Highness bless us with a safe arrival," the father murmured, closing his eyes and folding his hands in prayer.
Just then, the middle-aged man caught the whiff of something enticing. He sniffed the air and blinked in disbelief. "Am I dreaming from hunger? That smells like… broth."
He opened his eyes and looked around. "Do you smell that?" he asked, a mix of hope and caution in his voice.
"It's broth!" the old man said, swallowing hard as he stared straight ahead. Others in the group began sniffing the air as well, and soon the rumble of empty stomachs echoed through the forest.
Driven by hunger, the old man clutched his hammer and led the group forward. Their exhaustion faded as the promise of food gave them strength, and they hurried toward the source of the delicious aroma.
"Wait!" the father tried to caution them, hesitating to approach strangers in the wilderness. "This might be high-ranking adventurers' food. If it is, they might not take kindly to us approaching."
But desperation won over caution, and clutching a small dagger in his hand, he urged the caravan forward, following the others.
After pushing through a bush, the refugees stumbled into a clearing. Their eyes widened as they took in the sight before them: two large iron pots sitting in the center of the clearing, the scent of hot, hearty broth wafting from them.
Standing near the pots were several people, one of whom—a young man—walked forward to greet them. "Hello, everyone," he called. "I am Su Yu, the lord of Apushi Village. We're recruiting refugees for our territory."
He saw the desperate hunger in their eyes. "No need for more words. You all look famished, right?"
The refugees nodded eagerly.
"Jenny, Wendy," Su Yu called, "give each of them a bowl of broth, and make sure there's plenty of meat!"
Turning back to the refugees, he added, "Come settle in my territory. I can't promise luxury, but I guarantee you won't have to worry about food or warmth."
The refugees were overwhelmed with gratitude. They had expected little more than scraps or stale bread, if anything. Instead, the lord had provided them with steaming, fragrant broth filled with real chunks of meat. It felt like they had stepped into a dream.
"Lord Su Yu, I—I, Merck, pledge my loyalty to you!" the leading man said, kneeling down after giving his daughter some of the broth. His loyalty was clear as his dedication to Su Yu immediately soared.
Others quickly joined him. "We are loyal to you too!" they vowed, kneeling as well, filled with gratitude and respect for Su Yu.
"Good, very good! You may all rise," Su Yu said, pleased with their earnestness.
He was especially satisfied with the number of refugees: twelve new recruits at once! In a village territory like his, usually only three or four refugees appeared every couple of hours. It seemed his territory's high prosperity and livability had truly worked in his favor.
Beyond the numbers, the quality of this group impressed him as well. Most were farmers and hunters, but among them were three people with special talents.
The first, Merck, was a strong warrior with a valuable skill.
**[Merck]**
*Class:* Warrior
*Ability:* [Defensive Stance] – When defending, all attributes increase by 20%.
Then there was Cathy, his daughter, who had the potential for magic.
**[Cathy]**
*Class:* None
*Ability:* [Elemental Perception] – Increases meditation efficiency by 35%.
Lastly, there was Brook, an older man carrying a hammer, who turned out to be a skilled carpenter.
**[Brook]**
*Class:* Carpenter
*Ability:* [Wood and Stone Construction] – Skilled at building wood and stone structures, which can slightly boost the territory's prosperity.
With only a 10% chance of talents among refugees, finding three in one group was a rare stroke of luck. Brook especially would be invaluable for developing the territory, given his expertise with wood and stone construction, perfect for Apushi Village's current needs.
"Cole!" Su Yu called.
"Yes, my lord," Butler Cole replied, trotting over respectfully.
"Make sure to keep today's standards for all future arrivals. Always prepare pots of broth, and provide some clothes if needed. Treating residents well is our foundation, understood?"
"Understood, my lord!" Cole replied, determined to carry out his instructions.
With the refugees' arrival and sustenance ensured, Su Yu and his team set about assigning them homes. Each dwelling could hold up to five people, but to keep living conditions humane and minimize potential conflicts, Su Yu aimed for three people per house.
Brook, however, didn't receive a regular house assignment. With a generous pay of 100 psionic coins a day, Su Yu immediately put him to work on the construction site as the chief engineer, overseeing building efforts in the village.
…
Later, Su Yu handed a set of detailed plans to Wind Dragon just outside the residential area. "Wind Dragon, this is the future layout for the territory," he explained. "I've marked zones for residential, commercial, and entertainment areas. I'll be away for a while, so I'm counting on you to oversee things here."
"Understood, but—wait, you're leaving? Where to?" Wind Dragon asked, a bit taken aback.
"Of course! I have some missions to complete," Su Yu replied. He pointed toward a plot of [Farmland] south of the village. "There are still architectural plans, wonders, and rare crops to acquire, like what we have growing there."
The field he pointed to was newly established, using 60 units of wood and measuring around 666 square meters. Unlike ordinary wheat fields, though, it was filled with a single crop—**[Sunflowers]**.
These **[Sunflowers]** were no ordinary plants. Their golden faces followed the sun, bobbing and swaying with an almost enchanted movement. Each one wore an enormous smile, twisting its stem and leaves toward the sunlight, creating a magical scene.
With a final glance at his flourishing territory, Su Yu prepared to set out on his next adventure.