After receiving kneeling salutations from all the indigenous families, Kent returned to the lord's residence—a tall stone building surrounded by scattered huts, animal-skin tents, and earthen homes. By then, it was already deep into the night.
Once he had dismissed all the guards to rest, Kent lay on the hard bed, unable to sleep as he tossed and turned.
He couldn't help but feel like his status as an illegitimate son had thrown him into the middle of a theatrical play.
From the memories of this world's Kent, this continent was named the Red Soil Continent, consisting of three major powers: the Highland Alliance, the Grassland Alliance, and the Forest Alliance, resembling a mix of feudal lords and tribal council alliances. A decade ago, the Forest Alliance waged war, and the Grassland Alliance fragmented as a result. Following that, a large-scale battle ensued between the Highland Alliance and the Forest Alliance.
The result of the battle was a narrow victory for the Highland Alliance, leaving the Forest Alliance's forces scattered and weakened. The Highland Alliance then began to slowly seize previously neutral lands, pushing westward toward the Blackwood Forest in the continent's central-western region. The Spear-Hunting Valley lay not far from the Blackwood Forest's border.
This world was not solely populated by humans. Among the foreign races, like the Tiger Clan he had driven away today, there were also giants, dwarves, fish-men, and many other strange beings.
And there was magic.
Kent felt a bit overwhelmed. What kind of world had he landed in?
He'd never read about or heard of a place called the Red Soil Continent, let alone all these strange things.
As for his powerful family and his half-siblings...
All he knew was that he didn't have much to do with them. They rarely even had chances to be together. He only remembered having four half-siblings: the oldest loved fighting, the second loved women, the third was a glutton, and the fifth was a child.
They shared a bond as thin as water and, spurred by family inheritance rivalries, his siblings might even go so far as to try to kill him.
Such a family evoked no sense of attachment for Kent.
He sat up, opened the window, and the cold air blew in, making him shiver.
Dressed in thick animal fur and with a brazier burning in the room, Kent was instead preoccupied with how to manage the upcoming development of this remote territory—at least enough to keep himself alive.
Tomorrow he will get a better understanding of the land's resources: population, land, food, and assets. But judging from today's resistance against the Tiger Clan, there were only about a few dozen men fit for duty in the whole territory. Including the elderly, women, and children, the entire population was less than 200 people...
It was fewer than even the size of some tribal clans.
Building a territory required sufficient population.
With people, he could establish a labor force and strengthen defensive capabilities.
Fortunately, with stone grenades, he could temporarily boost the territory's survival ability. But for the long term, it would be far from enough.
Living in the frontier wilderness meant Kent could implement many development policies without interference. However, it also meant facing external threats.
The Tiger Clan's attack today was likely just the beginning, and he might need to face other foreign tribes or raiders in the future. This was the northern border; his memories suggested that this wild land stretched for thousands of kilometers. Even if the Tiger Clan didn't return, a band of robbers or a pack of wild animals could devastate the territory.
Food was not a major concern. Although the Spear-Hunting Valley was a remote, wild borderland, it lay adjacent to the continent's largest forest, with abundant hunting resources. With the hunting tax repealed, each household would have more of the game they would otherwise have had to pay as tax, enough to survive the winter.
But cold was a serious problem.
Burning wood in a brazier as a heating method was primitive. Not only did it fail to warm the entire room, but it also posed a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The poorly constructed houses, though, lacked sufficient insulation, which inadvertently prevented this hazard.
But it was cold.
Thinking of the poorly dressed residents, especially the children wearing straw shoes, Kent couldn't help feeling a bit of pity.
Driven by the thought of survival, Kent suppressed his discomfort with this unfamiliar world. Sitting at the table, he searched for a pen and paper to jot down his thoughts, only to find nothing available.
This world had no paper, only parchment and black oil for ink.
How backward.
He'd need to create paper as soon as possible. Otherwise, even using the restroom would be problematic.
He recalled reading about primitive people using soil clods and twigs to clean themselves, making him involuntarily clench.
What kind of bizarre place was this...
Primitive technology, a barbaric society, lacking wealth, food, and people.
How could he establish a territory here?
The next morning, Splitting Blade was already waiting outside for Kent to rise and freshen up.
"Boss, repealing the hunting tax is not advisable," Splitting Blade said, his eyes dark with fatigue, suggesting he hadn't slept well. "If you wish to win people's loyalty, there are other methods, like rewarding them with food."
"Win loyalty?" Kent muttered, brushing his teeth with a salt-dipped twig, the bitterness and saltiness making him yearn for toothpaste.
"The Spear-Hunting Territory is too poor, boss. If you're going to take root here, you'll need a large amount of gold and resources. Not only should this tax not be repealed, but it should also be increased."
Kent chuckled. The poorer the land, the higher the taxes, which only led to a vicious cycle.
In fact, there were many ways to boost territorial revenue, like trade or external raids. There was no shortage of wild land around the territory and various bloodthirsty tribes. If the opportunity or need arose, Kent wouldn't mind some unconventional measures to fill the treasury.
But he didn't have time to explain all this to Splitting Blade; Grey Beard had already arrived with several elders.
"And these gentlemen are…?" Kent asked, as a few elders settled into the simple reception room.
"Chief, they're the old craftspeople and hunters of the clan, familiar with the territory's matters."
"Great. First, tell me about the valley's resources…"
Soon, Kent had all the valley's essential data.
The Spear-Hunting Valley was near the intersection of the Red River and Rapids River, rich in coal and high-grade red iron ore. However, due to its remote location, these resources had not been fully exploited. Occasionally, merchant caravans would come to purchase high-quality ore, transporting it to the Highland Black Outpost Camp via the Rapids River or up the Red River to the Hammer Fortress.
Besides minerals, the valley's other major product was animal hides. The valley's craftspeople were skilled in both soft hide tanning for clothing and leather armor crafting.
However, the valley's most critical issue was its limited food resources. Apart from a few scattered fields in the valley with millet and other crops, the main food source relied on bulk purchases from merchant caravans and hunting.
Fortunately, the valley and the Blackwood Forest beyond it were teeming with game. A single hunt could feed the Spear-Hunting Clan for two months.
"You mentioned magic affinity earlier. What is that exactly?" Kent asked, puzzled, after hearing an old miner mention a certain mineral.
"Ah, Chief, it's red crystal ore, a rare companion mineral with high magic affinity, which the foreign alchemists and wizards favor."
Wizards… Alchemists…
There had once been strange rumors in the royal family about his illegitimate lineage bearing the blood of a magical throne.
Kent speculated it was likely sleight of hand or the dawn of chemistry.
As a modern engineer and a strict materialist, he believed many magical phenomena could be explained scientifically. As for medieval alchemy, it was essentially an early form of chemistry.
For example, the simple stone grenade he created could be seen as a basic weapon, but in this world, it might be perceived as magic or alchemy.
Apart from red crystal, the valley had also discovered other precious minerals like rubies, sapphires, and crystals.
"What's the coal output like?"
"Chief, it doesn't burn as fast as wood. Usually, only blacksmiths use it. But the valley has plenty of it. If we mined it, there'd be a lot. But, Chief, what do you need coal for?"
Kent didn't answer but nodded.
Thanks to his experience running a company, where he had learned extensive management strategies, business tactics, memory techniques, and mind mapping, he quickly compartmentalized all the information, organizing it into categories like resources, livelihood, finance, equipment, and military.
"Those barrels of black oil I brought… have you seen anything like it?"
"Yes, Chief. Sometimes, when we dig, black, sticky stuff comes out. We usually use it for torches—it burns well."
This was excellent news.
With ample coal and oil, he could gradually establish a foundation for basic industry and even chemistry. Although he lacked a concrete plan, he could only proceed step-by-step.
"How many miners, masons, and blacksmiths are in the valley?" Kent asked as an idea came to him.
"Chief, anyone can mine; it just takes strength. We have a few masons," the old miner replied. "But blacksmithing is skilled work. We have quite a few, but only seven or eight are really skilled."
"That's perfect. I have some ideas that will require an experienced blacksmith…" Kent thought for a moment and then said, "There are a few things I'd like to try out to see if we can make them."