"Boss, what do we do now?" Crow asked as Kent began assigning tasks, eager to get started.
"Hold on, everyone else listen up. I've heard that to the north, beyond the Spear Hunting Valley, there are a few slave camps," Kent raised an eyebrow and continued, "We're in need of more hands, so I'd like you to head over and negotiate. If we can buy them directly, great. If not, I wouldn't mind taking the slaves by force."
"Boss, speaking of slaves, I have an idea," Splitting Blade spoke up.
"Go ahead."
"We could divide into smaller groups and have each of us lead a few people to different camps," Splitting Blade suggested. "Also, why don't we send a few outsiders to infiltrate the camps and stir up trouble? If we can incite a revolt, we could step in and assist."
"You sly dog," Kent laughed, impressed by the cunning plan. "I like it. You handle the arrangements and make sure the Free Legion's name spreads!"
"Got it, boss," Splitting Blade responded eagerly.
"Next, I want to talk about the development plans for the territory," Kent continued. "There are some ideas I've never shared before, but I think it's time for you all to start understanding them. After all, this is a task that will eventually fall to you guys. Right now, we're in a hurry, so I'm going to implement a few temporary policies."
"Temporary policies?"
"The specifics are still being finalized, but I'll give you a brief outline to see if you can understand or have any questions," Kent explained as he leaned forward. "The first policy is universal combat training. This includes the current residents and future adventurers who join. We've already been doing this, but perhaps you don't fully understand the purpose. Simply put, it's like a form of conscription…"
The group listened intently as Kent continued.
"…As for the magical armor, that's now our most critical secret. It's only a matter of time before it's leaked, but during this period, everyone needs to get used to and fully adjust to the enhanced physical capabilities it provides. This is a leap in power, and soon, there will be even better magical armor for everyone. For the current combat units, everyone will be equipped with standard-level magical armor, but only the elite squads will have access to high-quality or even perfect armor. This principle cannot be changed…"
"The second policy is land reclamation and new farmland allocation. Some of you may not be familiar with these terms, but that's okay. My preliminary plan is to attract more outsiders, particularly focusing on the areas around the valley, especially the riverbanks, and gradually develop them into farming zones. Early on, this will be very challenging, but once the Bison Meadow's defensive base is completed, we can begin."
"Everyone knows about agriculture. While it isn't widespread in the Highland Tribes, the main reason for that is low yield and high labor. However, I've already come up with effective solutions to address these problems, and we will increase our investment. Aside from farming, we also plan to tame herbivorous beasts—bison, wild goats, wild chickens, wild horses—all of which are potential candidates. A recent survey in the valley found at least three or four regions suitable for large-scale animal husbandry."
"The third issue is the slave problem. In the future, our territory won't need slaves, but if every slave were to join the Free Legion, that's unrealistic. Instead, we can try to turn the slaves from foreign tribes into workers—laborers. Mining, hunting, construction, craftsmanship, even manual labor. We could set up a point system. For example, for every amount of ore mined, they would earn one point. Once they accumulate enough points, they can shed their slave status and become official residents of the territory, or be free to leave. Of course, these are just preliminary ideas, so don't worry too much about them for now. We'll take it one step at a time."
Based on Kent's understanding, the system in the Red Earth Continent was somewhat like a hybrid of traditional tribal alliances and feudal lords. Currently, the Highland Alliance consisted of dozens of independent tribes, but when war came, they would form an alliance for mutual defense, though not necessarily a tight-knit or unified one.
To Kent, this tribal alliance was simply a loose confederation with many flaws. Especially problematic were the non-human tribes, which had no shared ethnicity or even clan relationships, making them inherently prone to division.
From a developmental standpoint, Kent planned to implement a centralized, absolute monarchy system in Spear Hunting Valley. This would quickly transform the territory from a loose, kinship-based alliance into a more centralized and efficient organization, accelerating the realization of many of Kent's future ideas.
However, Kent didn't need to establish a purely feudal monarchy. Coming from a more advanced world, he understood the wisdom of the saying "The water that floats the boat is the same water that can capsize it." His goal was to create a powerful centralized territory while directing more resources toward improving the welfare of the people and unleashing private ownership to stimulate individual initiative. Everything would be geared toward enhancing productivity and sustainable growth.
This was Kent's true vision.
Kent shared some of his scattered ideas with the group. The responses from his guards were mixed. Dry Leaf and Splitting Blade seemed fully engaged, occasionally lost in thought, while the giant, on the other hand, was almost nodding off, nearly snoring.
Water Stream, however, as she listened to Kent's thoughts, found two words echoing in her mind:
Utopia.
"Although everyone has been assigned tasks, we still need two or three reserve combat units ready to defend against the Tiger Tribe's possible raid on Bison Meadow. This month is crucial. Once the basic defensive structures are built and the crossbowmen are stationed, the pressure of the first phase will be over," Kent continued.
This meeting of the core members of the guard squad concluded successfully. However, Kent didn't reveal all of his plans for the future. First, the time wasn't right. Second, many of his ideas were still in the conceptual stage.
He hoped to use this opportunity to plant the seeds of his vision in their minds, so that at least they would begin to understand his ambitions for building the territory and his initial intentions for the future.
This idea was rooted in something Kent had developed in his previous world—the Seed Theory.
Simply put, every action someone takes can plant a seed in someone else's mind.
Day after day, the influence of one's behavior waters this seed. Given time, the seed will eventually sprout into a tender shoot.
What Kent was doing now was like planting a seed in each of their hearts.
With constant nurturing over the years…
It would eventually grow into a towering tree.