21: The first meeting on Iron Sand Island

Time flew like a shuttle; in the blink of an eye, it was already the end of October, and the weather had gradually shed its oppressive heat.

In the small square in front of the Lords Mansion, soldiers and Slaves gathered together, standing in silent, solemn formation.

Linn stood on the high platform, his gaze slowly sweeping across every face below, and he spoke in a deep voice: "We have landed on Iron Sand Island for nearly two months. During this time, we have experienced several small-scale Sea Monster attacks, but we have endured them all. Now, the construction of the territory is basically complete."

"Here—" He paused slightly and raised a list submitted jointly by Morton and several captains. Everyone's gaze was focused on him. "I, in the name of the Pioneer Knight of the Aulai Kingdom, Lynn Ellis, hereby grant amnesty to the Slaves who have performed excellently in the past and restore your status as Freemen. At the same time, I will allocate houses and farmland. You will become the first batch of Freemen in my territory, and you will be exempted from taxes for one year."

The crowd below erupted into an uproar.

"Oh my god! They were actually pardoned... If I had known, I shouldn't have been lazy!"

"And land and houses? Did I hear that right?"

"May the god of dawn bless the wise and benevolent Lord Linn!"

Everyone could hardly believe their ears. The reason Linn publicly granted amnesty was precisely to let everyone see: as long as they served him and remained loyal, they would receive generous rewards. This not only inspired the people but also solidified Iron Sand Island into a unified force, capable of uniting against external threats when crises arose. After all, Slaves had always been the private property of nobles, and such generous amnesty was rare.

"We... are really free!" The former slave soldiers of the Blood Claw Pirate Group were overjoyed, unable to hide their excitement.

"Crack!" Morton, standing behind Linn, stepped forward and cracked his whip. "Silence! Continue listening to Lord Linn's instructions!"

The crowd instantly quieted down. During this time, they had already learned of the methods of this "Iron-Blooded Loyal Servant"; his ways of tormenting people were endless, and the Slaves couldn't help but tremble when they saw him.

"Tsk," Ocean, standing to the side, muttered in a low voice, "Morton stole all the spotlight this time. Lord Linn is not only great, but also handsome, dashing, wise, and mighty! He didn't include any of these words." Clearly, he was dissatisfied with Morton stealing the limelight.

Linn heard Ocean's muttering behind him, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. He continued, "Among this group, the blacksmith Rom, Iron Hammer, and the carpenter... and others have performed particularly well. Not only have you regained your freedom, but you will also receive additional rewards."

The blacksmith Rom and the others knelt one after another, praising Linn's benevolence with tears of gratitude.

"As for the rest of you, as long as you are diligent, brave, and loyal to your duties, I, Lynn Ellis, will never be stingy with rewards, and you too will have the opportunity to receive amnesty."

...

After the collective instruction ended, Linn summoned all the core members into the Lords Mansion Council Hall. Morton and Elise stood on either side of him, as if these two positions were the best way to demonstrate their closeness to the Lord.

Linn spoke first: "Today is our first official meeting on Iron Sand Island."

"From now on, the original First Combat Squad is renamed the Lords Personal Guard, with Clay serving as captain. The original Second Squad is changed to the First Squad, and Karl will continue as captain. The Third Squad led by Angus is changed to the Reserve Squad, with Angus remaining as captain, mainly responsible for training reserve soldiers and supplementing combat power for other squads."

Among the three officers originally brought from the Count Ailisis Fief, Angus was indeed more outstanding in terms of training. High-quality reserve soldiers were crucial for future development.

"In addition," Linn's gaze turned to Ocean and Hogan.

Seeing Linn look at him, Ocean couldn't help but clench his fists—he had long yearned to stand on his own and lead a team of his own. "Ocean, you will take over the sailors originally under Barton, be responsible for reorganizing and training them, and establish the Second Squad, with you as captain and Hogan as vice-captain. Your main duties will be maritime combat and future escort missions for merchant ships."

"Yes, Lord!" Everyone stood up to accept the orders.

"Ocean, report on the recent reconnaissance situation around Iron Sand Island."

Newly appointed, Ocean was exceptionally energetic: "Great, handsome, and wise Lord Linn—" He let out a long sigh of relief, finally having said the words he had held back for so long.

"Pfft!" Elise, standing to the side, couldn't help but laugh out loud, then immediately realized her lapse in decorum and quickly covered her mouth. Others also tried to hold back their laughter.

Ocean, however, was completely unaffected and continued: "Iron Sand Island is located in the northern part of the development zone designated by the kingdom, and there are no large forces around. Currently, the biggest threat to us is Thunder Island, about eighty kilometers to the west, which belongs to Baron Nocturne. He has been operating on the island for nearly twenty years, and his strength should not be underestimated."

"In addition, about 120 li to the southwest, there is also a 'Flamingo Pirate Group,' and their strength is also quite strong. I have heard their name before; they are larger in scale than the Blood Claw Pirate Group, with about three hundred experienced pirates, and the two leaders are not simple characters either. It is rumored that the great leader Cedric is already close to the Gold Rank, and in the past few years, they have annexed the forces of several small pioneering lords."

Hearing this, Linn frowned slightly. 120 li was only a day or two's voyage. If he encountered the Flamingo Pirate Group now, he would have almost no chance of winning.

"Lord," Ocean, seeing Linn's worry, said, "Before we arrived, the Flamingo Pirate Group had long-standing grudges with Baron Nocturne, and both sides wanted to annex each other and dominate the Saru Archipelago. And Baron Nocturne, in order to be promoted to Viscount, has recently been using troops against the pirate group and has no time to pay attention to us for the time being."

Linn's sense of urgency deepened. At present, he could hardly contend with either side. He must seize this precious time to fully improve his strength in order to survive.

"Morton." Linn spoke.

"This old servant is here."

"Step up the forging of weapons and ensure that all soldiers are equipped with a weapon. In addition, fully cultivate available land and continue sowing when spring comes next year. Our current food production is barely enough to maintain the existing population."

"Yes, Lord!"

"Ocean, continue to explore safe routes to the west. In ten days, accompany me to Tianhai City for trade. Clay, Karl, Angus, you must intensify the army training."

"Yes, Lord!"

After everyone left to carry out their orders, Linn sat alone in the hall, quietly calculating his future path.

His current army and population were too small; he must expand his military. The existing Slaves who were strong and dared to take up weapons to go to the battlefield had basically been drafted.

Currently, he had less than 500 gold coins. The magic plant ripened by the breath of life was already usable. He must refine all of it into level two potions in the next few days, sell them in Tianhai City, and then purchase a batch of supplies to expand his strength.