98: expedition

The night was deep, and the study in Star Sea Castle was brightly lit.

Linn sat behind the large desk, his fingers gently tapping on the smooth surface, his gaze calmly fixed on the two people standing respectfully before him: Clay, the Chief Guard Officer and commander of the Guard Army, and Ocean, one of the territory's highest-ranking military commanders.

Grand Administrator Morton also stood to the side, his expression focused.

"I called you here so late because there are two matters that need to be discussed."

Linn went straight to the point, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet study. "First, with the rapid expansion of the territory, there is a severe shortage of reliable and capable management personnel. Second, our troops, especially the newly expanded legions, need to undergo true tempering by blood and fire, rather than just remaining in the training grounds."

His gaze first turned to Clay: "Clay, you followed me the earliest and know my first batch of knight attendants the best. Among them, besides those who already hold important positions, are there any talents who are steady in character, outstanding in ability, trustworthy, and capable of handling things on their own or assisting in the management of government and military affairs?"

Upon hearing this, Clay pondered slightly, and those familiar faces flashed rapidly through his mind.

A moment later, he raised his head and replied with a firm tone: "My Lord, there are indeed two people whom I believe are worth cultivating. One is Lawrence; he is meticulous, does things in an orderly manner, and can make calm judgments during battle. He has quite a bit of prestige among the original old-timers, and he also actively learned literacy and arithmetic later on, making rapid progress. The other is Fernand; his Martial Skill might not be the most outstanding, but he is steady and reliable, good at coordination and communication, and has a natural interest and good sense for numbers and material management. He has never made a mistake while assisting in handling the logistics of the Guard Army. The loyalty of these two is beyond doubt, and their temperaments are also steady and reliable."

A trace of satisfaction flashed in Linn's eyes: "Lawrence, Fernand... Good."

He turned to Morton: "Morton, for the next period, take these two with you and have them follow you to learn how to handle the daily government affairs of the territory, especially in areas like urban planning, material allocation, and population management. Do not hold anything back; get them familiar with the processes and understand the essentials as quickly as possible."

"This old servant understands, Young Master."

Morton bowed and replied, understanding in his heart that the Lord was stockpiling and cultivating a core team for a larger management system.

Linn then stated his specific arrangements: "Carl is pioneering Shattered Star City in the east, and there are a thousand tasks to attend to. He has to supervise the construction of the city, settle the population, reclaim farmland, and reorganize the newly expanded Star Shattering Legion; it is inevitable that he will be spread too thin. After Lawrence and Fernand have followed you to learn for a period of time, I intend to send one of them to Shattered Star City to assist Carl, mainly responsible for the city's construction and civil administration, so that Carl can focus more on military matters and overall expansion. Who exactly to send will be decided based on their learning progress and the opinions of you and Carl."

"My Lord's consideration is thorough; this is excellent."

Clay nodded, feeling that this would not only alleviate Carl's pressure but also allow potential old-timers to gain training and opportunities for promotion.

After dealing with the issue of management personnel, Linn's gaze turned to Ocean, his expression becoming a bit sharper: "Ocean, earlier I had you arrange for Hogan to lead a team to explore the eastern coastal area of the Great Wilderness Forest, which is across the sea from us. Is there a detailed report?"

Ocean stepped forward and reported in a steady voice: "My Lord, Hogan led two elite hundred-man squads, crossed the sea by boat, and has already conducted a preliminary exploration of the coastal area in the east of the Great Wilderness Forest. The reported situation is as follows: that area has dense vegetation and complex terrain, and it is currently mainly occupied by several large-scale Goblin tribes. Based on observation and limited contact, their numbers may exceed thirty thousand, or even more, scattered in multiple settlements in the forest and along the coast."

He paused and continued: "Judging from the combat power discovered so far, this Goblin tribe does not seem to have formed a highly unified tribe, but rather exists in the form of a tribal Alliance. High-end combat power is scarce; Hogan and his men only discovered a few Silver Rank Goblin chieftains, and one Gold Initial Rank Goblin warrior who seems to be the leader of the strongest tribe in the area. No higher-rank existence was found. Goblins have strong reproductive capabilities and are extremely timid."

Linn listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his chin. Goblins... low-intelligence humanoid creatures, with green skin all over, which changes color upon reaching a certain Realm. For example, Silver, Gold color. They are timid, greedy, and chaotic, but as Slaves and labor, they can adapt to harsh environments better than human Slaves, and their strength is not small either.

"Numerous in quantity, but lacking high-end combat power and tight organization..."

Linn repeated in a low voice, a decision gradually forming in his eyes. "Ocean, our army needs actual combat; it needs to see blood. Relying solely on training cannot cultivate a true iron-blooded army. The Star Sea Legion was recently expanded and is in need of just such a whetstone."

He stood up and walked to the map of Shattered Star Island and the surrounding sea area hanging on the wall, his gaze landing on the area marked "Great Wilderness Forest (East)".

"I order: You are to personally command the Star Sea Legion and expedition to the eastern Goblin territory of the Great Wilderness Forest. The primary purpose of this operation is not to occupy land; the environment there is complex and not suitable for our large-scale colonization for the time being. The primary purpose is to train troops, let new recruits grow in real combat, and let officers at all levels learn to command. The secondary purpose is to plunder Slaves!"

Linn turned around, his tone resolute: "The construction of Star Sea Territory, whether it is the expansion of Star Moon City, the construction of Shattered Star City, or future road connections and water conservancy facilities between towns, requires a massive amount of labor. Relying solely on purchasing human Slaves from the outside is not only becoming increasingly costly, but the sources are also becoming increasingly unstable. Viscount Nocturne also mentioned during his last visit that the Kingdom's center and several major slave-trading city-states have recently been tightening control over slave exports, especially of able-bodied male Slaves. We must open up new, reliable sources of Slaves."

His gaze swept over Ocean and Clay: "Goblins are a good choice. They have strong adaptability, can engage in heavy physical labor, and if managed properly, are a good supplement to our labor force. In this expedition, try to capture healthy adult Goblins, transport them back to Star Sea Territory, and incorporate them into the construction teams. Those who resist fiercely or are old, weak, sick, or disabled can be eliminated on the spot."

"Remember, tactically, you must respect the enemy and fully utilize the advantages of our army's equipment, discipline, and coordinated combat. Although individual Goblins are weak, they are numerous and familiar with the environment; avoid rash advances and fight steadily. Hogan is familiar with the situation, so let him be your vanguard guide. Five thousand men of the Star Sea Legion should be enough to complete this sweeping and capture mission. If you encounter unexpected strong enemies or complex situations, transmit information via the sea route in a timely manner."

Battle Intent ignited in Ocean's eyes, and he knelt on one knee, accepting the order with a clang: "Yes! My Lord! Ocean will certainly not fail the trust; with the blood of Goblins, I will temper the blade of the Star Sea Legion and bring back enough Slave labor for the territory!"

Clay also felt a surge of excitement; this would be the first large-scale proactive external military operation since the establishment of Star Sea Territory, and its significance was extraordinary.

Linn helped Ocean up and said in a deep voice: "The detailed plan should be drawn up jointly by you, Hogan, and the officers of the Star Sea Legion at all levels. Prepare as soon as possible and set out on an auspicious day. Let everyone understand that this is not just plundering, but fighting for the territory's future living space and development resources. The expansion of Star Sea Territory will not stop at Shattered Star Island."

"Additionally, Clay, you must personally go to the northern part of Shattered Star Island to investigate. Young Miss Aivi said that a group of powerful Demonic Beast tribes lives there. Shattered Star Island does not allow threats to exist. Remember not to have direct conflicts; once you get the information, report back immediately."

"Yes!" Ocean and Clay replied in unison.

Even if it is a Level 6 Demonic Beast, so what? As long as it is not a Tier 7 Demonic Beast, with the help of Destiny, he is confident in taking it down.