213: livestock

Chapter 210 Livestock

Bill and Holland saw the Wolf Pack cub in that crude cage.

Although it was only a month old, its fur still had the roughness of a newborn.

Yet, it could already let out a low growl, a sound that contained a ferocity far exceeding that of an ordinary wolf cub.

“This little thing is much sturdier than a normal wolf cub.”

Holland gently poked the dire wolf cub in the cage with a dry wooden stick.

Before the stick even touched it, the cub began to bare its teeth and snarl.

“Of course it’s bigger than a normal wolf, you idiot.” Bill cursed him ill-temperedly, “This guy can grow to the size of a warhorse when he’s an adult.

“He could bite off your thigh in one go, and a single slap could knock the breath out of you.”

Faced with his companion’s curses, Holland didn’t get angry; instead, he grinned.

“Don’t pretend to be an expert here.

“As if you’ve actually raised a dire wolf.

“Isn’t everything you know just drunken ramblings you heard in taverns?

“You boasted quite a bit in front of the Baron earlier.

“If he finds out we’ve never actually tamed a dire wolf, he’ll hang us for sure.”

Bill walked over to a wooden post outside the animal pen and waved his hand carelessly: “What’s there to be afraid of?

“At the end of the day, it’s still a wolf.

“We’ve tamed plenty of wolves; remember back in Chult?”

“I remember!” Holland’s eyes lit up, and his voice rose slightly, “We were raising war wolves for the tribal chief back then.”

“So what’s there to worry about? You raise this little thing the same way you raise an ordinary wolf.”

No sooner had Bill finished speaking than he heard light footsteps behind him.

The two men sharply turned their heads, only to see a rabbit-man with sparse fur and half of his left ear missing suddenly approach.

He was constantly muttering to himself, his voice rising and falling, as if he were talking to the air.

The rabbit-man completely ignored the two men standing there, walked straight to the corner, picked up a lidded tin can, and then hurried towards the wolf cub.

Bill and Holland quickly moved aside, making space for this eccentric fellow.

Seeing the rabbit-man open the can and pour warm milk into a clay bowl to feed the wolf cub, Bill couldn’t help but lean closer and grumble: “Hey, Old Hutu.

“This little guy is almost a month old; it’s time to let him taste fresh meat and blood.

“Only then can he retain his beastly nature, and only then will he be capable of fighting when he faces enemies later on.”

The rabbit-man paused his movements and suddenly turned to look at the two men.

His two eyes, one large and one small, widened, and he sternly rebuked: “Idiots! Morons!

“This is a dire wolf; dire wolves never lack wildness!

“What needs to be done now is to suppress his wildness, otherwise, when he grows to eight weeks old and challenges your authority.

“You two will only be torn to shreds!

“Feeding him meat prematurely will only make his ferocity stronger!”

Although the rabbit-man looked old and crazy, he had an imposing presence.

His gaze and tone reminded Bill and Holland of the rancher who used to supervise them, and for a moment, they dared not retort.

“You’re trying to raise a dire wolf using the methods for raising war wolves.” The rabbit-man put down the clay bowl, “That will get you killed.

“Damn it, I specifically told that glowing kid to find me some knowledgeable helpers.

“Not just randomly send two idiots over!

“You two are truly stupid; even the pigs in the pen are smarter than you!”

These words completely enraged Bill, and he rolled up his sleeves, intending to teach the rabbit-man a lesson.

But before he could act, a stout woman quickly approached, carrying a wooden stick, and asked in a fierce tone: “What do you two want?”

Bill was very wary of this Half-elf woman named Luo Xi; when he and Holland reported here, she had even lectured them, mistaking them for livestock thieves.

He quickly put down his fist, a smile forced onto his face: “Ma’am, ma’am, please don’t misunderstand.

“We didn’t intend to cause trouble, it’s just that this crazy rabbit suddenly started cursing at us.”

Luo Xi raised an eyebrow, a look of disdain on her face that said, “Is that all?” “You’ll know after you’ve been here for a while; who hasn’t been cursed by Master Beixiu’en?”

“Master Beixiu’en? Who is that?” Bill asked with a confused expression.

At this moment, the rabbit-man had already muttered to himself and left the animal pen.

Holland quickly leaned into Bill’s ear and whispered a few words.

Bill’s eyes instantly widened.

He looked again and again in the direction the rabbit-man had left, muttering: “My goodness, there’s actually such an expert in this place?”

Luo Xi didn’t have a good impression of these two outsiders to begin with.

It wasn’t because she was xenophobic, but as the town’s veterinarian, she knew Beixiu’en’s capabilities better than anyone.

Moreover, ever since Beixiu’en had devoted all his energy to the town hospital, all the work at the animal pen had fallen on her.

Besides looking after this dire wolf, she also had to be responsible for treating and delivering all the livestock in the entire town.

So, seeing these two self-proclaimed “beast tamers” standing around getting in the way, her anger flared up.

“Didn’t you two say you were going to investigate the situation in Qingfeng Valley?”

She reminded them ill-temperedly, tapping the wooden stick on the ground again.

Holland quickly nodded his head vigorously: “Yes, yes, yes, we’re going now! Right away!”

The two former horse thieves almost fled from the animal pen.

It wasn’t until they had gone a long way that Bill couldn’t help but complain: “I really hate that woman; she talks as if she’s whipping people.”

“You’re not going to marry her, are you?” Holland patted him on the shoulder and teased, “Cheer up, fellow!

“We’ve really hit the jackpot this time; I never expected Master Beixiu’en to be here!

“All our beast-taming knowledge came from the book he left behind.”

Hearing this, the dissatisfaction on Bill’s face was immediately replaced by excitement, and the two of them, like children meeting their idol, enthusiastically discussed Beixiu’en all the way.

It wasn’t until it was completely dark that they hurried to find Baron Arthur.

After the maid opened the study door and announced them, the two impatiently rushed into the room.

“My Lord, we have generally ascertained the situation of the town.”

Bill spoke first, his tone carrying a hint of seeking credit.

Holland was more mindful of etiquette than him and first respectfully bowed to Arthur, who was behind the desk.

Seeing this, Bill quickly followed suit.

Arthur was looking down, flipping through a stack of land deeds that had just been transferred to his name, and said without looking up: “Tell me, what have you found out.”

Bill moved two steps forward and said: “My Lord, you previously asked us about the advantages and disadvantages of axe-beaked birds and horses.

“We spent most of the day walking around the town and talked to the townspeople, and we believe we need both types of livestock.”

“Oh?” Arthur put down the documents in his hand and looked up at the two beast tamers, “Tell me your reasons.”

“It’s like this, My Lord—” Bill swallowed, organizing his words, “The road conditions here are really bad; outside the town, it’s just bumpy dirt roads.

“After it rains, it becomes muddy and difficult to travel.

“Horses can’t run fast on such roads and are prone to getting stuck or tripping.”

Arthur raised his hand to interrupt him: “If horses can’t run fast in such places, can axe-beaked birds run fast?”

“No, no, no, My Lord, you’re mistaken!” Bill quickly shook his head, “The areas around the town are all dense forests.

“Axe-beaked birds are much more agile in the forest than horses!

“They have hooked claws and aren’t afraid of tripping over tree roots.

“They can also move flexibly through the woods.

“If we acquire the kind of axe-beaked birds specifically active in jungles, they will definitely be more useful than horses!”

Arthur nodded thoughtfully, motioning for the other party to continue: “But we can’t do without horses either, especially packhorses—they are strong and can carry a lot of things on muddy roads.

“The merchant guild’s caravans should be equipped with more packhorses, which will also speed up freight transport.”

“What about donkeys and mules?” Arthur pressed, “I know packhorses are strong, “Can pull a lot of things, and can walk in the mud in the rain, but they also eat a lot.

“As you’ve seen, Mist Town is currently short on food and cannot afford extra concentrated feed for such large livestock.

+, “My Lord, not too many are needed; we only need to equip the outgoing caravans with a few packhorses.

“Those donkeys and mules can be kept in town for short-distance transport of food and tools, which also saves on feed.”

“Then what about plowing the fields?” Arthur asked again.

“Use oxen.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

He had previously specifically researched Amn’s agricultural techniques.

The fields within Amn were mostly used to grow wheat, oats, and beans, crops that required quick cultivation and timely sowing.

Plowing horses naturally became the best choice.

Typically, a single farmer managing two plowing horses could plow their own land in a day.

Moreover, Amn mostly adopts a three-field system of cultivation, allowing farmers to plant oats and other crops on fallow fields, which are perfect as concentrated feed for horses.

Therefore, raising plow horses is entirely feasible, and there will fundamentally be no situation where horses compete with humans for food.

Coupled with the already mature technologies of shoulder collars, horseshoes, and heavy plows, the efficiency of plow horses tilling the land is considerably higher than that of oxen. However, this does not mean that horse plowing is suitable for all places.

In areas with small cultivated land and barren soil, the priority is to ensure human food supply.

This requires slowing down cultivation, deep plowing the land, and meticulous labor to ensure crop yields.

In such places, oxen, which are resistant to coarse fodder, become the main plowing livestock.

Compared to delicate horses, oxen can maintain their strength on low-quality roughage like hay and wheat straw.

Plow horses, however, must eat enough concentrated feed, otherwise, they easily fall ill.

Mist Town's farmland is flat and soft, and the area is large enough, making it originally very suitable for horse plowing.

But now—

"Sir, look—" Bill, seeing that Arthur hadn't spoken, added, "Currently, the town doesn't have that much farmland to cultivate. We can completely replace plow horses with oxen, which are easier to raise.

"This way, we can save a lot of rations and also alleviate the town's food pressure."

"I will consider these suggestions," Arthur replied, with a hint of approval in his tone. "Now, let's talk about the Dire Wolves.

"Old Hutu came to see me; he didn't seem very happy."

"Old Hutu?" Bill looked bewildered.

Holland also frowned, clearly unfamiliar with the name.

"It's Beshian," Arthur explained. "Oh! That must be a misunderstanding, sir!" Bill quickly waved his hand, his expression a little flustered.

"A misunderstanding?" Arthur stood up and walked towards the two, step by step. "He said I gave him two idiots.

"He also said you two plan to feed my Dire Wolves in a suicidal way.

"Although he didn't elaborate, I guess he meant that you don't know how to train Dire Wolves at all."

Bill was about to explain when Arthur raised his hand to interrupt him.

"I've reviewed your past. Godwin specifically wrote a letter asking me to pay more attention to you two." Arthur's gaze was scrutinizing. "Now I'm considering whether to send you back."

"Sir, I can explain!" Bill's voice trembled slightly.

"I'm waiting," Arthur's face remained grim.

"We…we really don't know how to train Dire Wolves." Bill's voice lowered. "We've only trained ordinary wolves before. The reason we lied is because we didn't want to leave here."

Arthur stared at the two, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through their thoughts.

He pondered the possibility of them lying.

From the letter, Godwin didn't have much affection for these two fellows.

It was just that these two were indeed skilled with livestock, which is why they were sent here.

"Sir, we didn't mean to deceive you," Holland quickly interjected. "We just didn't want to disappoint you, didn't want to lose this job."

"Disappoint?" Arthur frowned, a hint of confusion in his tone. "Why would I be disappointed?

"I never expected you to understand Dire Wolf training."

"You are the hero of Lookout Fort, and we are just two insignificant horse thieves," Bill said excitedly. "It's a great honor for us to serve someone like you.

"We really just don't want to lose this opportunity."

"How can I be sure that you're not just saying these pretty words to avoid being sent back?"

Arthur's tone softened slightly, but carried an undeniable authority.

"If we really wanted to deceive you, we wouldn't have actively given you those suggestions about livestock!"

Bill mustered his courage and looked up, meeting Arthur's gaze.

Arthur was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "I have important things to do tonight, and no time to waste with you.

"I'll emphasize this to you once: don't play smart with me.

"Honesty won't disappoint me, but lying will."

The two beastmasters nodded frantically.

"Go," Arthur waved his hand, signaling that they could leave.

After Bill and Holland left, a figure emerged from the corner outside the study.

Philip silently followed the two.

The Duke of Wild Dogs and all his men arrived in town.

The reason given was "being called by the gods."

Jessica viewed this as a potential threat, but Arthur told her not to worry and not to arrange too many guards.

The god once worshipped by the Night Outcasts had been liberated.

It was reasonable for them to come and worship their god.

Moreover, since the Wolf Pack fell back into slumber, Arthur had never seen that god again.

He thought that perhaps Varana could provide him with some information about him.

These Beastmen planned to set up camp next to the collapsed church.

Varana told Arthur that they would perform an ancient ritual to re-establish a connection with the god.

"This ritual is crucial for us," Varana said solemnly. "Thank you, Baron, it is you who helped us reclaim our lost faith."

Arthur asked curiously, "Then how should your current faith be handled?"

"We will retain our original faith," Varana replied. "Most people in the tribe are unwilling to give it up.

"The elders are still discussing how to balance this matter.

"My father believes that tribal members can be divided into different professions according to their beliefs, allowing everyone to perform their duties.

"What do you think, Baron?"

"There must be a core," Arthur said slowly. "Every believer must be given equal treatment; only then will there be no division within the tribe."

Varana shrugged, a hint of helplessness in her tone: "That would probably be very difficult to achieve.

"No matter how equal the treatment, there will always be someone who feels dissatisfied."

"That's why a core is needed," Arthur continued. "An existence that can lead everyone forward; only then will people understand what direction they should strive for."

"You speak like an autocratic king," Varana teased.

Arthur couldn't help but laugh: "I never said that this core must be a person.

"By the way, are you hungry? We can eat and talk."

Varana nodded: "My father probably won't be coming to the banquet; he's busy dealing with the camping and the ritual now."

"Then do you have the authority to decide?" Arthur asked.

"Of course. I can make decisions on most matters in the tribe."

"That's good."

The two came together to the restaurant in the townhouse.

The dinner Arthur arranged was very simple, with only a few home-cooked dishes and a bottle of wine.

But for Varana, who had been wandering for years and was used to dry rations and stews, this was already considered quite good treatment.

"You have received the necessary supplies, and now it's time to do something."

Arthur said as he poured wine for Varana.

"I agree," Varana said. "The god has given instructions for us to fully cooperate with you.

"It's just that there are still some internal issues now."

"The so-called problem lies in the conflict of beliefs, doesn't it?" Arthur guessed. "Some people can't accept a completely new god.

"Do I need to wait until you resolve your internal conflicts before I can get your support?"

"Regarding the protection of your caravan, it will not be affected in any way, I can assure you of that," Varana said with certainty.

"What if I want you to clear out the Black Blood People?" Arthur asked.

Varana spread her hands, "Even before there were conflicts of faith, we couldn't completely wipe out those guys.

"As you know, our numbers are too small; at most, we can only harass them.

"We simply can't launch a large-scale attack.

"If you can provide us with enough manpower, we can launch a full-scale hunt and exterminate those Black Blood People."

Arthur smiled, "I have a better idea. We can deal those bastards a heavy blow.

"Making it so they can't bother us again for a while."

"Oh? I'm all ears," Varana's eyes instantly lit up.