The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 308: Volume 5: Lord’s Path - 2: Half-Beastmen

Chapter 308: Volume 5: Lord’s Path Chapter 2: Half-Beastmen

Baoling trained a team of soldiers with great enthusiasm. It took his sixty recruits five days to clear out the overgrown waste ground behind the barracks under his command. Following the standards for infantry training, Baoling spent another two days turning the area into a rudimentary training ground. Although basic - the land was leveled and wooden targets were erected - Baoling was confident that this ground would produce the first qualified infantry soldiers of Caucasus.

As an outstanding soldier from the infantry-renowned Myron Duchy, Baoling always had high standards, but he had to admit that the physical condition of these Half-beast soldiers far exceeded that of ordinary Mortals. Even compared to the strongest selected from mortal soldiers, they held an advantage. However, what gave Baoling a headache was the disappointing rate at which the Half-beast soldiers adapted to his training regimen. They took three times longer than Mortal Soldiers to complete training routines that the latter could accomplish in one day. This arduous process tormented Baoling, but he had no choice but to fulfill the mission given by the Lord before his departure. By the time the Lord returned, Baoling had to present him with a passable squad of infantry.

Though the Half-beast soldiers had poor learning capabilities, their innate gifts, along with exceptionally hard training, soon allowed them to adapt to Baoling’s methods. After mastering basic movements - such as lining up, saluting, marching in unison, and lifting their rifles - they quickly moved on to fundamental stabbing drills, an area where Half-beast soldiers far outperformed their ability in formation and discipline. Their robust physiques allowed them to hold on for several rounds against Baoling in one-on-one combat, filling Baoling with glee. After all, any head trainer would be satisfied to see his students possess such strength.

Recruiting and training a small group of soldiers was the task Komer left Baoling with upon leaving Caucasus. While Komer hadn’t specified who should be recruited, when a large group of Half-beastmen migrated out of the Mountainous Area to settle on the outskirts of Ugru, it was natural for Baoling to focus on these fellows who lacked means of livelihood after leaving the mountains. Especially when Baoling, leading a few fully-armed Half-beast soldiers, patrolled Ugru Town with heads held high, it not only aroused intense envy among the beastmen but even some of the Indigenous People in town became eager.

When the announcement to recruit soldiers for the Lord’s Guard was posted outside the two Taverns in town, the doors were nearly broken down by applicants. The Lord’s Guard – even without considering the salary – the title alone was enough to boast about; it was a supremely honorable profession.

However, the mere sixty recruitment slots disappointed many, and Baoling’s stringent conditions left few Mortals within his consideration. Almost all those who fulfilled the criteria were Half-beast Men of nearly two meters in height. Escaping the strict surveillance of Mine owners and crossing the vast Volt Mountain Range demanded a much stronger constitution than that of the average person. Nonetheless, this did not mean there were no Indigenous People capable of the job. At least three individuals managed to break through the encirclement of Half-beastmen and made the cut, which also piqued Baoling’s interest. Two down-and-out Adventurer warriors and one hunter of mortal origin became the exceptional few among the first recruits, and together with the Half-beastmen, they eventually became veterans of the later Caucasus Guards.

The Mortal warriors quickly demonstrated their superior learning and adaptation skills compared to the Half-beastmen. Although they couldn’t match the majority of the selected Half-beast soldiers in physical strength, they were far more adept in adaptability and their willingness to learn was a main reason why Baoling chose to recruit them. At least, the archery skills that the three possessed were not something the Half-beast Warriors could master.

In any case, the arrival of the new Lord had already brought changes to Ugru Town. In just over a month, all sorts of businesses in Ugru flourished. Although the frightening figure of over a hundred thousand Immigrants had not yet arrived, and the residents of Ugru Town were still unaware of what the influx meant, the buildings being constructed on the outskirts of town were tangible signs of life’s changes. Despite these buildings being simple wooden structures or stone cottages roughly piled together, the undeniable benefits of increased population to the town’s economics were clearly felt.

The Small Town Market saw a significant increase in game and medicinal herbs, and Traders from other places started visiting much more frequently, lured by the opportunities. The Taverns hosted many more Half-beast customers - hunters who had migrated from the nearby woods. With legitimate identity papers, they no longer feared worrying checks and searches while spending in town. Their favorite pastime was to sell their game and then enjoy a couple of glasses of cheap Rye Beer at the Tavern, basking in the relaxed atmosphere. Grain spirits were too extravagant for them unless they brought down big game like bears or tigers. They wouldn’t easily indulge in a glass otherwise. The business at local blacksmiths increased significantly as well. The Half-beast hunters, who cared deeply for their livelihood tools, not only demanded high-quality but also bespoke patterns and insignias from the smiths, blessings for a bountiful hunt every time.