Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Chapter 195 Recruiting Manpower

Chapter 196 Recruiting Manpower

The wasteland between the Demon Cave and Grand Village is now vastly different from what it once was.

The dilapidated tents have vanished without a trace, replaced by rows of thatched huts.

Smoke rose like gray ribbons into the leaden sky. The wooden fence stood in neat rows, and the watchtower stood in the center—the first sentry tower of the new order.

Peter stood atop the tower, his cloak billowing in the morning breeze.

He saw refugees migrating to the shores of Lake Grand. A makeshift dock stretched into the azure water, and rafts floated like water lily leaves. Fishermen cast their nets, and silver scales arced through the air before falling into the nets.

"The third batch of fish," Blackbatos reported from below the tower, "enough to feed three hundred people for two days."

Peter nodded.

Like a cunning rabbit with three burrows, Robert, the white-haired man, had outposts in Hubeno, Misco, and the village of Wolfram. He moved among them, weaving an intelligence network.

Robert, with his white hair, also contacted Barbara, who had arrived in Kutenberg earlier.

Barbara established a bathhouse in the village of Wolfram, at the Ganli intersection west of Kutenberg, becoming its small-time owner and recruiting many girls to do business with her. Peter didn't expose her, but instead invested another thousand Groschen in her, encouraging her to develop the place into a "Happy Forest" that combined a hotel, bathhouse, and dice games.

Meanwhile, inside the Demon Cave Tavern, a completely different and lively scene unfolded.

The Knights didn't station themselves in the Demon Cave, but instead used it as a firewall. Jerry the Rat established an intelligence liaison point there. Intelligence from various villages would first be gathered in the Demon Cave, and then relayed from there to Peter's actual base.

Even if the Hungarian army were to launch a full-scale attack, they would only discover the Demon Cave first, without affecting the safety of their base. Given the current favorable situation, Peter began expanding the Silver Dawn Knights, instructing Jerry to set up a recruitment point at the Demon Cave tavern.

"Get out of the way! I was here first!"

"Bullshit! I was queuing here yesterday!"

"You bastard, how dare you offend Scarface Camby! Get out of here!"

"Who's afraid of you, you coward? Come on, let's duel in the training ground!"

The tavern was a bustling, chaotic mix of people, with the entire hall packed with those eager to join the Knights of the Silver Dawn. Jerry the Gray Rat sat behind a long table, a long queue forming in front of him. However, to his disappointment, most of the applicants were thugs and ruffians, completely failing to meet Peter's acceptance criteria.

Jerry rubbed his throbbing temples and couldn't help but mutter a complaint: "Kutenberg is such a big place, can't they find a few decent people?"

Just then, a figure caught his attention. It was a short, stout man wearing a faded linen shirt, with a well-maintained one-handed sword at his waist and a shield painted with a black eagle on his back.

"Wow!" Jerry sat up straight. "A black eagle, a Shinra warrior."

Those who can use the Holy Roman Empire's eagle emblem are at least veterans who have fought for the empire. In today's chaotic world, such talents are rare indeed.

"Hello, sir," the short, stout man stepped forward, his voice steady and powerful, "I am Peter, a free adventurer."

Jerry raised an eyebrow: "Peter?" He looked at the other person's face and almost blurted out: You dare to call yourself Peter? But he held back.

"Of course," the man smiled slightly, "I prefer people to call me Bumblebee."

Jerry looked at the other person with interest: "Tell me, Bumblebee, what are your special skills?"

"My daily work involves being a bodyguard, running errands, and escorting car convoys. Occasionally, I also spar with people in swordsmanship to earn some travel expenses."

.

"Looks like your swordsmanship is quite good. How were your results in the duels?" Jerry pressed.

Bumblebee shrugged, revealing a confident smile: "As you can see, I've fought over a dozen matches, with all four limbs intact, in good health, and without any obvious external injuries. That's my record."

Jerry's gaze swept over the other man's simple attire, and he said with a hint of suspicion, "But your shabby clothes don't look like someone who's won over a dozen duels. Where are your spoils?"

Hearing this, Bumblebee's expression darkened, and he sighed, "To my shame, I did have a magnificent suit of armor, a sharp sword and a mace, and a fine horse. But I had an accident in Kutenberg some time ago."

"What accident?" Jerry's curiosity was piqued.

"A pitiful young man came to me seeking employment, saying someone owed them money and wouldn't pay, asking me to help collect it. Out of a sense of justice, I agreed." Bumblebee's voice was tinged with regret. "When we finally stopped the debtor, I noticed he was wearing silk clothes and realized something was wrong. But it was too late..."

Jerry leaned forward: "And then?"

"The moment the man in the silk saw us, he immediately called for the guards. The young man took the opportunity to snatch his valuables and escape, leaving me standing there." Bumblebee clenched his fist. "Later I found out that the man in the silk was a councilor from the city hall. He accused me of being a robber, and the guards arrested me too."

"Why didn't you resist or run away?" Jerry asked, puzzled.

Bumblebee gave a wry smile. "As you can see, I'm a law-abiding citizen who just wants to earn money honestly through my own abilities. I thought the guards and councilmen would listen to my explanation..." Then, his voice suddenly turned angry, "But since they didn't catch the real robber, they vented all their anger on me!"

The other people in line at the tavern were also drawn to the story and gathered around.

"I was punished with thirty lashes, and although I was strong enough to withstand it, I still had to compensate the councilor for his losses. So I lost all my equipment." Bumblebee's eyes sharpened. "I was furious, so I stormed the city hall and only managed to get back a short sword and my shield. Now, I'm a real wanted criminal."

Jerry nodded thoughtfully: "Do you regret it?"

"Of course!" Bumblebee said through gritted teeth. "I shouldn't have trusted that young man, and I certainly shouldn't have believed the guards and the senator would clear my name. They're all the same kind of scum! I should have killed them all back then!"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. In this chaotic world, far too many people had experienced similar fates.

Jerry pondered for a moment, then asked, "Why is it called Bumblebee?"

"Maybe it's because I like to use stabbing attacks, or maybe my opponents always feel a stinging sensation all over their bodies after a fight, but they're not seriously injured." Bumblebee gave a satisfied smile. "I quite like this nickname."

"Alright, Bumblebee," Jerry finally made his decision, flicking a Grossing at the other man. "You're accepted and move on to the next round. You can go to the pub for a drink first, and after my interview, I'll take you to see Prince Brunswick."

The bumblebee deftly caught the flying silver coin between two fingers, a hint of excitement flashing in its eyes: "Thank you for your generosity."

Seeing that someone had been successfully recruited, the people in line became even more enthusiastic. Jerry then selected several more physically strong individuals...

Those with horseback riding combat experience each received a silver coin and excitedly headed towards the tavern counter.

Just as the interview was about to end, a man reeking of earth approached. He wore a green linen coat and a red hood, and carried nothing but an iron shovel on his back.

Jerry frowned. "You want to enlist as a soldier too?"

"Of course, sir."

The man removed his hood, revealing a weathered face. "Don't let my appearance fool you. I am Polek, the renowned treasure hunter of the Kutenberg region."

Upon hearing the name, a murmur of discussion immediately arose in the tavern.

"Is it that Pollock?"

"I heard he found treasure in an ancient tomb..."

"It is said that he has eyes that can see through the earth."

Pollock seemed quite pleased with the surrounding chatter. He leaned closer to Jerry and whispered, "And recently I got my hands on a treasure map..."

Jerry's curiosity was piqued: "A treasure map? About what?"

"It is the Holy Communion of Christ!" Pollock's voice was shrouded in mystery.

"The Holy Grail?" Jerry repeated.

"That's right! It's the wine cup that Jesus and his disciples used at the Last Supper! He used it to pour wine for the twelve disciples, and when they nailed him to the cross, his blood also flowed into the cup! Thus, it acquired a sacred attribute and is extremely precious."

Pollock continued to explain in a low voice, but Jerry frowned.

"That doesn't make sense," Jerry interrupted him. "Christ was arrested by the Romans and crucified after the Eucharist. How could the Holy Grail be at the execution site?"

Having once studied under Brother Martin, Jerry astutely pointed out the flaws in the text.

Polek paused for a moment, then argued, "This is what was recorded on parchment given to me by the librarian of the Cüttenburg Library. Perhaps... perhaps the Romans used the Eucharist chalice to collect the blood after crucifying Christ?"

Jerry coughed lightly, quickly interrupting the conversation. Continuing the discussion would be blasphemous.

"Perhaps you are not suited for combat..."

'

Just as Jerry was about to refuse, Pollock leaned closer and whispered, "I want to offer the treasure map containing the Holy Grail to Prince Brunswick."

"Okay, you're accepted."

As night fell, the last interview was over, and Jerry was preparing to disperse the crowd and announce the end of the recruitment. Suddenly, the crisp sound of hooves approached from afar, and a young knight in luxurious plate armor rode up, nimbly dismounting in front of the tavern.

"I want to join the Knights of the Silver Dawn!" the boy shouted, his voice still carrying a hint of childishness.

A burst of laughter erupted in the tavern.

"Hehe, isn't everyone like that?"

"Rich young master, you're just a little brat who hasn't even grown his first hair yet. Go home and suckle."

Despite the ridicule from the crowd, the boy remained unfazed and walked straight to Jerry's table.

"My name is Chris," the boy said, removing his helmet to reveal a handsome yet determined face. "I received knightly training from a young age and am willing to join the Silver Dawn to become a true knight!"

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