NEC Chapter 89: What a Big Bull

Although Cloudmist Domain had, due to certain political considerations, essentially "erased" Chen Mo's achievements on the surface, privately, Earl Liuyun had provided sufficient compensation.

Not only did he give the green light for the territory application procedures, but when Chen Mo needed to recruit some private armed forces to maintain his territory, the earl sent his most trusted old scribe to assist.

"It's best not to hire people from the mercenary guild, especially during this wartime period."

The old scribe of Cloudmist Domain stroked his graying beard and carefully explained the differences to Chen Mo.

"Mercenaries are inherently people who work for money, naturally lacking in loyalty."

"The large mercenary groups that value reputation and face are a bit better, but those small and medium-sized mercenary groups, heh, when they encounter trouble, raising prices on the spot is common."

"Even worse, cases of turning around to rob their employers are not uncommon."

"Besides, once a war starts, the most capable fighters from the mercenary guild have already been conscripted to the battlefield."

"What's left behind are either the old, weak, sick, and disabled, or the treacherous, lazy, cowardly, and bad. If you hire them, you still have to be careful and guard against them."

"Those who can really be useful are people with no background who are looking for a way to make a living!"

The old scribe put on a smile and counted on his fingers one by one, "Death row prisoners in jail, prisoners of war from battlefields, honest folk in debt, old veterans supporting families."

Chen Mo thought it over carefully and felt this was truly worldly wisdom.

Of course, student Chen was no slouch either. He had already inquired about this old scribe's family structure and immediately presented a generous gift package for his wife and three children, "Then I'll have to trouble you, sir!"

The old scribe waved his hands repeatedly, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Working for the lord, and you being the young hero who helped the young lady all the way, I absolutely wouldn't dare accept your reward."

Chen Mo smiled slightly. As the party with relatively more active status, when it came to giving gifts to others, his family had taught him a foolproof method.

"This is just to express some gratitude. If you don't accept it, you're looking down on me, and I wouldn't dare let you handle this matter of selecting people!"

The old scribe accepted it with countless thanks, and naturally their conversation became deeper.

"Back when the kingdom's pioneering knights went out to war, those were all lessons learned through blood."

"The most useful are, first, personal guards raised from childhood who serve the master's family for generations. That's blood connection, unwavering loyalty."

"Second, serious criminals and death row prisoners. Others work for money, but they work for their lives. When they see a way to live, they truly dare to fight and struggle."

This was all experience! Chen Mo couldn't help but take out his little notebook to record it.

When the old scribe saw this, perhaps feeling respected, his words became increasingly earnest.

"Let me inform you, sir, there are also rules for selecting people from among prisoners. We orthodox pioneering knight families who fought our way out have a principle called 'three wants and three don'ts.'"

Chen Mo's eyes lit up, "Oh, how so?"

"The three wants refer to: want the strong, want those who seek survival, want those of low status."

"That is, you can take those who can fight and have skills; you can take those who cherish life and want to survive; finally, in similar situations, choose those of low status, preferably commoners over nobles."

"Why is that?" Chen Mo asked.

"For nobles, ordinary charges can't hold them. Those who fall to the state of prisoners must have either committed terrible crimes or offended someone they couldn't afford to offend. Tell me, can you take such people?"

Chen Mo slapped his thigh. True insight!

"Then, what are the three don'ts?"

"Don't take red-eyed mad wolves, don't take those who betray trust, don't take political prisoners and religious fanatics!"

"Those who have killed too many people outside of battle and killed until their eyes turned red have mental problems to some degree. Even if they seem fine normally, you never know what might set them off into madness. It's best not to choose them."

"Can't take those who have betrayed their masters. This goes without saying, I'm sure you understand, sir."

"The last point is that you can't take those imprisoned for political stances or jailed for religious internal conflicts. They tend to cause future troubles."

After hearing this, Chen Mo immediately had the impulse to kidnap this old man regardless of everything else.

Unfortunately, he was the earl's "house-born servant," precisely the type who served for generations with ancestors who had been the earl's family servants. He definitely wouldn't go with Chen Mo.

In any case, after a long conversation, Chen Mo entrusted all matters to the old scribe. When he and the deputy city guard were enjoying the battlefield sky screen movie at the rear camp, this old scribe had already reached the front lines.

As soon as the flag at Iron Ridge Pass changed, the deputy city guard brought Chen Mo forward. By the time they reached the prisoner camp, the old scribe had already made a round and pre-selected people for Chen Mo.

They were just waiting for Young Master Chen's "final interview."

The prisoner camp was guarded by duchy guards with long spears and short halberds. After verifying identity tokens and accepting several gifts slipped over, Chen Mo was allowed to enter this area of simple wooden sheds that had been cordoned off.

As soon as he entered, Chen Mo felt dazzled.

Whoa, what a big bull...

No, what a big minotaur!

Among the candidates selected by the old scribe, this minotaur who was as tall sitting as others were standing was truly eye-catching.

Just looking at his bare upper body with muscles knotted like rocks, a fierce aura rushed toward them.

This fellow wasn't a small target on the battlefield either. He looked like he'd taken quite a beating, with uneven wounds crusted with dark red scabs all over his body.

One of the two large horns on his head was broken, and the minotaur kept touching it with his teeth bared, looking aggrieved as if he might cry at any moment.

The cute pet expression on his face formed an inexplicable contrast with his fierce beast-like body.

The old scribe was obviously extremely satisfied with this "giant beast." As soon as he saw Chen Mo enter, he immediately pulled him aside like presenting a treasure, his voice full of barely suppressed excitement.

"I've already checked his background. This is a pure-blood minotaur from genuine Skytop Ridge stock, considered a strong clan even among beastmen. His level has reached the threshold of Silver Armor. With some resources and time, I estimate at least a fifty percent chance he could awaken to the fourth tier."

This level was already quite high.

Prisoners of war who could reach the first turn were hard to capture in the first place. Even if they were caught, their families or mercenary groups would usually pay large sums to ransom them back. Even if there were occasional oversights, they would be prey for the duchy's sovereign and various lords.

Only prisoners who hadn't advanced had room for maneuvering.

Finding such a fourth-tier seed, the old scribe's eyes narrowed into slits, obviously quite pleased with himself.

"This bull is a bit simple. He lost a territorial dispute with others in his clan, left in anger, and worked as a mercenary among the human race to make a living. This time he was conscripted by Greenspine and assigned to the Iron Ridge Mountain garrison."

"I've already checked his mercenary badge and had people investigate his mission records. His mission completion rate is very high. He can complete all kinds of tasks like running errands, delivering messages, and gathering intact. He's the type that mercenary groups love most, obedient and capable. I directly secured him."

"I've already communicated with the prisoner camp management. As long as you approve, I'll naturally send over a token of appreciation and get you a redemption document for 'severely wounded and disabled, untamed nature.'"

Chen Mo couldn't help but look him up and down again, "This... severely wounded and disabled?"

The old scribe chuckled, "Look, wounds all over his body, isn't that severely wounded? Such a big horn broken off, isn't that disabled?"

He was right!

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