The atmosphere in the lobby of the City Lord's Mansion was stagnant.
Soros, Murphy, and Bader stood below, with traces of bandages on their bodies, and stood with their heads bowed. Lin Qin sat at the top, tapping his fingers unconsciously on the rough wooden handrail, making a soft sound, and every sound seemed to hit the tight heartstrings of the three people.
There was no rebuke, no humiliation, or even unnecessary scrutiny. Lin Qin spoke with a steady voice and went straight to the core:
"Crimson Flame Alliance, how many Saint Realm are left? How big is the territory? What is the population? How are the resources distributed?"
Soros felt a shiver in his heart and did not dare to hide anything. He took a step forward and bowed to answer, "Sir, there were originally four Saint Realm. leaders in the alliance" Crimson Flame"Hogg is a strong person from Saint Realm Middle Stage. He went to Arctic Ice Plains two months ago to find a breakthrough opportunity. He has not returned yet and has no news at all. Plus the three of us People are everything." He paused briefly and collected his thoughts, "The alliance controls seven large and small cities and over a hundred important villages and towns scattered in the hilly area in the south. The total population is roughly estimated to be close to 800,000. The main income relies on the output of three medium-sized iron mines, two magic crystal veins, commercial taxes in each city, and protection fees collected from passing caravans. About 70% of the treasury accumulated over the years is stored in the alliance headquarters Crimson Flame City."
Lin Qin was silent for a moment after listening. Hogg did not return, which saved him a lot of trouble. With a population of 800,000 and seven cities, these resources are enough to support his initial power structure.
"Murphy." He called.
"Yes." The skinny old man responded immediately and raised his head slightly.
"You are good at poisons, and you must also have a lot of research on pharmacology." Lin Qin looked at him, "In the future, you will be responsible for two things. One is to monitor the internal affairs and pick up on violations of discipline and dereliction of duty by personnel at all levels. Directly Responsible to Ke'er. Secondly, form a medical team and select people who know herbal medicine or are interested in studying medicine. You will teach you some methods of treating trauma and resolving common poisonous miasma, and specialize in treating the wounded."
Murphy's cloudy eyes flashed with a trace of astonishment. He thought that with his notoriety and poisoning methods, he would be sent to do some dirty work of assassination and torture, but he didn't expect that it would be supervision and medical treatment. This job... seems to be a lot of power, but it also requires meticulousness and... some kind of bottom line. He quickly lowered his head, hiding the complicated look in his eyes. "Subordinate... I obey."
"Bader." Lin Qin turned to the giant man.
"Here!" Bader's voice was loud, involving internal injuries, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
"The original troops under your command are still under your command. In cooperation with Hosen, you will be given two months to clear out all the unruly mountain strongholds, bandits and surrenderers in the alliance, break them up, incorporate them into the army or distribute them to fields. Those who resist," Lin Qin said without any ups and downs, "The strongholds will be destroyed, and the leader's head will be hung on the city gate of the territory."
"Yes! Don't worry, sir! I promise to clean up all these scum!" Bader grinned, showing his injuries, and bared his teeth again, but his eyes were ignited with warlike flames. This job is not good for him.
"Soros."
"Sir." Soros took a deep breath and took a step forward. He knew that it was crucial to his arrangement.
"You are familiar with the internal operations of the alliance and the conditions of each city," Lin Qin looked at him, "For the time being, you will be responsible for coordinating the transfer of government affairs, tax collection and people's livelihood comfort in the seven cities. Old Jack will bring people to assist you. The rules are according to Black Wind City. Taxes will be reduced by 30%, local tyrants and bullies will be severely attacked, order will be restored as soon as possible, and people's hearts will be stabilized."
Soros was shocked in his heart. This almost directly handed over his original scope of power, and even clarified his responsibilities! How could this new master be so courageous? Isn't he afraid that he would secretly run the old department in secret? He suppressed his turbulent emotions and lowered his head deeply. "My subordinates will do their best to live up to your trust!"
Lin Qin's distribution is simple, direct, and even a little rough. He doesn't need these people to immediately offer their loyalty, which is too illusory. He only needs them to do things and operate under his own rules. With "Heaven Rewards Diligence" around, his strength will continue to widen the gap with them, which is the greatest deterrent. On the contrary, as long as they work seriously, they can obtain corresponding status and resources, which is the most practical driving force.
"Go do something." Lin Qin waved his hand and said no more.
The three of them saluted and silently exited the hall. When they walked outside the door, the sunlight was a little dazzling. The three of them glanced at each other, and they all saw the complexity and a hint of relief in each other's eyes. This new master's strength is unfathomable, his actions are even more difficult to predict, and his methods... seem to be more powerful than Hogg.
With the surrender of the three Saint Realm and the surrender of the main force of the Crimson Flame Alliance, the Dragon Rock Stronghold war machine began to operate with unprecedented efficiency, and its power expanded rapidly like a snowball.
Hosen joined forces with Bader and led the integrated army to clean up the territory like a plow and sweep holes. The stubborn villagers were vulnerable to the elites led by the strong Saint Realm. More bandits chose to join after hearing the evil name of "Earth Walker" and the policy of "those who surrender will not be killed, but will divide their fields and settle down".
Soros and Old Jack were busy. With Lin Qin's warrant, they led a team of elites and rushed between cities, negotiating with the original city lords and officials, counting warehouses, verifying acres of land, and promulgating new laws. The tax orders and city regulations. Resistance naturally exists, but with the prestige of Soros, the former deputy leader, the experienced experience of Old Jack, and the support of Dragon Rock Stronghold's military force behind him, everything is moving forward with difficulty but firmly.
Lin Qin himself still devotes most of his time to cultivation. Deep in the city lord's palace, the rhythm of Earth Pulsation gradually synchronizes with his heartbeat, and Mysteries of Power's insights are reflected in each swing of his sword. Precipitation. He will only appear briefly when Hosen or Soros encounters a major problem that cannot be decided, listen to reports, and give clear instructions. His orders often only have a few words, but they always hit the point.
The rules he set are simple and effective: reduce taxes to win over the poor, impose strict laws to intimidate the young, reward based on merit, and promote the strong to the weak to motivate everyone. This set of straightforward and cruel rules runs surprisingly smoothly in Chaos Territory, which follows the law of the jungle.
In just one month, Longyan Village has initially digested the huge territory of the original Red Flame Alliance at an astonishing speed. It controls eight cities with a population of nearly one million, and the number of combatable soldiers has exceeded 5,000 after being screened and reorganized. Although the top combat power level, currently only Lin Qin One Holy Domain Ultimate and three newly promoted Holy Domain Beginners, but with Lin Qin's fierce reputation for defeating the Holy Domain with one punch that day, and this ruling system that has begun to show efficiency, the surrounding forces, large and small, are all looking sideways and secretly vigilant. For the time being, no one dares to easily provoke this rapidly rising beast.