Of course, Zhou Laoer's group of mercenaries staying in Sabana is not the only one. In fact, Sabana's residents are from the empire. In addition to merchants, they are these mercenaries and expedition teams. The number of mercenaries and expedition teams is still... Far more than merchants, most of the indigenous residents living in Sabana are neighboring indigenous people who have gradually recognized the existence of the Tang Empire here. Most of them also exist because of the arrival of these mercenaries and expedition teams, and generally serve as Guides, porters, porters and other roles, together with their families, constitute the main component of the permanent residents of the Sabana area.
There are more than a dozen expedition teams operating in the area around Sabana. Most of them are private exploration organizations funded by the Imperial Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Commerce. They also receive funding from some private business groups, and their purposes are relatively simple. Discovery, expedition mapping and looking for business opportunities, the first two are more important. There are only a few semi-official expedition teams, usually led by the Naval Survey and Mapping Office and the Office of Naval Intelligence to recruit civilian adventure enthusiasts. Now it seems that the Army has also begun to be interested in this land. It is said that it has dispatched a team of military intelligence officers. The expedition team led by the bureau seems to be still on the sea route and has not yet arrived here. The main purpose of these expeditions controlled by the army is military surveying and mapping, to find the best locations and routes to establish supply points and colonial points, and to develop and penetrate the empire's power into the New World as quickly as possible.
Although the Sabana colony has been established for a year, its understanding of the surrounding areas is not very detailed. The empire focuses more on developing and penetrating southward along the coastline. One hundred and twenty people south of Sabana Supply points have been established at Mountbatten, 250 kilometers away, and Wetu, 250 kilometers away. Assab, 350 kilometers away at the southernmost point, is the farthest supply point established by the empire's current expeditions. In the south, there are only some maps brought back by expedition teams, many of which are limited to coastal line surveying. The empire’s influence in these areas is still quite weak, especially in the inland areas, where it is unfamiliar with the local indigenous tribes. The recruitment work has not really gotten on the right track yet. After all, more than a year is too short. To open up the situation, just relying on some expedition teams and this Marine Corps is not enough.
This Zhou Lao Er is familiar with the inland situation west of Sabana, and has a flexible mind and ruthless skills. If he can be used by the navy, he will be a good pioneer officer to advance to the west inland. Although he has nearly a thousand marines in his hands, this is the armed force that ensures control of the entire Sabana and the area south of Sabana. In addition to stationing a squadron at each of the three supply points, in Sabana There are only two squadrons of armed forces, and the responsibilities neither allow nor allow myself to send this force on an armed expedition. Zhou Laoer, the mercenary, is much more formal than those few mercenaries. This guy who once served in the original Tanghe Empire City Guards, when his colleagues expected to be reorganized by the Imperial Army, he But he actively asked to withdraw. He gathered a large number of his former colleagues and subordinates, and soon became famous among the expedition teams and mercenaries in the New World. The subordinates who were originally laid off also traveled thousands of miles to join him, becoming Saba's leading mercenary force. .
Seeing that Huo Congrong remained silent, Zhou Yuanfa also took his time. He had plenty of time and could afford to wait. There are more and more brothers under my command, and they all come to this New World to pan for gold with the hope of their families. If they can’t make a big fortune here after working for several years, how can they be worthy of the family who is waiting so hard at home? Therefore, there is nothing you can do if you ask for a harsher price. Sakon's money also belongs to the imperial officials, so it is nothing.
"Zhou Laoer, it's five thousand gold coins. It's a little expensive, but it doesn't matter. I agree to pay on behalf of the navy. I can also trust your map. I heard that some of your subordinates have been engaged in surveying and mapping, but that is for military operations. , there are some differences with our requirements, I hope you can let those of you who are responsible for surveying and mapping come to me for short-term training, so that future cooperation can be more successful." Huo Congrong said with profound meaning.
"Oh?" Zhou Yuanfa's eyes lit up and he turned around twice. The number of brothers in his hands was increasing day by day. Sabana alone now has more than two hundred brothers here. Staying here all day long consumes a lot of money. The cost of supplies is high. If you don't find ways to increase your income, it will be very uneconomical. "Master Huo has a better job for us? How about Master Huo simply absorbs us? Let us also play a role." A non-staff member of the Navy."
"Zhou Laoer, you also know that my manpower is currently insufficient. The empire's main focus is still on exploration in the south. However, as far as I know, there are broad development prospects in the inland areas to the west. The empire must move towards it in the future. We are expanding to the west, so I think if you can lead your people to help our Imperial Navy take the lead, the Imperial Navy will not hesitate to contribute money, or you can serve as non-staff members of our Navy." Now that Huo Congrong had an idea, he stopped Secretive.
The empire's power in the New Continent is far from sufficient. The main reasons are supply difficulties and the wariness of the countries in the Western Continent caused by the wall. Most of the imperial soldiers eat pasta and rice as their staple food. However, in the New World, they mainly eat corn and potatoes, a type of food that has not been seen on the Laya continent. This kind of food has a large output, but the material is coarse, and it can satisfy hunger. But it is still difficult to adapt to it as a long-term food. In order to avoid overly sensitive countries in the Western Continent, the empire also consciously restricted the entry of military forces. The army had always hoped to show its power in the New World, but it was rejected. The central government of the empire only agreed to station a limited number of marine troops in the colonies. Protect the empire's interests in this region and avoid irritating the countries in the Western Continent.
Although the empire has maintained a restrained attitude on the intervention of armed forces, it has also instructed that it should increase its support for the exploration of civilian forces and be fully prepared for the entry of imperial forces when the time comes. Therefore, Huo Congrong hopes to use similar expeditions and mercenaries and other non-governmental organizations to act as a front for the imperial officials. The expedition team is quite capable of exploring along the coast, but they don't have that much energy to go deep into the inland. Secondly, entering the inland area is easily attacked by the hostile indigenous forces living in the inland. Only people like Zhou Yuanfa can Only a hiring organization with considerable force can do the job.
"Well, Mr. Huo means that he is willing to hire us to help the Imperial Navy survey and map westward? Hey, Mr. Huo, the price of hiring us is not low. You should know that the danger level in the inland west is much greater than that in the coastal areas. I Our brothers may encounter unexpected events at any time. Thirty or fifty people would not dare to undertake such a task. An inland survey expedition team should have at least a hundred people to barely maintain their own safety." A strange laugh came from Zhou Yuanfa's throat. , just like the cry of a night owl, but the excitement in the words cannot be concealed.
"Well, you can put it this way. You don't need to be careless about the price. Do you think I don't know that Zhou Laoer has some connections in the inland areas of the west? I didn't ask you to rob people and rob property. How risky is it? ? You can also bring some of the Empire's specialties into the inland for trading, which is very profitable. Of course, the Empire will not forget those who have contributed to the Empire. You should know that the Imperial Navy can also provide corresponding material support. Of course, the final bonus will be The price will be paid based on your results. As long as you comply with the requirements of our Imperial Navy, the Imperial Navy will not begrudge this little money." Huo Congrong said carefully.
"Well, very good. As long as Master Huo's words can be trusted by Mr. Zhou, some of my brothers have been engaged in surveying and mapping. I will arrange for them to come to receive training immediately. Your Excellency also came up with a plan for us to consider. As long as Zhou and Brothers can eat, everything is easy to talk about. I will bring the brothers and the map here in the afternoon. I hope we can have a happy cooperation." Zhou Yuanfa retracted his legs and stood up with satisfaction. He picked up the machete and said, "Mr. Huo, inland to the west. The area is quite vast, and the empire’s gaze should not just be limited to the coast. It is also necessary to enter the west if necessary. Those guys on the western continent are also stepping up their actions. I heard that they are also starting to penetrate from the north to the south. This is not A piece of good news, don’t let those guys from the Western Continent get the upper hand, then it will be much more difficult for us to regain the upper hand in the future. I wonder if what I say makes sense?”
After sending Zhou Yuanfa away, Huo Congrong was still immersed in his thoughts. Zhou Yuanfa seemed to have some knowledge. The countries in the Western Continent also realized the empire's aggressive posture in the eastern part of the New World and began to increase the pace of penetrating into the interior of the New World. If It’s not that the empire has already controlled the long coastline from Qalyoub to Assab in the eastern part of the New World. In addition, the maritime climate in this area is frequent and stormy. I’m afraid that the expeditions of those guys from the Western Continent will also appear south of Sabana. The coast of the New World.
Huo Congrong was also a little worried. The ambitious explorers in the Western Continent would not stop there. As soon as the monsoon period passed, they would definitely continue their expeditions, just like the imperial expedition team had bypassed them in the western part of the New World. Just as the control areas along the Southern Storm Ocean began to look for suitable places to establish colonies, they would not give up this power. If the empire wanted to ensure its absolute advantage in the eastern part of the New World, it must increase its expansion efforts to the south and west. I hope the empire The army's expedition team can bring some help to itself. Now is no longer the time to consider the competition between the navy and the army. The interests of the empire are above all else.