Summoning Total War - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Refugees (Part 2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Your Excellency, we’ve found a group of refugees on an island in the lower part of Nidoria River. They’re all Greeks, and there are about 700 of them. Most of them are from Syracuse, and some of them are Spartans. They said they were shipwrecked while sailing, and when they came to, they found themselves on the island.”

The herald’s words shocked Murphy like a thunderbolt!

All this while, he’d been troubled by the issue of population size. Without a sufficient population, there wouldn’t be a labor force or enough soldiers. This was because without a sufficient population, there wouldn’t be an adequate labor force. What was worse was that this would also mean there wouldn’t be enough soldiers.

With so many gnolls surrounding this territory, the territory wouldn’t be able to survive without soldiers. He’d also lose his greatest support and the thing he had relied on the most after coming to this world.

This news greatly shocked Murphy. He had to go and confirm all of this in person!

“Take me there, and let me have a look.” After saying this, he got on his horse and rushed off to the port, completely ignoring Lady Elizabeth, who had no idea what was going on.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

As she stared at Murphy’s back as he hurriedly left, Lazy Elizabeth bit her lip between her teeth and told herself that the only thing she could do now was respect this man’s power and learn to endure! Endure!

For the moment, let’s turn our attention away from Lady Elizabeth, who had been completely ignored by Murphy, and focus on the hustling and bustling port that was already one third of the way complete.

The distance between the town of Athens and the port was about three kilometers. All the flourishing vegetation along the road had already been burned by a fire. The pavement was about three meters wide and less than a quarter of it was covered with sandstone. The remaining portion of the road was still under renovation, and the road would only be completed when it was entirely covered with sandstone.

The second half of the road was still muddy. After last night’s rain, it was wet and slippery, and there were potholes in some places. Even the horse easily skid on the road.

Although Murphy was anxious to get to the port, he had to get off the horse and lead it for the second half of the journey.

Road repairs would have to wait until the port was finished, since the town was short on weapons and equipment. Setting up a blacksmith shop could be a solution to the problem!

After arriving at the port, Murphy found that there weren’t 700 people there.

After some inquiries, he learned that the crude fishing boat was unable to send everyone over at once because there were too many people. They could only send them over in batches. Less than half of them were currently at the port. However, the head of the refugees, a man who claimed to be the captain, was already there.

Murphy immediately ordered the captain to be brought over.

He was a typical Greek with typical Greek features, but his eyes were unique. They were a light brown and slightly transparent. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s.

This roughly thirty-five-year-old man with a thick beard didn’t belittle Murphy because of his age. He greeted Murphy with great respect. Then, he looked at the General Guards standing behind Murphy before asking, “Captain Barbossa has seen you before. Much respect, My Excellency! May I ask, where is this place?”

“I don’t know either.” Murphy didn’t answer his question. He couldn’t possibly tell this guy in front of him that this was another world, right?

Murphy felt a little uncertain at that moment. He looked at the guy in front of him and asked: “How did you get here?”

“I don’t quite remember what happened,” Captain Barbossa said, his brows furrowing as he thought hard. After thinking for what felt like half a day, he let out a long, weak sigh and said: “I only remember that my fleet encountered a heavy storm! The waves were more than ten meters high! There was also a large maelstrom that was more than one kilometer in diameter! At the center of the maelstrom, I thought I saw Poseidon! I thought I had enraged God at that point in time!”

At this point, Captain Barbossa said with a trace of fear: “At that moment, I thought everything was over, and that I was definitely going to die! But when I woke up, I found myself on an island, and most of my sailors were still alive! This must be a gift from the Gods! The storm was huge, but most of us are still alive!” he exclaimed.

“You can’t remember what happened?” Murphy asked carefully as he looked at the man in front of him. He felt a stir in his heart.

There was a trace of confusion on Captain Barbossa’s face. After thinking for what felt like half a day, he finally replied: “It felt like a dream, and my memories are vague. The only thing I can remember is bringing my fleet out to sea and encountering a heavy storm.”

Murphy showed a trace of sympathy on his face, and after thinking for a moment he said: “Unfortunately, the same thing happened to us. But we don’t even remember how we got here! The only thing we knew when we woke up was that we had come to this land.” Murphy tried his best to put on a genuine expression, and slowly said in a deep voice: “I think the heavy storm brought us to the other side of the ocean! This is a strange continent, and there are many strange creatures here. I think this may have been arranged by the Gods. They wanted us to bring Greek civilization to another continent!” In ancient times, people believed in the intervention of the Gods, and Murphy naturally held the Gods responsible for what had happened.

Then, without waiting for Captain Barbossa’s reply, he continued: “I think, my friend, you may need some food, followed by a good sleep!”

“In this land, there are many mythical monsters that are really dangerous!” Murphy led him to the rear of the troop. He had brought twenty gnoll slaves to the port, and all of them had both their hands shackled and were tied with ropes. The gnolls all stayed behind the troops, and Murphy left a few Greek infantry soldiers to keep watch.

These creatures’ lives weren’t valuable, and Murphy didn’t intend to let these human-eating creatures live for too long.

However, Murphy had to squeeze out whatever value he could get out of them before he killed them!

Murphy believed that the town soldiers would coerce them with leather whips and swords and tell them that they had to work hard in order to live.

At least for now, he had nothing to lose.

At most it would take a little energy to kill them if they refused to work.

A General Guard soldier was tasked with bringing Captain Barbossa to see the gnolls. Then, Murphy called the herald over and whispered: “Don’t let the news spread! We definitely cannot let these outsiders know!”

Murphy’s eyes turned cold, and he put his hands on the herald’s neck!

Murphy was disturbed by the huge creature he had seen today, and didn’t know what other fearful things were still out there in this world.

Before he became strong enough, this news had to be kept a secret!