Chapter 16 - Count the Loot, Reap the Rewards!
“Go! Bring some clean pelts over, don’t let my spoils get dusty!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
The eyes of several knight attendants were filled with fanaticism.
After instructing his subordinates, Richard didn’t enter the castle but turned his horse around, preparing to personally oversee the dismemberment of the crab spider.
After all, Richard was filled with distrust towards them.
He knew very well that this was a barbaric era, where everyone, from top to bottom, was full of vulgarity, baseness, and deceit.
Even with so many people watching each other, who could say for sure if there were any unwritten rules among them? If everyone secretly took a little, who knew how much of the spider would be left when it finally reached him.
So he had to keep a close watch on them.
Just then, the system’s notification sound suddenly chimed.
[Congratulations on defeating the crab spider. You will receive a reward from the system, as well as a generous bonus!]. [Since the crab spider you defeated was of an extraordinary species, you will earn triple the kill points, along with a beast egg that can hatch into an extraordinary pet!].Oh ho!
Richard’s eyes lit up.
“Triple kill points and an extraordinary pet beast?”
He looked at the system panel, and there it clearly displayed his current kill points value: 42!
This means that a normal crab spider would generally be worth about 14 kill points.
Compared to the 3 kill points for killing a deer, it’s quite a lot more.
And this crab spider was not just an adult giant crab spider; it was a mutated extraordinary creature!
Kill points, in the end, are always related to the strength of the prey!
42 points, awesome!
Richard decided to allocate all of it into his constitution.
Constitution increases lifespan and resistance to physical damage.
Simply put, it extends his health bar significantly and increases his life expectancy.
At this rate, wouldn’t I live as long as a vampire?
Fantastic!
And the extraordinary pet beast egg was an additional delightful surprise.
An extraordinary creature that shares a mental connection with him could handle many tasks for him, whether in the wild or on his territory, saving him from dealing with many trivial matters.
Something to look forward to.
[From humble beginnings, with extraordinary strength, you have shattered the first obstacle on your journey.]. [You have demonstrated your absolute authority before your subjects, increasing their loyalty to a small extent.].Richard looked at the system panel. With a thought, the data for the territory appeared before him.
As expected, the loyalty of the people had collectively risen slightly. Although the overall loyalty remained at the [wavering] stage, it was not far from the next level.
Richard examined the loyalty information for Long Eagle Territory.
[Territory: Long Eagle Territory.]. [Overall loyalty of the people: 71 (currently in the third loyalty stage; please continue your efforts).]. [Loyalty attributes: Current population growth rate 75%, work enthusiasm 75%.].“Not very satisfactory, population is still in decline, and work enthusiasm is low. It looks like there’s still room for improvement!”
Despite saying this, Richard didn’t seem worried at all, everything was going according to plan.
Based on the system’s description, the overall loyalty has four stages:
Below 25 is [Rebellion], from 26 to 50 is [Disloyal], from 51 to 75 is [Wavering], and from 76 to 100 is [Loyal].
Currently, the overall loyalty is at 71, just 5 points away from reaching the [Loyal] stage.
Once it reaches the next stage, population growth and work enthusiasm will no longer be issues, and that milestone is already within reach.
At that moment, the system’s voice continued.
[Congratulations, you have unlocked a new territorial building: the Militia Training Camp!]. [Your training camp will provide you with a well-trained militia; you can use it to enhance the individual military skills of your subjects, turning them into capable soldiers under your command!].What a great beginning!
Richard thought that perhaps this militia training camp had more potential to be tapped, and he planned to study it thoroughly later.
…
As Richard absorbed the system’s information, his horse once again stopped at the previous battlefield.
“No need for formalities, get to work quickly!”
Seeing Richard’s arrival, the knights, who were about to salute, quickly lowered their heads and continued their tasks.
This delicate work was not something that ordinary townsfolk could handle.
To become a knight, one needed to master at least the basic knowledge of animal dissection and material handling, not just fighting skills.
With Richard’s supervision, the pace of work quickened significantly.
It wasn’t long before the giant crab spider was completely dismembered.
“My lord, there are twelve fangs, two spider pincers, two poison sacs, eight spider legs, the shell split in two by your sword, and this spider meat.”
Richard looked at the neatly sorted items and nodded in satisfaction.
These materials were indeed quite useful.
The fangs could be sharpened into daggers.
Before attacking, the crab spider usually coats its pincers and fangs with poison, so over time, they are soaked with venom. A dagger made from these would be deadly on contact.
The pincers could serve the same purpose, although they are longer and could be crafted into long swords with equally lethal effects.
The spider legs could be fashioned into spears.
The shell, being an exoskeleton of an extraordinary creature, was not only durable but also lighter than most other materials of the same toughness, making it ideal for armor.
And spider meat could be used for food.
The meat contained in the spider’s legs and its head was particularly valuable as a source of energy that could enhance physical strength.
The poison sacs could be used to coat any weapon, making them lethal.
Richard patted the shoulder of the person who gave the report, then said to the group:
“You’ve done a great job, go to the scribe and have this recorded, and I will reward you during the next pay period!”
“Thank you for your generosity, my lord!” they replied, bowing.
“My lord, where should we transport your spoils?” someone asked.
“No need!”
Richard waved his hand, and in an instant, the items vanished before everyone’s eyes, stored directly into his system inventory.