King
Chapter 66 - 66 65 Salam Mountain Range_1

66: Chapter 65, Salam Mountain Range_1 66: Chapter 65, Salam Mountain Range_1 The arrival of Baron Redman and the public relations efforts of Hudson officially kicked off.

Everything before this could only be considered as a warm-up.

As he made similar visits, Hudson clearly felt a difference between the two experiences.

It wasn’t everyone’s power display, but mainly came down to—personal debts.

It was either paying back the favors he had previously given out or making the Koslow Family owe him one in return.

Of course, as nobles, they had to maintain their dignity.

On the surface, both parties were just catching up, and all transactions were carried out without uttering a word.

Compared to simple gift giving, this kind of exchanging of favors within the circle was undoubtedly more to the nobles’ liking.

I helped you yesterday, you help me today, I help you again the day after…

This repeated cycle gradually made us old acquaintances.

Now, Hudson and his son were visiting the old acquaintances of the Koslow Family, who have had a relationship spanning at least three generations.

Even close relationships couldn’t guarantee success every time.

Everyone’s help was predicated on protecting their own interests first.

Whenever the host expressed difficulty, Baron Redman decisively changed the topic and quickly took his leave.

Throughout, Hudson’s attitude was excellent.

If they wanted to help, it was out of affection, if not, it was their duty.

Being old acquaintances didn’t mean unconditional help.

Through these social connections, Hudson and his son also heard a lot of news, the most crucial being—the King’s Decree.

This point was crucial.

If Earl Piers’ proposal passed, the enfeoffment would be limited to the barons, meaning that there was a very high probability that there would be no major noble heirs among the northern aristocracy moving south.

If the powerful dragon wasn’t strong enough, it meant Hudson, the local snake, could compete with them.

This situation was probably what Earl Piers wanted most to see.

If there were conflicts in the scramble for the fief, once the Dalton Family poked their noses from behind, native nobles of the Southeastern Province would inevitably have contradictions with these newcomers.

High-level maneuvers were something Hudson was not qualified to participate in.

So, using the time left before the fight for fiefdom, Hudson, after finishing visiting a host of old acquaintances, immediately appeared in the Salam Mountain Range with the cub and dozens of guards.

Calling it a mountain range was purely an exaggeration.

The Southeastern Province was flat as a mirror, and the so-called mountains were just small mounds; even the Salam Mountain Range was no exception.

It consisted of hundreds of small mountains and hills, much like giant buns placed on the ground.

Choosing the highest peak, it took Hudson and his group a little over two hours to reach the top from the foot of the mountain.

Most of the mountains were not more than 200 meters in relative height.

They were clearly a series of hills, and calling them a mountain range was a mere obstinacy of the nobles of the Southeastern Province.

Upon arriving at the Salam Mining area, the only word to describe the scene was—chaos.

Production had long stopped, the site was a mess, and the miners were nowhere to be found.

Picking up a stalactite-shaped iron ore from the ground, he waved it in front of the cub and said in a tempting tone, “Belsden, it’s your turn to perform.

Whether it’s beast milk and honey every day or so poor you have to eat dirt, it all depends on today’s round.

This kind of stone—how much is buried underground, how deep it is from the surface—give me a rough estimate.”

The stunned bear looked at Hudson with a face full of complaints.

From the moment the contract was signed, it had been tricked more than once.

Not only that, the standard of food promised beforehand had not been maintained, and it was also forced to work.

If it weren’t for the increased pace of cultivation with Hudson and the huge temptation of beast milk and honey, it would have gone on strike long ago.

Shaking its head, the bear pointed forward with its paw and led Hudson and his group through the forest.

Over hill after hill, if the cub hadn’t repeatedly assured him they were going in the right direction, Hudson would have suspected it was playing a trick on him.

The area where the ore vein extended was wider than indicated in Hudson’s information.

No wonder the grain yield in this area of hills was low.

The ground was full of iron ore, with just a layer of soil on top.

Many areas had ore exposed on the surface.

No large-scale mining had occurred, probably because the unlucky Viscount had not paid attention to it.

Since the iron smelted couldn’t be used to forge weapons, it lost strategic value.

It was only used for producing pots and pans or farming tools, so it wasn’t worth the Noble Lord’s attention.

After crossing several hills, they finally came to a swamp.

Hudson decisively stopped the cub from moving any further.

Just because the Earth Bear could traverse mudflats without any difficulty didn’t mean he could.

If he was trapped, it would be a disgrace for a transmigrator.

Smelling the fragrance of the mud and looking at the endless swamp, Hudson was very puzzled.

Why wasn’t this crucial information marked on the map?

Was it because they thought it had no development value?

Or did the ancestors overlook it and not investigate thoroughly?

After hesitating for a moment, Hudson decided not to delve deeper.

He figured the swamp wasn’t going anywhere, so there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

However, this reinforced Hudson’s determination to control this place.

The hills may not be suitable for agricultural production, but that does not mean the swamp isn’t either.

Perhaps because it wasn’t suitable for grain production, apart from the mines, most of this hilly area was not marked on the map, which meant it was not registered by the Kingdom.

This was unclaimed land, whoever developed it owned it.

If he became the fief lord at the southernmost point of Layton County, no one would compete with Hudson.

Although the development would be challenging, the corresponding benefits would also be substantial.

Especially the swamp in the south.

Once developed, it would be a natural granary.

The most crucial point was that the hills in front could serve as a barrier.

It could be considered a rare dangerous area in the Southeastern Province.

Even if a war broke out, the hills could be used for defense.

Powerful enemies might not be stopped, but the chaos caused by the likes of the Skeleton Rebellion Army would most likely be held back.

In these times, everyone uses serfs for farming.

Without the noble lord’s approval, people could hardly move around.

If the news is kept under wraps, no one would probably know about it for eight to ten years.

Without wasting time here, following the cub’s steps, Hudson and his group continued to determine the distribution of the ore body.

In fact, vegetation could also be used for rough judgment.

Areas where the ore is shallow generally have trees growing, with a few sparse, twisted, and not particularly tall ancient trees.

As one moved out of the mining area, or in areas where the ore is buried deep, the vegetation was much more lush, and the signs of animal activities were also more apparent.

If used for grain production, the yields would probably be much better.

What delighted Hudson the most was the discovery of several mountain people and miners hiding from the chaos of war along the way.

In post-war Layton County, labor was precious.

He didn’t disturb them.

It wasn’t the time to recruit followers.

Hudson had a heavy task.

The investigation of the Salam Mountain Range was just a beginning, several other backup areas also needed to be looked at.

After all, nobody could predict when an accident would happen.

Until the dust settled, no one could guarantee that nothing would go wrong.

In case the plan fails, a backup plan is a must.

As a cautious host, Hudson didn’t want to panic when the time comes.

…