Of course, there are more than Zhou Laoer, the mercenaries who stayed in Sabana. In fact, the residents of Sabana came from the empire, in addition to merchants, there were these mercenaries and expedition teams. Among them, the number of mercenaries and expedition teams far exceeded that of merchants. Most of the indigenous people living in Sabana have gradually recognized the nearby indigenous peoples who existed in the Tang Empire here. Most of them existed because of the arrival of these mercenaries and expedition teams. They generally acted as guides, porters, porters and other roles. In addition to their families, they constituted the main component of the permanent residents of the entire Sabana area.

There are more than a dozen expeditions operating around Sabana. Most of them are private expedition organizations funded by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Empire and the Ministry of Commerce. They also received funding from some private trade groups. The purpose is relatively simple. Geographic discovery, exploration, mapping and finding business opportunities. The first two are more important; only a few semi-official expedition teams, usually led by the Naval Survey and Mapping Bureau and the Naval Intelligence Bureau to recruit civilian expedition enthusiasts. Now it seems that the Army has also begun to be interested in this land. It is said that they have sent expedition teams led by the Military Intelligence Bureau, but it seems that they are still on the sea and have not arrived here. The main purpose of these military-controlled expedition teams is military surveying and mapping, finding the best locations and routes to establish supply points and colonial points, and penetrating the power of the empire into the depth of the New World as soon as possible.

Although the Sabana colonial site has been established for a year, its understanding of the surrounding areas is not very detailed. The empire has focused more on developing and infiltration along the coastline. Mountbatten, 120 kilometers south of Sabana, and Vitu 250 kilometers have established supply points. Asab, 350 kilometers away from here, is the farthest supply point established by the empire at present. Further south, there are only maps brought back by some expedition teams. Many are limited to the route surveying and mapping of coastal coasts. The empire's influence in these areas is still quite weak, especially the situation in the inland areas, and the recruitment and reunification of local indigenous tribes has not yet become formal. After all, more than a year is too short. To open up the situation, it is far from enough to rely on some expedition teams and this Marine Corps.

Zhou Laoer is familiar with the inland situation west of Sabana, and has a flexible mind and a ruthless wrist. If it can be used by the navy, he is a good vanguard officer who advances to the west inland. Although he has nearly a thousand Marines in his hand, this is an armed force that ensures the control of the entire Sabana and the region south of Sabana. In addition to stationing one squadron at each of the three supply points, there are only two armed forces in Sabana. The duties are neither allowed nor possible to let him take this.

The force sent an armed expedition, and Zhou Laoer, the mercenary, was much more formal than those mercenaries. When his colleagues all expected to be reorganized by the imperial army, he took the initiative to withdraw and gathered a large number of colleagues and subordinates of the past. He soon became famous among the expedition teams and mercenaries on the New World. It turned out that the deported subordinates traveled thousands of miles to serve him and became Sabana's leading mercenary force.

Seeing that Huo Congrong didn't speak on the board, Zhou Yuanfa was also calm. He had time and could afford to wait. He had more and more brothers under his command, and they all came to the New World to make gold with the hope of his family. If he could not make a fortune here for a few years, how could he be worthy of the family who was waiting for hard at home? So it would be helpless to ask for a more ruthless price. Zuojin's money was also from the imperial official and was nothing.

"Zhou Laoer, five thousand gold coins, is a little more expensive, but it doesn't matter. On behalf of the Navy, I agree to pay. I can trust your map. I heard that some of your subordinates have been engaged in surveying and mapping, but it is surveying and mapping for military combat purposes. There are some differences from our requirements. I hope you can ask your surveying and mapping people to come to me for short-term training so that future cooperation can be more successful." Huo Congrong's words have a deep meaning.

"Oh?" Zhou Yuan's eyes lit up and turned twice. The number of brothers in his hands was increasing day by day. Sabana alone now has more than 200 brothers here. Staying here all day is not small. The supply costs here are high. If you don't find more channels to increase your income, it would be very unprofitable. "Does Lord Huo have a better job to hand over to us? Otherwise, Lord Huo just arranges us like this? Let's act as a non-staff member of the Navy."

"Zhou Laoer, you also know that I am not in enough manpower now, and the empire's main energy is still on exploration in the south. However, as far as I know, there is broad development prospects in the inland areas in the west, and the empire will definitely want to expand west in the future. So I think if you can lead your people to help our imperial navy take this lead, the imperial navy will not hesitate to invest, or as a non-staff member of our navy." Since Huo Congrong had the idea, he would no longer hide it.

The Empire's power in the New World is far from enough. The main reasons are the difficulties in supply and the avoidance of vigilance among the countries in the Western Continent. Most of the soldiers of the Empire use pasta and rice as the main food, while on the New World, they mainly use corn and potatoes that have not been seen on the Raya continent. This food produces a large amount of food, but it is still good to satisfy hunger. However, it is still difficult to adapt to it as long-term food. In order to avoid causing excessive sensitivity to the countries in the Western Continent, the Empire consciously restricted the entry of military forces. The Army has always hoped to show its strength on the New World, but it was rejected. The Central Committee of the Empire only agreed to station limited marine forces in the colonies to protect the Empire's interests in this area and avoid stimulating the countries in the Western Continent.

Although the empire maintained a restrained attitude in the intervention of armed forces, it also instructed that it should increase the exploration of supporting civil forces to make full preparations for the entry of imperial forces once the time is ripe. Therefore, Huo Congrong hopes to use civil organizations such as expeditions and mercenaries to fight for the empire's official front station. The expedition team is quite competent for exploring along the coastline, but they have to go deep into the inland, and secondly, entering the inland areas is very easy to be attacked by indigenous hostile forces living in the inland. Only employing organizations like Zhou Yuanfa with considerable force can be competent.

"Well, Lord Huo means that he is willing to hire us to help the Imperial Navy investigate and map westward? Hehe, Lord Huo, the price of hiring us is not low. You should be aware that the inland danger in the west is much greater than that in the coastal areas. My brothers may encounter unexpected problems at any time. Thirty or fifty people dare not undertake such tasks. The inland investigation and expedition team should have at least about one hundred people to barely maintain their own safety." Zhou Yuanfa's throat made a strange laugh, just like the whistle of a night owl, but the excitement in his words could not be concealed.

"Well, you can also say that. You don't have to be careless about the price issue. Do you think I don't know that Zhou Lao Er has something to do in the inland area in the west? I didn't ask you to plunder the population and grab property. How much risk will it be? You can also bring some specialties from the empire into the inland for transactions, with abundant profits. Of course, the empire will not forget those who contributed to the empire. You should be clear that the empire's Navy can also provide corresponding material support. Of course, the final bonus price will be paid according to your results. As long as you follow the requirements of our empire's Navy, the empire's Navy will not be stingy with this little money." Huo Congrong said carefully.

"Well, very good. As long as Lord Huo's words are trustworthy, some of my brothers have been engaged in surveying and mapping. I arranged for them to come and receive training immediately. Lord Huo also came up with a plan for us to consider. As long as Zhou and his brothers can eat, everything will be fine. In the afternoon, I brought the brothers and the map, hoping that we will cooperate happily." After retracting their legs, Zhou Yuanfa stood up with satisfaction and picked up the mountain knife. "Lord Huo, the inland area in the west is quite generous, and the empire's eyes should not be limited to the coast. It is also necessary to enter westward. The guys in the Western Continent are also stepping up their actions. I heard that they are also starting to penetrate south from the north. This is not good news. Don't let the guys in the Western Continent take the lead. Then it will be much more difficult for us to come back to take the lead in the future. I wonder if my words make sense?"

After seeing off Zhou Yuanfa, Huo Congrong was still immersed in thinking. Zhou Yuanfa seemed to have some knowledge. The countries in the Western Continent also realized the empire's aggressive attitude in the eastern part of the New World and began to increase their infiltration into the inland of the New World. If the empire had not controlled the long coastline of the eastern part of the New World from Gellyub to Asab in advance, and with frequent sea storms in this area, the expeditions of those guys in the Western Continent would have appeared along the New World south of Sabana.
Chapter completed!