Half a month later, Quicksand Island.
A stockaded village was on fire and thick clouds of black smoke billowed towards the skies.
Xu Ting gazed at the refugees under his charge and singled out the strong men before rearranging them into new groups. He was satisfied with how it all went smoothly.
With Lu Jia, the spy, by his side, Xu Ting led a sweeping operation across the surrounding islands. There was an overwhelming amount of gold and silver. Most importantly, the ex-pirates of Heiguan Island clashed with members of their old brethren in a bid to prove their new loyalties.
To date, the refugees numbered 2,000 with more than 300 able-bodied men among them.
These men were not in the best of shapes but they were fearless. With enough food and the right amount of training, they could become a formidable force.