In fact, this kind of boiled sugar syrup needs to be pulled back and forth to make the sugar more even and chewy, and it will also become harder and shinier.

However, the few sweet-toothed folks nearby were already impatient, so Luo De simply didn't make them wait any longer.

"Yes, Lord!"

Otto respectfully responded and jogged back to the manor.

Soon after, before anyone had even entered the house, Vivian's voice was already heard,

"Where's the sugar, where's the sugar?!"

She bounded into the house, nearly jumping onto the stove, but fortunately, Luo De quickly grabbed her by the waist.

Perhaps due to shared memories, Vivian didn't feel at all awkward with such intimate gestures and asked,

"Where's the sugar?"

"There, on the stone slab."

Luo De released Vivian and pointed to the sugar syrup on the stone slab.

Vivian turned her head and saw the translucent brown substance on the smooth stone slab and curiously leaned in to take a sniff.

Her eyes instantly lit up, "It smells so good!"

"How do you eat this?"

Vivian asked with eager eyes, just as Avril and Milly also came in.

Luo De just happened to pick up two chopsticks for hotpot, stuck them into the sugar syrup, and kept pulling and winding it until all of it wrapped around one chopstick.

Vivian eagerly reached out to take it, only to see Luo De not stopping, directly handing the chopstick to Milly instead.

"Here, eat."

"Thank you!"

Milly took the chopstick and bit into it, trying to pull off a piece, but after much effort, only managed to tear off a thread.

Luo De chuckled and patted Milly's little head, "This takes some patience, lick it slowly."

"Mm, mm!"

Milly bit off the thread, only to find the candy sticking to her teeth.

"If you won't do it for me, I'll do it myself!"

Beside her, Vivian huffed, mimicking Luo De's way of pulling the sugar syrup, trying to wind one onto a stick.

But after a few tries, she ended up with her hands completely sticky.

Vivian tried to take the chopstick down but found she only pulled out a strand of sugar thread.

With no other choice, in the end, Vivian had to put down the chopstick and lick the sugar syrup off her hands.

"This sugar is so fragrant!"

Vivian exclaimed, but thinking about her messy appearance, she turned her head back to battle the sugar syrup again.

Luo De didn't pay it any mind, winding a strand of sugar syrup onto a chopstick for Avril.

"Thank you, but first give it to Vivian."

Avril took it with both hands and then handed it to her sister.

"Sister is always the most caring for me!"

Vivian happily accepted the chopstick.

Having learned from Milly's experience, she didn't rush but slowly wound it in her mouth.

Luo De casually wound another strand for Avril and then continued to make other sugar syrups.

It was at this moment that Durant's figure appeared outside the house,

"Lord Baron, the team is configured as per your instructions."

Durant reported: "Divided into ten squads, each carrying three days' rations, ready to depart at any time."

"Good."

Luo De nodded slightly, winding a strand of sugar syrup for Durant, "You came just in time, have a taste."

"Thank you for your generosity."

Durant accepted it with both hands, glanced at Vivian and Milly, and learned from them how to taste it.

"Is it really sugar?"

Durant's eyes were full of surprise.

Since coming to the desert, he hadn't tasted sugar in a long time.

"But this isn't the kind of sugar we've had before, right?"

Durant asked.

Luo De nodded slightly.

The sugar Durant mentioned was sucrose, which naturally tastes different from maltose.

"I had you taste this sugar because I wanted your opinion; perhaps this could be part of the rations during expeditions?"

"Huh?"

Durant was momentarily stunned, showing a pained expression,

"Your suggestion is certainly good, but isn't it a bit too extravagant?"

Wouldn't Lawrence go crazy upon hearing this?

Durant wasn't paying attention here, but just looking at the barrels of grain beside him, he knew this sugar wasn't easy to get.

"It's not meant to be their meal, but to replenish energy at critical times."

Luo De explained his idea to Durant, "Especially after a long march, eating a piece of this sugar might reduce their fatigue?"

"I agree with what you're saying."

Durant thought for a moment before adding, "And a raid, in this cold winter, eating a piece after the battle, I think it will help them have the strength to retreat faster."

"It's just, I still feel it's too extravagant."

"I know."

Lawrence was calculating in his mind.

It seems like he still needs to expand his farming area next year.

Even with his Crop Lord trait, this grain is not enough.

"If it's only equipped for war, it should be okay."

Lawrence murmured to himself, maybe he could experiment this time.

A hundred people, even if each has half a pound, it's only fifty pounds of malt sugar.

Lawrence could completely afford it now.

"Alright, it's time to talk about serious matters."

Lawrence shifted the conversation, pulling Durant and Vivian into a corner.

"The reason I've gathered these people is to attack Hawk Count's territory."

Lawrence carefully explained his plan to Durant.

Including Vivian going first for assassination, and after the assassination, the army would loot.

Durant was a bit worried,

"Should we send someone to support Miss Vivian?"

Durant knew that Vivian was a witch with the ability to become invisible, but he didn't know that Vivian was Avril's alter ego.

Except for Lawrence, no one knew this; everyone thought they were twin sisters.

"Don't worry, I can escape by myself." Vivian volunteered.

"Hmm, don't worry about her."

Lawrence instructed Durant, "Remember, this time it's looting, not defending the territory."

"The most important thing is to tell the soldiers to save their lives, and then take as much as they can."

"It's just like doing business, don't lose your life because of looting, we don't do unprofitable business."

"Understood, Lord Baron, I will instruct them."

Durant solemnly promised.

"Also, give those soldier prisoners to you, let them guide the army."

Lawrence lowered his voice,

"But if they're not honest, there's no need to bring them back."

"Okay, I know what to do."

Durant responded.

Lawrence turned to Vivian and said, "This time you're the protagonist, you decide when to act."

"I can go anytime."

Vivian said indifferently and then added, "But I want to bring this candy to eat on the way."

"Alright."

Lawrence agreed.

Coincidentally, Lawrence also wanted to take some time to prepare, equipping the "money-making" team with some life-saving energy rations.

...

...

Lawrence used wheat and rye together to make this batch of malt sugar, totaling sixteen hundred pounds.

The malt sugar produced was a total of five hundred and twenty pounds, roughly a three-to-one sugar yield.

This ratio seemed acceptable.

Referring to honey at one hundred and fifty copper coins per pound, even sixty copper coins per pound seemed profitable.

As long as there is enough grain, more of this malt sugar could be made.

Lawrence boiled small wooden sticks, wrapped some smooth sugar paste on them, and after freezing and drying them outside, made them into lollipops for Vivian to take.

Lawrence still wanted to wrap dried fruit with sugar paste to make some sweets for her, but there wasn't enough time.

Vivian, carrying the lollipops on her back, headed straight for White Rock Canyon under the escort of two guards.

Meanwhile, the raiding team set off in batches, assembling outside White Rock Canyon from different directions.

Upon reaching outside White Rock Canyon, Vivian bade farewell to the guards and headed for Eagle Ridge on her own.

Vivian didn't cross White Rock Canyon but instead took the route previously guided by refugees directly through the forest.

The Northern Wasteland was vast and sparsely populated, and Eagle Ridge was not much better.

Especially at the edge of the territory, in winter, the appearance of strangers in a mountain village was quite noticeable.

However, because Vivian was a young girl, not burly, people who saw her didn't pay her much mind.

Before setting off, Lawrence had already fabricated her purpose and background for her.

- A merchant's daughter who lost her parents, coming to Eagle Ridge to seek refuge with relatives who married far away.

The patrolling guards didn't question much, just a few simple words and let her go.

It was only at the inn in the village that she encountered a few scoundrels harassing her twice, and Vivian directly turned them into corpses in the snow.

Unlike Avril, Vivian didn't mind killing at all.

As she continued deeper, Vivian still didn't see many people.

It wasn't until she reached Eagle Town that she saw many busy figures.

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