Chapter 138: The Strung Bamboo Caltrops

"Bamboo caltrops?" asked the three Niu brothers in unison.

Qin Mutou was also intrigued. "Boss, can bamboo really be made into caltrops?"

Xu Mo nodded. "Yes! Cut thin bamboo into short segments, then insert sharpened bamboo spikes into them. If you add enough spikes, isn't that a bamboo caltrop?"

Niu Er asked, "But Boss, will bamboo caltrops actually be effective?"

Xu Mo replied, "They might be useless against thick-soled boots, but for those refugees, they will definitely be effective!"

Niu Da immediately understood and patted Niu Er on the shoulder. "Second brother, the boss is right. Those people are refugees; most of them aren't wearing shoes at all. Bamboo caltrops will certainly do the trick!"

"You're right, I completely forgot about that." Niu Er laughed.

After lunch, the three Niu brothers were in charge of continuing the training. Xu Mo took Qin Mutou to find the village chief to express his hope that the village hunters would join the delivery team. The village chief readily agreed to ask around, though he dared not make any promises, saying he would do his best to persuade them but could not force those who were unwilling. Xu Mo was already very grateful for this and promised that anyone who joined would be well looked after.

Afterward, Xu Mo brought up the idea of making bamboo caltrops, explaining that it was a simple task that the women could handle. The village chief suggested he speak to Aunt Wu, as she held significant influence among the village women; if she spoke up, many would surely be willing to work.

Xu Mo immediately took his leave and found Aunt Wu to explain the situation. Without wasting any time, she asked how many people were needed. Since this was his first time, Xu Mo didn't have a solid estimate, so he suggested making two or three hundred, or perhaps even more, and left the details to her. Aunt Wu nodded and walked away quickly.

Half an hour later, she returned with a group of village women. They ranged in age from their twenties to their fifties, all known for being hard workers. During that time, Xu Mo hadn't been idle; he had already drawn a design for the caltrops so everyone could follow it. After seeing the design, the women laughed, saying it was easy work and that each of them could easily make twenty or thirty by nightfall.

Xu Mo took the opportunity to emphasize his requirements: the caltrops shouldn't be too large or too small, and the spikes shouldn't be too thin or too long, but they must be sharp and rigid. Simply put, they needed to be easy for an enemy to step on and cause immediate bleeding, making them a nuisance. He added that everyone would receive fifty wen upon completion, provided the quality met his standards. Hearing that there was money to be made, the women were delighted, rushing home to grab their choppers and heading into the mountains to cut bamboo.

Meanwhile, the construction of the watchtower at the village entrance began, led by Xu Tieshu. As a veteran carpenter, Xu Mo felt confident leaving all related matters to him before returning to the open field to oversee the training.

Half an hour before sunset, Xu Mo went to check on the women. He was very satisfied with their work. The caltrops were about the size of a child's fist, solid and sturdy, with spikes sharpened to a point that would surely be agonizing to step on. Xu Mo tested a few; even when struck hard against a wooden board, they didn't break and instead embedded themselves into the wood.

By nightfall, the nimble-fingered women had produced over six hundred caltrops, averaging thirty per person with excellent quality. Pleased, Xu Mo announced he would increase their pay to sixty wen each. The women were overjoyed, praising Xu Mo for his generosity and his handsome appearance, filling the area with laughter.

Before handing out the payment, Xu Mo added one more requirement. He asked them to find rope and tie the caltrops into sets of ten, ensuring they weren't too dense or too loose.

Qin Mutou, confused, asked, "Boss, why string them together?"

Xu Mo smiled. "That's where you're mistaken! Stringing them makes them faster to deploy—it can be done in the blink of an eye. Think about it: if we encounter enemies and they suddenly charge, we won't have time to throw them one by one, and we'd likely hurt ourselves in the process. But with a rope, we can hang them from our shields. As soon as the enemy appears, we can drop them right in front of us. Isn't that quick and convenient?"

Qin Mutou realized, nodding, "Boss, you're too clever! This way, they're fast to deploy and easy to retrieve!"

"Exactly!" Xu Mo agreed. He added, "In certain situations, we can even tie them to the shields. As we retreat, the caltrops come with us, ensuring there are always spikes on the ground in front of the shields!"

"Boss, that's absolutely brilliant! How do you come up with these ideas?" Qin Mutou was in awe. Xu Mo just smiled, thinking to himself that he owed it all to the books he had read.

After dinner, the village chief informed Xu Mo that three hunters had agreed to join the team as archers. Though it was only three, Xu Mo was delighted; having long-range capability made a world of difference for their unit. To show his appreciation, he had the chief take him to visit them. The three were touched that Xu Mo would come in person and vowed not to let him down.

With this, the new bamboo spear unit was taking shape: twenty short-shield bearers, twenty-two spear handlers, three archers, and their captain, Niu Da.

The next morning, Xu Mo brought the strung caltrops to the field and explained their usage, earning rounds of applause and admiration, especially from Niu Da, who was particularly impressed by the idea of stringing them together. In his old army, they had used iron caltrops, but no one had thought of this method, making retrieval after battle a tedious chore.

Xu Mo distributed the caltrops—only to the twenty short-shield bearers in the front row, giving each two sets. They bore the burden of defense and could easily carry them on their shields. The spear handlers in the back needed both hands for their weapons, making them unsuitable for carrying the caltrops. As the unit’s primary attackers, their only job was to dish out as much damage as possible.