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A couple of years later, the flintlock rifle, designed jointly by Da Vinci and Hedy, had undergone several adjustments to its bullets and trajectory. It could easily pierce through an iron door.
When Leonardo shot a wild donkey that happened to pass by, the impact sent it flipping wildly across the ground. Hedy, standing in the back, kindly reminded him, "Mr. Zino, opening your mouth too wide can dislocate your jaw."
None of the mercenaries present recognized this new weapon, but its power was enough to make them instinctively step back in fear.
How could something like this exist?
The wild donkey's chest had been blown open, and the distance and speed of the damage were so incredible that the onlookers could hardly believe their own eyes.
"If you offer a discount, we can consider renting these weapons to you—of course, we'll need to reclaim them once the time comes," Hedy said calmly.
"Reclaim them?" Luris tried to reason with her. "Don't you think this idea is a bit naive?"
"Mr. Zino," Hedy replied slowly, "we will bring in a few smaller mercenary bands. If you breach the contract, I believe they would be more than happy to divide you up."
"You—" Luris spat, turning away. "Fine, we'll sign it today."
Her older brother seemed a little unsure. "Weren’t you looking down on this idea when you came here?"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Luris snapped.
It became clear that the mercenaries were even more fanatic about firearms than they had imagined.
Da Vinci went into full preparation mode, pulling out many of the supplies stored in the cellar to air out in the sun. Even their experienced housekeeper, Atalante, began to wonder just how many cellars they had hidden around the property.
From flintlock rifles to detachable cannons, to the massive movable crossbow still under construction, half of the ranch had turned into a weapons testing ground. The targets, destroyed or shot up daily, piled up and were burned as firewood.
By the end, Hedy had recruited over 8,000 men, most of whom were disorganized and undisciplined.
While many of them had leaders, those leaders could only give broad instructions, with the men all getting their share of the spoils at the end.
This setup resembled a parasitic relationship—appearing strong like the ox, but once the blood was sucked dry, the leaders would flee.
They eagerly changed employers, seeking profit in the chaos of war, and in peacetime, they would rob and harass without rest.
Hedy pondered this for a moment and devised a management system more suited for this era.
— Clear military ranks and positions, with defined roles and divisions.
"There should be a sufficiently clear training plan," she said, drawing a circle as she spoke. "Atalante, have them clear out a training ground today."
This was her largest ranch, but housing 8,000 men was proving to be quite a challenge.
However, Hedy was always resourceful, and managing their food, drink, and other needs was something she had no trouble with.
With the right leadership in place, mercenaries and hired workers weren’t so different.
Hedy directed the men to clear the uncultivated land outside the estate, constructing wooden buildings as dormitories and even teaching them how to build bunk beds.
The 8,000 men were divided into six separate units, and the leaders of the various groups were given more noticeable and prestigious titles and military ranks.
From logistics to reconnaissance, from firearms to cavalry, not only were the functional boundaries and military merit distribution methods clearly defined, but there were also officers in charge of educating each unit on their roles and duties.
The Medici scouts quickly got wind of the situation and sent a secret letter with news about the French forces.
— The advance units had already departed a month ago, and it was expected that they would begin arriving on the western side of the Apennine Peninsula in about four months.
Upon receiving the news, Hedy showed no signs of panic. Instead, she called together the unfamiliar commanders for a meeting and had Dechio, now the chief secretary, grant them their military ranks and uniforms.
