Real Mount and Blade Game

Silence fell in the hall again, but this silence contained a wealth of information and a sudden realization of the cause and effect.

"That makes sense."

Shen Mu's fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the edge of the sand table, making a soft knocking sound. He nodded thoughtfully: "That should be the truth."

Bestur's assertion struck like a hammer blow to the hearts of everyone in the hall.

A somber atmosphere filled the hall.

But it's not despair.

Rather, it is the grim determination and resolve of warriors surrounded by powerful enemies and forced by a perilous situation.

Shen Mu's gaze swept across the wooden town symbolizing the new Rivadin on the sand table, then turned to the dangerous area to the east marked by black clouds and a castle of bones, and to the shadow on the opposite bank of the Xiaolong River representing the probing of the Crimson Claw.

Elaine's analysis and Rezarit's additions were like a lens that had cleared away the fog, projecting the cruel reality clearly—the land they held onto had become the eye of the storm, with two ferocious spirit realm forces vying to devour and expand due to the collapse of the Black Arrow Tower Dynasty, and New Rivadin being the hard rock blocking their path of expansion.

“The ‘big guy’ that Rezarit mentioned might really have made a huge mistake.” Shen Mu’s voice was not loud, but it clearly drowned out the heavy breathing in the hall: “But the hole has been made, and the storm has come, so we cannot back down.”

He raised his head, his eyes regaining their sharpness and composure—a steadfastness that would never bend even under immense pressure: "The conclusion is clear. The Skeleton Fortress of the Gloom Dynasty is a major threat, and the Crimson Claws are an imminent nuisance. Both are enemies we must face; the only difference is which is primary and which comes first. Of course, don't forget the Skeleton Archers of the Seventh Dynasty in the Black Arrow Tower."

He turned to the three generals, his tone resolute: "Aireen, Rezarit, you two continue to strengthen the defenses of New Rivadin, and be meticulous and attentive. New recruit training cannot stop, and the troops replenishing the city's defenses must be combat-ready as soon as possible!"

"Yes, sir!" the two replied in unison.

“Bestur.” Shen Mu’s gaze fell on this fierce general of the grasslands: “Xin Riwading is the frontline fortress, and more importantly, the eyes and shield of the east. I don’t care if the bones of the ghostly light are nesting, or how itchy the dark red claws are, I want Xin Riwading to be as solid as a rock! Spread the scouts further, and make the guards even denser! The scimitars and arrows of the Kujit bandits are the death line in the wilderness ten miles outside Xin Riwading! Any disturbance, especially any unusual activity in the direction of the Xiaolong River, must be reported immediately!”

"Rest assured, my lord!" Bestur puffed out his chest, a fighting spirit blazing in his eyes: "As long as I have a breath left, I will never let those monstrous things cross my lines!"

The orders had been given, and the generals had all left to their respective duties, but Shen Mu's sense of urgency had not disappeared.

He couldn't let go of his worries.

He dismissed the others and walked alone up the rough-hewn stone walls of New Zivadin.

As dusk deepened, the evening breeze, carrying the dry chill unique to the desert, swept across the city walls.

Shen Mu stood behind the battlements, his gaze fixed on the deep, dark heartland to the east.

There, there are fortresses built of white bones, and dark clouds that devour the light of day.

His gaze seemed to transcend the limitations of distance; his invisible spiritual power, like the most precise probe, meticulously examined the city's initial defense system beneath him with the aid of the system's vision.

The stone wall is no more than six meters high and just thick enough for two or three people to walk side by side.

The defensive towers and sentry posts are sparsely distributed, and there are obvious blind spots between the long-range firepower points.

This was adequate against scattered skeletons in the early stages, but against approaching enemies with high mobility and the ability to charge in groups—whether it was the ghostly black mist cavalry or the dark red hybrid monsters—this wall proved too weak.

"Not enough! Far from enough!"

A thought ignited in his heart, and Shen Mu closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into that mysterious golden ocean woven from countless threads of faith.

The immense power of faith accumulated over these days by the blue planet humans of Deherim and the warriors under his command resounded and surged at this moment!
He was no longer satisfied with slow, engineering-based reinforcement. He wanted immediate protection!

"System, deploy city defense modules! Consume Faith Power, target: New Rivadin main city wall and auxiliary defense towers!"

An invisible command surged forth, accompanied by a powerful force of faith, like an invisible giant hand reaching into the foundation of reality.

hum-

A deep, muffled sound, like the awakening of a giant beast, came from the depths of the earth.

The entire city of New Zivadin trembled slightly at that moment.

It wasn't a violent shaking, but rather a steady pulsation of some deep structure being powerfully reorganized.

Shen Mu, standing on the city wall, was the most direct witness.

The stone city wall beneath his feet was undergoing an astonishing transformation at a visible pace—

The originally rough and pitted stone surface has become smooth and dense, as if polished by an invisible sculptor.

A faint glow emanated from the joints of the rocks, and new, larger, thicker bluish-gray stones seemed to "grow" from the inside and bottom of the wall as if they were alive!

The height of the city wall rose steadily, accompanied by a teeth-grinding rumble of rocks squeezing and grinding, rapidly climbing from the original six meters to ten meters!

A sense of awe and grandeur, overlooking the surrounding landscape, arises spontaneously.

At the same time, the thickness of the wall was also expanding wildly, layer upon layer, reaching an astonishing five meters in width!
It is as solid as a part of the mountain.

The walkway on the top of the wall was also widened to allow four fully armed soldiers to walk side by side.

Not just the main wall.

Along this new city wall that rises from the ground like the spine of a giant dragon, brand new, taller and more sturdy towers spring up like mushrooms after rain.

The originally sparse towers became denser, and the distance between them was shortened.

Each tower is angular, larger, has more firing ports, and is carefully positioned to form a perfect crossfire network.

At the corners and key points of the city wall, several more compact square watchtowers were added, like sharp bone spikes embedded in the dragon's body, ready to launch deadly attacks at any time.

This earth-shattering change happened faster than anyone could have imagined, like a miracle.

Before the lingering dust had settled, a brand-new, magnificent, and reinforced stone city wall, as solid as a mountain range, already stood tall in the dim twilight!

Towering, imposing, with towers standing tall and guns clashing!
The cold, rocky texture silently proclaimed an iron will to defend itself.

The residents of the city naturally sensed the commotion, and many people came out of their homes in surprise and doubt. But when they looked up at the city walls, which had changed in an instant and resembled the legendary fortress of giants, their exclamations of surprise quickly turned into cheers of excitement and awe.

This miraculous sight deepened their faith in the mysterious and powerful lord, Shen Mu. With the reinforcement complete, the golden light of their faith slowly subsided deep within Shen Mu's consciousness.

He slowly opened his eyes and surveyed the creation of his will with satisfaction.

Only now does this city truly possess the qualifications to stand firm amidst the storms on the front lines.

"That's good enough." He glanced at the east one last time, then turned and walked steadily down the city wall.

However, just as Shen Mu returned to the lord's hall to continue handling related matters, a guard announced from outside the door: "My lord, General Bestur has sent word that the rescued Blue Star man Chen Ping and his dwarf followers have been discovered by the patrol and taken outside the city."

Shen Mu put down the parchment scroll in his hand: "Bring them in."

Soon, Chen Ping and his group, looking travel-worn but with eyes that clearly showed excitement and the exhaustion of surviving a disaster, entered the hall led by the bandit.

Along with the seven dwarf warriors, their shadows were stretched long by the burning torches in the castle hall.

Suppressing his excitement, Chen Ping respectfully bowed to Shen Mu, then couldn't help but raise his head and cautiously look around the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar hall.

He hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and spoke with a hint of disbelief and doubt: "My lord... this... forgive my intrusion, but I feel... this New Rivadin City... seems... different from when I first saw it from afar? It feels... taller? And more... solid? Is it just my imagination? Perhaps I was too frightened to see clearly?"

The dwarves behind him whispered among themselves in their dwarven language. As beings of the spirit world, they were more sensitive to changes in the material world. The thick city walls and the sharply defined towers were definitely not the original, simple structures they had seen before.

Shen Mu picked up a glass of water, his expression calm and composed, as if Chen Ping had only mentioned a trivial matter. He nodded slightly: "Perhaps you've traveled a long way and been too frightened, so it's understandable that your vision is blurry. This is indeed New Rivadin, but what changes have occurred?"

He turned his gaze to the attendant waiting beside him, his tone leaving no room for argument: "They have had a long and arduous journey. Immediately arrange for vehicles to safely escort them and all the survivors to Deherim. Bestur's men will escort the convoy. Once you arrive in Deherim, you will be taken care of."

Upon hearing "Deherem," and recalling General Bestur's description of the great city with its food, water, and safety, Chen Ping's slightest doubt was immediately overwhelmed by immense joy and gratitude. He bowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you for your grace, Lord!"

Shen Mu nodded, not paying much attention.

Saving these humans from Earth was simply a matter of personal kindness.

After all, he himself is a human from Earth.

As Chen Ping and his entourage left with their attendants, expressing their deepest gratitude, the heavy oak doors of the lord's hall slowly closed, shutting out the noise from outside.

The only sounds in the hall were the crackling of the fireplace and Shen Mu himself.

Shen Mu did not immediately deal with the documents on his desk; instead, he turned his gaze to the deep twilight outside the window.

The lights in New Rivadin gradually lit up, illuminating the outline of the reinforced, majestic city walls that resembled a mountain ridge in the distance.

This city was his fortress, his foundation, and the fulcrum he used to struggle in this apocalypse.

However, the gaze seemed to penetrate the stone wall, projecting onto a more distant and expansive broken land.

It used to be a bustling world with towering buildings and heavy traffic; it was "Blue Star".

A complex emotion, difficult to describe, quietly grew in his heart.

His fingers unconsciously rubbed against the cold stone chair armrests.

The soul of this body ultimately originated from that destroyed blue planet.

Even now, high above others and holding the power of life and death, the mark of a time traveler remains deeply buried in their hearts.

Witnessing this planet, which had nurtured a brilliant civilization, being so ravaged and trampled by the rules of the spirit world and the power of the dead, turning it into a desolate wasteland, a dead land teeming with skeletons and monsters, even Shen Mu's strong will couldn't help but feel a deep sigh and a trace of barely perceptible... pity.

“Blue Star…” he whispered, his voice so faint it was almost inaudible in the empty hall.

That was a hometown I could never return to, a past that had crumbled.

All he could do was use the rules and power to build a lasting base on this wasteland.

"It's just a sigh." The warmth in Shen Mu's eyes quickly cooled and solidified, turning into an iron will: "This kind of sighing won't change anything. Individual pity is meaningless in the face of the world's collapse and reshaping."

Yes, compassion is a luxury.

Especially in this wasteland where life and death are at stake.

What truly motivated him to accept and protect these survivors of Earth was not pointless sentimentality, but tangible benefits—the power of faith!
These survivors, who have lost their homes and are as lost as stray dogs, can gather a considerable force when they place their hopes for survival, their expectations for the future, and even their fear and awe on the name "Lord Shen Mu," transforming it into a dazzling golden ocean deep within his consciousness.

They are the foundation, the tools, the fuel that ignites his strength and supports him forward.

Useful tools should naturally be protected.

Shen Mu's gaze returned to the map on the table, completely crushing the pointless emotions in his heart.

New Rivadin has been fortified and defenses have been deployed; the real threat lies in the Bone Fortress in the east and the potential threat of the Crimson Claw.

The thought of kindness flashed by, only to be replaced by cold pragmatism.

He picked up a grain report and began to review it.

Meanwhile, at the assembly point outside New Rivadin, Chen Ping and his group boarded two sturdy and spacious freight wagons.

The sturdy horses pulling the cart snorted and slowly moved forward at the driver's command.

The wheels creaked as they rolled over the solid dirt road, trampled by the people of Xinriwading.

Chen Ping sat amidst the piles of sacks and luggage, feeling as if his bones were about to fall apart, yet also experiencing a sense of novelty he had never felt before.

"It's been so long since I've ridden in a carriage..." he sighed softly, his hands gripping the edge of the carriage floor, his body swaying slightly with the carriage's bumps.

The familiar desert landscape rushed past, but the way we traveled felt like a different world.

After the apocalypse, cars became scrap metal, and long journeys relied entirely on two legs, each step accompanied by hunger, fear, and the whispers of skeletons.

This simple carriage, though its hard wooden planks hurt your bottom, symbolized order, protection, and the hope of traveling westward. (End of Chapter)