Real Mount and Blade Game

Time slipped away like sand held tightly in one's grasp, another four or five days passing in silent tension.

The news coming from the direction of New Rivadin was somewhat reassuring.

Bestur roamed the outskirts of this eastern fortress like a fierce alpha wolf, leading his Khergit horse archers and steppe bandits, turning the wilderness surrounding New Rivadin into his hunting grounds.

The scouts' reach extended far, and any undead creatures that approached the newly fortified walls, or any dark red minions attempting to cross the river, were reduced to dust by the Khergits' precise and deadly arrows and their swift, wind-like horsemanship.

Although the eastern horizon where the skeletal castle stood remained gloomy, at least the imminent impact seemed to have been temporarily contained.

Shen Mu could finally shift his gaze away from the east for the time being.

However, the warning from the west appeared abruptly on his desk, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

The messenger came from the ruins of the Green Leaf Group—the temporary outpost that Shen Mu named "Elf Forest".

The message was relayed and finally arrived at the Lords' Hall of Deherim late on the fourth day.

The content is concise yet heavy.

The sentries patrolling the outskirts of the Elf Forest, as well as the forest ranger captain who stayed behind, repeatedly observed the unusually frequent activities of the undead legion.

Not only are there the usual wandering skeletons and zombies, but there are also signs of small groups gathering, with no clear target. However, the scope and intensity of their activities are far greater than before, and occasionally one can even feel the ominous aura emanating from the depths of the forest, with no discernible direction, that sends chills down one's spine.

“Necromantic disturbances… Elf Forest…” Shen Mu tapped his fingertips on the wooden model on the sand table representing the forest that had been transformed by spirits, a cold glint in his eyes.

That forest, located in the city park wetland, is adjacent to New Uxhall and is an important springboard for future expansion into the core area of ​​Long City and gaining access to Long City. It must not be lost!

A large-scale undead disturbance suddenly occurred there, and if not handled properly, it could become a sharp blade thrust into the western hinterland.

Without much hesitation, Shen Mu made a decision immediately.

“Rezarit, Eleanor!” He looked at the two commanders who remained in New Rivadin: “The eastern front is temporarily secured. The defense of New Rivadin and the training of the city guards are entrusted to you two in full responsibility… Bestur!” he spoke again.

“Yes, sir!” Bestur stepped forward, his armor clanging as it struck the ground.

"Your Khergit archers and steppe bandits will immediately serve as the mobile reserve." Shen Mu pointed to the sand table: "Station them on the northern flank of New Rivadin, closely monitoring the movements in the Xiaolong River basin. To the east lies the Ghostly Skeleton Fortress, to the north, the Crimson Claws have infiltrated, and to the west, unidentified undead are stirring... Your mission is to reinforce New Rivadin or Deherim as quickly as possible should any crisis arise in any direction! I want you to be like a sharp dagger inserted into the battlefield, striking with deadly precision!"

"Yes, sir! My sword and arrows are ready at any time!" Bestur pounded his chest, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

He liked this kind of flexible mission.

The command was given, like a finely tuned gear starting to turn.

The following morning, Shen Mu led only ten of his most elite Holy Tree Knights, like a silver lightning bolt, away from New Rivadin and sped towards Deherim.

The horses' hooves pounded across the newly paved cobblestone road. After a brief stop in Deherim, they did not rest for long before continuing westward through the ever-growing city of Sanctuary, heading straight for New Uxhal—the advance base leading to the Greenleaf Group's ruins, the "Elven Forest."

However, the return journey was not as smooth as expected.

As the procession crossed the buffer zone between Deherem and New Uxhauer, the sky began to irreversibly turn dusky.

The distant setting sun struggled to sink below the horizon, but instead of bringing a magnificent sunset, it seemed as if a huge, viscous ink had been splashed at the horizon.

A thick fog, thicker than ever before, like a corpse robe rising from the depths of hell, carrying the scent of decay, swept across the entire field of vision in a very short time.

The fog was no longer the thin, hazy gray it had been before; it was now a deep, almost black, dark fog, as heavy as lead and mercury.

Visibility plummeted to a terrifying few meters.

The air was heavy and sticky, carrying a damp chill that penetrated to the bone.

Every breath seemed to inhale the cold, watery vapor, carrying a faint stench of sulfur mixed with the putrid smell of decaying corpses.

The sound of horses' hooves pounding on the slippery road was swallowed up by the thick fog, sounding dull and oppressive.

Even the soft mithril luster of the Holy Tree Knight's warhorse appeared much dimmer in the mist.

"My lord, something's wrong with this fog!" A leader of the Holy Tree Knights guarding Shen Mu spoke in a deep voice, his voice beneath his visor carrying a metallic echo and a distinct gravity.

He even subconsciously gripped the mithril spear hanging on the side of the saddle.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound suddenly arose from the depths of the silent mist!

Click!Click!
Roar——

It was like the gates of hell had been opened!
The thick, impenetrable fog surged and tore violently, and countless skeletal figures with ghastly green soul flames burning in their eye sockets surged out from the depths of the fog like maggots crawling out of rotting mud!

No longer a loose, small group, but an assault front composed of at least several hundred skeletal soldiers, bearing clear traces of formation!

They came in various forms: low-ranking skeleton soldiers wielded rusted swords or crude bone axes. Sluggish but incredibly powerful zombies mingled among them, emitting gruff roars. Even more chilling were the many "skeleton soldiers" clad in worn but intact bone armor, wielding more sophisticated black bone spears or shields.

Their soul fire was more solidified, and their movements were significantly faster and more powerful, emitting energy fluctuations comparable to or even close to those of a third-tier or fourth-tier warrior!

Even further behind the charging skeletons, from the depths of the fog came the even heavier footsteps, like giants stomping their feet—it was some kind of large skeletal creation moving through the fog, its enormous outline appearing and disappearing in the mist.

"Take them down!" Shen Mu immediately activated his skill, empowering the Holy Tree Knights, and gave the order: "Everyone, charge!" "Kill!"

The Holy Tree Knights instantly erupted with holy radiance, wielding their spears with gleaming tips, like ten miniature suns tearing open a rift of light in the thick fog!
The divine power was like a hot knife through oil; wherever it touched, low-level skeletons and zombies crumbled instantly, turning into white bone fragments burning with holy flames. Even when armored skeleton soldiers rushed in, they could hardly shake the mithril heavy armor. In the instant the spear pierced and tore through them, the bones that made up their bodies shattered and disintegrated, and the necromantic energy contained within was purified by the powerful holy light.

The outcome of the battle was a foregone conclusion; the barrier formed by the Holy Tree Knights was impregnable.

But the battle itself only made Shen Mu's brows furrow more and more.

The size, discipline, and especially the proportion of "elite" among this legion of skeletons are far beyond what is common!

It was as if this thick fog not only obscured the view, but also became a breeding ground for some kind of power that nourished and brought about the death of the dead!

He witnessed firsthand the wounded, skeletal soldiers lying on the ground, their broken bones seemingly glued together by invisible adhesive amidst the thick fog, struggling to get up again, displaying remarkable tenacity.

In the end, leaving behind only bone fragments purified by holy light and the lingering echoes of their roars, the undead army that had been encountered was completely annihilated.

But the thick fog persisted, and the road ahead remained unclear.

"My lord, when the news of the undead activity came from the direction of Long City, it mentioned the unusual fog. Such a large monster horde and such changes in the fog... are probably not accidental." The leader of the Holy Tree Knights, who had spoken earlier, said in a heavy tone: "If we continue to force our way on, we may be ambushed on an even larger scale. I suggest that we detour to New Uxhauer and retreat temporarily, waiting for dawn before proceeding."

Shen Mu looked around. The thick, almost tangible, dark mist had completely enveloped them, compressing their vision to the extreme. The necromantic aura permeating the air was like a leech, sticky and cold.

Although the Holy Tree Knights are powerful, facing an endless, unpredictable army of the dead in a completely unknown environment with extremely poor visibility is extremely risky.

"Turn to New Uxhall!" Shen Mu's voice rang out clearly through the thick fog, carrying an undeniable determination.

The group turned their horses around and, relying on the knights' extraordinary sense of direction and familiarity with the route, struggled through the almost impenetrable darkness and thick fog.

The horse's hooves trod across the soft, wet mud, and each step required careful maneuvering.

During this time, two smaller undead patrols unexpectedly encountered them in the fog, but the Holy Tree Knights swiftly crushed them with lightning speed. However, the lurking gazes in the darkness and the ever-present chilling oppressive feeling remained ever-present.

When the massive outline of New Uxhauer, which appeared particularly hazy in the thick fog, finally came into view, even the most hardened Holy Tree Knights breathed a sigh of relief.

The few lanterns lit on the city wall were like lighthouses in a sea of ​​despair, faint yet warm.

The city gates had already been opened when Shen Mu arrived.

Shen Mu and his group passed through the thick fog and entered the city, as if they had entered a relatively peaceful haven from a suffocating and cold water prison.

Although the fog still existed in the city, it was noticeably thinner, and the outlines of roads and buildings could be barely seen.

Soon, in the Lord's Hall of the castle, the command post of New Uxhall, Shen Mu met the garrison commander, Bandak, who had rushed over.

This veteran, known for his composure and steadiness, now wore an unconcealed look of worry and deep fatigue.

"My lord!" Bandak bowed respectfully, his voice a little hoarse. "It's so good to see that you arrived safely."

"Bandak," Shen Mu removed his damp cloak and cut to the chase, "The fog along the way is ridiculously thick, and the number and strength of the undead have increased dramatically. What's going on here? Are you aware of the unusual activity in the Elf Forest?"

"Reporting to my lord." Bandak nodded solemnly, "The direction of the Elf Forest is indeed strange. I have repeatedly confirmed the information that came from there. However, what alarms me even more is that this fog... suddenly intensified just a few days before your arrival, and it was particularly thick and terrifying coming from the depths of Long City, almost reaching the level of a genin."

He walked to the window and pointed to the thick, almost dripping darkness outside: "Sir, you see, even the fog in this city is more than twice as thick as it was ten days ago! We're on the eastern edge of Longcheng and it's like this; the closer we get to the city center... I can't even imagine! Now, on night duty, five meters is the line between life and death! And what's worse..."

Bandak took a deep breath, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt: "Undead monsters! In the past, most of the monsters that appeared at night were scattered skeletons and zombies, with the occasional skeletal wild dog. But in the last two or three days, not only have their numbers increased several times, but the monsters that the patrols have encountered have also completely changed!"

He spoke quickly, his voice tinged with lingering fear: "It's not just skeleton soldiers and zombies that have appeared! Now there are 'Skeleton Hunters' wearing tattered leather armor and moving as fast as leopards! They use grappling hooks to ambush lone sentries! And then there are those enormous 'Stitched Abominations,' made up of multiple corpses pieced together, their bodies covered in rotting flesh and bones, possessing immense strength and impervious to swords and blades! Just last night, several beings resembling necromancers even appeared below the watchtower on the east city wall! They hid in the distance through the thick fog, casting spells to summon bone fragments to attack the city tower!"

Bandak slammed his fist heavily on the edge of the rough wooden table, causing the oil lamp flame to flicker violently: "If it weren't for the Holy Tree Knights and well-equipped garrison you left behind, who fought desperately, and the thick fog that concealed the size of the undead army's gathering, we would have suffered a loss last night! I'm certain that something deep within Long City... or rather, the balance of power in the entire Long City undead kingdom has undergone a drastic change in a short period of time! The monsters that have emerged are at least two or three levels stronger overall!"

Shen Mu listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the table.

The Glorious Dynasty, heading towards New Rivadin, is stirring with ambition.

The Crimson Claws are infiltrating and lurking in the north.

Now, the area behind the Elf Forest, which should have served as a buffer and a new direction for exploration, and the central area of ​​Long City, has also seen such a large-scale disturbance of necromancy and the emergence of powerful individuals!

“Dense fog…enhanced…emerging…” Shen Mu repeated these words in a low voice.

These three seem to be closely connected.

Is dense fog an environment that fosters growth?

Or is it an anomaly caused by the arrival of a powerful being?
The power vacuum left by the collapse of the Black Arrow Tower dynasty's core seems to have triggered a chain reaction far beyond expectations, impacting the boundaries of his territory in a sweeping manner!

Eleanor's initial prediction about a power vacuum has come true, but this vacuum is not one of silence. Instead, it is a "feast" where countless ferocious beasts, attracted by the scent of blood, swarm in, intending to devour or even occupy the entire city of Long!
What exactly was stirred deep within Longcheng City?

Shen Mu raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the thick walls of the warehouse, and landing on the core of the vast, desolate, and terrifying city ruins to the west, completely shrouded in thick fog.

The strange occurrences in the Elf Forest may just be one of the tentacles of the expanding chaos.

The situation deteriorated within just a few days!
He needed to reach the Elf Forest as soon as possible to find the source, and this sudden, deadly fog and the growing monster tide were undoubtedly the first and most suffocating obstacle standing before him. (End of Chapter)