New Uxhall, enveloped by the night, was surrounded by a thick, ink-like fog.
On the city walls, the torchlight flickered erratically in the heavy moisture, barely piercing a few meters of darkness, casting an orange glow that appeared exceptionally weak.
Shen Mu’s tall figure stood behind the rough stone battlements.
His iron-gray eyes penetrated the darkness before him, scrutinizing the surging curtain of death below the city as if it were tangible.
A chill, mixed with a strong stench of decay and sulfur, assailed them with the cold night wind, striking the taut faces of every guard on duty.
Bandak stood respectfully to the side; even on this usually steady veteran’s face, there was an undisguised look of gravity.
He pointed to the deep blackness outside the city wall, which seemed capable of swallowing everything, and reported to Shen Mu in a low voice:
“My Lord, it’s this fog… in just two or three days, it’s turned into this ghastly state! It’s thick like ink and heavy like mercury. Before… although there was always a thin gray fog lingering, our patrol teams could still barely make out movements dozens of meters away. But now? Even during the day, it’s like a steamer, and at night, especially after midnight… it can literally suffocate a person inside! Sentries standing on the tower can’t even see the base of the city wall clearly!”
He paused, his rough fingers unconsciously rubbing the rust on his sword hilt, a hint of lingering fear in his eyes: “This fog is evil, and the monsters that surge out of it are even more evil! Ordinary Skeletons are becoming rarer, and what’s emerging are all tough adversaries—Skeletons as fast as ghosts, ‘Abominations’ piled several stories high, and ‘Bone Mages’ who hide in the fog to shoot dark arrows and summon undead! I’ve been defending the city for so many years, and I’ve never seen undead things change so quickly, so fiercely…”
Bandak’s low voice, like the hoot of a night owl, seemed even more suppressed by the enveloping fog.
Suddenly—
“Whoosh!”
“Thud!”
Just below where the two were talking, at the edge of the shadow of a huge earthen mound, a lightning-fast phantom tore through the dense fog and shot out!
A pitch-black bone arrow, with a piercing whoosh, fiercely embedded itself three feet above the outer wall of the battlement, its fletching still buzzing!
The force was so great that it dislodged a small piece of wall debris!
“Enemy attack! Northeast corner! It’s an Archer!” Bandak reacted extremely quickly, shouting out immediately, his voice instantly igniting the tense atmosphere along the entire section of the city wall!
Almost at the same instant, the attacker who had just shot the cold arrow was exposed in the faint outline at the edge of the nearest torchlight.
It was no longer the gray-black appearance from memory!
It was a… “Black Iron” Skeleton Archer!
Its Skeleton presented a strange, deep, dark black color with a metallic sheen, as if cast from a thousand-tempered black iron.
Its joints, ribs, and arm bones all shimmered with a glossy, hard glow, especially in its stance of drawing a bow and nocking an arrow; its bones were noticeably thicker, and in the depths of its formerly empty eye sockets, the soul fire was no longer a pale green, but a nearly solidified, dark red like molten lava, radiating a more condensed, frenzied power fluctuation!
“It’s a Skeleton Archer! A new variant!” Bandak’s pupils contracted sharply, and he ordered in a stern voice: “Crossbowmen to the battlement! Snipe it for me!!”
Urgent footsteps sounded on the walkway inside the city wall, and two Rodok Skirmishers who had received the order immediately rushed to adjacent firing positions.
They were sturdy and swift, quickly stringing and setting up their powerful crossbows!
“Buzz—!”
One of them pulled the trigger first!
The quenched steel crossbow bolt transformed into a dark blur, barely visible to the naked eye, and with thunderous force, it shot down from above, directly at the “Black Iron Skeleton Archer” who had just finished drawing its bow!
Precise!
The crossbow bolt, like a venomous snake, squarely hit its target—the black skull shimmering with metallic luster!
The immense kinetic impact caused its head to snap back violently!
“It hit!” the Rhodok Crossbowmen next to him exclaimed in a low voice.
However, the expected scene of a skull shattering and soul fire extinguishing did not occur!
Instead, the powerful steel crossbow bolt, with its sharp armor-piercing arrowhead, merely managed to embed itself into the target’s skull; about half of the arrowhead was deeply embedded in the black iron-like bone, while the shaft was firmly “stuck” on it!
The black bone was covered with fine cracks, but it was clearly not pierced through!
The dark red soul fire in the skull’s eye sockets merely flickered and contracted violently for a moment, then stabilized, appearing even more ferocious!
It did not fall; instead, as if thoroughly enraged, it let out a silent roar, regained its balance, and tried to draw its bow again!
“What?!” The surrounding Crossbowmen watched in stunned silence, a chill rising from their feet to the top of their heads.
They were all aware of the armor-piercing power of the Rodok crossbows; they caused penetrating wounds to ordinary Skeletons!
The hardness of this newly appeared “Black Iron” Skeleton’s bones was simply incredible!
“Switch to armor-piercing bolts! Quick! Another team up…” He immediately roared, adjusting tactics.
Just then, Shen Mu, who had been silently observing the entire process, suddenly spoke, his voice like ice: “Bandak.”
The simple three words, carrying an invisible pressure, instantly calmed the anxious Bandak, who immediately bowed and listened: “My Lord, please command!”
Shen Mu’s gaze remained fixed on the crossbow bolt still quivering, stuck in the black skull; his eyes were deep like the sea, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
The sight of it being “stuck” rather than pierced clearly conveyed a cold truth.
The enemy had grown stronger.
And it was in this manner of a sudden leap in physical defense!
“The Elf Forest.” Shen Mu shifted his gaze to Bandak, his voice returning to its usual calmness: “How was your personal inspection there?”
Upon mentioning the Elf Forest, Bandak’s mind settled, and he immediately responded respectfully, with a hint of pride in the stability of their defenses: “Yes, My Lord! I just completed the inspection earlier today! Following your instructions and the prior discussion with the Ranger Captain, I have completed the defensive deployment!”
He straightened his back, reporting the troop disposition clearly and forcefully:
“The core defensive perimeter is garrisoned by 500 Tier 4 Rodok Veteran Spearmen! Their spears and large shields, combined, are sufficient to form an impenetrable wall in the narrow areas at the forest’s edge! Responsible for long-range suppression are 200 experienced, well-equipped Tier 4 Rodok Crossbowmen! From their elevated positions, they can effectively seal any gaps in the defensive line that targets might attempt to breach!”
Bandak paused, emphasizing: “I additionally recruited 500 Tier 2 Wood Elf Archers! With them moving and harassing within the forest and among the branches, combined with the natural environmental advantages of the Elf Forest and their familiarity with the woodland, even if undead try to infiltrate deep into the forest, they will surely find it impossible to advance, paying a heavy price!”
“Three layers of defense, mutually supporting, are sufficient to cope with harassment and reconnaissance infiltration of currently known intensity! My Lord, rest assured!”
Bandak concluded decisively.
He was full of confidence in the defensive line he and his subordinates had constructed, and this confidence also infected the tense and alert soldiers around him.
Hearing that Bandak had formed an effective defensive depth with elite Rodok spear formations, powerful Crossbowman clusters, and flexible Elf skirmishing forces, the hint of gravity in Shen Mu’s eyes, caused by the appearance of the new type of Skeleton, finally dissipated somewhat.
He slowly nodded, and the taut lines of his jaw also relaxed slightly.
“Hmm, your arrangements are sound.”
Shen Mu’s voice carried a hint of approval for his capable subordinate’s work.
The temporary stabilization of the Elf Forest as a western springboard relieved a heavy psychological burden, allowing him to focus on dealing with the strange dense fog and mutated undead threat before him. With the Forest Elf Ranger Captain overseeing and coordinating there, plus Bandak’s meticulously allocated forces, there was indeed no need to worry in the short term.
Shen Mu’s gaze returned to the thick, seemingly solidified darkness beyond the city wall.
There, the crossbow bolt stuck in the black skull served as a glaring marker, and thin wisps of smoke rose from the remnants of the “Black Iron Skeleton Archer” that had just been focused down.
More shadows of various forms continuously condensed, stirred, and clashed against the Rhodok Crossbowmen’s defensive line at the edge of the fog.
“Bandak.” Shen Mu’s voice was low and clear, like the faint hum of a sword before it is drawn, “The city defense is entrusted to you. Remember, tonight… is just the beginning.”
“Understood, My Lord! Your subordinate swears to defend this city to the death!”
Bandak struck his chest heavily with his right hand, producing a dull metallic clang, his eyes firm as iron. He knew that his lord’s words were not without cause; the darkness before dawn would surely be even longer and bloodier.
The night seemed to deepen further, enveloped by the dense fog.
The massive city walls of New Uxhall stood like silent black reefs in a sea of death, with flickering lights upon them, awaiting the impact of the next, more turbulent dark tide.
Shen Mu’s figure stood tall and straight as a javelin in the flickering torchlight. His gaze pierced through the thick fog wall, directed towards the depths of the city, Long City’s heartland, where a greater storm was brewing in the stillness.
What exactly happened there?
…
The faint morning light struggled to pierce the leaden, dense fog above New Uxhall, and the world seemed to slowly emerge from thick ink.
As soon as dawn broke, Shen Mu wasted no time.
He refused Bandak’s suggestion to have heavy troops escort him, stating in a deep voice: “The defense of New Uxhall is crucial. The dense fog has not yet dispersed, and powerful enemies surround us. A reliable general is needed to hold the fort. Bandak, holding this place well is the greatest support you can give me on this journey.”
He took only the ten Holy Tree Knights, silent and resolute like silver mountains, and rode out through the slowly opening city gate, their figures quickly disappearing onto the still dim westward road.
Hooves trod through muddy ground, traversing the buffer zone eroded by dense fog and spirit world rules, and the uncomfortable pressure in the air gradually lessened.
When the familiar, strangely vibrant forest, the Elf Forest, appeared in sight against the backdrop of the ruined city, even with some morning mist, it seemed to yield a little space to this area.
At the entrance, the hastily built but already substantial wooden palisade was already manned.
On the left were Rodok soldiers, clad in heavy leather armor, wielding long-handled axes and sturdy broadshields, their expressions solemn, their muscles bulging. Their formations were strict, like bedrock rooted to the wooden wall, representing a solid shield and spear.
The scene on the right, however, was entirely different, possessing an ethereal and agile beauty.
These were Wood Elf Archers from the distant Middle-earth.
Their figures were tall and slender, dressed in lightweight leather armor and cloaks that matched the forest colors, embroidered with delicate vine patterns.
Their faces were almost unrealistically handsome, their expressions alert and serene, their long golden or silver hair gently swaying in the breeze, and on their backs hung exquisitely crafted, gracefully curved longbows, with quivers at their waists filled with long-fletched arrows.
Seeing Shen Mu’s figure appear at the edge of the mist, all figures on the city wall, whether the rugged Rodok warriors or the elegant Wood Elf Archers, uniformly placed a hand on their chest and bowed, their actions showing sincere respect.
“Welcome, Lord!”
The low human voices and clear elven speech intertwined into a unique wave of sound, echoing at the forest’s edge.
The heavy wooden gate slowly lifted with the creaking sound of the winch.
Shen Mu nodded slightly, riding in, followed closely by the ten Holy Tree Knights, their mithril armor gleaming with a soft yet resilient light in the morning sun filtering through the leaves.
The scene inside the palisade revealed a unique defensive wisdom far beyond imagination.
Shen Mu toured the area, guided by several Elf Ranger Captains and Rodok sub-captains.
Rather than a simple village enclosed by a palisade, this was a three-dimensional defensive labyrinth built around the natural forms of giant trees.
The Wood Elves had not destroyed the original structure of the forest.
Among the branches of giant ancient trees, countless ingenious treehouse platforms were built, staggered at various heights, connected by a network of suspension bridges and walkways made of light yet tough vines and wooden ropes, forming an extremely complex aerial transportation and firing platform system.
Every hidden treehouse and platform served as an excellent lookout and long-range firing point.
The ground was also not flat and open.
Tall buttress roots, intertwining vines, and fallen giant decaying logs were cleverly utilized and slightly modified to form natural cover and narrow passages.
The defensive strongholds of the Rodok soldiers were deployed at these key nodes; their spears could thrust out from behind these obstacles, and their shields firmly blocked the barely passable paths.
The core idea of the entire “village” layout was “dense and three-dimensional.”
The concept of “defense in depth” was maximized here—from the highest tree canopy lookout to the lowest ground pass, from the outer wooden wall to the core area’s giant tree fortress, fire coverage had no blind spots, and any invading enemy would face multiple attacks from front, back, left, right, and even above and below.
This fully utilized the Wood Elves’ natural talent for forest combat and environmental advantages, and perfectly integrated the Rodok infantry’s ground formation advantages within it.
In the core area, under a colossal ancient tree, resembling a tower of life, Shen Mu listened to the detailed report from the Wood Elf Ranger Captain responsible for coordinating the defense of this area. (End of Chapter)
