Chapter 168 Precious Strategic Time
'Om! '
As a creepy aura began to spread, the sky, which was already dim due to the setting sun, instantly began to plunge into darkness.
Night has come.
'call! '
However, in the eastern suburbs of Long City, on the small hill northeast of Sujia Village, located on the Vikia Castle that looked like a squatting giant, a large flame suddenly appeared.
There were bonfires burning in braziers and torches appearing on the city walls and in the streets below.
At this time, whether it was a bonfire or a torch, the flames were burning fiercely.
Releases light and heat.
It brought extremely precious firelight to this area that was shrouded in darkness under the rules of Mount and Blade.
And the sense of security that the fire brings.
"Good, it's finally dark."
Shen Mu was standing on the top of the city wall at this time, looking at the blue star world outside that was completely shrouded in darkness a few meters away, with a faint smile on his lips.
However, the smile in his eyes was not so relaxed, but rather had a solemn look.
Because this is the time for him to verify his conjecture.
In other words, whether those devils from hell will rush out of the subway station to attack him again tonight, tonight will be a crucial proof.
"Bestul." At this time, Shen Mu nodded to the side.
"I'm here."
On the stairs next to him, Bestur, holding a heavy nomadic scimitar in his hand, was walking up the stairs quickly.
Seeing Shen Mu nodding at him, he, who had already received the order, immediately nodded in response: "My Kugit people are ready and can go out to verify your guess at any time."
"Very good." Shen Mu nodded with satisfaction and turned his head to look at the dark night outside the city wall again.
He paused for a moment.
His hand involuntarily touched the hilt of the Holy Tree Knight Sword slung on his left side, and he felt a vague movement in his heart.
"Sir, the outside world is already covered by the rules of the dead. I don't know how many dead monsters are inside, and I don't know what the situation of those hell demons is. I think it's best for you to stay in the castle. This is the wisest choice!"
But when Shen Mu put his hand on the hilt of the sword, Bestur next to him immediately understood Shen Mu's thoughts.
With a frown on his face, he immediately objected, "Only if you are alive can you shoulder all of our hopes, so please don't take the initiative to take risks. None of us want you to take the initiative to take risks either."
Shen Mu put his hand on the hilt of the sword, obviously wanting to take the initiative to lead these cavalrymen out to take a look.
Take a field trip.
But as Bestul said, the entire Mount & Blade system, the Mount & Blade rules, and the subsequent Mount & Blade world all depend on Shen Mu alone.
At this time, Shen Mu must not be allowed to take any risks or have any accidents happen.
Otherwise, their guilt will kill them directly.
In other words, when Shen Mu no longer exists, whether these Mount and Blade generals and characters who appeared from the Mount and Blade world will still remain in this world is really another matter.
Although these Mount and Blade generals and soldiers do not know the details of what will happen.
But from the depths of their souls, it is the soul given to them by the Mount & Blade system and its rules that still makes them feel frightened about any action by Shen Mu that could endanger their lives.
So they didn't dare let Shen Mu take any risks.
"It doesn't matter. I know what I'm doing."
At this time, Shen Mu held his hand tightly on the hilt of the sword, and his tone was solemn and affirmative: "Best now asks everyone to bring torches and prepare to open the city gate."
"Sir! It is too dangerous for you to go out by yourself. Why don't you let me go to the subway station to take a look instead of you?" Bestur wanted to stop him.
"No need to say too much, I have already made up my mind." Shen Mu did not give Bestul a chance to refute at this time. He simply stretched out his hand to signal him to stop dissuading him, and then took the lead to walk down the stairs.
After all, for Shen Mu, this is not really dangerous.
Just going out to explore.
If he encountered danger, he would return immediately and would not lead his troops to stay there for a long time or get into a tense battle.
He still has some sense of crisis.
Seeing Shen Mu made such a firm decision.
Bestur didn't know what to say, he just tightly gripped his heavy nomadic scimitar and quickly followed Shen Mu.
After all, Bester was quite confident in the prairie bandit elites and ordinary prairie bandits under his command.
These are the elite among the Kugit people.
Moreover, they are all fat and strong prairie horses, known for their speed and endurance. If something really happens, they will have no problem protecting Shen Mu's retreat.
But you also need to be prepared.
At this time, Bestul followed Shen Mu closely because he felt that he was the best preparation to protect Shen Mu.
Came to the bottom of the city wall.
200 elite Kugit grassland bandits have lined up on their heavy grassland horses.
Each of them held a spear and a nomadic bow.
Looks like a hungry tiger.
But not far away, seeing Shen Mu coming down in person, the 110 Holy Tree Knights who were originally waiting also hurried over.
These Holy Tree Knights also understood that Shen Mu planned to ride his horse himself and go outside the city wall to see whether the Sujia Village site was threatened by the devils from hell.
So they immediately walked over here quickly.
They needed to confirm whether Shen Mu should ride a horse himself and go outside the city wall to see what the enemy situation was like.
At the same time, I also intend to continue to dissuade.
After all, they all knew the dangers outside the city walls. The undead monsters that were filled with the rules of the dead were some pretty troublesome guys.
Although with their fighting power, they don't need to care about those undead monsters at all, but since they are undead monsters, they pose a certain threat to them. If they encounter too difficult opponents outside, it will be really dangerous.
"The Holy Tree Knights, arrange 10 people as personal guards, and follow me to take a look outside." Shen Mu saw the Holy Tree Knights coming over at this time, and immediately stretched out his hand and pointed to 10 people, choosing them to follow him.
But the Holy Tree Knights looked at each other in bewilderment.
Originally they wanted to dissuade Shen Mu from leaving the castle, but at this time Shen Mu instead selected 10 people to protect him.
At this time, the leading Holy Tree Knight Captain opened his mouth and said with a bitter smile: "Of course this is really too dangerous. If possible, I really hope you don't put yourself in danger."
"Yes, I agree with this too." And right behind Shen Mu, Bestul still agreed very appropriately with the words of these Holy Tree Knights.
The principle remains the same.
I'm just afraid that Shen Mu will really be in danger.
"Okay, I don't want to say it a second time. Everybody get ready." Shen Mu would not back down at all because of their dissuasion at this time.
He reached out his hand and called over a Holy Tree Knight, who led his Holy Tree heavy horse over.
Then he jumped onto the horse swiftly.
Looking at the generals and cavalrymen around him whose faces were somewhat stiff, Shen Mu's face became more and more smiling.
I explained to them, "Because that subway station entrance is related to my next strategic arrangement, I need to go and see it in person to feel at ease. And if I encounter danger, I can retreat with you. I still believe in you."
"We understand." Having said that, they could no longer stop Shen Mu from going to the most dangerous front line to check the enemy situation.
So they nodded to each other.
Gather your respective troops and set off.
With 10 Holy Tree Knights as personal guards, they closely protected Shen Mu.
Together with the 100 elite grassland bandits led by Bestur, they dispersed and provided support, forming a special light cavalry unit that was flexible and highly responsive.
If they really encounter any danger, these 100 grassland bandit elites will not hesitate to use their lives to help delay time.
The same goes for the 10 Holy Tree Knights.
Looking at these cavalrymen who were already ready, Shen Mu nodded, then waved towards the west gate, signaling them to open the gate.
After the Vaegir guerrilla archers opened the city gate, they began to ride their horses and march out in an orderly manner.
Rushed directly into the darkness outside.
However, every five of them had simple torches in their hands, and the burning objects wrapped around the torches released bursts of light and heat in the darkness, instantly dispelling the darkness and gray mist that possessed the rules of the undead.
And around them and in front of them, some undead monsters similar to skeleton soldiers, zombies, and ghouls appeared.
There is no need to worry at all.
Rushing in the front were the grassland bandit elites led by Bestur.
When they saw any skeleton soldiers, zombies or ghouls, they immediately cooperated closely with each other, raised the spears in their hands and stabbed forward.
All of these undead monsters were killed on the spot in the blink of an eye.
The undead monsters were originally slow in movement and had very weak combat power. Facing these grassland bandit elites who wore armor and held stronger spears, their fighting skills were also more skilled.
Now it is simply child's play for them to kill these undead monsters and let them return to the arms of death.
Yes, it's a joke.
The grassland bandit elites have become fourth-order soldiers, and their fighting skills have almost reached the level of a very skilled war machine in the continent of Calradia.
Killing these low-level undead monsters was simply too easy for them.
"The Sujia Village site is just ahead."
Shen Mu was also feeling relaxed at this time. He rode his horse forward, and the entire army was like a running steel machine, so efficient.
In just seven or eight minutes, they had rushed to the Sujia Village site.
There were already densely packed undead monsters lurking around, swaying back and forth and making whimpering sounds from time to time, looking quite scary.
Just with a few whooshing sounds, a large group of undead monsters fell to the ground.
Then came the rumbling sound of war horses' hooves approaching rapidly.
The night, which was originally shrouded in darkness and gray fog, was directly dispelled by the flames burning on the simple torches. Then, the grassland bandit elites rushed into the ranks of these undead monsters, holding spears and nomadic scimitars.
Then he started killing people indiscriminately.
It can be said that it was all useless. It only took seven or eight minutes to slaughter all the undead monsters entrenched near the Sujia Village site.
Even among these undead monsters, there are some skeleton monsters whose bones emit a gray-black metallic luster.
Still, they were chopped to pieces on the spot by the spears and nomadic scimitars.
It turned into useless broken bones all over the ground.
It also turned into some rotten bones.
"Safety."
"Safety!"
“It’s safe here too!”
After these grassland bandit elites surrounded the entire Sujia Village site, they even dismounted their horses and rushed into the underground supermarket to clear out all the undead monsters inside.
After making sure that all the undead monsters had been killed, they began to signal Shen Mu, who was surrounded by the Holy Tree Knights, that it was safe here.
This also shows that they are doing a good job.
"Very good." Shen Mu also nodded in praise.
Looking at the Sujia Village station in front of him, which was already littered with bone fragments, and the first floor of the underground supermarket inside, which was also turned into undead monsters with bone fragments.
There were also these grassland bandit elites who held torches to illuminate the indoor environment and made sure there was nothing unusual.
At this time, Shen Mu's eyes also had a look of "as expected".
"It's just as I thought. Those skeleton troops are really looking for trouble with the devils in hell."
Shen Mu muttered to himself at this time.
But the corners of his mouth were getting higher and higher, because this really made him very happy. After all, if he, the Hell Devil who had always been under great threat to the Vikia Castle, were to be entangled with those skeleton legions.
This would mean giving his Wikia Castle, New Rivadin, a sufficient buffer time.
This is equivalent to giving his new Rivadin a period of rapid development.
It doesn’t take too much time, just two or three months will be enough, at least that’s what Shen Mu thought.
As long as he is given this buffer time and his new Rivadin can develop stably, he will be able to effectively stop the attacks of both the Hell Devils and the Skeleton Legion.
After all, Shen Mu was quite confident about the defensive effect of these well-built stone castles on the continent of Calradia.
After all, everyone was fighting with cold weapons, and there was no extraordinary power that could completely destroy defensive buildings such as castles.
Then these stone castles represent reliability, peace of mind and solidity.
'Om! '
Just now.
A faint red light suddenly appeared on the negative 1st floor of the underground supermarket in front of him.
It is the dark red color that belongs to the rules of Hell and Devil’s Hell.
"Wait! Something's happening!" Immediately, the 10 Holy Tree Knights who had followed Shen Mu around him tightly gripped their spears, and raised their left arm shields to block Shen Mu.
Both eyes were fixed on the stairs on the underground supermarket level -1 in front of them.
Including the Kugit grassland bandit elites who had originally said they were safe, they all raised their spears or nomadic scimitars at the same time, looking towards the location on the -1 floor with extremely solemn expressions.
His face doesn't look very good.
After all, they had just checked this subway supermarket and confirmed that there was nothing unusual about the place, and they also declared it safe.
But within a few minutes he was slapped in the face. At the stairs on the negative 1st floor of the subway supermarket, the dark red light became stronger and stronger.
This is clearly the rules of hell in effect.
And the Kugit grassland bandit elites near the stairs on the negative 1st floor also heard some noise coming.
Everyone's expression changed slightly.
"The sound of fighting."
At this time, an elite bandit from the Kugit grassland suddenly spoke up.
Bestur, who was originally beside Shen Mu as a protector, frowned tightly at this time. He dismounted and walked quickly into the subway supermarket, listening carefully to the sounds coming from inside.
Then his expression became very strange, and he turned around and came to Shen Mu again and reported: "Master Shen Mu, there is indeed the sound of fighting."
"Yeah, I heard it." Shen Mu nodded slowly.
Because he did hear it.
Without dismounting, he arrived at the first floor of the subway supermarket with the 10 Holy Tree Knights who also dismounted and followed him closely.
The surrounding Kugit grassland bandit elites holding torches had already lit up the first floor.
It's basically the same as during the day.
Especially when you arrive at the underground first floor of the subway supermarket leading to the subway platform, there are four or five torches guarding there.
It actually illuminated the staircase leading to the subway platform on the underground first floor into a strange state of darkness and gray fog, as well as the light of torches and dark red light, where the three elements intersected and confronted each other.
The darkness and gray fog represent the rules of the dead.
The dark red light represents the rules of hell.
The light of the torch represents the rules after the fusion of the spiritual world and the blue star world.
All three intersect at the staircase on the negative 1 floor of this subway supermarket.
It does look weird.
"But this should have nothing to do with us." Shen Mu stood at the top of the stairs here, and stretched out his hand to signal the Kugit grassland bandit elites holding torches to step back.
Then the four or five elite Kugit grassland bandits holding torches also obediently took two steps back.
Then the light released by the fire just avoided a part of the stairs of the subway station, allowing the area filled with darkness and gray fog and the area filled with dark red light to occupy the absolute mainstream again.
The confrontation between the two sides became more intense.
Moreover, standing here, Shen Mu could clearly hear the sounds of fierce fighting coming from the platform of the Sujia Village station below and from the subway tunnel.
From time to time, there could be roars from the devils of hell and the crackling sounds of skulls shattering.
Plus the more intensive knocking sounds of skulls.
And the faint sound of arrows breaking through the air.
Shen Mu raised his brows.
"Sir, I didn't expect there was the sound of bows and arrows shooting right below."
At this time, next to Shen Mu, Bestur also frowned slightly and subconsciously touched the nomadic bow on his body.
Because he had heard the sound coming from below, and there was indeed the sound of an arrow breaking through the air.
It was obvious that someone was using bows and arrows in the battle below, and the number of bows and arrows used was quite large. At least from the sounds of arrows breaking through the air that he heard, he guessed that the number of archers was at least over 100.
After all, Bestur was born into a nomadic Kugit tribe.
As for the sound of bow and arrow shooting, it is all too familiar.
In a sense, the Kugits are a natural people of war horses and bows and arrows. They are more familiar with the sound of bow and arrow shooting than the Vikians who prefer to fight with battle axes.
"Yeah." Shen Mu's mouth curled up slightly at this time, without any extra expression on his face. He just said lightly: "Since those skeleton legions and the hell devils are fighting, let's not get involved in their affairs. Now we can go back to Xinriwading and have a good sleep."
"I understand." Bestur was slightly stunned, but then he understood. He nodded and called the surrounding Kugit grassland bandits to surround Shen Mu and started to go back.
After they left the first floor of the subway supermarket, they jumped on their horses, shook the reins again, and rushed towards Xinriwading.
Soon they disappeared into the thick darkness and left the Sujia Village site.
In a flash, he rushed into the outer layer of the castle.
"Sir, how is it?" At this time, Resarit, who had been in charge of the stay-at-home work, also walked over quickly.
Even Aileyen, who was supposed to be taking a break, walked over quickly to ask.
"Everything is fine, there is no problem." Shen Mu smiled and said, "Just as I thought, the undead monsters under the rules of the dead in the subway tunnel and the devils of hell under the rules of hell are in conflict and fighting."
"That's great." Resarit and Aileyon looked at each other and saw the joy in each other's eyes.
Because they all know it.
Since there was a fierce conflict between the two enemies he was facing, didn't that mean he had gained a large buffer space for himself?
As long as I can take advantage of this buffer time to develop as quickly as possible, that would be great.
They also understand the difference between tactics and strategy.
Also understand the importance of strategic buffer space.
What's more, now is precious time for strategic preparation. For them, this is an opportunity for development. This is like a fisherman who can take advantage of the conflict between the snipe and the clam.
"Since my conjecture has been verified tonight, I will need to return to Dehrium tomorrow."
Shen Mu also made a decision at this time.
After all, things like faith might still require careful arrangements on his part, especially since he already knew the role of the land of faith, he would definitely not miss this important opportunity.
At this time, he also said to Aileyen: "When I leave here, Aileyen, you will stay and be responsible for all the work of the new Riwadin Castle."
"Understood." Aileyen nodded immediately: "Thank you for your trust, Master Shen Mu, I will not let you down."
"Yes." Shen Mu nodded: "You should be alert here. If there is no special situation, there is no need to go out."
After a slight pause, Shen Mu also arranged: "At the same time, I will leave you 10 Holy Tree Knights as your personal guards, and also leave you 200 grassland bandits. If you have any problems, you can let the grassland bandits inform me in time."
"Understood." Aileyen nodded again.
The 10 Holy Tree Knights serve as his personal guards to protect him.
The 200 grassland bandits that have not been upgraded serve as light cavalry. If anything happens, they can use the speed advantage of the light cavalry to rush to Dehrim and pass on the message to him.
It can be said that the arrangement is quite good.
(End of this chapter)
