Deployed Light Ballista

Narot and the two Robber friends who followed him left Shen Mu's stronghold, carrying nearly 30 pieces of ironware.

Just as they arrived, they turned into phantoms within the Wheat Field, gradually and completely disappearing.

"Lord Shen Mu, those three guys have left."

The Lake Rats Recruit returned to report.

"Okay." Shen Mu nodded, his tone calm. "I know. Next time they come, perhaps they'll be our true friends."

Shen Mu waved his hand, signaling the Lake Rats Recruit to return to his post at the entrance connecting the Stronghold Main House and the Wheat Field.

At the entrance connecting to the corridor, two Swadian Footmen stood guard.

Their division of labor was extremely clear.

As for the firing ports, the 10 Mercenary Sentinels stood guard and rested there with their Light Crossbows, arranging it themselves.

This included the Swadian Footmen and new recruits who were already sleeping on the floor of the main house.

Everything looked orderly.

"I should go back to sleep too." Shen Mu glanced out the window; it was still dark. The Gray Fog flowed, and the Necromantic Rules filled the night.

It was still that terrifying, dangerous, evil, and strange appearance.

However.

For Shen Mu, that absolute fear had quietly disappeared with the appearance of these Mount & Blade Soldiers.

Shen Mu went up the steep stairs to the second floor of the main house, opened the door to his own bedroom, and walked in.

A simple but sturdy wooden bed, soft straw padding on the bed, animal skins laid on top, and a handmade wool blanket.

Although it was worse than the Simmons mattress and down comforter he used to sleep on.

But when it covered Shen Mu.

It brought.

A sense of security and warmth that could even protect his soul.

"This isn't an illusion, it's real." Shen Mu lay on the bed, lost in thought. "It should be the Mount & Blade Rules taking effect."

Before, even sleeping by a Bonfire, he could feel that chill originating from his soul.

That should have been the erosion of the Necromantic Rules.

The warmth now.

Was the protection of the Mount & Blade Rules for him!

"Oh, right, I still have a Bronze Chest I haven't opened."

Shen Mu thought of something before going to sleep.

His mind communicated with the system again.

Ding! You have opened the 'Bronze Chest'.

Congratulations! You have obtained 'Light Ballista' ×1.

Immediately, a dialogue box refreshed on his retina.

And in Shen Mu's mind, a bronze-colored card with a ballista drawn on it appeared.

Then, a secondary page about the ballista unfolded.

Item Name: Light Ballista

Item Description: This is a lightweight version of a powerful ballista. After being strung with a winch, it can shoot one-meter-long short spears, effectively killing enemies within a range of 150 meters.

Item Notes: Requires 2 people to operate and needs a 3m × 3m space when deployed.

"Light Ballista." Shen Mu raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of stunned surprise appearing on his face.

This was truly hitting the jackpot.

Especially with such a sharp weapon added just before the demon monster troops were about to attack his stronghold.

It was simply like adding fuel to the fire, plus edition!

"Install it on the second floor."

Shen Mu's mind moved slightly, making a decision.

And right next to Shen Mu's bedroom, near the corridor, in the room where the off-duty Mercenary Sentinels rested and prepared for battle.

Buzz! A profound power descended first, followed by a stream of data that instantly appeared from Shen Mu's brow.

They intertwined, turning into white light that began to manifest.

When the white light gradually dispersed.

A brand new ballista, looking as if it had just been made, with a two-meter bow arm and a three-meter main body, appeared there.

The wooden trough emitted a slightly foul smell of lubricant, and the iron parts were painted black and shiny.

And next to this ballista, the data stream finally wrapped around.

White light flickered.

Inside the three wooden barrels filled with wine, 30 short spears were stuck.

They were densely packed, like giant hedgehogs stuffed full, giving any friendly troops standing nearby a feeling of absolute security.

Light Ballista, the name included the word "light," but it was still a ballista!

Let alone ordinary soldiers.

Even heavily armed warriors, covered in heavy armor and holding the thickest kite shields, would feel fear when facing a ballista.

Even heavy cavalry with iron shields, both man and horse covered in plate armor.

Within a distance of 50 meters.

They would have to show respect for this type of Light Ballista.

"With this ballista, it's like having a Rhodok Sharpshooter," Shen Mu chuckled.

And when defending a city.

The effect of a Light Ballista is sometimes even stronger than that of a Rhodok Sharpshooter!

For example...

Outside the second floor, it can directly aim at the narrow corridor from the Seventh Floor Apartment's elevator shaft all the way to the Stronghold Main House!

Paired with these Mercenary Sentinels, Shen Mu only had to imagine it to know that this corridor would definitely become a death corridor!

"This is really good." Shen Mu fell asleep easily.

However, outside.

Seventh Floor Apartment.

On the diagonal side of the day-shaped layout.

Room 7040.

A trace of even denser Gray Fog began to seep out from under the door.

And an increasingly strong smell of sulfur also began to appear on this floor as the Gray Fog spread.

If observed closely.

One could even clearly see that within this door crack, some kind of frenzied, chaotic, and violent aura seemed to be gathering.

Gathering little by little.

Like.

An egg about to hatch!

The next day, early morning.

The moment the first ray of sunlight appeared, the seemingly eternal darkness and dense Gray Fog that enveloped the entire Blue Star instantly dissipated.

Only in certain corners where sunlight couldn't reach, in dark places, did darkness and Gray Fog still exist.

But on the vast land, cities, mountains, rivers.

Various buildings, factories, and distinctive structures.

Also appeared one after another.

As if everything had returned to the appearance of Blue Star's glorious era.

"This is really comfortable." Shen Mu lifted the thin wool blanket and sat up from the bed, squinting at the window.

The sky was still slightly dim, but the sun had already risen, and the sky was getting brighter and brighter.

Shen Mu lifted the wooden board serving as a window.

Outside the apartment, the distant city center, with its towering buildings standing like a steel jungle, made him stare in a daze.

"Longcheng." The name of that city appeared in Shen Mu's mind.

It was also the general term for this area.

The city where his predecessor had lived for seventeen or eighteen years.

And.

During the three years of darkness, it was a den of demons, full of danger, full of terror, full of death threats, which people dared not approach easily.

High-rise buildings were the symbol of the glory and prosperity of Blue Star's cities in the past.

However.

When the Necromantic Rules descended.

The massive underground shopping malls, civil defense structures, underground parking lots, and subway networks became breeding grounds for Undead Monsters.

Let alone at night, even during the day, if it wasn't bright noon, a thin layer of Gray Fog would linger.

If it was a cloudy day, even Undead Monsters would appear!

"And encountering the Black Tide makes it even more dangerous." Shen Mu pursed his lips, a deep apprehension surfacing in his eyes at the thought of this term.

Because according to his predecessor's memory, the Black Tide, which appeared every three months, seemed to be approaching soon!

However, just then, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Knock, knock, knock."

At the same time, the voice of a Swadian Footman came from outside: "Lord Shen Mu, there's a neighbor from the fifth floor outside who wishes to see you."