"As long as we're careful and have these ten Swadian Recruits kill Undead Monsters only in the corridors near the Stronghold Main House, there won't be a problem."
Shen Mu still gave the matter careful consideration.
Although this would slow the Swadian Recruits' leveling somewhat, it was clearly much safer.
The Necromantic Rules were extremely bizarre. The danger at night was absolutely not limited to the few Undead Monsters he had seen before.
The lingering memories of Shen Mu's predecessor told him this.
If the number of Undead Monsters killed within a small area reached a certain threshold, it would trigger a special reaction from the Necromantic Rules.
More powerful and terrifying Undead Monsters would descend.
There were even Undead Monsters capable of using energy, like spellcasters. They were extremely terrifying!
"It's never wrong to be cautious." Shen Mu pursed his lips.
And so, two days flashed by.
The sun was now setting in the west.
The dim yellow sunlight struggled once more along the western horizon, like something barely clinging to life as it released the last remnants of its strength.
They were the last lingering attachment and protection that Blue Star's original rules held for their homeland.
Darkness was coming.
In less than half an hour, Blue Star would be consumed by the darkness simulated by the Necromantic Rules, and endless Undead Monsters would appear across the world.
Many Blue Star humans still surviving in this world had already lit bonfires and begun preparing to hide.
However, in an apartment complex in the suburbs of Long City.
The fragrance of wheat porridge wafted through the air.
Inside Shen Mu's Stronghold Main House, the fire in the fireplace burned fiercely, streams of choking smoke pouring out through the chimney.
Five Swadian Footmen, temporarily assigned as cooks, busily prepared dinner.
The Stronghold Main House had ready-made cooking tools, including large long-handled ladles, huge iron pots, large wooden trays, and plenty of wooden bowls.
After all, the Stronghold Main House itself had been remodeled from a tower.
And towers were often core structures in a section of wall within castles or fortresses.
So having these cooking tools was perfectly normal.
Beside the bonfire, a massive iron pot absorbed the fireplace's heat, causing the thick wheat porridge inside to bubble and churn.
The Swadian Footmen threw in chopped vegetables, dried mushrooms and dried earthworms delivered by the Halflings, along with all kinds of rice and flour found on Blue Star. They even added several cans of braised beef or pork, making the wheat porridge smell wonderful.
On the grill beside the fireplace, slices of bread cut with a saw had been toasted until they formed a crisp crust, making them crunchier and more delicious.
Several small iron cans beside it held various syrups made by dissolving white sugar or rock sugar in water and boiling them.
These syrups were sauces meant to be spread on the bread later.
There were also peanut butter, sesame paste, date paste, and other things, all intended to improve the taste.
After all, tonight would be an exceptionally important battle.
Shen Mu attached great importance to it.
Thus, the food had been prepared with every effort, reaching the best standard currently possible.
The soldiers had actually sensed the heavy atmosphere pervading the Stronghold Main House. While eating, no one whispered to one another. They all ate quickly.
But they did not eat too much.
If they ate too much before the coming fierce battle, they might vomit from tension and exertion during combat. That could get people killed.
The twenty-five Tier 3 Swadian Footmen, ten Tier 2 Mercenary Sentinels, and ten Tier 2 Lake Rats Recruits had all seen real battle.
Naturally, they understood such simple truths.
Once dinner was over.
The forty-five fully armed soldiers, all ready for battle, sat resting at their assigned positions throughout the Stronghold Main House.
Shen Mu sat in the high-backed wooden chair at the head of the long table, placing his Germanic Sword and Fan Shield on the tabletop.
As he waited, he nodded to himself.
"Good thing I managed to train those ten Swadian Militia at the last moment last night and upgrade them all into Swadian Footmen."
Inside the Stronghold Main House were the twenty-five Swadian Footmen. They sat in groups of five, silent and still, their chainmail glinting coldly in the dim light, looking exceptionally capable.
They were unquestionably the main force in tonight's fierce battle.
When facing the Demon Troops, whose numbers, types, and strength were unknown, with only one certainty—that they would attack.
Shen Mu needed these shield-and-spear-wielding Swadian Footmen to form a tight defensive line and block the enemy's advance in the corridors.
"Then there are the ballistae set up on the top floor, along with the Mercenary Sentinels' light crossbows, to provide damage output."
Shen Mu let out a heavy sigh.
The unknown was what frightened people most.
As night drew near, even his heart gradually became heavier and more serious.
During the previous two days, when Shen Mu had led those ten Swadian Recruits to level up.
On the first night, when they had advanced into Swadian Militia, Shen Mu noticed that the sulfurous stench filling the corridor had grown stronger.
And it was even more concentrated near the corridor by Room 7040.
By last night.
That dense stench had spread into the corridors here.
Until now.
'Buzz!' Outside the window, as the last trace of sunset vanished, Blue Star was instantly engulfed by darkness so complete that one could not see a hand before one's face.
As utter darkness and evil descended.
A mixture of sulfur, blood, rot, and all manner of foul odors surged through the corridor like a howling gale!
Even Shen Mu and the soldiers inside the Stronghold Main House instinctively covered their noses.
Even the scent of wheat porridge that had filled the room was completely swept away.
Only that stench remained!
"Everyone, attention!" Shen Mu rose to his feet. The Swadian Footmen resting against the walls also stood immediately with him, moving crisply as their chainmail clattered.
Shen Mu's gaze was extremely solemn. Looking at the soldiers, whose faces showed little fear, he spoke in a deep voice. "Prepare for battle!"
"For Swadia! Prepare for battle!" the Swadian Footmen answered in unison, their gazes resolute and their voices utterly without tremor.
On the contrary.
Seeing Shen Mu's grave expression, these Light Footmen—who had joined in hopes of earning glory and carving out a future for themselves in chaotic times—became even more eager for battle.
Or rather, they had the courage to face the battle that was about to arrive!
Bang!
At that moment, a tremendous crash came from outside the stronghold.
If someone had arrived outside Room 7040 on the seventh floor right then, they would have discovered in horror that something had smashed apart the Security Door made of sheet metal.
As even more overpowering stench poured out from within.
One after another, stronger-built imps wielding finer iron forks and moving more swiftly flapped their wings, cackling as they leaped out.
Within just a few minutes, hundreds of imps had crammed the entire corridor so tightly that it became extremely crowded!
At the same time, a gigantic claw with rough skin and an overall dark-red color pressed against the doorframe.
Crack!
The doorframe was as fragile as tofu dregs. It was crushed and twisted in a single grip, while even fragments of the reinforced concrete wall fell away in streams.
"Gah! Gahahaha!" The imps leaped fearfully to either side, clearing a path for the owner of that huge claw.
As Gray Fog Permeates.
A demon more than two meters tall appeared in the corridor, with enormous arms, a burly body, two huge goat horns on its forehead, and a blackened surface like cooled lava!
And after the demon appeared, waves of snarls came from behind it.
Seven or eight hellhounds, each larger than a wolfdog, bared their fangs as they entered this world.
Their red-glowing eyes stared ahead.
They fixed vicious gazes on Shen Mu's stronghold across the corridor.
This signified...
The Demon Troops' attack had begun!
Before you continue