However, after pondering for a long time over how to upgrade those twenty-five Swadian Footmen, Shen Mu finally made a decision.
By the time he made that decision, dawn had already broken.
Fifteen burly, powerfully built Swadian Footmen stood solemnly on either side of the long table in the Stronghold Main House. They wore Coat of Plates Heavy Chainmail, carried heavy fan shields on their backs, had hand-and-a-half swords for combat and combat hoes for piercing armor at their waists, and held three-meter-long spears with iron-wrapped tips and even longer spearheads.
Beneath their flat-topped helmets, riveted together from iron plates and chainmail links, their eyes were cold and emotionless, as if nothing could sway their iron wills.
Tier 4 Heavy Infantry could already be considered true elite soldiers in any Mount & Blade world.
At the boundary between the Stronghold Main House and the room containing the wheat field—
Ten equally burly Lake Rats Veteran Thugs stood there with arrogant expressions. They wore Multi-layered Belted Leather Armor in the typical Sturgian style, carried Large Round Shields and two bags containing a total of ten harpoons, and held woodland axes that possessed greater Destructive Power and better armor-piercing effects than small bladed axes.
The fierce, thuggish aura radiating from them, along with the eyes beneath their nasal helmets, made the twenty-five bandits nearby look at them with longing.
Of course, even more eye-catching were the Swadian Heavy Cavalry in the wheat field.
Ten Swadian Heavy Cavalry.
At that moment, these Heavy Cavalry had dismounted. With the eager help of the thirty newly added Swadian Footmen and fifty Swadian Peasants, they were removing the Heavy Chainmail Horse Armor from their sturdy, well-fed warhorses and setting it aside.
This Heavy Chainmail Horse Armor was extremely heavy.
Even though these warhorses were fine horses carefully bred on estates and trained in military camps by the Kingdom of Swadia, exceptionally healthy, capable of carrying tremendous loads, and blessed with remarkable strength and stamina—
They still needed to have the armor removed during non-combat periods, lest those even more valuable warhorses be exhausted.
That was right. This was Shen Mu's plan for upgrading those twenty-five Swadian Footmen.
Fifteen Swadian Footmen would lead thirty Swadian Footmen to form an Infantry Combat Team.
No matter what situation Shen Mu encountered, this combat team of forty-five infantrymen would be the first to step forward.
As for the ten Swadian Heavy Cavalry, they were Shen Mu's trump card.
If the opportunity was right—
Shen Mu would not hesitate to command these ten Swadian Heavy Cavalry, armed to the teeth and equipped with lances roughly four meters long, classified as Heavy Shock Cavalry, to charge the enemy and thoroughly demonstrate why the Kingdom of Swadia was invincible in Field Battle throughout the Warband World!
For now, though, Shen Mu was still immersed in sweet dreams, savoring their beauty.
Last night's battle had been far too intense. He was truly exhausted.
When Shen Mu opened his eyes again—
He turned to look at the bright daylight beyond the bedroom window and the clear blue sky dotted with drifting clouds, and was momentarily stunned.
"Mm, is it already noon?" Shen Mu sat up from the bed.
He had really slept for a long time.
Shen Mu rubbed his face.
At that moment, he felt exceptionally refreshed.
Even searching through the memories of the original owner of this body, ever since Blue Star had been eroded by the Necromantic Rules, he had never slept so long or so peacefully.
Many times, to keep the campfire or candles from going out, he would wake in alarm more than a dozen times each night.
Even when catching up on sleep during the day, he would be so frightened that he would suddenly jolt awake in the middle of sleeping. Only after realizing it was daytime would he fall back into a deep sleep. It had always been such fragmented rest.
"No wonder. Before, I had always been fighting alone. Now that I have Mount & Blade soldiers, there's no need to be so afraid anymore."
Shen Mu put on the coarse linen robe he had grown accustomed to wearing, opened the bedroom door, and descended the narrow stairs to the Stronghold Main House.
The soldiers were still taking turns standing guard and resting, having already consciously assigned their own duties.
"Lord Shen Mu!"
Whether they were Swadian Footmen or Light Footmen, upon seeing Shen Mu approach, they all rose, stood at attention, and respectfully beat their chests, bowed their heads, and greeted him.
This was their tribute to Shen Mu, an important figure who was not a lord yet surpassed one, not a noble yet surpassed one, and possessed a special status.
"Mm." Shen Mu nodded seriously in return.
He arrived at the room containing the wheat field.
Over here—
Within the long strip of wheat field that covered a full mu after forty apartment rooms had been connected together, even more soldiers had gathered.
Most eye-catching of all were the ten Swadian Heavy Cavalry and their warhorses, surrounded by the Light Footmen and peasants!
"Lord Shen Mu! We pay our respects!"
When the Light Footmen, peasants, and Heavy Cavalry saw Shen Mu push open the door and enter, they all respectfully beat their chests, lowered their heads, and bent at the waist in salute.
"Mm, very good." Shen Mu nodded in response, his satisfied gaze lingering especially on the ten Swadian Heavy Cavalry.
After making his choice last night, he had been too tired to inspect them carefully before going to sleep.
Now that daylight had come, seeing them in person left him truly satisfied.
It had to be said—
The Heavy Cavalry of the Kingdom of Swadia truly fulfilled every fantasy one could have about heavy cavalry!
Strong bodies, heavy armor, fine warhorses, armor from head to toe.
When fully armed for war—
They possessed an overwhelmingly striking presence!
"Very good." Shen Mu praised them once more before turning and returning to the Stronghold Main House, where he sat in his usual seat.
A new day, new work.
After all, having dealt with the invading Demon Troops, Shen Mu still had a Silver Tier Treasure Chest and a full mu of wheat field ready to be deployed waiting for him to arrange.
That Silver Tier Treasure Chest in particular was the first one Shen Mu had ever obtained.
Thinking of the two treasure chests he had received before, both of which had only been bronze-tier, Shen Mu could not help feeling a little excited now that he had upgraded to a Silver Tier Treasure Chest.
"Open the Silver Tier Treasure Chest!"
Shen Mu's Mind Communicates with System.
'Buzz!'
In his mind, the treasure chest that had been floating there slowly opened. It was made entirely of wood, but its edges were wrapped not in bronze, but silver, making it far more luxurious and radiant.
Multicolored light flickered, while silver radiance shone as bright and pure as moonlight spilling down.
Then, as the silver treasure chest fully opened, it finally transformed into a dialogue box.
Ding! You have opened a Silver Tier Treasure Chest! Congratulations! You have obtained "Lake Rats Training Camp (Stronghold Building)"! Item Name: Lake Rats Training Camp Item Type: Stronghold Building Item Description: This is the training camp of the notorious Lake Rats from the Great Lakes Region of the Kingdom of Sturgia. Only qualified individuals are permitted to join the Lake Rats Family and become members whom both caravans and lords throughout the Great Lakes Region must respect. Item Function: Allows soldiers of the "Evil Faction" to upgrade into "Lake Rats Recruit" within the camp. Note: This item is a Special Building. Once deployed, it is equivalent to another camp and requires a relatively large area. Please choose the location carefully.
A new dialogue box appeared before Shen Mu.
It made him raise his eyebrows slightly.
"Lake Rats... Training Camp!?"
Even Shen Mu felt somewhat astonished and delighted now.
He truly had not expected that what came from the Silver Tier Treasure Chest would not be ordinary troop types or treasures like the Low-level Supply Ring.
It was actually a building that could help soldiers upgrade into a Special Family Troop Type with better effects!
Shen Mu merely glanced through the introduction to the Lake Rats Training Camp.
He understood immediately.
This building—
Was practically tailor-made for figuring out how those twenty-five bandits should be upgraded afterward!
"When I added the Treasure Chest System back then, it was to bring uncertainty and fun into the game. I really didn't expect that decision to help me out so much."
The corners of Shen Mu's lips curled upward, and his eyes were filled with amusement.
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