The Underground Parking's Apprehension

The daily consumption of drinking water for 150 people plus 10 warhorses is indeed an astronomical figure.

The bottled or barreled water stored by the previous owner, as well as that found in the dark rooms where even time seemed to freeze, was finally completely used up today.

"Then go fetch water."

However, Shen Mu was not in a hurry. Instead, he calmly and composedly arranged, "Have all the Swadian Heavy Cavalry come over."

"Yes." The Swadian Footman nodded, then turned and went to the barracks, which were set up in the apartment rooms on both sides of the fifth floor, to call the heavy cavalry.

In a moment, 10 Swadian Heavy Cavalry, wearing fine linen robes and without armor, walked over.

They stood in a straight line, calmly and respectfully greeting Shen Mu: "Greetings, Lord Shen Mu!"

"Mm." Shen Mu nodded and said, "Go to the livestock pen and lead your warhorses down, put on full armor, and then leave the apartment with me to protect the Swadian Recruits while they fetch water."

"We obey your command."

The Swadian Heavy Cavalry responded, then turned and quickly walked towards the spiral staircase of the tower.

Soon, they led their own Swadian Warhorses, carefully walking down the spiral staircase, which was less than a meter wide, from the seventh floor to the Castle Hall on the fifth floor.

Although the spiral staircase was narrow and steep, it didn't mean their warhorses couldn't pass through.

Moreover, both the Chain Armor of these Swadian Heavy Cavalry and the Chain Armor of these warhorses were stored in their barracks rooms.

Therefore, as long as time permitted, after leading the warhorses to the Castle Hall, the 10 cavalrymen would help each other put on their respective armor and then put horse armor on the warhorses. This would complete their armament, and they would be ready for battle at any time.

"Very good." Shen Mu nodded with satisfaction when he saw the 10 Swadian Heavy Cavalry ready.

At this time, he did not set off.

Instead, he communicated with the system, causing a dialogue box to appear on his Retina.

You have soldiers that can be upgraded:
① 50 Swadian Peasants, can be upgraded to 'Mercenary Sentinel (10 Denars per person) / Swadian Recruit (5 Denars per person)'. 200+150
② 10 Mercenary Sentinels, can be upgraded to 'Mercenary Crossbowman (50 Denars per person)'. 500
③ 25 Robbers, can be upgraded to 'Outlaw Bandit (20 Denars per person) / Lake Rats Recruit (20 Denars per person and requires Lake Rats Training Camp)'. 500
④ 30 Swadian Footmen, can be upgraded to 'Swadian Footman (100 Denars per person) / Swadian Heavy Cavalry (100 Denars per person)'. 3000

This was a prompt about troop upgrades.

And since Shen Mu had just received 5000 Denars, he was wealthy and had a financial surplus, so he had naturally made his decision.

"Upgrade 50 Swadian Peasants to 20 Mercenary Sentinels and 30 Swadian Recruits."

"Upgrade all 10 Mercenary Sentinels to Mercenary Crossbowmen."

"Have all 25 Robbers go to the Lake Rats Training Camp to upgrade to Lake Rats Recruits."

"Upgrade all 30 Swadian Footmen to Swadian Footmen."

Shen Mu made the arrangements in an orderly manner.

Thus, from the center of Shen Mu's eyebrows, streams of data condensed into white light and began to extend outwards.

Nearly half of the Mount & Blade Soldiers in the entire castle were now enveloped by this white light, beginning to load the combat experience of higher-level soldiers and materialize new weapons and equipment.

Including the physique and quality of these soldiers themselves, they also became stronger and stronger as the data streams were loaded.

The Warband Faction Troops had completed their transformation.

There were now 45 Tier 4 Swadian Footmen.

The 30 Tier 1 Swadian Recruits, holding Long-handled Sickles, also lined up curiously and excitedly.

The 10 Tier 3 Mercenary Crossbowmen, holding War Crossbows, were now leading the 20 Tier 2 Mercenary Sentinels in formation.

Only the 25 Robbers were climbing the stairs, heading to the Lake Rats Training Camp on the sixth floor, which required passing through the seventh floor and crossing an entire Wheat Field area to enter the half-remaining sixth floor, to complete their promotion to Tier 2 Lake Rats Recruits.

Ding! You have chosen to upgrade troops!
You have consumed 4350 Denars.
Your current remaining savings: 1400 Denars.

In Shen Mu's ears, there was suddenly a sound of Denars colliding, becoming weaker and weaker.

He knew this meant his savings were decreasing.

But there was no other way.

To upgrade, he had to pay the price in Denars.

"This is still because the Mount & Blade Soldiers I have don't have weekly wages as maintenance fees."

Shen Mu pursed his lips at this point.

Not having maintenance fees indeed helped save the largest part of the expenditure.

Otherwise, just the weekly maintenance fees would give him a headache.

"Lord Shen Mu!"

While Shen Mu was thinking, the 30 Swadian Recruits, who had completed their upgrade and become Tier 1 troops, walked over carrying their Long-handled Sickles and respectfully saluted Shen Mu.

"Mm, very good." Shen Mu nodded, then instructed them, "Go get all the buckets and basins. We're going to fetch water."

"Yes." The Swadian Recruits immediately turned around to find the appropriate water containers.

This was easy for them.

Plastic, iron, aluminum, or stainless steel buckets and basins were plentiful in this era.

Soon, each of them was holding a large bucket or basin. To be able to carry them steadily when full of water, these Swadian Recruits even put down their favored long-handled sickles and old fan shields, only keeping a short axe or pickaxe for self-defense.

"Let's go."

Seeing that they were ready, Shen Mu waved to the Swadian Heavy Cavalry, who were fully clad in heavy chain armor along with their horses, and walked outside together.

Neigh! At this moment, the Sacred Tree White Steed from the Pendor World behind Shen Mu also walked over.

Even without Shen Mu holding the reins, it obediently followed by his side, walking slowly.

Including the Swadian Heavy Cavalry holding the reins.

And those recruits.

They all followed behind.

However, when they looked at the white steed behind Shen Mu, which didn't need reins, they showed expressions of envy and reverence.

Especially the 10 Swadian Heavy Cavalry, looking at the white steed. Although it wasn't wearing barding or even a caparison, its strong physique, powerful and long legs, and the crisp 'clop-clop' sound of its horseshoes hitting the ground could tell them that this was definitely a good horse.

They even vaguely sensed that it was superior to their own warhorses, which were bred on Swadian Kingdom estates and trained in racecourses, and even better than excellent horses!

And that was indeed the case.

Shen Mu led his Sacred Tree Steed to the fire door. The Lake Rats Veteran Thug stationed there eagerly pulled the doors wide open, allowing them to slowly descend along the zigzagging stairs to the first floor.

This Sacred Tree Steed, originating from the low-magic Pendor Continent and the G-version world, indeed displayed intelligent behavior.

It followed closely by Shen Mu's side, step by step, without any mistakes going down the stairs, and was very agile.

Shen Mu was very satisfied with this.

However, while going from the fourth floor to the first floor, looking at the empty stairwells and the unchanged narrow apartment corridors inside the many violently damaged fire doors, his face showed a slight contemplation.

He had deliberately left the corridors and apartments from the first to fourth floors largely untouched, only removing the elevator room and changing the direction of the stairs.

This was for the convenience of the night, when the gray fog permeated and the necromantic rules descended.

He could use the necromantic rules to farm monsters on these floors!

That's right, farming monsters.

Shen Mu still hoped that the 30 Swadian Recruits would quickly upgrade to Tier 2 Swadian Militia.

Of course, they had to farm monsters and accumulate experience to achieve that!

"And... there's also the underground parking lot beneath the apartments, which connects the entire floor of the four apartment buildings. We can farm monsters there too!"

Upon reaching the first floor, Shen Mu also lowered his head and glanced at the direction where a thick steel door was located next to the stairs, his eyes solemn.

That was the underground parking lot.

It was also a civil defense project.

Composed of thick steel doors and reinforced concrete.

When the necromantic rules first descended, it was already sealed, filled with absolute darkness, and had probably long become a nest for undead monsters.

"Every time the Black Tide descends every three months, the earliest terrifying undead monsters that appear are those that rush out from these underground parking lots or civil defense projects!"

"This is also why people don't like living on the first floor or in ground-floor rooms..."

"A slight carelessness can lead to being discovered by those undead monsters, which then brings trouble, or even death."

Shen Mu sighed.

He didn't think too much, and led his troops, turning around and walking towards a direction about two blocks away from this apartment.

Because he knew.

Just over there, a small river, the Xiaolong River, which traversed the entire Longcheng, was flowing with abundant water resources.