Earthquake

Could a truly invincible unit be forged in just one month?

Of course, that was impossible.

However, with proper training, it was absolutely possible to bring about a complete transformation in a unit, and Landen had already proven it with his actions.

Ever since he selected the Rock Lizards, under Landen's strict orders, the Hobgoblins and Rock Lizards spent every hour together. They trained, ate, slept, and even went to the toilet within a meter of each other!

Not only that, but Landen also replicated the military training methods from his previous life. For the first few days of training, these Hobgoblins had no contact with anything related to combat methods or tactics. They were exclusively engaged in basic training like standing drills, long-distance running, and push-ups.

It wasn't just the Hobgoblins; even the Rock Lizards were included in the training. Naturally, they didn't need to practice standing drills, but they had to demonstrate absolute obedience. If Hogg told them to charge, they charged; if she told them to stop, they stopped.

This high-intensity training, which lasted for days without a break, was deeply ingrained in the minds of these Hobgoblins and Rock Lizards, forming an almost instinctive response.

In the following period, tactics related to mounted combat were introduced into the training. However, the time allocated for this was still short, with more time still dedicated to basic training.

Who in this world understood the importance of fundamentals better than Landen? No one.

This wasn't just about forming instincts; it was also about shortening reaction times after those instincts kicked in. Originally, when Hogg's whistle sounded, both Hobgoblins and Rock Lizards needed several seconds to hear, interpret, and react. But as training progressed, this time was reduced to just over a second, with the potential for further reduction.

Hobgoblins are clumsy, arguably one of the most unintelligent races among intelligent beings, and Rock Lizards aren't even intelligent creatures. Teaching such beings something new is difficult. However, making them react faster to instinctive actions is actually easier. When information is received, their underdeveloped brains don't engage in the various analyses and feedback that higher intelligent beings do. Simple transmission, simple feedback, naturally leads to faster results!

Yes, what helped the Hobgoblin knight unit win this battle wasn't their immense strength or their outstanding combat tactics. The absolute coordination between knight and mount laid the foundation, and speed—speed determined everything!

Although only one or two hundred people witnessed this battle, and it occurred in the Underworld, a region where information doesn't flow easily, this battle, destined to be recorded in history, would ultimately be remembered and widely disseminated.

Of course, the two main figures who orchestrated this battle, Landen and his Beast-eared Cutie subordinate Hogg, clearly weren't paying much attention to this aspect.

"Damn coward, running away like that! Don't give me another chance, or you're dead!" Hogg stood with one foot on the corpse of the Black Iron Peak Dark Elf she had instantly killed, her posture incredibly domineering. Yet, paired with her delicate figure, it exuded an indescribable cuteness.

The reason for her current fury had nothing to do with the Hobgoblin knights' performance earlier. It was entirely because... she hadn't had enough fun. The strongest enemy had escaped, leaving her extremely displeased and even more eager for the next battle.

So, she began to urge them on, "Hey, we've cleared the passage for you. Can you hurry up? Don't you know that delaying the attack is wrong?"

Faced with such a question, everyone, including Vivian, remained silent. What could they say to someone who had just accomplished what they couldn't?

Meanwhile, in the Yumas region, by the Blackwater River, in the Stalagmite Area.

Landen was unaware of the battle's outcome. Even if he had known, his reaction might have been similar to Hogg's. Although the training was handed over to Hogg, the content originated from him, so he had the most confidence in these Hobgoblin knights.

Therefore, even if someone reported the details of this battle to Landen now, he would only say, "Oh, well done, you deserve a reward. Keep up the good work." And then, he would continue with what he was currently doing.

Landen was still studying the stalagmite.

The communication difficulties with the Bear Hobgoblin had slowed down the research progress. Landen had been trying to understand the Bear Hobgoblin's gestures and act accordingly the entire time.

However, on multiple occasions, just as he was about to do something, the Bear Hobgoblin would anxiously and frantically stop him. Clearly, Landen had misunderstood and had almost taken actions that could harm the treasure.

This left Landen speechless and frustrated. In the end, he simply made a decisive move. He gave a few instructions to some Dark Elves and then directly untied the Bear Hobgoblin.

"You do it!"

This time, the intellectually simple Bear Hobgoblin instantly understood Landen's intention. Its furry face showed clear excitement. It even gave Landen a proper salute, as if thanking him for the opportunity. Then, the Bear Hobgoblin walked up to the stalagmite.

It first caressed the stalagmite with fascination for a full minute, then suddenly started running.

Landen didn't stop it, instead having the Dark Elves follow closely behind.

The Bear Hobgoblin first ran to a damp corner, crouched its somewhat stout body, and dug with grunts. Soon, a large clump of moss accumulated in its claws.

Holding the moss, the Bear Hobgoblin quickly turned and ran back to the stalagmite. As if performing a sacrifice, it devoutly held the clump of moss before the stalagmite. When the moss was still ten centimeters away, a peculiar thing happened: a suction force emanated from the stalagmite, directly pulling the moss onto it!

The Bear Hobgoblin seemed to have expected this; it had already turned and run again. This time, it fetched a handful of water from the Blackwater River.

Then, Landen watched as the Bear Hobgoblin began digging a pit on the ground. Landen wanted to have the Dark Elves help with tools, but the Bear Hobgoblin stopped him. It worked alone, digging more than a meter deep and scooping out a clump of soil.

Finally, the Bear Hobgoblin took out two items from itself and struck them together near the stalagmite, creating a few sparks.

After completing these actions, the Bear Hobgoblin stopped and looked at Landen, gesturing again. This time, its gestures were simple, and Landen quickly understood its meaning.

So, Landen walked to the stalagmite and gently blew on the spot where the moss, water, soil, and sparks had already adhered.

The earth suddenly began to shake!