The Quarry

Zhang Yang was eager to get the Iron Wall Battle Rune for a more important reason: he planned to take Wu Yuan to start the Hero's Trial.

However, the Hero's Trial would be very dangerous, so having more ways to ensure his survival was essential to prevent himself from dying in there.

For instance, an Imprisonment Spear of better quality, armor and shields enchanted with Iron Wall spells, and enough mana. This miraculous power was something Zhang Yang couldn't stop thinking about.

"Village Chief, good news, we've discovered a stone mine."

Just as Zhang Yang stood before the Wood Demon Tower, preparing to refine demon blood again, a soldier excitedly ran back to report.

"What? Where is it, and how far?"

In his excitement, he didn't care about refining demon blood anymore. A stone mine was crucial. This was essential for building actual castles and city walls, not the current forts made of mud and giant timber.

"Reporting, Village Chief, it's in the southeast direction, about sixteen or seventeen li away, in a valley. There are also signs of excavation inside. Captain Wu Yuan sent me back to report because he suspects it might have been excavated by that Great Antlered Deer."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang immediately understood. A rudimentary topographic map quickly formed in his mind.

Ten days ago, the first time he appeared in the forest was about five kilometers directly south of the village. Then he turned northwest about two kilometers and encountered the Spider Lord, spending a night there and encountering Earth-Walking Wood Demons.

The Earth-Walking Wood Demons had come from the northwest or due north.

Their group had fought fiercely with the Earth-Walking Wood Demons and finally killed them about three kilometers southwest of the village. Then they encountered Deer Demons there and finally fled all the way to this spot to establish the village.

And now, a quarry for a Deer Demon village was found six or seven kilometers southeast of his village. Did that mean the Deer Demon village was actually directly east, southeast, or directly south of this quarry?

Would the Jackalman village also be within this range, no more than fifty kilometers away?

I have to go see for myself. This is no small matter. Although the Deer Demon village has long been plundered by the Jackalmen, there might be some gains.

Thinking this, Zhang Yang immediately summoned four archer captains and four shield soldier captains. He also specifically instructed Qin Yidao to lead the remaining 15 archer captains to guard the fort.

Outside the fort, Zhang Yang also instructed Liang Short-Legs, the leader of the logging team, who also brought several shield soldier captains with him.

Additionally, at the training ground and residential area, there were over a dozen captain-level soldiers. With such military strength, as long as they didn't encounter powerful enemies like the Deer Demon or Jackalman Village Chief, there was nothing to worry about.

Afterward, Zhang Yang and nine soldiers ran wildly. At this point, there was no need to worry about encountering small monsters. Firstly, many small monsters in the vicinity had already been cleared out. Secondly, with the establishment of a powerful village, many stray small monsters simply didn't dare to approach.

Of course, this wasn't absolute. For example, Zhang Yang saw a level 4 Black Panther appear in the tall treetops more than once on the way, only for it to turn and flee, disappearing in a flash, upon seeing them.

If all the monsters in this forest are survivors—deserters—from failed or annihilated Village Building Order holders, or their descendants, then this becomes interesting.

About half an hour later, Zhang Yang and his group successfully arrived at the valley. Surprisingly, there was sparse vegetation here. One side was a rocky mountain, and the other was an earth mountain. The so-called stone mine was built on the rocky mountain, with clear signs of excavation and dozens of one-meter-square boulders that had been excavated but not yet transported.

Following these signs of excavation, a crude road could be seen extending out of the valley.

"Village Chief."

Wu Yuan came up, his expression very excited. "I just took some men to scout the road out of this valley. If you continue south out of this valley, after three or four li, bypassing a hill, there's a large cleared flat area. It's three li wide from east to west and ten li long from north to south. The Great Antlered Deer's village is there. Because the visibility there is too wide, I didn't dare to venture further."

"As for this quarry, I also investigated it carefully. I believe the excavators here should be Mountain Monsters, though I still don't know how that Great Antlered Deer controls these Mountain Monsters. Also, based on the traces here, we've determined that these stone-excavating Mountain Monsters should have still been here before yesterday, but they all left afterward, and there are no signs of battle here."

"So I boldly speculate that they might all have been recruited by that Jackalman."

After listening to Wu Yuan's analysis, Zhang Yang nodded. "Let's go, let's see the legacy left by the Deer Demons."

Heading south along the valley, there was indeed a trampled path. Judging by the traces, it had been there for at least a year.

About ten minutes later, after bypassing a small hill, the area ahead suddenly opened up into a vast expanse of open ground.

It was flat, probably close to ten square kilometers. However, this open ground was clearly artificially cleared, as there were still signs of recently cut trees at the forest edge.

In the center of this flat ground, the first thing visible was a peculiar, unfinished castle. This castle was a completely different concept from human castles.

Human castles were built for defense, better defense, so they were quite sturdy with high walls.

But this Deer Demon castle was different. In the center were three tall towers, surrounded by radiating stone walls, probably more than a dozen of them. If viewed from above, ignoring the three tall towers, it looked very much like the pattern of light emanating from the sun.

It had no defensive capabilities whatsoever.

However, considering the physique of the Great Antlered Deer and their singular fighting style, this design seemed fine. With no obstructions, the Heavy Armored Deer Horn Cavalry could charge out like a tide, especially on such a large plain. Anyone who came would die!

Zhang Yang observed carefully for several minutes, then rubbed his teeth. From a human perspective, this Great Antlered Deer village made him feel incredibly insecure.

He didn't even have the thought of going over to inspect it now.

"Wu Yuan, what do you think?"

"Reporting, Village Chief, this place is a dangerous military stronghold." Wu Yuan shook his head, also very cautious.

"Then let's retreat!"

Zhang Yang was decisive, but just as they turned to leave, a rumbling sound suddenly came from the forest a few li away, like an earthquake. Turning back, everyone's souls nearly left their bodies.

They saw two to three hundred Heavy Armored Deer Horn Cavalry charging out of the dense forest like a tide, kicking up clouds of dust, terrifying to behold.

"Run!"

Zhang Yang shouted, feeling incredibly lucky. Good thing I restrained my curiosity. If we had suddenly encountered these Heavy Armored Deer Horn Cavalry on a flat, empty plain, then let alone our few dozen people, even a hundred captain-level soldiers would probably be kneeling.

Can't afford to provoke them, can't afford to provoke them!

The several hundred Heavy Armored Deer Horn Cavalry rumbled after them all the way to the forest edge, then stopped pursuing, letting out triumphant, hoarse cries.

They weren't foolish; once they entered the forest, it would be hard to say who would get the better of whom.

It seems that the Jackalman Village Chief didn't get much out of this place either. To think the Deer Demons died so wretchedly. Such a huge enterprise, a moment's carelessness, and now it's all turned into a monster den. A lesson to be learned!

Zhang Yang couldn't help but warn himself.