War Preparations

After informing Falrodan, Li Wei did not waste a moment. He turned around and returned to the castle to begin preparing supplies.

Having been granted permission, Falrodan curiously entered the walls as well, following behind Li Wei and looking around.

Li Wei went straight to the castle's smelting room, collected the Iron Ingots from a row of finished furnaces, and crafted them.

He opened the chest marked for minerals.

Inside lay a full five stacks of Iron Blocks, along with various other ores. There was one stack of Sulfur and forty-three pieces of Saltpeter.

Level: 35.

This was the result of constantly mining for the past month.

"How do you plan to deal with this?"

Watching Li Wei count supplies, Falrodan could not help asking.

While entering, the experienced Ranger had also examined the inside of the walls. After observing them for a while, he could not help frowning.

The defensive works of these walls could not merely be called barely adequate—they could be said to be nonexistent.

They were simply walls piled from stone. A few ladders allowed people to climb up, but the tops were completely bare, without even cover. Anyone standing there would basically be a living target, with nowhere to hide.

He truly could not imagine how Li Wei planned to defend this place with such bare walls and a fenced gate that looked ready to break at a touch.

With magic?

"I'll just defend it like this." Li Wei gave an ambiguous answer.

As he spoke, he took out more than ten stacks of Cobblestone. After making several trips, he raised the walls by a full five meters in only a few dozen minutes.

Falrodan watched the entire process with his jaw hanging open.

What kind of magic was this?

Why did such huge stones stick together as soon as they were placed, completely motionless? And where had all these stones come from? It seemed that Li Wei merely pointed at empty air, and the stones appeared.

Looking at the walls, which seemed to have always been a single whole without the slightest trace of seams, the Ranger was dumbfounded.

This construction ability was practically comparable to a creator god descending into the world.

If any nation could gain his service, it would be a qualitative leap forward. This was simply more useful than ten thousand soldiers defending a city...

"Now I understand why you're confident you can hold this place."

The Ranger quickly recovered and said, "But your fortifications are indeed rather crude. Listen to me. Like this..."

As Li Wei listened, his eyes gradually lit up.

As an architecture-focused MC Player, he had always prioritized appearance over practicality when building houses. He built whatever looked good.

Now, after hearing Falrodan's suggestions, everything suddenly became clear.

In half an hour, Falrodan explained the general defensive works of a castle, their structures, and their purposes in great detail. Li Wei listened with shining eyes and immediately began rebuilding.

Falrodan gave real-time guidance from the side, telling Li Wei what to do, where to build cover, where to leave arrow slits, and where to place obstacles to prevent enemies from climbing the walls.

They remained busy all afternoon.

At dusk, another simple Watchtower was completed. Li Wei took a fierce bite of beef jerky, then handed several pieces to Falrodan.

"Try my handiwork. System-brand Secret Beef Jerky."

Although he had no idea what this "system" Li Wei spoke of was, Falrodan did not let that stop him from taking a few bites.

With a single bite, the fragrance hidden within the jerky burst through its outer layer and exploded across his mouth.

"Delicious. Even dishes made by the finest royal chefs would be no better than this."

A loyal fan of system cuisine, +1.

Seeing the castle truly transformed into a genuine castle, with both beauty and defensive capability, Falrodan had nothing more to help with.

Everything was ready. All they needed to do now was wait.

As dusk neared its end, Li Wei turned and asked, "You're still not leaving? If your intelligence is accurate, that Warg cavalry squad will attack tonight."

Falrodan took another bite of jerky and swallowed before speaking. "No. I want to see how you plan to deal with them."

"Besides, one more person can always be of some help, right?"

Although he said that, the Ranger had other thoughts in mind.

Facing them head-on was certainly impossible. It was a cavalry squad over a hundred strong.

He had already made his plans. If Li Wei ultimately failed and could not hold the place, he would take Li Wei and run. That would keep Li Wei from dying here because he could not bear to abandon the castle, or from being captured by the Orcs. That would be a terrible waste.

"You're not afraid?"

"Fighting and killing are things I experience every day."

Falrodan looked completely unconcerned.

Li Wei drew in a breath.

Damn it, he got to show off.

"Fine, then. If you insist on staying, take these. Consider them a gift."

Li Wei took out a set of Iron Armor along with an Iron Sword and placed them on the ground. Falrodan's eyes immediately widened.

What exquisite Iron Armor. What a Sharp sword. Could this man also be a master blacksmith?

"Put them on and see if they fit."

The moment Falrodan put on the armor Li Wei had given him, he immediately felt the difference. This sturdy-looking, silver-white Iron Armor did not hinder his movements in the slightest, nor did it feel particularly heavy. Its craftsmanship was truly astonishing.

"You always manage to surprise people, Li Wei."

He loved this armor.

"Looks like I'll have no choice but to put in a little more effort tonight."

Dusk vanished in an instant.

Night fell.

The sky was not particularly clear.

Within the forest visible at a glance, pairs of crimson eyes stared fixedly at the castle that had appeared out of nowhere in the distance, as well as the walls that had seemingly been raised overnight.

Although Orcs were generally not very intelligent, they still knew that powerful beings existed in this world—wizards, elven lords, and their own master, for instance.

What if the one inside those walls was a similarly powerful being? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

Yet more than ten days had passed since they first noticed this strange human. As they watched the castle become more complete, the farmland grow more plentiful, and the walls rise ever higher and longer, it seemed that aside from his unbelievably fast construction speed, that person possessed nothing else unusual.

"This castle can be ours!" After returning, a short Orc scout reported to the relatively burly leader, "And the Wargs smelled meat. There must be plenty of fresh meat inside..."

Meat... fresh meat...

Upon hearing this news, many Orcs could no longer restrain themselves.

"I've had enough of moldy bread and maggots! I want fresh meat!!"

"Meat! Human meat!"

"Shut up!" The strongest-built Orc roared and smashed his fist into a large rock beside him.

Seeing the cracks in the rock, the restless crowd immediately quieted considerably.

"Get everything ready. Now, immediately, move out! Tonight, I'll be eating roasted human flesh in there!!"

The leader gave the order.

Roar—

The Wargs growled without restraint, and the Orcs began to cheer.