Qian Ye’s heart stirred slightly as he glanced at the map. Beside the mine’s mark, there were a few sets of simple data indicating its production and quantity. If he could take this place, along with the mine that Wei Po Tian had transferred to him earlier, he would receive a fixed income of several thousand gold coins annually, enough to expand “Dark Flame” to a thousand-strong force or maintain it at five hundred while equipping them to the standards of the main imperial legion.
“However, this mine won’t be easy to capture. It is estimated that there are nearly a thousand people inside, led by a former colonel from the Seventh Division. Additionally, this location is very close to the Fifteenth Division’s defense zone, closer than the one they initially offered as compensation.”
Qian Ye lowered his head slightly, his expression unchanged, and asked, “Is the colonel at the seventh or eighth level?”
Wei Bo Nian replied, “Seventh level, but he’s a veteran who has served for nearly eight years.” Having served in the Expeditionary Army for eight years and risen to the rank of colonel, his combat experience must be extremely rich.
Qian Ye nodded and said calmly, “If that’s all, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”
A glint of amusement flashed in Wei Bo Nian’s eyes. “What about the Fifteenth Division…?”
Qian Ye shrugged. “If I remember correctly, didn’t they declare that they wouldn’t interfere again? The one-year agreement hasn’t expired yet. If the lesson they learned last time wasn’t harsh enough, I don’t mind giving them another.”
Wei Bo Nian smiled and nodded. “Good, I will handle the other pressures for you.”
After settling the matter of the mine, Wei Bo Nian called for a local map of the area around Black Mud Town and, comparing it with Qian Ye’s map of the Black Swamp, began to plan the defensive lines.
Outside, a commotion could be heard: arguments, cries, and even gunshots.
Qian Ye walked to the narrow window and looked out. A large number of Expeditionary Army soldiers were driving away the scavengers and vagrants from the streets.
Hu Wei, standing on high ground, was shouting hysterically, “You have thirty minutes to get out of town. A campsite has been prepared for you outside! Listen, only thirty minutes! After that, if you’re still here, you’ll face the whip! And an hour later, anyone still in town will be executed on the spot! Don’t test my patience!”
Qian Ye frowned, but his expression quickly returned to calm. Driving away the scavengers was not just to make room for Wei Bo Nian’s army; they needed to start building defensive structures immediately, and there was no place for refugees on the battlefield.
The scavengers reluctantly got up, some lying where they were until the soldiers’ boots forced them to move. A few scavengers, for unknown reasons, clashed with the Expeditionary Army, becoming more and more agitated. They suddenly pinned a soldier to the ground, beating him and trying to take his gun and knife.
Seeing this, Hu Wei jumped down with surprising agility, grabbed a gun from a soldier, and fired without hesitation. His aim was surprisingly accurate, hitting vital points with each shot, killing the scavengers one by one in a matter of moments.
The sight of hot blood and fresh corpses gradually extinguished the dangerous flames in the scavengers’ eyes.
One of Wei Bo Nian’s guards also approached the window and asked, “Some of these people are decent fighters. Why not give them weapons and integrate them into the garrison?”
This guard had accompanied Wei Bo Nian from the upper continent and now wore the rank of lieutenant colonel, but his demeanor was that of a seasoned, traditional soldier, indicating a long military service.
Qian Ye exhaled softly and said, “This is Evernight. These are scavengers, people without a home. Like hyenas in the wild, once they realize you are not so fearsome, they might turn on you. And compared to the dark races, we are clearly the less terrifying option.”
The guard fell silent, understanding Qian Ye’s meaning but perhaps not fully grasping it yet.
Only after living on the Evernight Continent for a long time would one truly comprehend the meaning of being abandoned. Those discarded by the empire naturally abandoned their faith and hope in it.
The next few days passed in a mix of busyness, tension, and calm. Wei Bo Nian’s forces expanded, centered around Black Mud Town, constructing a continuous line to completely block the exit of the Black Swamp. Scouts were sent into the swamp, making it unnecessary for Qian Ye to gather intelligence further.
After determining the overall tactical plan, Wei Bo Nian left most of the defensive arrangements to his deputies and entered a quiet room for meditation. As the division commander, he would face the darkest of foes, a perilous task indeed.
Qian Ye also handed over all the mercenary group’s affairs to Song Hu and devoted himself to intense training. After several sleepless nights of cultivation, Qian Ye finally emerged from his chamber. He had a sudden premonition, a vague sense of unease, as if a black tide was sweeping in from the southwest, where the Black Mud Swamp lay. Since he began cultivating the ancient Song scrolls, his Dawn force had become increasingly refined. Although his total force was no longer two or three times that of his peers, its strength had increased, and his sensitivity to danger had sharpened.
Qian Ye stepped into the bathroom, took a shower, and examined his legs in the full-length mirror. Since igniting his sixth force node, his legs had itched for almost a month. Though it did not affect his movement, the sensation was intensely uncomfortable.
This was due to the continuous growth and strengthening of his body. Previously, except for the special point in his chest, Qian Ye had never experienced such a prolonged transformation. But the longer the process, the stronger his body would become.
Now, the transformation was complete, and Qian Ye felt explosive power in every part of his legs. He walked to a corner of the room, where two barbells for strength training lay.
These barbells, which Qian Ye used for single-arm training, weighed hundreds of kilograms, suitable for whole-body strength training for others.
Looking at the barbells, Qian Ye had a sudden idea and kicked one lightly. The barbell flew up, nearly touching the ceiling, then stopped and fell.
Qian Ye extended his right leg and caught the falling barbell with his foot. The barbell hung steady in the air, with Qian Ye’s foot sinking only slightly—a drop of less than a finger’s width, barely noticeable.
Qian Ye pondered for a moment, then gently pushed the barbell upward with his right leg and quickly switched to his left. This time, the left leg held the barbell steady, indicating that the activated force node was in the left knee, giving that leg slightly more strength.
Qian Ye slowly lowered his left leg, bouncing the barbell back to its original position.
This power far exceeded Qian Ye’s expectations, and he was still not quite accustomed to the sudden increase. It seemed he would need targeted training and actual combat to fully control and adapt to his new body.
Standing before the mirror again, Qian Ye examined himself, feeling a bit of strangeness. Humans had always been inferior to the dark races in physical strength, and Qian Ye had long relied on ranged sniping and speed techniques.
But now, his body’s strength should surpass even vampires of the same level, and possibly even werewolves. Yet, Qian Ye did not know the source of this power.
However, it was not the time for such questions. The immediate concern was the impending battle.
After leaving the training room, Qian Ye summoned the mercenary craftsmen to bring the wolf and spider demon armor plates he had retrieved.
The armor was crude and lacked any beauty, but the materials were top-notch. Made from black iron alloy by demonic or vampire craftsmen, its strength far exceeded that of human high-grade steel.
The armor had no distinct style, appearing as large raw pieces. With minor modifications, it could be fitted to a human form. The wolf armors could be used as leg guards, and the spider demon abdomen plates, divided into six, could form a chest and back plate. The craftsmen needed only to add leather connectors to fasten the pieces to Qian Ye.
The modification took an afternoon. Qian Ye put on the newly assembled armor, tested a few combat moves, and felt very satisfied. He could even wear the inner armor he had obtained from Darrul under his warrior clothes.
The onlookers, both craftsmen and mercenaries, watched in disbelief. Several had personally modified the armor, knowing the weight of each piece. Some mercenaries had also tried the weight of the dark race warriors’ armor, never imagining that someone could move freely in nearly two hundred kilograms of armor without even using their force.
Qian Ye activated his force and felt the armor’s force array come to life, bringing a sense of security. Since he found a suitable dark force cultivation method from the ancient Song scrolls, he completed the entire cycle. One benefit was that, though he could sense the dark nature of the force, the blood essence was less pronounced.
This made it easier for Qian Ye to conceal his abnormality, as the myriad of human forces often carried a touch of darkness.
The spider demon and wolf armor were heavy and sturdy, and their force arrays were not bad either. These were third-level armor components, and when fully activated, they could reduce the impact of a fifth-level force gun to that of a second-level. Such defense was like a mobile fortress on the battlefield.
That evening, Qian Ye confirmed his intuition.
Scouts returning from the swamp reported the discovery of a dark race army. Due to the treacherous journey through the marsh, the dark army had brought few cannon fodder and consisted mostly of regular troops, along with a small number of support units.
At their current pace, the vanguard would reach the outskirts of Black Mud Town by dawn.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage