The afternoon sun streamed through the high windows of the Lord’s Hall, casting dappled light and shadow on the animal hide rug on the floor.
Aide stood to the side, already changed into his Guardian plate armor.
Heavy metal covered his body, and the faint shield rune on his chest seemed to complement his steady demeanor.
Although he had not yet experienced actual combat, just wearing it gave people a sense of solidity and reliability.
In the Lord's Hall, Lei Luo had convened his core members to discuss the Blood Wolf Band's invasion.
Just then, a slightly hurried sound of footsteps came from outside the door.
A young figure appeared in the doorway, wearing an ill-fitting gray apprentice robe and a pair of alchemist's goggles on his nose.
It was Karl, the newly recruited alchemist apprentice.
Karl carefully held a thin-necked glass bottle wrapped in thick cloth, containing a viscous liquid that glowed faintly green.
He walked quickly to Lei Luo, bowed slightly, and spoke excitedly.
“My Lord! You… you entrusted me with the Monster Growth Potion, and I… I succeeded!”
Lei Luo’s gaze was immediately drawn to the potion bottle.
He motioned for Karl to come closer.
“Oh? Let me see.”
Karl quickly handed over the glass bottle.
Lei Luo took it, pulled out the cork, and a peculiar scent, a mix of herbs and some mineral, wafted out; it wasn't unpleasant, but rather carried a strange vitality.
The green liquid in the bottle flowed slowly under the light, seemingly containing some ineffable energy.
“Was the process smooth?”
Lei Luo asked casually while observing the potion's color and viscosity.
“Ba…basically smooth.”
Karl pushed up his goggles, a trace of lingering fear on his face, mixed with a hint of pride.
“It's just that the fusion ratio of Earth Dragon Grass and monster spinal fluid is very strict; even a slight deviation will cause a violent energy backlash. Monster spinal fluid of different grades contains different energies, requiring different ratios of Earth Dragon Grass juice for blending, making this precise ratio difficult to master.”
He recorked the bottle, his eyes full of approval as he looked at Karl.
“Karl, you did an excellent job! Even faster than I expected. This bottle of potion is of great significance to the territory.”
Receiving such straightforward praise from his Lord, Karl's cheeks flushed slightly, and he was so excited he didn't know what to do.
“Tha…thank you, My Lord! It is my honor to be able to share your worries!”
“This is your talent.”
Lei Luo placed the potion on the table, his tone serious.
“You have great talent in alchemy, Karl. Blackstone Territory needs people like you. From now on, whatever materials you need, or whatever difficulties you encounter in your research, go directly to Aide, and the territory will prioritize your needs.”
“I will spare no effort to train you to become a true alchemist.”
Karl was stunned; he hadn't expected such a promise.
“My Lord… I…”
He was too excited to speak, and could only bow deeply.
Lei Luo waved his hand, signaling him not to be so formal.
“Work hard. This Monster Growth Potion is just the beginning; I have some other formulas here, and when the time is right, I will give them to you to research.”
Aide, watching from the side, also smiled.
The Lord's ability to recognize and utilize talent was crucial for the future of Blackstone Territory. His decision to follow this young Lord to this frontier land seemed to be the right choice.
Karl's success meant that the territory might be able to acquire a batch of strong mounts faster, cultivate more powerful monsters, and further aid the growth of Silver Dragon Moonlight.
However, this relaxed and pleasant atmosphere did not last long.
A knight wearing leather armor and still dusty from travel strode into the hall, stopping a few steps away from Lei Luo.
“My Lord! Urgent report!”
The smile on Lei Luo's face instantly vanished.
“Speak.”
“Scouts from the west have sent news.”
The knight spoke quickly but clearly.
“Traces of the Blood Wolf Band have been found in the Valley area, about ten li from the border! Approximately a dozen riders, well-equipped and moving swiftly, seem to be reconnoitering up the Valley!”
“Blood Wolf Band!”
“Have they finally arrived?”
Lei Luo stood up and walked to the simple map hanging on the wall.
The map was drawn on animal hide, marking the general scope of Blackstone Territory, rivers, mountains, and several important strongholds.
His finger pointed to the location representing the Valley on the map.
“A dozen riders… just a reconnaissance unit?”
“The scouts judged them to be more like an advance reconnaissance unit; they are moving cautiously and constantly sending out cavalry to scout both sides,” the knight replied.
Lei Luo narrowed his eyes.
He turned and looked at everyone present.
“Now that the Pegasus Knight squad has been formed, the Blood Wolf Band can no longer decide whether to attack or defend.”
Lei Luo assigned tasks.
“Aide.”
“Here!” Aide straightened his body.
“You will lead the Pegasus Knights. If the enemy is a small group, the Pegasus Knights will swallow them. If it's a large force, harass them with arrows. From the moment they enter Blackstone Territory, you must ensure they have no peace. When the decisive battle begins, if the Blood Wolf Band attacks, you will lead the Pegasus Knights to attack their rear!”
“Yes, My Lord!” Aide accepted the order with a resounding voice.
“Bolin, Barrett.”
“Here!” Bolin and Barrett stepped forward.
“Bolin will be responsible for leading the remaining knights, knight mercenaries, and the Blackstone Town self-defense force. Barrett will be responsible for leading the knight apprentices from the Knight Training Camp. Bolin will be in charge of defending Blackstone Town, and the knight apprentices led by Barrett will serve as a mobile force.”
“Inventory weapons and equipment, and prepare the warhorses.”
Lei Luo's voice was decisive.
“Everyone, in this battle, the Blood Wolf Band will be removed from the name.”
With the orders given, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly tightened.
Bolin and Barrett exchanged glances, battle intent burning in their eyes, and accepted the orders in a deep voice, quickly leaving to organize their men.
Lei Luo watched them leave, the sense of urgency in his heart growing stronger.
“Aide, have the scouts continue to probe west, and be sure to ascertain the movements and scale of the Blood Wolf Band's main force.”
Lei Luo's voice was calm and composed.
“Yes, My Lord!”
Aide responded, turned, and quickly walked out of the hall, preparing to personally lead the Pegasus Knights into the sky to carry out the mission.
Time passed in tense waiting and busy preparations for battle.
Knights polished their armor and checked their weapons, warhorses neighed in the stables, and knight apprentices, under Barrett's command, busily and orderly transported arrows and supplies.
Blackstone Town's self-defense force was also mobilized; although their equipment was crude, their morale was not low, as past victories had given them enough confidence.
The afternoon sun became somewhat dazzling, and the air was filled with the oppressive feeling of an impending storm.
The main force of the Blood Wolf Band finally arrived at the border of Blackstone Territory.
At the forefront were about eighty cavalrymen; although their mounts were not as tall as Blackstone Territory's warhorses, the knights themselves were fierce, equipped with leather armor and scimitars, and their eyes were savage.
Behind the cavalry were over a hundred infantrymen, holding spears or axes, their steps still relatively orderly, clearly the backbone of the Blood Wolf Band.
At the very end of the procession followed over two hundred ragged bandits with various weapons; they were more like a rabble swept along, with more greed and fear in their eyes, but it was precisely this group that constituted the Blood Wolf Band's numerical advantage and their most common cannon fodder during raids.