Without the priest's command and spell buffs, the remaining monsters immediately fell into chaos.
"Clear out the remaining enemies!" Lord Lei Luo ordered.
The knights, their morale soaring, cooperated with the militia who had charged out of the town, launching the final mop-up operation against the remaining monsters.
The hissing of the serpentmen and the wails of the lizardmen gradually subsided, and the battle quickly ended.
The air was filled with the strong smell of blood and the stench emanating from the monster corpses.
Blackstone Town's wooden gate slowly opened, and a group of townsfolk, surrounding an elderly man with white hair and beard but still full of vigor, walked out.
The elder walked up to Lord Lei Luo, bowed deeply, his voice filled with excitement and gratitude: "Respected Sir Knight, thank you for your timely rescue! I am Buck, the mayor of Blackstone Town. If it weren't for you and your brave warriors, Blackstone Town today would probably..."
Aid stepped forward, "Townsfolk, your rescuer is the new Lord of Blackstone Territory, Lord Lei Luo. From now on, you will all live under his protection."
"Lord?"
Mayor Buck was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with ecstasy, "You are the new Lord of our Blackstone Territory? That's wonderful! This is truly wonderful! We finally have a Lord!"
He excitedly turned and announced loudly to the townsfolk behind him: "Everyone, look! This is the new Lord of our Blackstone Territory, Lord Lei Luo! It was he who led the knights to save us!"
In this perilous wilderness, only under the protection of a Lord could they hope to survive.
Of course, this wilderness was too dangerous, and sometimes, the Lord would encounter accidents before them.
Amidst the cheers, Lord Lei Luo led his blood-soaked knights into the small town.
"Lord, please come this way." Mayor Buck, hunched over, led the way, "The town is simple; please excuse its humble appearance, my Lord."
Lord Lei Luo nodded slightly, saying little, only carefully observing everything around him.
The defensive facilities were almost non-existent, just a low, partially collapsed wooden wall, so it was no surprise that the monsters could easily break through earlier.
The group arrived at a relatively open space in the center of the town, which was likely where the townsfolk usually gathered.
On the edge of the clearing was a slightly larger house made of a mix of stone and wood, considered the most "magnificent" building in the town, likely the mayor's residence and council hall.
Lord Lei Luo turned to Mayor Buck: "Mayor, I need to understand the town's situation. Population, food reserves, how many able-bodied individuals are there? Also, have attacks like today's happened before? What is their frequency?"
Mayor Buck quickly replied: "Reporting to Lord Lei Luo, our Blackstone Town currently has over three thousand four hundred registered residents, but the elderly, weak, women, and children account for the majority. The town has a militia of about two hundred people, including eight official knights. Food... alas, we can barely last another month, and that's with strict rationing. As for monster attacks, they used to happen occasionally, but they were never large-scale. A large-scale attack like today, led by a priest, is the first time..."
Lord Lei Luo listened, his brow slightly furrowed.
The situation was worse than he had expected.
"One month..." Lord Lei Luo mused.
This amount of food reserves was a drop in the bucket compared to the coming harsh winter.
He saw Moonlight beside him, sniffing the air with disdain, its little head twisting back and forth, seemingly quite displeased with the environment here.
It nudged Lord Lei Luo's leg, rubbing its head against him, a soft "grumble, grumble" sound coming from its throat, as if asking for praise, or perhaps complaining that the food here was probably not very good.
Lord Lei Luo patted its little head, a rare smile appearing on his face: "You did well this time. I'll give you an extra meal when we get back."
Moonlight wagged its tail contentedly.
"My Lord, we..."
Mayor Buck hesitated, his face showing both anticipation and unease.
Lord Lei Luo's smile faded, and his tone became resolute: "Don't worry, now that I am here, I will not let Blackstone Town return to its past state. From now on, everyone must take action. Aid will guide you in reinforcing the walls, and I will reorganize and train the militia. As for the food problem, I will find a solution."
"Yes! We will obey your command, Lord!" Mayor Buck responded excitedly.
Aid returned to report: "My Lord, the walls are damaged in many places and require a large amount of timber and manpower for repairs. Three of our knights sustained minor injuries, while the townspeople suffered more heavily, with seventeen casualties and over twenty injured. Regarding supplies, arrows were heavily consumed, and some weapons need to be repaired."
Lord Lei Luo nodded; the situation was largely as expected.
"Prioritize treatment for the injured knights and townsfolk. For the deceased townsfolk... provide compensation. Aid, organize people to clear the battlefield first, gather the monster corpses for centralized disposal, and collect useful materials. Mayor Buck, immediately organize the militia to repair the walls; the weak points must be reinforced before dark."
Blackstone Territory, located south of the Black Stone Mountain Range, had a vast territory, but most of it consisted of barren mountains and wilderness, unsuitable for cultivation and habitation.
The areas truly suitable for human survival were the plains south of the Black Stone Mountain Range.
The territory was sparsely populated, with a total of less than five thousand people, scattered across various settlements.
The main economic sources were collecting herbs and ores from the mountains and forests, and a small amount of cultivated grain.
Lord Lei Luo stood by the window, gazing at the distant, undulating Black Stone Mountain Range. The night wind ruffled his hair, bringing a hint of chill.
Moonlight had come to his feet at some point, rubbing its head against his leg, letting out a low whimper.
Through the hazy Moonlight, one could see the ruins of a deserted castle on the north side of the small town. It was said that the previous pioneering Lord, full of ambition, came here and, with the support of his family, intended to build a castle here.
However, just as the castle's foundation was laid, this Lord died in the clutches of the Hydra while hunting in the Black Stone Mountain Range.
The faint light of dawn dispelled the heavy night.
A small knight squad left Blackstone Town, which was just beginning to recover its vitality.
Lord Lei Luo rode on horseback, Moonlight following closely beside him, occasionally sniffing curiously at the wild grass by the roadside, and sometimes looking up at Lord Lei Luo, as if asking where they were going to "explore."
The team traveled south, moving away from the shadow of the Black Stone Mountain Range.
The terrain here gradually flattened, and the view became wider.
Underfoot was barren land, sparsely growing some cold-hardy shrubs and weeds.
Occasionally, traces of abandoned farmland could be seen, a reminder of past attempts and failures here.
Without the protection of a strong army, some farmlands had to be abandoned after being destroyed by monsters.
The team had been traveling for about two hours when the sound of flowing water faintly reached them.
Turning past a low hill, the view suddenly opened up.
A river, not wide but with quite rapid currents, appeared before everyone. The water was clear, and pebbles could be seen at the bottom.
The riverbanks formed a relatively wide Valley, with flat terrain and lush water plants, forming a stark contrast to the surrounding desolate landscape.
What invigorated the knights even more was the sight of large flocks of Greylag Goose gathered on the shallow banks of the river and in the grasslands of the Valley.
They were plump, stretching their long necks, some pecking at water plants, some preening their feathers, and others honking loudly, their sounds noisy and full of life.
"Greylag Goose!"