“Yes, Lord!”
They responded loudly, secretly resolving to ensure the continuation of the lanterns’ light at any cost.
“Place the items here; each of you cos here and takes a set. Store the crafting tables in your inventory.”
Colin distributed the lanterns, crafting tables, and so materials. Each lantern already contained at least one hundred ml of ordinary blood, enough to burn for three hours. As for further supplies, Colin was confident he could replenish them.
Next, Colin gave the nine team leaders three minutes to select 3-5 servants each, forming new groups. Each team included one-third “veterans” to guide the new mbers, fostering quick team growth.
“Set up the pots!”
At his command, nine servants simultaneously used the crafting tables. The tables had nine slots, and with the correct materials and arrangent, they could produce the desired items. With blueprints, they could even create items that are not typically possible.
Instantly, nine large pots were set up. This ti, Colin, having learned from experience, prepared the food first before recruiting more people, avoiding chaotic delays that could lead to starvation among the new recruits. Many of the sold servants were on the brink of starvation, and a delay in feeding them could be fatal. With nearly a hundred new recruits, proper handling was crucial to preventing deaths.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Make sure no one in your team starves to death, or else…”
Colin’s stern expression left the consequences to their imagination. Mainly because he hadn’t thought of any specific consequences yet.
“Everyone, light the lanterns with blood!”
At Colin’s command, nine bright lights shone through the gray fog. Simultaneously, over a hundred servants were projected from Colin’s scroll, appearing weak and barely able to stand. The prepared teams quickly chose the necessary mbers, fed them, and organized them into their groups.
Soon, the expansion was complete. Including Colin’s team, the total number of people was 162. Colin’s team remained at fourteen mbers, while the others had sixteen. Colin needed only Sanna as his close guard; more would be cumberso.
Looking at the nine teams lined up before him, their eyes filled with awe and reverence, Colin took a deep breath and smiled slightly.
“Now this feels like being a lord…”
On the other side, the four survivors watched the scene with mixed feelings. They realized escape was no longer an option…
Bang!
Colin threw a wooden table to the ground. The survivors flinched, surprised that soone would bring a table while exploring.
Unlike them, who maximized their inventory with supplies, Colin had even brought furniture, making it look like a vacation.
Ignoring their strange looks, Colin took out materials, crafted weapons, and placed them on the table. Then, addressing the group, he said solemnly:
“Those without weapons, step forward and take one.”
It was still an axe—over a hundred second-generation battle axes. Brutal, violent, and powerful, these axes required no special skills to combat the mutants.
In close combat with mutants, brute force was the key. Either you die, or you swing the axe again!
The battle axe had proven its effectiveness, so Colin chose it as the standard weapon for his troops. As for ranged weapons, only bows and arrows could be made now, but they were ineffective against mutants. Without sufficient damage, even a master archer would only create “porcupines” charging through the mist.
Moreover, the current visibility, including the lantern range, was only about twenty ters. The bow’s power was greatly limited.
Thus, Colin temporarily abandoned the idea of ranged attacks. A single axe strike, if it didn’t kill, then another strike, and if that failed, retreat…
From team two onward, they orderly approached the table and took an axe as their weapon. Over a hundred people stood in formation, battle axes in hand, awaiting Colin’s orders.
Colin, expressionless and serious, looked at their reverent, nervous faces, contemplating how to evoke “excitent.”
Among the servants, so were already “excited” after eating, while others were not quite there…
He couldn’t replicate “I can’t hear you” here, as they were in the gray fog, and others were approaching with gifts.
After a few seconds of silence, Colin took out fifty pounds of wild boar at and slamd it on the table.
This imdiately drew most people’s attention. Colin hadn’t let everyone eat to their fill, keeping most in a state of hunger.
The sound of swallowing echoed through the group…
Colin, looking at them, prepared to speak:
“Soon, you will face a trial. Your performance in this trial will be recorded. If you excel, this will be your dinner, with the best team receiving ten pounds of jerky as a reward. But if you fail, then this will be your dinner.”
He pointed to the nearly empty pots with a few grains of rice left.
Colin’s words quickly motivated the servants, filling them with determination.
For those approaching, Colin didn’t plan to directly engage nor to use Sanna, his trump card. Instead, he sent the nine teams to persuade the newcors, aiming to acquire their scrolls, lanterns, and crafting tables.
Based on the information, these groups were small, likely only three or four people, or even fewer. They posed little threat, making them perfect for practice.
“Can I join them?”
Just before departure, a voice ca from beside him. Colin turned to see the man with the keen nose and iron armor. Colin had confiscated his armor earlier but returned it after finding it was just regular gear.
It took up space in his inventory.
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