3: Wind Wolf's Den

Enemies are coming from the east; it's a hundred-man company, and they're closing in.

Shen Xiaochuan immediately raised his hand and lowered his voice, "Pass the order, call Chen Yan back."

The warrior on guard nodded, turned around, and ran toward the western mining area.

He stood on the high ground without moving, his eyes fixed on the dust rising in the distance. The enemy was less than twenty li away, but their marching speed was extremely fast.

The system panel floated before his eyes: Faith value at 10,089 points, growing steadily by 1 point per second.

"Enough."

He opened the Faith Mall and selected [Basic Believer Summoning], exchanging 10,000 points for 10 people. He clicked five times, refreshing five consecutive waves, and five hundred new Believers appeared in the clearing.

These people quickly lined up and were integrated with the original five hundred people.

The newcomers wore coarse cloth clothes and held wooden spears. Their average combat power was 87 points; though not strong, they effectively replenished the troop strength.

At that moment, Chen Yan returned with two hundred mining warriors, running all the way with sweat covering his face.

Shen Xiaochuan's expression was grave. "Enemies from the east, about a hundred of them, are approaching."

Chen Yan took a few breaths and asked, "Lord God, are we still mining?"

"Leave fifty people to dig in shifts; the rest, rejoin the ranks."

"Understood."

Shen Xiaochuan pointed to the eastern high ground. "Move the salvaged timber up there. Set up chevaux-de-frise in front of the slope and stack stones into a wall. Position the Archers in the rear; the field of vision must be clear."

Chen Yan acknowledged the command and immediately organized the men for action.

Shen Xiaochuan walked toward a temporary stone platform at the rear—that was the newly designated altar site, surrounded by several wooden poles with scraps of cloth hanging from them to serve as flags.

He sat down by the stone platform and checked his Faith value from time to time: 996, 997... When the number jumped to 998, he calculated in his head that he was only 2 points away from opening the Bronze Treasure Chest.

Three seconds later, the Faith value reached 1,001.

He immediately entered the mall and clicked [Open Bronze Treasure Chest].

A beam of golden light descended from the sky, enveloping the center of the altar. After the light dissipated, a small greenish-gray bottle appeared on the ground, its surface carved with ancient patterns.

[Obtained: Marrow-Cleansing Spirit Liquid x1]

He picked up the small bottle, pulled out the cork, and tilted his head back to drink it all in one gulp.

As the liquid entered his stomach, it felt like fire burning inside his body. His limbs throbbed, and his bones felt as if they were being stretched apart, making subtle cracking sounds. He gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain without making a sound.

Ten seconds later, the pain gradually subsided.

A system prompt appeared:

[Host's Combat Power Increased]

[Current Combat Power: 128]

He opened his eyes, a flash of golden light flickering in his pupils.

"It's done."

He rolled his shoulders and felt his strength double; his steps were also steadier and more powerful.

At this time, Chen Yan came over to report, "Lord God, the defensive line is built. Three rows of wooden chevaux-de-frise, a two-meter-high stone wall, and sixty Archers are in position with a clear view."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "Very good. Now we act in two groups."

He looked at Chen Yan. "Take six hundred men, prioritizing those with combat power over 90, and head to the Wind Wolf Den in the south."

"When do we depart?"

"Immediately."

"But the enemies to the east haven't left yet."

"They won't dare to move."

Shen Xiaochuan said, "This Divine Domain follows rules; they won't attack rashly without certainty. We have superior numbers now; they will retreat."

Chen Yan nodded. "Then I will lead the team out immediately."

"Remember, the objective is to clear the den, not to fight a war of attrition. Use fire if you can, collapse the cave entrance, and force them out before annihilating them."

"Execute according to the previously established tactics."

"Understood."

"Win and return, and I will give you an Enhancement Talisman."

Chen Yan smiled. "Rest assured, Lord God, I will definitely come back alive!"

With that, he turned to assemble the troops. Six hundred men quickly fell into formation, carrying fire oil packs and long spears as they marched south.

Shen Xiaochuan watched them disappear into the distance before turning his gaze back to the construction site.

"The remaining four hundred men, plus the natives, are all to be put into construction."

"Build the granary first."

"Then the barracks."

"Raise the perimeter wall to three meters and set a lookout point every ten paces."

The Artisans took their orders and began hauling stones.

Over three hundred pieces of crystal ore had been collected, just enough to construct intermediate buildings.

Work began on the granary first. Once the foundation was laid, the walls were built up layer by layer.

At noon, news came from the front: "The enemies to the east have retreated, back to their stronghold thirty li away."

Shen Xiaochuan was not surprised.

"Continue construction, do not stop."

By three in the afternoon, the granary was roofed, the barracks frame was more than half finished, and the perimeter wall had begun to take shape.

As he stood on the high platform checking the progress, a system prompt suddenly popped up:

[Wind Wolf Den Clearing Mission Completed]

[Territory Expansion +1]

[incense value Received: 420]

[Number of Affiliated Survivors: 780]

His eyes lit up.

"So fast?"

Before his voice could fade, dust billowed from the south as Chen Yan led the team back.

Most of the warriors were injured, some leaning on long spears, walking with a limp. But their eyes were different now—no longer timid, but filled with determination.

They pushed several wooden carts piled high with wolf skins, wolf bones, and meat.

Chen Yan walked to the front of the platform and knelt on one knee. "Reporting to the Lord God: the Wind Wolf Den has been completely cleared, the cave entrance destroyed, the alpha female killed, and the cubs all eliminated."

Shen Xiaochuan stepped down the stairs. "What are the casualties?"

"Twenty-two killed, forty-eight seriously injured, and over a hundred with light injuries."

He nodded. "You brought back more people than when you left?"

"They are all rescued natives who were imprisoned in the back of the cave, surviving on scraps and leftovers."

Shen Xiaochuan looked at the group of emaciated people, many of whom were kneeling on the ground, sobbing.

"Set up medical tents and prioritize treating the wounded. Settle the natives in batches and provide them with food."

"Yes!"

He opened the system to review the combat roster and found that the combat power of all members had improved.

Originally averaging 89, it had now reached 97, with over thirty people breaking the hundred-point mark.

He realized in his heart: "Actual combat truly is the best way to temper people."

He then ordered, "From today on, all warriors who participated in the battle will have their rations doubled, and they will be prioritized for the next enhancement."

Cheers immediately erupted from the crowd.

Chen Yan stood to the side, his combat power having risen to 115.

Shen Xiaochuan looked at him. "You fought well."

"It was all thanks to the opportunity granted by the Lord God."

"What reward do you want?"

"Another Enhancement Talisman. I want to lead more men into battle."

Shen Xiaochuan smiled. "When the resources are in place, I'll give it to you."

He returned to the high platform and began taking stock of the spoils.

Three hundred wolf skins, five hundred catties of wolf bones, and over eight hundred catties of wolf meat.

He picked out five hundred catties of high-quality wind wolf meat and opened the Huaxia Divine Domain channel.

The information in the channel was chaotic: some were asking for medicine, some were selling materials, and others were showing off their newly built towers.

He posted a message:

"Five hundred catties of high-quality wind wolf meat in exchange for a rare weapon blueprint. Trade limited to Huaxia Deities only."

The message was sent successfully, and the interface prompted: [Information posted, awaiting response]

He stood still, the copper gear pendant in his hand feeling slightly warm.

A wind blew from the south, still carrying the lingering scent of scorching heat.

Below the platform, supplies were piled like a mountain, warriors were busy moving them, and the natives had begun setting up tents.

He stared at the channel, waiting for a reply.

Suddenly, a private message popped up.

Sender ID: Mechanic Artisan Zhang

The content had only four words:

"Want a forging blueprint?"