69: Chapter 69 Breaking 30,000!

The dawn of the sixth day had not yet fully dispelled the deep blue residual of the night, leaving only a hint of fish-belly white on the eastern horizon.

Inside the Lords Mansion, Lin Tian was still immersed in deep sleep, recovering from the exhaustion of the fierce battle and emotional turbulence of the previous night.

"Brother Tian~ It's dawn, time to wake up!"

A crisp call, carrying the characteristic softness of early morning and a slightly rising inflection, gently tapped against the bedroom door. Lin Yin's melodious voice dispelled the last traces of sleepiness.

Lin Tian mumbled vaguely in the soft bedding, squirming like a large cat unwilling to leave its nest, before reluctantly forcing open his sleepy eyes.

"Got it, Lin Yin..." he replied in a lazy tone, thick with nasal congestion, "You go wash up first, I'll be there in a moment..."

Listening to the light footsteps fading outside the door, Lin Tian lay there for another dozen seconds before struggling to sit up. He rubbed his face vigorously to shake off the remaining drowsiness.

After deftly putting on his simple clothes and boots, he didn't leave immediately but sat back on the edge of the bed and pulled up the system panel.

He prepared to receive the Refined Iron and various materials ordered yesterday.

"Boss Qian, morning! Is the shipment ready? Let's trade!" He sent a message to Qian Duoduo.

Almost simultaneously, a message from Master Blacksmith Li Zhenguo popped up: "Little Brother Lin, the eight thousand Refined Iron has all been tempered. Ready for handover anytime!"

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Li! I'm receiving it now!"

Lights flickered consecutively in the bedroom. Through the system's temporary storage function, massive amounts of wood, stone, iron ore, and those eight thousand units of heavy Refined Iron appeared in Lin Tian's trading space as if by magic.

Looking at the instantly replenished resource inventory and the corresponding significant drop in his spirit crystal count, Lin Tian shook his head with a wry smile and muttered to himself: "The speed of spending money is faster than a waterfall... Fortunately, the income is also fierce. As expected, a big family and big business come with big expenses."

After washing up, a refreshed Lin Tian walked out of the Lords Mansion, where Lin Yin was already waiting quietly outside.

She had changed back into her moon-white holy robe, her long hair neatly tied behind her head, revealing a smooth forehead and graceful neck. In the morning light, she looked as fresh as a moon orchid covered in dew.

Seeing Lin Tian, the corners of her lips naturally curved into a faint arc, her eyes bright.

The two walked side by side to the square in front of the Lords Mansion. Although it had been massively expanded yesterday, the square was now crowded with soldiers doing their morning drills, appearing bustling and lively.

"Tsk, once there are many people, even the most spacious place seems insufficient." Lin Tian put his hands on his hips, looking at the vibrant "trouble" before him, and couldn't help but sigh, "Fortunately, there is the rule power of the Eternal Continent; buildings spring up like magic. Otherwise, just planning housing, cafeterias, and training grounds would make me go bald. This must be a 'sweet burden'!"

Without delay, he walked straight towards the Recruitment Altar in the center of the territory, which was suffused with light. Taking a deep breath, he submerged his consciousness into it.

"Invest Spirit Crystals: 25700 units!"

"Designated Recruitment: Male × 16000!"

"Designated Recruitment: Female × 9700!"

The altar erupted with unprecedented, brilliant radiance, illuminating almost half the square!

A pillar of light shot into the sky, lasting for a full half-minute. As the light gradually faded, in front of the altar, a dense, dark, and endless mass of new recruits appeared like a tide, instantly submerging a large area of open ground.

A full twenty-five thousand seven hundred people!

They were all sallow and thin, their eyes filled with confusion, fear of the strange world, and a trace of instinctive desire for survival. Their clothes were simple and worn, and many were even barefoot, shivering slightly in the morning breeze.

Nearly twenty-six thousand people gathered together, their low murmurs and uneasy movements merging into a deep buzzing sound. The scene was spectacular, but also... quite a "refugee" sight.

Lin Tian stood on a slightly higher spot, looking at this massive "Yellow Turban Army," and rubbed his chin. His expression was somewhat strange, eventually turning into a self-deprecating chuckle:

"Having a 'Fusion' talent really is like heaven chasing after me to feed me; no, it's like slamming a rice bucket onto my head. Otherwise, with this starting configuration, if someone said this was the headquarters of the Beggar Sect on the Eternal Continent, I bet no one would doubt it..."

Sighing aside, business came first.

First, he loudly called the roll, ceremoniously commending the 6,300 veteran soldiers led by Lin Feng, Lin Yin, Lin Yan, and Commander Lin Yu, who had survived fierce battles and now stood in strict formation with an aura of murderous intent.

In the morning light, these veterans' armor gleamed with a cold light, their eyes sharp, standing as straight as pines. They formed a stark contrast to the panic of the new recruits and were the most solid backbone of the territory.

Then, he turned his gaze to the endless sea of new recruits, centered his energy, and spoke in a loud, powerful voice that clearly reached everyone's ears:

"New brothers! Look at them!" He waved his arm, pointing to the veteran phalanx, "Just a few days ago, they were the same as you, having nothing, walking out of this altar, full of confusion about the future! But now, they wear the finest armor, grip the sharpest weapons, and possess the strength to stand firm on this dangerous continent, and even to expand our territory! They won all of this with courage and loyalty!"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over each young and eager face:

"And I, your Lord Lin Tian, promise you here that as long as you are loyal to the territory, fight bravely, and strictly observe discipline, I will grant you the same strength, or even stronger! I will let you eat your fill, stay warm, have a home to return to, live with dignity, and become powerful! Follow me, and our footsteps will never stop within these walls! One day, we will make the entire Eternal Continent resound with the name of our territory! Are you willing?"

"Willing! Willing!" At first, it was scattered shouts, but it quickly infected the whole crowd. Over twenty-five thousand new recruits roared with all their might. Although uneven, it merged into a surging wave of sound, and the initial confusion was replaced by burning hope.

"Good!" Lin Tian said nothing more, a flash of light in his eyes, "Now, accept the gift of this power! Fusion Evolution, begin!"

He connected his mind to his talent, and the massive amount of materials seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand.

Boom! Hum! Whoosh!

Lights of different colors, as if possessing life, divided into several massive streams of light and surged into the recruit camp!

In the large area on the left, scorching golden-red iron light shot into the sky, and the sound of clanking was endless. Eight thousand new recruits grew in stature amidst the light, their muscles bulging, covered in iron armor, transforming into eight thousand Heavy Armored Spearman!

To the center-left, heavy black-yellow stone light permeated, and the ground resonated faintly. The one thousand Rock Armor Soldier remaining from yesterday and the three thousand newly selected recruits had their bodies petrified, their auras as steady as mountains, evolving into four thousand Mystic Rock Spirit Guard! Immediately after, due to insufficient black-yellow stone, a slightly lighter earthy-yellow light lit up in another area, and five thousand new recruits fused into five thousand Rock Armor Soldier.

On the right, cold, silvery-white moonlight surged like a tide. Eight thousand newly recruited female soldiers became agile, their eyes sharp, with longbows in hand, transforming into eight thousand Moon Shadow Archer!

In the last area, soft, milky-white holy light with a purifying aura lit up. One thousand seven hundred female soldiers' temperaments became holy and compassionate amidst the light, staves appearing in their hands, becoming one thousand seven hundred Holy Healing Priest!

The entire Fusion process lasted for over ten minutes, with lights rising and falling, as if a miracle had descended.

When the last ray of holy light faded, the morning sun had completely bathed the square.

What appeared before Lin Tian, Lin Yin, and the others was a massive army of thirty-two thousand, unprecedented in scale, with distinct unit types and an aura of murderous intent that shot straight into the sky!