88: Chapter 88 Rest and Digestion

He paused for a moment, his gaze becoming gentle yet firm: "So, listen to me, everyone, this afternoon!"

"Dismissed! Go back to your own barracks, use hot water, scrub yourselves thoroughly, and wash away all that bad luck and cold sweat! Rest well and recover your strength!"

"Don't worry about being lazy because there's no work this afternoon; I won't dock your rations. Those blind monsters around our home have long been wiped out by Lin Yan and his men, leaving not even a single hair behind. If you want to find some 'Spirit Crystals,' you'd have to run two miles away, which isn't worth it. So, rest assured and take it easy! Getting your energy back is what truly matters! Do you all understand?"

"Un... understood! Tha... thank you, Lord!"

The soldiers' response was initially scattered and dry, but soon, more and more people reacted, and their voices gradually gathered. Although still tinged with weary hoarseness, there was a touch more genuine gratitude and relief.

Their tense shoulders visibly slumped. Many let out a long, pent-up breath, the hollowness in their eyes replaced by a craving for hot water and a bed.

"Dismissed!" Lin Tian waved his hand firmly.

"Yes!" The soldiers saluted, then began to walk towards the barracks in twos and threes, their steps slightly dragging yet lighter. They whispered to each other, the topic finally shifting away from the terrifying "mirrors" and "death" to other things.

Watching the soldiers gradually blend into the daily scene of the territory, the forced smile on Lin Tian's face slowly faded, and a deeper, more thorough exhaustion swept over him like a tide.

It was not just physical fatigue, but also a tremendous mental exhaustion.

The self-reproach from his poor decision-making, the helplessness when facing the "mirrors," the image of Lin Yin covered in blood yet still firmly protecting him, and the extreme pain and darkness of that cold arrow piercing his chest... all these emotions intertwined, pressing heavily on his heart and making him almost unable to stand steady.

Now, he just wanted to return to the relatively private and quiet space of the Lords Mansion to digest all of this alone, or... He tilted his head slightly.

Lin Yin was standing quietly half a step to his side, like the most silent and firm shadow.

From the moment they returned from the teleportation until now, she had made almost no sound.

The warm afternoon sunlight flowed over her moon-white holy robe, and her stunningly clear features also bore obvious signs of fatigue. The high-intensity battle in the secret realm and her final "sacrifice" had also taken a huge toll on her.

However, her eyes remained like the most precise locking device, fixed on Lin Tian without blinking, firmly and almost stubbornly.

That gaze was too complex to describe. There was concern, like a warm stream, trying to smooth out the fatigue between his brows;

There was deep-seated lingering fear, as if once she looked away, he would fall into danger again;

And there was an unquestionable, almost instinctive will to protect, invisibly marking the space around him as her vigilance zone.

"Let's go," Lin Tian turned his head, met her focused gaze, and gave her a somewhat forced, yet incredibly genuine, weary smile. His voice softened, "Let's go back too and rest for a while."

Lin Yin still didn't speak, just nodded almost imperceptibly, her steps following naturally as she precisely maintained that half-step distance.

Her gaze did not shift because of Lin Tian's words, but instead followed his movement. The sunlight stretched their shadows long, one in front and one behind, following closely as they walked silently towards the Lords Mansion, which symbolized the Territory Core.

The afternoon breeze blew by, bringing the scent of grass and cooking smoke, and temporarily blowing away the lingering blood and despair of the secret realm. For the physically and mentally exhausted pair, the shelter of home and silent companionship were the best healing at this moment.

In the quiet study of the Lords Mansion, leaning back on the large chair covered in soft animal fur, he closed his eyes and rested for about an hour.

The sunlight outside the window became softer as it slanted westward, and golden spots of light moved slowly across the floor.

The bloody images and cold stinging sensation in his mind, with this peace and the passage of time, were gradually pushed deep into his heart. Although they hadn't disappeared, they were no longer as sharp and painful as they were at first.

"Hoo..." Breathing out a long, stale breath, Lin Tian opened his eyes, his eyes recovering their usual clarity and spirit, though there was an added touch of settled solemnity in their depths.

His physical fatigue had eased a lot, and more importantly, the intense self-reproach and negative emotions caused by the "death" experience and his poor decision-making had transformed into a more urgent drive for development.

"I can't stop; I have to keep moving." He whispered to himself, stood up, and stretched his somewhat stiff neck.

Setbacks and fear can become lessons, but they cannot become stumbling blocks.

The territory needs to develop, and the army needs to be stronger to avoid falling into such a desperate situation again next time.

Pushing the door open and walking out of the study, Lin Yin, as if she had been waiting outside for a long time, turned around from the window on the other side of the corridor the moment he appeared.

She had changed into clean, moon-white casual clothes, her long hair simply tied behind her head, washing away the dust of battle, making her look even more beautiful.

Seeing Lin Tian walk out with renewed spirits, a trace of almost imperceptible relief flashed in her eyes, but her focused protective stance remained unchanged, and she naturally walked to a position slightly behind his side.

"Brother Tian, did you rest well?" Lin Yin asked softly, her gaze scanning his face carefully, as if confirming whether he had truly recovered.

"Yeah, much better." Lin Tian smiled at her. Although his smile still carried a hint of fatigue, it already had his usual vitality, "Just lying down is useless; it's time to work. Let's go, go to the warehouse and check our assets, and then... let's expand our city!"

The two arrived at the warehouse, which was still packed full even after expansion. Lin Tian walked straight to the area with the mountain of stone, which was the 120,000 units traded with Qian Duoduo yesterday.

"Hmm... The original city wall, with a diameter of three hundred meters, is still a bit small. Cramming over thirty thousand people inside, plus the buildings, is already a bit crowded. In the future, we will have to recruit more soldiers and develop the people's livelihood..."

Lin Tian rubbed his chin, a glint in his eyes, "Might as well, let's go big this time!"

"Invest stone, one hundred thousand units!" Lin Tian moved his mind and chose to confirm.

Rumble!!! The next moment, the entire territory seemed to vibrate slightly! It wasn't a dangerous earthquake, but the magnificent rhythm of some grand creation growing!

The original gray-white city wall, ten meters high and five meters thick, was constantly modified by the rules, the wall seemingly pushed outward from the depths of the earth by an invisible giant hand!

New, heavy stone of the same specifications generated out of thin air, perfectly connecting with the old city wall, expanding outward in circles at a steady and stable pace, like the rings of a tree!

Wherever the city wall extended, the ground was tamped down and leveled, and the foundation was automatically laid.