7: recruit

Under the dim firelight, Su Jin looked at the Spirit Pivot Sword Servant before him, an indescribable excitement welling up in his heart.

"Your subordinate, Bai Xiao, greets Lord." Bai Xiao knelt on one knee, his voice strong and clear.

Su Jin suppressed his surging emotions. He could clearly feel the terrifying power dormant within Bai Xiao, a chillingly formidable aura that far surpassed all previous Bronze-tier units.

"Rise."

Bai Xiao stood up, quietly waiting at the side for Su Jin's command.

Su Jin observed Bai Xiao, his gaze sweeping over the longsword at his waist, and a thought struck him: "Bai Xiao, demonstrate your 'Soul Release' ability."

"Bai Xiao, can you manifest your 'Soul Release' ability for me to see?"

"Yes, Lord."

Bai Xiao responded, and the longsword at his waist let out a soft hum. In the blink of an eye, the hilt was in Bai Xiao's hand. A light azure glow flowed from the blade, rapidly becoming blazing and solid, like a group azure flame dancing wildly on the sword's edge!

Even from several meters away, Su Jin could feel a scorching wave of heat wash over him. The energy contained within that "flame" made his scalp tingle, and even the surrounding air slightly warped from the high temperature.

Moreover, whether it was an illusion or not, Bai Xiao's figure seemed to have expanded by several points, becoming more imposing and more oppressive...

Bai Xiao's eyes were sharp, and he lightly swung the longsword in his hand.

There was no earth-shattering commotion, only a flash of azure light, like a crescent moon slicing through the night sky.

A large tree, thick enough for two people to embrace, some ten meters away, silently snapped in half the moment the azure light touched it, its cut as smooth as a mirror.

Even more astonishing was that on the severed trunk, the azure flame did not extinguish but continued to burn, rapidly spreading throughout the entire tree. In a few breaths, it reduced the towering tree to a pile of ashes.

"Is this the power of Soul Release? It can also come with a special energy, plus a 50% increase in all attributes. It's simply outrageous."

"What kind of European Emperor? This is my destiny! European Emperors are only fit to polish my shoes..."

At the same time, gaining a deeper understanding of the Spirit Pivot Sword Servant's potential, Su Jin forcefully suppressed his inner excitement, trying to maintain his lordly dignity.

He cleared his throat and said in the calmest possible tone, "Very good. The might of Soul Release lives up to its reputation."

"Thank you for the Lord's praise." Bai Xiao still maintained his expressionless demeanor, though he seemed to stand a little less straight than before.

As if sensing something, Su Jin turned around with a smile.

"Unfortunately, I only have a little over five thousand Soul Coins left, not enough to recruit another one. It seems... I need to replenish some basic units. Besides, the territory cannot be empty, especially since I'll be exploring tomorrow. I must ensure sufficient defensive capabilities."

"Relying solely on a few Heavy Shield Guards, if we encounter a surprise attack, we won't be able to handle it at all."

"In the basic barracks, directly recruiting Tier 1 units costs 100 Soul Coins. While using refugees for Job Change only costs 50, loyalty is a hidden danger."

Su Jin recalled the system information, "This cursed place is full of dangers, and human hearts are unpredictable. It's better to be cautious in the early stages. Directly recruited units are absolutely loyal and reliable."

Having made up his mind, Su Jin didn't hesitate and led Bai Xiao to the basic barracks.

"Archer Barracks, recruit 20 Swiftfeather Archers!"

"Infantry Barracks, recruit 20 Tie Jia Bu Bing (Iron Armor Infantry)!"

"Cavalry Barracks, recruit..."

Su Jin paused, looking at the Cavalry Barracks. Surrounded by forests, he hadn't even left the forest after exploring all day. And only ordinary cavalry could be recruited.

"Forget it, cavalry isn't needed for now. I'll recruit another 14 archers. They can be stationed in the watchtowers to strengthen the territory's defense."

Following Su Jin's command, light flashed within the barracks, and soldiers, clad in armor, wielding swords and shields, or carrying quivers and bows, emerged one by one, standing uniformly before Su Jin. The scene was quite spectacular.

【Tie Jia Bu Bing (Iron Armor Infantry) (Black Iron - Superior)】

【Level: Tier 1】

【Skill: Formation Hold (Increases group physical resistance by 10% when forming a square formation)】

【Description: Basic warriors equipped with iron-plated leather armor and short sword-shields, known for their discipline. Though lacking the deterrence of heavy units, their solid tactical coordination makes them a backbone on the battlefield, often using dense formations to crush lightly armored enemies.】

【Swiftfeather Archer (Black Iron - Superior)】

【Level: Tier 1】

【Skill: Rapid Nocking (Sacrifices 10% accuracy for a 30% increase in firing speed, lasting 10 seconds)】

【Description: Lightly armored ranged unit carrying short bows and quivers, capable of suppressing enemy formations with a three-shot burst rhythm. Lacking the precision of elite archers but excelling in low training costs, their clustered volleys can form a deadly suppression net.】

Su Jin stroked his chin; they looked decent. With enough numbers, dealing with a wolf pack of today's scale shouldn't be a problem.

"Stone Rock."

"Your subordinate is here!" A burly Heavy Shield Guard, holding a massive shield, immediately stepped forward, his voice booming.

"Zhui Yun."

"Your subordinate is here!" A Strong Bow Soldier, with a long bow on his back and sharp eyes, responded. He was the archer who shot the Wolf King earlier in the day.

"Mu Yang."

"Your subordinate is here!" The Halberd Warrior captain also stepped out, holding a long halberd, his figure tall and straight.

Su Jin looked at these three captains, who had performed most brilliantly in the day's battle: "The newly recruited soldiers will be handed over to the three of you to lead and train separately.

Additionally, this copy of "Basic Shield Arts" is for Stone Rock. Have the Heavy Shield Guards master it as soon as possible; it might trigger an advancement."

"Yes, Lord! We guarantee to complete the mission!" The three responded in unison.

After recruiting the soldiers, Li Yi had just finished preparing the food, so Su Jin ate while studying the Lord System, which he hadn't had time for during the day's fighting and construction.

Perhaps everyone was just finishing up around this time; it was quite lively inside...

"Brothers, I recruited ten archers today, and they feel pretty good, but they're a bit expensive."

"The one upstairs is doing well. I only recruited five; I'm so poor! Mainly, I haven't encountered many monsters, so I don't know where to get Soul Coins..."

"You guys... are all on land? I'm stuck on an island, surrounded by water! Can anyone tell me how to make money in the sea? Waiting online, it's urgent!"

Su Jin almost burst out laughing when he saw that message. Compared to that, starting with a warm welcome from a wolf pack was indeed much luckier.

"By the way, have any of you encountered any dangers? I met a Goblin army today. If it weren't for the powerful units funded by the special department, I would have almost been finished."

"Goblins? Aren't those just beginner monsters? What's there to be afraid of?"

"Beginner monsters? You probably haven't seen Goblins in groups, have you? And I said an army, okay!"

"Speaking of which, what are your exclusive units? Mine seems to be Tie Jia Swordmaster, feels pretty average."

"Mine's even worse; it's a Flower Fairy, whose ability is plant ripening..."

"Haha, hang in there, brother! Maybe you'll become a farming tycoon someday!"

Su Jin looked at the chat in the channel, a slight smile playing on his lips. It seemed everyone was in similar situations, with both lucky and unlucky ones. His Spirit Pivot Sword Servant definitely qualified as a lucky draw!

"Brothers, I found an Orc tribe near my territory! Their scouts keep probing towards me! I feel like they're preparing to attack me. What should I do? I haven't even recruited many soldiers today...!"

An Orc tribe? An organized alien army? Su Jin's smile instantly vanished. This was far more dangerous than the wolf pack he'd encountered, which only acted on instinct! These were organized, disciplined enemies who understood tactical cooperation!

"Holy crap! Orcs? Brother, quickly recruit more soldiers! Spend all your Soul Coins on recruiting soldiers!"

"I suggest you desperately reinforce your walls and arrow towers first! Orcs usually aren't very smart and don't like to chew on hard bones!"

Su Jin frowned slightly. These suggestions all had merit, but they all required time or resources, and that lord probably didn't have an abundance of either.

He closed the channel...

"It seems I must explore the surroundings as soon as possible tomorrow to confirm if there are any potential threats."

"I also need to recruit more soldiers. If I can fill all the slots in the Lingshu Sword Pavilion..." Su Jin looked at the distant Lingshu Sword Pavilion, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes. "Then wouldn't I be able to sweep across this area directly, or even flatten this small world?"

"It's too early to think about these things. One must eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time," Su Jin muttered to himself, his gaze gradually becoming firm. "The cruelty of this world far exceeds expectations. I must be fully prepared; 'lying low and developing' is the way to go!"