8: Chapter 8 Top-Tier Scout, Upgrading the Tomb

Xu Qin searched the scene for a long time.

Finally, under the hooves of the Skeleton Warthog herd, he discovered a lump of minced meat.

After picking it up into his inventory, he confirmed it was a Sand Rat skeleton.

Clearly, when the Skeleton Warthog army charged earlier, the vibrations scared this unlucky creature into digging out of its burrow to flee, only to be promptly finished off by a pig hoof.

A pure, unadulterated disaster.

But even with the settlement doubling, the rat meat only went from 1 to 3.

Although it was little, Xu Qin didn't mind.

During the initial stages of territory development, even a mosquito's leg is meat.

Returning to the Crypt, Xu Qin placed the skeleton he had just hunted onto the summoning array.

A flash of purple light.

Five Skeleton Sand Lizards, three Skeleton Sand Snakes, and three Skeleton Sand Rats crawled out of the Crypt.

The little rats crouched quietly on the ground, waiting for orders.

In their mung bean-sized eye sockets, needle-point sized purple flames burned.

Xu Qin didn't think much of it at the time and just casually opened the command panel to look at their attributes.

Then, he froze.

Ore Vein Perception.

Sand Tunneling.

Dash.

Holy crap!

Aren't these natural-born scouts?

Living Sand Rats are timid; they run at the slightest disturbance and aren't even worth eating.

But after they die? They become legendary!

Skeleton Sand Rats have no fear and are eternally loyal.

They drill wherever they are ordered, and if told to scout for ore, they won't wander off to forage.

Useless when alive, but they become elites after death.

Just as Xu Qin had thought.

After these three veteran-level Skeleton Sand Rats joined the army, they instantly became the absolute core of Xu Qin's reconnaissance system.

That afternoon.

Under Xu Qin's command, the three Skeleton Sand Rats went to explore unknown areas.

In less than ten minutes, over a dozen red markers appeared on the area map.

They were all locations of monsters.

With them, Xu Qin's hunting efficiency doubled, and he no longer had to wander blindly across the map.

Sand Rats scout the path, mark the target, the army Charges directly, one-shot kills, settlement, next one.

Even better, as the number of Skeleton Sand Rats increased, a few of them even prospected two small iron ore veins.

The ore veins were not far, buried underground four hundred meters southeast of the territory.

Xu Qin's eyes lit up immediately.

Iron ore is a very important resource with significant strategic value.

He touched the skull of the little thing on his knee, feeling deeply emotional.

"Who could have imagined that my intelligence department was created by being stepped on by pigs."

Having rested well, Xu Qin put it back on the ground, stood up, and opened his inventory.

[Inventory]

Wood: 377

Stone: 127

Warthog Meat: 289

Sand Lizard Meat: 64

Sand Snake Meat: 38

Animal Hide: 156

Soul Energy: 1430 / 2000

Warthog Skeleton: × 6

Sand Lizard Skeleton: × 6

Sand Snake Skeleton: × 3

Sand Rat Skeleton: × 12

Iron Ore: 23

Magic Crystal Shard: 2 (Iron Ore Byproduct)

Xu Qin closed the inventory and opened the building panel.

Materials required for Primary Crypt upgrade: Wood × 200, Stone × 100, Soul Energy × 500, Upgrade time: 2 hours.

Very good, the resources are more than enough.

"Start upgrade!"

Xu Qin clicked confirm.

[Consumed: Wood × 200, Stone × 100, Soul Energy × 500]

[Primary Crypt is upgrading... Estimated completion time: 2 hours]

The Acolyte received the order, flicked its black robe, and floated toward the Crypt entrance.

It raised both hands, and dark purple energy surged from its palms, pouring into the Crypt's stone walls.

Xu Qin did not just wait idly.

He took out all the skeletons from his inventory and dumped them all into the Crypt passageway.

Dark purple light surged and swallowed them.

A crackling sound rang out.

One minute later.

Twenty-four undead soldiers walked out from the depths of the passageway.

Xu Qin watched them automatically join the ranks and nodded in satisfaction.

The current total force is 133.

"Five Skeleton Soldiers stay behind to guard the house."

Xu Qin grabbed his stone axe and began to review the army.

28 Skeleton Warthogs in the lead.

20 Skeleton Sand Lizards and 22 Skeleton Sand Snakes in the center.

58 Skeleton Sand Rats scattered on the outermost perimeter.

The Acolyte remained in the territory to upgrade the Crypt.

No support? Doesn't matter.

With the current force density, even if they encounter swarms of monsters, it's an instant kill.

If it really doesn't work, at worst, they can come back to reorganize and resupply before setting out again.

"All troops, advance!"

Xu Qin strode across the edge of the novice protection light shield.

Suddenly! Ding!

[Notification: Current time is nighttime (20:00-06:00).]

[Nighttime effect: Neutral monsters' combat power increases by 20%. The morale of the Lord's troops will decrease by 20% when fighting at night.]

Decrease? My troops?

Xu Qin raised an eyebrow and opened the command panel.

Morale: None.

What kind of effect is that?

Xu Qin gave a soft "Hmph."

"What a joke."

He looked back at the Undead Army behind him. Purple eye-flames connected in the night.

"If you say the Undead are a bit weaker during the day, I'll accept that."

"But midnight? Are you sure this isn't the Undead Race's home turf?"

He turned his head and strode into the darkness.

Over one hundred and thirty undead units followed behind him, the sound of bone hooves treading on sand merging into a muffled rumble.

"Scout the path!"

At his command, fifty-eight Skeleton Sand Rats were the first to burrow into the ground and disappear.

One minute later, dense red dots appeared on the area map.

Xu Qin looked at the map and grinned.

"Start the slaughter!"

...Two hours later.

Xu Qin stepped back into the light shield range on time.

Throughout the night hunt, he never once made a move.

He stood in the back row and watched the show the whole time.

Indeed, the monsters that received a 20% boost were a bit fiercer at night, but it was only a tiny bit stronger.

They were also affected by vision, and their reactions were much slower than during the day.

The twenty-eight Skeleton Warthogs were divided by Xu Qin into four groups of seven, taking turns to Charge.

The Sand Lizards and Sand Snakes followed closely behind, spraying venom and poison mist on the perimeter.

The lurking Sand Rats were responsible for scouting the path and tracking fleeing prey the entire time.

Two hours, thirty-seven battles.

Zero casualties for the army.

Only three Skeleton Warthogs lost a bit of health, with the lowest one still at 19/25.

Once the Crypt finishes upgrading, just let the Acolyte heal them slowly.

And his talent... Talent: War Gift (Unique), Current Level: 4, Effect: When battle concludes, all loot acquisition quantity × 5, Upgrade progress: 24/200.

Level 4.

Rolling on at this speed...

How much his army's strength will reach by the end of the three-day novice period, he really dares not imagine.

He looked up at the Crypt.

The dark purple light on the stone walls was fading.

The collapsed half of the wall had been completely repaired.

The surface of the stone bricks was carved with intricate runes.

The entire Crypt was a size larger than before, and the passageway entrance had changed from the original narrow slit into an archway capable of letting two Skeleton Warthogs walk in side-by-side.

Just then, the light dissipated.

Ding! [Primary Crypt has upgraded to Level 2 Crypt!]

[Level 2 Crypt effects:]

[1. Territory range expanded to a radius of 50 meters.]

[2. Undead conversion efficiency increased by 20%.]

[3. Acolyte quantity limit increased to 5.]

[4. Undead unit "Promotion" function has been unlocked.]

[5. New buildings unlocked]

[Bone Wall (Defensive Building): A defensive fortification built with bones and stone, encircling the territory core. Each section of the Bone Wall has independent health points and can block enemy attacks. Construction materials: Bones × 20, Stone × 30, Wood × 10 (per section)]

[bone melting furnace (Reinforcement Building): Deposit materials into the furnace to strengthen the base attributes of undead units. Contains three reinforcement modules: 'Bone Armor Tempering' increases defense, 'Soul Fire Infusion' increases attack, 'Skeleton Remodeling' increases health. Each reinforcement consumes corresponding materials, and the effect applies to all undead-type units, taking permanent effect. Construction materials: Stone × 80, Iron Ore × 20, Soul Energy × 300]

[Soul Energy Sentry Tower (Defensive/Attack Building): A defensive tower powered by Soul Energy. After charging, it can automatically attack hostile units that enter the territory range. Each shot consumes 5 Soul Energy and deals 15 magic damage. Range: Within the territory. Construction materials: Stone × 60, Magic Crystal Shard × 2, Soul Energy × 200]

[soul hall (Resource Building): Collects free-floating Soul Energy dispersed in the air. Automatically produces 30 Soul Energy per hour. Construction materials: Wood × 50, Stone × 40, Soul Energy × 150]

[bone vault (Resource Building): An underground storage cavern built from layers of piled bones, increasing resource storage limits. Wood + 10000, Stone + 10000, Iron Ore + 10000, Bones + 25000, Soul Energy + 25000. Construction materials: Bones × 30, Stone × 50, Wood × 20, Soul Energy × 100]