98: Chapter 98 The New Silver Armor

Before dawn, Guangming Village was already shrouded in an invisible sense of urgency.

Zhao Linger had not slept all night.

The cost of maintaining Spirit Sound Affinity had left clear marks on her pale, doll-like face; there were faint dark circles under her eyes, and her large, round eyes were bloodshot, yet the light deep within her pupils was sharper than ever.

She sat cross-legged on the Savage Beast skin couch in the East Chamber, her Spirit Vine casual wear clinging to her petite body, her slender waist seeming as though it could be encircled by a single hand.

Her full curves were even more striking in this seated posture, like a contradiction wrapped in moonlight-spun gauze—an innocent face paired with a devilish figure.

But at this moment, no one paid attention to that.

Because the news she brought was more impactful than any figure.

"Shadow Clan order: 'In three days, the Beast Tide arrives; the target is Guangming Village'."

Her voice was hoarse yet clear, like the tremor of a violin string stretched to its limit.

Spirit Sound Affinity had been active for nearly six hours; her throat was no longer as crisp as usual, but every word was as precise as the most rigorous performance of a Spirit Sound Master.

"The name of Chief Shi Ba appeared in the communication three times; he is part of the Shadow Clan's plan."

In the main hall of the Chiefs Tent in the early morning, the candles were still burning, and everyone was present.

Shen Xuner sat to the right of Wang Sheng. In the Moonlight Priestess's moist, almond-shaped eyes, tenderness was covered by a thin layer of sharpness, like moonlight passing through ice crystals—soft yet carrying a cold edge.

Her hands rested on her knees, her fingertips slightly pale, a sign she was desperately suppressing some emotion.

It was not fear—a Moonlight Priestess would not feel fear—but the instinctive protective desire that surged up as the primary spouse upon hearing that "Guangming Village is about to be attacked."

Frost Mage Lin Shiyun stood on one side of the tent. Her silver-white hair was like fresh snow that had not yet melted in the morning light. Her ice-blue eyes were without a ripple, resembling a deep winter lake, so calm it was unsettling.

But her fingers twitched slightly in her sleeves. When a Frost Mage sensed a threat, their spiritual energy would instinctively gather at their fingertips, as if a bowstring were being tightened before an arrow was nocked.

Su Mengyao, Hua Jieyu, Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan, Heavenly Strategist Shangguan Xuan, Xiao Yuqing, Bai Lu, and Liu Ruyan—the core members were all gathered.

Wang Sheng stood in the center of the Chiefs Tent.

The golden Holy Light of a Level 5 Barbarian Warrior surged within him, like a river filled to the brim—steady, yet ready to strike.

His gaze swept over everyone present; the lives of one hundred and eight people now rested on his shoulders.

"Two and a half days." Heavenly Strategist Shangguan Xuan spoke first. The Heavenly Strategist's clever eyes were like the most precise abacus, completing the deduction in an instant.

"The scale of the Beast Tide is at least twice that of the last one. The Shadow Clan has been weaving a net in the Savage Beast Forest for three months. At the very most, we have two and a half days of preparation time."

"The defense wall needs reinforcement," Frost Mage Lin Shiyun took over, her voice like the cracking of ice, calm but unquestionable.

"The north and west are the most likely directions for the Beast Tide's attack. I will set up Frost Spell traps on those two sides: ice-sealing deceleration zones, ice spike formations, and frost-condensed thorns. As long as the Savage Beasts step into the trap area, their speed will be reduced by at least forty percent."

Su Mengyao followed closely, her warm voice carrying a rare decisiveness.

"The Spirit Garden can be used to set up natural traps: vine entanglement, flower poison paralysis, and Spirit Flower thorn formations. I will need half a day to accelerate the growth of defensive plants. Combined with Frost Mage Lin Shiyun's Frost Spell traps, we can form a double blockade line."

Hua Jieyu said softly, "I have already prepared the casualty placement area. The healing output of the Hundred Herb Medical Immortal can cover the entire tribe. Combined with Shen Xuner's Moonlight Blessing, treatment during the battle should not be a problem."

Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan pushed up her glasses, the gaze behind the lenses as calm as data.

"Armor: I can deliver three sets of Barbarian Warrior-grade gear today: the upgraded silver armor for Murong Xue, the reinforced version of Xiao Yuqing's Storm Bow, and Wang Sheng's Holy Light Battle Armor. The dark iron rune arrays and the Ink-scaled Python skin linings are all in place, and Frost Mage Lin Shiyun's Frost Spell energy circuit has also been embedded into the lining."

She paused, her voice lowering by half a degree.

"The precision of the Frost Spell circuit is higher than I expected. Frost Mage Lin Shiyun carved it herself. Her control over Frost Spell energy is better than mine; the energy conduction efficiency of the circuit is twenty percent higher than my rune arrays."

Wang Sheng looked down at the battle armor design blueprint handed over by Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan. The ice-blue patterns spread across the lining like frost flowers.

Every stroke was like the heart of a Frost Mage—cold, yet warm.

Frost Mage Lin Shiyun said nothing, but her Frost Spell energy had already forged an invisible layer of armor for him through these patterns.

"Everyone finish preparations within two days," Wang Sheng's voice echoed in the tent, as steady as a boulder at the bottom of the Lingxi River.

"Murong Xue, the cavalry unit prepares for battle; you are the first line of defense."

"Frost Mage Lin Shiyun, Frost Spell traps plus long-range Frost Spell attacks; you are the second line of defense."

"Xiao Yuqing and the Elf Archers, long-range firepower coverage."

"Shen Xuner, Moonlight Blessing to cover the whole village; you will coordinate the wartime healing."

"Zhao Linger, continue monitoring the Shadow Clan communications; report any movements immediately."

"Liu Ruyan," he looked at the Phantom Assassin, "I need you to do one thing."

Liu Ruyan's misty, smoke-like eyes held a hint of haziness in the morning light, but beneath that haziness lay the sharpness peculiar to an assassin.

She tilted her head slightly, as if she had already guessed what Wang Sheng was going to say.

"Go and confirm the specific plans of Chief Shi Ba and the Shadow Clan," Wang Sheng's voice was like iron that had been tempered.

"From which direction will the Beast Tide come? Will Chief Shi Ba coordinate the attack? Does the Shadow Clan have any other hidden moves? I need precise intelligence, not guesses."

"I know," Liu Ruyan's voice was ethereal like smoke, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"You want me... to go in the direction of the Black Stone Tribe and scout their lair."

"Not scouting the lair," Wang Sheng's gaze was like a cold star.

"It is to confirm the direction and scale of the Beast Tide. Our defenses cannot have any blind spots. If Chief Shi Ba coordinates a pincer attack, we need to know his attack route in advance."

Liu Ruyan stood up, her night-traveling clothes clinging to her slender figure like a thin veil.

She walked to the entrance of the tent. The morning light shone in through the gap in the curtain, casting her hazy, smoke-like silhouette as if she were a ghost stepping out of an ink wash painting.

"At most two days. I will be back before the Beast Tide arrives."

She did not look back, her figure like a wisp of blue smoke, silently dissipating in the morning light.

Weapon Refinement Workshop.

Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan lined up the three sets of armor.

The furnace fire of the Weapon Refinement Workshop danced in the afternoon sun, the orange-red light reflecting on the metal surface of the armor like flowing magma.

The three sets of Barbarian Warrior-grade armor were placed on the stone workbench, each flashing with the silver-blue shimmer unique to dark iron rune arrays.

The Ink-scaled Python skin lining looked like black silk, shimmering with faint dark purple patterns under the light.

"Murong Xue's upgraded silver armor."

Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan picked up the first set of silver armor. The bespectacled girl pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose.

Her rational, calm voice held a rare hint of pride, like a master smith delivering her proudest work.

"Based on the original silver armor, I have added dark iron rune arrays and Ink-scaled Python skin lining, increasing the defensive power by thirty percent. I have carved the 'Holy Light Resonance' rune on the shoulder armor. When close to a Holy Light Warrior, the silver armor will automatically resonate to generate an additional shield."

She paused, her fingertips lightly stroking the patterns on the shoulder armor.

"This is what I deduced based on the Holy Light Resonance data between you and Wang Sheng at the training ground. Theoretically, when you fight side by side, the defensive power of the shield can be increased by another twenty percent."

Murong Xue took the silver armor.

She walked to the changing area in the corner of the Weapon Refinement Workshop and took off her silver training uniform.

The furnace fire of the Weapon Refinement Workshop reflected on her exposed shoulders and back, like orange-red silk covering her honey-colored skin.

Her long, powerful arms, tall and straight shoulder lines, and the faintly visible abdominal muscles at her waist were like the most exquisite dark patterns on honey-colored velvet. She quickly put on the new silver armor.

The silver armor fit her tall, athletic figure, every curve seemingly custom-made.

The shoulder armor was slightly wider than before, accentuating her straight shoulder lines; the curve of the chest armor precisely followed her full contours, as if silver mountains were undulating in the sun; the waist armor narrowed, making her slender waist look like a silver willow branch, which could be encircled by a single hand; the leg armor fit her long, powerful legs, the silver metal covering every inch of skin like a second layer of skin.

She gripped her Holy Light spear, the silver armor moving like flowing silver in the furnace fire.

"Perfect," Rune Forgemaster Xu Mohan pushed up her glasses, a hint of satisfaction flashing in the eyes behind the lenses.

"There is no hindrance to your movements. The flexibility of the shoulder joints is ten percent higher than before."

Murong Xue moved her arms, and the joints of the silver armor made an extremely faint clicking sound, as if the silver armor were confirming its tacit understanding with its master.

She swung her spear, the silver Holy Light on the tip like a flash of lightning, the light of the furnace fire flowing on the silver armor like a silver river.

Then she walked out of the Weapon Refinement Workshop.

The sunlight poured in from the entrance of the Weapon Refinement Workshop, like a golden curtain. Murong Xue passed through that curtain.

The silver armor looked like a flowing silver mirror in the midday sun, stinging people's eyes so much that they could hardly open them.