The dull thud of hammering the wooden stakes and the soldiers' unified shouts immediately surged in like a tide, replacing the previous clash of swords.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of freshly felled timber, the smell of damp earth, and a faint metallic rust and sweat – the smells of people struggling to survive under the shadow of war, both inside and outside Grinburg.
The castle's main building was still overcrowded, with the corridors packed with busy clerks, messengers, and wounded waiting to be taken care of.
Lind did not linger, but went straight through the heavy gates of the castle and onto the drawbridge leading to the outlying camp.
The wooden planks underfoot creaked, and beneath the bridge lay a deeper and wider moat, its sharpened wooden spikes gleaming coldly in the twilight.
On the newly built arrow towers on both sides of the suspension bridge, sentries' vigilant eyes scanned the surrounding fields like those of hawks.
The scene outside the castle is vastly different from that during the Battle of Grinburg.
What may have been a temporary tent area has now been replaced by a large, well-planned and heavily fortified camp.
The continuous wooden fences were replaced by sturdy logs and rammed earth walls, almost as high as the castle's outer walls.
The outer side of the wall is covered with barricades, pits, and newly dug, deeper and wider defensive trenches.
The watchtowers stand like a forest, echoing each other. A network of roads crisscrosses the camp, clearly defining its zones.
Soldiers' barracks, supply warehouses, training grounds, stables, and even a small planned vegetable garden.
Although the building materials were mostly locally sourced wood and mud, giving it a rugged appearance, its scale and defensive capabilities, as Lind assessed, were in no way inferior to the castle itself, and in some respects even more flexible due to its open space.
As Linde traveled, patrolling soldiers would frequently salute him respectfully, their eyes filled with a complex mix of trust and exhaustion.
He nodded slightly in response, his steps unwavering, heading directly towards a relatively sturdy large house built of logs and earth in the center of the camp—Viscount Lillens' temporary command post.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door, a strong smell mixed with parchment, ink, pipe tobacco, and sweat hit me.
The room was dimly lit, with a few not-so-bright crystal lamps casting a glow on the walls, illuminating a long table piled with maps, files, and various weapons.
Lillens was buried in a pile of documents, his brow furrowed, one hand holding a quill pen and sketching on parchment, while the other hand habitually stroked his signature, anvil-like square jaw.
The bruises under his eyes are darker than they were a few days ago, clearly indicating severe lack of rest.
"Linde".
Hearing the door open, Lillens looked up, saw Lind, and immediately put down his pen and stood up.
His movements still carried the crispness characteristic of a soldier, but his voice was slightly hoarse.
“Sit down, Lillens.”
Lindla moved over to a chair and sat down, getting straight to the point.
"The training session is over, so I came over on the way. Two things: the deployment of reserve supplies, and also, I hope there's been some news coming back from our respective territories?"
Lillens pulled out two thick scrolls sealed with sealing wax from the table and pushed them in front of Lind.
"Indeed. This is your Blackrock Territory's report, which just arrived recently. I have just finished compiling the latest supply list."
He picked up another list, speaking quickly and clearly:
"Linde, the situation... is more urgent than we anticipated. First, there's the food. The castle and camp are consuming huge amounts of food every day. Although we captured some of the Sassians' food reserves and urgently requisitioned food from the rear, the reserves can only last for three weeks at most."
This is under the premise of strict ration control and no influx of new refugees.
Secondly, there are arrows: their consumption is staggering, especially in defensive battles.
Less than a quarter of the arrows in stock remain, and reserves of arrowheads and shafts are also running low.
The craftsmen worked day and night, but there weren't enough materials or skilled workers.
Li Luns tapped his finger heavily on the list:
"The most troublesome thing is medicine! Especially hemostatic and anti-inflammatory herbs and bandages. The wounded soldiers' camp is in dire need of help every day, and old Harvey (the military doctor) is so anxious that he has blisters on his lips."
Our spies sent to the rear reported that medicinal herbs in several nearby towns had been almost completely plundered, prices had skyrocketed, and... apparently some merchants had started hoarding them for profit.
Linde listened silently, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound.
The shortage of supplies was to be expected, but the severity of the situation is still heartbreaking.
He picked up the report belonging to his Blackstone territory, removed the sealing wax, and quickly began to browse through it.
After glancing at it a few times, Lind realized that the report was written by Alice...
The construction of the castle and church went smoothly, thanks to Lind's clearing out of the surrounding area, making the entire territory very safe.
Weeks, who was seriously injured earlier, has recovered and is now planning to continue his monster taming mission.
Seeing that everyone in the territory was doing well, Lind felt relieved.
Moreover, Alice's deep concern for Lind is evident throughout her words.
Alice also wrote that her core technology for large-scale replication had made a breakthrough and she was just waiting for him to come back and see it.
Linde sighed. If his territory weren't relatively close to the Sass Empire, Linde wouldn't have bothered coming here to suffer.
Lilen quickly scanned the report on his own fortified city, his expression softening slightly.
He put down the report and turned his gaze back to the list of supplies, as if searching for a glimmer of hope:
"My lord, we must find a stable supply route as soon as possible, otherwise... we will collapse on our own even before the Orks attack."
My suggestion is: First, immediately use our 'connections' in the rear towns to buy up a batch of grain and medicine, especially medicine, even at a high price!
Second, they sought to purchase goods from lords or merchant alliances further away, unaffected by the war, even if the transportation time was long and the cost was high.
Third, organize larger hunting and gathering teams to obtain food and herbs from the forest, which is better than nothing.
Fourth, strictly investigate the internal allocation of resources to prevent any possible embezzlement or waste!
Lind nodded; Lillens's suggestion was pragmatic and urgent.
"Do as you say. Utilize all available resources and channels. Gold coins are not a problem; prioritize food and medicine."
I will write a personal letter to the Earl of Sutherland, requesting that they do everything in their power to raise the necessary funds, even if it means emptying their coffers temporarily, to send the supplies over.”
After finalizing the most urgent issue of supplies, the two exchanged opinions on details such as the defensive layout of the base, the training of new recruits, and the coordinated defense with the castle.
Lilens reported on the progress of the construction and the difficulties encountered, while Linde offered some suggestions for adjustments based on his observations during his inspection.
The topic inevitably returned to the Orcs and the potential threat of the Shadow Abyss.
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