CHAPTER 116: CHAPTER 114: AMBUSHED!

The night deepened, growing colder, even the sword thistle began to retract its upright green leaves.

In the camp, ten wagons were linked head to tail, guarding the two sides of the camp.

As for the relatively open front and rear, they were fenced with spiked stakes and chevaux-de-frise.

Through many incidences of preventing attacks and pursuing enemies, the villagers had become proficient in this, almost completing these defensive measures instinctively.

Along the way, quite a few people were attacked by magical creatures, savages, Beastmen, and beasts.

The Night Patrol Gunner and his horn player were patrolling idly alongside the wagon wall.

While walking, the Night Patrol Gunner remarked with some sentiment, "Look at us, a month ago we were still farmers, now I’m a Grand General."

"Alright, alright, we know you’re a Grand General," the horn player, not owning a clock gun, jealously glared at that Holy Gun with his eyes and said softly, "I’m still a Holy Junior General though... What’s that?"

Seeing the grass rustle, the guard companion holding the horn immediately became alert.

The Night Patrol Guard looked in the direction he pointed, a beam of light hit the bushes, and they just saw a flash of gray-yellow fur.

"It was just a rabbit," both the Night Patrol Guard and the horn player sighed in relief, diverting their gaze, with the light following.

Relaxed, the two continued to patrol around.

Unlike ordinary soldiers, the Night Patrol Gunner donned a dirt-yellow robe to avoid being misidentified by allies in the dark.

On his brimmed round helmet, a wooden cylinder as thick as three fingers was mounted, emitting an orange-yellow glow.

Each time he turned his head, a vague beam of light moved along with his neck.

That was a glowing stone mounted in the cylinder.

This glowing stone was also an alchemical product, made using the bones of magical creatures.

Recently, Horn’s group had killed quite a few magical creatures, and their bones were used by Horn to create about ten glowing stone lamps.

A glowing stone is a bone rock able to undergo a slow alchemical reaction, requiring extremely low mana in dark environments, emitting light without any visualization needed.

Of course, the low requirement is only for the mana of the minions; non-Wizards cannot use it.

Just every one or two hours, sprinkle some lime powder to catalyze its mana absorption.

Its mana consumption is so minimal that even those with the weakest mana can almost use it until dawn.

The only and biggest downside is the light is fairly dim, inferior to torchlight, but better than nothing.

Its small size, long duration, hands-free usage, rain and wind resistance, and stable light source make it often used for night patrol soldiers.

Horn made another interesting discovery: the glowing stone’s mana absorption is actually distance-based.

Horn could light it from over five meters away, brighter than normal, whereas the gunner had to wear it on his forehead for it to work.

At this moment, under the glowing stone lamp’s illumination, Horn sat before a desk, meticulously sketching the images on tarot cards.

He was sketching the tower from the tarot cards.

A towering spire struck by lightning was collapsing, flames erupted from the top, and two figures fell from the crumbling tower.

This is the only imagery related to lightning, perhaps it could strengthen Jeanne’s combat abilities.

According to Qianqian, meditation techniques are effective ways to control mana and are beneficial even for Witch learners.

Since its invention, tarot meditation surpassed other chaotic meditation methods.

Eventually, it monopolized the name meditation technique, as people thought tarot was the only meditation method.

It was summarized by the Legendary Wizard Monjef.

Through collection and experimentation, Monjef discovered and summarized twelve effective mental images to harness mana, and set the sequence based on mana flow distance and consumption.

Later, this meditation method was patched, improved, and supplemented by other Wizards, forming the current stable twenty-two tarot cards.

The Magician card comes first, the World card is the twenty-first, and the Fool acts as a bridge to reverse, like an Ouroboros, transferring the first-tier World to the second-tier Magician image, in a cycle.

For Wizards, starting from the second generation, using spells needed precise control via meditation imagery.

By the fifth generation, it became impossible; their mana was too mixed to cast spells, forcing them to use meditation imagery for mana flow and facilitate catalytic reactions during alchemy.

Currently, the four major legions practice the Fool image the most, as it both trains mana control and exerts the least pressure on the soul.

Actually, Horn had some doubts about teaching the villagers meditation techniques; he definitely intended to run away with the gun.

Teaching these villagers meditation, what if they’re caught as Witch minions, devil’s children, or Wizards?

It’s not something else, mainly because they actually are.

Yet, considering the uncertain future and potential dangers in the Wild Spider Forest, Horn decided to teach them still.

He only pledged to try his best to ensure villagers’ safety on this journey; he couldn’t be their lifelong caretaker.

They, like Horn, can’t instinctively use spells; as long as they’re cautious, it’s hard to be caught by Demon Hunters.

Upon reaching Joan of Arc Castle, Horn planned to continue his journey towards Black Snake Bay.

By then, villagers who wish to stay can stay, and those who wish to follow...

If they still wished to follow after knowing the truth, Horn wouldn’t refuse.

Horn estimated there wouldn’t be many such people, after all, his gamble involved risking life itself.

Finished with the last stroke of the tower, Horn placed the stack of tower sketches aside.

From his bosom, he retrieved a notebook and started his daily record.

It was Horn’s diary from Gulag until now, used for reviewing.

The word count was initially quite large, but as circumstances worsened, the count reduced, eventually becoming a military march log.

From logistics allocation to reconnaissance routes, from camp management to marching formations, how to move faster? How to prevent disease and insect bites? How to handle route distribution? How to pinpoint current location?

All aspects and everything.

There were pitfalls Horn had stepped into and attempts made after failures, experiences learned from others; all summarized in this small notebook based on past life theories.

Under the pressure of twelve hundred lives ahead and Extraordinary Knight’s pressure behind.

Horn was forced from someone who couldn’t manage a spring outing to command twelve hundred people with impeccable coordination.

So, people need pressure while alive.

Holding the pen, Horn found himself in thought; recently things went smoothly, with no pitfalls stepped into, leaving him unsure of what to write.

"Buzz—"

A heavy horn sound pierced the night sky.

"Bang!"

"Ssss!"

After the gunshot, a scalp-tingling sound of something strange moving was heard, and suddenly the entire camp awoke.

Facing the direction of the sound, Horn stood up bewildered.

The second horn sounded again, cut short halfway.

Throwing down his paper and pen, Horn put on a chest plate and helmet, grabbed the clock gun and cloak, then ran outside the tent.

Outside, the Child Soldiers reporting waited, while afar, torches were lighting up one by one and converging towards the source of the incident.

"Where?"

"Bang!" Another gunshot.

"Where?!"

"In Grand General Meng Sai’s area."