The stonemasons and apprentices were resting on the ground, watching with envy and reverence as the enchanted materials rose into the air under Heti's magical guidance and were accurately drawn on the surface of the stone wall. A huge translucent palm was assisting from the side, removing the vines that were affecting the drawing of the circle, adjusting the fine runic lines, or embedding enchanted crystals or other augmenting materials. Between the runic gaps of the circle were the stone caverns and pores that they had dug before, which were stuffed with glittering crystal 'gravel'.
In their eyes, the fine crystals that were the size of rice grains were no different from gravel.
The exhausted men did not realize what they were participating in, and were not even aware of Gwen's plan to blow up the stone wall. They were merely working under their liege's orders. But as Amber watched them, a strange feeling arose in her heart.
Apart from the final drawing of the detonation circle, most of the process was done by normal people. The serfs in the Furnace District had fired the crystals, and the Mana Net One that charged the crystals was also built by normal craftsmen. Although Rebecca had participated in the design of the Mana Net, she did not use any supernatural powers throughout. Later, the peasants would transport the crystals here, and the stonemasons would chisel the holes in the stone wall and stuff the crystals inside.
In fact, if not for the fact that the circle had to be drawn on the stone wall and the limited time, the drawing of the circle could have been done by normal people, as long as they could ensure that the runes were drawn in the right places and the enchanted materials were installed correctly at the key points. Although it required some knowledge and skill, it did not require any supernatural powers, and Amber believed that even the peasants in her domain could master it with training and learning.
As for how someone without mana could activate the array … Rebecca had already created a rune trigger, and it was proven that it could be used on the detonation array. Even without the rune trigger, the 'Weave 1' in the territory had already achieved the ability to supply energy to the outside world. As long as the charging route of the Weave 1 was extended, ordinary people would be able to detonate this thing that Gawain called 'large-scale art'.
Admittedly, this process was far more complicated and difficult than the snap of a finger by a grand magus, but just the thought of the possibility of this process being possible made Amber shudder.
A group of normal people without the ability to cast spells could actually blow up the entire cliff with this' magic device '.
As she thought about it, she could not help but look at Gwen strangely. This strange man who did not look like a noble at all … Did he know what he was doing?
But after thinking about it seriously for a moment, Amber's remaining seriousness was exhausted. She clapped her hands, looked up at the sky, and found that it was not dinner time yet. She then turned and disappeared into the shadows.
She still had to continue monitoring the movements of the group of mutants and send back information at any time. The task was still important.
On the other side, the two Knight, Philip and Byron, were accompanying Rebecca on the mountain pass to the southwest of the camp. They were doing something they had never done before.
They instructed their subordinates to bury traps on the ground, traps that would explode.
The soldiers and conscripted labourers were in charge of digging holes, while Rebecca and the craftsmen were in charge of placing the 'mines' in place. As long as the runic trigger was placed on the magic circle, the seemingly harmless crystal particles would become dangerous enough to split mountains. So every runic trigger was personally adjusted and placed in place by Rebecca. And to prevent the careless fellows from accidentally triggering the mechanism, Rebecca also placed a red stone beside each trap as a mark.
Yes, marking was not in line with the basic professional ethics of burying mines. But it didn't matter. It was just bullying the mutants for being brainless.
Knight Philip looked at his subordinates with a strange expression as they sprinkled a thin layer of soil on the surface of a well-placed wooden box. He then looked at the others who were busy digging holes not far away. Finally, he could not help but whisper to Byron, "Isn't this a little bit not in line with the spirit of a Knight?"
"Not in line with the spirit of a Knight? You mean digging a trap? " The gray-haired middle-aged Knight glanced at the young man. "Then what do you think of a Knight's spirit?"
Philip put his hand on the hilt of his sword solemnly. "A Knight should confront the enemy openly, arm himself with courage and justice, face the strongest enemy head-on, and defend the people and the land. If he wins, he will return with honor. If he loses, he will be buried on the battlefield. Not here digging a trap."
Byron did not wait for the young man to finish. He waved his hand and said, "Stop, stop, stop. You really can't change this habit of yours. Don't forget, these traps were ordered by the Knight. He is the Knight of the Knights, the hero of the heroes. The current Knight's Code of Conduct is based on him. Do you think his arrangements are not in line with the spirit of a Knight? "
Philip was already troubled by this matter. He became even more troubled. "That's why I don't understand."
"In my opinion, this is quite in line with the spirit of chivalry." Byron rubbed his chin and began to use the eloquence he had cultivated during his mercenary days to preach a set of fallacious arguments. "We have dug a pit here openly, just like the barricades and your armor on the battlefield. We are armed in an upright manner. Then, we have to challenge the strongest enemy. Look at these pits, the monsters that can walk out of them must be the strongest. Only such a monster would run to the last line of defense and fight with us. Those who can't even walk through these pits are all weak. Fighting the weak is a disgrace to the spirit of chivalry..."
Philip thought about it carefully and looked at Byron with some doubt. "According to what you're saying, these traps are used to screen out the real strong enemy?"
Byron nodded. "That's pretty much what I mean."
Philip thought carefully again. "I always think you're talking nonsense."
Byron laughed and turned to the craftsmen who were setting up the 'mines'. "Pour some stones on top of the pit. Just don't press on the mechanism. I've seen the scene of these things exploding. If there are stones in the pit, the explosion will be even more powerful. "
Rebecca's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! You can do that? "
"Of course." Byron smiled. "Don't underestimate the wisdom of a mercenary and the justice of a Knight."
"Wait a moment. I'll get someone to bury all the scrap metal we took from the mountains into the trap as well …"
Knight, who had become a monk halfway through his life, and Viscountess, whose brain was caught by a door, looked at each other and smiled. They reached a tacit understanding and colluded together.
Knight Philip, who witnessed the whole process, let out a long sigh.
A few hours later, everything was finally set up. All the soldiers and civilians withdrew to the camp.
Gwen also withdrew.
The monsters were very close. According to Amber's report, they were approaching the first trap in the north of the mountains.
Once they began to sense the breath of living people and active magic energy, they would go berserk from their slow wandering state and rush to the largest human settlement within their perception range.
The front of the camp had been set up. A large area between the western mountain pass and the camp seemed to be completely open space. After this open space, there were temporary wooden fences and wooden spikes. These things had almost negligible effect on the mutants. At most, they would only slow down their movements.
Behind the fences, the fully-armed Knight and the soldiers were the last line of defense.
Gwen stood with the camp guards. Beside him was Rebecca, who was holding her wand and looking nervous. Behind him were the two Knight, Byron and Philip, while the other soldiers and militia were guarding the south gate of the camp with swords and shields. Since the monsters had almost no thinking ability and did not know how to take a detour, as long as they guarded the gate facing the Gloom Mountain Range, it was equivalent to guarding all the lines of defense.
This was probably the only good thing about fighting the mutants.
"Are you nervous?" Gwen noticed that Rebecca had taken her third deep breath, so he asked casually.
"A little." Rebecca squeezed out a smile. "It's strange. I wasn't nervous when I fought with them last time."
"Because you didn't have time to be nervous at that time. But this time, you knew that they were coming three days in advance. Waiting is the most terrible thing in the world." Gwen smiled and shook his head. "But don't be afraid. You have to believe in the power of those crystals. They were created by you."
Rebecca nodded, but then shook her head. "But I've never been reliable since I was a child."
Gwen quickly coughed to cover it up. "Ahem, don't say that here. It'll shake the morale of the soldiers."
Why is this kid always so stubborn?
But obviously, the soldiers around them did not pay attention to what their lord and their former lord were talking about.
They just stared at the mountain pass, waiting for the moment when their lord said "thunder" would explode.
In the Gloom Mountain Range, on the only way to the mountain pass, Heti stood alone on a protruding boulder at the top of the rock wall, quietly looking at the winding natural mountain path below.
She could already smell the foul breath of the monsters.
The air around her was slightly distorted, and Amber's figure emerged from the shadows. The half-elf lady's face was unprecedentedly serious. "They're coming."
Heti nodded slightly and looked at the end of the mountain path below.
A layer of filthy mist rose from there. The plants withered and fell in the mist, and giant flesh freaks walked out from the mist. One, two, three … more and more of them appeared.
Heti dispersed the concealment spell cast on herself. In an instant, the breath of the living and the active magic energy all came out. In the eyes of the monsters from the Demonic Tide, these two breaths were as dazzling as fire in the dark night.
The monsters, who were still slowly moving, suddenly "woke up". They roared wildly, and then suddenly sped up like a pack of hyenas smelling blood. They pounced in the direction of Heti.
Those huge silhouettes began to run wildly on the mountain path, and a layer of goosebumps instantly appeared on Amber's skin. However, Heidi just watched this scene quietly. She stood at the mana injection point of the detonation circle, but did not take any action.
"So … So close!" Hu Po nervously called out in a low voice.
"Not yet." Heti just shook her head. "The more we bury here, the less pressure they will have to face. So let's wait."
Amber grabbed Heti's arm, and at the same time, half of her body began to fade. "Okay, I'll wait for your signal. Once you detonate it, I'll immediately pull you in!"
Heti nodded slightly, raised her hand, and cast the simplest flash spell in the direction of the monsters.
The most basic spell triggered a more obvious wave of magic energy, and the monsters suddenly swarmed even more frantically. They pushed and shoved, and crowded together like a mass of flesh and blood, rushed to the middle of the mountain path. They even began to try to climb the cliff where Heti was standing.
Heti did not hesitate to activate the magic circle under her feet, and pulled Amber's arm. "Let's go!"
The two figures instantly disappeared into the surging shadows.
The magic circle on the cliff emitted a dazzling white light, and a second later, countless of 'magic crystals' buried in the cliff were detonated.
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