Chapter 128: New Settlement
Edgar didn’t immediately press the confirmation.
Instead, he slowly walked across the plateau with a thoughtful look on his face.
The wind brushed past his clothes while he carefully observed the terrain from every direction. "This place will have to protect hundreds of lives."
He couldn’t afford to make mistakes.
For nearly ten minutes, Edgar inspected the entire plateau.
He measured the distance between the cliffs with his own footsteps, checked the elevation, and even examined how rainwater would naturally flow during storms.
Only after satisfying himself did he finally stop. "...Here."
The very center of the plateau, which would be really important for all the future construction.
A translucent screen quietly appeared before him.
---
⟨Create Building⟩
Selected:
⟨Unbroken Fire⟩
Cost: 10 White Nightmare Stones
---
Without hesitation, Edgar willed it into formation.
The ten Nightmare Stones resting beside him immediately dissolved.
White liquid slowly spread across the rocky ground before gathering into a perfect circular platform made of pale stone.
The surface quietly turned solid and more elaborate.
Within only a minute, the platform had completely formed.
Edgar looked at the empty brazier resting in its center. "...Now."
He took out two more White Nightmare Stones and placed them in the gaps that were already present.
Whoosh!
Brilliant golden flames quietly rose into the air. Unlike ordinary fire, they produced no smoke.
Instead, a warm pressure slowly spread throughout the surroundings.
The invisible barrier expanded until it covered nearly ten metres in every direction.
Edgar nodded in satisfaction. "...Good."
A safe zone had finally been established.
Without wasting another second, he opened the construction menu again.
---
Selected:
⟨Watch Tower⟩
---
Another stream of white liquid flowed across the ground.
Stone rapidly rose upward beside the Unbroken Fire, and a circular foundation appeared first, followed by thick walls.
Finally, the enormous crystal mounted at the top slowly began glowing.
The construction only took several minutes. Edgar looked up at the completed tower.
The two structures complemented each other perfectly.
The Watch Tower overlooked the entire plateau while the Unbroken Fire protected its base.
"...Now for the next step."
Another system screen appeared.
---
⟨Unbroken Fire⟩
Level 1 → Level 2
Choose Upgrade Path:
....
....
---
Edgar didn’t hesitate to choose the range option, which was much more important right now.
The upgrade immediately began.
More Nightmare Stones dissolved into white streams before flowing directly into the stone platform.
The golden flames suddenly grew taller.
The invisible barrier rapidly expanded outward, and it only stopped after reaching nearly fifty metres.
Edgar quietly observed the greatly expanded protection. "...Much better."
Now an entire settlement could safely exist inside its range.
Without stopping, Edgar continued constructing.
One after another, small houses quietly appeared around the central fire.
After finishing twenty homes, Edgar immediately created a warehouse beside them.
Unlike the houses, this building was considerably larger.
Its thick walls and reinforced wooden doors would safely store supplies for months.
Edgar then ordered a nearby Soul Guardian to unload everything it had been carrying.
Everything was carefully stacked inside the warehouse.
"...That should keep them alive for a while."
Even after the warehouse had been filled, Edgar didn’t stop.
His eyes slowly swept around the edge of the protected area.
"...One last thing."
A Fortress without walls wasn’t a Fortress.
He selected another construction.
---
⟨Level 1 Fortress Wall⟩
---
White liquid immediately spread around the outer edge of the fifty-metre radius.
The construction this time was much larger.
Stone slowly rose from the earth, and section after section connected together.
The wall gradually surrounded the entire settlement.
Time quietly slipped away.
Nearly half an hour later, the final stone slid into place.
The construction finally ended as a complete Fortress now stood atop the cliff.
The sturdy walls overlooked the surrounding forest.
The Watch Tower quietly rotated above the settlement.
"...Perfect."
A satisfied smile slowly appeared on Edgar’s face.
It wasn’t as grand as his main Fortress, but it was more than enough to protect ordinary people.
He quietly admired it for another few moments before turning toward the forest.
"...Now it’s time."
...
Almost an hour later...
Edgar finally arrived near the temporary camp beside the Han River.
The rescued slaves had already begun another morning.
Several people were collecting water while others searched for edible plants nearby.
The moment they noticed Edgar approaching, everything suddenly became tense. "...Someone’s coming!"
Several young men immediately stepped forward.
Although exhausted, they still gripped crude spears and wooden clubs.
They instinctively positioned themselves between Edgar and the women and children.
The middle-aged man Edgar had seen before also stepped forward.
His expression remained cautious. "Who are you?"
Before Edgar could answer, every Soul Guardian surrounding the camp suddenly moved.
The young men immediately tightened their grips, but instead of attacking, every skeleton quietly lowered itself onto one knee before Edgar.
Complete silence spread throughout the camp.
The rescued people stared with wide eyes.
One child quietly whispered, "...They’re bowing..."
Understanding slowly appeared on the middle-aged man’s face.
"...You’re..."
Edgar gave a small nod.
"...I’m the one who asked them to protect you."
The man remained frozen.
A few seconds later, he suddenly dropped onto both knees.
"...Thank you."
Everyone followed after him, and soon nearly the entire camp had knelt.
Edgar quietly waited until everyone had calmed down.
Only then did he speak. "I’ve prepared a new home for all of you."
His words immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Hope slowly returned to countless exhausted faces.
Edgar turned toward the Soul Guardians, especially the Gorilla Commander.
"Lead the way."
The skeletons immediately formed a protective formation around the rescued people.
The journey quietly began.
...
As they walked through the forest, Edgar gradually moved beside the middle-aged man.
"What is your name?"
The man respectfully lowered his head. "My name is Osric, my lord."
"What did you do before all of this?"
"I was the headman of our village."
Osric forced a tired smile. "I settled disputes, organized farming, and handled trade with nearby villages."
Edgar nodded. "Then how did you all end up here?"
The smile completely disappeared.
Osric looked toward the ground. "...Three weeks ago, we thought they were ordinary merchants."
His hands slowly clenched.
"That night, they poisoned our wells, and most of us collapsed before we even understood what had happened."
"When we woke up..." He looked toward the women and children walking behind them. "...We were already tied inside wagons."
His voice became noticeably quieter. "They burned the village afterward."
"..."
Edgar remained silent.
Osric took a deep breath before bowing once more. "Thank you for saving us."
The blonde boy simply shook his head. "You survived because you didn’t give up."
The conversation quietly ended.
...
Nearly another hour and a half later...
The forest gradually opened.
The rescued people slowly stepped onto the plateau.
One after another, everyone stopped walking.
"..."
No one spoke.
Before them stood a clean stone Fortress overlooking the Han River.
The flames of the Unbroken Fire quietly danced at its center.
Twenty newly built homes stood neatly arranged behind sturdy walls.
The Watch Tower overlooked everything from above.
Even the warehouse stood fully stocked.
Several children unconsciously ran toward the entrance before stopping in disbelief.
Edgar smiled faintly. "...Welcome home."
The moment those words left his mouth...
Many of the rescued people could no longer hold back their emotions.
Some cried openly.
Others repeatedly bowed toward him.
They finally had a place they could truly call home.