Chapter 173

Time quietly slipped by amidst busyness and focus; half a month has passed since that brutal siege battle.

Guangtan Fortress was like a precise and efficient beehive; with everyone doing their part, it was recovering its vigor at an astonishing speed, even more vibrant and resilient than before the battle.

After taking the dragon blood potion, Chen Xiulan and Li Jing underwent a brief but painful physique strengthening process.

The effect was significant; Chen Xiulan can now draw strong bows more easily, her endurance greatly increased, and the penetration power of her arrows improved by nearly twenty percent.

Li Jing felt her bodily strength markedly increased; the strain of consecutively using Void Shuttle lessened, her maximum shuttle distance stabilized around four hundred twenty meters, and her accuracy also improved.

With a steady supply of Bodhi Fruit, the progress of several spirit-system members was equally encouraging.

Jiang Xiu'e's increased spiritual power strengthened her greenhouse's growth effect; the maturation cycle of the new batch of crops shortened by five days, and she successfully cultivated a 'Drowsy Mushroom' that releases faint paralyzing pollen, already planted in a small area at the foot of the city wall.

Li Qingge's Healing light became more solid, effect increased; Li Xinxin's Guigu perception range expanded, allowing clearer discernment of external energy fluctuations; Zhao Ling'er and Zhao Shuang'er's Soul Resonance range finally could stably cover the outer city wall area, though the amplification effect remained weak, it was undoubtedly a shot in the arm in prolonged battles; Wang Hongmei made a breakthrough in enchanting skills, successfully adding a longer-lasting Toughness effect to several pieces of leather armor, and began attempting to add Sharpness to Huang Rong's flying knives.

Huang Rong and Li Qingxuan, through frequent outdoor hunting and scouting, not only cleared newly emerged threats around the fortress but also gained ever richer combat experience.

Li Qingxuan's Domination ability took effect again; he subdued several Phantom Cat Demons skilled at lurking and creating mental interference, filling the vacancy in the Strange Guard unit, and deployed them deep in the mist.

The repair work on the outer city wall was basically completed, protection value restored to 85%, the newly arranged traps layered upon each other, perfectly blending with the mist.

After rest, the Icefield Demon Wolf pack regained part of its numbers; several cubs grew strong under everyone's careful care, the Icefield Demon Bear cub's strength increased, the Chi Tiger cub's movements became ever more agile, and the Swallow Sky Python cub's scales flashed with metallic luster.

Guangtan Fortress's swift recovery and low-key development did not divert outside attention; instead, it attracted more scrutiny and probing.

First came normal contact via the trading platform.

【Private Chat·Elizabeth Camp Representative】: Lord Li Qingxuan, congratulations on your fortress successfully repelling external enemies. We are very interested in your food production and wish to conduct long-term trade of Fine Grade weapons and building materials; what do you think?

Li Feifei responded cautiously as instructed by Li Qingxuan, agreeing to a small-batch food-for-weapons trade, but indicated that building material needs were 'temporarily not lacking,' thus avoiding overexposure of the restoration progress.

【Private Chat·Dark Elf Camp Representative】: We deeply admire your fortress's defensive works; may we have the honor of technical exchange? We are willing to offer the craftsmanship for producing enchanted arrows as trade.

This request was politely declined by Li Feifei, with the reason: 'Technology is a core secret, sorry cannot be disclosed.'

Besides these relatively 'friendly' contacts, some less friendly probing also followed.

A few days ago, Chen Xiulan discovered via Fortress Guard a group of about twenty human survivors attempting to sneak into the mist along the route of the orcs' retreat, behaving furtively, clearly with ill intent.

Before Li Qingxuan could act, Huang Rong used traps and interference from the Phantom Cat Demons, combined with the Icefield Demon Wolf pack's driving off, easily repelled that group; the enemy didn't even see the city wall's shadow before fleeing in disarray.

Subsequently, another band of about thirty mixed-race marauders appeared in the distance, scouting the fortress, seemingly wanting to assess its defensive strength.

Li Qingxuan personally intervened, killing their leader with thunderous means and driving away the rest, thereby establishing authority.

The most troublesome instance was three elven scouts from the Dark Elf Camp; relying on superb stealth skills and affinity with natural energy, they actually broke through the outer mist and some traps, approaching within less than a hundred meters of the outer city wall, attempting to map the wall's structure and find weak points.

Had Li Xinxin not sensed in advance the abnormal pure yet hostile natural energy fluctuations, and Li Jing not used Void Shuttle for swift interception and expulsion, they might indeed have obtained some information.

These successive probing attempts made the people of Guangtan Fortress realize they had become the target of everyone's ire.

The former mist and mystery, after repelling the Lie Claw Clan, instead aroused more forces' desire to investigate and conquer.

However, just as Guangtan Fortress was developing step by step, a new sense of oppression permeating heaven and earth began to quietly surface.

The first to notice the abnormality was Huang Rong. 'Qingxuan younger brother,' she found Li Qingxuan, 'lately I feel the moisture in the air growing heavier, and the sky's color also seems off, the cloud layers look increasingly thick.'

Li Qingxuan lifted his gaze to the sky; the originally azure canopy was indeed now veiled with a layer of grayish haze, as if an invisible curtain were slowly descending.

He frowned, a sense of ill omen rising in his heart: 'This weather really is off. Issue orders for everyone to heighten vigilance, especially the city walls and outer trap areas.'

Li Feifei swiftly took action, conveying Li Qingxuan's order to everyone via the internal communication system.

The atmosphere inside the fortress instantly turned tense; everyone realized a new crisis might be silently approaching.

Almost simultaneously, Li Feifei also caught an unusual trend from the World Channel.

【World Channel·Weather Enthusiast: Has anyone noticed the weather lately feels strange? Clouds are getting thicker, the wind carries a fishy smell.】

【World Channel·Coastal Survivor: We here have already started heavy rain!】

【World Channel·Mountain Observer: Animals in the mountains are all moving to higher ground! Ants relocating, snakes and rats scurrying about—this is definitely an omen of natural disaster!】

【World Channel·Prophet: I said the monthly natural disaster after the rule update isn't a joke! Last time was a cold snap; judging by signs, this time there's an eighty percent chance of heavy rain or flood!】

【World Channel·Survival Expert: All camps in low-lying areas, take note! Immediately relocate to higher ground! Check shelter waterproofing! Stockpile clean water and food!】

【World Channel·Panicker: It's over! My camp is right by the river! I'm doomed! Who will come save me!】

The channel was filled with various speculations, warnings, and panic; the conclusion seemed increasingly clear—a new round of natural disaster, likely large-scale heavy rain, possibly accompanied by flood!

Li Qingxuan immediately summoned everyone.

"A new natural disaster may be coming, likely heavy rain and flood." He solemnly conveyed the information and judgment to everyone: "We must start preparations immediately."

Guangtan Fortress's location is relatively high, avoiding the risk of direct inundation by flood, but prolonged heavy rain still poses a great threat.

"Inspect all buildings, especially the waterproofing of the greenhouse and warehouse!" Li Feifei immediately acted, directing everyone to check for hazards.

"Stockpile clean water! Gather every container that can hold water!" Jiang Xiu'e, together with Li Qingge and Li Xinxin, began busying themselves.

"The city wall's drainage system needs inspection and clearing to prevent waterlogging the foundations." Chen Xiulan reminded.

"The traps need waterproofing, otherwise many will fail." Huang Rong inspected the outer city's arrangements.

Wang Hongmei worried: "Continuous heavy rain will affect visibility and make the city walls slippery, unfavorable for defense."

Zhao Ling'er and Zhao Shuang'er also showed worried expressions.

A new pressure weighed on everyone's hearts. Having just emerged from the war's shadow, they were about to face nature's merciless trial.

Li Qingxuan climbed the city wall, gazing at the increasingly gloomy and oppressive sky in the distance.

Gray-black clouds hung low, seemingly within reach; the air was filled with heavy moisture and a faint sour-astringent smell.

The orc threat had temporarily receded, but hidden enemies still lurked in the dark; now, the might of heaven and earth was about to descend.

"First ensure the greenhouse and warehouse are completely secure." Li Qingxuan ordered in a deep voice, "Stockpile sufficient food and pure water. Thoroughly inspect the drainage system, reinforce areas prone to landslides. Complete all preparations before the natural disaster strikes!"

Guangtan Fortress, originally focused on development and responding to human threats, immediately shifted its focus, throwing itself into emergency preparations for the impending rainstorm natural disaster.

This time, what they will face is a more unpredictable and violent force of nature.

The fortress's defense will face a severe test unlike the clash of blades.

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