In a world of extraordinary strength, the most direct way to defeat the enemy is to increase your own strength.

For example, if Ian wants to defeat the mountain people and go to their holy land to get information about the Skyfall Ship, then he only needs to advance to the third energy level to easily crush the entire rebel mountain people - although he may not be able to defeat the steel wing dragon group, the dragon worship cult and the king of the mountain will also help him stop those people.

But the reason why it's the most straightforward, not the easiest, is because it's so hard to get to the next level.

Even though Ian was a gifted genius and his cultivation in psionic energy was about to reach the evaluation standard of the 'third energy level' of the pre-era civilization, if he wanted to have the combat power that truly met the third energy level without exposing the inheritance of the Dead King, then he would have to collect the potion materials of Qi Fairy or the third energy level 'Stone Lord' of Immovable Fortified City.

The materials of the third energy level are not easy to find.

The first level of Warcraft materials, a material is about 100 thalers to 300th thalers, it is indeed expensive, but it is not difficult to buy them all - the really expensive is actually the additional services around the potions, such as the alchemist's service fee, the nutrition required for exercise, the guidance and shaping of the source species, etc...... Not to mention the recipe or something, it's all strategic information, and no one will easily reveal it.

In the second energy level, the price of materials generally fluctuates around one or two thousand, and the cheapest one has more than seven hundred tales...... It doesn't sound like much, but it's just one copy.

In the end, the price adds up, and that's a lot more expensive...... Don't look at the fact that Ian now seems to have fifteen thousand thaler research funds given to him by the Flint Group, and he can't afford to buy two full second-level potions.

As for the third energy level......

Just one piece of material has to be counted as the basic unit of 'Vantal'.

In fact, it is basically impossible to buy sublimation materials of this level.

Most of the third-level materials are found in the labyrinth by themselves, or they wait for the distribution of the empire and the exchange of strategic materials...... You must know that many nobles who have had glorious ancestors are now mostly at the second level.

Coupled with the restriction of self-perception by the light body, even money can't be advanced.

As for the elves, Ian will ask Birch and his mentor Gansong to see if he can get a little hint and help from some of the credit for saving the elven remnants.

As for the 'Lord of Stone', it's a bit of a problem.

"I hope there is a channel on the side of the Dragon Worship Sect, and Elder Manya wants to advance to the third energy level to prove that he should be able to get the corresponding materials."

After thinking about the higher energy levels in the future, Ian continued to turn his attention to the upcoming battle for the defense of Ryan City.

With the territory buried in the Phantom Crystal Engine, the value alone may be comparable to that of the fifth-level material, or even more than that.

Protecting this place is the most important thing.

The mountain people's forward troops have arrived at the edge of the Lai'an Territory, around Lone Flame Peak, which is a long-guessed news for the residents of Lai'an City, but after it really happened, there is still some panicked news.

From any angle, you can tell that Ian is preparing for the fight.

Whether it's the new armor that is being produced, or the defensive towers that are strangely shaped but capable of wielding the power of thunder, everyone is in the eyes of everyone - Ian, the new lord, has invested at least 3,000 thalers in the city before receiving something in return, proving his determination to hold the city.

It is precisely because of this resolute will that some people are willing to join the militia of Lai'an City.

After announcing that the 'rebel hillmen' were about to invade the city, Ian began to direct the guards and militia to guide the northwest of the city, and the residents of the main war zone to leave the residential area.

There, the militia was building various small fortifications and forts to build defensive lines.

Theoretically, you can't use it, but it's certainly right to be prepared.

In a matter of days, the entire western part of the city was transformed into a fortress made of steel and concrete.

But this is only the most superficial preparation.

In Lai'an City, in addition to the energy sources needed to produce magnetic storm armor and magnetic storm coils, the alchemy workshops are also seizing the time to make various 'catalysts'.

Whether it is silver iodide, calcium chloride, salt powder, dry ice, or even urea and other 'alchemical products'.

Most people don't understand why the leader wants to make something that doesn't seem to be useful...... But apparently, they don't question Ian's intelligence and strength.

But Ian also made up his mind to open a basic knowledge school in the future - everyone can't be like Qingchao and not understand what he wants to do, right?

Meanwhile, Ian also got a surprise message from Nauman City.

- Nauman City sent a detailed attack time, battle plan and manpower for the rebel hillmen...... It is more detailed than Ian's own reconnaissance, and it also reveals the future offensive route of the mountain people for Ian!

According to Colonel Mayova, this was information that 'enthusiastic and loyal subjects of the Empire' had given them at risk, and they took it very seriously when they knew about it, and informed Ian as soon as they could.

Iron Devil.

Ian was very sure that most of the actions of the rebel mountain people were expected by the Marquis of Batun, of course, there were some things that even he could not fully control, such as the Flying Flame Land and the Steel Wing Dragon Group, which were definitely beyond his imagination, so the situation in South Ridge was still relatively chaotic now.

However, in other respects, such as the large-scale military activities of the rebel hillmen, the city of Nauman is absolutely well aware.

The boy asked if he needed to keep his hand, and Colonel Mayova tactfully told Ian that they didn't need to be captured, but that it was up to Ian to do so. He was a lord now, and he didn't need to pay much attention to their advice.

- Hmm. It seems that the inner ghost is not here to attack the three tribes of the Ryan Territory.

Knowing the enemy's course of action, Ian had a new idea.

He personally led a group of craftsmen and hired workers in the alchemy workshop, and laid some metal bars with thunderstone powder and magnetic silver in the positions outside the city where mountain troops might pass by, and some metal pillars disguised as tree branches, and erected high 'detonators'.

"Did you hear what the lord said? Install these metal pillars on the trunks of some big trees, and make sure they are higher than the canopy! ”

"Thunderstone powder is laid in the center of a metal column, which is covered under the fallen leaves."

"Remember to bury the magnetic silver alloy wire in the ground and cover it with a layer of floating soil...... Don't be crooked, the lord said, whoever dares to hide the magnetic silver wire will end up the same as President Xilin! ”

"What happened to President Xilin? The head is burned to ashes, and the simple thing is death, do you understand?! ”

I have to say that the average quality of this place in Terra is indeed not very good, and the workers in charge of the construction really have plans to hide the magnetic silver wire, and only secretly return it after hearing the death threat from the foreman...... Ian certainly sees all this, but he also knows that in Terra's era, the quality of most people is like this, and he can't be too demanding.

As long as he returned later, he would turn a blind eye.

It's rainy and thundery in this part of the South Ridge, and seeing Ian's movements, even the most wooden-headed workers can figure out what their lord is going to do - but they still don't know how Ian can be sure that it will rain when the enemy attacks when it's just a simple detonator?

Could it be that the lord is a prophet?

And after making all the preparations in advance, Ian began to assign combat missions.

"Three days later. In the early hours of the morning, three days later, the mountain people would complete their preparations and begin an attempt to attack the city. ”

"What we need to do is to force the mountain people to fight us as soon as possible, so that they can speed up their movements, instead of carefully and carefully scouting the situation around Laian City, and finding out our truth before attacking."

"Qingchao, you lead a magnetic storm team to cut off and harass the supply lines of the mountain people. If the situation is not right and it doesn't rain, use a charged rifle or explosives to strike at a distance. ”

"Scott, you're going to use the alchemy cannon to fire rain bombs at the right time - and you'll be in command of the troops, just as we had when we had a meeting."

The actual effectiveness of the rain bombs, Ian has already led a team around the town of Golden Leaf to test them, and it will rain an hour after firing the alchemy cannon.

It's a bit slow, but if Ian himself were to go into the clouds and do the artificial catalysis, he could speed up the process to a matter of minutes.

But after all, Ian has to drive the armor and stop the enemy's main combat force - so it still depends on Scott's decision.

All the preparations that need to be made in advance are over, and the next thing is to wait for the arrival of the enemy.

And the rebel hillmen are as stated in the intelligence of Nauman City.

Three days later, they left on time and set off.

From the mouth of the Lone Flame Peak Gorge, the three coalition forces of the mountain people drove the beasts and demonic beasts to rush straight towards Laian City!

A thousand-strong army. It doesn't sound like a lot, but for Terra, an army with all the armor, skilled combat qualities, and multiple second energy levels and armor is enough to be called elite in the local area.

The Baissen Mountains, a southeastern mountainous region.

A disciplined army divided into squadrons and marched at a uniform pace.

They are like a river armed with steel, and the trained beasts and monsters move together with the scouts, looking for possible spies in the surrounding forests - they know that the new lord of the Ryan Lords is a master, and even Martin of the Hanging Peak Department has been defeated in his hands, so the three coalition forces do not dare to despise each other in the slightest, but march with the most upright and cautious attitude to avoid being disrupted by the enemy's surprise attack.

In fact, the spies of the mountain people have passed on the changes in the city, and they already know that the city of Lai'an, with its magnetic storm coils and various small fortifications, is a difficult bone to gnaw......

They are also ready for a tough battle.

"It's hard to deal with."

Chief Serpent Rock, the leader of the triumph coalition this time, is a pale-skinned, skinny man like a snake.

Despite this, his appearance is not feminine, but rather gives a wary sense of danger - the steel rock snake is not venomous, but it is the most adept snake at digging holes and traps, and they are best at crushing the bones of their prey that falls into the sharp rock trap with their hard body, and then swallowing it all.

But at the same time, the Steel Rock Serpent will definitely not take the initiative to attack those beasts and demonic beasts that seem weaker than themselves.

Chief Serpent Rock is a perfect portrayal of his bloodline, and it is precisely because he is good at intrigue and trapping people that he will be more careful to avoid being overshadowed by smarter people.

But even so, after receiving the spies' return, the Snake Rock Chief frowned: "How can this new lord of Ryan City, that young imp named Ian be like a rock turtle, and not come out of his lair?" ”

"Not at all youthful and impulsive...... It's not cute. ”

Everyone knows the gap between the mountain people and the Laian City troops, and even the defenders can't withstand the nearly tenfold difference in strength, so as long as the lord of Laian City is smart enough, he will try to use various methods to reduce the combat effectiveness of the mountain people when the mountain people are marching.

Snake Rock has always been on the lookout for traps, and even deliberately let the troops led by him relax their vigilance to induce Ian to attack...... But the boy didn't eat the bait, he just held back, and made up his mind to fight with them in a stupid way.

In this case, even if they win, they will definitely lose a lot!

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

Just as Chief Serpentine frowned and pondered how to avoid his own losses and breach the city of Ryan at the lightest possible cost, he suddenly heard several cannon sounds from far away, but still faintly audible.

"Ryan City is starting shelling us now?"

Chief Serpentine Rock was stunned for a moment, he had some bad feelings in his heart, but he didn't quite understand why Ryan City was wasting expensive alchemy cannonballs...... Where does this hit? They're still in the woods!

"Chief."

After a while, a herald came over: "Chief Zhenzhou and Chief Iron Dust ask you, what are we going to do next?" Looks like we've been spotted over there? ”

"What else can be done? These two brainless guys don't really think that our march can hide from Ryan City, right? ”

Chief Snake Rock's face twitched, if he answered this question, he would really be pulled to the same IQ level as those two guys: "Tell them that we will continue to move forward, build a temporary position in the direction of Lai'an City, advance little by little, and it doesn't matter if you are in a stalemate with the other party." ”

"I'll lead my troops to dig tunnels underground and try to raid the city—I can't do it after I have collapsed the enemy fortifications."

Saying this, Chief Snake Rock smiled confidently, "Anyway, it's not us who are in a hurry. ”

The order was given, and the mountain people's team continued to advance in an orderly manner.

Soon, they arrived at a gentle riverside wooded area near the city of Ryan. There is a gentle stream here, and a little further away is a slightly higher hilly mountain, where if you build a tower, you can see the edge of the city in the distance, and you can also use the shelter of the hills to avoid the direct fire of the city.

"Fix it for a while! Wait for the baggage troops to build a camp here! ”

Snake Rock ordered, he was really not in a hurry.

The mountain militia combined was close to fifteen hundred, while the battleable soldiers of Lai'an City, even if you count the militia with poor training quality, were only 300 people.

- 1,500 against 300, the advantage is mine!

He dared to assert so.

And right now.

It rained, and it fell.

(End of chapter)