Chapter 259 - 114: The "Arrogant and Domineering" Lynch Blackwood

Chapter 259: Chapter 114: The "Arrogant and Domineering" Lynch Blackwood

Balen’s furious tirade came to an abrupt halt, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.

His large, bell-like eyes involuntarily darted to the barrel of liquor, and his throat bobbed visibly.

Lynch didn’t say a word. With another flick of his wrist...

CLANG!

Another identical barrel of the limited-edition "Water of Life" was slammed down next to the first.

Balen’s breathing grew heavier, and his loud curses unconsciously faded into a quiet mumble. "B-brother, it’s not that I’m trying to lecture you, but this modification of yours... it’s no good... It’s like a kid’s firecracker. It won’t kill a wolf, it’ll just make it laugh..."

CLANG!

A third barrel of the gold-label "Water of Life" was stacked on top.

Balen’s eyes were fixed on the three barrels of liquor, as if he were gazing upon some peerless treasure.

He swallowed hard, then gritted his teeth. As if making a decision that went against the sacred traditions of his ancestors, he thumped his thick chest, producing a series of muffled THUMPS.

"Ahem, well... my good brother!" His tone did a complete one-eighty. He managed to force an "amiable" smile onto his face and said, "Actually... on second thought, you have a point! Those Gnolls don’t really deserve the winter-bear treatment... The most important thing is that our militia brothers have something comfortable and easy to use! Whatever you say, that’s how we’ll change it! You can count on me!"

Lynch’s face was a picture of sincerity. "I’m glad you understand, brother."

In truth, Lynch hadn’t expected to produce advanced breech-loading or repeating rifles right away. You have to take things one step at a time. First, he needed to ensure the militiamen had muskets to use at all.

After a moment’s thought, Lynch laid out his specific requirements. "The musket’s weight should ideally be kept under eleven pounds, and its length should be moderate for easy carrying. The powder charge should be set at a level that won’t blow up the barrel, with a recoil the militiamen can handle..."

He glanced at Jinke and added, "Have Jinke join your team. He’s quick-witted and has a knack for mechanics. See if he can help optimize the loading process."

"Also, you can continue to produce a batch of the authentic dwarven muskets. We can mount them on watchtowers and carriages to use as fixed firing points."

With his instructions given, Lynch dropped a few more barrels of "Water of Life" with a CLANG, CLANG, as an incentive for the artisans to work overtime.

As a wealthy Necromancer, he could afford to be this extravagant.

And under the magical influence of the "Water of Life," the Dwarf Workshop exploded with astonishing productivity.

Although Balen Copperbeard still grumbled about the "fire poker" design, he didn’t hold back when it came to the work. He led the dwarves of the entire Artisan District in working day and night, the sound of their hammers ringing out ceaselessly.

In just five or six days, the first batch of thirty improved "Militia Muskets" was fresh off the forge.

During the wait, Aus had already followed Lynch’s orders and selected the first group of a hundred reserve musketeers from the Lakefront Town militia.

They were all promising recruits—strong, young, brave, with steady hands and sharp eyes.

Led by a few veterans from the war camp with experience using crossbows, they underwent several days of basic training in formation, discipline, and shooting stances.

As soon as the muskets arrived, training immediately moved into the live-fire phase.

For a time, the makeshift shooting range was filled with a constant roar of gunfire.

The new recruits were initially startled by the loud noise and recoil, but with strict instruction and repeated practice, they soon mastered the basic operation.

Although their loading speed was still slow and their accuracy was inconsistent, they could at least fire their rounds safely and form a basic volley fire.

It had to be said, dwarven forging techniques were truly impeccable.

Even though they inwardly despised the fire-poker-style design, the muskets they produced were still masterfully crafted and structurally sound.

With the powder charge strictly controlled, not a single barrel exploded during testing, proving their extremely high reliability.

* * *

「One day.」

Escorted by sixty fully-armed militiamen, a convoy laden with iron ore departed from the West Ridge Mining Area, making its way slowly toward Lakefront Town.

Halfway through their journey, on a narrow stretch of forest road, the axle of the lead ore cart suddenly snapped with a CRACK. The cart’s body veered uncontrollably to one side, blocking most of the path.

"Damn it," the squad leader cursed. While ordering the militiamen to stand guard, he dispatched a rider to gallop back to town and fetch artisans with tools for the repair.

The convoy was forced to halt and wait for help.

As evening fell, they lit a bonfire in a clearing by the roadside and arranged for sentries to take turns on watch.

In the distant shadows, several pairs of eyes, glowing with a greedy yellow light, watched everything unfold from the darkness.

The night deepened. The bonfire flickered in the darkness, its flames dancing and dipping.

Suddenly, a series of sharp howls erupted from all sides!

Twenty to thirty tall, dark figures shot out from the woods with astonishing speed, charging straight for the convoy by the bonfire.

These dark figures were large-bodied with bared fangs, their eyes glinting with bloodlust. They were the Gnoll raiders from the Mist Forest.

Based on past experience, a human convoy escorted mainly by militiamen would, upon encountering so many Gnolls in a night raid, most likely panic. After a brief resistance, they would break and scatter, becoming prey to be hunted down and plundered.

This time, however, things were completely different.

The very instant the Gnoll raiders appeared,

a sharp whistle pierced the night air.

The militiamen by the bonfire sprang to their feet, quickly using the ore carts and the terrain to form a simple, circular Defensive Array.