The Golem Mage Chapter 1138: Incoming.

There's an 80,000 Qi cost for Level 2 Walls.

Four Arrow Towers require 200,000 Qi.

Mid-Rank Barracks are priced at 500,000 Qi.

[Status]

Qi: 117,000

Army: -

City Heart: (1000/1000)

Swiftly, the rugged stone fortifications underwent a transformation, evolving from their primitive, crudely finished state to a new, polished appearance, suggesting an era of more advanced construction.

The walls now presented a smooth facade, as if superior cementing and shaping methods had been employed in their creation. But the upgrades didn't stop there.

At each of the four corners of his burgeoning settlement, arrow towers now stood sentinel. Their initial construction appeared to be of sturdy timber, enhanced with integrated metal components, lending them a robust and sophisticated look.

Not far from the boundary stood a formidable barracks, mirroring the one in his main castle. Though he had never personally inspected his own territory's barracks before, he couldn't afford to overlook this one, especially with an impending wave attack.

He recognized that defending the entirety of his city's perimeter alone was an impossible task. Thus, he required every available reinforcement. Proceeding towards the barracks, an interface materialized as he drew near, presenting a roster of summonable racial warrior units.

Available units included Barbarian Warriors, Amazon Archers, Giants, and even Goblin Thieves.

Each unit type was accompanied by its own designated hero.

However, Alec swiftly determined that the Goblin Thieves and Giants were ill-suited for defensive duties, leaning more towards offensive capabilities.

Conversely, the Barbarian Warriors and Amazon Archers were ideal for the defensive engagement that could commence at any moment. He then consulted the unit summoning limit, noting it was capped at five hundred for his current City Heart level.

This detail sparked his curiosity about potential summoning capacity with an upgraded City Heart. Consequently, he immediately investigated the Qi cost to advance his City Heart to the next tier.

The displayed cost was a staggering half a million Qi. Upon seeing this, Alec promptly dismissed the idea, redirecting his focus entirely onto the summoning process.

He selected 350 Barbarian Warriors and 150 Amazon Archers.

Upon completion, he observed that 35,000 Qi and 22,500 Qi had been deducted respectively for the Barbarian Warriors and Amazon Archers.

Summoning a single Barbarian Warrior incurred a cost of 100 Qi, whereas an Amazon Archer required 150 Qi.

The instant the Qi deduction was registered, burly, bearded men began to stream from the barracks in great numbers. Clad in animal furs and wielding heavy armaments, those not equipped with oversized weapons were clearly proficient in dual-wielding.

As they emerged, they bowed in deference to Alec, showing reverence to the lord who had summoned them.

The Amazon warriors, in contrast, were more modestly attired than the barbarians, some of whom wore minimal or no upper body covering. The Amazons were encased in fitted leather armor, wielded bows seemingly crafted from ancient trees, and carried quivers slung across their backs.

Each warrior exuded an aura ranging from Tier 4 to Tier 6. Alec now fully grasped the designation of 'mid-rank' for the barracks, acknowledging that while he couldn't pinpoint the exact cultivation realm of the summoned warriors, they would undoubtedly fall within the mid-rank classification.

He then recalled a past conversation with Arthur, who had mentioned that troops perform significantly better under the guidance of heroes, as these racial commanders directly oversee their units, much like generals commanding soldiers.

With this insight, Alec returned to the barracks interface and navigated to the Hero section. For the Barbarians, he found Connan the Barbarian, and for the Amazons, the Amazon Warrior Queen was available. Connan's summoning cost was 10,000 Qi, while the Amazon Warrior Queen required 15,000 Qi.

Without a moment's hesitation, he purchased both heroes, bringing his total expenditure to 82,500 Qi and leaving him with a remaining balance of 34,500 Qi.

Subsequently, Connan and the Amazon Warrior Queen emerged from the barracks. The sight of the powerfully built, battle-hardened man wearing a leather headband, brandishing a longsword, and the elegant woman with a purple-black cape trailing behind her, a massive crossbow at her side and short swords at her waist, left Alec thoroughly pleased with his decision.

Their immediate action upon exiting was to drop to one knee, offering Alec greetings filled with respect.

[Warning!!! The first wave is imminent. Lords, prepare for battle.]

However, just as Alec began to savor the unwavering loyalty and respect displayed by his newly acquired forces, the warning message flashed, accompanied by countless piercing shrieks that reverberated through the air.

The moment the commotion began, Connan rose to his feet.

“My lord, leave the defense to us. Just make sure every other thing you want to set up is completed. We will make sure no harm comes to you,” Connan declared, assigning approximately fifty Barbarian Warriors to establish a protective perimeter around Alec.

A chair was swiftly brought for him to occupy, accompanied by a table, while the Amazon Warrior Queen had already directed three archers each to the arrow towers.

Concurrently, the Barbarian Warriors were ascending the city gates by utilizing ropes, climbing with them to spread across every vantage point under Connan’s command.

The Amazon Warrior Queen then positioned her warriors behind the Barbarian contingent, who had ascended the stairs normally, with the amazon archers poised to fire from a secure distance while the Barbarians maintained the frontline and provided their protection.

In a moment, every defensive position was occupied.

Even so, Alec opened the store to examine other potential purchases, knowing that while they were currently well-prepared, he saw no issue with being exceptionally ready.

After all, he possessed all these points, and since they couldn't be retained, he might as well utilize them now.

He browsed the store and acquired one mortar, placing it at the heart of his territory, followed by four cannons positioned along the walls' flanks.

The advantage of these armaments was their autonomous operation; they would commence firing without hesitation upon any entity not affiliated with Alec’s forces crossing the established boundary.

“Now I am prepared,” Alec stated after his two heroes concluded their detailed explanation of the city's defense strategy.

Nevertheless, it wasn't long before the sound reached him: the distant thunder of countless footsteps, all converging on his location.

Alec then slowly ascended into the air, aiming to gain a clear perspective of the Zergs native to this world.