Chapter 127: Rune Trap
"Leave?"
Kara didn't understand what this somewhat strangely dressed officer meant.
"I'm going to lure the alien races here to fight later. Staying here will be very dangerous. I don't need your help, nor do I have time to escort you back, so you can only find a place to hide or return on your own."
Lin Ye would definitely attract fourth-tier strong enemies to attack the stronghold eventually. He could retreat at any time, but Kara would be doomed.
"Even if it's just a temporary conscription, I'm still a soldier. I don't want to be a deserter."
Kara said firmly.
"Aren't you afraid of dying here?"
Lin Ye asked casually.
"I am afraid, but my family and close friends are in the city. I'm more afraid of the city being breached and them being devoured by these ghouls."
Kara didn't want to die, but she wanted to flee even less. "But even if you stay here, you might not be able to affect the situation. The city will still be breached, and you'll die here meaninglessly."
Lin Ye used his special skill Peace, and a silver-white shotgun with a thick barrel appeared in his hand.
"Even if it only increases our chances of victory by a tiny bit, I won't run away. Otherwise, I might regret today's decision for the rest of my life. I'd rather die meaninglessly here than live with that regret."
Kara moved her new arm and looked directly into Lin Ye's eyes.
"...What can you do?"
Lin Ye was convinced. Death was terrifying, but sometimes, living in pain was worse than dying quickly.
"Sir, I majored in mechanical engineering and can operate various equipment in the stronghold. As long as they haven't been destroyed by ghouls, I can get them working."
Kara saluted Lin Ye.
"Good. I'll set up the stronghold defenses while you check all the equipment. Report the stronghold's situation to me after your inspection."
Lin Ye gripped the Peace shotgun. War was absolutely not a good thing, but Lin Ye had to admit he was getting somewhat excited.
"Yes!"
Kara immediately turned to inspect the various equipment while Lin Ye began carving runes and setting up rune traps at various positions throughout the stronghold.
Rune traps were a combination of hunters' trapping techniques and various rune knowledge, with the rune knowledge from the silk strands playing a key role.
This was Lin Ye's first time setting up rune traps, but by referencing hunters' trapping experience passed down through generations, the setup process went very smoothly.
"Sir, the inspection is complete. The only functional equipment left in the stronghold are the spiritual energy condensation device and spiritual energy shield generator. All attack-related devices have been destroyed."
Kara reported regretfully.
"Can the spiritual energy condensation device provide spiritual energy? Can it recharge weapons?"
Lin Ye raised an eyebrow as he asked.
"Yes, but recharging weapons without standard interfaces will be slower."
Kara glanced at the Peace shotgun - it was her first time seeing a personal weapon with such a large caliber.
"Corporal Kara, your mission is to control the spiritual energy shield generator to protect the stronghold's core area and be responsible for recharging my weapon. Can you do it?"
Lin Ye raised his voice and spoke seriously.
"I can!"
Kara answered excitedly.
"Good. As long as you can complete your mission, I'll fight alongside you until the very end. Whether Kalan City is destroyed or not might just depend on the two of us."
Lin Ye handed the Peace shotgun to Kara. The spiritual energy throughout his body could only replenish one shot for the shotgun anyway - it was better to leave it charging in the stronghold's center than carry it around.
"Yes. Activating the devices will attract the alien races' attention. They can't ignore enemy strongholds in their rear. Is that acceptable?"
Kara solemnly took the Peace shotgun. She didn't actually believe they could hold out for long against hordes of ghouls, but before the stronghold fell, Kalan City wouldn't be destroyed.
"The bigger the commotion, the better. Let both the alien races and Kalan City know that we're still here."
Lin Ye wasn't here on vacation. Wherever he was, that place became the war front.
"Yes!"
Kara activated the devices and set them to maximum power. The entire battlefield could see the spiritual energy gathering at the stronghold and the shining spiritual energy shield.
The alien army immediately dispatched a ghoul unit to charge the stronghold. They didn't think this rear stronghold posed any threat - it was likely just some surviving Empire soldiers making noise - but no one could ignore threats from behind.
Kalan City, North Wall.
"City Lord, Stronghold Ten has activated the spiritual energy condensation device!"
The adjutant said excitedly.
"I can see that. A very brave act. We can't support them, and they probably don't want us taking risks for them either. So let's pray that they can hold out a bit longer."
The city lord didn't think a few soldiers' heroic actions could change the situation, but he had to admit it was very morale-boosting.
The army outside the walls hadn't been wiped out yet. Kalan City wasn't alone - they still had hope.
The ghoul unit quickly approached the stronghold, led by a third-tier ghoul.
Hordes of ghouls charged into the stronghold, triggering numerous rune traps.
Ghouls that stepped on cutting traps were sliced apart by invisible spiritual energy blades.
Ghouls that stepped on mutation traps were mutated into out-of-control monsters.
Ghouls that stepped on spike traps were impaled by spikes, then fused with the spikes through synthetic runes on them.
...
Various rune traps were triggered, with some traps becoming even more dangerous after activation.
Lin Ye continuously used Backstab Blade to finish off ghouls that managed to break through the traps, and hundreds of ghouls were quickly wiped out.
As the spiritual energy condensation device activated, the spiritual energy concentration within the stronghold gradually increased. Lin Ye continuously absorbed spiritual energy while casually creating some new rune traps.
Although the third-tier ghoul sensed its subordinates suffering heavy casualties, those traps posed little threat to it. There were only two non-threatening first-tier creatures in the stronghold, so it eagerly charged into the stronghold.
Then it stepped on a composite trap, giving Lin Ye the opportunity to smash its head with the sturdy Thigh Bone.
Lin Ye's rune traps incorporated the silk strands' concept of control. The Spider Man's silk strands were extremely dangerous, containing various control-related elements like paralysis, entanglement, and adhesion.
Those first and second-tier ghouls were directly killed, so the effects didn't manifest, but third-tier ghouls were different - they wouldn't be instantly killed by traps even when controlled, allowing Lin Ye opportunities to finish them off.
After eliminating the first wave of enemies, Lin Ye began processing corpses for materials and used these materials to set up new rune traps. With ample spiritual energy here and his Spirit Potion, he could hold out for a long time.
The enemies didn't give him time to rest. Before long, the second wave of enemies approached the stronghold.
This time, the group was led by a third-tier Mad Ghost, with two third-tier ghouls and over a thousand first and second-tier ghouls under its command.
Mad Ghosts were robust humanoid creatures nearly three meters tall. While ghouls were the alien races' basic troop type, Mad Ghosts were elite individuals among the alien races.