Our family is in decline

"There's nothing to see now. In a while, it might snow." Lance heard her teasing tone and extended his gaze to the surrounding area.

There are harvested wheat fields on both sides, which look bare, with only a few people busy in them, and they look a bit desolate under the autumn wind.

Although the land in Hamlet is fertile, due to the climate, it can only be harvested in one season. It is planted in the spring of March and April and harvested in the autumn, which is now this time.

Although the rolling misty mountains block most of the cold air, this is the reason why the mountains are closed by heavy snow.

Similarly, the cold air climbing over the mountains in late winter will still bring coldness to the entire empire, and ice and snow are not strange.

And Hamlet's gap just at the end of the remaining vein is like a funnel pouring in cold air, and heavy snow can be expected.

It happened to be late spring when Lance first came, but instead of the resurrection of everything in spring, Hamlet was in a mess.

Before I knew it, more than half a year had passed. I couldn't feel the passage of time when I was so busy. It's only now that I feel like I'm in a daze.

It's funny, Lance really has to thank the farmer.

Bandits destroyed Hamlet, and there was a lot of damage to farmland and a lot of land wasted.

It is the farmers who occupy the farmland, recruit serfs, and make every effort to ensure that spring plowing is completed.

Although he did all this for himself, he later went directly to make a wedding dress for Lance.

But it is undeniable that he kept Hamlet's food security.

Since it was a covert operation, this did not go into the outpost and town, but directly through them.

The No. 2 position where the artillery was stationed has been withdrawn, because this place has been blasted, and the passage to the beast cave below has long been collapsed and blocked.

They were going to position No. 3 and entered it from the last entrance to the wilderness.

"It is surrounded by flat land. If the wilderness development proceeds here, I am afraid it will be exposed. This place is destined to be unsuitable for long-term farming."

Greendale looked around and concluded that she had been exposed to Lance's plan after all, and she probably knew what was going on.

Lance is naturally aware of this, but he also has trouble saying it.

"For the time being, if we can find a better way, it won't end like this. If it doesn't work, we can encircle the surrounding area into a protected area. On the surface, it is to protect the ecology and plant herbs until we find a cultivation method or a more stable one. Settlement site.”

After saying that, Lance led the team into the cave.

Lance had already adapted to it, and Paracelsus had been here before and had a mask to filter the air.

But Greendale, who came to the beast cave for the first time, inevitably frowned, knowing that she had already put on a mask.

"This has been settled. Those pigs have been dealt with, otherwise the smell will be even greater."

Lance joked, holding up the torch and heading deeper inside.

The den has been to him so many times, it feels so familiar to him that he feels like going home, and his goal is very clear.

Install an anti-corrosion metal gate at the exit of Stronghold No. 3, blow down the remaining passages, completely cut off other roads, and completely block this place.

"right here."

Lance went a little deeper and found a closed corner. The rough but heavy door completely blocked it off. The back was a thick steel frame, which was fixed in the brick wall. The bricks and stones almost completely filled the passage regardless of the materials used. Only a small entrance and exit is left in the lower right corner.

This was a location that had been decided a long time ago. The engineers dug here on both sides according to the lord's request, then lowered the gate and built the wall with masonry and cement.

That’s right, cement.

Lance was somewhat glad that he had read more novels and knew that making cement was easy.

First we need to find the three main raw materials of cement: limestone, clay and iron ore, then grind the limestone and clay together into raw meal, then calcine the raw meal until it is partially or fully melted, which is called clinker, and finally the cooked meal Cement is obtained by grinding the raw materials with iron powder or iron slag.

Raw meal grinding - clinker calcination - cement grinding. Therefore, everyone refers to the cement production process as "two grinding and one burning".

This is why Reims went on a major construction spree and the Hamlet building was erected so quickly.

Why do most buildings, except for those huge castles, churches, and towers, rarely have more than two or three floors?

This is not a question of money, because Totnes is rich, but most people still live in two or three floors on the street.

It's entirely because the main body of the building is not strong enough to bear the load. The mortar they use to bond the masonry is simply lime sand. Perhaps some materials with magical powers will be added to some special buildings.

But that has nothing to do with ordinary people. The intervention of extraordinary powers has greatly damaged the technological development of this world.

To put it simply, the track has gone astray. Extraordinary people crave mysticism, while ordinary people prefer to seek solutions from gods and Buddhas instead of trying to solve them themselves.

But in Hamlet even the lord is ashes...

Lance began to take out the accessories, and installed a large dark gold metal plate full of riveting marks on the frame, like a layer of armor.

It was quickly completed, and Lance greeted the two of them to start the real mission.

Because most of the passages in the cave were destroyed by the explosion, the shrinkage of space caused the density of Flesh Devourers to increase. Just the slightest movement caused the Devourers to build a team, and the sound of small Devourers' pointed feet tapping on the ground came. .

"coming!"

Lance warned, but instead of taking out a weapon, he took out the conch and prepared to control the field.

Paracelsus, who had been silent for a long time, immediately began to take out his pocket. The clear sound of the potion bottles clashing seemed to be that he was considering what to use.

But Greendale has already taken action.

Raising his hand and throwing out a handful of grass seeds, the power of the champion spellcaster burst out, and he could easily transform into nature even without the blessing of a mask or staff.

The grass seeds fell on the filth of the beast's cave for who knows how many years, sprouted and grew in the hand, and suddenly turned into a small piece of grass.

At this time, three small flesh-devourers rushed out from the light of the torch.

And the moment those greedy enemies stepped into the grass, they showed terrifying vitality, and countless grass blades grew, binding them like rice dumplings and dragging them in place.

But those devourers will not sit still and struggle violently. The terrifying mouth can easily break the blades of grass like a harvester.

But Grendel could raise her hand to spawn more, until the secretions dripping from the Devourer showed terrifying corrosive power, directly destroying the root system when it fell to the ground.

At this time, the doctor finally took out the prop and threw it in that direction.

Confusion impact!

The exploding smoke instantly swallowed up that piece, covering the devourer with it.

The struggle could be heard much less, but they were still resisting tenaciously.

Greendale didn't talk nonsense. She raised her hand and waved, and a stream of pollen appeared on her sleeve and rolled over, and soon there was no movement at all.

When the disturbing smoke dissipated, they saw that the Devourers had fallen down and were covered in light yellow pollen.

Lance was not too surprised by this. Greendale did not use vines but grass, which meant that she had no intention of killing the Devourer.

Paracelsus was also testing the effect of the medicine in his hands. They came here not for slaughter, but to conduct research on breeding plans.

"According to my observations, small devourers have the habit of staying together, usually three or four, and sometimes they will appear with evolved large devourers.

But giant devourers are not among them, and usually travel alone, because they are also in the diet of giant devourers.

I guess this kind of partnership is spontaneous in order to fight against the giant devourer, and also because they want to fight against the invisible flesh and blood, they also need the strength of a team.

It's a very interesting screening, because all those who work alone die, so those who survive are usually teams. "

Seeing that the situation was under control, Lance continued to talk about some of his previous observations.

Both social and solitary characteristics are related to the design of breeding programs.

But Greendale also put forward another conjecture.

"Why don't they have the habit of living in groups, and the giant devourer that was the largest transformed by the Ascension Sect went out of control?"

"I don't think anything can satisfy their desire to devour..."

While the two were still discussing this, Paracelsus had already gone up and began to study the living Devourer directly.

Even if the secretions that can corrode steel and stone are contaminated, there will be no difference at all, because her current pair of gloves are experimental gloves made of giant Devourer skin given by Lance, and they have full anti-corrosion capabilities.

"I'm going to dissect one."

"let me help you."

This was also the reason why she was asked to come. Of course, Lance did not reject her application.

In order to dissect this thing, I had to use several sharp daggers, but I still roughly figured out the Devourer's body structure.

"There are creatures with spines, but the nervous system is much simpler than that of pigs. Can we cut off their spines and paralyze them? Anyway, we are not eating meat, we only need to extract body fluids and secretions."

"It's not realistic. How are you going to feed them to maintain their vital signs if they are paralyzed?" Lance disagreed with the doctor's direct approach.

"We can do a minor surgery from here to paralyze the lower two-thirds of his head, which would preserve the ability to eat."

Paracelsus gestured on the dissected corpse. It must be said that this suggestion made Lance think for two seconds, and then he raised a new question.

"The Flesh Devourer's self-healing ability surges after eating. Even half of the head can be restored, and the spinal nerves will also be restored. What will happen then?"

"A nail made of that metal is inserted into the spine and physically severed."

Paracelsus spoke calmly, and Lance couldn't help but feel chills as he listened.

Good guy, you are the living king of hell!

But I have to say, this is indeed an interesting experiment.

"Then try it."

Lance didn't talk nonsense, so everyone focused on the two remaining Devourers lying down.

Dedicating yourself to technology will only make you suffer.

…………

Bastia.

A convoy of about ten carriages returned. The carriages were piled with goods and covered with cloth and ropes. However, if an experienced person could tell from the ruts, the goods loaded were not heavy.

The various herbal materials produced from the mountains will also have this effect, and it will be light to pile them into a cart. However, after the count sealed the mountains, few fleets could be filled so full.

But this caravan is not those caravans, but the caravan that Francis redeemed equipment from Hamlet.

The convoy entered the city, the goods were handled, and Francis needed to report to the count, so the carriage came all the way to the castle.

At this time, Francis couldn't help but look at another person sitting in the carriage, the Count's second son, Knight Alvin.

It's just that after one trip, he immediately became a "wonderful" warrior because his horse was gone.

After being detained in a sanatorium for so long, he no longer had the arrogance and domineering attitude he had before. Instead, he became taciturn and dull, and his thin face gave people a gloomy feeling.

It's still Hamlet's bread that feeds people, now he's become more honest.

Francis was sarcastic in his heart, but he still gestured towards Alvin with a smile on his face.

"Master Alvin, we are here."

In the past, the arrogant Alvin would shout irritably, "I know it without you having to tell me," to show that he didn't need to be reminded.

But at this time, his expression was cold and he didn't even react, which made people feel inexplicably depressed.

Francis didn't want to have much to do with Alvin, a loser. Anyway, his mission was completed when he was sent back, so he got out of the car and walked towards the castle.

As if someone had informed him in advance, the butler straightened his body and stood waiting at the gate of the castle. He smiled and nodded to him, "Lord Francis, the Earl wants to see you."

What should be faced must be faced. Francis walked into it, but he was thinking about whether there was any problem with his operation.

And when he knocked on the door, it was not the Earl's voice that responded, because soon the door opened and it was Bruce.

This situation made him doubtful, but the smile on his face did not change and he opened his mouth to say hello.

"Master Bruce."

"Thank you, father wants to see you." Bruce nodded slightly, and then left directly.

Francis noticed that he was not wearing any equipment, and he did not look like he had returned from war.

Are there any changes on the front line? Is the war with the mountain barbarians over?

This is a very critical message.

But he couldn't care about this at this time, so he had to quickly enter it...

Alvin finally got off the carriage outside the castle. It wasn't until he saw the familiar castle that he relaxed a little from the accumulated pressure.

But soon the more terrifying pressure made it difficult for him to breathe. How should he face that tragic failure?

Alvin's will is being tested... Paranoia!

That's not my reason. I want to explain to my father that as long as I have another chance, I will definitely win Hamlet!

The thoughts that Lance had instilled in him finally broke out at this moment. It is absolutely impossible for a person of his character to accept failure, let alone the humiliation of being imprisoned.

His desire to prove himself was almost overwhelming.