Lord: Starting with Summoning the Regular Army of Earth

Under Old Sam's leadership, Eric, Carl, and a group of young men worked enthusiastically to expand the sedimentation tank, reinforced the edges with collected planks and stones, and made more than a dozen multi-layered filter barrels.

Will, like a foreman, moved among the stones, his chubby figure moving tirelessly, correcting the order and thickness of the gravel being laid, repeatedly muttering, "The gravel layer must be thick, the coarse sand must be spread evenly, and the charcoal is the most crucial; it must be broken up but not ground into powder..."

As the sun drew near the distant ridge of the Misty Mountains, a rudimentary yet fully functional water purification system finally began to take shape.

Old Sam arranged for people to go out and notify the town's residents.

Soon, some elderly people and women and children who could still walk gathered by the stream, carrying all sorts of broken containers.

Many elderly people and children in the town are now sick because of the water problem. Most people dare not drink the water from the Tears Creek anymore and rely on the rainwater collected recently to barely survive. Some elderly people's homes have even been completely cut off from water.

So when they saw the water flowing out of the small hole at the bottom of the filter bucket, so much clearer than before, they were truly excited, and a long-lost smile appeared on their faces.

"The lord has ordered that this water must be boiled, boiled for the time it takes for a hundred heartbeats to reach its boiling point before it can be drunk. Remember! Remember!" Will stood on a large rock and repeatedly emphasized this in the loudest voice he could muster, never forgetting to add the words "lord" each time.

Eric and Carl, along with other young people, were responsible for maintaining order and assisting with water collection. Although exhausted, seeing the glimmer of light on the faces of their fellow villagers and hearing their quiet gratitude, they felt that their sweat was worthwhile.

They grew up here and are related to many of the elderly people in the town, so they are naturally happy to help solve the drinking water problem for everyone.

On the other hand, they themselves also benefited, no longer having to painstakingly cross the muddy alluvial plain and detour several kilometers to fetch water from the dangerous Weeping Blood River.

Moreover, two standard hours have passed since they drank the purified water, but they still haven't experienced any discomfort, which is enough to prove that the water quality is safe.

Meanwhile, Matthew, accompanied by Conrad, carefully inspected the town's dilapidated "walls".

Now that the most pressing water issue has been resolved, the next most urgent problem to be solved is safety.

The greatest threat at present is the beasts and goblin tribes from the Misty Mountains.

The town of Jinshiling is built on a gentle slope at a relatively high elevation, with steep mountain walls to the south forming a natural barrier.

To the north, it extends all the way to the alluvial plain of the Weeping Blood River, which also serves as a natural barrier. Apart from the annual floods during the rainy season, there is little threat to that side.

However, the terrain on the east and west sides is open and there are almost no natural defenses.

To the east lies the road to Ironrock City, and to the west, it faces a branch of the Misty Mountains, the direction where goblins and beasts are most frequently seen, and thus the key area for defense going forward.

According to Old Sam, a valley between two mountains to the west is one of the main passages leading out of the mountains. Most wild animals and goblins come out from there. In the past, when the town was more populated, there was a sentry post there, but it has long been abandoned.

"We currently have far too few manpower to implement a truly effective defense." Conrad used his sword sheath to draw a makeshift defensive line on the ground. "So for now, we can only set up tripwires, bells, or bury sharpened stakes at these gaps. But this can only warn and delay small groups of goblins; once their numbers increase, or if we encounter an organized attack, it will be ineffective."

The old knight's voice carried a deep sense of helplessness; after all, even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice.

"I'll figure out a way to solve the manpower problem," Matthew said firmly, his gaze fixed on the setting sun gradually sinking into the mountains in the west.

Conrad paused for a moment, but seemed to have guessed what was going on. However, when he thought of the three goblins who had cowered in fear of Old Sam, the little hope that had just risen in his heart cooled down.

Are those goblins summoned by the adults really capable of fighting?

He didn't ask that question aloud.

After the inspection, Matthew and Conrad returned to the "Lord's Mansion" together, encountering many townspeople returning from fetching water along the way.

This time, the gaze directed at Matthew was no longer just one of curiosity and indifference, but also carried a more complex meaning, including gratitude, surprise, and cautious observation.

Several elderly men with white hair and beards even put down their buckets and bowed deeply to Matthew and Conrad.

Although no one shouted "Long live the Lord!", this silent respect made Matthew feel more at ease and joyful than any slogan.

"It seems Your Highness has taken this first step firmly." Conrad smiled, genuinely happy for Matthew.

Matthew smiled slightly, feeling a little proud inside. After all, it was quite an achievement to gain recognition through one's own efforts.

However, he knew that this was just the beginning. Although there were still many problems to be solved, he was confident that he could make this territory better, and this confidence came from the powerful country behind him.

However, on the same busy afternoon as Matthew, some leaders and departments on Earth were also extremely busy.

What initially seemed like absurd intelligence, when supported by ample evidence, turned into a bombshell, causing a huge uproar.

Following an emergency high-level meeting, numerous orders were issued.

1. Establish the "Super Dimensional Strategy Department," with direct authority to the highest levels of government, and coordinate all resources.

2. Yangcheng No.1 Middle School and its surrounding area were designated as a top-secret military control zone, codenamed "Zero Point Zone," with information completely blocked.

3. Mobilize the nation's top experts in related fields, covering physics, chemistry, energy science, information engineering, military strategy, agriculture, geology, medicine, etc., to quickly assemble and establish an "Interdisciplinary Research Group".

4. Ensure proper resettlement of school personnel and maintain confidentiality regarding information about those involved.

5. Make proper arrangements for Matthew's family members, ensuring their absolute safety and providing them with psychological support.

Thus, the hastily established Super Dimensional Strategy Department began operating with astonishing efficiency, and many important figures quickly rushed to Yangcheng.

Under the cover of night, Yangcheng No. 1 Middle School was taken over by the actual military. Several lines of police tape were set up around the perimeter, while the interior resembled a suddenly appearing cutting-edge research base. More equipment was brought in, and temporary prefabricated houses were erected to house the arriving expert team.

The teaching building that originally housed the classroom of Class 5, Grade 12 has now been transformed into the core research area.

The classroom itself is of paramount importance; the sign on the door has been replaced with the words "Connecting Room," and the entrance is heavily guarded.

Inside the room, various high-precision energy detectors, spectral analyzers, and spatial fluctuation sensors surrounded the magic circle like stars around the moon.

The cables, like a spider web, connect to several rows of data processing terminals with flashing indicator lights.

Five experts, who had been temporarily assembled, gathered here, with Professor Zhou Zhe, who had initially been in charge of researching the magic array, leading the group.

The other four are Li Jianguo, an expert in geology and environmental engineering; Zhao Lanxin, an expert in agriculture and soil science; Sun Zhengwu, an expert in defensive works and military engineering; and Wang Lei, a fundamental physicist.

……