"As long as you like it."
Wu Liang smiled slightly.
"It really is a good spear, I like it very much."
Akomann excitedly performed a spear flourish on the spot.
Hum!
The tip of the spear sliced through the air, letting out a soft hum.
Akomann felt as if this spear had grown out of her own palm, moving as naturally as an extension of her own arm!
"Thank you, Wu Liang."
Akomann turned around, looked at Wu Liang, and couldn't help but lean in and kiss him.
This man understood her.
He knew what she wanted.
"This isn't enough, you know. My 'spear' is harder than the one in your hand."
Wu Liang's face wore that familiar, playful smile.
He approached step by step, pinning Akomann against the wall.
"Dressed like this, wouldn't it be a waste not to do something?"
Akomann's heart rate instantly accelerated, her cheeks flushing crimson.
"Don't..."
"Shh... my Chief Instructor Akomann."
Wu Liang pulled her slender waist toward him, his voice deep and magnetic.
"Tomorrow, wear it to review your soldiers."
"Let them see just how majestic their commander is!"
"Tonight, let's have a rehearsal first..."
...The next day.
Early in the morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten.
Wu Liang heard good news from the Military Workshop.
The first batch of tower shields, heavy crossbows, and spears had been successfully crafted and would be delivered on time today!
The Black Rock Army's re-equipment plan officially commenced.
When morning training began, Akomann appeared on time on the high platform of the training grounds.
She was clad in black armor, holding a long spear.
Her long hair, tied in a ponytail, danced in the wind, exuding a sense of coldness and lethal intent.
Hiss...
"Instructor Akomann's armor is so beautiful!"
"And that spear, I'm so envious!"
"..."
The entire training ground was stunned by her presence.
The worshipful gazes of the eight hundred soldiers made the corners of Akomann's mouth curl up slightly.
A sense of pride and arrogance welled up in her heart.
"Everyone, attention!"
Akomann's voice was sonorous, reaching everyone's ears.
"You see the armor on me?"
"That's right, this is the latest military equipment forged for us under the leadership of Lord Wu Liang."
"And today, you will all receive new weapons and uniforms!"
Hearing this, all the soldiers grew excited.
As Akomann finished speaking, the new equipment began to be transported from the warehouse to the training grounds.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Massive tower shields were neatly stacked on the ground.
These tower shields were thick and heavy, over a meter tall, and painted with a black flame crest.
The blades of the spears forged from fine iron glinted coldly in the sunlight.
There were also heavy crossbows and those brand-new black standard-issue military uniforms.
All of this made the soldiers breathe heavily, their eyes shining.
"From today on, this equipment is your second life!"
Akomann's expression was stern as she looked down at the group of Female Warriors.
"First Squad, fifty people, step forward! Claim your equipment!"
Fifty Female Warriors immediately ran out of the formation and rushed forward excitedly.
In an orderly fashion, they each claimed their military uniforms, tower shields, and spears.
"Second Squad..."
"Third Squad..."
When all the Female Warriors had changed into their uniform black attire, holding tower shields in their left hands and spears in their right...
The entire group displayed an unprecedented aura of lethal precision.
A sense of power and belonging welled up within the soldiers.
"First row, shield group, hear my command!"
"Raise shields!"
Akomann ordered.
The Female Warriors in the first row gave a sharp, synchronized shout and planted their tower shields in front of them.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The bottom edges of fifty tower shields slammed heavily into the ground, producing a series of dull, massive thuds.
The giant shields, like a wall, instantly lined up at the front of the formation.
The scene was majestic and powerful, its momentum breathtaking!
"Good!"
Wu Liang, watching from the observation tower, couldn't help but cheer.
Just this single action of raising the shields was full of power and discipline.
"Spearmen, in position!"
Akomann ordered again.
The soldiers in the second row immediately stepped forward.
"Thrust!"
At the command, the fifty soldiers in the second row thrust their spears through the gaps between the shields!
Swish!
A forest of spear tips instantly emerged, completely sealing off the area in front of the tower shields, creating a death zone.
"Is this... the spear and shield phalanx?"
Wei Xian, standing beside Wu Liang, looked down at the formation that resembled a steel fortress and couldn't help but murmur in surprise, her eyes filled with shock.
"spear and shield" was a new term she had learned from Wu Liang.
If faced with such an enemy, she couldn't imagine the scene.
What kind of flesh and blood could possibly break through such a defensive line composed of shields and spears?
"This is just the beginning."
Wu Liang smiled.
"In the future, when they are equipped with even better weapons, this defensive line will truly be as solid as a rock and indestructible!"
Looking at this group of transformed soldiers, Akomann's heart was filled with grand ambition.
"Very good! Today we have a new mission, which will also serve as a test of your training."
"The target: the Wind Wolves of Black Wind Valley, thirty li to the west!"
Wind Wolves were a type of pack-hunting, ferocious beast. They were a size larger than ordinary wolves, extremely fast, possessed sharp claws and teeth, and were exceptionally cunning.
Before this, the Black Rock Tribe's hunting teams didn't dare to provoke them easily.
But now, Wu Liang wanted Akomann to lead the new army and use them as a whetstone for the Black Rock Army.
"Move out!"
Akomann wasted no more words.
She pointed her spear forward and gave the order to march.
"Black Rock Army! Advance!"
"Roar!"
All the soldiers let out a sky-shaking roar in unison.
The formation holding tower shields and spears was the first to move forward in an orderly fashion, their steps steady and firm.
Wu Liang followed behind with Wei Xian, Eliza, and the Crossbowmen.
The army set out, heading all the way west.
Soon, the group arrived at the entrance of Black Wind Valley.
The air began to be permeated with the pungent, musky scent unique to wild beasts.
"Halt! Alert on the spot!"
Akomann raised her spear and gave the command.
The shield wall phalanx immediately stopped in its tracks.
All the soldiers lowered their center of gravity and looked through the gaps in their shields, warily observing the valley ahead.
"Awoo——"
A long wolf howl echoed from deep within the valley.
Immediately following, howls rose one after another from all directions.
Soon, behind a patch of bushes, the gray figures of Wind Wolves began to emerge.
Their eyes glinted with an eerie green light as they stared intently at the uninvited guests, low growls vibrating in their throats.
More and more Wind Wolves appeared.
Twenty, fifty, a hundred... finally, a dense pack of Wind Wolves appeared across the front of the valley.
Wu Liang estimated that there were at least two hundred of them!