The soldiers headed to the sentried level 3 wall, reaching it within a couple of minutes.
One of the advantages of Calming VIllage was that its scope wasn't maximized. They only built on the area they needed, so they could afford to surround everything with the very expensive level 3 wall and sentries.
They might be a bit cramped inside, but at least they were all protected by the best walls they could afford. They could just go outside in groups near the sentries when they foraged if the resources inside weren't enough for them.
This was one of Ryan's father's legacy. He led the movement of solicitation—even donating a lot of his own money—to build the level 3 walls.
They could only build a few sentries in the end but it was hundreds of times better than how it was, when everyone was vulnerable against the weakest monsters.
The territory was now saving up to upgrade the village center in order to get the hired aborigines as well. This was something they only found possible (and vital) after Orz and the others arrived.
There were only so many of them, and it was impossible for the current forces to be enough to handle what was to come—especially when the soldiers were beyond a so-called level cap. Hiring aborigines was the fastest way to get some force value.
However, before they could do so, the situation the dreaded arrived—in the form of hostile aborigines, currently taunting them from the other side of the walls.
"Let us back in! We haven't seen enough!" they yelled, though their words were polite, their stances and tone reeked of arrogance.
At this time, the aborigines held massive shields, blocking the few arrows that came their way. They were also just outside the scope of the sentries, as if mocking them for their sparseness.
Ryan narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, answering them with a bland tone of voice. "Sorry, but we can't let anyone blacklisted enter."
"Hey! I'm willing to pay the entry fee again!" the man said with an angry grin. They noticed the men's faces were bleeding a bit. Looking closer, they seemed to be… small claw marks?
In retrospect, these people seemed to have been kicked out prematurely. Whatever they were in Calming Village for, something must've gone awry.
It happened quickly too, since the bastards got kicked before they (the soldiers) were even alerted.
Ryan looked at the reporting soldier next to him. "What did he do?"
"He found interest in a woman who slapped him. He slapped her back."
He frowned. "How's the woman?"
"Alive, but a bit injured. The men were distracted by her pet cats."
"Cats?!" Minko blinked, while the others also looked on with interest. Ryan in particular, though his expression was mild, also seemed interested. His eyes were sparkling a bit more than the others, in fact.
He really liked cats.
"Yeah, it's our first time seeing Terran animals here," he said. "I thought they all died.
"Anyway, her cats were the ones that scratched their faces, just enough time before they got kicked out by the system."
"So the woman is fine, right?" Ryan asked again, and the reporting guard nodded. He turned to his companions who exchanged knowing glances at each other.
At this, the archers—led by Minko—took out their bow and arrows, targeting the aborigines.
This made the aborigines pause and look at them. Normally, they'd cackle at them but they realized one or two bow and arrow was a Class D weapon!
"Leave," Minko said, and the others had similar expressions on their faces.
The aborigines narrowed their eyes at him, and then at the others, eventually realizing staying was useless.
Before leaving though, of course they had to leave a few jabs.
"What are you guarding anyway? Such a poor village! All you had going for you were your walls! Anyway, you'll be under our feet soon!"
"They're such cowards! Kicking us out with a little slap!"
"Are you sure you're not called 'Clamming Village', instead? Hahahahaha!"
And they left, leaving the citizens of Calming Village a bit shaken.
This confirmed what they feared—and it was only a matter of time before they get attacked by an aborigine village.
However, there was nothing they could do about it—they couldn't follow the aborigines outside the safety of the walls, right? At least inside, they could get protected by the regulations.
Ryan looked at the citizens. "There's no use worrying too much, let's just prepare the best we can," he said and then proceeded to send instructions to different people, jumpstarting the preparation for the imminent war.
He then turned to look at the guards. "Can we go see the woman?" He asked. "She may have gotten more information about those aborigines."
Orz nodded, "I wonder if she'll be able to answer our questions though."
The reporting soldier, Mart—a curly haired tanned soldier from Ryan's country—couldn't help but reassure them, "She should be fine. I saw her put back her own shoulder when it was dislocated…"
Put back her own dislocated shoulder? Ryan and the others were a little looking forward to meet this person.
A few minutes later, the group arrived at the woman's abode. They were allowed inside after they knocked and for a moment they thought she was probably bedridden somewhere and was unable to answer herself.
However, when they entered the house, they saw a beautiful ebony-haired woman sitting on a roughly-made wooden couch. It was furniture characteristic of their village handiwork, and it cost a few silvers to buy from their artisans.
At this time, she was lounging relaxedly with her two cats resting on her lap. One, the female cat, was even pregnant.
She was very pretty. She had short wavy hair framing her delicate face, her peach-blossom eyes were both sharp and seductive.
More importantly, the girl—at least to Ryan—was an acquaintance!
His feet moved forward, eyes a little wide, and his heart pounding in a mix of disbelief and excitement.