Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 295: Improving the defence

Chapter 295: Improving the defence

Rykio sat atop his horse, gazing down at the village that had once been the scene of his triumph against the pirates. The charred remnants of the old skirmish were mostly gone, replaced by the beginnings of new wooden structures.

The village hummed with the sound of labor as men and women worked in unison, their faces etched with determination. Villagers hauled logs, their shoulders straining under the weight as they carried them toward the village center. A group of workers, armed with axes, set about cutting off the ends of the logs, their rhythmic chopping filling the air. The freshly sharpened points gleamed in the sunlight, a rudimentary yet necessary effort to prepare the timber for its defensive purpose.

Nearby, others wielded shovels and hoes, digging furiously into the earth to create deep, narrow trenches. Sweat dripped from their brows , as they worked in order to ensure the logs could be driven securely into the ground. 

What they were building right now were not houses but palisades and trenches.

Rykio sat astride his horse, observing the organized chaos. His gaze swept over the bustling workers, mentally planning the palisade's construction. The design would be simple—a sturdy defensive barrier encircling the inner part of the village. It would never be enough to protect the entire settlement, but it wasn't meant to. The palisade's purpose was simply to safeguard the central area where the warehouse containing all the food stood.

By protecting the stored food and grain, Rykio knew he could at least make sure the village did not starve.