Claiming hunger, Night Watch realized that at this late hour, he should appear more satiated than famished.
With over five hundred goblins lying lifeless beside him, his undead imprint absorbed their essence, reaching an astounding 578/20, surpassing all conceivable limits.
Yet, he hesitated to revive the undead in the presence of a Holy Knight. Would it not be a perilous act?
Moreover, refraining from expending surplus soul energy was not an option. Even if he endured the pounding heartbeat resembling a pile driver and the risk of spontaneous detonation, how would he explain the ethereal azure glow enveloping him?
Could he attribute it to a water treatment spell, considering the excessively dry weather? Night Watch, not a novice elemental apprentice like Baozi, couldn't escape scrutiny regarding the absence of elemental fluctuations.
In the dead of night, contemplating a clandestine retrieval of the Enlightenment Godstone when the green-clad woman stumbled, Night Watch pondered the stone's fusion requiring ten thousand soul energy. With an experimental mindset, he cautiously infused surplus soul energy into the Godstone, surprisingly achieving success!
It appeared the fusion process wasn't straightforward. Not only could it be paid in installments without additional fees or interest, but Night Watch halted after injecting 500 soul energy.
Simultaneously, due to the extensive use of soul energy, his soul energy cap ascended to 30 points. The previous five-point increase consumed a mere hundred soul energy, but this time, the expenditure was manifold and lacked a precise progressive relationship. Night Watch concluded that elevating the soul energy cap in later stages would demand considerably more soul energy.
Fortunately, being undead, he possessed sufficient lifespan for gradual growth.
Swallowing the last piece of bread left by Weng Ling, Night Watch clapped his hands, rising to his feet. Weng Ling, needing to return to the city to reassure the citizens, had already departed.
Gazing at the now ashen Loran Forest, Night Watch sighed. Despite his aversion to entangling himself with holy beings, he detested indebtedness even more. They provided him with employment, shelter, and, just moments ago, stood against his adversaries to vouch for him. This prompted Night Watch to believe he should contribute in some manner.
"After all, this territory is now mine. The more stable that foolish woman holds the position of lord, the safer I'll be. Unable to produce crops, what's the big deal!"
The land tainted by the undead calamity couldn't yield crops, but Night Watch's putrid corpse farm faced no such limitations. In his view, Weng Ling's concerns were solvable. What she should truly worry about was the potential measures the Yang family might employ to suppress her.
However, Night Watch couldn't offer assistance in this matter. Helping out a bit was acceptable, but dragging him into trouble was out of the question.
After all, in this world, he might be the only naturally resurrected undead. If others didn't cherish him, he had to cherish himself.
Taking a deep breath, Night Watch opened his building interface.
The previous interface for constructing new buildings was stuck at the requirement of a 30 soul energy cap. Now, he had just met the requirement.
As expected, the previously locked third row of buildings lit up. However, this time, four building icons illuminated:
1. **Undead Architectural Hall**: Most undead are adept at wielding weapons clumsily, but a minority fervently pursues the construction of luxurious graveyards. It provides building relocation and upgrade functions, accelerates undead construction efficiency, and offers permanent undead specialization training. Maximum workforce: 10. Construction materials: 10 corpses, 50 units of lumber, 200 gold coins.
2. **Corpse Resting Hut**: Undead are tired of the world beneath the soil. Rather than sleeping in the open, they prefer a more dignified resting place. Permanent undead residents will not consume soul energy, but must return to the hut and rest for at least two hours before dawn. Maximum resting bed capacity: 4. Construction materials: 10 corpses, 20 units of lumber, 100 gold coins.
3. **Skull-breaking Miner Camp**: Some irritable undead enjoy the sensation of destruction. Since they can't stop, why not send them into the mines to smash those ores? This camp accelerates undead mining efficiency, and permanent undead residents gain miner specialization training. Maximum workforce: 4. Construction materials: 10 corpses, 20 units of lumber, 200 gold coins.
4. **Undead Blade Training Camp**: In contrast to wielding swords, the simple and brutal cleaver is more popular among novice undead. Mindlessly chopping allows them to happily spend an entire day. This camp provides blade training for undead, and novice undead can advance to become beginner blade wielders after training. Maximum training slots: 10. Construction materials: 20 corpses, 30 units of lumber, 300 gold coins.
"Mmm... Is this it?" Night Watch scratched his head.
He began to doubt whether his system had chosen the wrong path. First a farm, then a lumberyard, and now even builders and miners? Was the employment scope of the undead truly so extensive?
However, the undead blade training camp seemed reasonable, considering the situation. It appeared that with it, the "adorable" novice skeletons could become more formidable, at least capable of confronting goblin laborers.
"The architectural hall allows building movement and upgrades. While there's currently no need for relocation, the upgrade function is quite intriguing."
Night Watch pondered while observing the building interface. With approximately six hundred gold coins on him, including the ones obtained from Yang Tian, he needed to plan carefully due to limited funds.
"The blade training camp must be built; otherwise, this group of novice skeletons won't even qualify as cheering spectators. The miner camp can be postponed; it's useless without a mine here. As for the resting hut..."
Night Watch glanced at the old Ge, still crawling on the ground, and the half-sitting Dong Chenxi, recovering from being startled by the black cat. These three individuals required a bit more soul energy daily, amounting to 11 points.
The remaining novice skeletons were not a concern, each requiring a mere 1 point of soul energy. However, it's worth noting that his original 20 novice goblin skeletons had now increased to 30. There were no signs of revival in the other skeletons within the desolate bone graveyard.
Night Watch speculated that this was related to his soul energy cap. With a 30-point cap, he could resurrect a maximum of 30 novice skeletons. However, he wasn't sure if non-building resurrected undead, like old Ge, were subject to this limit.
"If the resting hut is built, I can save at least 11 points of soul energy daily. When calculated, it seems quite cost-effective. Plus, there's an empty bed..."
A sudden realization struck Night Watch. He was also an undead!
If he laid down in the resting hut at dawn, would it mean he could save an additional 10 points of soul energy daily, requiring only enough to sustain the novice skeletons?
Excited by this idea, Night Watch enthusiastically slapped his thigh.
"Decision made! I'll build the resting hut, blade training camp, and architectural hall!"
Yet, as he was about to choose the building location, a sudden realization dawned upon him.
"Wait, the forest is all burned. I have no lumber!"