A Village Appeared on My Desktop

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Chapter 90 – The Eroding Ones (10)

‘Defense Game Glory Tower.’

The newly activated game is a standard defense genre. I watched as the residents, who had completely cleaned out a bug hive while closing the gate, worked to build a fortress in that area, pondering our new game.

If we have occupied a certain area, we must also be prepared to defend it.

For starters, we are overwhelmingly outnumbered compared to the enemies. It was clear that we would struggle with combat endurance as well. The bugs were simply slaughtering machines, even to my eyes from outside the screen.

On the other hand, the residents would exhaust all their stamina within a day or two, no matter how zealously they fought. They needed to rest as much as they fought and a way to relieve their stress.

I believed this defense game could fill that gap.

[Hive (Branch)]

“—!”

In the midst of it all, the residents who went scouting around discovered a new nest created by the bugs. As expected, their main base was located deep within and was continuing to spread sideways.

Unless we find and annihilate the roots and trunk that are incomparable to a mere branch, those creatures will keep multiplying and wage a war of attrition against us.

The residents, seeing that despite having fought splendidly and pushed back the bugs’ nest, it was merely a fraction of their presence, were left in shock, and this solidified my resolve.

[Activation of Glory Tower]

However, one concern lingered: what I wanted was not to strengthen the residents, but rather the automated turrets that appeared in the game.

I had already prepared methods to strengthen the residents through other games. I chose this game to compensate for our insufficient numbers and combat endurance, so it would be meaningless if only the residents got stronger.

[Available Items for Purchase: Command Center, Magic Refinery, Warehouse, Hero Academy, Level 1 Defense Tower, Level 1 Magic Tower, Level 1 Control Tower…]

But my worries vanished as the game commenced. The newly activated defense game Glory Tower was slightly different from the existing games.

In the previously activated games, residents were certainly summoned into the game world, where they would engage in activities and battles to earn rewards.

In contrast, Glory Tower had the game’s background set exactly in my desktop world. Perhaps due to the lack of a predetermined storyline, it immediately launched into PVP, and I was momentarily taken aback when I saw that I could place the provided defense tower next to the fortress the residents had hastily constructed.

Upon reflection, it wasn’t a bad thing at all.

‘So it could work this way. It’s actually quite good.’

Until now, if there existed a separate game, I would send the residents there to play it together, and then manage my desktop with what I gained from there—a dual-playstyle.

But if I could now use the residents in my desktop directly to play the game this way, the need for dual-play would disappear.

Initially, I calmly began to place the buildings that were provided at the start of the game as a trial.

First, the Command Center. The level 1 Command Center looked like a large mansion. This would be the base in the game. If this place were attacked, the player would lose.

‘I can just build it in the village.’

There was no reason to construct this in the dangerous northern region. Shifting the screen to where the village was, I set the Command Center in the center of the village.

“–? —!”

Naturally, the residents in the village were astonished, their eyes wide open at the sudden appearance of the large building.

Rather than their traditional tent houses, resembling Mongolian gers, or the blockhouses made from blocks carried by transporters, this was a wooden mansion of a different design. As far as I knew, as the level increased, so too would the size and grandeur of the mansion.

‘That wasn’t my intention, but it’ll help elevate Balun’s authority.’

Seeing the residents rush out to bow before the Command Center, now aware that I was the one who built it, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Balun, the Chief, was likely to live there. After all, he was currently the most important person in the tribe, and I was supporting him because he was capable and loyal.

Following that, I installed several more buildings in the village. A magic refinery, which automatically produces the currency needed to build structures, and a hero academy that cultivates heroes using special skills to defeat enemies.

However, the various types of defense towers were determined not to be built in the village for now; I decided to set them up in the currently raging war zone of the north.

These defense towers were essential for safeguarding occupied territories. While hero power would be necessary, we already had heroes.

‘Think efficiently. How can I make the most out of the resources I have?’

I pondered seriously. Installing facilities like defense towers would entirely be my discretion. With their lives depending on my choices, I couldn’t avoid the dilemma.

‘I could build walls, but do I really need to?’

The installation items for Glory Tower included walls for blocking enemy troops.

However, the walls that the residents were now building were not towering 10-meter fortifications, but rather just low walls. The game’s premise revolved around attackers breaking through the opponent’s walls while the defender thwarted them through the strategic placement of defense towers and structures.

In such a scenario, I was hesitant to waste resources on a wall that would easily collapse against the bugs. It might sound harsh, but it seemed sturdier to build walls with the blocks the residents were collecting from the sandbox crafting.

Instead, I could save those resources to erect more defense towers.

[Level 1 Defense Tower Installed]

[Level 1 Magic Tower Installed]

…

Having made my decisions, I began to invest all available resources into placing the towers.

‘Building long, high walls from the get-go would be insane.’

The ideal scenario would be to construct walls to trap the enemies’ base. But ultimately, we had to eliminate them, and with only thousands of troops at our disposal, covering everything was impossible.

The walls of the north depicted in creations should leave possibilities for the future while moving forward to create fortifications in the shape of points.

“—!”

So, based on the occupied position that had become the frontline, I primarily focused on placing defense towers. The residents, cleaning up the pitch-black ruins from the erosion, were flabbergasted by the numerous structures popping into existence.

The Level 1 Defense Tower had a simple design featuring a large crossbow mounted atop a stone-stacked watchtower. In this form, it didn’t seem very strong, but it would grow more powerful with upgrades.

‘Did they get it?’

It seemed the residents quickly realized that the defense towers appearing here and there were built by me.

Their wariness faded, and there were rather scenes of them gazing upwards at the sky in gratitude.

“Perfect timing.”

Just as I finished installing all the defense towers, I noticed the enemies chasing after the scouts who had gone out, and I couldn’t help but smile.

It would be a great chance to confirm the power of the Level 1 Defense Towers. Those ant-like bugs, while abundant, did not appear to have high combat power, so I was sure that at least the defense tower’s attacks would affect them at the ballista level.

“—!”

And my expectations were confirmed.

Before the startled residents could equip themselves and rush out to rescue the scouts, the defense turrets, having detected the enemies automatically, fired their arrows and magic in unison.

The massive arrows slicing through the air instantly pierced through the glitches’ bodies, finishing them off, while the fireball from the magic turret exploded, delivering area damage around.

‘As long as the allies don’t get hurt.’

In this real game scenario, friendly fire could happen, but since the turrets did not chase down enemies and automatically targeted the farther foes, the allies ended up only having to deal with the approaching enemies.

[Magic +60]

Moreover, with Glory Tower kept activated, defeating the enemies granted rewards and automatically generated magic.

It wasn’t just waiting for the magic to be produced in the magic refinery; we could actively garner magic like this, meaning we could paint more defense towers.

Now I no longer feared a war of attrition. The more we engaged in such wars, the stronger we would become, just like the enemies.

*

“It was daunting to hear there are more of their nests, but the Guardian Deity indeed foresaw this.”

“I can’t even imagine the mechanism behind it.”

Right after easily winning against the incoming enemies with the power of the constructed defense towers.

Balun spoke, and Rakum nodded in agreement. The defense towers that could automatically detect enemies and shoot immense arrows and magic were beyond common sense, much like items from a game.

“Dwarf Herson’s testimony, and the will of the God, suggest that we should keep pouring our efforts here.”

Balun murmured while surveying the area around the temporary encampment they had created, trusting in the defense towers.

What if such defense towers were built in the village? No thief would dare lay a finger on the village.

But the God they trusted and followed had ordained that these towers be built here, meaning they would need to continuously fight against the swarming bugs ahead.

“That’s true, but the Black Monsters could attack the village in various ways. Moreover, the negotiations with Garhan are still ongoing.”

“I’ll handle that somehow, so don’t worry. Garhan will surely have no choice but to ally with us. For now, I’ll continue to push authority, so we ought to be prepared to battle the enemies from this point according to his wishes.”

Having mobilized a considerable number of soldiers, Rakum expressed worry over the village, but Balun shook his head. He firmly believed that if the God prioritized blocking the enemies from the north, then that should come first.

“I will surely carry out that duty.”

“…You are also a warrior trusted by Him.”

Seeing Rakum wear a determined expression at the heavy responsibility entrusted to him, Balun chuckled. Showing the best course of action as a young chief, Rakum was undoubtedly an outstanding warrior trusted by both Balun and those watching from outside the screen.

While Riena was chosen as the strongest warrior, Rakum received the trust of all as an exceptional commander.

“What did the Chief say?”

“He entrusted me with full authority. The God also desires that. So, Rasen, let us not revel in a single victory but fulfill our duties.”

When Balun returned to the village, his younger brother Rasen approached him with a question, and Rakum smiled slightly.

Though engaged in battles against horrific monsters, Rakum felt content with their current way of life.

He believed that fighting like this was far better and more warrior-like than falling helplessly, swept away by the flow of the world.