While Lao Hansi was still bewildered, Yan Xing couldn't understand what was so exciting about a slingshot that cost less than a hundred dollars.
Yan Xing took the slingshot boxes out of the packing crate, tossing them one by one to the Werewolves and the peasant children.
All the Werewolves caught their boxes as if they were heavy lead balls, their legs trembling involuntarily.
Lao Hansi could only see the monetary value of these slingshots. But as warriors, the Werewolves saw their value on the battlefield.
Although this Alchemical Slingshot might not match the range and power of a regular bow and crossbow, it was small, portable, and easy to use.
Werewolves were melee fighters, their attack range limited to the length of their Steel Chains.
But with an Alchemical Slingshot, they could extend their attack range to at least forty meters.
The slingshot also had a high firing rate, and its small ammunition could be carried in large quantities.
It also didn't require the lengthy training period that bows and arrows did.
If all nine Werewolves fired their slingshots, they could easily create a barrage at medium range, launching the first wave of attacks against the enemy. Even in close-quarters combat, suddenly pulling out a slingshot and firing a pellet at an enemy's head could definitely incapacitate them.
In short, these lethal Alchemical Slingshots posed a significant threat to unarmored and lightly armored soldiers.
Comparatively, other races' basic troops equivalent to the Werewolves in lower ranks typically lacked heavy armor. A Lord willing to equip low-rank soldiers with heavy armor was extremely rare. Indeed, iron was so precious elsewhere that it was never used for mere fences.
Therefore, Werewolves, now with flexible medium and short-range attack capabilities, instantly gained an advantage over opponents of the same rank.
On the battlefield, an enemy's death meant your survival.
No one wanted to die.
These slingshots weighed heavily in the Werewolves' hearts; as Alchemical Weapons, they must have been extremely costly to produce.
We're just First Order Werewolves; a single life certainly couldn't buy one of these Alchemical Slingshots.
Our Lord is actually giving us such precious Alchemical Weapons…
Olaf, leading the Werewolves, knelt and shouted in unison, "Lord Yan Xing, generous and compassionate!"
Unlike the Werewolves and Lao Hansi, the children didn't have so many thoughts upon receiving their slingshots.
While the Werewolves and Lao Hansi were shocked, moved, and excited, the peasant children, with their practical skills, had already assembled their slingshots.
They put pellets in the pouches and started shooting—POP! POP! POP!—at the nearby iron fence.
"Stop playing, stop playing!" Yan Xing gathered the children. He dumped the remaining slingshot boxes from the crate. "I have an important mission for you. Assemble all these slingshots, then distribute them to the working adults. Each person gets one slingshot, three spare rubber bands, and one hundred pellets. You are responsible for teaching them how to use the slingshots.
"You will take care of the remaining supplies.
"If someone's slingshot breaks, you fix it. If it can't be fixed, replace it.
"Understand?"
"Understood, My Lord!"
The children were very curious about the slingshots, finding them great fun. Now that the Lord had put them in charge of the slingshots, they figured they could play with them as much as they wanted.
"No, no, no!" Lao Hansi, having just regained his composure, heard Yan Xing entrust the Alchemical Slingshots to a group of children and nearly fainted again. He hurriedly intervened, "You can't let them manage these expensive Alchemical Weapons! If they break them, it would be a huge loss for you, My Lord!"
Yan Xing said, "Didn't I tell you? If it breaks, fix it. If it can't be fixed, replace it. Play with them freely. If you run out of supplies, just come to me. Little ones, see those archery towers over there?
"After distributing the slingshots, each of you climb one. Practice shooting at targets outside. At noon, I'll organize a competition. Whoever shoots most accurately will receive a handsome reward from me!"
"Yes, My Lord! Thank you, My Lord!"
Children are naturally playful. Hearing there were rewards for playing well, they immediately got on the ground, tearing open the slingshot packaging to begin assembly.
Lao Hansi felt dizzy again, muttering to himself, "Alchemical Weapons shouldn't be treated like toys..."
The Werewolves, holding their slingshot boxes, also had peculiar expressions.
Our Lord is truly... too generous!
He's too good to his people!
Yan Xing said to the still dazed Werewolves, "Don't just stand there. Hurry up and assemble your slingshots. Test the draw weight, check the accuracy, and see how they feel."
Yan Xing placed great importance on this, his only combat unit, and was eager to see how effective these slingshots would be in their hands.
"Yes, My Lord!"
Olaf and the other Werewolves sat cross-legged on the ground. Unlike the peasant children nearby, who were forcefully tearing open their slingshot packaging, the Werewolves opened their boxes with a sense of ceremony, carefully taking out each part.
They had already observed the simple assembly steps.
After installing one rubber band, the Werewolves tested the slingshots' draw weight.
"A bit light."
"Then add another rubber band."
Having become a hero and gained several levels, Yan Xing also felt one rubber band was too light. He picked up a spare, stacked two bands together, and inserted them tightly into the clamp slot.
He pulled again... much better.
He placed a pellet in the pouch, drew the slingshot fully, and fired at the iron fence in front. The pellet whizzed out, striking the entire fence and causing it to vibrate rapidly.
"Not bad, not bad." Yan Xing was even more satisfied with the power of the slingshot with the added rubber band. He was confident that a shot to a vital area within twenty meters would be lethal. Even a hit to a non-vital area would significantly impair an enemy's movement, allowing the Werewolves to then finish them off with a swing of their Steel Chains.
At this, the Werewolves also began adding a second rubber band to their slingshots.
They all loaded pellets and fired in unison. The volley struck the iron fence, sending a shower of sparks.
Very impressive!
Yan Xing's Werewolves, equipped with armor and Steel Chains, had an absolute advantage over the Werewolf Warriors of the Duan'er Tribe. They were even confident of winning a one-on-one duel against a Great Werewolf.
Now that Yan Xing had equipped his Werewolf Warriors with slingshots, any ordinary Werewolf Warrior wearing only flimsy linen clothes would have to make significant sacrifices to get close.
According to Yan Xing's conservative estimate, Olaf and his nine Ironclad Werewolves should be able to defeat twenty ordinary Werewolves with ease.
But that wasn't enough...
Yan Xing rummaged through the cargo truck for something.
Just then, Olaf pointed to the laser sight on his slingshot and asked Yan Xing, "My Lord... what is this? When I press it, a red dot appears in front."
The slingshot handle had a switch for the laser sight, which emitted a laser beam when pressed.
While moving some items, Yan Xing casually answered Olaf, "That's a laser sight. It assists with aiming. When you practice, just aim for the red dot. Once you're proficient, you'll be able to hit whatever the sight points at.
"I'm warning you: never point the laser into anyone's eyes. It will blind them."
Hearing this, Lao Hansi, who had just recovered from his daze, exclaimed, "My Lord, did you actually enchant this Alchemical Slingshot with a Blinding Spell?
"My Lord... this is a High-grade Enchanted Weapon! It's far too expensive!
"How could beings as lowly as us be worthy of such a weapon? Only a hero is qualified to wield it!"