The Importance of Knowledge

Wang Xun's "sacrifice" not only confirmed the crucial information that the death of summoned creatures is not a true death, but also gave Matthew strategic confidence.

But at the same time, it was like a loud alarm bell, striking his heart heavily.

The Misty Mountains were far more dangerous than he had imagined, and he had been too blindly confident in his country's top warriors.

However, the truth is that this fantasy world is completely foreign to them.

Experiences in jungle warfare and biological knowledge gained on Earth may not be applicable here.

For example, the monster described by Wang Xun has no corresponding species on Earth. Its habits, weaknesses, and attack patterns are completely unknown.

If Wang Xun and his companions had known beforehand that this monster was adept at lurking in the sand, had keen hearing, and that its mouth was a weakness, the outcome might have been completely different.

Moreover, they were lucky this time. Although the monster they encountered was fierce, it seemed to be not very intelligent, and Wang Xun's team reacted quickly, which prevented more serious consequences.

But what if we encounter a more cunning, more powerful, or special monster next time?

I cannot allow these warriors to make pointless sacrifices just because there is a "resurrection" mechanism.

After all, every death means the depletion of magic power, the interruption of the mission, and the warriors having to endure real near-death pain and mental shock.

This is not capital that can be squandered at will.

Therefore, improving the soldiers' survival rate is of utmost urgency.

This is not just about upgrading equipment, but more importantly, upgrading the "software".

"They must understand this world! They must understand their enemy!" Matthew made up his mind.

According to the original owner's memories, the Kingdom of Augustus had some general records about the interior of the Misty Mountains, or about common monsters and magical beasts, such as adventurer's manuals or natural history books.

Thinking of this, Matthew remembered the books Will had brought; perhaps they contained information on this topic.

So he immediately turned around and hurried back to the lord's manor.

They found Will in the room, hunched over a makeshift desk, intently taking notes.

"Will, among the books you brought, do you have anything like 'Kingdom Monster Compendium,' 'Adventurer's Survival Guide,' or any books that record the habits and weaknesses of common monsters and magical beasts around the Misty Mountains and even within the kingdom?" Matthew asked quickly and directly.

Will paused for a moment, then slapped his forehead, a look of sudden realization mixed with a hint of annoyance on his face: "Yes, Your Highness! There is indeed one!"

He immediately went around the desk and hurried to the largest suitcases, tightly wrapped in oilcloth, in the corner. As he rummaged through them, he explained, "It was my oversight. There have been so many things going on lately, so many things to deal with. Plus, the goblin warriors Your Highness summoned… uh, those goblin warriors were so professional and powerful that I almost forgot they weren't native to this world and lacked even the most basic understanding of the dangers here. I forgot about this book; what a sin!"

His words were tinged with self-reproach.

Indeed, the changes in Emberstone Ridge have been rapid recently. The impact of those disciplined and skilled "goblins" is so strong that he subconsciously felt that they were omnipotent, but he overlooked their knowledge gaps when facing unknown creatures.

Soon, Will pulled a thick, dark brown hardcover book with slightly worn edges from the bottom of the box.

He carefully brushed off the dust and handed it to Matthew with both hands.

The book's cover, embossed in gold in a common script, reads: "A Handbook for Identifying and Dealing with Common Dangerous Creatures in the Kingdom of Augustus (A Brief Description of Enchantment Characteristics)." Next to it is a smaller line of text: "Recommended reading by the Kingdom's Adventurers' Guild."

"This is it, Your Highness," Will said. "It's one of the most comprehensive handbooks available in the largest bookstore in the capital. Although it's not an official classified document, the compilers are said to be several retired veteran adventurers and natural history professors from the Royal Academy, so the content is relatively reliable. It records the habitats, physical characteristics, habits, danger levels, known weaknesses, and some basic coping strategies for hundreds of common beasts, magical beasts, and even some evil humanoid creatures within the kingdom, organized by region and danger level."

Matthew took the heavy handbook, his eyes gleaming with delight.

This is exactly what he desperately needs!

He eagerly turned the pages.

The book's interior is printed on high-quality, slightly yellowed paper with clear text and numerous exquisite hand-drawn illustrations.

He quickly browsed the catalog and saw categories such as "Northern Forest and Mountain Regions", "Western Border and Outskirts of the Misty Mountains", "Common Subterranean Creatures", "Elemental Lifeforms", and "Brief Description of Undead Characteristics".

He flipped directly to the "Western Frontier and Misty Mountains" section and searched carefully.

Sure enough, when describing a creature that was good at digging, lurking in the sand, and sensing its prey through vibrations, he saw a familiar illustration—a flat body and a huge mouth full of sharp teeth. Although the drawing style was simple and archaic, its features were almost exactly the same as the monster described by Wang Xun.

The accompanying text describes:

Name: Sand Lurker/Spiky Digby (common name)

Habitat: Dry sandy areas and loose rocky areas.

Danger level: Moderate (High threat to inexperienced adventurers)

Habits: Solitary, it spends long periods sleeping underground, waking every five to seven days to hunt. It excels at stealth and ambushing passing creatures. Its hearing and vibration perception are extremely acute, while its vision is deteriorated. Its skin is tough, impervious to ordinary swords and knives. Its teeth can spray highly venomous substances; a bite will cause the victim to fall into a coma or even die within a very short time.

Weaknesses: The interior of the mouth is soft. Auditory organs are hidden beneath folds of skin on both sides of the skull. Bright light and loud noises can briefly interfere with its perception. It fears low temperatures, and its mobility decreases significantly in cold environments. There is a sensory organ at the base of the third bony spur in the center of its back; injury to this organ will cause severe pain and disorientation.

Countermeasures: When traveling through areas where it may be found, pay attention to any unusual loosening of the ground. You can try stomping on the ground with a heavy object or making continuous noise to scare it away. If you encounter it, keep your distance and prioritize attacking its mouth or using Flash or Frost spells. Close combat is extremely risky.

"Found it!" Matthew felt a surge of excitement.

Although the description is brief, it contains all the key information.

If Wang Xun and his group had seen this beforehand, they would have been able to take precautions and avoid being attacked by it.

Thinking about this, Matthew suddenly realized that he had overlooked the most important and most valuable asset—the books Will had brought.

Having lived in an era of information overload in his previous life, Matthew overlooked the importance of "information" in such an unfamiliar world.

He hadn't mentioned the books at the time, which led a group of experts to mistakenly believe that he really had nothing.

For them to take root and develop in this world, they need a comprehensive understanding of the world's operating rules, resource distribution, and even power structure.

The knowledge recorded in books is the fastest way to narrow the gap with indigenous forces.

If there were various books to help experts understand the world more quickly, it would be much more efficient.

……