"Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
Although this isn't a new maxim, it is a principle that I have always believed in in war. If you don't even know how much strength the enemy has, then you shouldn't have fought in the first place.
"In a temple, the one who calculates more wins, the one who calculates less wins, not to mention the one who calculates nothing." The outcome of a negotiation is usually decided by the situation of the two parties before the negotiation. I also believe that the outcome of a war will be decided before the start of the war. A war without benefits and no chance of victory is undesirable.
Due to the sudden appearance of the Nine-headed Dragon Emperor, the Ottoman Empire and the Seafolk are in a stalemate. However, a stalemate is always short-lived. I expect that the situation will change very soon. No matter which side gains the upper hand, it won't be a good thing for me and Donglan.
If the Ottoman Empire wins, Dasos's position will be stabilized. Based on his personality, he will most likely cause some trouble. If the Seafolk Empire wins … I'm afraid that this city will no longer belong to humans. Just like the legendary underwater city of Yasuo, it is not impossible for it to completely sink into the water.
Thus, I make use of this stalemate to conquer this underwater base and use it as a base to obtain the airship technology and samples. This way, I will be able to reap some benefits. If the situation turns bad, I will be able to escape.
The contract can be completed at any moment. There isn't much time left. There is only one chance. If the first attack fails, then it will be troublesome the next time.
With the help of the Queen of Banshees, it isn't difficult for a few low-tier undead to sneak in. I have already done enough scouting and preparations beforehand.
The structure of this base isn't complicated. The dock area is where the airships are being constructed, the Mage area is where the mages and craftsmen live, and the 6 Mage Towers are the most dangerous defensive structures here.
There is a squadron of White Wolf Guards stationed here. There are around 300 of them. The only ones who can fight are the mages. Based on the usual 10: 1 conversion rate, there are around 30 undead who are qualified to become Undead Knight. As for the Banshees, Liches, and other high-level undead who possess Silver-rank and intelligence upon awakening, the conversion rate is even lower. I don't think it will exceed the number of Undead Knight. In other words, there shouldn't be more than a hundred high-level undead.
However, judging from the current situation, there were more than a hundred Death Knight Squad members, so there was only one possibility for such a high conversion rate.
"Should that Prince Kalošín have been secretly practicing necromancy since he was a human? A prince of a kingdom is actually a necromancer above the Saint level. Looks like he's plotting something big. "
Very quickly, the scouts discovered a few hundred-man pits. It seemed that after realizing that they were isolated, they had started a massacre in order to reduce the consumption of food. Then, seeing that the situation was not right and that they would not be able to connect to the outside world in a short period of time, Kalošín decided to reveal his identity as a necromancer. He turned himself into a lich and his subordinates into undead. He even had the help of undead workers who did not sleep at all, allowing the construction to proceed ahead of schedule.
In fact, during the scouts' investigation, they had already discovered the Soul Summoning Tower and the Undead Converter that could convert the living into undead. However, they weren't sure if they were built secretly or after the isolation. This evil device that could convert the living into brainless low-level undead amidst endless pain was definitely the most evil of all evil.
The Soul Summoning Tower was a taboo even in Xiluo. After all, although this device could convert undead on a large scale, no matter what went into it, it would only turn out to be cannon fodder like skeletons and zombies. Not only that, these mass-produced undead were naturally lacking, making it difficult for them to grow and evolve, not to mention awakening into intelligent high-level undead. Xiluo wasn't completely devoid of living residents (although most of them were slaves or vassals). Not to mention, there were dozens of undead masters who could satisfy all kinds of conversion requirements. This highly effective but low-quality conversion method was only suitable for massacring entire cities in times of war to convert cannon fodder.
The several hundred-man pits that were equivalent to a massacre had already touched the bottom line of the Divine Arts. A massacre and this infamous Soul Summoning Tower, Prince Kalošín's actions could no longer be described as excessive. This also gave the Law job class a reason to crusade against Kalošín. Otherwise, I would have to think of another way to fill in the loopholes that Kolos and the others had left behind.
Right now, the enemy's main fighting force was probably the brainless skeletons and zombies that the blacksmiths and their family members had converted into. Judging from the sheer number of them, the Soul Summoning Tower, which was viewed as a taboo, was indeed very powerful. Kalošín had indeed done it without any limits to "make the best use of everything."
My intelligence work was already quite good, but it was impossible to take every possibility into account on the battlefield. What was unexpected was that the enemy's progress was far too fast. There were already four light assault airships that had entered the storage.
* Boom! * * Boom! * *
Cannons boomed in midair, thick smoke billowed, and metal shards and wooden planks fell from the sky. The cannons between airships of the same type were even more brutal and intense.
"Vulture" Type 1 assault airship. Its original form was a small gunship used for surface warfare, and it was also the prototype of the floating airship fleet. It had a magically charged main cannon, two engineering cannons, and two harpoon cannons. These were all excellent weapons originally used for surface warfare. It was designed to carry 30 people, but it could even carry five or six people.
The current floating airships were still at the stage of imitating surface ships. It was far from the domineering might of the Cloud Army that would soar into the sky ten years later. In fact, in my eyes, even two Legend-rank Mages would be able to take it down.
Even though it wasn't too strong, it was still an extremely important prototype airship. The floating turbine system on it, as well as the ship's aerial control system, were the most classic initial models. At the same time, the word "initial" also meant that its structure was simple, making it easy to analyze and imitate. Thus, even if the Ottoman Empire started to sell some low-tier floating airships in the future, this original Vulture would never be sold.
Due to the appearance of the ambush, we were now facing a bitter battle of two against four.
Originally, we, who had lost in terms of the number of ships, would definitely be at a disadvantage in terms of manpower. However, with the addition of the Goblin Engineers that Yingou brought, compared to the slow-witted newborn Undead, our crew members are much more capable.
On the other hand, the ace hunter Lomons who had been playing with guns for more than two hundred years, displayed astonishing skills in operating a cannon that was extremely similar to it. Not only was he able to hit the target with his main cannon, he even had the spare time to calculate the angle of the other ship's main cannon. Amidst his curses, he gave orders to the other warship.
On the other hand, even though the number of warships on the other side had doubled, their crew members weren't able to bring out the full potential of the warship.
The newborn Undead were still very weak. Kaloshín's Undead Army lacked a solid foundation and the intelligent Undead in his hands were extremely limited. Even if they were to be controlled by his Necromancy, there would probably be quite a number of them who harbored hatred in their hearts. After all, to most of the ordinary humans who believed in the Gods of Order, they would rather die and enter the Divine Realm than become bloodthirsty Undead that was viewed as an enemy by the world.
There weren't many trustworthy 'people' that he could use. Low-tier Skeletons could be used as laborers, but it was too much for them to be used as crew members that required skills.
On the other side's warship, there was only one or two Necromancers and two Middle-tier Undead who could barely speak. Then, they used a bunch of Skeletons and Zombies as sailors. The Necromancer who was the captain was most likely a Mage in the past. As he fought, he forgot to fire his cannon. Or perhaps, when he realized that he couldn't hit the target no matter how hard he tried, he jumped onto the deck and started casting his spells.
However, the fact that the other party was a Mage and was attacking independently reminded Kolos. Thus, the sky was filled with thunderstorms and the cannons and thunder roared at the same time.
As a Legendary-tier Great Druid, the interference of Krose causes the balance of the aerial battle to tip over completely. Lightning strikes furiously and the other party's airship is struck by lightning repeatedly. Even the sails of the airship are set ablaze and smoke is rising from the deck.
In the Elven Kingdom, the Storm Druil was a turret job that was comparable to a Fire Mage. When he went all out, it was as if he had multiple main cannons. Not only would his firepower be doubled, the accuracy of a Mage's spells would be far superior to a Heavy Cannon, which required a large amount of calculations. In just a short period of time, Kolos and Lomons's warship was actually suppressing the other four warships on the other side.
Both sides continuously fired their cannons. Thunderstorms and death spells were fired back and forth. The flames and explosions of the main cannons tore through the sky, and the smoke of the Heavy Cannon began to fill the air.
* Crash! *
Finally, the first casualty appeared. Heavy cannons and thunderstorms simultaneously struck the Vulture warship with the number '3' on its deck. It was the first warship to break apart. Its body split open from the middle, and the rear half of the warship exploded into sparks. The front half of the warship began to fall.
When the third warship exploded in midair, the situation became two against three. The light of victory appeared on our side. However, it was a pity that we rejoiced too early. The other side's magic support and the Lich weren't just for show.
Suddenly, the Lich Kalošín's Mage Tower also exploded with an intense red light. A gigantic Flame Blast with a crimson glow shot out.
The fireball, which was filled with Fire Magic, was huge and fast. It was impossible to block it.
* Boom! *
Even though Kolos's thunderstorm attempted to block it, the gigantic fireball still struck the first warship that Diana was on.
Fire magic was extremely powerful. Even the strategic-level Flame Blast that Kalošín cast through the Mage Tower's amplification was not something that Kolos's thunderstorm could compare to. The next moment, the same misfortune as the third warship happened to its sister warship. The first warship's silence was even more direct than its sister's, and it immediately began to break apart in the explosion.
"Jump off the ship!"
The gnome engineers unhesitatingly began to jump off the ship. Their good habit of always being prepared for explosions and preparing an escape route saved them. After giving the order to abandon the ship, numerous white parachutes appeared in the air. These were the gnome parachutes that were hung on the side of the ship.
But unfortunately …
"AHHHHHHH!"
As a melee Holy Knight who had been wearing heavy armor for a long time, Diana was basically useless in aerial combat. Ever since she successfully took over the warship, she became nothing more than a decoration. However, she was overjoyed to find the Ottoman specialties, the Misilar mithril alloy full-body armor, in the Vulture assault airship. This was a rare item that definitely couldn't be found on the market. Thinking about how she was currently in battle, she unhesitatingly put it on …
Alright, we could understand the desire of a melee Knight who had been acting as a meat shield for a long time to have good armor. However, a simple and crude parachute would definitely be unable to carry a fully-armored, heavily-armored Holy Knight. The screaming Legend-ranked Holy Knight used her own example to explain that even a Holy Knight needed to add a point of Intelligence … Even if it would be useless in battle, dying from stupidity would be far too unsightly.
As previously mentioned, although the Misilar mithril alloy contained elements of mithril, most of it was an alloy of rare and precious metals. Although its defense and mana capacity were excellent, it was far too heavy. Not even the Ottoman warhorses that were fully equipped with heavy armor would be able to carry it. This forcefully turned the White Wolf Guards into light cavalry. The heavily-armored infantry's full-body armor had even better defense, but it was also naturally ridiculously heavy.
If a can of apple was thrown down from a height of more than a hundred meters, regardless of whether the can would shatter into pieces or not, the apple would definitely turn into fruit jam. And if Diana really fell down, no matter if she was a Legend-ranked Knight or something else, she would instantly turn into elf jam amidst the shards of armor.
With her Legend-ranked strength, if she didn't wear this full-body armor, she could still think of a way to survive. But now, the full-body armor was just like a metal cage. No matter how regretful and regretful she was, there was nothing she could do.
Moon Knight Diana, died in AD1897. Cause of Death: Stealing and Being Too Stupid. Big Foolish Lass, why are you so stupid … She could already imagine what those fellows with bad habits would write on their goals.
"AHHHH, save me! It's too embarrassing to die like this. I haven't completed my life's goal yet, I … My savings are hidden in my boots. Please help me pass them to Victoria, and … Lord Patricia, please guide me on the path. I repent my sins to the Holy Light. Lord Wumianzhe, I haven't seen your great achievements yet … I-I haven't dated anyone before, I don't want to die! Lord Wumianzhe, save me! "
Alright, I had already started to close my eyes to pray. But suddenly, my body felt light and the speed of my descent slowed down. Then, it seemed to have stopped.
"Fool! You still remember to call for me to save you, at least you aren't completely hopeless. "
When she opened her eyes, she saw that a familiar person was pulling her. Golden wings were spread out, and the fiery halo on his head was burning fiercely. That legendary posture made Diana think of a certain legend.
"Angel? Am I already dead? Lord, why are you here as well? Are you dead as well? Are you actually an angel? "
The Legend-ranked Knight, who was scared to death, had a panicked expression on her face. The moment she opened her mouth, she completely exposed her adorable nature beneath her mature exterior.
In the legends, angels are indeed the ones who receive the souls of the dead. But, when she opened her mouth, why did I feel so awkward?
"I take back what I said just now. As expected, you are hopeless. What do you mean by you are here as well? I have never been able to go to Heaven in my life … Un? "
With a flap of my wings, I flew in an arc, dodging the Storm Arrows and Fireballs shot at me from the Mage Tower in the distance.
"When we get back, I will have a good talk with you about that ridiculous confession before death. If the 3 True Gods really heard it, with a believer like you, they might even be amused by you. But for now, let's work together to deal with some serious matters. "
While gliding, I looked down and saw that the battle below had already turned into a mess.
The battle on the ground was much crueler than in the air. The other party's advantage in numbers was much more obvious. Other than the boundless and brainless cannon fodder, the other party's main force was obviously the Death Knight that was transformed from the White Wolf Guard.
Most of the revived White Wolf Guard were still in a state of confusion after just awakening. They had not regained enough intelligence and were unable to use Dark Magic and their natural talents. It would be a stretch to call them Death Knight, but they were more like slightly stronger Zombie Warriors. Even so, they were still difficult to deal with.
There was no other reason. As the Imperial Guards of the Ottoman Empire, the equipment of the White Wolf Guard was just too good.
The Misilor Critical Sword carried a crimson brilliance. The ripple-shaped blade seemed to be howling constantly. The exquisite swords of the Donglan Royal Knight were unable to withstand a single blow from it. Furthermore, the Misilor Explosive Javelins were weapons of mass destruction. Every time they were thrown, a huge crater would be blasted open. If one was not careful, they might die in their hands.
What was fortunate was that their intelligence wasn't high at the moment. In the chaotic battle, there were many accidental injuries. When the javelins were thrown out, the ones who were blasted away were basically their own cannon fodder. This infuriated the Death Knight and the Lich.
Due to Prince Kaloshín's identity as a Necromancer, the Death Knight was several times more than expected. When I flew into the air, there was only the Snowman Knight, a powerful meat shield on the ground. Coupled with the support of the Mage Tower's magic, the battle below fell into a stalemate.
It was fortunate that Beifeng and Casio were around. Against the threatening Explosive Javelins, their arrows were able to easily detonate them in advance, preventing us from suffering heavy losses.
Even though the battle on the ground was getting more and more difficult, I didn't have any intentions of interfering. After all, I had to take the initiative in a battle. I didn't have much time to transform, so I had to maximize my mobility. As for the battle on the ground, looking at the time, it was about time.
"Rumble!" "Rumble!"
As expected, very quickly, an explosion not too far away attracted the attention of everyone. The hidden chess pieces that I had arranged were indeed effective.
"As expected, it would be a waste to leave Grimm and Yingou on the battlefield. It would be more suitable for them to wreak havoc behind the enemy's back."
Yes, since we have the other party's intelligence, it would be foolish for us to fight them head on. We are lacking in numbers, but we have plenty of experts, making it suitable for small-scale battles. From the very start, I had split my manpower into several small teams. Kolos and Diana were the first and second team to seize the ships. The Explosive Maniac Grimm and Yingou were the first team to destroy the explosions at the enemy's back.
Following the explosion, the arcane radiance of several mage towers began to extinguish. Then, due to the poor connection between the two towers, they flickered in and out of existence. Finally, they completely dimmed. It was evident that Clint and the others had completed the target of my explosion. The energy pool of this base had been successfully destroyed, and the mage towers that had lost their energy supply were beginning to collapse.
"Before the backup energy source and the small-scale energy source within the Mage Towers are activated, let's complete our primary objective."
The primary objective of this battle? It's to suppress Kalošín himself.
Fighting a war of attrition against the Undead army is the most foolish choice. The boundless and never-ending sea of Undead has no concept of fatigue or morale. They are always able to exhaust the stamina and blood of their opponents in a war of attrition. Against such an army, decapitation is the best choice. As long as the Undead Lord falls, his army would become meaningless and might even disintegrate on its own.
At this moment, the Mage Towers are temporarily deactivated and I can fly again. Furthermore, I am bringing along a silly lass as my trump card. I would be a fool if I didn't go straight to the main objective and find trouble with the Undead Lord.
Spreading open my golden wings, I glide in the sky, leaving a trail of golden light wherever I pass by. As for the weight in my hands? My 20 points of basic Strength allowed the female Knight in my right hand to bear the weight.
"Boom!"
However, it is evident that my flying skills are still lacking. In a moment of carelessness, I knock into the sail of the No.6 assault airship. I am fine, but a large hole in the shape of a female elf appears on the sail.
I casually cut off the mast. Looking at the chaos on the enemy's airship, I pull it up again. Lomons didn't miss this opportunity. Taking advantage of the fact that the enemy has stopped moving, he accurately shoots a bullet at the ammunition warehouse, causing No.6 to explode into sparks.
The situation in the sky has become one against two. The side with fewer numbers has the Legend-rank Druil and an ace archer, so I don't have to worry about the situation in the sky anymore.
"Aiyo, I'm sorry, I didn't see it."
Looking at Diana, who was seeing stars, I whispered apologetically.
"You must have done it on purpose."
"No, I really didn't mean it before. But this time, I did it on purpose."
"AHHHHH!"
Looking at my loosened right hand and the screaming Diana below, I smile gleefully. This time, I really did loosen my grip on purpose, and it seems that my aim was quite accurate.
"Boom!"
The pitiful No.5 deck is smashed through. The Lich that I had my eyes on is smashed into minced meat by the female Knight. The shockingly heavy Diana's momentum doesn't decrease at all, and she actually falls directly to the second floor.
"Diana, I will give you two minutes! Clear all the high-level undead on this ship. "
However, what is strange is that I didn't hear the expected sounds of killing. Instead, after a series of 'dong dong dong' footsteps, Diana runs up to the deck from the lower floor.
"Lord … Lord, hurry and bring me away. This ship is about to explode! "
Alright, I trust her words. If you have any doubts, just say it on the way. As expected, just as I carried her and flew for a short distance, I heard the sound of an explosion behind me.
"Boom!"
This explosion is even louder than the previous one. It is obvious that the ammunition warehouse exploded together with something else.
"What happened? You fell on the ammunition warehouse? "
"… Why have I been so unlucky recently." Diana, who was muttering to herself, only regains her senses after hearing my question.
"When I was on the second floor, I smashed an Undead Knight to death. From the captain's hat, it should be the captain. In the end, I actually fell straight to the third floor, right into the engine room, and ended up landing on the main engine."
"The engine is spoiled? If the engine is spoiled, it would explode immediately. Looks like the stability of this airship is really bad. "
"It's not that." Diana scowls, but there is an embarrassed red blush on her face.
"Just as I stood up, I touched a button with a red skull on it. When I stood up, I accidentally pressed it."
Alright, since we are all from Sulfur Mountain City, it is enough for me to say this much. Everyone knows about the bad habit of the goblin engineers to leave a red skull on them, and everyone knows what that skull represents.
"Smashing two high-level undead to death, and just touching the self-destruct button when I stood up? This luck … Choosing you as my bodyguard is indeed the right choice. "
What a good lightning rod of bad luck. No wonder I felt that my luck has been good recently. Looks like with the help of the Star of Comet, all my bad luck has been absorbed by you.
I nod my head in satisfaction. On the other hand, Diana's face is filled with helplessness and confusion. However, there isn't any time for me to sigh or explain.
At the top of the tallest Mage Tower, under the protection of a group of Undead Knight, Kaloshín is summoning Burst Flames. His target is obviously us, who are threatening him.
"Darsos, you cursed bastard! You traitors, I, Kaloshín, should be the next Ottoman Emperor! "
Alright, this Lich still thinks that we are Dasos's men, but there is no need for me to explain.
"Un, then, Your Majesty, let me send you on your way."
Suddenly, the voice of the Queen of Banshees rings in my ears.
"He is actually an old acquaintance. Look at the ring on his hand."
Looking carefully, I notice the Celestial Emblem on the Lich's right hand. I immediately fly into a rage.
"Darned Celestial Tower, to think that they would have their men here as well."
"I am not talking about that. Look at the emblem of a cross between a magic book and a magic staff on his left pinky ring. He should be my nominal disciple, your junior."
"Even if he is my junior? Is there a difference? "
"No, I am just reminding you to be careful. My nominal disciples aren't easy to deal with. Every one of them has at least a few underhanded moves and trump cards. Don't treat him as an ordinary Lich!"
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