Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 528 The Reaper's Scythe
Today is a dangerous day for the Krant army.

Back at headquarters, General von Heinz frowned, frequently glancing at intelligence reports from the front.

"Have we not yet discovered any Imperial airships or airships?"

"Sir, our outpost reports that everything is normal and no trace of Imperial airships or airships has been detected!"

"Continue the search! Have the air defense forces prepare for battle. Once the airship is spotted, immediately release the flock of firebirds!"

"Yes!"

Compared to the Empire's research on the Krant army, the Krant army knew very little about the Empire. However, through previous battles, they had also discovered the Empire's fighting style: first, to send airships to launch long-range attacks and destroy the Krant army's anti-aircraft positions; then, to send airships to bombard the ground continuously; and finally, to advance with their main force.

Li Wei's three-pronged approach was quite simple, and the Krant army immediately recognized that the key lay in air power. The reason the Imperial army was able to defeat the Krant army repeatedly was because it relied on air strikes to gain control of the battlefield, allowing them to do whatever they wanted.

The Krant army, naturally, also strengthened its defenses against the Imperial air force. They built anti-aircraft guns with longer ranges, and in conjunction with flocks of firebirds, they even deployed a secret weapon—a group of beastmen with flight capabilities. Whenever an Imperial airship appeared, these beastmen with flight capabilities would immediately deploy to try and board the airship and destroy it.

In addition, the Krant army also created large synthetic beasts similar to griffins, which could be piloted by humans and used guns and sharp claws to destroy the airships' gasbags, thus achieving the goal of destroying Imperial airships.

Even without air support, the Krant army believes that it can still win with its own chimera and zoan army.

Therefore, when General von Heinz learned that the Imperial army was massing at the front, he immediately became tense. He quickly set up an air defense system against the Empire and then sent scouts to search for the Empire's airships and airships. In General von Heinz's view, the Empire was simply repeating its old tricks: using airships to conduct long-range artillery bombardment to destroy his air defense positions, and then sending airships to bombard the ground.

Finally, the main force advanced.

However... where exactly is the Empire's air fleet?
Scouts from all directions reported that they had not seen any trace of the airship.

What exactly happened?

Did the Empire's airships acquire artillery with even longer ranges? But even so, how could they determine if a shell hit its mark without being able to observe the battlefield?
General von Heinz frowned; he had a bad feeling. Logically speaking, Krant had made this place seem impenetrable, and the Empire shouldn't be able to break through the defenses silently... But the enemy was an airship, which meant it could attack from any direction.

"Order the aerial reconnaissance troops to conduct another search! Don't overlook any direction!"

“…………………!”

A piercing whistle rang out, echoing in the air. Leon frowned upon hearing the whistle and looked at his colleague beside him.

"A message came from the rear, instructing us to reconnoiter the surrounding airspace once more."

These sentries wore Krant's uniforms, but their hands and feet were like the claws of a falcon, and they even had a pair of brown wings on their backs, and layers of feathers could be seen under their necks.

They were the aerial Zoanoids that Krant specifically used to counter the Imperial Air Force.

There was nothing around.

Another sentry widened its eyes again and looked around. In their beast form, these sentries possessed eyesight comparable to a falcon, able to detect even the slightest movement in the air instantly.

But at that moment in the sky, they found nothing and saw nothing.

"The Empire will definitely send airships. I heard that's what they did before: bomb with the air force first, and then send ground troops to reap the rewards."

Leon told his colleagues stories he had heard from others.

"That's all?"

"It seems that's all I've heard from others."

"Such a simple tactic, and they still managed to win. The Empire really got lucky."

The other sentry shook his head, then looked up and gazed at the sky again.

"Huh? What's that?"

"what?"

Hearing his colleague's words, Leon and the other sentries looked up and saw several dark figures streaking across the azure sky, trailing long plumes of white smoke.

"What...is that thing?"

"The Empire's steam machinery."

"Could it be an airborne warship?"

"impossible."

Someone quickly provided an answer.

"Our instructors told us that airships aren't that fast..."

"Hey, look, that thing is about to fall!" Just then, someone pointed and shouted. The others looked and sure enough, they saw the black shadows trailing long plumes of smoke as they fell toward the ground.

"At this speed, they must have fallen. Has the Empire's steam engine malfunctioned?"

"Haha, if that's true, that would be interesting. By the way, isn't that the Third Army's position over there?"

"That's right, let's go and see what fell there. Anyway, the rear wants us to report, and this is exactly what they need to report, isn't it?"

The sentries discussed the matter and made a decision. Then they flapped their wings and flew in the direction where the dark figures had fallen.

They had only flown a short distance when they saw those dark figures, trailing long plumes of smoke, land on the horizon.

Then… a dazzling burst of light erupted.

"—————————!"

Then, Leon witnessed a scene he would never forget.

A massive burst of white smoke erupted out of thin air, forming a huge, round, mushroom-shaped cloud. It slowly expanded upwards, one, two, three... At that moment, the sentry captain beside Leon's expression changed drastically.

"Everyone, land immediately—!"

However, before the sentry captain could finish speaking, Leon saw the trees in front of him ripple like waves as if they had been hit by something. Then, the air seemed to turn into an invisible hammer and slammed into him.

"boom-----!"

Leon only had time to let out a scream before he was sent flying. He frantically flapped his wings, trying to maintain his balance. But the immense force of the impact far exceeded Leon's expectations. He felt like a sparrow in a storm, mercilessly swept away, battered, and then flung away.

He could feel his body spinning and falling, then crashing into the woods. All he could hear was the sound of branches snapping. Then, Leon felt his body slam into the ground.

After an unknown amount of time, Leon slowly opened his eyes.

"Cough...cough cough..."

Leon felt a burning pain all over his body. He gritted his teeth, got up from the ground, and looked around. The surroundings were a mess, with fallen leaves and twigs scattered everywhere. His companions were nowhere to be seen.

What was that just now?
Leon recalled the terrifying shockwave and mushroom cloud from just now, completely baffled.

Could it be that the Empire's latest weapon?
What a joke! Leon felt a chill run down his spine. Just then, his keen ears picked up a sound.

"boom-----!"

Right, there seemed to be a similar explosion sound just now. Leon remembered that the explosion didn't happen immediately; it only occurred when the airflow hit him. He recalled the captain saying that sound travels slower than sight... how much exactly?

I can't remember...

"Captain? Is anyone home?"

Leon turned and shouted, but the surrounding woods were deathly silent.

He gritted his teeth and slowly flapped his wings—a sharp pain shot through them; they might have been broken.

what is the problem?

Leon stood up and trudged forward, his steps uneven. He remembered his captain saying that the Third Army's camp was nearby; if he could find them…

Leon stepped out of the woods and looked ahead, then he was completely stunned.

Before Leon, thick black smoke billowed into the sky. The surroundings were a mess, littered with debris. Leon, with his sharp eyes, spotted a piece of metal lying not far from his feet. He reached out, picked it up, and turned it around.

It says this on it.

[Third Army Group — Battery No. 654123]

what is this?
Leon stared blankly at the nameplate in his hand, then looked up at the thick smoke ahead. He turned again, looking around. The grass was littered with wreckage—all sorts of pieces of metal, fragments. How did these things get here? The Third Army camp—what happened?
Leon stumbled forward, but he hadn't gone far when he tripped over something and fell to the ground. Leon turned to look at his feet and saw a severed hand, charred black.

"………………………"

What exactly happened? What did the Empire do? What have we encountered?
Just then, a shadow appeared, enveloping Leon like the Grim Reaper. He instinctively looked up at the sky and saw hundreds of airships moving forward in perfect unison.

The sunlight shone on this aerial fleet, giving it a cold, metallic sheen.

Like the scythe of death...

(End of this chapter)