Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 252 The Report on the Fall of the City: The War Expands to a Full Threat

The city lord's elite guard held out for a full half hour.

In recent years, the Xiyue Federation has shown a clear trend of decentralization, with the city lords of each city acting as local tyrants, wielding absolute power behind closed doors.

Although the officers of the city's regular army are still appointed and dismissed by the Federation, and the command authority is in the hands of the Federation, because the emperor is far away, many troops have become tools for generals to embezzle salaries and exploit soldiers, and have gradually colluded with local power holders such as the city lord.

The truly capable fighters, and those willing to risk their lives for the city lord, are the private soldiers that the city lord and his generals raise at their own expense. Although they usually number only a few hundred, each one is a professional, nurtured over many years with high salaries and generous rewards.

If a real fight breaks out, even the thousands of soldiers outside might not be a match for these few hundred.

At this moment, the White Stone City Lord's personal guard, relying on the high walls and magical protection of the City Lord's Mansion, put up a stubborn resistance. For a time, they actually managed to suppress the advancing elven vanguard at the foot of the steps, preventing them from making any progress.

Until Ysera arrived with her main force.

The Silvermoon Elves set up their specially made thousand-pound composite bows.

This weapon is tailor-made for high-level elven archers. In terms of size and weight, it is far superior to ordinary compound bows. The wheelbase alone reaches 1.5 meters, and the total height of the bow plus the stand is almost the same as the height of an elf.

The bow handle, as the core connecting all parts, is made of a single piece of high-strength tungsten-titanium alloy and is equipped with multiple sets of reinforcing ribs; while the bow arms use composite beams with I-shaped cross sections to resist huge bending stress. The weight of just this pair of bow arms exceeds seven kilograms, which is heavier than the entire bow of a light bow.

As for arrows, the elves' own arrow shafts were unusable, as they would fall apart the moment they were released. Therefore, they had to use heavy arrows made of pure alloy specially made by Dongxia. As a result, the elves had to separate a "heavy archer" unit with poor battlefield mobility.

Such a weapon of mass destruction on the battlefield is beyond the capabilities of anyone on Earth. It requires a tensile strength of over one ton, and the bones, muscles, and tendons must be of near-metallic strength. Otherwise, the recoil from firing an arrow could tear the scapula and tendons to shreds.

The elven heavy archer troops are all specially selected high-level magic archers. Now, this belated force is advancing while firing at a distance of four kilometers from the city lord's mansion, beginning its fire suppression of the mansion.

The muffled thud of the vibrating bowstring struck the air on the battlefield.

The arrows, imbued with multiple magical effects such as [Armor Piercing Edge], [Precise Hit], [Gale Breath], and [Dance of Thorns], could pierce a hole in the magical shield of the city lord's mansion with each shot. Although their speed was drastically reduced, they could still pierce through the guards' leather shields and instantly sprout dense, barbed vines that tore apart the enemies around them, leaving them bloodied and mangled.

The city lord's mages, who were originally exchanging blows with the elven archers on the wall, were quickly silenced by this unreasonable bombardment from beyond their line of sight.

Soon, the last old mage who dared to lean out was pinned to the wall behind him by a heavy arrow, staff and all. Thorns spread out instantly, wrapping him up in a terrifying "vine ball," and he was silenced forever.

Without the hindrance of magical attacks, the Silvermoon Guard began to accelerate their charge. The light archers in the front line switched to curved longswords, and the shadow panthers they rode ran faster and faster, galloping up the steps.

Ysera's Nightblade Shadow Panther charged at the forefront.

In the world of elves, because the queen had long relinquished her voice, the elders were not appointed and there was competition among them.

Besides being senior, an elf who can become an elder must also have another significant characteristic: they must be good at fighting! Otherwise, why would those equally powerful guys below, eager to take over, recognize your authority?
Ysera is a prime example of someone who is "good at fighting".

The Nightblade Shadow Panther transformed into a black lightning bolt, rushing straight in through the gap. The elven elder's blade light fell like moonlight, and the guards who tried to block its path fell in rows like harvested wheat.

As the gates of the city lord's mansion were smashed open, the Silvermoon Guards rushed in, and the magnificent mansion opened its doors to the elves.

A few minutes later, after eliminating the last resistance force, the warriors of the Seventh Branch of the Silver Moon Guard dragged out the Lord of White Stone City.

This city lord was once a first-tier professional in his youth, a powerful figure who dominated the border region. Unfortunately, more than twenty years of pampered life, indulging in wine, women, and wealth, not only corrupted his body but also eroded his martial arts skills and courage.

At this moment, he was dragged into the courtyard by the elven warriors like a dead dog, his fat body trembling under the crisscrossing longswords.

The head steward, who had been standing by, now displayed a fierce protectiveness towards his master. The withered old man, as thin as a walnut, waved his bony arms and roared at Ysera:
"A war without declaration! A despicable sneak attack! This is a trampling of the order of the Five Races Republic, a provocation against all human nations! You...you want the Forest Lands to be wiped out? The Federation's army will arrive in an instant, and then..."

Ysera didn't even bother to look at him. She casually pulled an ordinary arrow from the quiver at her waist, didn't draw it, but simply used her wrist strength to flick it lightly.

The arrow pierced the old steward's shoulder with pinpoint accuracy, sending him flying backward before finally slamming him against the wall behind him with a loud thud.

The old butler let out a painful whimper, his head lolled to the side, and he fainted.

There's no need to argue.

Elder Aiona said that every moment after leaving the forest must be seized, for every little bit of time gained could mean taking down another city.

"Though the elves have long lives, not a single moment can be wasted!"

Ysera lifted the city lord, who looked like a fat pig, and said, "If you don't want to be chopped into mincemeat, have your people immediately give up resistance and issue a proclamation as I demand!"

"I am a nobleman of the Federation, you cannot kill me! I deserve the treatment befitting my status! I demand negotiations... Ah!!!"

The long sword pierced straight through the city lord's thigh, accompanied by a heart-wrenching scream.

A few minutes later, the elves officially announced that Whitestone City had been liberated!
At this moment, the hazy morning mist had just dissipated, and the rising sun cast golden rays upon the white stone city walls. Most of the city's residents were startled by the commotion on the street and cautiously peered out through the cracks in their doors, only to find that the patrols in the city had been replaced by a grim-faced elven army.

The battle ended so quickly that many people didn't even understand what had happened before the city had already changed hands.

The Silvermoon Guard didn't even linger in the city. They quickly handed over the city's defenses to the second-line elven troops that followed, while the main force, led by Ysera, raced south along the official road to continue their advance on the next city.

As a former member of the civilized world, the elves knew very well how to handle occupied territories. The newly arrived army quickly took control of important facilities such as city defenses, warehouses, and magic towers, and, armed with the city lord's orders, took over the military camp under the threat of force.

A public notice was issued to reassure the people, prohibiting any fighting in the city and ordering the immediate reporting of any resistance fighters or hidden remnants. At the same time, all professionals and mercenaries were required to go to the Mercenary Guild Hall to re-register with the elves.

After observing silently for most of the day, while copying video materials, Junzi began writing a post-battle report.

【Great Lord Chen Mo, Respected Han Hai Military Council:】
This battlefield observation report of the Battle of Baishicheng is hereby submitted for review by leaders at all levels.

Reporting Unit: Battlefield Observation Record Group 07, Observer Junzi;
Report time: September 16th, 1429, 9:45 PM;
Event report: The Elven race has captured Whitestone City, a key border town of the Creekmoon Federation. The battle lasted one hour and thirty-three minutes.

Report content:

I. Tactical Assessment:
The elves, with the Silvermoon Guard as their vanguard and a force of compound bow archers, fully utilized their core advantages of 'stable bow handling and powerful enchantments,' combining high-speed mobility with precise shooting to form a blitzkrieg tactic of 'ranged suppression – high-speed assault – focused raid.' Blah blah blah…

II. Combat Strength Evaluation:
The main Elven force consists of soldiers with excellent individual skills, strict discipline, and resolute execution of orders. The Silvermoon Guard, in its first offensive, comprises officers of high tactical proficiency who can flexibly adjust their combat tactics according to the battlefield situation, demonstrating efficient overall coordination and smooth transitions.

Barabara...

III. Combat Highlights:
The elves' intelligence work was very thorough; they were extremely familiar with the city's terrain and had deployed a large number of informants. In addition to assisting in controlling the city gates, after the Silvermoon Guard entered the city, there were elven mercenaries pre-arranged at almost every intersection, using flag signals and hand gestures to quickly guide the way...

IV. Post-war Control:
After occupying Whitestone City, the elves adopted a relatively efficient control process, which focused on quickly stabilizing order, eliminating potential threats, and seizing key resources. This reflected a combination of "suppression" and "utilization," effectively avoiding large-scale suppression and killing, and helping to reduce subsequent management resistance.

...]

Of course, the fact that the Vast Ocean Territory went to such great lengths and even paid a considerable price to send the observation team into the arena was definitely not simply to watch the elves show off.

The mushroom, somewhat nervously looking around, then got up and surveyed the area outside the door and window before finally taking out its codebook and beginning to write a coded report.

The elven forces that launched this attack included the Silvermoon Guard, which claimed to have 3,900 warriors, and the estimated number was close. The first elven army in the south had about 30,000 men, the second army had about 22,000 men, and there was also the fourth army transferred to the eastern front. The total number of mobilized troops was about 70,000.

Elf combat style is extremely unique. Because they carry certain special drugs or potions, they have extremely strong endurance and combat endurance. There are basically no auxiliary soldiers or laborers in the team. Their spare mounts and logistical transportation are all commanded by a small number of druids. A large number of forest leopards and camels do not need to be guarded and can complete the tasks of assembly, transportation and front-line replacement on their own, which demonstrates extremely high efficiency.

If fighting against the Elves, tactics that target their logistics may not be very effective.

The Elven race currently lacks the habit of constructing fortified positions. After the battle, key control points were not equipped with trenches or bunkers. It is unclear whether this is due to strong confidence or their nature. Our group will continue to observe and supplement our conclusions.

In addition, our reconnaissance team noticed that the elves deliberately concealed the existence of their supply depots and blocked observation access to some key areas.

Based on clues from some daily interactions, my team members judged that the elves' preparations for war had been going on for a long time and were by no means a spur-of-the-moment decision.

For example, although our supplies were delivered rather hastily, the Elven core elder team only kept urging us verbally and did not show any obvious anxiety.

Meanwhile, a large amount of old grain has recently appeared in the Elven market. Experts in the group judged that this batch of grain has been stored for more than three years and is very likely an old type of grain that the Elven race is replacing in its strategic reserves.

Therefore, we believe that the Elves may have concealed their strategic reserves, and it is highly likely that even without our logistical support, the Elves should be able to launch multiple large-scale campaigns.

They deliberately exaggerated the shortage of supplies, not only to ask for support from us, but also to prepare a backup plan. It is even possible that they are wary of us and have other ulterior motives.

...]

Well, although it's not good to treat allies as potential enemies from the start, that's what the lord ordered, and that's how the military academy in the Vast Ocean Territory has always taught.

Commanders from the Hanhai region now assess their allies based on two things: first, whether the allies are capable of fighting externally; and second, whether they will be difficult to fight.

This "fine tradition" has been deeply ingrained. According to unreliable rumors, the staff of the First Mixed Brigade, the most combat-effective brigade in the Han Hai Territory, actually keeps contingency plans for the Second, Third, and Fourth Brigades, which are supposedly "better safe than sorry."

The main theme is that my centaur is loyal and devoted, while all other races are suspicious.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The elves' blitzkrieg tactics were most effective in Whitestone City, but they inevitably encountered strong resistance thereafter.

Even if the Xiyue Federation is slow to react, it shouldn't be able to allow someone to conquer half of its territory in one fell swoop.

The alarm issued by White Rock City has spread to all parts of the Federation. The following towns, such as Winter Snow Town, Mountain Lotus Town, and Wave Valley, are just small fortresses with only a few hundred guards. However, due to their thorough preparation and the traps they had laid in advance, the Silver Moon Guard suffered greater casualties than when they captured White Rock City.

Further down, Qingze City was already heavily guarded, with its gates tightly shut. Although the elves guessed that it would be difficult for the enemy to upgrade their weaponry to a normal level in such a short time, the Silver Moon Guard was unwilling to risk their resources to attack the city.

We can only wait for the rest of the army to arrive and then proceed gradually.

The message was reported to Elder Aiona, and unexpectedly, after a deep sigh, the elder said, "Very well, very well!"

Facing the questioning gazes of the other elven generals, the Grand Elder spoke earnestly.

"I have been planning this attack for hundreds of years. In my mind, even White Stone City would have to shed a lot of blood. The fact that we can take it so easily now is already a huge advantage."

"But the victory in White Stone City has also made many elders and children a little dizzy. I have heard a voice from below saying, 'Xi Yue is so weak, why should we spend so much to gain the support of the Vast Ocean? Why don't we just fight it ourselves?'"

"What is this? This is out of control, completely lost!"

The elder's eyes gleamed: "Human cities are inherently powerful weapons of war. There are no opportunities for trickery. Just you wait and see. If our army encounters human cities a few times, these guys who are shouting for a quick victory will have to cower and run back to the forest!"

"It's fine this way. Let's take it one match at a time. If the elves want to establish themselves on this land, they'll have to face strong enemies sooner or later!"

At the end of September, the elves assembled an army of 40,000 to attack Qingze City. At the same time, they dispatched three mobile forces to spread out along both banks of the Beilu River as the flanks of the main army. They were preparing to fight a tough battle against the humans.

After more than ten days of fermentation, the news that the elves had stepped out of the forest spread throughout the entire human world.

What were everyone's reactions?

There was no reaction; distant countries were indifferent, and even the neighboring countries nearby were all mocking the Creek Moon Federation.

"Look, even those little creatures hiding in the forest dare to jump out and bite them!"

"White Stone City? Isn't that the fatso's territory? He made so much money, but his army is all made of paper?"

"The Federal Parliament is still arguing about who to send as reinforcements! What a show!"

Well, hundreds of years have passed, history has been smeared and revised, and everyone really thinks that elves are just a group of big, pointy-eared monkeys living in the forest, nothing more!

(End of this chapter)