Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 194 Decision Makers Who No Longer Pretend (6K)

Catherine immediately patted the "spoils of war" she had brought back, saying, "Prepare an interrogation room for me, along with knives, axes, saws, and whatever else you have. Your locomotive repair tools will also do."

The bound prisoner's face grew even uglier. He struggled anxiously, trying to say something, but his mouth was tightly gagged.

Su Ming tore off the gag. The prisoner gagged a few times, then hurriedly said, "No, no, no, I'll tell you everything!"

The prisoner spoke impatiently, revealing everything from where he was born to how he had succumbed to the lure of a high salary a few months ago and joined the Lords' Alliance Mage Corps.

This time, they were dispatched to assist the White Scattering Cavalry. The captured mage himself wasn't particularly strong, but most of his colleagues, who were skilled in flying, had perished in yesterday's battle.

Because they were all chasing from the very front.

The prisoners spoke at length, but the useful information was scarce. The size and composition of the enemy were roughly clear, consistent with previous deductions. Besides General Price, commander of the White Scatterback Cavalry, Emilio, commander of the Bubing city defense forces, also personally led the hunt.

"With both of the military's top leaders here, the Hanshan royal family's forces in the north must have been mobilized in full force." Su Ming looked at Catherine, "There's no chance of getting away with it now, is there?"

Catherine picked up the prisoner from the ground. "Don't rush to confirm. Let me have a good talk with him."

The prisoner begged for mercy. Catherine ignored him, dragging him towards an empty carriage. His voice faded into the distance, turning into desperate wails.

“Let the professionals handle these things,” Zijin said to Su Ming.

“I understand,” Su Ming replied. “He who kills will be killed in return.”

"Your world has a lot of interesting advice like this."

****
Afterwards, everyone focused on their own tasks, during which Catherine even called on the unicorn to help.

An hour later, Catherine walked into the workshop, wiping her hands.

"What's going on?" Su Ming asked.

“This man didn’t lie,” Catherine said. “I questioned him repeatedly, and his statements matched up.”

“You’re so heartless.” The unicorn followed her in, its tone quite displeased. “That person kept begging, and you still went too far. After torturing him to the point of delirium, you forcibly read his thoughts—wouldn’t it have been simpler to just kill him?”

“We need to rule out the possibility that he is a suicide spy,” Catherine replied.

Su Ming said nothing. War inherently erodes humanity. Showing mercy to the enemy wouldn't make one's death more comfortable after defeat. In a deadly situation, the only way to survive is to adapt.

"Are there any traces of mental magic?" Zi Jin asked Qi Luo.

Qi Luo shook her head, "My memories haven't been altered, and I haven't been affected by mental magic."

Unicorns are a race with a natural talent for this, and Moon Prayer Masters are also professionals in this field. Qi Luo's judgment can be considered definitive.

"That means the prisoners' testimonies are credible." Su Ming nodded. "This General Price of the White Scattered Cavalry is a renowned general."

Price had an extremely tough fighting style. He was the one who built the White Scatterers, and under his leadership, they earned a formidable reputation.

“It doesn’t matter,” Catherine said to Su Ming. “Anyway, your tactical system will render conventional military concepts ineffective, so it doesn’t matter what general you replace him with.”

"Oh?" Su Ming was somewhat surprised. "You guessed the characteristics of the new weapon I'm preparing?"

Catherine shook her head. "No, I was just making that judgment based on your style of doing things."

"...I am honored by your high regard."

“What we need to be wary of are strategists.” A look of disgust appeared on Catherine’s face. “The cunning Dimit, that scoundrel who is best at scheming and plotting, is the one we need to deal with with all our might.”

“Dimit is the chairman of the Lords’ Alliance,” Violet said. “Will the royal army be under his command?”

The relationship between the Northern Lords' Alliance and the Cold Mountain Royal Family is not harmonious. As the leader of the nobles, Dimit has long been instigating disputes and standoffs within the Cold Mountain Kingdom, and the grudges between the two sides are far from minor.

“It’s hard to say, after all, the royal family and the lords’ alliance are both working together against me,” Catherine said, then asked Violet with some curiosity, “Elisa, why are you paying attention to Dimit’s intelligence?”

“It’s because of Master Newman’s murder,” Violet explained. “There are rumors that this black-hearted fox was involved. Besides General Price of the White Shot Cavalry, he’s the person I most want to ‘ask’ about the details.”

Violet's so-called "interrogation" was naturally far from gentle; kidnapping and torture were standard practice. Therefore, obtaining relevant intelligence about the target was only natural.

Upon hearing this, Qi Luo looked surprised. "Little Newman is dead?"

Newman, a scholar of the House Swallows, is skilled in necromancy and modeling. He has widely applied necromancy models to construction techniques and is a renowned engineering master.

"Yes, it happened here about six months ago," Zijin recounted the details.

Qi Luo looked regretful. "I quite liked that little guy. He was a wonderful travel companion. I thought we could rescue him from the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison this time."

Su Ming glanced at Qi Luo. "Master Newman is over fifty years old. You call him 'little guy'—how old are you, anyway?"

The unicorn remained calm and gestured with its hand, saying, "Newman is a halfling, so small, of course I call him 'little guy'."

****
Su Ming didn't delve into the details and returned to the main topic, "Let's continue discussing our countermeasures."

Catherine sighed. The evidence she had repeatedly obtained had dispelled her doubts about the involvement of the Cold Mountain royal family in this incident. "It's come to this now." She walked back to the sand table. "It's almost certain that we are surrounded. We must break through one of the directions to escape."

"Hanstedt, Elisa, what's the progress of loading the rocket propellant?" Su Ming asked.

"The gunpowder ratio has been finalized, and we can load about a hundred rounds a day," Hansfield replied.

“I’m rewriting the zombie’s soul core, and my work efficiency will be even higher later,” Zijin said.

Su Ming assessed his own progress. Miao Xin reported that everything was going smoothly; including teleportation, the projectile would take two days to complete.

"That means in about three days, we will be able to engage in combat with organized armies," he concluded.

Catherine's eyes lit up. "Are the weapons you prepared really that powerful?"

“It needs to be paired with appropriate tactics,” Su Ming replied.

“That’s true of any weapon,” Catherine said, reconsidering the situation.

There were several sheets of paper on the table. Su Ming picked them up and found that they were Dimitri's information.

Judging from the contents of the paper, Dimitri was highly experienced and had an impressive resume. Although the noble army was relatively weak in combat, it still achieved many outstanding results under Dimitri's strategies.

In particular, to compensate for the gap in combat strength, Dimit frequently resorted to various tricks. He played a crucial role in establishing a balance between the Cold Mountain royal family and the lords' alliance.

"Are you sure our opponent is him?" Su Ming felt a headache coming on. This guy's methods were underhanded, and tactical advantages alone might not be enough to gain an advantage against Dimit.

"It's almost certainly him," Catherine said, then sighed, "He was fighting you to the death one minute, and now he's up against the Arctic Fox. He just wants to bully noobs!"

“Yes,” Su Ming agreed.

Over there, the skeleton servants had prepared lunch.

"Let's eat first, we have a lot to do this afternoon." Catherine put down her pen and notebook filled with tactics.

Su Ming got up to get a plate to serve mashed potatoes. "Would you like to send some food to the mage you captured?"

“No need,” Catherine replied. “He’s already half-dead. I’ll talk to him again in a few hours, and then I can throw him away.”

Su Ming paused for a moment, then sat down with the plate full of food and began to eat.

Zijin sat down next to him and activated their mind synchronization.

"Su Ming, your life is as worthless as grass," the scholar comforted him. "That's just how war is; don't take it too seriously."

Su Ming shook his head. "Don't misunderstand, I'm just surprised I adapted so quickly."

Zijin was so angry that she kicked him.

Yuni put the little one into the crib, and the little guy immediately started crying and fussing.

"Let's feed him some mashed potatoes!" Violet suggested.

“…Go play with your own baby from now on!” Catherine protested.

****
In the carriage requisitioned as a makeshift torture chamber, the mage, bound to a frame, twitched occasionally. He was completely naked and covered in wounds. Out of caution, Catherine stripped him of his equipment and threw him out of the carriage.

Fortunately, the carriage was heated, so he didn't freeze to death.

The prisoner suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, even more intense than the wounds on his body. He convulsed and let out a weak groan.

The mage sensed that some kind of alchemical tool had been activated, drawing upon his dwindling life force and using that energy to send out subtle magical pulses. Why was such a thing inside his body?
The monk suddenly remembered the military rations the captain had given him that morning. It turned out, it was all part of a plan! He was merely a pawn; that was his purpose!
But the prisoner was no longer able to resist; his remaining life force was gradually drained, and his breathing slowly ceased. The alchemical tool had completed its work and disintegrated.

The carriage returned to normal, and all was quiet.

Thousands of kilometers away, at the Black Territory Lord Alliance's military base on the second tier of the Icefield, a magic tower received these magical signals. They were quickly analyzed, and the winding path of the Youth Civilization was depicted and projected onto a topographical map.

The people controlling the magic circle were overjoyed. The intelligence officer's eyes were bloodshot from staying up all night, but he couldn't hide the joy on his face. He excitedly ran to Dimitri, "Reporting to the Chairman, we've tracked down the Bone Train!"

Jimi nodded to indicate he understood. He calmly waved his hand. "Analyze it immediately, dissect the specific performance characteristics of this train!"

"Yes, sir!" The intelligence officer accepted the order and left happily.

The other nobles in the council hall breathed a sigh of relief. "The chairman is truly amazing!" they all agreed.

Although it sounds like flattery, Dimitri deserves it.

Yesterday afternoon, the operation to capture the unicorn encountered a serious mishap. A mysterious owl scholar suddenly appeared, rescued the target, and left in a huge vehicle.

The devastating news stunned everyone, and the hard work they had put in over the past few days was completely ruined. The thought of the severe consequences of the entire operation's failure plunged the nobles into panic, with some even collapsing on the spot due to their fragile mental states.

Dimitri, however, remained calm and composed. He quickly deployed a reconnaissance team and used a sacrificial mage as bait. After more than ten hours, he had regained control of the situation!
Tracking the "Bone Train" means an interception can be deployed. Hope for salvaging the situation has re-emerged, even if the opponent is the mysterious Chestnut Owl team!
If we kill all of these people, there is still a chance for things to turn around, or even a complete solution!

The sheer power of Ainz Ooal Gown and Chestnut Owl made them the perfect targets for framing. Their sudden appearance in the North, coupled with their open conflict with Queen Catherine, made them the ideal scapegoats!
What others saw as a crisis, Dimitri saw as an excellent opportunity that coexisted with the crisis and the risks!
****
The data analysis was completed quickly, and the intelligence officer reported back to everyone.

"The possessing worm recorded the other party's data for a total of three hours, during which time the Bone Train traveled fifty kilometers." He marked the route of the Abandoned Mage from when he was captured and put into the Youth Civilization Train until he was drained of his life on the topographic map. "The speed of this giant train is greatly affected by the terrain; the steeper the slope, the slower the speed."

Dimitri examined the detailed speed-terrain curves. The fact that the Bone Train was limited by the terrain had been discovered when analyzing the ruts, but the real-time speed could not be obtained from the ruts.

Now this link has finally been filled.

This clearly indicates that the Bone Train's available route is far more limited than anticipated. Furthermore, its absolute speed is not as fast as previously thought! Especially after leaving the frozen river surface, its speed suddenly drops by half.

He gestured for the intelligence officer to stop babbling, then focused his attention on the topographical map, his mind racing.

There are only a few routes that Chestnut Owl and Bone King can take, and they dare not go to Ice City, so—

Dimitri pointed to two places, "Red Fruit Slope" and "Bird Return Bay," and asked, "How long will it take them to get here?"

Several technical officers quickly completed the calculations. "Reporting to the chairman, the White Bone Train will arrive at Hongguopo in three days and reach Gui Niao Bay in five and a half days."

It is now December 19th, which means that the Bone Train will arrive at Hongguopo on the 22nd and at Gui Niao Wan on the night of the 24th.

Some officers breathed a sigh of relief. Their own troops had ample time to complete the march and launch the interception.

Dimitri's eyes flashed coldly. "Order the troops to Gui Niao Bay immediately! The 22nd main force must arrive to set up positions and lay mines; the 23rd artillery and supply troops to their battle positions!"

This arrangement came as a complete surprise to everyone.

The officers remained silent, but one of the lords spoke up, "Isn't there a need to rush? The enemy won't arrive until the 24th. A rapid march will cause them to fall behind, and the wilderness will result in a large number of non-combat casualties. How about we extend the deadline by one day?"

The other lords echoed this sentiment. Treating the wounded required manpower and resources, and soldiers who were crippled needed to be recruited again, all of which meant considerable expenses.

Dimitri scoffed, "Do you think this is child's play?" He slammed his hand on the table fiercely, "Can you afford the consequences of failure!"

He was genuinely furious. Although he maintained a calm demeanor, it was largely to maintain morale.

The enemies are Ainz Ooal Gown and the Crimson Owl, mysterious and powerful, who have never been defeated in battles against multiple naval forces at sea. Especially that Bone Train; such a massive creation brought to the ice plains must have come at a high price, and its capabilities are undoubtedly formidable.

And then there's Catherine, who, instead of being a proper mistress of the emperor, carved out her own niche in the military.

Do you really think it's easy for him against such a group of opponents?
If the unicorn escapes and the plot is exposed, the Northern Lords Alliance will face the wrath of both the Cold Mountain Royal Family and the Star Empire, two powerful forces.

Therefore, the interception time can only be moved forward, regardless of the cost and without allowing any oversight!

"Execute the order immediately! Also, send the information to the Imitation Group and order them to pursue steadily and block the White Bone Train's retreat!" Dimit ordered angrily.

"Yes!"

The officers responded with a resounding roar.

After issuing the orders, Dimit rubbed his temples. He missed Steward Brunlev terribly; this powerful puppeteer was not only a reliable pillar of strength in combat but also an excellent partner in planning and execution. Together they supported the Lords' Alliance, far surpassing the current incompetence of these useless individuals.

Unfortunately, Brunlev died before achieving his goal.

Why aren't these useless bastards on the enemy's side? He lamented inwardly.

****
After lunch, Catherine discovered that the prisoners were already cold, which was far from her expectations.

"Have I gotten rusty?" Catherine looked at her hands and quickly concluded that the commander was as disgusting as ever!
She used her magic to throw the prisoner's body out of the carriage.

Everyone went about their own work. In the afternoon, Catherine finished the tactical simulation.

“The Bubing City defense line is at a disadvantage for us,” she concluded. “Even if we manage to defeat the city guard, the enemy can always retreat and regroup in the city, forming a second and third echelon to keep entangled with us.”

The battle line was too close to the enemy's main city, which was an inevitable result. Moreover, Bubing City was a major city in the core of the ice plains, with strong defenses and depth.

“Then there’s the Noble Army.” She pointed to the yellow flag at Bird Bay. “This place is a famous migratory bird habitat, with open V-shaped slopes, which is perfect for the enemy’s large forces to deploy and attack us from above.”

“If we defeat them head-on,” Catherine drew a line forward on the map, “the Bone Train can only advance along the terrain, while the enemy’s routs can easily escape to the flanks to regroup.”

Su Ming understood what Catherine meant: "We won, which means we killed some enemies in the front. The enemy's main force, organization, including supplies and materials, are all intact."

“That’s right,” Catherine said. “The most destructive force in war doesn’t come from direct confrontation.” She explained to Su Ming, “The pursuit after breaking through the enemy’s battle lines is where the large-scale annihilation of the enemy’s manpower takes place. If we fight like that, we will only defeat the enemy without causing any damage.”

Su Ming updated his understanding. The game world is simple and straightforward; there's no need to worry about the aftereffects of battles. A victory of 99:1 and a victory of 51:49 are the same.

Reality is far more complex.

"Our risks are not low either. The enemy has a mage squad and ambushes like landmines. Even if we fight a hard-fought battle, the best outcome is just killing some ordinary soldiers," Catherine continued. "If we succeed, we won't be able to achieve our goal in one battle; if we fail, we'll lose everything."

Zijin said with some regret, "I was hoping to ask Dimitri a few questions."

"In short, both of these approaches carry significant tactical risks and may not achieve the strategic goal of breaking through," Catherine concluded.

"Then we have no choice but to turn around?" Su Ming shifted his gaze to the small white flag representing the White Scattered Cavalry on the sand table.

“That’s right.” Catherine turned the Youth Civilization’s course indicators toward the rear. “Our best option is to turn around and fight our pursuers. This enemy force numbers less than a thousand. Their mage squad was severely damaged and has been chasing us for a long time, so they’re exhausted. There’s no easier target than them!”

“This is a waste of fuel,” Su Ming said. “It will affect our journey to the Divine Might Prison.”

The Youth Civilization Train is consuming coal faster than expected. Updated data indicates that the train faces a fuel shortage of 200 tons to reach the sacred mountain. If it travels back and forth, the shortage will be even greater.

Catherine was surprised. "Mr. Su, things have come to this point, and you still haven't given up on the prison break plan?"

"Why give up?" Su Ming asked. "There's still a chance."

Su Ming's initial plan for this trip to the icy plains was to remain in hiding until a surprise attack on the Divine Might Prison was launched. Although rumors of mysterious monsters appearing would inevitably circulate along the way, local reports would be relayed through multiple levels of government, and higher-ups would then send people to verify them. Given the sparse population of the northern lands and the extreme cold of winter, these processes would consume a significant amount of time, achieving the goal of delaying the attack.

They never expected that someone would orchestrate such a massive ambush against the Star Queen at a time when even dogs wouldn't want to go out. Whether they rescue Catherine or not, this incident will not end well; the vast and desolate Northland will see a surge in human activity, and people will become more alert and sensitive to unusual phenomena.

It was like a dark room suddenly having its lights switched on. This mysterious train, already harboring ulterior motives, trailing long ruts behind it, was destined to become the most eye-catching creature on the snowy plains!

Therefore, from the moment the assassination attempt occurred, Su Ming began to devise how to continue in this situation.

“If our attempt to approach the Holy Mountain is discovered, Divine Prison will become alert and strengthen its defenses,” Catherine analyzed. “We can no longer remain hidden!”

“So we need to take down one,” Su Ming said, pointing to the yellow flag at Gui Niao Bay. “Then we can lure another one.” He pointed to the blue flag at Bu Bing City. “Then we can go back to stealth.”

Catherine almost laughed in exasperation. "You make it sound so easy!"

“I’ll handle the last two steps.” Su Ming looked at Catherine with a serious expression. “So, for the first step, can you take down the Dimit Lord Alliance Army?”

"Ask me?" Catherine asked in surprise.

"Of course I'll ask you. You're the one who knows the most about warfare here."

Catherine turned to Violet, "Do you also think we should keep going instead of breaking through and leaving?"

"Is this the first time you've met me?" Violet's eyes crinkled into a smile. "And don't pretend, do you think this is the first time I've met you?"

“…Fine!” Catherine dropped the pretense and tossed the stack of breakout tactical plans aside. “I’m so angry with these guys that my milk has dried up.” She gritted her teeth and cracked her knuckles. “Su Ming, give me a proper description of the performance of your new weapon!”

(End of this chapter)