Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 217 A No-Fly Zone That Has Existed for Ten Thousand Years? The Dwarven Messenger Who Overthrew His Ranks! (Please Subscribe)

From the moment a human being is born and looks up at the sky, the seed of longing to fly is planted.

Guided by martial arts and fantasy novels, the predecessors of Dongda University once fantasized about flying over rooftops and riding the wind on swords.

In modern times, soaring through the skies on steel wings is a dream pursued by countless people.

Flight is a word that will always ignite the deepest excitement in the human blood.

However, in this alien world, safe high-altitude flight, high-altitude reconnaissance, and high-altitude combat have become a deadly hurdle.

When the pioneering team discovered that electromagnetic communication was severely interfered with by the special force field of this land, controlling the sky became the top priority.

The idea was grand, but reality gave everyone a resounding slap in the face.

Five thousand meters—this is a bloody line of death.

Once any aircraft crosses this line in the other world, it will enter a turbulent layer composed of energy particles unique to that world.

There, the aerodynamics that humanity is so proud of begins to fail, the efficiency of conventional fuel combustion in drones drops by more than 70%, and the engine is like being strangled, potentially suffocating and stopping at any moment.

Even more bizarrely, the detectors found a lot of oxygen in the high atmosphere, and at an extremely high density. In an oxygen-rich environment, oxygen would cause the combustion chamber temperature to soar, melting the piston and valves in a very short time, and even causing bizarre blockages in the combustion chamber, triggering a violent deflagration that would turn the entire engine into a pile of scrap metal.

One by one, test drones crashed like this.

In modern warfare, losing air superiority is tantamount to being blind or losing an arm.

Fortunately, this is another world, so the threat to air superiority isn't that great; otherwise, the research team would have to invest a lot of resources into it.

However, as the exploration area of ​​the pioneering teams expands, the security pressure increases day by day, and the front-line troops urgently need a pair of eyes that can see higher and farther.

Satellites and high-altitude long-endurance reconnaissance aircraft became the hopes of all team members.

It was under this pressure that the aircraft research team at the rear unleashed amazing potential and directly developed some engines with higher safety performance!
That day, Qin Longlong stood in the hangar, gazing intently at the engine in front of him.

This is a brand-new engine that is being adapted for the enhanced Wing Loong UAV.

The composite material shell reflects a mesmerizing light under the lamp.

"Senior brother, isn't this a bit of a waste? Testing such a brand-new engine here is really..."

He wanted to say it was a waste.

But when he thought of the strange, high-altitude realm of another world, he was speechless.

Zhang, a senior student standing nearby, patted the cool exterior of the engine, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement and pride: "This isn't a brand new engine; it's just old wine in new bottles!"

Looking at a slightly oddly shaped component on the engine, he chuckled with a sigh.

"This is the essence. The big shots at the aviation institute really came up with some brilliant ideas to solve the problems of engine failure and deflagration at high altitudes."

In order to ensure that the aircraft and engine could survive in the higher airspace of the other world, the research team used almost the most cumbersome yet most effective method: piling on all the redundancy they could think of.

The main material is an alloy of refined gold and mithril extracted from minerals from another world, which maximizes its high-temperature resistance.

Worried about engine failure in mid-air?

Then install three independent redundant ignition systems. If one doesn't work, replace it with another. Eventually, one of them will be able to ignite.

The most ingenious part is the design to cope with the oxygen-rich environment at high altitudes.

"Is this a newly designed multi-stage oxygen supply system?"

Senior Brother Zhang nodded as he looked at the component Qin Longlong was pointing to.

"Correct!"

The so-called multi-level oxygen supply system was designed to address the problem of inexplicably increasing oxygen levels discovered during testing in another world.

In order to "deprive" the engine of oxygen, the concentration of oxygen entering the combustion chamber is deliberately limited so that the engine will not burn itself out due to excessive oxygen supplementation.

Exploration of the high-altitude regions of the other world has been ongoing. Due to the unique airspace of the other world and the special damage it causes to engines, the pioneering teams and researchers no longer care about how fast the aircraft can fly. Their primary task is to stay in the high altitude and not fall down.

Take off first, then consider other things.

Previously, humans had launched many hot air balloons, which flew very far without any problems.

The research team is currently working on two main approaches: reducing the aircraft's speed and increasing safety redundancy to ensure the aircraft can operate for longer periods.

Qin Longlong touched the almost brand-new engine, a look of anticipation on his face.

"We hope to maintain our reconnaissance altitude at 10,000 meters."

Senior Brother Zhang nodded with a smile.

The higher you stand, the farther you can see. As long as you fly high enough, humans will be able to easily detect more clues from high altitudes.

Moreover, aircraft that fly higher generally have a longer loiter time.

The thought that birds that might attack human aircraft under the control of elves would probably be very few at an altitude of 10,000 meters made Qin Longlong's expression turn serious.

This is not just a simple engine.

Once the aircraft equipped with the new engine can maintain a stable altitude of 10,000 meters, it will become a sword hanging over the enemy's head for the pioneering team, and also a pair of eyes to ensure the safety of all frontline soldiers.

Those birds that suffer from severe headaches can fly at altitudes of several thousand meters, but they cannot sustain flying at altitudes of more than ten thousand meters.

Moreover, compared to ground combat, reconnaissance and attacks launched from higher altitudes are significantly more difficult to defend against.

Combat without physical contact is better able to defend against the enemy's unpredictable magical attacks.

Qin Longlong and his fellow students spent a lot of time installing the engine and checking it to confirm that everything was normal.

Senior Brother Zhang then took a deep breath and waved to the ground crew not far away.

"One last check, ready for the maiden flight!"

after a while……

The hangar doors slowly opened, letting in soft sunlight that made the Wing Loong UAV's reinforced alloy fuselage look even more imposing.

The ground crew completed the final fuel check and sensor calibration, and gave the control tower a thumbs up.

"All data have been tested and everything is normal."

Senior Brother Zhang looked at the scrolling green characters on the screen, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Qin Longlong.

"Longlong, get ready. Let's see just how big a splash this engine, made by smashing dozens of kilograms of refined gold and mithril, can make."

Qin Longlong nimbly sat down in the control seat, his hands moving skillfully across the console.

He saluted Senior Brother Zhang, his voice coming through the microphone, steady and powerful.

"Report to Commander Zhang! The new Wing Loong is ready and requests a test flight!"

"Test flight permitted!"

As the command was given, the propellers of the Wing Loong UAV on the helipad began to spin rapidly, creating a gust of wind.

With a deep, rumbling engine roar, this steel falcon, carrying the hopes of countless people, taxied smoothly, then lifted its nose and roared into the sky.

Inside the control room, the atmosphere was tense and solemn, with only the low hum of the instruments and intermittent commands.

"At an altitude of 500 meters, its attitude remains stable."

"Two kilometers, everything is normal."

"4,000 meters, preparing to enter the turbulent layer warning altitude!"

Everyone's hearts were in their throats, their eyes glued to the altimeter on the main screen.

The numbers were jumping rapidly, and soon, the red death line—five thousand meters—was broken through effortlessly!

"We did it! We made it up!" A young researcher couldn't help but cheer softly.

"Check the data!"

"Oxygen became concentrated again, but the engine could withstand it."

"The increased flow of energy particles has affected the inner walls of the engine's combustion chamber. However, the impact is minor! The engine can continue operating..."

One data point after another, one piece of information after another, was presented.

The tense atmosphere in the control room was broken by the positive data, and many people smiled.

Senior Brother Zhang loosened his clenched fist a little, but his eyes remained glued to the screen: "Everyone, don't get too excited yet, this is just the beginning. Keep climbing, keep an eye on the data!"

Six thousand meters!
7,000 meters!
The Wing Loong drone is like a sharp sword, resolutely piercing the higher and deeper alien sky.

Although the data fluctuated, the specially designed engine breathed steadily in the oxygen-rich environment, and the graded oxygen supply system precisely controlled every bit of airflow, taming the raging energy.

"Senior brother, the new engine is amazing! It's a monster!" Qin Longlong's voice was filled with excitement.

"That's right, look who made it. It's a pity that the manufacturing cost of this thing is too high, one unit costs as much as fifteen of the previous ones." Senior Brother Zhang's lips curled up for once, his tone full of pride.

"Everything will be alright once we produce more!"

"Haha, that's true!"

If we're talking about production volume and cost, these aren't really issues.

The University of Tokyo has an enormous demand for industrial products. These aircraft engines, which may be difficult to produce and expensive in the early stages, will definitely be accelerated by the University of Tokyo in the future once they have passed safety verification and confirmed their immeasurable military and scientific research value. This is because the University of Tokyo will definitely mobilize its industrial manufacturing machinery to accelerate the production of these extremely expensive engines.

It's important to understand that in the military and other fields, cost is not a primary concern.

As long as the enemy can be defeated, all the initial investments will yield rich returns.

Only by winning the war can we gain more leverage.

The victor controls everything!
Not long after everyone was in high spirits, just as the altimeter reading jumped to 7,500 meters, the previously fluctuating lines began to change drastically.

Then... the alarm blared without warning throughout the entire control room!
"Warning! Engine combustion chamber temperature is abnormally high!"

On the screen, the red temperature reading began to spike wildly!
"2100 degrees... 2300 degrees... and it's still rising! Report, it's reached 2400 degrees! Damn... how is it going so fast? It's about to exceed the material's melting point!"

"What's going on?!" Senior Brother Zhang's smile froze instantly. He shoved aside the person next to him and rushed to the control panel. "Where's the tiered oxygen supply system? Reduce the oxygen supply to the oxygen chamber!"

"It has decreased, but the internal temperature is still increasing."

"Uh, is it malfunctioning?" Senior Brother Zhang stared at the oxygen supply system, confirming that the designed equipment was indeed working.

However, what is puzzling is that the engine combustion is completely beyond what they had previously recorded.

"There seems to be a problem with the oxygen supply system. Start the backup system!"

"Report, backup component failed to start... Backup component unresponsive... Startup successful... Uh... Sensor signal is starting to interrupt..."

"Report... We are losing control of the drone!"

Qin Longlong broke out in a cold sweat, his hands moving rapidly as he tried to regain control of the drone.

But one by one the signal indicator lights on the screen went out, and eventually the live feed transmitted by the drone flickered a few times and turned into static.

On the main screen, the green dot representing the Wing Loong drone struggled for a few seconds at an altitude of 7,500 meters before tracing a resolute parabola and plummeting straight down to the ground!

Finally, the spot of light disappeared completely from the radar screen.

Dead silence.

The entire control room fell into a deathly silence, with only the alarm beeping indicating the loss of contact.

The cheers and joy of just over ten seconds ago have now turned into a cold silence!
"Why..." a young technician muttered to himself, his voice trembling, "The designers gave the engine such a large safety margin, and we weren't even at full load... why did it all fail in an instant?"

Qin Longlong leaned back in his chair, staring at the black screen without saying a word.

Senior Brother Zhang stared intently at the last data record on the screen. The temperature curve that suddenly surged and broke through the theoretical limit felt like a needle piercing his heart.

There is clearly so much safety redundancy, and the designers have clearly considered all the problems that can be thought of.

How could this be?
He suddenly realized something, abruptly pulled up the environmental particle readings from the second before the crash, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"Wait a minute... this concentration of energy particles... how come it's higher than any we've ever recorded before? It's ten times higher, isn't it?"
-

A few days later, at the command center in the other world.

Su Mingjin tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, in front of her lay a report on preparations for the upcoming expedition to the Devil's Sea.

Shipyards are now designing and manufacturing a lot of marine combat equipment and ships specifically to deal with deep-sea creatures.

dong dong dong~
There was a knock on the office door.

"Come in!"

Commander Man entered through the door, carrying documents.

"General Su, we've made some new discoveries during our recent test flights of the aircraft," Commander Man said with concern.

Su Mingjin looked up: "Has the technical bottleneck of high-altitude flight been completely solved?"

Just a few days ago, she saw that the custom-made engine and the aircraft had malfunctioned again.

“No, that’s not it.” Commander Man shook his head, his expression turning somewhat strange. “We haven’t made any technological breakthroughs, but some scientists believe that the aircraft’s anomaly is because we crashed into a no-fly zone that may be invisible and whose extent is currently unknown.”

He handed me a tactical tablet, which displayed a document.

"A few days ago, after the drone was properly prepared and launched, a problem occurred... Qin Longlong and his team kept test-flying it... Unwilling to give up, they used all the technical means at their disposal, and even disassembled the spare engine to study it... The conclusion is clear: our new engine has incredibly powerful performance and its redundancy design is absolutely sufficient."

"Then why..."

"The problem isn't with our design!"

Commander Man swiped open the screen and brought up a map. "After the Wing Loong crashed, the engineers immediately analyzed the data and discovered that before the crash, the concentration of energy particles in the airspace was abnormally high, more than ten times that at 5,000 meters!"

"The key issue is that these violent energy particles seem to be concentrated to attack our aircraft, which rapidly accelerates the loss of control over the engine's oxygen supply system, causing the engine's combustion chamber to overheat and the redundancy to fail."

Su Mingjin looked at the map on the screen, her brows furrowed.

It was a spatial map centered on the East University spacetime portal, spreading outwards and marked with densely packed data points.

Among them, the red dots representing various aircraft that went out of control during test flights were particularly glaring.

"We've integrated all the recent flight data, including the data from this newly modified Wing Loong, as well as the data from those that had problems before." Commander Man traced his finger across the map. "You see, the earlier aircraft loss of control incidents all occurred at altitudes between 4,500 and 5,000 meters."

"These are enhanced aircraft test data. Once the aircraft breaks through 7,500 meters, it will encounter extremely harsh environments, and the new aircraft will crash 100% of the time, without exception."

He switched the map to 3D mode and zoomed in!

A strange pattern has emerged.

To the west of the portal, the spacecraft could barely fly a few hundred meters higher.

After flying eastward from this time portal, the invisible "no-fly zone" becomes lower and lower.

The dense, out-of-control red light spots eventually converged into a huge circle. The center of the circle, or rather the lowest point, was none other than the ancient giant ruins battlefield with a diameter of eighty kilometers that they had previously discovered!

"And the hot air balloons we've been launching intermittently over the past few months have been blown away by the strange and unpredictable winds of this other world, but they haven't triggered any special airspace defense mechanisms."

"So, it hasn't been a problem with our technology all along," Su Mingjin's voice was a little hoarse, "but rather, there's some kind of human-made thing that's been restricting the flight of our aircraft?"

“That’s right!” Commander Man nodded. “The performance of our enhanced new aircraft engine is much higher. Scientists say that with the current design, there is absolutely no possibility of any problems.”

"In the past few days, other aircraft we have been test-flying have also shown strange reactions, as if the engine combustion chamber has been blocked and the engine has been completely damaged!"

"Therefore, we believe that the ancient giant battlefield ruins that we haven't been able to explore before are the root of the problem. The interior of that strange ruin has been operating in a way that we haven't yet figured out!"

Scientists speculate that some kind of anti-aircraft weapon from ten thousand years ago may still remain there, or... some kind of planetary defense system!

Planetary defense system?

A unique planetary defense system left behind by a civilization lost for ten thousand years in another world.

These words made Su Mingjin's heart skip a beat.

No wonder, no wonder the higher the altitude, the more violent the energy particle reaction, and the more completely the spacecraft fails. Because they have touched a defense line left by an ancient civilization.

Su Mingjin looked out the window at the deep blue sky.

At this moment, she felt somewhat lost.

Because of Su Mingjin's silence, even the sound of breathing seemed to be clearly audible in the office.

Su Mingjin's fingertips unconsciously traced across the tactical tablet, repeatedly caressing the huge three-dimensional no-fly zone map.

Did the ancient civilizations of this world really have a star defense system that even humans haven't established?
After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of apprehension she herself was unaware of: "A no-fly zone that has existed for tens of thousands of years... This sounds even more absurd than a myth."

It has only taken modern humans five thousand years from inventing writing and recording history to entering modern civilization.

Ten thousand years ago, that ancient giant civilization, which may have disappeared or even fallen into slumber, possessed such capabilities...

If they still exist...

"Commander Man, do you think there are any living creatures left in that collapsed area?"

"I don't know! But I do know that place needs to be approached with caution!"

"Ten thousand years have passed, shouldn't the civilization in that place be completely wiped out? If it existed for tens of thousands of years like in TV shows and movies, and was still alive but had been asleep for tens of thousands of years, that's just too outrageous!" Su Mingjin complained.

“It may seem outrageous, but the data doesn’t lie.” Commander Man rubbed his face with both hands, his tone full of frustration and resentment. “Science and data don’t lie! The fragments of our drones are telling us that there may really be certain no-fly zones in the skies of this other world.”

Su Mingjin raised her eyes, her gaze sharpening once more: "Since there's a no-fly zone in the sky, this cover must have an aerial safety corridor! Or perhaps it can be controlled via an aerial switch?"

"A gap? A switch?" Commander Man paused for a moment, then smiled wryly. "General Su, you really dare to think that far ahead. We don't even understand the specific operating principles of airspace yet. But we have considered your speculation."

Most air defense weapons have an identification friend or foe (IFF) system.

If this is indeed a no-fly zone of an ancient civilization, it should logically be for defense against external threats but not internal ones.

"Theoretically, if we find the weak point, we can send the spacecraft higher!"

“But…” he changed the subject, his expression falling again, “But our current operational range is too small! President Su, launching a carrier rocket is not as simple as setting off fireworks. The launch vehicle, fuel, and supporting equipment are all very large and make a lot of noise. The area we actually control right now is so small. It’s practically impossible to move such a large vehicle silently to a place thousands of kilometers away.”

In a single sentence, he pinpointed the greatest predicament facing humanity today.

Although humanity's progress in exploring the other world is going smoothly, their range of activities is temporarily restricted in order to consolidate their base.

They were not only trapped near the portal, but also trapped in the cradle of this planet.

Want to learn more about the world?

Only by going further on land and making more attempts can we possibly fly into outer space.

Su Mingjin remained silent.

The atmosphere in the office became tense again.

A moment later, she suddenly stood up, walked to the window, looked up at the seemingly calm sky outside, which was actually hiding deadly danger.

"Commander Man, if there are still living beings from an ancient civilization there, it's not a good thing for us!"

"Such an impossible existence cannot be tolerated right next to our bed. President Su, I believe we can mobilize more resources to conduct a thorough investigation there!"

"Okay, then we'll investigate on our own. But we also need to be careful about the safety of the investigators."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and resonant.

"Assemble a group of top exploration and archaeology experts, bring our best equipment, and return to the battlefield ruins of the giants where we were previously battered and bruised!"

Su Mingjin turned around and stared intently at Commander Man.

"Last time it was an exploration test. After confirming that there was great danger inside, we immediately suspended it! This time we have more defensive forces, so we only need to guard against dwarves and elves in the vicinity."

"Let's mobilize our resources and turn that 80-kilometer-deep giant battlefield ruins deep in the Devil's Sea upside down! Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find the energy core or control terminal of that planetary defense system!"

"President Su, we've been wanting to hear that for a long time!"

“The soldiers seem to crave war too… By the way,” she turned her gaze to Brigade Commander Man, a smile playing on her lips, “inform Qin Longlong and the others to conduct test flights in the surrounding area. Before, we tried every means to fly higher, but now we’ve changed our mission objective.”

"Use drones and detectors to locate the area of ​​that no-fly zone! We need to know its triggering mechanism, its energy limit, and its attack modes!"

"In short, we need to understand it thoroughly!"

Commander Man was filled with patriotic fervor upon hearing this. He stood up abruptly and gave a perfect salute: "Mission accomplished!"

He chuckled, revealing a set of white teeth: "Qin Longlong and his gang are probably ecstatic. They can finally legitimately blast machines. It's just that the logistics department might be coming to my office with knives."

The heavy atmosphere in the office was lightened considerably by this joke.

A hint of a smile flashed in Su Mingjin's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper, sharper edge.

"Then let's give it a try."

"Let's see if these ancient relics from ten thousand years ago are still there, confirm whether they are just a program, and see if the other side still has the strength to fight!"
-

The cold wind of the Frosty Snow Mountain Range was like a poisoned knife, stinging one's cheeks.

A short, stocky army marched across a steep mountainside, with a deep abyss beneath their feet.

No matter how heavy the wind and snow, it could not stop their progress.

The mounts of the cave-dwelling half-humans, known as Gru, have the hooves and horns of goats, but their bodies are as strong as oxen. They can traverse mountains and frozen peaks with ease and even sense dangers on snowy peaks.

With each step, it steadily and safely traversed the icy peaks at the summit.

These guys are natural-born kings of the mountains, and ruthless war machines.

They eat grass and meat; as omnivores, they can unleash amazing power after consuming large amounts of dried meat mixed with special magical plants.

During wartime, a Gru beast, less than 1.2 meters tall, can carry nearly 500 kilograms of heavy magical cannons and other supplies across dozens of mountains in its extreme condition, appearing and disappearing unpredictably in the most unexpected places for the enemy.

It is this ridiculously high load-bearing capacity that allows the dwarves to maintain their formidable mountain-based combat capabilities when facing so many monsters and demons in this world.

At the head of the group, Attila the Hammer reined in his mount at the foot of a sheltered cliff, raised his thick arm, and whistled sharply.

The signal echoed through the valley.

Soon, more than 130 cave dwellers and over 400 Gru beasts silently merged into a hidden, low cave ahead, like ghosts.

The cave entrance was camouflaged with ice, snow, rocks, and trees.

From the air, it looks no different from an ordinary mountain.

Attila only breathed a heavy sigh of relief when the last Gru's tail disappeared into the cave and the warriors behind him swept away the snowy footprints.

He shook off the frost covering his body and was the last to step into the cave.

Inside the cave, the other cave dwellers had already lit campfires, the warmth dispelling the chill. The air was filled with the mixed smells of roasted meat and cheap tobacco, and the corners were piled with supplies left behind by the previous patrol team.

"Is the sky clear? Have you seen those mixed-race iron birds? Have you spotted any long-eared bird puppets?"

Attila walked to the fire and took the pipe handed to him by his deputy Nadal.

“It’s spotless, Lord Attila. Not a single bird feather in sight.” Nadal grinned, revealing two rows of strong teeth. “After crossing twenty more mountains, we’ll reach the mouth of the Milk River. We’re almost there.”

Nadal looked at the scenery outside and asked, "Lord Attila, should we wait a little longer for that wimp, Balegas?"

"What the hell are you waiting for? Those defeated generals are all a disgrace!"

Attila packed the tobacco he carried with him tightly, lit the pipe, and the firelight illuminated his weathered face and wildly growing beard.

"Gentlemen, remember this for another hundred years! Although we are still within the territory of our kingdom, we have entered the area where people congregate. Anyone who dares to cause the slightest disturbance will be banned from drinking alcohol for ten years!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the noisy cave-dwelling semi-human population fell silent.

You can let them die, you can lock them up, but you absolutely cannot deprive them of alcohol and meat.

This will kill them!
A hot-blooded young half-human couldn't help but speak up: "Lord Attila, we are envoys, not thieves. Why are we sneaking around like this? Don't the people in the south also have the custom of not killing envoys? And shouldn't the people in the north also have this custom?"

"Fool!" Attila exhaled a cloud of smoke in his face. "The saying 'don't kill envoys' is just a polite phrase for the strong! If you don't have a good musket and can't harm the enemy, you're just packing yourself up and delivering yourself as dinner!"

He glanced around, his voice turning cold: "Have you all forgotten about that coward Bellegas? He launched an attack in the forest at night, and then got captured! That bastard who ate Gru beast shit! He's made our Iron Hammer Kingdom lose all face! You want to follow his example?"

The atmosphere inside the cave instantly became heavy.

"We're not going there to beg for mercy! We're going to show those bastards that our Gru beasts and the fiery army they bring can raze their camp to the ground! Our battle axes, our muskets, our weapons—they're ready to be at their throats at any moment!" Attila pointed south with his pipe. "Only when they're terrified will they sit down and listen to us obediently!"

He paused, a hint of mockery in his voice: "Otherwise, we'll end up like those pointy-eared elves, kept as livestock! Who among you wants to farm?"

The group of muscular men shrank back, their faces showing disgust.

Let them farm? It's better to kill them.

"You're right, sir!" A half-man broke the silence in a deep voice, pulling a large metal flask from his robes. "Well... so that we can put our weapons to the necks of these bastards tomorrow, shouldn't we have a couple of drinks tonight and sharpen our axes?"

"Hahahaha!" A burst of laughter erupted from inside the cave.

Attila glared at the man: "No one is allowed to touch the wine of victory until the mission is accomplished!"

Seeing the faces of the crowd instantly crumble, he changed the subject, a sinister smile spreading across his face: "However... tasting victory early will certainly sharpen the axe even more."

He also took out a larger wine jug from his baggage and waved it in the firelight.

"Roar!"

The cave instantly erupted in excitement!

"For the great Grimnir! For the great Grimnir!"

"For the hammer!"

Attila pulled out the cork, tilted his head back, and gulped down a mouthful of the fiery liquor, a hot rush burning from his throat to his stomach.

"The orders were given by the adults, but the wine is our own!"

"That's right! We need to drink our fill first, so we'll have the strength to take down those bastards tomorrow!"

"cheers!"

Amid the lively atmosphere, only Attila, after drinking to his heart's content, walked alone to the cave entrance, his hair and beard whipping wildly in the cold wind.

He gazed at the gray night in the north, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

The wine of victory has been drunk, but true victory must be won with the weapons in our hands.

Those northerners are a mixed bunch, don't let me down.

And you, Bellergas, you spineless coward! I'm about to make my mark, and we'll be even greater than you then!
With that in mind, he straightened his clothes and thick rune armor, then fell asleep right there in front of the campfire, still in his clothes.

This cave was their last neutral supply point on the border.

For the foreseeable future, they will be in a very harsh environment and will have to be constantly vigilant about concealment and safety.

As for the advice from their superiors to be courteous before resorting to force, Attila only paid lip service to it, without really taking it to heart.

In this world, hard power is the only true measure of success.

If their test fails, then it won't be too late to talk about peace!

(End of this chapter)