Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 221 A False Alarm? The Dwarf's Clever Head! (Please Subscribe)
What kind of enemy can most invigorate people and garner their utmost attention?

An enemy whose detailed intelligence, combat strength, and destructive power are unknown.

Distance can create beauty, but it can also create fear.

Humans had made preparations. They deployed a large number of backup plans on the opposite bank of the river and built fortifications to defend against possible attacks from the dwarves. However, sometimes tactical simulations differ greatly from actual reconnaissance.

On the main screen, a reconnaissance bionic spider stealthily slips into the narrow, low opening, while an infrared camera and microphone transmit night vision images back into the tunnel.

As the dwarf's snoring began, the entire command hall immediately fell silent, and everyone listened to what was happening there.

Everyone was on edge, eagerly anticipating what useful information the spider might glean.

According to human deduction, the dwarves' tunnels, if not guarded every three or five steps, should at least be heavily guarded and fraught with danger.

However, when the metal spider, which was only three centimeters in size, silently crawled more than ten meters and nimbly turned two corners, the scene displayed on the screen froze the expressions of all the senior officers present.

There were no swords drawn, no vigilant sentries.

There was only one... a spectacular sight of dwarves embracing each other, sleeping side by side.

The heavy snoring rose and fell, forming a powerful symphony that almost seemed to leap off the screen and reverberate throughout the entire command hall.

The dwarves slept soundly, drooling, sprawled out in unrestrained poses, completely unaware that a cold, alien "bionic spider" was admiring their sleeping postures.

The entire command center was eerily quiet.

A few seconds later, someone finally couldn't help but burst out laughing, then quickly covered their mouth with their hand, their face turning bright red.

"They...don't even have anyone on guard duty? That's incredibly careless!"

Su Mingjin's voice carried an incredulous tone, and she leaned forward slightly, as if trying to confirm whether she was seeing things.

This is the complete opposite of the cautious, ant-like infiltration tactics employed by frontline personnel.

“Well, maybe they think this place is safe enough.” Commander Fu pointed to a split screen next to him, which was playing back footage of the bionic spider that had just passed by. “They’ve set up some very rudimentary security devices here. You see, these are just a few ropes with scraps of iron hanging from them, probably meant to be used as night watch bells.”

"Unfortunately, they didn't expect our reconnaissance units to be able to easily enter through the ventilation shafts they had left open."

On screen, the biomimetic spider's eight slender legs lifted precisely, easily stepping over the tripwires that were almost the same color as the rock wall, without making a sound throughout the entire process.

To humans, these things are less of a trap and more of a joke.

Su Mingjin looked at the group of dwarfs sleeping soundly, and then at the ridiculously rudimentary alarm, and for a moment she didn't know how to comment.

Just then, the main screen flickered, the clear image started to show noise, and the resolution automatically dropped by one level.

"What happened?" Su Mingjin asked immediately.

"Report! Electromagnetic interference is causing signal attenuation, which has now exceeded 30%." A technical officer responded quickly. "The interference is increasing too rapidly. I suspect there is dwarven magical equipment in the tunnel. The closer our unmanned equipment gets, the stronger the interference will be."

Radio interference from other worlds has always been a problem.

Despite the technical team's significant improvements to the equipment's anti-interference capabilities, radio communication remains a major challenge in this environment rich in magical particles.

The last time humans sent bionic drones to scout the dwarves' supply point in a cave halfway up the mountain, several drones crashed due to strong interference.

"Can it enhance radio power to maintain the high-definition signal of the bionic spider?"

"No! The underground environment is a strong shielding layer, and radio signals are already severely attenuated. To improve the signal, you either need to use a wired connection or directly install signal repeaters inside the tunnel; otherwise, the signal will only get worse!"

Su Mingjin's gaze was fixed on the screen, where the image had become somewhat blurry.

After the absurdity the dwarves initially gave them faded, a sense of urgency replaced it.

"Can we continue? Can our signal amplification device further enhance the equipment's communication?"

"Yes, but the signal loss will be significant, so it cannot be guaranteed 100%."

"While ensuring the bionic spider's signal remains clear, gather as much terrain information as possible. I need to know if the dwarves have any backup plans here, and how many!"

"Yes!"

The technicians first put the bionic spider into a low-power state, and then contacted the technical soldiers on the front line to ask them to continue to increase the power of the communication equipment.

Only after confirming that the signal had increased by several percent did they resume operating the bionic spider to search for clues.

On the screen, the bionic spider accelerated its way into the deeper, darker tunnel.

Everyone's eyes were glued to the main screen.

The signal attenuation blurred the image, and the flickering static resembled annoying flying insects, interfering with everyone's judgment.

However, the humans obtained more clues from the dwarves' side.

An officer, watching a dwarf on the screen drooling as he slept on his runic shoulder armor, couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "They even sleep in these metal cans? Are they worried we might launch a night attack?"

"Perhaps they're too lazy to take them off?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Look at these dwarfs, they're so slovenly!"

A colleague, suppressing a laugh, remarked, "The dwarves' runic armor is quite thick! It'll definitely hold its value as loot!"

Many people in the command center laughed.

Commander Fu stroked his chin, a cold glint in his eyes: "Dwarves don't care about sleeping separately. If we attack them, we can just send our mechanical dogs, which are loaded with tank mines, in to bomb them. That will guarantee them a baby-like sleep."

"Commander Fu, don't think about taking out the dwarves yet! It's easy to start a war, but it's not so easy to end it!"

Su Mingjin's voice rang out, and although it wasn't loud, it made everyone in the command hall serious.

"What the organization needs to know is not how to kill all the dwarves! It needs to find out where the tunnels the dwarves built here lead to, and whether they can pose a threat to us."

"Continue to gather more intelligence."

"Yes!"

Under the control of an unmanned operator, the bionic spider, with its eight long metal legs moving in alternation, silently bypassed a dwarf whose breastplate vibrated slightly even when he snored, and continued to burrow deeper into the area.

"Report! The interference signal has intensified again! Image resolution has been reduced to the lowest usable level!"

The technical officer's report made everyone's hearts jump again.

Color blocks and ghosting began to appear on the screen, as if the image would completely cut off at any moment.

Commander Fu pointed to a forked opening at the corner of the screen.

"Let it go that way! That fork in the road goes up, there might be less interference there. See if there are any other clues on the wall."

The operator immediately executed the command.

The bionic spider deftly turned into that dark side path.

The dwarves' sleeping figures are gone, replaced by more of the scenery before they were processed by the dwarves.

After seeing these things, everyone's doubts were largely answered.

The underground tunnels where these dwarves lived were marked by the passage of time, with the tunnel walls covered with thick tree roots, some of which had rotted and dried up.

Several fist-sized otherworldly spiders hung from the thick spiderweb, quickly retreating into the rock crevices under the light of the biomimetic spiders.

In the corner, the remains of several cave-dwelling creatures whose names were unknown were scattered on the ground, and they looked to be quite old.

Most importantly, not far ahead, a glaring collapse was being crudely supported by a few rotten logs, as if it could collapse again at any moment.

"It really isn't a newly built fortification!" Commander Fu breathed a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing. "This is an old underground fortification that the dwarves abandoned long ago!"

A rare smile appeared on Su Mingjin's lips: "I really thought they had the ability to dig through the forest and the entire riverbank right under our noses without anyone noticing!"

If these tunnels were built a long time ago, a huge weight has finally been lifted off everyone's shoulders.

The previous tension and absurdity transformed into a kind of bittersweet emotion.

"How long can the bionic spider last?" Su Mingjin asked.

"Report! Signal is extremely weak, we may lose all contact at any moment!"

"Find a concealed spot and enter sound pickup mode!" Su Mingjin decisively ordered.

"Yes!"

The operator pushed the joystick, and on the screen, the bionic spider quickly crawled towards a crack in the rock wall.

The tense atmosphere in the command center finally eased once the green dot representing the bionic spider on the screen came to a steady stop in the rock wall crack icon and switched to low power mode.

Someone couldn't help but let out a muffled laugh.

The laughter seemed contagious; the officers and technicians, who had been suppressing their laughter for so long, began to tremble slightly, wanting to laugh but not daring to laugh too loudly, their faces turning red from holding it in.

"That Ms. Su, she's a twin daughter, we've been overestimating her!"

"Indeed, the other party is simply like a clown."

Commander Fu let out a long breath, his tightly furrowed brows completely relaxing. He shook his head, finding it somewhat absurd.

He shouldn't have underestimated the other party!

When dealing with enemies, one must always maintain...

Before he could even voice his thoughts, a deafening snoring sound suddenly erupted from the main loudspeaker in the command center.

The snoring sound was deep and powerful, full of energy, and even had a metallic resonance, as if someone was grinding an iron plate with a grinding wheel.

At this point, no one could hold back anymore.

"Hahaha!"

"My goodness, the dwarf's snoring is so loud!"

The entire hall was filled with a cheerful atmosphere. The previous tension, as if facing a formidable enemy and thinking that the enemy had dug a tunnel under their own bed, was completely dispelled by this comical scene.

Su Mingjin looked at the wildly fluctuating waveform on the audio monitor, and a rare smile appeared on her face.

But soon, her gaze became focused again.

“Dwarves are not to be underestimated! These people are much more difficult to deal with than groundhogs. They are probably using abandoned tunnels for infiltration, so we can be bolder in some of our operations.”

Su Mingjin tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"Gentlemen, I suggest sending a relay signal drone to hover at low altitude over the riverbank area above the cave entrance."

"This will be very noisy! It might alert the enemy."

"It's nothing, they're just circling around for a while. Our planes often circle around here, and we never see these dwarves obediently coming out to negotiate with us during the day!"

"General Su, your insight is brilliant! Do you intend to continue sending spy devices to explore other areas of the underground tunnels?" Brigade Commander Fu immediately understood her intention.

“Yes.” Su Mingjin nodded. “After the relay signal is amplified by the drone, the various reconnaissance equipment groups, as well as the Spider, will conduct a more detailed survey of this area. I need to see the specific details of the collapse site and how long that side road is.”

“Yes, but it can’t last too long.” Brigade Commander Fu’s expression turned serious. “Even the laziest dwarves aren’t blind. Although the drone is in the sky, the noise is constant and might alert the dwarves.”

"Don't worry, it's just a rough estimate! We'll make sure nothing unexpected happens."

In this other world, seeing is believing.

Su Mingjin also didn't trust human investigations.

It is known that the Elf Mother Goddess possesses some ability to see the future.

What if dwarves also possessed these incredibly strange abilities?
What if the other side anticipated humanity's ambitious plans?
What if they foresaw that in order to achieve their goals, they would have to put on a farcical performance to attract human attention and conceal their tribe's true strategic intentions?
It's always better to be safe than sorry!

Su Mingjin looked at the technical officer: "If the spider's remaining power is turned on at full power, how long can it work?"

"Reporting to General Su! The battery is currently at 30%, which can only last for another 25 minutes at most! If we maintain the current low-power recording mode, it can standby for more than 20 hours."

“Twenty-five minutes…” Su Mingjin frowned. “That’s too short. It’s only enough for us to get a glimpse of the whole picture.”

"We still have some bionic reconnaissance units in our warehouse; we can transport them all over! The programming team is on standby, ready to receive new exploration missions!"

"Let's do the reconnaissance then."

Once the order was given, the atmosphere in the entire hall instantly shifted from relaxed to highly efficient.

Commander Fu turned to look at Su Mingjin and found that the other woman had a furrowed brow.

"Mr. Su, do you have any questions?"

Su Mingjin thought for a moment, shook her head, and then said, "You know that the Elf Mother Goddess can foresee the future, right? What if the Dwarves can also use magic for prophecy? And then use it to their advantage against us?"

"Uh, this..."

"Better safe than sorry. We can't completely rule out the possibility that this is a deliberate act of weakness by the enemy, an attempt to lull us into a false sense of security with laziness and loopholes." She paused, her eyes gazing into the deep, dark, unknown cave. "Right now, I just hope they're all a bunch of charlatans!" While Su Mingjin was talking to her assistant, the command center had already dispatched their new mission.

Before long, a Wing Loong drone equipped with a signal enhancement relay device entered a stable circling state over the riverbank.

The enhanced signal streams, like invisible tentacles, precisely probed into the deep underground tunnels.

The first to infiltrate the underground passage awakened the bionic spider, which was in a semi-dormant state.

Subsequently, second and third waves of even smaller reconnaissance units filed in from their hiding places.

A giant network of tiny sensors and cameras quickly spread out in the dark underground world.

On the central screen of the command hall, the originally scattered green dots quickly converged and connected, outlining a complex underground labyrinth.

The 3D model of the tunnel was being filled and improved at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“It should be a military tunnel used by the dwarves.” A staff officer pointed to the structural analysis diagram on the screen. “The entrance is narrow and the internal height is limited, which is to restrain tall races like us.”

On the screen, a small spider is moving through the tunnel from a first-person perspective. The tunnel entrance is indeed no more than 1.2 meters high and only 1 meter wide; human soldiers can only enter by bending over or even crawling.

Once inside, although the passageway widens, the height remains oppressive, constantly restricting human upright movement.

“This place is not suitable for special forces operations. If we rush in, we might just become sitting ducks.” Brigade Commander Fu frowned deeply after looking at the model.

Commander Fu grew increasingly anxious as he looked around. The dwarves' tunnels were interconnected, with numerous branching paths, and many key traffic junctions had been riddled with tiny holes on both sides.

Those are clearly attack holes from cold weapons.

Upon seeing these, Su Mingjin exclaimed sincerely, "They're almost identical to the attack holes on ancient city defenses! This nobleman's idea seems rather rebellious."

Don't underestimate the attack ports in narrow areas.

These attack holes were extremely difficult to deal with and deadly in the era of cold weapons. The defender could easily thrust out a spear or shoot from them, while the attacker could barely see the enemy's face.

"In the footage transmitted back by Spider 1, I saw them place solid shot, magic crystal powder, and gunpowder nearby. Is there any way to control them without detonating those things?"

Upon hearing this, several operations staff officers in the command hall immediately began whispering among themselves.

A moment later, an advisor stepped forward, his tone somewhat troubled: "There are solutions, such as using tear gas, stun grenades, or even drilling from above to inject anesthetic gas. But... no matter which method we use, it's difficult to guarantee 100% safety. The interior of the dwarves' tunnels is extremely cramped, making it difficult for humans to enter. If an explosion occurs, those inside will likely have no chance of survival."

Su Mingjin sighed softly and rubbed her temples: "Sigh, these guys... they're just lucky to have met us, who are kind-hearted!"

She turned to look at Brigade Commander Fu, her gaze sharpening again: "They're building boats and preparing swimming equipment; their goal is clear: to infiltrate. Since they're so eager to get in, why don't we give them a hand?"

"Oh?" Brigade Commander Fu became interested. "President Su, what do you mean?"

"Like catching a turtle in a jar." Su Mingjin tapped the control panel lightly, bringing up a high-resolution topographic map of the tunnel entrance. "Continue to pretend you didn't see anything, then capture them all on the surface!"

"Also, block up all the exits near the tunnel. We need to make sure the dwarves don't use these exits! Once they crash in, find the road blocked, and can't retreat, things will be much easier."

The plan sounds simple, but it has a sly, wicked edge to it.

If the dwarves want to cross the river to attack humans, or if they want to do something in secret, they must take action.

Brigade Commander Fu exclaimed excitedly, "Great! Let's do it this way! Let them crawl into the cages we've prepared! Whether they're steamed or boiled is up to us!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a deafening snoring sound suddenly came from the main loudspeaker, this time even louder than before, and mixed with a few loud, energetic snores in his sleep.

"Hiccup... My beer... Who touched my ale... I'll kill you..."

The translated voice rang out, and suppressed laughter erupted once again in the command hall.

"Did this guy dream that his wine was stolen?"

"This wine is quite something."

Commander Fu was overjoyed and pointed to the loudspeaker, saying to the technician next to him, "Keep recording! Record this part too, edit it later, and call it 'The Drunken Dwarf's True Story,' to be a bedtime story for the soldiers! We can also send it to the captured dwarves later."

As soon as he said that, everyone burst into laughter.
-

A few kilometers away, in a concealed spot camouflaged to blend into the mountainside, Zhao Chong's squadron members were idly chewing on their simple, heated individual rations.

The correspondent handed the tablet containing the newly sent information to Zhao Chong.

After reading it, Zhao Chong's subtle changes in expression did not escape the eyes of his teammates.

"Captain, is there new work?" Xiao Zhou asked, his mouth full of a tasteless energy bar.

Zhao Chong turned off the tactical tablet, slowly glanced at everyone, and deliberately kept them in suspense: "Good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?"

"Let's start with the bad news, Captain. We'll save the good news for dinner," Xiao Zhou said, swallowing his food.

Zhao Chong drawled out his words, watching the expectant faces gradually tighten, "The bad news is that our main attack mission is over! The command has determined that the dwarves are not a big threat and are preparing to lure them into cages on the plains to capture them, so we don't need to charge into battle."

A chorus of suppressed sighs and teeth grinding filled the air.

The shoulders of several young team members slumped noticeably, and the excitement on their faces vanished instantly.

"And what's the good news?" Sun Dezhu asked in a muffled voice, still wiping his chopsticks.

Zhao Chong's lips curled up slightly: "The good news is that we're not completely without work. Command has found us a new target."

He paused, looking at his team members who had raised their heads again, and said, word by word, "The dwarves' rear supply cave. There are a few dwarven guards left behind, and a large herd of otherworldly goats used as mounts by the dwarves. Hmm, the otherworldly humans call them Gru Beasts!"

"Goats? Gru beasts?" Xiao Zhou's eyes lit up instantly, as if he could already smell the aroma of roasted goat meat. "Are they all alive?"

“Alive.” Zhao Chong nodded. “The command’s requirement is to bring back as many people and sheep as possible, all intact.”

Sun Dezhu put down his chopsticks, stopped eating, and began to make serious plans.

"Captain, that's easy. We brought plenty of anesthetic! Once their dwarf warriors have moved to the front, we'll just rush in and use the anesthetic; it'll definitely take them down! As for those strange sheep... we can just lasso them and bring them back; they'll be a good supplement to our meals. We can't let those butchers next door steal our thunder again, can we?"

"You wish!" Zhao Chong laughed and scolded. "But your plan is feasible. We can't afford to fall behind the Butcher Squadron again!"

Upon hearing the comparison with the Butcher Squadron, everyone perked up and gathered together to enthusiastically discuss the battle plan of "how to elegantly capture the dwarves and steal a flock of sheep".
-

Meanwhile, the atmosphere was rather somber in the ambush positions on the other side of the hill.

Butcher Squadron Captain Tu Ying handed over the task of viewing the tactical tablet to his teammates, while he irritably stubbed out the cigarette he had just lit.

"The ambush and capture mission is over!" A team member looked at the updated orders on the tactics board, his voice filled with barely concealed frustration. "Captain, our mission has changed, and it seems like our chance to steal the credit is gone too."

"Captain, can we request a change of mission? We've been lying here for two days, just waiting to be the first to charge in, and all we get is the job of cleaning up the battlefield."

"It was ordered by my superiors, I can't change it!"

Tu Ying leaned against the cold rock, his voice icy. It wasn't that he wanted to claim credit; he just disliked being left out in the cold.

A silence fell over the group, broken only by the howling wind.

Suddenly, one of the team members seemed to remember something, and peeked over furtively, lowering his voice to ask, "Captain, what about... Zhao Chong's team next door? Did they manage to catch any meat?"

This problem is like a pebble thrown into stagnant water.

All eyes immediately focused on Tu Ying's face.

He picked up the task tablet he had just put down and opened it to view the task.

The corners of his mouth, which had been tense, gradually stretched upwards, eventually turning into a bright and undisguised smile.

“No!” he said firmly, then added, “They’re going to the dwarven logistics cave to capture the guards and the Gru goats.”

"Catch...catch sheep?"

After a brief silence, a violent, desperately suppressed tremor erupted throughout the entire position.

Some people covered their mouths tightly, laughing so hard they were shaking.

Some people buried their faces in their arms, their shoulders shrugging. Others simply lay on the ground, pounding their fists and making muffled laughs.

If it weren't for the enemy's supply point just a few kilometers away, and the fear of making a sound that would attract their attention, they would probably be laughing their heads off.

Seeing his teammates' gloating expressions, Tu Ying's pent-up frustration vanished. He leaned back against the rock and spoke slowly.

"Stop laughing, everyone! Take turns resting!"
-

While the various human tribes racked their brains trying to figure out how to capture the group of short ground squirrels alive, the dwarf commander Attila the Hammer and most of the dwarves who had not left were in a supply cave, some sleeping, some playing games, and some preparing food for the next day.

The cave was filled with the smells of damp earth, tobacco, meat, and a lingering, strong muttony odor.

Attila was used to these flavors. He carefully stuffed a pinch of precious tobacco into his pipe, lit it, and took a deep drag.

Amidst the swirling smoke, his complexion grew increasingly grim.

For some reason, he has been feeling restless all day.

Despite the fact that the scouts and their magical life detection devices had not detected any trace of other creatures in the vicinity, the troops they had dispatched were not able to detect any other creatures nearby.

He was just restless.

"It must be those damned bastards who are causing the great Attila's unease!" he thought, his face darkening as he recalled the things he had collected that day.

The dwarves of the Forest Kingdom once considered developing the Milk River basin.

Centuries ago, they built underground tunnels along the Milk River in preparation for war against the undead scourge.

Because the construction took a long time, they even had a shortcut through an underground passage to reach the other side.

But the latest intelligence indicates that those damned tunnels have collapsed due to years of disrepair!
"boom!"

Attila slammed his fist on the stone box next to him, causing the ash from his pipe to fall out.

"Damn the Shield Clan! A bunch of spineless cowards who only know how to brag! They clearly said their tunnel fortifications wouldn't have any problems for a hundred years, but their promises are nothing but bullshit!"

He cursed under his breath, spitting as he spoke.

The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

To silently send over a hundred elite troops across the river at night, all they had were these three invisibility cloaks, which they had modified after being seized from the elves.
It’s simply a fool’s errand!

“Attila…” a voice came from the cave entrance. His second-in-command, Thiano Ironhammer, peeked in, clutching a coded letter delivered by a falcon, his expression tense. “That Balergas fellow has sent another letter. Along with it are orders from the Mithril Elders. Balergas wants us to halt our operations, while the Elders want us to stay put!”

Attila snatched the letter, glanced at it, then disdainfully crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into the fire.

The paper ball was instantly engulfed by the flames.

"Belegas is a complete coward! A spineless coward!" Attila exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, which almost hit Tiano's face. "As for the Mithril Elders? Those old fogies are afraid of humans like they're afraid of the sea monsters in the Devil's Sea!"

He patted his deputy's shoulder heavily, his eyes burning: "Tiano, you must remember! The glory of the kingdom, the glory of the dwarves, and the glory of our Mithril clan can only be forged by people like you and me!"

Thiano was stirred by these words, his blood boiling and his cheeks flushing red: "Attila! You're right! Then... then what should we do now? How can we infiltrate the vicinity of the human military base?"

"What's the rush?" Attila picked up his pipe again, paced a couple of times in the cave, looking like he had everything under control. "If the tunnels are impassable, we'll go surface. We'll take it one step at a time, first sending small groups to infiltrate the Milk River Forest."

He walked to the cave entrance and felt the cold night wind.

"I think the weather's going to be bad these next couple of days, and there'll be snow soon. Humans' iron birds probably won't be able to fly either, and that's our chance!"

He smiled and said to his deputy, "Let's take advantage of the dark and windy night and launch a surprise attack on them!"

"A surprise attack in the snowy night!" Theiano's eyes lit up. "Attila, your mind is truly brilliant!"

“Of course.” Attila grinned, revealing two rows of teeth stained yellow by tobacco. “I’m the smartest and most capable leader in our Mithril Clan!”

"Hehe, yes, otherwise we wouldn't be so devoted to you."

"What—"

An untimely bleating of a sheep came from deep within the cave, interrupting Attila's conversation with his adjutant.

Attila's smile vanished instantly: "What's going on? Are the Grumon in heat? Or are they trying to create an avalanche by howling?"

Thiano chimed in, "Attila, maybe they haven't eaten enough. You know the Gru beasts have been quite tired lately."

“Hmm,” Attila stroked his chin and nodded, “These gluttons have been working too hard these past few days! Go and prepare some food to feed them properly.”

"it is good!"

Watching his deputy go to feed the Gru beast, he smoked a pinch of tobacco at the cave entrance before returning to the cave.

After a day of rest, Attila appeared full of energy.

As darkness fell, he and his dwarf troops resorted to their old trick, working in groups of three, making several trips back and forth. After nearly seven hours, they believed they had secretly delivered everyone to the underground passage along the Milk River Forest.

Attila looked at the gloomy sky and laughed: "It's snowing. Let's rest during the day and cross the river tonight! Then we'll destroy the human settlements and capture some tongues to take back."

They were unaware that their actions were being monitored throughout.

It was after almost all the dwarves who participated in the battle arrived at the underground tunnels on the riverbank that the human troops who had been staying nearby also officially took action!

(End of this chapter)