Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 224 Mazefak, let me die gloriously! And return to Gaizur's embrace! (Bonus Chapter)
The smoke of war had just cleared, and the joy of victory was mixed with the busy work of cleaning up the battlefield.

Casualties are always inevitable, but thankfully, this time, it was mainly the enemy who bled.

Humans can show kindness and generosity when dealing with harmless enemies.

In the spirit of humanitarianism, the human forces not only cleared the battlefield but also provided medical treatment to the seriously wounded alien prisoners.

Of course, humans are not without purpose.

Every wounded dwarf prisoner sent to the operating table had to undergo multiple rounds of meticulous testing and evaluation, leaving no stone unturned, from physiological structure to any possible magical remnants.

This is not only to ensure the safety of medical staff, but also to accumulate valuable biomedical data from another world, laying the foundation for future research and responses.

"I must say, the physical abilities of these dwarves are truly astonishing!"

Under the operating lights, Dr. Luo Ruoxuan from the field hospital watched the anesthesiologist adjust the breathing anesthesia mask, and then looked at the dwarf who was bound and in a deep coma. A hint of professional curiosity and emotion flashed in her eyes.

Her assistants nodded in agreement. They had seen several such tough-skinned creatures before. Dwarves' bone density and muscle strength far exceeded the average human level.

"Dr. Luo, the wound area has been completely cleaned," a young doctor reported.

Luo Ruoxuan nodded, picked up a sharp scalpel, and lightly rubbed the blade with her fingertips, her eyes focused.

"Hmm... get the hemostats, suction device, and... a scalpel? No, I mean suturing and bandaging tools ready!"

She chuckled softly, easing the tense atmosphere in the operating room.

Only medical staff who deal with death for a long time understand this joke; they are not dissecting, but trying to repair life.

Her hands were as steady as a rock as she swiftly and precisely removed the dwarf's elbow, cutting away the necrotic muscle and blood vessel tissue that had been torn apart by the shockwave of the explosion.

This dwarf prisoner was a member of the seven-man squad from last time. He was lucky in a bad way; the shockwave of the explosion did not kill him directly, but it severed most of his left arm at the weak point of his elbow armor.

Before the surgery, the human medical team had used high-precision scanning equipment to create a detailed biological model of the dwarf and designed a complete amputation plan, including skin incision, flap transplantation, and how to ensure blood supply to the stump and cover key structures such as bones and tendons.

Advances in technology have facilitated treatment and provided valuable reference data for the possible future prosthetic limb installation for this dwarf.

Of course, this requires the dwarves to sign a peace treaty with humans and for everyone to establish basic strategic trust.

Of course, there are also some things that can't be said!
Ensuring the safety of prisoners and demonstrating human compassion are the overt aspects.

On a deeper level, it provides human doctors with valuable surgical experience with intelligent life forms from another world. For these doctors who are encountering dwarf patients for the first time, each wounded person is a living "research subject," and each surgery is a precious learning opportunity.

The scalpel began to cut through the dwarf's skin and muscle tissue... The orthopedic surgeon carefully repaired the broken bones, the surgical saw humming softly.

Finally... Luo Ruoxuan carefully cleaned the dwarf's damaged muscle remnants and used precise sutures to reconnect and fix the limb's nerves and blood vessels to ensure its stability.

After stopping the bleeding, she began to suture the subcutaneous tissue and skin layer by layer, her movements fluid and graceful.

After placing the drainage tube and draining the accumulated blood and exudate, Luo Ruoxuan looked at the almost perfect wound treatment in front of her and nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, record the patient's postoperative data. Also, it would be best to arrange for a dwarf prisoner who can communicate with this guy to come over. After he wakes up from anesthesia, don't let him struggle too much, otherwise the wound will rupture and cause trouble."

"Understood!" the assistant doctor replied immediately, turning to make the arrangements.

Luo Ruoxuan took off her mask after leaving the operating room, her eyes sparkling with curiosity about the unknown organism.

I need to have a good exchange with my colleagues later about my valuable experience in dealing with dwarves.
-
A few kilometers away, there was a prison cell where important prisoners were held in solitary confinement.

Exhausted and clearly uncomfortable after recovering from anesthesia, Attila struggled to open his eyes.

Before him were unfamiliar gray walls, and the magic lamps overhead emitted a cold light, quite different from the familiar glow of the cave torches and some crystals.

A faint, pungent smell permeated the air, a mixture of earthy and bloody rust, all of which served as a reminder of the strange environment he was in.

He propped himself up, feeling a cold, tight grip around his neck.

Wherever your hand touches, there are incredibly hard iron chains!

The other end of the chain was firmly fixed to the ground.

Were they imprisoned after being captured in battle?
The deductions, like a blunt knife, repeatedly cut at Attila's recovering heart.

Painful memories flooded back like a tide, and those chaotic fragments gradually became clear.

He led his troops in an attempt to attack humans and reclaim the glory of the dwarves... His elaborate disguise was discovered by the enemy... His temporary underground hideout was raided, and then... he was captured alive.

The legends told by his elders about how humans treated dwarf captives flashed through his mind—legends that humans would imprison dwarves as slaves, train them like dogs, and force them to forge artifacts for humans for their entire lives! Or perhaps it was the cold blade falling, their heads separated from their bodies.

Thinking of this, Attila's face turned ashen, and the muscles in his face and beard began to tremble slightly.

He tried to struggle, but the iron chain around his neck didn't budge; he couldn't break free on his own.

He looked down at the wound on his arm that had been simply cleaned, and then touched his throbbing cheek, confirming that it must have been caused by the debris mixed in with the shockwave of the explosion.

This undignified injury made him feel even worse.

"Damn these bastards! How can they be so strong?"

After cursing under his breath, Attila forced himself to calm down once he was sure of his situation and that he wasn't being treated maliciously for the time being.

He was a soldier and a commander, and he knew that anger and despair would not solve anything.

How can we escape?

"It seems, I... seem..."

The thought of his future being abandoned because he disobeyed the Mithril Elders and the spineless Balrogas, the nominal main envoy, made him feel extremely distressed, fearful, and confused.

"If humans adhere to some basic rules of negotiation, if I could be redeemed... then how can I exonerate myself?"

As he thought this, Attila began to mentally review this devastating defeat.

This defeat came too suddenly and too thoroughly!
What Attila found most unacceptable was that, even now, he couldn't understand how he had been discovered by humans.

They had made thorough preparations, using the invisibility cloaks treasured by the team to conceal their figures, operating at night to avoid human sight, and constantly being vigilant against the iron birds in the sky to ensure that they were not spied on afterward.

The details and lessons learned from Bellagas's previous failed mission report flashed through Attila's mind, but he could not find any flaws.

"Could it be that the footprints weren't completely covered due to carelessness in the snowstorm?"

Attila suddenly remembered the weather of the past two days.

It was a cold, overcast day, as usual, but the wind and snow were not heavy.

Although they had tried their best to hide their mounts and their own tracks, in that environment, it was inevitable that they would leave traces no matter how careful they were.

He gritted his teeth, a surge of anger rising to his head: "Damn it! Whose negligence led to our location being exposed?!"

Thinking of this, Attila's hatred intensified.

"If I could do it again, I would never fail! We should have used our racial strengths and dug a tunnel directly from the tower defenses to this side, instead of exposing ourselves on the ground!"

The more I reviewed the details that could have led to failure, the stronger my frustration and resentment became.

If he were given another chance, he vowed to make these humans feel the true wrath and power of the dwarves!
Just as he was pondering how to turn this desperate situation around, the heavy iron door made a dull thud and then slowly opened.

Gong Pengfei entered, escorted by several fully armed human warriors.

He looked at Attila, whose expression had changed slightly, and his gaze sharpened.

“We don’t know your name, but we are certain you must be the leader of this dwarven group.” Gong Pengfei spoke in Elvish, his voice calm and powerful, though slightly stiff and devoid of emotion.

"Now, the war is over! We have healed several wounded dwarves. If you value the lives of your men, tell them not to move around."

"These are for food!"

After Gong Pengfei finished speaking, a soldier behind him placed a soft wicker basket on the ground, not far from Attila, almost within reach.

The basket contained bread, drinks, and several glistening sausages, emitting an enticing aroma.

Gong Pengfei didn't waste any more words; after speaking, he turned and left.

The iron gate slammed shut again with a heavy thud, completely isolating Attila from the outside world.

Attila's gaze fell on the basket, his nose catching the aroma of meat mixed with starch and flavoring. He hadn't eaten for over twenty hours since the battle yesterday.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Attila endured his hunger and did not immediately go to get food, but simply sat quietly.

the other side!
Gong Pengfei left the room where Attila was being held, walked through several corridors, and arrived at the monitoring room.

He picked up his teacup from the corner, took a sip of water, and then asked, "Professor Yu, how is it?"

Yu Qiwen, who had been sitting in his chair, shook his head: "I didn't eat anything, but I did swallow hard! They're quite different from the last batch of dwarf prisoners we captured. The dwarf prisoners captured in this batch are more...carefree...well, maybe they're just heartless~"

"Professor Yu, do you think they are not from the same clan?"

Humans have now encountered three races in this alien world.

The savage humans of this other world, due to their environment, have no hierarchical relationship. Their respect for the tribal chief is merely a means to maintain unity within the tribe and make their own survival easier. These savage humans uphold the law of the jungle, possessing only extremely rare and flexible moral principles. For example, they might protect the elderly, weak, women, and children when it's forbidden to sacrifice lives to evil gods.

Taking them in is the easiest thing to do. Wild humans and modern humans have little reproductive isolation and are physically similar. You only need to deal with them using the methods used to deal with some savages, let them know the strictness of the law, and you can manage them easily.

After several months of investigation, it has been basically confirmed that the elves are a race with divine authority, where nobles and dignitaries hold power. In addition, the elves are also divided into many clans.

The higher the rank of an elf, the greater their status and the more privileges they wield!
At the same time, the personalities of the various elven clans are different, and human scientists have long speculated that the elves may have undergone certain genetic editing in ancient times, but there is currently no evidence to support this.

The captured dwarves also differed from what humans knew and what the elves told them!

The dwarf prisoners captured earlier all displayed a carefree and uninhibited attitude, indulging in eating and drinking without a care in the world. While they were indeed skilled in magic and alchemy, their technological level had not made any significant progress.

The second batch of captured elves were more rational and were even able to suppress their hunger.

The other dwarf prisoners who were imprisoned separately were also very different from the first batch of dwarf prisoners!

"Yes, that should be it!" Professor Yu Qiwen adjusted his glasses, his gaze focused and profound.

"The personalities of our second batch of dwarves are almost completely different from those of the first batch."

When the first batch of prisoners were offered food and water, they mostly accepted it without hesitation, some even wolfing it down, completely without any sense of caution. They probably thought they were already dead.

But the second group of dwarves in front of them, apart from initially showing panic and anger, remained unusually calm and highly vigilant.

They were extremely cautious about the food and drink provided by humans, even glancing at them with great care, and none of them chose to eat it.

He chuckled softly, his tone carrying a hint of satisfied curiosity: "Of course, there is another possibility—the dwarf prisoners received some orders beforehand, such as that if they were captured in the future, dwarves could not eat human food indiscriminately."

"Of course, I even think that the other side is testing us! Testing the strength of our forces, testing whether we will always maintain goodwill towards the dwarves. Of course, this is a rather far-fetched speculation."

Gong Pengfei picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and looked down at Attila's gloomy face on the monitor screen.

"So, it's highly likely that dwarves are a race with a very high level of organization and the ability to learn from failures?"

“That’s right, but I was just speculating. It’s best to wait until we’ve investigated thoroughly before making any specific statements!” Yu Qiwen nodded. “However, this dwarf force is indeed elite! Many dwarf soldiers, even when imprisoned and facing hunger, remained restrained and vigilant. This dwarf army is no ordinary force.”

"Yes, they are fundamentally different from the first batch of dwarves we captured before."

“Perhaps the dwarves we captured before were just a rabble!” Gong Pengfei tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondered for a moment, and then said, “I’ll organize the intelligence first. Later, we’ll put the wounded dwarves who have undergone surgery in the same room as the enemy and see how they behave.”

He recalled humanity's previous observations of other races from other worlds.

When humans treat wild men, their loose social structure means that their reactions to the injuries of their companions are more based on instinctive sympathy than on organization and deep concern.

The elven captives, however, displayed a much more complex side. They showed greater empathy and concern for the wounded of their own clan, and even took the initiative to care for them.

However, the attitudes towards the wounded from other clans varied; some were indifferent, while others even harbored subtle hostility. This gave the human pioneering team a clearer understanding of the clan conflicts within the elves and provided valuable information for subsequent strategy development.

“If the dwarf chieftain or other prisoners show negative emotions such as disgust, aversion, or even hatred towards the wounded dwarves, then our workload will be much less!” Gong Pengfei’s tone was filled with anticipation.

If the dwarves have many internal conflicts, humans can exploit these conflicts to divide and weaken them.

If the prisoners showed strong empathy and care for the wounded, and demonstrated a united front, it meant that humanity was facing a highly cohesive group.

At that time, humanity's strategy towards dwarves will have to be completely adjusted, and a more cautious approach will have to be adopted.

After some time, the doctor informed us that the treatment was complete.

"The wounded prisoners can go in now!"

"it is good!"

A few minutes later, the iron gates imprisoning Attila were opened again.

Two human soldiers carried in a stretcher on which lay an unconscious dwarf.

The dwarf's left arm was empty, clearly having been amputated after human treatment.

The soldiers placed the stretcher on the ground not far from Attila, then put shackles around his neck to make sure he couldn't leave quickly before they withdrew.

Attila's gaze was immediately drawn to his kinsmen on the stretcher.

Upon seeing the bandaged arm of his injured kinsman, he was taken aback, a barely perceptible look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Then, his gaze sharpened, scrutinizing and wary as he examined the wounded man.

Attila did not rush forward immediately, nor did he show any rage or curses; he simply observed quietly.

When the dwarf woke up groggily after the anesthesia wore off, he saw Attila and struggled to sit up, but fell back onto the stretcher due to the pain and weakness.

"Surrey! How are you? What happened to your arm?" Attila's voice was deep and carried an unquestionable authority.

He didn't get up, but leaned forward slightly. His tone didn't carry much emotion, but it wasn't indifferent either.

"Commander..." the wounded dwarf looked at his arm, "Where did my arm go?"

"Humans saved you! They performed the surgery on you."

“Humans?” Sumi raised her empty arm. “Mazefak! By Gaizul above… why haven’t I returned to Gaizul’s embrace…”

He gripped the iron chain around his neck with his other intact hand, his heart filled with sorrow.

"Attila... I am no longer of use to the people... Damn it, I should die!"

He was panting heavily, and in despair, he looked around.

Seeing that the prison walls were quite sturdy, he turned to Attila and said, "Attila, I am not a coward. The magic cannon was detonated, but I did not return in glory to Gaizul. If you return to the kingdom, please tell my children of the glory of my death!"

"Speak!" he said, using all his strength to slam his head against the wall.

Click~
Sumi suddenly felt a tremendous force pulling her neck, and her head couldn't even touch the wall.

He took two steps back, looking at the chain that Attila had unknowingly grasped, and looked at the other man in confusion.

"Attila? Why?"

"Live well!"

"Attila, I have become a useless piece of trash."

"Since the explosion of the magic cannon didn't bring you back to Gaizul's embrace, it means the kingdom still needs you! Millet, for the sake of your people, for the sake of the kingdom, live well."

The injured millet was unwilling to give up. He struggled and tried to break free of the chains, but he had only recently recovered from anesthesia and was greatly weakened.

"Attila, let me go, I'm no longer of any use!"

“You still have a brain, and you have courage. Corn, survive, eat,” Attila pointed to the food, “eat it all, and wait patiently!”

Seeing that the dejected Corn had calmed down and started eating at his command, Attila then looked around at his surroundings.

After a long time, he sighed.

"Can the benevolent light of Varaya still protect us, the defeated?"
-
In another world, at the base built by humans through a time portal, lies the headquarters office.

After drinking some tea, Su Mingjin rubbed her temples and then looked at the plan that Dou Hanwen had prepared.

This is a research and investigation plan requesting increased investment in the forest belt next to the Devil's Sea, located at the underground base of the dwarves along the Milk River.

It contains detailed explanations of why resources need to be mobilized, why research on the abandoned dwarf base should be strengthened, and its importance.

She only signed her name after confirming that the plan was thorough.

Then she checked the progress report on the dwarf cave excavation on the ridge beside the forest.

After the dwarven cave was detonated by the dwarven soldiers left behind, it has completely collapsed into ruins. It can only be dug little by little, and it is impossible for people to enter it quickly.

Su Mingjin frowned slightly: "It's collapsed too badly!"

She had been thinking of trying a remedial excavation to see if she could save the dwarves who had committed suicide and the hundreds of Gru beasts.

The extent of the damage to the cave was beyond her imagination, and the dwarves' determination to defend it to the death gave her a deeper understanding of this race.

If future dwarves are all this stubborn, it's best to be even more cautious when communicating with them.

Humans cannot do or operate things that violate principles for the time being, and they cannot learn from a Pearl Harbor attack to gain more legitimacy for attacking and retaliating, so some careful arrangements are needed.

Su Mingjin saw a report above requesting further excavation and investigation of the cave's internal structure to collect more data. The report also emphasized that excavating the cave would make it easier to understand the dwarf tunnel fortifications, accumulate experience, and gain a deeper understanding of the dwarfs' architectural and defensive concepts on the mountain ridge.

Moreover, the current land reclamation team has ample funds, so investing some research funds and mobilizing research equipment would not be a waste.

In the future, any important military strongholds near the caves built by the dwarves will need to be completely controlled by humans.

The last time humans discovered that the dwarves possessed a number of extremely powerful weapons, this made humans very wary.

If the enemy gains a high ground and suddenly unleashes magical cannons with a range of tens of kilometers to bombard humanity, humanity will be in a very passive position.

After processing all that, a new message arrived. It was a preliminary analysis of the dwarf interrogation work.

The new batch of captured dwarves have a strong sense of hierarchy!

The second batch of captured dwarves behaved much more rationally!

After we placed the wounded prisoner in the dwarf chieftain's room, the captured dwarf commander showed appropriate concern for the prisoner, urging him not to commit suicide, but without the overtly strong emotions seen in the first wave of dwarves!

The dwarf chieftain says he wants to see our chieftain!

Upon seeing these comments, Su Mingjin raised an eyebrow and clicked to watch the interrogation and analysis videos.

In the scene, the dwarf commander Attila is bound in shackles, followed by dwarves who are still recovering from their injuries... Watching the other party leading his injured dwarf subordinate, Su Mingjin pursed her lips.

After the injured dwarf finished eating, the humans waited for a while before putting down new food, but Attila refused to eat any.

Su Mingjin turned off the screen and tapped the desktop thoughtfully.

"It seems our previous analysis was correct," Su Mingjin muttered to herself. "These dwarves are like a well-trained army. They have good loyalty and discipline, and they're tough as nails, but they could also be our weak point."

She looked out the window; the night was deep, but the lights of the human pioneering team were still bright.

How should we formulate a new strategy?
-
In addition to education levels, material abundance, and a superior lifestyle, convenient transportation and healthcare are also necessary to demonstrate the superiority of a civilized society.

The efficiency of war mobilization in the industrial age is completely different from that in a backward and closed society.

Even if the other world possesses magic, it cannot compare to the mobilization and marching speed of humans with aerial combat units.

After Attila's troops were either killed or captured, Belialgas, the envoy sent by the dwarven kingdom to negotiate with the humans, arrived several days late at the edge of the battlefield, which had already been cleared away.

More than ten kilometers away, on a mountain ridge where the wind was howling.

Belgas, wearing one of the more expensive invisibility cloaks among the dwarves, held up a monocular telescope and looked into the distance.

The cold wind howled, and his hands were almost frozen.

However, he paid no attention to his own health!

Through the lens of the monocular telescope, the supply cave that their tribe was once so proud of now has a new owner.

Although the distance was too far and the image was small, there were many strangely shaped armored constructs working on the ruins in that area, with clearly visible human figures moving among them in an orderly manner, completely different from the style of cave-dwelling half-humans.

In some relatively easy-to-defend and difficult-to-attack places, you can still see lights used by humans to observe their surroundings.

It was not the radiance of magic, but a steady yet blinding light source he had never seen before.

"Clang."

He shoved the monocular telescope into the hands of his companion, his beard trembling with anger.

"Damn those Aral Sea hammermen! Is there anything else in their brains besides muscles and rocks? A bunch of idiots who only know how to kill! Our carefully prepared peace negotiations have been ruined by these bastards!"

Bellergas launched into a tirade, his voice brimming with barely suppressed rage.

Liers Ironhammer of the Blackrock Clan, who was ordered to accompany him on the mission, took the telescope, looked at it for a while, and then spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the ground without any expression.

“Belegas, stop cursing. I reckon Attila and his entire army are wiped out.” He lowered his binoculars, his voice low. “Those bastards probably even cut off his retreat. What do we do? Go back?”

Bellergas paced back and forth irritably, the gravel crunching under his feet.

"How should I know what to do? Liers, what's your opinion? Do we still have any initiative?"

“It’s simple.” Lils took out his pipe and lit it. “Either we pretend we know nothing and grit our teeth and continue our mission to seek peace, or we tuck our tails between our legs and crawl back to the kingdom. We have no other choice.”

"Go back?"

Bellergas's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

“Liers, the savages are not like those ostriches! Haven’t you seen their terrifying efficiency and war potential? What if they take Attila’s actions as a provocation against our kingdom and use that as an excuse to launch a full-scale invasion?”

As he said this, he couldn't help but curse again, pointing towards the distant cave.

If Attila wins a great victory in this operation, then his mission as an envoy is simply to receive the spoils of victory.

At that time, he could even hold his head high and look down on those humans with the air of a victor.

But now... the most crucial problem is that Attila's elite troops seem to have been surrounded and wiped out, with not a single one escaping!
This is hilarious!

(End of this chapter)