Steel torrents pioneering a different world.

Chapter 185 The Cave-Dwelling Half-Man and the Messenger! Capturing Prisoners~~~ (Please Subscribe)

The conflict between the elves and the humans of the north did not escalate into a full-scale war.

Humans have never even launched a proactive attack on the forest kingdom.

However, the forbidden magic that the elves themselves unleashed came at a terrible price.

Extending from the boundary of the white wasteland into the depths of the forest, a vast area of ​​over one hundred kilometers began to taste the bitter fruit of magic going out of control.

Countless elves and a large number of animals were turned into ghosts by the backlash of the out-of-control magic, or were directly vaporized by the attacks of humankind's weapons of truth.

These elves were originally deployed in a dispersed manner, with some intended to attract and confuse the humans, while others were prepared to launch a thunderous attack on the human positions once the magic succeeded.

Who would have thought that not only were human weapons incredibly powerful, but special forces also managed to trace the enemy's disguised magic array, directly leading to the complete loss of control over forbidden magic.

Things were spiraling out of control for the elves.

The chain reaction caused by the forbidden magic going out of control is still spreading outwards!

It's important to know that this isn't a small sun being detonated in the far north, hundreds of kilometers away in a desolate place.

The south has a vast forest area. In addition to the Elf Kingdom, there is a forbidden area that was once sealed off. Several small suns have been rising in succession in this area. Their destructive light and heat have been discovered by all intelligent beings and various forces within a radius of hundreds of kilometers.

To the east of the Forest Kingdom, beyond the Frosty Forest Mountains, lives a wise race that is both an enemy and a friend of the elves—the cave-dwelling half-humans.

The two sides have been at odds for countless years, but their relative weakness has led them to often join forces against the human kingdoms in the south.

At this moment, the cave-dwelling half-humans on the western border of the Frost and Snow Forest Mountains also saw the apocalyptic scene at the edge of the forest.

"What are those elf bastards up to? Why are there so many blinding lights?"

"Ha, perhaps it was the goddess of death they once worshipped who descended, or perhaps it was the army of human-mixed dragons that attacked them!"

Inside a fortress on a hillside in the Frost and Snow Mountains, a group of cave-dwelling half-humans burst into laughter.

These creatures bear some resemblance to dwarves in Western fantasy, with thick beards that could be braided and wearing heavy, dark or ashen-colored rune armor.

They were delighted to see their arrogant and cunning neighbor get their comeuppance.

Both sides had very long lifespans, and the conflicts accumulated over those long years were more numerous than the weeds in the mountains.

If it weren't for the existence of a more powerful and ruthless human force as an external threat, the cave-dwelling half-humans would probably be fighting with the elves every few days.

Even though things have been much more peaceful in recent years, the number of troops deployed by both sides along the border has never decreased.

Everyone is wary of each other, cooperates with each other, and also undermines each other.

"Hmph, those pointy-eared bastards must have been subjected to a fierce attack from the human kingdoms too!"

In the observation room of the fortress halfway up the mountain, frontline commander Le Pen Hammer put down his crystal-encrusted brass binoculars, his burly hand holding a wine glass, a gloating smile on his face.

Beside him, his mount, the Gru, bleated. Le Bon Ironhammer smiled and handed his beloved steed a glass of wine, which the Gru drank with great relish.

"They hypocritically claimed they were willing to share our burdens, but now they're barely holding on themselves! Those human bastards are cunning and cruel, those long-eared scum are cruel and cunning. They all deserve extinction! Let us, the great and noble half-humans, once again rule the world!"

When the conversation turned to something more cheerful, he raised his glass again: "To the great Lord Grimnil!"

"Homage to the great Lord Grimnil!"

After the cheers subsided, a young, sparsely-bearded cave-dwelling half-human officer spoke, his expression somewhat solemn.

"Lord Lepanto, if the humans are only feigning an attack on the Great Wall while their main force detours to attack the Elven Kingdom... our eastern flank will be completely exposed. Considering the bigger picture, we may need to aid the Elves."

"Hmph!" Le Bon Hammer snorted coldly, his thick beard trembling. "Of course I know what the big picture is!"

He downed the liquor in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh, but the smile on his face gradually faded, and his eyes became deep.

"The elves' troubles are our opportunity. This time, we can demand 500 leagues of territory west of the Frost Snow Mountains, allowing us to control more fertile plains."

"Lord Lepanto, those long-eared men are very concerned about their reputation! If we make exorbitant demands, won't that infuriate them? If the negotiations fail, it could cost us all our lives."

Le Bon Hammer stood up, extended his hand, and his attendant beside him quickly poured wine.

He paced back and forth a couple of times, his heavy steel boots thumping dully on the rocky floor.

"Those lights... they don't seem to be any kind of known magic; even the elves themselves couldn't create something like this. Perhaps only those cruel humans who love to study blood magic possess this ability!"

When the topic turned to humans, Le Bon's voice immediately lowered.

"Pass on my orders: immediately report the situation here to the great King Iron Hammer! Furthermore, we need more wise men to analyze the situation, and we need to send scouts to investigate!"

"yes!"

The short, stocky, bearded officer straightened his chest, turned, and strode away.

Le Bon Hammer finished his drink, then climbed back up on his stilts, picked up his binoculars, and gazed at the desolate forest in the distance.

The sky there still bears the ominous gray hue of several mushroom clouds from the explosions.

If the hybrid humans of the South were to regain control of certain powerful magic, the already fragile balance of power on the Forsaken Continent might be shattered.

And these cave-dwelling, half-human beings must find a way for their race amidst this upheaval.

Several cloud eagles, equipped with magical artifacts that could interfere with the spirits' mind magic attacks, took flight. They burst out of the cave camp halfway up the mountain, their sharp eagle eyes sweeping across the Frost Snow Mountains below. Then they turned and flew towards the heart of the Iron Hammer Kingdom—the capital city of the high mountain kingdom carved out of the Frost Snow Forest Mountains.

The letter concerns the survival of the entire race and must be handled with utmost care.

200 kilometers away.

Inside the War Council Hall of the High Mountain Kingdom.

The fireplace was burning brightly, dispelling the chill from the mountainside, but it couldn't dispel the doubts in the minds of the cave-dwelling half-human officers.

The cave-dwelling half-human had a deep love for casting, steel, heat, and alcohol, and spent his entire life working with steel.

In this other world, to interact with cave-dwelling half-humans, you need at least the following qualities: an enormous capacity for tolerance, an incredibly loud voice, top-notch forging skills, and a palate that can appreciate fine wines.

"Six times throughout the entire day! The light was like the sun exploding in the forest, clearly visible from over a hundred kilometers away on the front lines. What on earth are those pointy-eared creatures up to? Was it really a human attack?"

"The restrictions that sealed off evil in those forbidden areas have not loosened, and the early warning devices deployed by our ancestors have not sent any signals. It's probably just something to do inside the Long Ears."

A bearded commander took a swig of rye liquor that human smugglers had painstakingly acquired from the south, the foam covering his beard.

"Haha, what else could it be? They must have played with fire and gotten burned!" Another half-human laughed, slapping the table as he drank. "They came here all this time, pretending to help us share the burden of humanity. Turns out their homeland was almost burned to ashes, so they're just trying to get cooperation through underhanded means!"

"Hahaha! Well said!"

Rough laughter echoed in the stone chamber, filled with schadenfreude.

The young caveman's face remained grave: "But the humans from the south who crossed the Great Wall are acting very strangely. They used the flimsy excuse of going north to find some people to brazenly lead their army to the desolate Great Wall. After fighting a bloody battle with us recently, even though they were clearly at a disadvantage, they retreated back to their camp and didn't move. This doesn't conform to military principles!"

"That's right! This is so frustrating!" A hot-tempered guy slammed his fist on the stone table, making his wine glasses clink. "We've been fighting them for over a month, lost more than three thousand brothers, and those bastards just stood there like iron turtles guarding their camp, not fighting back or arguing back!"

"Yeah, those damned humans are clearly the ones who suffer more damage when they hit us, but they just won't back down. It's an insult to us. If you ask me, let's fight those humans again. They've almost finished drinking all their good wine. If we don't fight now, we'll have no wine left to drink!"

"Me too!"

"They're just messing with us! Their main force has definitely gone off to deal with the elves. We need to find out exactly how many of those long-eared bastards have lost? Can their defenses hold?"

"We must hold on! The Long-Eared Bastards may be rotten, but they are one of the main forces resisting the attack from the evil human bastards in the south. If they are destroyed, we will also face our bloodshed!"

"My lords, could it be that the humans of the Green Lands came from the sea, crossed the Trembling Sea and the Devil's Sea, and surrounded us from the north?" someone suggested a bold conjecture.

The words had barely left his mouth when they were met with a chorus of sneers.

"Impossible! Crossing the Trembling Sea is a gamble with lives. If five out of ten ships reach our peaceful harbor, that's lucky. And if even one survives back, that's a blessing from the sea god. They want to brave the even more terrifying Devil's Sea? Hah... that's offering their own flesh and blood as sacrifices to an evil god!"

"Yes, ever since the magical upheaval, evil has emerged from the sea. The merfolk of that Devil's Sea can no longer communicate, and no living creature can pass through the Devil's Sea anymore."

"That's right. Rather than believing that, I believe more that it's the undead from the North, who were destroyed and lost their foundations, who have infiltrated here."

"Undead? The insignificant god of cold has long since had its foundation shattered, losing its most basic faith. If it's them, why don't they attack us?"

"Once they breach the barriers we've built along the coastline, they can easily infiltrate the greenlands to the south!"

The commander who proposed the theory of the undead puffed out his chest, stroked his large beard triumphantly, and declared in a booming voice, "Because we are as solid as a rock! Those skeletons who dare to come will taste the power of our iron hammers!"

"That's right! We are as solid as a rock!"

"In the end, those long-eared bastards are just too weak!"

"Hahaha……"

The meeting room was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere again, as if the worries from before were just an illusion.

"snort."

Peng!

A cold snort, accompanied by the sound of a metal wine glass slamming onto the table, instantly silenced the entire room.

Sain Hammer slammed his empty glass down, his deep gaze sweeping across the faces of every officer of his own race.

Everyone's beards were covered in foam from drinking, and they started talking without thinking!

Some people were looking for trouble, but when they saw that it was Thane Ironhammer who was speaking, the caveman immediately fell silent.

Sion Ironhammer is one of the kingdom's intellectual masters, a powerful warrior, a top-notch craftsman, and an enchanter.

At the same time, he was also an extremely outstanding war commander. Eighty years ago, he organized a desperate counterattack, relying on extremely weak forces to destroy the logistics supply lines of the southern human hybrids, causing the invading human hybrids to lose their logistical support and have to retreat.

He had already proven his military wisdom through numerous victories.

"The elves' survival is a problem for us as well; we are interdependent. Humans' unusual behavior is extremely dangerous. If the elven heartland is attacked, greedy humans will definitely seize the opportunity to attack the Frost Snow Mountains and our kingdom, and then take our lives."

"Fellow countrymen, if we are captured by these human bastards, we will either be enslaved or sold to the Eastern Continent to become eunuchs... In short, this is not a good omen!"

He stood up, his heavy footsteps thudding on the stone floor.

"If the humans really draw our main force to our defensive line, and other forces poke into the elves' heartland, once Longears falls, our eastern defensive line will easily become a piece of paper, easily torn apart."

Sain's voice wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down the spines of every cave-dwelling half-human.

"Don't forget, we still don't know what those things Le Bon was talking about are. Since losing a lot of its heritage, Long-Eared hasn't been able to do many of those things anymore!"

"Of course, we can't do it either."

He walked to the map, his thick fingers emphasizing the border between the Forest Kingdom and the long, narrow, cave-dwelling half-human kingdom.

"We can't wait. The troops in the south, bordering the human hybrids, need to move. We need to make contact with the long-eared ones too!"

Sain's lips curled into a wild, untamed grin.

"Since humans prefer to cower here, we must take the initiative and, at any cost, destroy their claws that dare to extend into our territory!"

"Lord Sain is right!"

The cave-dwelling half-humans slammed their fists on the table and loudly echoed their sentiments.

Then, everyone discussed it and agreed with Sain's arrangement.

The relationship with the elves is one of shifting between friend and foe, but with humans, the hostility outweighs the goodwill.

The cave-dwelling half-humans cannot afford to lose this paradise of the high mountain kingdom.

"Lord Saen, which unit should we send to the battlefield over there with the long ears to assess the situation?"

"Those guys deserve to die!"

"I'm not going!"

"I'm not going either!"

"Didn't you just say you were going?"

"You just said you were going too!"

Sain slammed his hand on the table: "Gentlemen, I also wish they were all dead, but we need to understand the situation, and our flanks need to be secured. So, let's draw lots. Whoever draws the lot will send a trusted messenger over! I'll go and report the news to the lord."

Humanity is too powerful; they cannot defend against it alone and need the elves to attack.

Although cave-dwelling half-humans are stubborn and have terrible tempers, they can still be clear-headed in life-or-death situations.

Cave dwellers would never be slaves; for the sake of life, they were willing to make appropriate sacrifices.

……

Hours later, at a wounded soldiers' camp.

The camp was noisier than during the day, with the smells of sweat, blood, and the sourness of cheap beer mixed together, giving one a headache.

"Pooh!"

Bellergas Hammer spat the sour ale onto the ground, his large, bell-like eyes staring at the leather sachet in his hand.

"By the great Gruni! What's the difference between this stuff and Grug's piss?!" His booming voice drowned out the surrounding clamor. "Damn human bastards, and those heartless smugglers! One day, I'll use their heads as goblets! Damn it, my precious silver coins!!!"

A cave-dwelling half-man with a broken leg next to him laughed loudly: "Boss, you should be grateful, at least you still have something to drink. My share was stolen by the guy in the next bed yesterday!"

"Baelegas the Hammer!"

"Baelegas the Hammer!"

A sharp shout pierced through the noise, silencing the surrounding commotion.

"Who the hell is calling my name!" Bellergas stood up abruptly, his short, stocky body resembling a mountain of flesh.

He was shirtless, and the thick black hair on his chest and arms couldn't hide the newly healed scars. One of the wounds stretched from his collarbone all the way to his chest, as if half of it had been burned off by something.

A month ago, in that bloody battle, he led a hundred-man scout team to take down a tough nut in the mountains, at the cost of losing thirty brothers. Then he and the others lay here drinking stale wine for a month.

A messenger squeezed through the crowd, panting, and his legs trembled at the sight of Bellergas's murderous look.

"Lord Bellergas Hammer! It is an order from Lord Sain and Lord Galle!"

Upon hearing those two names, especially that of "One of the Kingdom's Wisdom," Thane Ironhammer, Bellegas's anger subsided somewhat, and he asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

The messenger swallowed hard and forced a smile, saying, "Lord Galle's luck... wasn't great; he drew the lot to go to Long Ears. Lord Sain said that your injury has just healed, so..."

The messenger didn't dare finish his sentence, but the meaning was already quite clear.

Bellergas's mustache bristled with rage. "So he just dumped this damn job on me?!"

He slammed his fist on the wooden barrel next to him, and with a crash, the barrel shattered, spilling rotten beer all over the ground.

"Go see those long-eared, whiny women? I'd rather go fight those human bastards again!"

"Four barrels of top-quality summer sea wine!"

Bellergas's raised eyebrows suddenly changed their posture.

"Hahaha... Only I, Bellergas, could accomplish such a grueling task." Bellergas laughed heartily. "Tell me the details!"

The messenger nodded and quickly relayed the analysis from the meeting.

"...Lord Sien suspects that the humans' standoff with us is a feint; their main force may have already gone around to harass the long-eared creatures!"

After hearing the messenger's retelling, Bellegas's anger gradually faded, replaced by a heavy gloom.

He remained silent for a long time before finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Those arrogant and stubborn long-eared bastards will never ask us for help until their entire tribe is wiped out. Damn it!"

Although he was extremely unwilling, he understood the principle of mutual dependence.

This may be the new test that the God of War, Grimnir, has given him.

"Understood." He grabbed the three-eyed musket hanging to the side and shouted at his hundred-man squad members who were still idling not far away.

In just over a month, the 100-man squad had mostly recovered from their injuries, both minor and major. Those who hadn't recovered were either thrown into the steel furnace as fuel to continue fighting alongside their armor, or they were incorporated into various rear units.

"Stop lying around like corpses! Get up! Grab your weapons and hoist the flag! Lord Sien wants us to go on a long journey!"

Those usually lazy, cave-dwelling, half-human veterans, upon hearing the order, didn't hesitate at all. They started getting up, grumbling, and checking their three-eyed muskets, battle axes, or chain hammers with remarkable speed.

Soon, a peculiar team of messengers was assembled.

Bellegas flipped himself onto his equally temperamental Gru beast, glanced back at the brightly lit camp, and then looked toward the dark forest where the elven kingdom was located.

He just hoped those long-eared guys wouldn't die too quickly.

After all, only if they live will he have the chance to personally twist off the heads of those human commanders!

"drive!"

He roared and led his hundred-man squad into the rugged mountain path.

Although it was already night, they wouldn't delay the world in the slightest; Bellegas was even prepared to rush there day and night!

Another world, the headquarters of the Time-Space Gate.

The piercing sounds of communications and hurried footsteps mingled together, along with reports, equipment warnings, and various data adjustments, creating a tense atmosphere in the air.

"Report! A new batch of magnetic special munitions has arrived by air and is being loaded onto an unmanned transport aircraft! It is expected to reach the front lines within seven minutes!"

"Report: Six transport planes have been attacked..."

"Report! Frontline position number three is under attack by a dense condensed ghost attack..."

A few minutes later.

"Report: A soldier at position three was knocked away by a condensed ghost, but is unharmed. The magnetic trapping device at the position has been damaged, and reinforcements are needed!"

"Report! Ghost density too high at the front line of position 16, requesting fire support!"

As he listened to the various summaries, Su Mingjin's gaze swept across the rows of screens flashing with data streams, trying his best to remain calm.

Commander Man, who was nearby, was reviewing the intelligence gathered from various locations when he noticed the crisis at Position Three. He picked up his communication device and asked, "How's Position Three? Aren't the vital signs monitoring there showing extreme fatigue among the soldiers?"

"Report! Ammunition is sufficient, but the gunners have been engaged in continuous high-intensity combat and are extremely exhausted! The magnetic trapping device has been damaged, and reinforcements are on their way to provide support."

"Support artillery at position two, provide fire coverage!" Brigade Commander Man ordered without hesitation. "Tell the artillery battalion commander not to be stingy with ammunition. If we run out, have more sent from Zhurihe! We'll have enough for today!"

With the issuance of a new round of combat missions, the tense atmosphere in the command center eased slightly.

Commander Man took a big gulp of strong tea, glanced at Su Mingjin who was staring intently at the energy curve graph, and frowned.

"Mr. Su, are you sure that thing is about to run out of power? I feel like they're on drugs, acting really crazy."

This was the second hour after the Butcher Squadron returned with the dragon eggs, and the Ghosts launched their attack.

The war is not easy, but the good news is that the enemy's energy activity is decreasing.

The bad news is that more and more ghosts released by magic are being attracted here for unknown reasons.

If it weren't for the timely discovery by scientists, the timely special supply support transported from the rear, and everyone's collective wisdom and efforts, with the soldiers wearing supernatural protective equipment developed by the Special Energy Research Institute, the casualty figures would have already skyrocketed.

Su Mingjin pointed to a rapidly declining red curve on the screen: "Commander Man, look at this! This is the enemy's last gasp. Any energy source will have a precipitous peak output before it runs out of power. This is like that light bulb that's about to go out, flashing for the last time."

"Yes, brigade commander, look at this energy decay model, it's very accurate, it's practically textbook-level."

Su Mingjin smiled and nodded, then added, "After this battle, I've decided to have the scientists write a paper titled 'A Study on the Attenuation Characteristics of Magical Energy in the Elven Race.'"

Commander Man's lips twitched. What kind of time is this to be thinking about having someone write a research paper?

However, Su Mingjin's words did indeed put his extremely anxious mind at ease.

Being a commander is mentally taxing and involves a lot of pressure.

Commanding for such a long time put him under immense pressure.

-

The modern world, Zhurihe River, time portal.

A huge, azure light curtain stands stably within the completed base.

Heavy trucks, fully loaded with supplies, roared incessantly, forming a long line, before plunging headlong into the deep blue expanse and disappearing from sight.

Li Weiguo stood outside the temporary command post, his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed in a frown.

The engine was very loud, and the car was emitting a lot of exhaust fumes, but that wasn't what worried him.

A communications soldier who had just returned from his shift across the door ran up to him, standing ramrod straight, and gave him a perfect salute.

"Report! A message from the forward command post indicates that the position has been impacted by a high-density condensed energy body, and the consumption of special ammunition is nearing the warning line!"

Li Weiguo's pupils contracted slightly, but his voice remained calm: "Casualties? How are the soldiers?"

"Report! The front line is secure! Thirty-one soldiers were hit by the energy projectile, but their special protective gear and magnetic trapping devices effectively withstood the damage. There were no casualties on the defensive position; only a few soldiers sustained minor injuries!"

Upon hearing the words "not a single soldier was killed in the defensive position," Li Weiguo's tense nerves visibly relaxed a little, and he let out a long breath.

"Besides this, is there anything else new?"

"Yes!" The communications soldier's voice was brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "Chief Engineer Su and his team have succeeded! According to the latest report from the front lines, the dragon egg, the core of the forbidden magic array of the Elven race, has been unearthed by the special forces!"

"The professors at the Academy of Sciences have determined that the dragon egg is a giant magic energy battery. Once its energy is not replenished, it will soon run out, and the ghostly energy body will dissipate on its own! Now, this is their final act of madness."

"Great! Excellent!" Li Weiguo waved his hand sharply. "Order the rear to speed up the transfer of supplies, and tell the comrades at the front that dawn is approaching!"

"yes!"

The communications soldier turned and ran away, his figure quickly disappearing into the vast complex of buildings in the distance.

Li Weiguo was busy with his various departments, and looking at the buildings behind him, he was filled with emotion.

This is the power of Industrial Cthulhu.

The entire Zhurihe base, along with several surrounding heavy industrial cities, has been transformed into a super machine that has been secretly activated.

Countless specialized resources and equipment are continuously converging here.

Inside the mobile factory, robotic arms are flying across the automated production line. Shell casings are being fed onto the conveyor belt.

The old warhead was removed and immediately replaced with a warhead specially designed for condensed energy bodies.

Fighting magic with magic?

No, we'll use an industrialized approach to mass-produce a "magic dispeller" for you, and then you can use it to fire it out.

No matter what kind of forbidden magic you use, here it all has to follow the law of conservation of energy!

Li Weiguo could even imagine the fascinating expressions on the elves' faces when they saw their prized forbidden magic being washed away like a toilet by truckloads of produced shells.

-

The course of the battlefield in the other world confirms the scientists' predictions.

"Report! Frontline soldiers have detected more energy entities exhibiting increased instability; some are flashing or becoming transparent!"

"Report! Position Seven! The Ghost vanished immediately upon impact with special ammunition, without regrouping! Repeat, without regrouping!"

Inside the command center, the previously oppressive atmosphere vanished, and everyone's eyes lit up.

After about half an hour of target practice, the gunfire at the front gradually subsided after the rear had consumed a large amount of ammunition.

Finally, a joyful voice rang out throughout the command center.

"Command... Command! The target area has been cleared! All energy reactions have disappeared! We... we won!"

After a brief silence, the command post erupted in thunderous cheers.

Commander Man was overjoyed. He stood up and clapped: "Thank you for your hard work, soldiers on the front lines! Taking stock of casualties and keeping a close watch on whether any enemy remains!"

"clear!"

"Professors Qian and the special forces have all made outstanding contributions!"

Everyone present laughed.

Su Mingjin's face remained expressionless, but his gaze had already passed over the jubilant crowd and landed once again on the huge forest map.

"Commander Man, don't be too happy yet." Her voice wasn't loud, but it made the smile on Commander Man's face slowly fade.

"The battery was removed this time, but we caused such a huge commotion. What kind of attack do you think they'll use next?"

"No matter what, we're always ready!"

Su Mingjin nodded: "Brigade Commander Man, there's one more thing. I need to get the soldiers busy with something!"

"Please give your instructions."

Su Mingjin pointed to information that a drone had just scanned.

"While the troops were defending against the condensed matter ghost attack, the Academy of Sciences was constantly busy and never idle."

Su Mingjin's voice drew everyone's attention away from the joy of victory.

She pointed to several highlighted data areas on the main screen, signaling Brigade Commander Man and Brigade Commander Fu to come and take a look.

On the screen, several curves that had been fluctuating wildly plummeted to almost flat in the last half hour.

Commander Man leaned closer, squinting as he tried to decipher the markings on the label.

"Environmental Magic Energy Index...approaching stability?"

"The frequency of biological attacks... has almost disappeared?"

"Shortwave communication interference intensity...extremely low?"

He read them out one by one, his eyes brightening with each one. Commander Fu, standing beside him, also had his eyes light up.

"Good heavens! Once this forbidden magic stops, the entire forest is practically stripped naked! All those little tricks are gone!"

"Yes, a very interesting discovery. It's probably because the gathering of those ghosts caused a significant depletion of magical energy!" Su Mingjin nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips, but a glint in her eyes. "This also explains why the drones were able to detect the target so easily."

She pulled up another image, a thermal image that the drone had just transmitted back.

Against the backdrop of a dark forest, orange humanoid dots, representing the source of life and heat, are frantically fleeing in all directions.

Many of them were heading towards the human base.

Seeing this, Brigade Commander Man chuckled. He glanced back at the equally gleaming eyes of his staff officers in the command post and laughed loudly, "Commander Su, now we've got some work to do! Let me tell you, while the fighting on the front lines was raging, the brothers in the logistics and reserves were itching for a fight! They were all yelling into the communications channel, saying that if they didn't get a mission soon, they'd grab their entrenching tools, shout 'Hurrah!', and charge!"

Brigade Commander Fu laughed along, "Old Man wasn't lying. My guard company has already submitted a report, asking if we can organize an armed patrol to give our neighbors a friendly greeting."

These words drew a burst of good-natured laughter from the command post.

The soldiers' morale was so high it was almost bursting through the ceiling.

"Very good, high morale." Su Mingjin was very satisfied with this state.

She straightened her back and glanced at the two brigade commanders.

"Then, command orders."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it instantly transformed the noisy atmosphere of the entire command center into a solemn one.

"Frontline units should clear the battlefield, inventory supplies, and confirm casualties. Rear troops should dispatch helicopter transport formations to conduct a comprehensive search of a 50-kilometer fan-shaped area centered on the base."

Su Mingjin drew a huge fan shape on the map with her finger.

"The goal is to 'bring back' all the elves who, in their panic, have stumbled into our encirclement."

She specially invited him back to her home!

He paused, then added a sentence.

"Command needs more elven prisoners, alive. This is related to the subsequent negotiations, and also to... the research progress of the Academy of Sciences."

"Mission accomplished!"

Brigade Commander Man and Brigade Commander Fu stood up straight and saluted in response.

Upon receiving the order, the two immediately turned around, huddled together, and began a heated discussion about the action plan.

"Old Fu, our main force is under a lot of pressure this time. Let the second-line brothers handle the prisoner-taking!"

Those who can participate in the exploration of another world are the elite of the elite, even if they are second-line troops.

"Alright! I'll have the reconnaissance battalion lead the team, along with two transport squadrons. I guarantee they'll be caught completely!"

"Bring along a few psychological intervention teams. Don't be scared; Chief Engineer Su wants him alive."

(End of this chapter)