Steel torrents pioneering a different world.

War can solve various problems caused by humankind, but it cannot solve disasters caused by natural anomalies!

Compared to wars waged by humans for their own safety or for conflicts of interest, most wars in other worlds are often more purely platonic.

For example, the war for survival of races after the celestial bodies converge!

Every celestial convergence between different worlds is a war for survival for the local races.

Among the races that came from another world, besides a certain number of non-intelligent races that cannot communicate, there are also many intelligent races.

When non-intelligent races invade, the various forces in the other world can destroy them with their massive numbers and military mobilization capabilities.

Only when a few individuals are so powerful that they are difficult to contend with, will the forces of the other world be forced to abandon their defenses, retreat to their territory, and eke out a living.

They only hoped that the other party would run off to other places and wreak havoc on other races.

Another possibility is the arrival of organized groups.

This type of civilization has experienced both war and conflict with local civilizations, as well as exchange and integration.

However, most of these cases involved people of different races and were characterized by brutal fighting.

So-called peace is something that neither side can control; the cost is too high, and it was won through a complete war!

Lin Li initially thought the spacetime rift managed by the dwarves was a minor issue. However, after infiltrating it, he discovered it actually required summoning the Blood God.

Judging from the size of that spacetime rift, even powerful demons from other worlds might be able to rush over.

To obtain a piece of information from Laplace's demon, Lin Li expended ten units of spacetime essence. Lin Li's heart was bleeding.

This stuff is more precious than tons of gold; each piece holds the key to his future.

However, after carefully examining the information provided by Laplace's demon and combining it with the clues he had gathered, his initial heartache vanished instantly.

Worth it! Absolutely worth it!

Following this, Lin Li's second reconnaissance operation began.

The night was as dark as ink. A military drone, about the size of a palm, specially modified and stripped of all restrictions, silently took off from Lin Li's hand, like a real night owl, disappearing into the darkness above the dwarf fortress.

High-definition cameras and high-precision laser scanners were activated simultaneously, and massive amounts of data were transmitted in real time to the specially made terminal that Lin Li had obtained from the land reclamation team, quickly constructing an incredibly detailed three-dimensional map of the surrounding area.

The rough military map that Lin Li had obtained from the dwarves was instantly reduced to a crude draft.

The defensive nodes of the dwarven fortress, the fire coverage of each region, the ammunition transport routes, the shift changes of sentries, the disguised switches of secret passages—everything is clearly marked on this new map, down to the smallest detail.

"Done."

After spending half the night completely stripping away the outer defensive structure of this massive fortress complex, Lin Li finally retrieved the drone, which had used up several batteries, with satisfaction.

The real battle is about to begin.

He changed into a completely different dwarf appearance and sneaked into the fortress.

This time, infiltrating the dwarven fortress is far more difficult than the last.

Lin Li was almost discovered last time, causing quite a bit of chaos here, and the dwarf base's alert level has been significantly raised.

As Lin Li moved around, he noticed that the number of patrol teams had doubled, and their routes were completely unpredictable. There were even more perception traps constructed using rune technology.

If Lin Li hadn't taken precautions beforehand, leaving behind numerous military monitoring devices in inconspicuous corners before leaving the fortress to facilitate his subsequent intelligence gathering, he would likely have been unable to move an inch this time.

Those little gadgets that could last for more than half a month on a single charge became his most acute eyes and ears at that moment.

Lin Li hid in a corner, silently reading the clues and information in the data.

"Those idiots! One of the prisoners in the sacrificial offering workshop actually tried to escape, and was skinned alive, had his tendons pulled out, and was completely dissolved by blood magic. The other prisoners were terrified!"

"Hahaha, really? Wouldn't it be better for those guys to just wait to die?"

"Those who wait to die are not warriors! Only those with the courage to resist are good sacrifices. Once the spacetime rift opens and this batch of sacrifices enters, it will definitely summon the ancestors!"

"Hehe! My clan will then rise to its peak once more!"

"Let's go, a new batch of ale has arrived at Warehouse No. 3. Shall we buy some after the shift change?"

Relying on real-time intelligence intercepted from the monitors, the points of communication between them, and the passwords used during shift changes, Lin Li was always able to predict the patrol team's movements in advance and perfectly avoid all sentries.

Relying on his understanding of dwarves and with the help of the docking rune card he had previously obtained from the drunken dwarf, he strolled leisurely like a ghost walking on a knife's edge, right under the noses of countless dwarven guards.

These dwarfs are also quite strange and outlandish.

Although these dwarves patrolled irregularly, they even drank and chatted while on duty and on sentry duty.

It was as if what happened a couple of days ago was just an accident.

Has the spirit of a Russian warrior possessed me?

Lin Li was speechless at the strict security measures his superiors had demanded, given the tight security on the outside but the lax security on the inside.

In the past two days, he has also gathered a lot of information.

First, it seems that the previous chaos was completely contained by the upper echelons of the Lesden nobility.

The infiltration and sabotage had a significant impact. They probably felt it was a loss of face or made them uneasy, so they bury their heads in the sand.

Of course, they might also be plotting some schemes.

To ensure safety, Lin Li spent a considerable amount of time thoroughly exploring all the key areas of the dwarf fortress.

In the heavily guarded armory, he saw rows of neatly stacked weapons and ammunition, their surfaces gleaming coldly.

In the cave barracks, he heard deafening snoring and the dwarves' rough voices.

Lin Li even witnessed some very low-level dwarves and their incredible love for their Gru beasts.

"Hey buddy, wanna come along? I've trained Lilithia to be very docile, she'll cooperate with you!" A drunken dwarf boasted about his Gru beast. Lin Li smiled and simply said he already had a companion.

"Damn animal fetishism!"

In addition to these, Lin Li also investigated the prisoners held here.

The previous batch of nearly a thousand prisoners had almost finished fighting, and new prisoners were being continuously sent to the fighting arena.

Then the dwarves slaughtered some living beings, creating a bloody and horrifying scene.

Although many places in the fortress remained clean and tidy, Lin Li believed that the dwarves of this fortress had been corrupted by Khorne to varying degrees.

I really don't understand why such a big thing happened within the dwarves' ranks, yet the dwarves were completely unaware of it.

In addition, from the dwarves' conversations, Lin Li confirmed that the dwarf clans, especially the dwarf warriors stationed here, seemed to have great disdain for the warriors of other clans.

This is a special kind of superior mentality.

Of course, what Lin Li confirmed most was the clear class distinctions among the dwarves.

These dwarves consider themselves all subjects of the kingdom, but they have a strict hierarchy. Noble dwarves enjoy fine wines and beautiful women, while lower-class dwarves find it difficult to even find a partner.

In order to explore the situation here, Lin Li did not hesitate to consume spacetime source matter multiple times, changing his dwarf face to scout around.

Although it consumed a lot of precious spacetime resources, it obtained a large number of clues by using a close-up probing method that was almost like entering an empty field.

Lin Li even discovered numerous magical defense nodes at the dwarven fortress, finding some that might be magical protective devices.

All the valuable data flowed continuously into his data tablet.

Finally, he took a detour to the spacetime rift and the arena used for blood sacrifice.

Several days later, the stench of blood remained strong, and the fierce fighting continued.

The sacrificial killings continued in an orderly manner.

Although there were far fewer dwarves watching the spectacle nearby, the bloody battle signified the loss of these innocent lives.

Lin Li seized an opportunity to retrieve the camera, which had long since run out of power and couldn't be sustained even with two high-capacity power banks.

Laplace's demon predicted a dramatic change within nine days.

His time is running out.

Having obtained all the clues he wanted, Lin Li didn't linger for a moment.

They first went to the weak point of the fortress's dwarven magical defenses, and then opened a portal to leave the base.

As is customary, he backed up all the data.

Then, his main body went into a deep sleep and began to control the projected clone to act!

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

The atmosphere inside the command center was electric!

On the huge electronic sand table, a deep blue light outlined the complex terrain contours.

Su Mingjin, dressed in a smart work uniform, frowned as she rapidly swiped across the screen with her baton, retrieving line after line of data.

The brigade commander opposite her stared sharply at the constantly flashing red alert dots on the sand table.

These are all new dangers discovered recently during the celestial conjunction!

The University of Tokyo now understands the chain reaction behind the phenomenon of the celestial conjunction.

Strange and bizarre creatures appeared out of nowhere, aggressive and full of destructive intent—

There are just too many!

Recently, the pioneering team's patrols have frequently encountered battles.

Right now, everyone is discussing the latest intelligence received from the front lines.

An urgent investigation report was displayed on the main screen, with the title highlighted in bright red, making it particularly eye-catching.

The report indicates that large numbers of unicorns have once again been detected in the southern forest belt. At the same time, there are also some strange creatures resembling elemental demons that can unleash fire attacks.

First, let's talk about unicorns, strange new creatures that are highly similar in appearance to native species, but have completely different behavioral patterns.

Their size, aggressive posture, and undisguised predatory and destructive nature far exceed the scope of any known creature in this world.

Just yesterday, a pioneering team encountered three unicorns that dared to attack their temporary camp while on patrol.

The creature in the picture is quite different from the unicorns of this other world, and it is not the holy creature of legend.

The newly emerged creatures had bloodshot eyes, drool dripping from their mouths, and were filled with a ferocious killing intent.

The pioneering team paid a price to kill all of these frenzied creatures.

The subsequent biological autopsy report was even more chilling.

These mutated unicorns have higher bone density, and their muscle fibers even contain unknown trace metal elements.

Their DNA sequence maps are displayed side by side, revealing that they share a common ancestral origin with native unicorns, although their evolutionary paths have long since diverged.

Those strange elemental creatures that can unleash flames are skilled in fire attacks, but they can be killed when faced with human weapons.

By the way, bombs mixed with magic crystals and obsidian powder have a special effect on these guys.

Just like the previous Undead Scourge, obsidian and magic crystal powder can quickly and completely destroy the Undead Scourge, making them unable to be resurrected.

"Celestial convergences are occurring frequently, and more and more otherworldly creatures are beginning to appear in this world. Our defensive pressure is mounting!"

Su Mingjin's voice was cold and serious.

Because of this special overlap of spacetime rifts, large numbers of invasive creatures from other worlds began to appear in this world.

All the creatures that seemed illogical and shouldn't have existed in this world were most likely stowaways from other worlds.

"The scientific community is thrilled; they've recently received so many more biological specimens that they're overwhelmed with research!"

"Gentlemen, let's talk about security!"

Recently, although a large number of weapons and supplies have been transferred from modern times, the security alert level of major front-line bases has been continuously raised. In order to ensure the absolute safety of the major mining bases, industrial bases and agricultural bases under the jurisdiction of the reclamation team, the reclamation team has had to make adjustments.

Commander Man drew a thick red line on the sand table, enclosing a large area of ​​the outer exploration zone.

"The outward exploration teams now need to be scaled back again, and all non-essential long-distance exploration activities should be temporarily suspended. The focus should be on high-altitude reconnaissance and clearing out dangerous intruders from our territory."

"We must concentrate all our forces on key defenses and build strong defensive positions along the existing base network."

"The spatial rift near the Southern Forest is becoming increasingly stable, and it's estimated to have reached an extremely dangerous threshold. We need to ensure its safety!"

An officer pointed to a bright red dot on the sand table, his tone somewhat urgent.

"Currently, although no other life forms from any other world have been detected in that large spacetime rift, it's like a time bomb hanging over our heads."

"We are under immense defensive pressure and must mobilize more troops!"

To date, the total number of combat troops deployed to this area by the reclamation team has reached more than 35,000.

In addition to the essential researchers and support staff, the various bases together have a total of 46,000 people.

These people are not simply combatants; most of them are versatile individuals with multiple skills.

Even so, the daily consumption of supplies and ammunition by so many people, as well as the wear and tear from various basic training exercises, still amounts to a massive sum that could overwhelm logistics.

This is largely thanks to their advanced technology.

If we were to regress technologically by twenty years, the number of people required to defend such a long and complex defensive line would need to increase at least twofold. Perhaps even more!

"Don't worry, everyone. General Li has already approved the arrival of a new batch of soldiers."

"9

Commander Man looked at some key defensive points on the map, his voice calm and steady.

"This time, there are two full-strength combined arms brigades of reinforcements, which will fill the defenses of the other world without anyone noticing."

The tense atmosphere in the conference room eased slightly.

This is undoubtedly fantastic news.

The security of troop strength, ammunition, and supplies is always the greatest source of a sense of security.

However, before everyone could fully relax, there was a knock on the meeting room door.

The force was very strong.

Liu Chang pushed open the door and entered, not even having time to catch his breath, his face showing a mixture of excitement and awe.

"General Su, Brigade Commander Man—he's here!"

"Him?" Su Mingjin didn't react for a moment.

"That's the soldier!"

One sentence instantly tightened the tension in the meeting room, which had just eased.

Su Mingjin and Brigade Commander Man exchanged a glance, both seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes.

That mysterious Space Marine!

They are now on high alert, never daring to forget the warning they received earlier that the dwarves might be engaging in dangerous activities that could lead to catastrophic consequences.

Unfortunately, the pioneering team dispatched a considerable number of troops, but they still couldn't find any useful clues.

"Quick, go out and see!"

The group immediately stood up and quickly walked out of the warm and bright office area.

A gust of cold wind blew in their faces, instantly sobering them up.

On the open perimeter of the base, the enormous figure sat cross-legged, like a silent statue.

Even though it wasn't the first time they had seen him, the three-meter-tall, imposing figure, sitting cross-legged at the same height as them, still exerted a sense of oppression that made their hearts race.

Especially soldiers like Commander Man can feel an extreme aesthetic of violence from their smooth muscle lines and calm posture.

He had previously reviewed the scientists' analysis of the opponent's musculoskeletal structure, as well as their mobility and explosiveness. He also had access to their previous combat performance!

If the opponent is wearing full power armor and can indeed fight for months without rest, as previously recorded, then this warrior is incredibly powerful.

They had conducted simulations. They calculated the cost to their side in subduing the soldier if he donned his heavy power armor.

The conclusion was devastating.

It must be at least a battalion of soldiers, and a battalion composed of brave men who dare to charge with explosives and are fearless of death.

Otherwise, armor that even heavy machine guns or 20mm cannons might not be able to penetrate would simply be torn to shreds by him with movements that are difficult for the human eye to perceive once he gets close.

The giant saw them but did not get up. He simply opened his eyes, his dark face revealing no emotion.

He reached into his tactical backpack and slowly pulled out a few items, casually placing them on the ground in front of him.

Su Mingjin's eyes narrowed.

She was very familiar with those items: military data tablets issued to the reclamation team, as well as several UAE drones and cameras.

"As I said before, the dwarves are undertaking an operation that could trigger a global crisis."

The giant's voice was deep and steady, as if it resonated from the depths of his chest, each word striking the hearts of everyone present.

"These are the evidence. They are attempting to tear apart the spacetime barrier with blood and lives, using the very spacetime seal they have guarded for generations, to open the sealed—the cesspool universe!"

A cesspool universe?

That world again?

The giant pointed at something on the ground.

"This contains detailed intelligence! You don't have much time, only five days. You must launch an attack within five days and kill the dwarven masterminds who have been bewitched by the evil beings of the higher dimensions, as well as those elite dwarven warriors."

"You have a world-renowned kindness and bottom line! But kindness and goodness must be distinguished between beasts and intelligent beings."

"Too many things in that fortress have been seduced by higher-dimensional beings, and it's basically beyond repair!"

"Given that this operation may result in heavy casualties, my friend will take care of some of the trouble for you."

Five days!

Commander Man's pupils suddenly contracted.

To launch a five-day siege against a dwarven fortress?

Even if humanity had already prepared a large number of combat robots in the rear, it would still be a pipe dream!

Su Mingjin quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and picked up the data tablet.

"Sir, may I ask what this is?"

"The layout of the dwarven fortress that my companions scouted out, including the core area they used to seal the forbidden spacetime," the giant said succinctly. "The spacetime cube I gave you earlier can pinpoint that location precisely."

Having said that, his massive body began to slowly stand up, his movements carrying a lightness and agility that seemed incongruous with his size.

"Any more questions?"

"Sir!" Su Mingjin asked hurriedly, "How far is that spacetime rift you mentioned from our base as the crow flies? The dwarf kingdom is all mountainous; it's easy for us to get in, but getting out is quite difficult!"

The giant did not answer directly, but pointed to what he had given them!

He paused, as if remembering something, and added a sentence.

"Although the Time-Space Cube has a one-month cooldown period, as long as you keep it running, you can ensure a continuous supply of weapons."

"All the other questions are answered there!"

"Sir, if we venture deeper into the dwarven heartland, we will undoubtedly face a full-scale attack from the dwarves. How can we ensure that after killing those who attempt to open the spacetime rift, others will not continue to perform the ritual?"

The giant Lin Li, in his giant form, spoke with a slight pang of regret: "Someone will help you close the spacetime rift! Only a spectacular victory in this battle can truly deter those stubborn dwarves."

"Furthermore, the dwarves are not a monolithic group; their lower classes live very miserable lives."

Seeing that the giant seemed to have finished explaining, he turned to leave.

"Um, sir!" Su Mingjin blurted out, "Sir, how should we contact you—or your friend—when we're on our mission?"

The giant did not stop his steps, leaving behind only a vague and uncertain statement.

"They will appear when needed."

The moment he finished speaking, a blue light suddenly appeared behind his massive figure, and then he vanished without a trace.

All that remained were fallen leaves swirling in the cold wind, and a group of bewildered, shaken leaders of the pioneering team.

A deathly silence.

After a long while, Commander Man slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, bent down to pick up the data tablet from the ground, his eyes sharp as knives.

He looked at Su Mingjin, and after confirming the other's nod, his gaze swept over everyone present like a hawk's, and he said, "Gentlemen, notify all first-level staff officers and technical backbone personnel, and the operations command center, to convene a meeting immediately!"

Five days —

Commander Man practically spat out those words through gritted teeth, each syllable feeling like a heavy burden.

"We must turn the impossible into possible in these five days and win this crucial battle!"

Ever since they stepped into this place through that mysterious portal, the fate of their pioneering team has been tied to that giant and the forces behind him.

The impact of time portals on human civilization is immense.

In less than six months, the pioneering team has contributed various technologies to the modern world, proving the value of this world.

Unable to give up, we can only fight on.

In the eyes of Commander Man and others, this was also a test for their partners!

If they don't seize this opportunity, then other civilizations will naturally take it.

They have already missed the Age of Exploration, and they will certainly not miss this great opportunity that could change the future of civilization.

Although this is an inescapable shackle, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the pioneering team and the civilization behind them.

Once the catastrophe brewing by the corrupted dwarves is successfully resolved, humanity will be able to completely reverse its extremely passive situation on this alien land, at least in the north of the Forsaken Continent.

We fight for this world.

This is absolute order and justice!

Unquestionable justice!

At that time, the pioneering team's military, territory, and voice will all undergo a revolutionary breakthrough.

They could even launch a full-scale attack to destroy the absurd kingdom built by the dwarves.

To help the oppressed lower-class dwarves and wipe out the corrupt and greedy aristocratic ruling class in one fell swoop.

Their long-term intelligence gathering work led them to make significant discoveries about the dwarf society.

It is generally believed that dwarves are similar to the feudal dynasties of the past. A very small number of extraordinary nobles and royal families who possess knowledge of mysticism monopolize almost all resources and power, forming an impenetrable class barrier.

The rest of the ordinary dwarves could only struggle in fixed fields such as military industry and metallurgy, seeking opportunities for general advancement.

However, the promotion channels, which had long been corrupted by power and riddled with holes, had almost completely blocked the upward mobility of all the lower-class dwarfs.

Perhaps war and adventure are the only bloody, narrow bridge through which the dwarf civilization can gain merit and change its fate.

But how many precious lives will be lost as a price to pay?

The command center was brightly lit, but as everyone watched the video of the dwarf fortress filmed by Lin Li, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed like water could drip from it.

A massive, breathtaking 3D model of the fortress's outer perimeter was presented to everyone with astonishing precision.

From the disguised magical cannon positions on the outer mountainside to the fortress's transportation points, and the various cave entrances and exits that crisscross like a spider web, everything is clearly visible.

As the video played, everyone present wore expressions of undisguised solemnity and shock.

Because these extremely complex defensive fortifications not only have a large number of firing points facing outwards, but also an astonishing number of fortifications facing inwards from the fortress, pointing towards the area marked as the core—the spacetime rift where the celestial convergence phenomenon occurs!

Clearly, the dwarves' ancestors who first settled here had engaged in a fierce tug-of-war with the terrifying enemies that emerged from the spatial rift.

However, as technicians began to sort through the dwarves' publicly visible firepower deployments in the fortress, they discovered that over 90% of the icons representing heavy artillery and defensive matrices had turned gray, indicating they were no longer in use or had been dismantled.

This elite dwarven force, which long ago was supposed to defend the seal to the death, has now been quietly corrupted by the power of the higher dimensions.

They turned into traitors who couldn't wait to dig open the cesspool and welcome the evil god!

Perhaps they even believe they are doing something righteous!

"What are the contents of the other recorded videos?"

"The dwarven camp, with its food, clothing, shelter, and various key locations—there's also a sacrificial site here."

"Play the sacrifice point near the spacetime rift! Let's see what's going on."

"good!"

Soon, a chilling video was played.

In the scene, in an underground arena stained with blood and fire, prisoners of various races are engaged in a primitive and savage battle.

Before the victors could catch their breath, the cold blades fell, severing heads without mercy.

Warm blood flowed down the grooves already carved into the ground, gushing into the central pool of bubbling blood.

Special rune equipment continuously injects the sinister energy from the blood pool into the distorted spacetime rift through an energy-gathering device.

This barbaric and bloody scene caused everyone in the command center to feel intense physical and psychological discomfort.

"At first glance, these blood sacrifice rituals seem to be continuously corrupting and weakening the sealing structure of the spacetime rift," a technical staff member reported, pointing to the fluctuating data stream on the screen.

"These people seem to have gone mad!"

"No, it must be that all the dwarves in this tribe have gone mad! They were originally guardians, but they've become destroyers!"

Another staff officer stared intently at the faintly visible, independent space deep within the crack, his brow furrowed. "That inner space seems to have even more space. I feel this is some kind of sealed core set up by an advanced civilization. It employs two lines of defense!"

"What a pity. The guardians have already broken through the first line of defense, and the second line of defense is about to be broken through as well! Perhaps they will soon become gravediggers." Commander Man snorted coldly, his gaze falling back on the massive fortress structure diagram.

"Although we have the defense map, it will be extremely difficult to capture this fortress decisively in a short period of time!"

An expert in the field of engineering pointed to the cross-sectional diagram of the tunnel on the screen, his face grave.

"These complexes have an extremely long history, and the dwarves have practically turned them into an impregnable fortress. The height of most of the main tunnels has been precisely calculated, making them suitable only for dwarves under 1.3 meters tall to pass through and fight quickly. Human soldiers would be restricted in their movements everywhere, and to quickly storm and occupy them, it would be necessary to make extensive use of military mechanical dogs and small tracked robots."

"In recent months, we have been accelerating the production of robots and equipment. Even at the cost of losses, we can still break through the enemy's defensive points!"

An officer in charge of firepower analysis marked the fallen firing points in the video that had just been played, as well as the dense trap zone and anti-intrusion points.

"The number of dwarven combatants permanently stationed in this fortress is at least two thousand. If we're going to fight, we must completely cut them off! We can't let them coalesce into a single formation!"

"That's what the staff officer said after organizing the intelligence," he added.

"If we use time-space travel technology, we must immediately paralyze and control their armories, supply depots, and several key troop concentration points, and absolutely not give them any opportunity to organize an effective counterattack or coordinate a defense!"

"The enemy has deployed too many traps of all kinds. In the narrow tunnels, these things will be very difficult to deal with and can easily cause casualties."

"No matter how troublesome it is, we have to gnaw it down inch by inch!"

"Are we really just going to stand by and watch them open that damn thing, unleash the monsters from another shitty universe, and wipe us all out?!"

The engineering experts, commanders, staff officers, and Su Mingjin were engaged in intense discussions. Soon, a rough operational plan was drafted and sent to Li Weiguo.

Upon seeing the Space Marines appear and provide them with numerous clues, Li Weiguo's gaze sharpened.

"Xiao Wang, gather all departments for a meeting! We need to allocate supplies!"

"OK!"

Upon seeing the message from the other world, Li Weiguo immediately inscribed the words for this operation: "Strike at the heart of the enemy!"