Steel torrents pioneering a different world.

Chapter 270 If you're not convinced, then fight! A ruthless sacrifice (Please subscribe)

Another world!

About 70 kilometers away from the Ice River Base, deep in the cave, special energy crystals embedded in the rock walls are emitting a cold, eerie light.

These crystals, specifically designed to lure creatures from another world, became the perfect bait!

suddenly----

boom!boom!boom!boom!

Multiple bursts of fire and sharp animal cries echoed inside the cave.

Bellergas struck the axe blade with the other end of his musket, smashing the still-struggling ice spider's head to pieces. Thick brain matter and bone fragments splattered onto his armor and then vaguely onto his body.

After confirming there was no danger ahead, he casually wiped his face, his heavy breathing echoing in the No. 88 mine shaft.

"casualties?"

"No casualties!"

"Ammunition supplies are running low!"

"Tunnel No. 9 has been cleaned!"

"Alright, all units, halt your attack for now. Put away the bait energy crystals, let's eat and drink first!"

"drink wine!!!"

Amid cheers, the dwarves began to systematically deal with the aftermath of the great battle.

When this spacetime rift, located inside Tunnel 88, first appeared, it did cause considerable losses to the dwarves. However, with the arrival of reinforcements and the emergence of a large number of targeted weapons, they were able to penetrate deep into the caves and eliminate these visitors from another world.

Although those creatures, which humans called the Ink Cloud Serpents, looked terrifying, they were easily annihilated by the well-equipped and well-commanded dwarves.

After clearing the cave, they discovered that the spatial rift wasn't very large. A small rift meant fewer large monsters could emerge. They were lucky they hadn't encountered the terrifying monster behind them! This allowed Bellegas to breathe a sigh of relief.

Based on previous experience, such caves would probably disappear within a year or two.

Just then, a falcon responsible for communications flapped its wings and flew in from outside, screeching.

The dwarf soldier in charge of communications took out the letter tube from the bird's leg, unfolded the paper, and read the contents.

Then they saw the first letter from Post Peck.

The message was immediately relayed to Bellergas.

Bellergas initially paid no attention, glancing at it briefly, but then his breathing suddenly became heavier.

Finally, his face, blackened by gunpowder and dust, turned a deep liver color.

"ha!"

A roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shook the stalactites on the cave ceiling, causing them to shed dust.

"I knew it! Those long-legged human brats are corrupted by greed from head to toe. They not only want our territory, but they also want to attack us through Pangula Fortress."

He crumpled the letter into a ball, as if it were not paper, but the neck of a human commander.

The surrounding dwarf warriors quickly gathered around, and the atmosphere immediately became tense.

"Commander, what's wrong?"

"Are humans going to attack?"

"What are you afraid of! If one comes, we'll chop it down; if two come, we'll chop them both up!"

Bellergas gritted his teeth, signaling everyone to follow the makeshift command post inside the cave.

It was a huge cave that had been recently reopened.

One has to admire the dwarves' ability to carve through mountains and rocks.

He slammed the crumpled letter onto the stone table, grabbed a wine glass, filled it with wine, and then downed the ale in one gulp, leaving his thick beard covered in white foam.

"Not long ago, the human emissaries sent us an ultimatum through Sentinel Peck," his voice almost bursting with rage, "saying that the Mithril Clan has been corrupted by the Outer Gods and has now fallen, transforming from guardians of the seal into destroyers—"

The cave erupted in chaos.

"Bullshit! This is filth!"

"The Mithril Clan—well, the Mithril Clan has indeed had some problems in recent years! They seem to have developed a strong craving for heads lately!"

"Bullshit! They just want to gain the glory of their ancestors and hope that their spirits will watch over the clan!"

The dwarves exchanged angry words, but soon discovered the crux of the matter.

Lillis asked directly, "Belegas, how did they know about our sealed land? What did the letter say?"

Bellegas handed the crumpled document to Liers for review.

When he saw the contents, his expression changed drastically.

"That must be an excuse!"

The other dwarves also cursed loudly after seeing the contents of the letter.

"Heh heh—they want us to voluntarily wipe out our own kind at Pangula Fortress, or else we can come and take it ourselves!"

How did they know about Pomgruppy Fortress?

"Prisoners, they should be the captured Mithril clan members."

"Although the Mithril Clan is cunning, their military discipline has always been among the best in our area. Attila's troops are elite soldiers who have been baptized by bloodshed. How could they rebel so quickly?"

"I saw Peck say that humans broadcast some information. How could those northern humans know so much about us? Is this fake?"

"It's possible! You know, a long time ago, humans joined us in stopping the spacetime seal of Pangula Fortress. They must have relied on the records of their ancestors to create those false magical images in an attempt to deceive us!"

"Magical images are so precious, and creating images that can deceive people is extremely taxing on magic and energy. Could Peck be mistaken?"

At first, many of the dwarves engaged in some rational communication.

But soon, as the alcohol was poured into their mouths, everyone became increasingly agitated.

Then, the discussion, which was originally going well, took a turn for the worse.

"Whatever they're doing, these people are provoking us, we have to fight them back!"

"Yes, fight back!"

"Our forces are all focused on dealing with the Celestial Rift; there are practically no men left on the northern defense line!"

"We dwarves can take on five humans each!"

"The enemy has a strong and well-equipped force, with powerful firearms and formidable artillery!"

"Move the troops! Fight them! Let these bastards know how powerful our dwarven muskets are, let them see how tough our axes and warhammers are!"

Amid the commotion, a relatively calm voice rang out; it was Liers, Bellegas's adjutant.

"Commander, in the letter from the outpost, Peck swore that he witnessed the evil ritual on the other side of the fortress."

Bellegas snorted and tapped the elven secret letter on the table with his knuckles.

"What Peck saw was nothing more than a human magic trick! Many human forces are adept at this kind of deception! We shouldn't trust human tricks so much—"

Just as the dwarves were indignantly discussing how to deal with the humans and teach them a lesson, a new bird arrived carrying a new message—

This time, the message came directly from the frontline commander who was coordinating with the dwarves and elves on the western front.

The commander said the elves came looking for them, and the humans informed them that they would confirm the safety of the Pomgrelle Fortress seal within five days, and if it was not safe, they would remove the nails.

Upon seeing this, Bellergas's face darkened.

He gritted his teeth and handed the letters to Liers, and the other dwarf commanders naturally saw them as well.

Then, even more furious roars, shouts, curses, and sounds that would make any human look good echoed through the cave.

"The elves' message is clear: they don't trust humans either!"

"Then beat them hard!"

"I want rivers of blood to flow!"

"Kill all of humanity!"

"For the hammer!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Calm down, everyone, calm down!"

"They said they'd send rangers to the human frontier to buy us time, but the letter seems to be telling us to investigate ourselves, right?"

"No, I think the elves know who the real threat is! It's those humans!"

Liers hesitated for a moment: "But recently the Mithril Clan—"

"Those are all treacherous words meant to divide us!" Bellegas waved his hand impatiently, interrupting him. "Elves love to talk about these roundabout things! Their actions are the key! They're already on our side!"

His words immediately ignited the dwarves' initial doubts, and they became united in their hatred of him.

"That's right! Even the elves couldn't stand it anymore!"

"It's definitely a human tactic to sow discord!"

"Fight! We want war!"

Liers was still uneasy and suggested in a low voice, "Commander, how about we send a letter to the Mithril Clan to inquire about the situation? Just in case—"

"What are you asking?" Bellegas's eyes widened, his mustache bristling. "Ask them if they betrayed their ancestors and became lackeys of the evil god? Liers, you're insulting your own people! Pangula Fortress is impregnable, safe for thousands of years, not even a fly could get inside, what problems could possibly arise!"

He paused, his tone softening, and patted his adjutant on the shoulder: "I know you're cautious, but don't be fooled by human nonsense. They're just looking for an excuse to start a war with us!"

"But the letter from Peck says that humans will attack Pangolier Fortress," Liers said, making a final effort.

Upon hearing this, Belegas and his dwarf generals laughed, their laughter echoing through the cave, filled with disdain and a sense of absurdity.

"Liers, are you drunk or did Grumon suffocate you?"

Bellergas laughed so hard he almost fell over.

"Pangule Fortress is a full 600 kilometers from here! Separated by our mountains, and next to it lies the devilish sea that can swallow any ship or aircraft. How do they plan to get there? By drifting?"

Bellergas took a big gulp of wine and wiped his mouth.

"Even if they have dozens of flying, metal-clad birds, they won't be able to break through the inescapable net we've laid in the mountains! Our runic anti-aircraft turrets are no joke!"

He looked around, his voice becoming loud and firm again.

"We're speeding up the clearing of pit number 88!"

"Also, send a message to the Council of Elders, saying that the humans are waging ground and psychological warfare against us! We will hold the line this time, and if the enemy attacks, we will make those arrogant human brats taste the power of our warhammers!"

"Yes!" Inside the cave, all the dwarf generals roared in unison, their fighting spirit ignited instantly, and the air was filled with the smell of ale and killing intent.

Bellegas nodded in satisfaction, then slammed his empty wine glass down heavily on the stone table, making the map jump.

"As for the Mithril Clan? They are one of the proud great clans of our ancestors; they cannot make mistakes! What we are seeing is all a human conspiracy to divide us!" He surveyed the crowd, his gaze piercing. "As long as we are united, no one can break through the dwarves' defenses! No one!"

"Long live the kingdom!"

"Long live the hammer!"

After another thunderous response, the generals took their orders and left, leaving only Bellegas and his adjutant Liers in the cave.

Bellegas picked up another glass of ale from the table and walked toward the cave entrance without saying a word.

Liers understood immediately and followed.

The two stood at the cave entrance, the evening breeze carrying the chill of the mountain rocks, slightly dispelling the heat inside the cave.

Bellergas took a large gulp of his drink before speaking, his voice much lower than before: "I know my compatriots are impulsive! I noticed you hesitated just now; were you afraid of saying something that would affect morale?"

Lills gazed at the distant silhouette of the snow-capped mountains and nodded. "Yes, Bellegas, you also suspect the Mithril Clan, don't you?"

Bellergas did not answer immediately, but instead took another swig of wine, the liquid dripping down his rough beard.

"Doubt?" He scoffed self-deprecatingly. "It's more than just doubt."

He turned around, leaning against the cold rock wall, and looked at his adjutant with a complicated expression.

"In recent years, the Mithril Clan has become increasingly erratic. Especially their clan chief—he's acting very strangely! They've suddenly started following His Majesty the King's example and have taken to using the skulls of their enemies for sacrifices. By His Majesty Gazul, our ancestors wanted the heads of powerful and valiant generals to appease their spirits, not just chopping off the heads of any Tom, Dick, or Harry and piling them up like mountains!"

"Liers, you think that's a ritual? That's slaughterhouse work, not only troublesome, but also disgusting when dealing with corpses!"

Lillers remained silent; he had heard about these things as well.

"Do you still remember that mess they made over twenty years ago when they went to buy food?" Bellegas's voice was filled with suppressed anger. "They not only robbed those guys of their liquor, but they also massacred an entire human town, leaving no one alive—men, women, or children! If we hadn't lost ten years' worth of output from three mines, we would have been dragged into the quagmire of war!"

"Ever since then, I've felt something's off about these guys." Bellergas scratched his beard in frustration. "I always had this feeling that what they craved wasn't the glory of their ancestors, but the killing itself!"

Liers finally couldn't help but speak up: "But according to this analysis, human intelligence is far too accurate!"

“Yes, that’s outrageous!” Bellergas interrupted him, a shrewd glint in his eyes. “It’s so outrageous it’s like a joke deliberately told to us. But have you ever considered that the most clever way to deceive someone with a lie is to mix one truth into nine lies?”

Liers was startled and instantly understood.

"Your claim that humans attacked the fortress is a ridiculous lie! They were primarily targeting the Mithril Clan, seeking revenge for our previous slaughter?"

"No, are they trying to destabilize our High Mountain Kingdom? Using the Mithril Clan as a shield?"

Lillis asked, his voice somewhat hoarse.

Dwarves are not afraid of external enemies, but they have all sorts of problems. They already face considerable pressure to maintain internal order, and they are extremely disunited.

Many years ago, they had a history of being divided from within.

Based on the above reasoning, if humans were to defeat them, and win a decisive victory, then the dwarves would likely face internal problems again.

“That’s right!” Bellegas squeezed his glass so hard it cracked. “That’s why I cursed humans in front of everyone. It was all to keep morale high. We can’t afford to lose our composure; that would play right into the enemy’s hands.”

He paused, then downed the rest of the wine in his glass in one gulp, his eyes sharpening.

"But we can't be blind and deaf either. You, me, and many elders and commanders know that the Mithril Clan's internal problems are getting worse! We have a large population, our civilization is just beginning to recover, and our talent pool is still developing. We absolutely cannot afford to have internal conflicts again!"

"Belegas, you're absolutely right. No matter how despicable the Mithril Clan may be, they're still our brethren!"

Bellegas lowered his voice and leaned close to Lillers' ear.

"Lils, write a secret letter. Have the elders send men over the mountains, along the most dangerous cliff paths, to secretly scout out the Pangule Fortress."

"Remember, don't go to the fortress to question them; that would be like walking into a trap and alerting the enemy."

"Let them stay in the mountains outside and keep a close watch on them with binoculars! We have the right to know what those Mithril Clan guys are up to in the fortress!"

"Bellegas, you are indeed a smart man! Always prepare multiple times!" Lils nodded heavily, his expression solemn: "Understood! If it's just a minor problem, then our enemy is still humanity."

Bellergas nodded in satisfaction: "Yes, go ahead, make the arrangements as soon as possible. We'll hold them off on the northern front! But we need to ensure the absolute safety of our rear!"

Bellegas waved his hand, stood alone in the cold wind, and looked at the northern sky shrouded in dark clouds with a furrowed brow.

Human accusations are like a poisonous thorn; though the surface may appear to be easily removed, the toxins may have already been quietly injected into the very blood of the dwarf kingdom.

While the dwarves were busily setting up their internal reconnaissance, the humans were equally swift in their actions.

Drones and hidden outposts scattered across the border mountains, along with various pieces of equipment that blend almost seamlessly into the forest, act like countless tireless eyes, taking in every move of the dwarves and elves.

Inside the command center, on the huge tactical map, red arrows representing the elven and dwarven forces were moving frequently. Although they were moving in different directions, the overall trend was undoubtedly toward the border.

"Commander, the intelligence report is here." A young staff officer handed a document to the commander. "The dwarves are hurling insults and claiming we're going to invade. However, their troop movements aren't particularly rapid!"

"The elves are also sending reinforcements, but they're just spreading them out in the surrounding area. It seems they suffered heavy losses before and dare not concentrate their forces again!"

"This time they've misunderstood us; they think we're about to launch a major invasion."

Commander Man stared at the flashing red dots on the map, his face expressionless. "There's been no large-scale troop movement, nor any probing attack. It seems they're only half-convinced by the information we sent. The plan has at least a 50% chance of success!"

"Yes, it seems there's no complete strategic trust between the dwarves and elves," another advisor chuckled. "Unfortunately, that's all we can do!"

Dwarves are suspicious, elves are arrogant. Humans won't expect a letter to make them investigate on their own.

They don't believe us; they only believe what they see with their own eyes.

But there are only a few days left, and the spacetime rift may be opened soon. Humanity can't afford to wait that long!

Commander Man slammed his hand down on the northern line of the map. "Order the pioneering teams to increase the pressure!"

"clear!"

The pioneering team needs to give the elves and dwarves a sense of impending doom; the greater the pressure, the greater the internal pressure they will feel.

The order was quickly issued to the front lines.

For a time, the area around the Ice River Base, especially near the Dwarf Outpost, was bustling with activity.

The roar of engines echoed through the sky as rows of mountain armored vehicles kicked up snow and moved back and forth along the front line.

Light infantry fighting vehicles carrying soldiers repeatedly conducted assault drills.

In the sky, formations of armed helicopters frequently flew low, making highly threatening attack postures.

This high-profile mobilization made the dwarf sentinels observing from the opposite hilltop with binoculars tremble with fear, and even the jerky they ate tasted like cardboard.

"Gazelle's Beard! These short-lived bastards are sending out messages every day; it seems they're determined to fight us to the death!"

"How long until our main force arrives?"

"3000 people, at least seven days!"

"Alas, this is far too long. The enemy will attack in three days at most, and we may all be dead!"

"At least die on the battlefield where they kill indiscriminately."

"Haha, that's true—come, let us drink this cup together, for the tribe, for our children, cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The dwarven sentries on the front lines were elite; after sending out the message, they awaited the arrival of the enemy army.

The elves also felt the pressure, but they mainly deployed troops to tie down human forces, while also sending flying units, riding griffins to arrive.

After paying their respects to the elders of the Dwarven Council, they directly expressed their wishes.

Upon hearing that the elves were going to the dwarven Pangulet fortress complex to ascertain the situation, Elder Malzahar of the Mithril clan immediately refused: "No! Absolutely not!"

"Why not? Elder Malzahar, you once sent envoys to observe the sealed lands under our clan's jurisdiction. According to the sacred agreement, our clan has the right to know whether the sealed forbidden lands are safe when danger is discovered!"

"No means no! Without the king's order, without the chieftain's command, no one is allowed to approach Pangule Fortress!"

"Then how do we ensure the safety of the sealed area of ​​Pangula Fortress?"

"The Pangula Fortress is heavily guarded by our most elite troops, and it's also equipped with a large number of forbidden weapons. No one can breach it from the inside, so you have nothing to worry about!"

"But the humans to the north are becoming increasingly aggressive, and our borders are now in grave danger! To prevent a potential war, we must ensure the safety of Fort Pangula!"

"No, absolutely not. Without the king's order, no one can authorize going to the fortress to watch."

The elf messengers were furious; their desire to explore the fortress was temporarily blocked by the dwarves' stubborn obstruction.

In another world, far from the border where informants can explore, near the northern Devil's Sea, a place known by dwarves as the boundary between life and death, a relatively large dwarven port city is located here due to its unique geographical location and excellent ice-free port.

At this moment, the lighthouse, lit by granite and burning magic stone, flickered with an eerie light.

On the dock, huge steam cranes were hoisting crates of cargo onto merchant ships that combined sails and paddle wheels, while dwarven guards, clad in rune armor and wielding firearms, great axes, or warhammers, patrolled back and forth with heavy steps.

This is Tranquil Harbor, the third largest port controlled by the dwarves, a bustling but extremely xenophobic place.

Looking around, all that could be seen besides the dwarves were slaves and prisoners of war of various races chained up.

Lin Li mingled among the noisy dockworkers, his disguised dwarf face revealing no emotion.

Where the dwarves couldn't see, the recording equipment was rapidly recording everything in the port.

He watched as groups of slaves of various races, shackled and even mixed in with a large number of dwarf prisoners who had committed offenses—these people were likely dwarf prisoners and their families—were all brutally driven onto riverboats.

"To destroy someone, you must first drive them mad. The Mithril Clan has gone completely insane," Lin Li cursed inwardly.

He knew that these people's final destination was Pangulak Fortress.

The fortress needed more and more lives, like the gaping maw of a giant beast that only took in and never gave out, devouring a constant stream of fresh lives.

Since informing the pioneering team about the clues to Pangule Fortress, Lin Li has been busy.

Relying on the convenience of the time portal and the ability of his projected clones to easily change his identity and appearance, he has been diligently venturing deep into the heart of these otherworldly races to conduct reconnaissance these past few days.

In the past few days, he has thoroughly investigated the military deployments around Pangule Fortress.

Now, he has come to Tranquil Harbor to investigate its true nature.

In the event of any unforeseen circumstances at Panguler Fortress, the garrison at Tranquil Harbor would be the most likely reinforcements to be dispatched, and he must find a way to immobilize them.

Meow~

The voice of Laplace's demon rang out.

"I've already seen it!"

Lin Li's lips twitched as he looked at the hidden military base built in the mountains in the distance.

In the distance, several enormous dwarven airships were slowly descending, while a few rune-inscribed planes resembling biplane propellers circled nearby before quickly landing on a high mountain.

As he looked at the somewhat clumsy flying machines hidden in the caves, a strange thought arose in his mind.

"The dwarves claimed to be a powerful race, once capable of forging divine artifacts and riding dragons. Unfortunately, their systematic scientific civilization suffered a setback, ultimately leading them to their current state!"

Just then, a commotion arose from the slave ship not far away.

"Let me go! You bastards, executioners, why are you arresting me? The king will punish you! The king will punish you!"

A dwarf prisoner being escorted suddenly began to struggle, his beard bristling with rage.

"Shut up! Traitor to the Copperhammer Clan!" The escorting guard slammed his rifle butt into his back with a dull thud. "Once we get to Pangulu, you'll know what rules are!"

"Pah! I'm not a criminal, I'm not a traitor—why are you arresting me—"

Before he could finish speaking, another guard stuffed a rag into his mouth.

Lin Li's gaze lingered briefly on the prisoner before sweeping around.

He discovered at least several hundred dwarves of varying ages, all pouting and bearing obvious signs of being beaten.

The Copper Hammer Clan?

Is it a minor clan among the twenty-eight clans of dwarves?

Something's not right with them.

"Could this be a sacrifice of one's own kind?"

Lin Li gasped, his killing intent growing even stronger.

He silently memorized the name, then cast his gaze deeper into the harbor—

His detector was also recording all clues about the dwarves in real time!

Amidst the tense atmosphere among the dwarves, the pioneering warriors, who were about to engage in a major battle, were enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

Since the large-scale operation was confirmed and various units were mobilized, the reclamation team issued an order for all frontline combat personnel to enter a 48-hour rest period.

This is a very short but precious rest period!

The usual somber atmosphere in the camp had vanished.

With many restrictions lifted, the soldiers sat in small groups, playing games or boasting loudly. They also talked about their encounters with elven captives and dwarves.

"Hey Lao Li, has your marksmanship gotten worse? Last time we were shooting, I beat you by a whole pack of cigarettes!"

"Bullshit! It was windy that day, which affected my performance! If you're so capable, let's have a match next time. The loser has to wash stinky socks for a month!"

"Get lost! Your socks are like a biological weapon, they all stink! Whoever wants to wash them can wash them!"

The bathhouse was packed with people, the hot water was steaming, and the soldiers, shirtless, were scrubbing their backs and humming off-key songs, washing away the fatigue and tension of the past few days.

For them, the only way to maintain peak performance is to relax fully before the battle. If their nerves are constantly on edge, they are more likely to make mistakes on the battlefield.

Of course, not everyone can be so leisurely.

As the elite of the elite, Zhao and Tu Ying led several special forces units who, after a brief 36-day rest upon returning to the modern world...

Hours later, they threw themselves back into the intense preparations.

In their operations conference room, there were huge maps spread out and constantly marked and revised operational plans.

While the troops were still racking their brains over how to conquer a core fortress guarded by dwarves, the pioneering team's command brought in new clues.

The Glacier Base reclamation team is more than 650 kilometers away from Pangule Fortress.

The other world is subject to strong electromagnetic interference. To the north of the Ice River Base lies the Dwarf Mountain Kingdom, which is entirely Dwarf territory.

At such a great distance, without building communication relay stations, humans simply cannot thoroughly explore the security of that area.

However, Lin Li's existence gave the pioneering team endless possibilities.

During this period, Lin Li, relying on his absurd ability similar to a magic door, easily and clearly detected the core area within a radius of tens of kilometers.

Various locations require long-term occupation, locations may be controlled by dwarves, and locations can be protected by terrain. There are also various transportation and supply lines that humans can easily acquire without the need for special forces reconnaissance.

In many areas, there are even high-definition videos and images providing clues, allowing special forces soldiers and other pioneering team members to easily understand detailed clues about the other world more than 600 kilometers away.

It is precisely because of this kind of external advantage that humanity has such abundant confidence!

"Team Leader Zhao, according to the latest reconnaissance report from headquarters, this location is a crucial transportation route for the dwarves. If we destroy it, seal it off, and build an air defense network here, we can hold out for at least seven days." A team member looked at the map and started marking things up.

Zhao stared intently at the thin route.

"The demolition team also needs to confirm the rock structure. The dwarves have Gruul beasts that can scale walls and leap across rooftops; what's a formidable obstacle for us in the mountains is nothing to them! That gentleman also detected a large number of airships and some propeller-driven aircraft. The level of danger those things are still unknown; we need multiple layers of protection!"

Meanwhile, Tu Ying was studying the enemy's psychology.

"Dwarves are stubborn by nature, but not fearless. Those Mithril clansmen have gone a bit mad." He tapped his fingers on a few key spots. "Our operation must be swift and ruthless, rendering them completely incapable of resistance before they can even react."

"This time, the enemy is in the open while we are in the dark; the advantage is on our side!"