Steel torrents pioneering a different world.

Chapter 322 A Heart-chilling Elf! Three Races from Another World Join Forces in Battle! (Please Subscribe)

The headquarters of the Time-Space Gate, in another world.

The cargo plane's door slowly opened, and the familiar, cold air, mixed with the smell of aviation fuel, rushed into the cabin, diluting the seafood smell from the tranquil harbor.

Su Mingjin glanced at the boxes of local specialties from Ningjing Port that had been transported along with the goods, and her lips twitched slightly.

That was a parting gift the dwarves gave her after they caught seafood from the Devil's Sea when they resumed fishing in Tranquil Harbor.

However, the dwarves' sealing technology was somewhat crude, and when they returned, a strong smell of seafood filled the cabin.

"General Su! Welcome back in triumph!" Commander Man saluted with a smile from afar.

"Commander Man." Su Mingjin stepped forward quickly and saluted Commander Man who came to greet her.

Su Mingjin stepped onto the solid concrete ground, looking at the steel base that had been stationed there for more than half a year, and at the familiar faces. Her nerves, which had been tense for two days, finally relaxed.

After returning the salute, Commander Man's sharp gaze swept across her face. Without wasting words, he went straight to the point: "How's the situation these past two days? Just how good is the news?"

"The agreements have all been signed." Su Mingjin smiled and handed over a copy of the document summary. "We have gained 100,000 square kilometers of new territory, the right to develop the Devil's Sea, and the right to supervise several dangerous forbidden areas! The dwarves and elves have agreed to send a force to work with us to deal with the invasion problem at the intersection of the heavens."

"Our pioneering team's command needs to dispatch warriors as soon as possible to urgently learn the common vocabulary of Dwarven and Elven languages ​​to facilitate subsequent contact work."

"That's easy. Professor Yu and his team have taken care of the language issue, and the soldiers have been studying diligently. I estimate they'll be able to communicate fluently within a few days!" Brigade Commander Man took the document, his eyes quickly scanning it. After reading the contents, a bright smile spread across his face. "General Su, 100,000 square kilometers of land is no easy task!"

Su Mingjin smiled and nodded, saying, "The territory gifted by the elves is connected to our stronghold, with vast fertile lands, forests, and a complete river system. We don't need to contact the elven civilians in the early stages, but we need to immediately gather intelligence, dispatch exploration teams and troops to be stationed there, be ready to support the border defense forces at any time, and expedite the handling of any dangerous creature invasions."

Commander Man's breathing became slightly heavier.

Another round of territorial expansion!

The area of ​​an entire province was still largely undeveloped fertile land!

It's unclear how many people will actually benefit this time!

Once everyone had entered the command post, Brigade Commander Man walked to the huge sand table and signaled to the technician to bring up the latest map data.

"Our tasks will be very heavy for some time to come."

"We need to make the following deployments!"

"First, rely on the river to establish forward bases and assembly points."

"Second, conduct a comprehensive search of the new area, and report any abnormalities."

"Third, and most importantly, we need to identify all possible points where the celestial bodies meet, mark dangerous areas, and ensure safety within the territory."

After watching the brigade commander finish speaking, Su Mingjin added, "Although the elves will coordinate the departure of the elven civilians within our territory, judging by their efficiency, the process is probably not fast. We also need to help the elves! We should at least try to retain more elven civilians here."

Humans need elves as a spark to ignite a prairie fire. Even knowing that bad things might happen in the future, for the sake of overall strategic planning and subsequent cultural exchange, humans will do their best to save the elves and pass on their good policies to them.

Commander Man nodded, his gaze sweeping across the sand table, then said, "Such a vast area, so much primeval forest—we must sincerely help our elves! We also need almost all of our troops to cooperate. This is a tremendous test!"

The other advisors laughed and said, "Yes, besides consolidating the new territory, we also need to send people to guard the dwarves and elves' sealed forbidden areas. The electromagnetic interference in this other world is very strong, and the communication problem must be solved as soon as possible."

Su Mingjin nodded: "Building a communication network shouldn't be a problem for us, right?"

"That's no longer a problem." Commander Man's lips curled into a smile. "After the scientists in charge of electromagnetic communications absorbed the dwarven rune technology, our communication interference has been greatly reduced. Now, some high-power communication base stations can cover an area of ​​more than 200 kilometers. We only need to build five or six large communication sites, combined with the wired communication network, to form a three-dimensional early warning system!"

Behind the pioneering team stands the infrastructure powerhouse, an industrial Cthulhu who controls the entire supply chain.

What is a natural barrier elsewhere is, at most, a large and complex engineering project for the pioneering team.

The logistics and engineering departments could easily adopt a rapid infrastructure development approach to bring the fertile lands of this other world under their control.

Following the discussion at the command center, the order was quickly relayed down.

First, let's talk about Ningjing Port.

The human troops that Bi Shengli was originally commanding began to be withdrawn and returned for rest.

Of the more than 20,000 soldiers, only a little over 6,000 remained. They were mainly stationed in the Tranquil Port area and along the transport route to Pangula Fortress.

Several engineering units will construct a permanent passage from Tranquil Harbor to Fort Pangurt base, which is expected to take two months to complete.

In the southern forest area, the troops, who had been holed up, began to conduct more detailed reconnaissance of the surrounding area under the command of Wu Mudi, as well as to prepare for the construction of subsequent logistical routes.

The pre-planned access routes were distributed, and the engineering corps began construction, while the human pioneers assisted in protection.

Over the next year, the main force of the human pioneering team will be in contact with various alien creatures in the forest belt, as well as various invaders from the sky.

However, the second phase of large-scale development is very safe, as the number of casualties caused by various strange and poisonous creatures has been greatly reduced.

The warriors of the pioneering team have also seen an increase in combat effectiveness compared to a few months ago.

For example, the previous exoskeletons have been distributed to second-line troops, while first-line troops have begun to be equipped with fully protected first-generation power armor.

Although they did not take warrior serum and their physical condition was not as good as that of special forces, their combat power was very strong.

Even when encountering magical creatures, the warriors, working together, can take down all targets with minimal losses.

Meanwhile, three special forces units, injected with dwarven warrior potions and possessing physical abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people, were dispatched as the first mobile force.

They will act as a sharp blade, working alongside warriors from both races to handle all unexpected celestial convergences within the border.

"Although the elves and dwarves will also send troops, we can't rely on them entirely."

Commander Man looked at the red arrow representing special forces on the sand table and said in a deep voice, "This joint operation is a demonstration of our strength, and also an essential step for everyone to assess each other!"

"We should not only bring our own troops, but also incorporate some of the elves and dwarves who have undergone ideological reform into our operations, to build tactical trust and facilitate further cooperation in the future."

A hint of surprise flashed in Su Mingjin's eyes. Were elves and dwarves being directly incorporated into the human army?

Commander Man seemed to see through her thoughts, and his gaze returned to the vast land of gifts on the map, his eyes becoming profound.

"President Su, military cooperation is about hard power, and we'll be in contact with each other for a long time. Sometimes, being secretive will make us appear weak!"

Commander Man spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it made Su Mingjin's heart skip a beat.

Absolute strength is indeed the key to solving the problem!

Although the elves and dwarves have a lot of advanced technologies, humans are far superior to them in terms of both size and current research and development capabilities.

Size can be overwhelming, and sometimes it's about boldly and openly showcasing one's strength!

"Okay, let's arrange it that way then!"

Dozens of kilometers away from the Time-Space Gate base, in the prisoner-of-war camp, in the communication room.

When the dwarf Attila, who had gained weight, and his Mithril Clan warriors were brought here, they all stood with their necks stiff, looking as if they were about to be judged.

They had even planned that if humans dared to humiliate them, they would endure the side effects of the restraining collars and make them pay.

Anyway, I won't bring shame to the Mithril Clan.

But who knew that what awaited them was not cold shackles and judges, but a group of—jubilant kin?

Attila and his tough men nearly dropped their jaws as they watched their fellow tribesmen in the distance, who were unarmed but carrying steaming hot drinks and winking at them.

Were these guys captured again?

But why were they carrying weapons?

Something's not right!

Could it be that...?

A moment later, in the communication room.

"So, in other words—the great mountain kingdom has surrendered—to humanity?"

After hearing the explanation from the envoy of his fellow tribesman Liers, Attila's face turned ashen, and he crumpled the disposable plastic cup in his hand into a ball.

"Bullshit! What surrender!" Liers slammed his fist on the table, spittle flying everywhere. "It's the great ancestor Gaizul who has appeared to us! He personally delivered this divine decree! In the future, the great Gaizul will lead our race onto the right path! We will cooperate with humans, and those long-eared creatures! Do you understand cooperation? Prioritize resolving the problem of the celestial convergence, prioritize resolving the problem of our race's survival!"

As Lillis spoke, a fanatical light shone in his eyes, which Attila found somewhat unfamiliar.

"So," Liers leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said in a complicated tone, "weren't you recently imprisoned in the appendix camp? You seem quite familiar with some of the rules and regulations of humans! You should have learned quite a bit of human language too, right?"

"This comes in handy. Aside from a few who will need to write about their experiences as prisoners and perhaps reflect on their actions, the rest of you will be directly incorporated into the combat forces! This is an official order from the Kingdom's Council of Elders!"

Write a self-criticism? Find instances of being mistreated by humans?

Attila was bewildered. When had they been treated so badly?

After they arrived, they worked every day, but the food was very good, with meat at every meal.

In the beginning, they were made to feel like it was their last meal before death.

After staying there for a while, they felt more comfortable than at home.

It's a pity they can't lie down and rest. They're not allowed to work; they're only provided with basic necessities like rice.

He looked at Liers, then at his equally stunned tribesmen, and finally forced out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Understood. We will never betray the glory of Gaizul!"

At the same time, in the elven prisoner camp.

After hearing Tang Huanzhu's story, Annies's face turned deathly pale, devoid of any color.

A three-race alliance?

Can they go home now?

These two words exploded in her mind like two thunderclaps.

Going home is great news for other elves, but for her, it's a ticket to hell.

She could almost see herself returning to the royal city, standing beneath the sacred tree, her memories being peeled away inch by inch by the all-pervasive mind magic.

Previously, in exchange for more fruit and various delicacies, she revealed some secrets of the kingdom, as well as some secrets of forbidden magic.

Besides this, later in order to be able to take a hot bath, she told the humans which captured elven officer had a bad temper, and about some clan temperaments and personality issues among the elves.

These deals, which seemed harmless at the time, would absolutely be defined as unforgivable betrayals under the judgment of the sacred tree.

The outcome will be worse than death.

"Then I—?"

Annie's voice trembled; she felt like a clumsy clown, all her struggles exposed to the light of day.

Tang Huanzhu looked at her sudden change in expression, a knowing glint in his eyes.

She gently pushed a document in front of Annie.

"Annis, don't worry. We have applied to your royal family to give priority to your batch of members in the newly formed cooperative force. It will be jointly formed by the dwarves, elves, and us, and will mainly deal with the celestial convergence in the future."

Tang Huanzhu paused, her tone softening further: "Moreover, you can also choose to stay and live here. As long as you abide by our laws, you can obtain formal citizenship in the future, and you can marry, have children, and own your own land and property."

These words were like a warm current, instantly dispelling the chill in Annie's heart.

She suddenly raised her head, looked into Tang Huanzhu's sincere eyes, her lips moved a few times, but she couldn't utter a single word.

No need to go back —

I can survive now.

"Thanks!"

Tang Huanzhu grasped Annis's hand: "Although I'm only 24 this year, and you're just over a hundred, according to the lifespan of the elven race, you're still a minor. We have an age gap, but we have a lot to talk about. We're friends, and it's normal for friends to help each other!"

"Friends!" Annie muttered to herself, then laughed. "Yes, friends! Very good friends!"

The inquiry process by Tang Huanzhu's team went exceptionally smoothly.

"Annis, but for safety's sake, we need to take some action!"

"Please speak!"

"Annis, you've become friends with us, but you don't want to ruin your relationship with your elven friends, do you?"

"What should I do?"

"Come on, let me tell you—"

Soon, after the humans informed the elves that they could either go home or stay, the expressions on the faces of the more than seven hundred elven prisoners of war were incredulous.

After repeated confirmation, a completely different emotion erupted in the elven camp.

The vast majority of elves chose the former.

Overjoyed, they wept, embraced each other, and softly sang folk songs from their hometown.

Having been captured for months and suffering the mental torment of losing the Sacred Tree Network, his longing for the Sacred Tree and the Elven Magic Network had long since seeped into his very bones.

They could almost feel the warm sunshine of the royal city and the fresh scent of grass and trees in the air.

On the other hand, more than two hundred elves, including Anise, chose to stay.

They didn't cheer; they simply signed their names silently on the documents and then quietly gathered together.

Some of them, like Annie, carry unspeakable secrets.

Others, however, lost faith in the cold, aristocratic society of the elves after just a few months of contact and suddenly realized the truth.

They looked at their jubilant kinsmen with complex emotions—pity, sorrow, and sympathy.

The next day, the envoys from the Elf Kingdom arrived at the camp, escorted by a group of elven guards.

The elves, preparing to return home, were summoned to the square. Suppressing their excitement, they waited with utmost reverence for the messenger to announce the good news of their return.

The messenger was a handsome male elf, dressed as magnificently as ever.

He slightly raised his chin, and when his gaze swept over his fellow clansmen who had unexpectedly gained a little weight, a hint of astonishment flashed in his eyes.

However, she quickly suppressed her astonishment, transforming her gaze into a cold, calm one.

"My fellow countrymen, you have worked hard! The Council of Elders has gone to great lengths to successfully save you all! We should have let you return to see your families, but—" The messenger cleared his throat, his voice clear yet cold, "The crisis of the convergence of the heavens is imminent, and the kingdom is forming an alliance with humans and dwarves to jointly defend against the powerful enemy."

The elves listened quietly, some of them already showing signs of confusion.

The envoy abruptly changed his tone, leaving no room for argument: "According to the agreement among the three races, in order to demonstrate our race's sincerity and determination, you will be included as members of the first batch of cooperative forces, immediately incorporated into the human command structure to clear out the invading creatures on the border and seal off the anomaly at the intersection of the heavens."

The square fell silent instantly.

The joyful expressions on the faces of some elves who were looking forward to returning home froze.

Each elf's face showed confusion and astonishment.

What do you mean? You're not going home?

Anise, feigning a strong desire to return home, watched all this with disdain for the words of the elven nobles.

Tang Huanzhu was right after all.

The nobles of the Elf Kingdom want to treat us like cattle and horses until we die on the battlefield.

"Of course, we appreciate everyone's efforts," the envoy seemed quite satisfied with the result, a formulaic smile playing on his lips. "You can leave your letters, and we will forward them to your relatives in the capital."

Finally, someone in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer and asked in a trembling voice, "Sir—when will we be able to reintegrate into the Holy Tree Network? Can we meet with our families through the Holy Tree Network?"

This question reflects the sentiments of everyone.

For elves, being separated from the sacred tree network is like being a lost soul abandoned by their own kind.

They couldn't feel the magical light of the Mother Goddess, and their hearts were very empty!

The envoy's smile faded, replaced by a hint of impatience: "The baptism ceremony at the sacred tree requires a great deal of resources, and the high priest is currently praying for the soldiers throughout the kingdom, leaving him no time to provide baptisms for everyone."

"Therefore, for a long time to come, your duty will be to obey the commands of humanity and fight for the glory of the kingdom!"

These words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the enthusiasm of all the elves from head to toe.

glory?

They looked at themselves, then at the high-ranking envoy, and felt only endless sorrow and the humiliation of being abandoned.

They seem destined never to become heroes.

They are just losers.

They were merely pawns discarded by the kingdom as bargaining chips to be handed over to humanity.

We only failed once when fighting against humanity, we're not useless!

Why is the kingdom so indifferent to us?

On the other hand, the dwarf camp presented a completely different scene.

The dwarves weren't as scheming and infighting, and they sent out a large number of troops.

The prisoners of war from both races thus began to make contact with the human combat forces.

Two days later, multiple Kunpeng transport planes landed from the sky.

Subsequently, reinforcements dispatched by the dwarves and elves arrived.

After allocation, a total of two thousand elf and dwarf combat and logistics personnel arrived at the human camp.

The newly arrived dwarf warriors and Attila and his companions hit it off immediately, chatting arm in arm about how delicious human roasted meat was.

Yes, at least several hundred of these new dwarven warriors were transferred from Tranquil Harbor.

They had contact with humans before.

Thanks to the oracle of Gazul, the relationship between humans and dwarves is very good.

Some dwarven warriors, eager to make a name for themselves, couldn't wait to rush onto the battlefield and smash the heads of those twisted monsters with their warhammers.

However, the troops deployed by the elves were rather mediocre.

Annies was puzzled when she saw that the elven warriors being deployed were marching in formation rather haphazardly.

After some investigation, they learned that the unit was composed of low-level elven farmers and untrained soldiers.

By the way, these elven troops are soldiers composed of elves from scattered small clans on the northern border.

Annies was furious.

Those elven nobles, those despicable fellows, they even use untrained people to fill positions, they deserve to die.

They are dealing with invaders from the convergence of the heavens, an extremely dangerous situation. To bring in these untrained civilians is simply disregarding their lives.

What about the elves' belief in not abandoning their own kind?

A few days later, after a hasty period of adjustment and adaptation training, this diverse and oddly motivated tri-race joint force was officially deployed to the dangerous border.

Commander Man stood atop the high watchtower, watching the marching column below. A human soldier steadily boarded a vehicle! Dwarf warriors roared and brandished their weapons, eager to fight. The elves, however, were rather demoralized.

Because in the past few days, they had received news that the reinforcements who came to their aid were not very skilled in combat.

Commander Man rubbed his temples, feeling that in the future he would not only have to be a nanny, but also make humans fight beautifully.

"This is getting a bit troublesome!"

In another world, seven days after the agreement was signed, the second day of the joint forces' operation.

In the depths of the dense forest, where the sky meets the earth, thick fog blankets the area, reducing visibility to less than ten meters.

Because of the previous disaster zone where the heavens and earth met, otherworldly creatures frequently poured in, making it extremely dangerous.

In the fog, several slender yet agile figures moved through the thick fog.

Their steps were light, barely making a sound.

The leading elf, Anis, made a gesture, and the team immediately stopped, crouching down to blend into their surroundings.

She listened intently; the forest was eerily quiet, save for the sound of water droplets dripping from the leaves.

"Hiss—this place is shrouded in such thick fog, I have a feeling there's definitely a trap!"

The dwarf's muffled complaints came through the headphones, mixed with the sounds of chewing food.

"Bajin, don't talk too much, pay attention to battlefield discipline." A calm human male voice rang out, saying without any emotion, "Elf scout team, coordinates 034. The thermal imaging from the reconnaissance plane just now showed a large number of creatures lying in ambush seventy meters ahead. Repeat, a large number of creatures lying in ambush. Be vigilant and retreat carefully!"

Annies' pupils contracted slightly.

Human magical devices are indeed amazing.

In this complex environment, the magic of the elves is severely disrupted, greatly affecting Eagle Eye and the ability to control birds for reconnaissance, yet humans are able to perceive things with remarkable accuracy.

"receive."

She spoke succinctly, gesturing for her companions to retreat.

Without any hesitation, the elves turned and retreated silently like flowing shadows.

However, they had only retreated less than ten meters when a commotion arose from the thick fog ahead.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

A piercing shriek shattered the deathly silence of the forest. The lurking monsters, having clearly noticed their target's escape, charged out of their hiding places in a fit of rage.

Hundreds of figures surrounded them from both sides and in front.

They were a group of short, dark green humanoid creatures with long, pointed ears that drooped haphazardly and grotesque facial features. They were notorious goblins, the easiest to invade during the period of the great celestial convergence.

"Human brothers! It's up to you now!"

The dwarf Bajin's voice became excited in the headphones.

"As per training, be careful to avoid the line of fire; we are about to open fire," the human commander's voice rang out calmly.

The headphones worn by the dwarves and elves quickly transmitted the translated human voice.

To facilitate the war between the three races, humanity developed the I-Identification System, which can quickly translate the languages ​​and scripts of the three races.

While it cannot yet handle complex communications, it is sufficient for these purposes.

The next second, the dense forest covered in thick fog was torn apart by the metal storm!

Da da da da da—!

Two heavy machine guns spewed out raging flames from the flank positions, and the metallic storm formed by 7.62mm full-power armor-piercing rounds instantly enveloped the path of the goblin charge.

Puff puff puff—!

The dozens of goblins at the forefront didn't even have time to let out a scream before their bodies were easily torn apart by bullets.

Their crude armor, tanned from the leather of an unknown organism, was as thin as paper in the face of steel.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere, and severed limbs splattered.

The thick fog was tinged with a faint scarlet hue.

The surviving goblin was terrified by this sudden and devastating blow, letting out a horrified scream and turning to flee back into the fog.

"Guys! It's your turn to snag a bargain!"

"Hahaha! Here I come!"

With a rough roar, Liers and a dozen short, stocky figures rushed out from behind the cover on the flank, each carrying a three-eyed firearm with a sharp blade.

boom! boom! boom!

The dull thuds of gunfire erupted one after another, and the large-caliber bullets blasted several of the fastest goblins backward, exploding bloody holes in their chests.

"For the glory of Gaizul!"

Ba Jin covered Liers and charged forward first.

After discarding the missed shot, he casually picked up the weapon and, like an out-of-control armored vehicle, crashed into the goblin horde.

With swift, decisive movements, heads and limbs flew everywhere, and the goblins were slain as easily as chopping vegetables.

The remaining dwarf warriors followed closely behind, turning the pursuit into a one-sided massacre.

Soon, only two goblins remained, lying paralyzed on the ground, their arms holding weapons broken off by the dwarf, emitting painful howls.

Ba Jin stomped on the head of one of the goblins and shouted gruffly into the comms, "Command, we've caught two live goblins! Time to pry open their ugly mouths and ask if there are any more of their nests around here!"

"Command received. Bring them back safely. We will provide cover."

"Understood, understood! Prepare the good wine and meat!"

"Friend, drinking alcohol is not advisable during wartime!"