Steel torrents pioneering a different world.

Chapter 367 A Quagmire of War? No, This is a Robot War of Attrition! (Bonus Chapter)

Compared to the cunning elves and the dwarves who are only thinking about eating and fighting, the human alliance's frontline command has been having a real headache lately!

The human pioneering team seemed to have suffered the fewest losses among the three races, but the humans were not in a good mood.

Inside the command center where Wu Mudi was located, electronic screens were constantly flashing with lights.

The information above shows the areas where the enemy and our forces are engaged in intense combat.

The battlefield was vast, stretching for hundreds of kilometers.

Humans are never afraid of fighting, but they hate endless battles where the enemy's home base cannot be found.

The pioneering team couldn't understand why the invaders from other worlds were so hostile towards this world.

"Damn celestial convergence!!! Where did those guys come from? Why can't we find their home base?"

The second phase of the battle at the celestial convergence was more complicated than humanity had anticipated.

The pioneers are now fighting a very fierce battle.

You could say this is a high-intensity forest guerrilla warfare version of another world.

The invaders in the southern forest belt mostly belong to the New World. They appear like randomly spawning monsters, and upon arriving in this alien world, they systematically attack all living beings.

It applies to all living things!

It's as if these guys were given some ultimate goal, and they came here to kill.

Humans have tried to capture each other and communicate, but all attempts have failed.

It's a real headache.

Enemies you can't communicate with are the most annoying.

They all belong to the invaders of this world in the second phase of the Celestial Convergence!

The sudden appearance of the enemy disrupted the pioneering team's strategic plans.

According to the descriptions of the dwarves and elves, the first phase of the celestial convergence would last for about five to ten years.

Then, it will enter the second stage, which is also the most dangerous point of celestial convergence and eruption.

This phase could last for decades, during which many strange and monstrous things will rush in from another world.

Of course, the dwarves and elves also said there was an extremely rare third stage.

However, the third phase rarely occurs; most of the time, the celestial bodies recover on their own after the large-scale celestial convergence in the second phase.

Who knew that the first phase of the massive celestial convergence would last less than six months before the second phase arrived?

The sudden crisis means that the human pioneering teams need to readjust their current troop strength requirements.

The pioneering team, with its integrated industrial and Cthulhu rear support, as well as its powerful firepower, has never been afraid of large-scale military operations.

Their heavy firepower and armored formations are enough to crush any enemy that comes head-on.

However, this kind of killing, which uses spatial rifts to carry out dispersed, covert, and endless guerrilla harassment warfare in the forest, has left them exhausted.

In less than twenty days, the number of casualties among frontline soldiers has reached three hundred.

The robot army also suffered thousands of losses!

This number is a very significant figure for the pioneering team.

You have to understand that the soldiers have never suffered such heavy losses since the beginning of the land reclamation.

If the current casualty ratio continues, at least several thousand soldiers will lose their precious lives every year.

If the crisis of the second phase of the celestial convergence is to last for ten years or even longer, it means that humanity could suffer heavy casualties of up to 50,000 people.

This is an unbearable number for the pioneering teams who have just gained a foothold and whose population base is far from saturated.

If this trend continues, it will definitely become a public security mess!

Every soldier is a precious asset. Losing them is not just a numerical loss, but a huge blow to future development.

To address these issues and significantly enhance the combat capabilities of human soldiers in jungles and harsh environments, the rear has been continuously adjusting and improving its response mechanisms to ensure the security and stability of the core area.

Otherwise, this hard-won new homeland will gradually decline due to endless consumption, or the pioneering team will have to abandon the land they previously reclaimed and instead protect strategic resources, engaging in exploitative development of the world!

"Report! New and intense magical energy fluctuations detected, confirmed to be from the previous dark summoning ritual!"

The sudden report interrupted Wu Mudi's thoughts.

The so-called Dark Summoning Ritual is the operation performed by those chaotic, incommunicative, and bizarre creatures.

They clearly possess remarkable intelligence, yet they are unable to communicate effectively and are highly goal-oriented.

During their misunderstandings in western Zhejiang, the three-race allied forces encountered the other side multiple times attempting to perform a bizarre energy summoning ritual by killing a large number of creatures, seemingly trying to summon something from this world.

Wu Mudi immediately shifted his gaze from the screen to the messenger, his voice steady: "Where is the location this time?"

"Area F5 is a cave deep in the mountains of the elven territory. The energy fluctuations have been ongoing for five minutes. Based on previous experience, it will peak in three and a half hours."

F5 is a mountain range, and the territory mainly belongs to the elves.

Wu Mudi tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his thoughts racing.

These visitors from another world are absorbing the lessons of failure at an increasingly rapid pace.

In the beginning, these incommunicable enemies performed their magical rituals not in caves, but in forests.

After suffering heavy losses, they stopped focusing on the depths of the forest and began using the terrain for cover and to buy time.

"Too clever by half! All they've learned is to hide in caves and perform these shady rituals, but they've wasted even more time." Wu Mudi snorted coldly, his tone tinged with impatience. "Arrange for combat troops to be sent to their deaths."

Make sure it is completely destroyed before the ceremony is completed!

"Yes, sir!" The messenger accepted the order and left, while the command hall bustled with activity.

Shortly after the order was given, human special forces, elite elf squads, and dwarven assault forces quickly assembled.

In the air, a swarm of armed helicopters roared into the sky, providing cover for the special forces.

The Kunpeng transport aircraft has also begun to rapidly transport combat machines, ready to deploy troops at any time.

Various drones, transport aircraft, and unmanned combat equipment carrying munitions have also begun to be transported here.

Human reconnaissance aircraft and various detection devices have already taken the lead, spreading out like a large net to cover the F5 area without any blind spots.

These unmanned reconnaissance aircraft must ensure that there are no ambushes nearby; this is an experience learned by the pioneering team through blood and tears.

Those strange races that rushed over from another world are unable to communicate, are savage and cruel, and what's most troublesome is their cunning.

The past was too difficult. The air support force was ambushed in the forest. Although the armed helicopters escaped by luck thanks to their strong armor, the soldiers in the cabin and the staff who formulated the operation plan still feel a chill down their spine when they think of that terrible experience.

"Suspected target spotted. Rocket artillery fire!"

"Energy reaction detected on the ridge ahead; aerial mini-motorcycles to be deployed!"

Instructions kept coming through the radio, concise and efficient.

Once any suspicious signs are discovered, without further investigation, launch a full-scale attack.

Those small aerial motorcycles, carrying tiny bombs, swarmed toward their targets like a swarm of bees, emitting deathly shrieks.

Soon, explosions erupted one after another, tearing the night-covered forest into streaks of fire.

While this strategy of overwhelming firepower may seem wasteful, it is extremely efficient.

On the large screen in the command center, real-time video footage from the front lines was being played synchronously.

Before the helicopter swarm arrived at the target area, the various types of artillery shells dropped in advance had already enveloped the mountain in the flames of explosions.

The valley with the strongest magical fluctuations in the F5 area was the first to be hit.

The terrifying shockwave uprooted trees and sent debris flying.

Immediately afterwards, the life detector hovering in the sky operated at maximum power to scan and calibrate the explosion area.

First, conduct a simple sweep to determine if the enemy's battlefield is unsafe. Once the enemy can't resist moving, humans will use the elves' powerful reconnaissance network in the forest, combined with human aerial reconnaissance capabilities, to pinpoint the location of these dark creatures from all angles.

Then, one "Buddha's Palm" after another descended from the sky.

High-explosive bombs with speeds up to several Mach 6 contain hundreds of kilograms of explosives. Some bombs also contain magic crystals that are extremely destructive to magical energy and powders that can accelerate combustion.

This combination is enough to easily destroy any magical creature!

The dark creatures that originally lurked in mountain crevices and caves have nowhere to hide in the face of advanced technology.

Their life cycles are clearly depicted.

"Target locked!"

"Precision strike!"

Small-caliber missiles, which would be extremely valuable in the modern world, seemed to have eyes, penetrating straight into their hiding area.

Such a charge is enough to penetrate the armor of a tank weighing tens of tons, making it incredibly efficient against these poorly protected dark creatures.

When the riots on the ground finally subsided, only a few still twitching limbs remained on the scorched earth.

Seeing that some were still alive, even more precise attacks followed—all to ensure they were completely incapacitated.

A muffled hum came from the sky as the Kunpeng transport plane opened its belly, and square metal boxes were thrown down, pouring down like a rain of iron onto an open space in front of the cave entrance.

The metal box automatically unfolded upon impact with the ground, revealing the war droid inside.

Some robots began exploring the nearby bombarded areas, while others set up signal relay equipment to ensure the stability and security of the internal communication chain.

These industrially produced unmanned combat units form an integrated system.

They have consumables specifically prepared for complex terrains such as caves and tunnels, as well as industrial consumables specifically prepared for ground combat!

"Report: The robot force has been fully deployed, and the signal enhancement center has been completed." Inside the command center, the operator's voice was flat and emotionless.

"Let the soldiers begin controlling them in battle!"

"OK!"

"The infiltration operation into the caves has officially begun."

Upon receiving the order, these war robots, with nimble steps, swarmed into the deep cave like humans.

On the screen, hundreds of perspectives lit up simultaneously. Although the signal was not high-definition due to signal interference and delay, it did not prevent these metal lumps from carrying out their killing missions.

Robots have just as many advantages as disadvantages—their reactions are slower than enhanced humans, and their combat effectiveness is relatively low, but their cost is outrageously cheap. Ten robots can be exchanged for one enemy, making them highly cost-effective. You wouldn't feel bad if they were all destroyed.

Using these industrial products to deplete the enemy's manpower and traps is a worthwhile deal.

The tactic of using robots as cannon fodder is simple and brutal, yet its effects are immediate.

The dark invaders, hiding in the first line of defense inside the cave, quickly learned a lesson about this unreasonable fighting style.

A dark elf with dark skin and agile movements nimbly dodged a laser beam, his poisoned twin blades flashing with two cold lights as he cleanly and efficiently severed the head of a 5,000-kilogram robot.

The moment a hint of disdain appeared on his face, the robot that had been cleaved in two detected the attack and its red warning light flashed rapidly.

The next second, a ball of orange-red flame engulfed it.

The shockwave from the explosion and countless steel balls tore him and several of his companions to shreds. Blood, flesh, and metal parts were mixed together, creating a gruesome scene.

Around another corner, several enormous ogres held heavy ironwood shields, forming a solid wall.

Behind the shield, a dozen slender minotaur archers were constantly firing arrows, accurately piercing the robot's optical sensors.

However, several wheeled robots with lower chassis and higher speed broke out from the main force.

They carried no firearms and had only one purpose—to perish together with the enemy.

These self-destructing rolling mines first bombarded the enemy, and while the ogre's defenses were in disarray, the defensive rolling mines quickly bypassed the shields and nimbly slipped past the ogre's feet.

The continuous explosions echoed through the narrow passage, making people's eardrums ache.

The ogres were instantly destroyed, their sturdy ironwood shields were blasted into countless pieces, and the minotaur archers behind them fell silent in an instant.

"Channel 1 is cleared."

"Very good. Have the logistics robots follow up and collect all the usable parts and shell casings! Clean up the tunnel!" Wu Mudi said casually, looking at the screen.

"Yes, it's been arranged," the staff officer replied with a smile.

Soon, some unarmed six-legged robots followed, their mechanical arms deftly collecting metal fragments, bullet debris from the explosion, and even armor fragments from the dark creatures, sorting them into categories.

Even the smallest mosquito is still meat; these things can be recycled or used for experimental testing.

Even specialized robots have rapidly processed large quantities of eggshells.

Recycling bullets on the battlefield is a fine tradition of the pioneering team. Whenever they are winning a battle, they will definitely recycle resources.

As the robot army leveled the outer defenses in this industrial, assembly-line manner and began to advance deeper into the cave, dozens of elite warriors from the three-race alliance also landed in helicopters in the cleared and safe area.

The leading human special forces captain checked his equipment and whispered into the communicator, "Report, we have arrived at the combat zone!"

"Don't go in yet! The robot clearing team is clearing the way!"

"Ah, it's happening again, Commander!" one of the dwarves shouted. "Let's go in and fight!"

"Don't rush. Use the robot troops to do the final cleanup first. You are the elite of the army, and you are going to handle the most difficult task."

"Alas—we can't have a pleasant battle again!" the dwarf sighed.

The elves, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.

The expressions of the human special forces were relatively normal.

Seemingly realizing that dozens of elite warriors from the three-race alliance had no mission, new assignments were given.

They will proceed swiftly as ordered, conducting another thorough search of any potential enemy hiding places in the vicinity to ensure that all enemies are executed.

This method allows soldiers to survive without being so despondent.

The new era has its own battles; robots, as cannon fodder, have their own ways of being used, while the elites of humans and other races have their own ways of being used.

When a large number of unmanned combat robots and swarms of combat mechanical dogs controlled by I surged into the depths of the cave like a steel torrent, a close-quarters battle far more brutal than surface bombing began.

Those invaders, lurking in the darkness and attempting to complete the evil summoning ritual, displayed an almost fanatical ferocity.

Their roars and curses echoed through the cave, and the clash of swords and the darts of magic missiles intertwined to create a symphony of death.

However, these human cannon fodder have no fear whatsoever; they have no life, no emotions, only cold data streams and predetermined instructions.

Each fallen robot detonates its own explosives, and even if it is destroyed, it will drag the enemy down with it, weakening the enemy's manpower in the most direct and cruel way.

In this unequal war of attrition, the gathering point that the invaders had painstakingly built was finally annihilated amidst a series of explosions.

As the last glimmer of light consumed the struggles deep within the cave, all fell silent.

Subsequently, the surviving robots initiated a scanning program and began a comprehensive survey of the war zone.

After the scan results were sent back to the command center and the front lines, many people gritted their teeth in anger.

At the sacrificial site, the carcasses of thousands of cruelly hunted creatures lay scattered, their blood pooling into gushing pools, the stench filling the air.

The depicted evil energy array was not completed due to a lack of blood, sacrifices, and time to activate it.

"These bastards! The bloody rituals inside the cave are getting bigger and bigger!" Inside the command post, someone gritted his teeth, anger blazing in his eyes.

"Order the robots to continue the thorough search, leaving no corner unchecked. At the same time, notify the allied forces of the three races that they may enter the cave to carry out the subsequent cleaning work," Wu Mudi's voice rang out.

"yes!"

The battle ended quickly.

More than 260 combat robots of various types were lost, while only a little over a thousand missiles and artillery shells were consumed.

This battle report is undoubtedly a shot in the arm.

"Report: We found some intact rune markings while cleaning up the battlefield."

"Organize and archive them all, and hand them over to experts in literature and social sciences for research!"

"OK!"

Seeing that the battle was basically coming to an end, Wu Mudi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fortunately, when we were fighting the dwarves, the equipment department upgraded all kinds of robot equipment accordingly to deal with their strong defenses and complex terrain."

A few hours later!

"Report: Operation complete, battlefield thoroughly cleaned, troops begin complete burning of the area!" came the frontline report over the communicator.

"Okay, proceed according to plan."

After the finishing touches were completed, Wu Mudi asked, "When will the new robot army arrive?"

"A new batch of 20,000 robotic troops specifically adapted for jungle and mountain warfare has been transported here and is expected to arrive in 48..."

"Everyone was assembled within an hour," the communications officer responded quickly.

"Good!" Wu Mudi thought with satisfaction. "If all those idiots gather together to perform these blood sacrifice rituals, our losses will be very small."

Despite the existence of various high technologies, guerrilla warfare in the forest is just as brutal as a meat grinder battlefield.

The opponent's magical invisibility equipment has extremely high concealment. Once the enemy hides in trees and soil, it will greatly increase the difficulty for humans to detect them.

Many casualties occur in this way.

Fortunately, when the enemy performs the summoning ritual, as long as they are in an open environment, they can be taken out by a single missile.

Even if the other party is hiding in a cave, as long as there is a magical fluctuation, it can be detected by humans.

Then humanity can calmly deliver a thunderous blow to the enemy!

However, given the intelligence of their current enemies, they will undoubtedly try every means to suppress the energy fluctuations of the summoning ritual, thereby achieving their goal of completing the ritual without anyone noticing!