Chapter 598: When Yaya Conquered the Skies
The staff recording various data rapidly sent feedback to the rear:
"The next batch of magic cannons can appropriately reduce the caliber by one-third to further increase firing speed."
"They need to be specially used against charging units..."
"The range needs further improvement."
"Suppressing enemy forces from greater distances will make blockade lines faster to establish..."
"The penetration and area damage of cannons need enhancement. Consider adding explosive metal shrapnel..."
"Adjustments to firing angles are necessary; maximum up, down, left, and right firing directions must be modified..."
"..."
Various improvement suggestions were transmitted back to the Bay Territory even amid the fierce battle.
Bay Territory.
The research institutes and military factories, operating at full capacity, processed these suggestions swiftly.
The first generation of researchers personally trained by the Bay Territory had now spread across all major institutes and entered key positions.
They demonstrated excellent foundational skills, helping senior researchers like Magic Duncan quickly materialize blueprints.
They also communicated efficiently with the military factory workers, enabling experimental models to be built rapidly.
Their scientific thinking habits allowed them to conduct comprehensive testing and data recording on experimental weapons.
Finally, based on the models' performance, they could quickly offer new improvement suggestions.
Repeating this cycle three times resolved new weapon issues smoothly.
The average time to solve each problem rarely exceeded five hours.
Of course, quickly mass-producing these finalized new weapons depended heavily on the Bay Territory's military factories.
Covering more than 2,000 acres, the Bay Territory's military factory now employed over 50,000 skilled workers.
Minerals and resources from the Dark Forest, the Underground World, the Katachan demi-plane, the Fishing Island seas, and the Brave Continent were being continuously delivered there.
Three ports along the Silvermoon River were constantly loading and unloading vast numbers of transport ships.
There were six massive gantry cranes, each over 30 meters tall, tirelessly moving cargo and containers.
Huge engineering golems, under operator control, moved tons of materials.
Outside workshops representing dozens of production stages, golem trains constantly arrived.
The transported parts and raw materials were processed here.
Towering over ten meters high, heavy metal processing machines operated rapidly and stably under the dual forces of magic and electricity.
The enormous factory, under worker control, operated at high speed, producing vast quantities of military weapons and equipment.
Its productivity was immense, processing thousands of tons of various metals daily.
It could produce up to a hundred thousand pieces of weaponry and equipment each day.
The newly established magic metal processing center was researching and producing new materials for magic cannons.
Led by a few young people, Butler Ralph carefully observed the massive processing equipment.
Under the manipulation of operators, a ten-ton stamping machine easily molded hard steel into desired shapes.
This visually striking scene delighted Butler Ralph, who continued advising carefully:
"While pursuing efficiency and innovation, always prioritize safety. Life is our greatest asset."
The supervisor nodded repeatedly and reported truthfully: "We conduct comprehensive magical safety inspections on the machinery daily and provide new safety training for workers to ensure everyone's safety."
When Ralph arrived at the center manufacturing magic cannon barrels, he saw a highly anticipated scene.
Newly manufactured magic metal was secured by robotic arms.
Intense spell rays slowly carved inside the magic cannon barrels.
In a short time, intricate enchantment patterns were engraved.
Invisible Mage Hands skillfully filled the patterns with enchantment materials.
Then, two large spell-release devices steadily cast enchantment stabilization spells.
Ralph could clearly sense the steady spell output, with no fluctuations, ensuring ultra-high precision enchantments.
His gaze fell on Mountain, monitoring the entire automated production process.
Mountain opened his glowing red eyes, carefully inspecting each piece of equipment.
Behind him, hundreds of humanoid clay golems busily built the second automated production line.
After checking a finished magic cannon, Ralph sighed softly and left the factory.
He still needed to inspect the production of medical supplies, which was an even heavier task!
Warfront.
Hail and blizzards fell.
In the blazing firewalls, channels were forcibly blasted open.
Sentries detecting spell fluctuations via instruments immediately transmitted target locations for covering fire.
Cole Elven soldiers gradually crossed the firewalls, and fleeing war mages were chased.
But they underestimated the Bay Territory's determination to eliminate spellcasters and the targeted arrangements against them.
Twenty or thirty magic cannons simultaneously locked onto the war mages' positions and launched covering barrages.
Ordinary Cole Elven soldiers fell instantly; only war mages with magical shields barely fled.
Immediately, sharpshooters operating dragon-slaying ballistae led twenty crossbowmen to fire covering volleys.
Uniform armor-piercing arrows, determined to kill, struck down the fleeing figures.
Mana shields shattered!
Magic barriers broke!
War mages died!
Even if only one or two mages fell each time,
For the remaining mages, the sense of inescapable death discouraged them from casting spells.
Cole Elven commanders were helpless but could not force these precious war mages to their deaths.
Though not as obvious as in the Netheril Empire,
A deeply entrenched caste gap treated magic users as a privileged class.
Unable to force them, the Cole Elven commanders resorted to using precious magic scrolls to blast openings through the firewalls.
At the same time, they issued orders:
"Mobile units, flank from the rear and attack the enemy defenses from both sides!"
Rather than squeeze through narrow firewall gaps, dispersing to flank would reduce casualties from cannons and crossbows.
The Cole Elven command's response was excellent.
Due to the urgency and lack of manpower,
The Bay Territory defenders had only prepared the front of the battlefield, not the rear.
If their rear were breached, the Bay army would face two-sided attacks—a dire situation.
Experienced Cole Elven soldiers swarmed into the woods.
They intended to use trees for cover to approach the Bay army's rear.
But before they got far, a series of fierce explosions rang out.
Blazing fireballs erupted from roots, bushes, and grass.
Unprepared Cole Elven soldiers suffered heavy losses.
Forty to fifty soldiers died instantly; over a hundred were wounded; the rest halted in fear.
Extraordinary Rangers hidden among them stared silently at the enemy without warning their comrades.
The opponents were so terrifying that even Extraordinary Rangers dared not face them alone.
They had to rely on the masses of soldiers to have a chance.
As for the fallen ordinary soldiers—they were "sacrifices."
They had to prevent the soldiers from reaching the Bay army's rear.
When the enemy revealed themselves, the Rangers would strike.
However, the Katachan modified warriors had anticipated this.
With piercing roars, a dozen enraged Earth Dragons charged out.
Huge and armored, they were even stronger than before the Dragon Madness disaster.
Though not entirely mindless, they were extremely aggressive.
Roaring, they smashed into the Cole Elven ranks.
Their vicious horns ravaged everything, venting their rage.
Thick limbs trampled fleeing soldiers, leaving mangled corpses.
Caught off guard, the Cole Elven soldiers were scattered.
Some tried to counterattack,
But ordinary swords and spears barely scratched the dragons' heavy scales.
They were instead bitten in half.
The capable Extraordinary Rangers endured, letting ordinary soldiers die.
Hidden Katachan warriors, meanwhile, shot down panicked soldiers with crossbows.
More Cole Elven soldiers rushed into the woods, stabilizing the collapse.
Yet facing over ten Earth Dragons, they had no choice but to fight bitterly.
Frontlines.
Fast-moving elite Cole Elves pushed through artillery and crossbow barrages, reaching the walls.
The four-meter-high walls were climbable with enough momentum.
The ease of reaching them made the elves uneasy.
Was it really this simple?
Before they could react, a squad of heavy infantry raised unfamiliar long sabers.
"Long Saber Squad, advance!!"
Whoosh!
Sharp blades tore through the air.
Sensing mortal danger, the elves instinctively fled.
On the narrow walls, staying a second longer meant death.
They jumped down, only to collide with comrades climbing up.
Crack!
"Ah...!"
Clang!
Boom!
Crash!
Chaos erupted amid screams.
Facing bewildered comrades, the fallen elves shamefully shouted:
"Don't rush up! Use ranged attacks first; there are heavy infantry up there!"
A sound idea, but they ignored the situation.
Even skilled archers armed with armor-piercing arrows
Couldn't aim from afar through firewalls and barrages.
No chance to exchange fire!
At the wall base, they lost angles and opportunities.
No time for second thoughts.
Sharp whistling and arrow rain fell from overhead towers.
Many climbing elves were shot down.
Looking up, they saw dozens of archers leisurely picking targets atop seven or eight towers.
The narrow shooting windows made retaliation impossible.
Under this deadly pressure, they had no choice but to attack.
The exhausted Cole Elves, realizing the futility,
Knew once they charged, they could not stop.
The journey to the walls cost dearly.
And ahead was a dead end!
After reaching the goal, they could only charge into death!
"Kill!!"
Roaring, a Cole Elven soldier thrust his sword at a heavy infantryman.
He moved swiftly, reaching his foe in a blink.
But the long saber kept him at bay.
Facing a deadly slash, he desperately raised his sword to block.
Bang!
His enchanted sword was knocked away; his arms went numb; he collapsed.
Slash!
The blade cut him cleanly in two!
Cold, ruthless heavy infantry adjusted their stances, opening space for comrades to advance.
New attackers, seeing the bloody scene, shivered with fear.
The bright, deadly blades gave them no respite.
No elf could withstand the crushing saber strikes.
Speedy but unable to hit back, they were helpless.
Even masters of technique were overwhelmed by brute force.
The heavy infantry, advancing in waves, butchered the attackers.
Though few, with only two rows totaling 200 men,
They cut down over 400 Cole Elves in minutes.
"Long Saber Squad, advance!"
Their battle cry became the nightmare of countless Cole Elves.
According to the few surviving Cole Elven soldiers, the Long Saber Squad fighters were like executioners from hell, harvesting their souls.