Chapter 101: Setting Off

Such an elite force of over one thousand men can be considered formidable, especially when considering the relatively small total population of the Dwarfs and the fact that this is the relatively weak Grey Mountains region.

However, Sinuoli did not feel very relaxed; he knew that he might still be facing a bitter battle.

Night Goblins are different from their green kin who live on the plains and serve as lackeys to the Orcs; in their millennium-long confrontation with the Dwarfs, they have developed many characteristics specifically targeting Dwarfs.

Almost all Night Goblin melee and ranged units coat their weapons in poison, smearing them with the juices of various mushrooms or even more disgusting things, though these fellows likely do not know the specific effects of the venom.

But combined with the strange I Reckon Power, even a tiny wound caused by a poisoned weapon could potentially cause a brave Dwarf to lose their combat effectiveness.

They are also adept at taming Cave Squigs, driving these pink balls of flesh directly or riding them into battle; the rows of dagger-like teeth filling these creatures' mouths can tear through the heavy armor worn by Dwarfs.

And then there are the Fanatics. Sinuoli shook his head; he did not want to think about it anymore. Captain Gelunsen had taught him that as a leader, he must first and foremost not harbor feelings of fear.

Sinuoli tried hard to close his eyes and drift into sleep, but at this moment, a hundred miles away outside Karak-Azgalaz, it was not nearly as peaceful.

The next morning, amidst the mist in the mountains, Sinuoli climbed out of bed, donned his armor, picked up his Warhammer, and mounted his Rock Sheep.

At the West Gate of Karak-Norn, a coalition of Dwarfs and Humans was gathering. Sinuoli saw Lord Borok and his wife and walked straight toward them.

"May the Ancestor Goddess protect you! How is it? Is there any more equipment that needs to be replenished?" Lord Borok asked, patting Sinuoli on the shoulder.

Calculating the time, Lord Alike-Lufusen's revenge operation was about to begin. Lord Borok and his wife needed to hold down Huangwu Bao to deal with potential impacts from Aisuoluolun Senlin, so they would not be joining the expedition.

"Rest assured! I believe the Ancestor Goddess is watching over this place, and under Her divine radiance, nothing can stop us Sons of the Mountains!" Sinuoli struck a pose full of confidence.

"I promise, I will successfully lift the siege of Karak-Azgalaz and severely punish those filthy Greenskins who dare to invade our kin!" Sinuoli's words rang out clearly in the underground tunnel, and the clansmen cheered, their morale rising even higher.

"Take this!" Sinuoli whispered, quietly handing a small cube into Lord Borok's hand.

"This is?" Lord Borok asked curiously, also lowering his voice in cooperation. Looking at the small cube in his hand that shimmered with the luster of a Rune, countless guesses flashed through Lord Borok's mind.

"Could this be something like a Lich Mage's phylactery? Did the Ancestor Goddess bestow it upon Her chosen one so he could gain a chance at resurrection if he suffers a fatal wound?" The imagination in his mind began to churn.

"This is a communication device!" Sinuoli said, pulling another cube from his pocket. This pair of Runic Telegraphs was something he had rushed to craft during his rest time along the journey.

"When I inject Runic energy into the one in my hand, the one in your hand will light up simultaneously." Sinuoli explained while demonstrating.

Watching the Rune on the block in his hand flicker on and off, Lord Borok was slightly stunned. Even though he could be considered quite open-minded among the Dwarfs living in Shanbao, limited by the era, he still could not realize the immense utility of this object on his own.

"What does it...?" Lord Borok asked.

"It can be used to transmit information!" Seeing that it was almost time for the troops to depart, Sinuoli simply stopped playing coy.

"If I make it light up in a long-short-long sequence, it means everything is going well and the troops you are supporting me with will return soon; but if I send three short signals in a row, it means the battle situation is unfavorable and reinforcements are urgently needed!" Sinuoli explained.

Lord Borok stared at the block in his hand and nodded. "Can it also...?" He had an idea and asked tentatively.

"Yes, it can also be used to transmit other types of information. In principle, as long as we don't mind the trouble, we can use the same coding rules to have a conversation about anything." Sinuoli said.

"But time is tight now, it's enough if it can just perform its function!" Seeing that Tomi had already started waving, Sinuoli left the deep-in-thought Lord Borok and returned to the ranks.

Walking to the middle of his Anvil Guard, Sinuoli noticed the Brass Guard supported by Queen Selma; they were a unique unit formed by Karak Izor.

These twenty Dwarfs wore precisely cast refined brass armor and held single-handed Shields and single-handed Warhammers; these items were undoubtedly also made of brass.

Besides the golden light reflecting off the brass surfaces polished to a mirror finish, these pieces of equipment were also engraved with Runes; their existence silently proclaimed the wealth of Tongshanbao.

Following Sinuoli's order, the troops soon set off. Every member knew what they were about to face, but they were all fearless; duty and honor filled the chests of these men.

The troops moved quickly. Sinuoli did not walk at the very front; he had handed the command of the vanguard to Captain Gelunsen, an eternal Eternal Hammer Guard who had hundreds of years of experience in dealing with Goblins.

The task of commanding the rear guard was given to the Manticore Slayer Rogov. This brave warrior remained vigilant at all times; for the sake of underground combat, he had put down his original two-handed heavy axe and instead picked up two single-handed Battle Axes to increase killing efficiency.

Sinuoli walked with the artillery crew, surrounded by his Anvil Guard. To efficiently crush the Goblins, the role of the Artillery is indispensable.

Fatisi Qishi and his men led their horses along the sides of the Earth Vein Network; they would serve as a mobile force to support both the front and the rear.

Karaka-Wuwei Fort, like most Dwarf citadels, was built by hollowing out a mountain—three parts above ground, seven parts underground. Under the bright moonlight, the flat ground outside the city gate was packed with dense crowds of Night Goblins, their eyes glowing with an evil red light.

Under command, these Goblins relied on crude ladders to attempt to storm the main gate of Karaka-Wuwei Fort, and several crooked Goblin Catapults were providing them with covering fire.

"Laoyueya, how is my Destruction Dive Catapult doing?"

"Respected Boss, I reckon it'll take a few more days! Those little runts just crawled out of the dirt and don't really know how to build it yet!"

Thanks to Jinqiu Linghun, Daolai, Linbei Shi Mao, Liu Guanren 123, Shuyou, and Xiaoyao Zhan for the monthly tickets.

It's going on the shelves today; I will post a testimonial and a big chapter tonight. Thanks for the support, readers!