A Mighty Army Guards the Strategic Pass

At Longwind Fortress, Maryland finished communicating with the Mechanical Manufacturing Institute. Only then did the adjutant beside him finally speak up. "General, are you planning to use a batch of fake magitech equipment to arm those newly assembled conscript soldiers?"

Maryland nodded. "That's exactly it—have them put on the fake equipment and stand on the walls. And that alone is far from enough."

"Not enough?"

"The number of 'counterfeits' the southern region can supply within a few days is still limited, and in the short term, they can only solve the problem of individual equipment. I'm afraid those things won't be enough to scare the Typhonians. We'll have to come up with something ourselves," Maryland continued. "The engineering teams that were reinforcing the camps should be free by now—pass on my orders. Begin construction in the northern hills of Longwind Fortress and around the Paramel Highlands. Move all the lumber piled up by the shallows over there. I'll tell you what I intend to do..."

The garrison forces of Longwind Fortress began moving once more. Before the Typhonians' next reconnaissance wave arrived, several engineering teams began large-scale construction under Maryland's orders—from the northern hills of Longwind Fortress to the Paramel Highlands south of the fortress, more than ten fortifications and firing positions began to take shape.

At the Paramel Highlands, at Artillery Position Number Four, engineers were hastily digging trenches and leveling the ground. Fully armed sentries stood atop makeshift watchtowers, vigilantly scanning the open wilderness around them. Two soldiers equipped with engineering Magic Guide Terminals were cutting lumber, while several others handled bundles of tarpaulins and coiled ropes. The site was bustling, yet orderly.

The officer commanding the engineering team crossed a freshly dug earthwork trench and inspected the soldiers' progress. He nodded slightly and said to the soldier