Gelie's Decision

Afterwards, Su Ming directed the members of the Final Bone Mad Machines to begin cleaning up the battlefield from the previous night. Although goblins were generally of low quality as undead material, adhering to the principle of making the most of everything, he still ordered that as many goblin corpses as possible be converted into Low Rank undead creatures.

During their escape, the goblins abandoned a large number of military weapons and equipment, which were collected by the members of the Unfinished Bone Mad Machines. The battle resulted in the capture of numerous goblins, including skilled technicians who could operate various weapons, as well as a considerable number of mid-level officers.

Through the interrogation of these prisoners, Su Ming finally thoroughly understood the core characteristics of the "Dragon-Breaking Cone" weapon.

"The cost of a single shot is as high as five hundred gold coins. It is already quite commendable that it can be made to look like this." Su Ming picked up a single-soldier Dragon-Breaking Cone. This heavy weapon required him to use magic to barely lift it, and he carried it on his shoulder with some difficulty.

However, it is now clear that this thing cannot be launched in this way. It relies on auxiliary magic arrays laid on the ground, allowing the archer to control and guide it in real time.

And even among goblins themselves, would any actually dare to carry a goblin weapon on their shoulder and fire it?

Su Ming was initially very confused as to how these things, which looked like a bunch of broken parts haphazardly pieced together, could achieve automatic tracking and complex flight control. He never expected the answer to be so simple—it relied entirely on "human intervention"!

"Ground magic arrays can be reused, and most of the materials can be recycled," commented a Final Bone Mad Machines Alchemist who was squatting on the ground, carefully studying the Dragon-Breaking Cone launching array. "However, the basic cost is very high; a single array costs nearly two thousand gold coins!"

"The launching array is more expensive than the weapon itself," Su Ming remarked.

"The most expensive part of this system is actually the archers," Katharine added from the side. "To train a qualified archer, you need to invest at least 20,000 gold coins."

Indeed, piloting those "goblin rockets" that frantically shed parts as they fly requires a high level of reaction speed and micro-management skills from the shooter. Not only is the selection of suitable candidates difficult, but the cost of training weapons during the training process is also considerable!

Indeed, humans (goblins) have always been the most crucial element in the war machine.

Su Ming placed the heavy Dragon-Breaking Cone back on the ground, and with a clang, all the metal tubes on its surface fell off.

"Just glue it on, it'll still work for now," the alchemist said nonchalantly. "That's the philosophy of goblin military industry: when you smell burning flesh on the battlefield, hear parts crumbling, and find weapons inexplicably rusting—"

Congratulations, you've received the genuine product!

****

The command center staff suddenly made an emergency contact with Su Ming and Katharine: radar detection showed that a dragon squadron that had entered goblin territory had exceeded the 50-kilometer pursuit limit.

"What's going on?" Su Ming immediately contacted the observer accompanying the team.

"A large supply warehouse has been spotted five kilometers ahead!" The howling wind almost drowned out the observer's anxious voice. "It's the idea of the two dragon elders, Hongyao and Qingfeng. I can't stop them at all!"

"There are still some undone Dragon-Breaking Cone formations around that warehouse!" Su Ming's voice rose, "And there are organized goblin troops stationed there!"

Although this goblin force was small, they did not participate in last night's operation. Their morale and condition were normal!

"Guild Master, I've already explained all this and repeatedly warned them!" The observer's reply was filled with helplessness. "But the two Dragon Elders believe that last night, with just a few hundred dragons, they were able to severely damage the goblin main force with zero losses. These few thousand enemies in front of us can be easily defeated by our numbers."

"These idiots deserve to die!" Su Ming gritted his teeth, slamming his fist on the table in anger.

He wasted no more time and immediately stormed off to Gelie, "Please summon those two rash elders back!"

Gelie quickly understood the ins and outs of the matter, but he remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his huge head and refusing Su Ming's request.

"Su Ming, I will bear the consequences." The Dragon King sighed heavily.

"Just let them go and deliver it like that?" Su Ming asked incredulously.

"Yes, let them go," Gelie Lie confirmed firmly.

"But—" Su Ming wanted to say something, but Gelie stopped him.

"I have witnessed similar things countless times over the past thousand years." He sighed deeply. "Many times I knew that such things were bound to happen, but the dragons would always make the same mistakes."

"There's only one effective way to change this situation," he looked up at Su Ming, "And that's to let reality demonstrate this to them again!"

Su Ming gave Gelie Lie a deep look, and finally, he turned and left.

****

What happened next was entirely predictable: the reckless dragon army crashed headlong into the heavily guarded position and was met with a fierce barrage of hundreds of Dragon-Breaking Cone.

Lacking systematic coordination, this dragon formation suffered heavy losses!

Fortunately, Katharine promptly dispatched the nearest official squad of the "Dragon Scale Corps" to provide support. With their overwhelming numerical superiority, they forcefully defeated the goblin force, preventing further casualties.

In the end, four dragons were killed and twelve were seriously injured. One of the accompanying Final Bone Mad Machines Observers also tragically died in the line of duty.

The atmosphere at the border camp instantly plummeted to freezing point. What was originally a resounding victory was now marred by a dark and intoxicating defeat.

More than an hour later, the bodies of the fallen dragon and the observer were brought back to the camp and placed in the central open space.

Gelie Lie gathered all the dragons in the vicinity and convened a large-scale Dragon Race meeting.

One of the elders leading the charge was Hongyao. He had previously had his Dragon Claw broken in an ambush orchestrated by the goblins. Although the reattached claw had not fully recovered, Hongyao still went into battle injured, venting his burning desire for revenge.

The other one was an elder of the Azure Dragon Race.

"Elder Hongyao of the Red Dragon Clan and Elder Qingfeng of the Azure Dragon have openly defied military orders and battlefield discipline, causing immense losses to our clan!" Gelie's voice, like thunder, rolled across the sky, reaching the ears of every dragon. "They are hereby stripped of their eldership and escorted to the Land of Ancestral Spirits to receive severe punishment under clan laws!"

A suppressed murmur arose among the dragons present, but ultimately no one voiced their doubts.

Dragon Race and goblins are completely different beings.

Goblins can reproduce in their teens, and for them, even if they lose a million people, they can make up for it in three or four years with newborns, and everything will return to normal in less than ten years.

The entire Dragon Race produces only forty to sixty new dragons each year. They typically don't begin reproducing until they are three hundred years old. Coupled with the dragons' extremely long growth cycle, the importance of each individual member to the race is on a completely different level compared to that of goblins.

"All dragons who participated in this disobedient attack!" Gelie's voice grew even more chilling, "Will be assigned to a hard labor camp and serve a month's imprisonment!"

This punishment caused the other dragon elders present to change color.

Normally, there's nothing wrong with dragons obeying the elders' orders. But Gelie still punished them, which is tantamount to declaring that their choice to obey the elders on the battlefield instead of military orders was a "mistake"!

The deeper meaning behind this is worth pondering. Gelie is clearly determined to use this bloody lesson to thoroughly rectify the Dragon Race's discipline and command awareness on the battlefield!

"Gelie did it on purpose," Katharine said.

She and Su Ming stood side by side atop a tree some distance away, silently watching the somber scene in the center of the venue.

"He was using the cruelest method to warn us about the consequences of recklessness on the dragon battlefield, and also to establish unquestionable authority for us commanders."

"I know." Su Ming's expression darkened. "I understood his intention when he refused my request."

"We are, after all, human," Katharine said softly, a hint of understanding in her voice. "To make naturally proud and powerful dragons obey the orders of an alien commander is no easy task." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the figures of those colossal creatures. "Only by paying a bloody price can the painful lesson be etched into their very bones, making the other dragons understand the consequences of disobeying orders."

"That's why I feel guilty." Su Ming's voice was somewhat suppressed. "This should have been my responsibility to fulfill, but Dragon King Gelie resorted to this method to make amends."

"I don't think it's necessary to think that way." Katharine shook her head slightly. "These matters are also the inescapable responsibility of a clan's king."

"The problem is, I agreed with Gelie's decision from the start," Su Ming sighed. "My calculation was that sacrificing these people today would reduce casualties by more than tenfold later." A self-deprecating smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "It's practically the most 'profitable' deal imaginable!"

"Congratulations," Katharine suddenly smiled, "You've already begun to grasp the basics of military command!"

****

Within the Dragon Arena, Gelie's voice continued.

"And I, Gelie, also bear responsibility for negligence in management!" He suddenly shouted, his sharp Dragon Claw claws piercing into his massive body. With a tearing sound and the crisp sound of scales breaking off, he tore off more than a dozen large and tough dragon scales from his body in one go!

Blood gushed from the ripped wound instantly, leaving a large, shocking, and bloody gash on Gelie's body.

The surrounding dragons were in utter shock.

Gelie released his bloodied claws, letting the dragon scales, still warm and streaked with blood, fall to the dust with a "plop, plop." "From this day forward," he declared, his majestic gaze sweeping over every Dragon Race in the arena, "Any dragon that dares to disobey my Gelie will be punished!" His voice, like rolling thunder, carried an unwavering resolve. "I'll see if these scales of mine are enough to atone for the transgressions you have committed!"

In this scene, the dragons all lowered their heads, and the venue fell into a solemn silence.

"We will strictly abide by military orders! We will never repeat this mistake!" An elder broke the silence first, his voice loud and firm.

Immediately, more dragons echoed in unison, their deafening vows resounding like a tsunami throughout the camp. "Strictly obey military orders! Never again!"

"As expected of Gelie!" Katharine exclaimed softly from afar. "With such a king supporting us, we will surely lead the Dragon Race to victory in this war at the lowest possible cost!"

"Winning has never been the problem," Su Ming said. "What I've been thinking about is how to maximize the benefits of this war."

****

Afterwards, Gelie announced that a solemn ceremony would be held the day after tomorrow to bury the remains of the dragon that had sacrificed itself today in the Dragon Tomb in the Land of Ancestral Spirits.

In the following period, under unified command, the dragon forces continued to carry out their mission, repeatedly sweeping away the remaining strongholds outside the border. The vast majority of goblin supplies were completely destroyed, and only a very few items deemed to be of high value were transported back to the rear.

Younier also arrived at the front-line camp and immediately began to coordinate the preparation of logistical supplies.

The limited productivity of this other world severely restricts the intensity and scale of the war. Whether it's the enormous consumption required by the dragon legion or the dependence of the Final Bone Mad Machines on weapons, once the war machine is running at full speed, it will devour all kinds of resources like a bottomless pit.

Not only are the Ruby Base's products flowing in, but strategic resources such as various magical materials and food supplies are also continuously converging here from all the Dragon Race territories.

"Based on current statistics and transportation progress," Younier reported to Su Ming, "Our supplies will be sufficient to support approximately ten days of high-intensity, high-stakes combat in seven days."

The underdeveloped transportation capabilities of this other world remain a bottleneck, even with the addition of electric vehicle fleets, they are still insufficient.

"That's about enough." Su Ming nodded. "The 'Dragon Claw ' group will arrive here in a week; that's when we'll launch our final assault."

"Understood," Katharine replied. "During this time, I will also focus on providing intensive training for the Dragon Scale Regiment."

****

In the afternoon, Su Ming woke up from his nap. He had planned to go find Katharine to review the details of last night, but found that Zijin had already arrived at the camp.

"Last night, Grandpa Xiwo suddenly ran into the Central Court, grabbed me, and shouted 'Baby!'" Zijin crossed her arms, her tone unfriendly and clearly accusing, "I suspect that someone is up to something behind the scenes?"

"How could that be!" Su Ming immediately denied it vehemently, his expression utterly "sincere." "I've been completely focused on preparations lately; I haven't had time for anything else!"

"Hmph!" Zijin snorted lightly, not pursuing the matter further. "You specifically summoned Grandpa Xiwo here; is there something you need?"

"I want to talk to him about the Naga Clan," Su Ming replied seriously. "That Naga Queen is determined to seek revenge on us, so naturally we have to give her a proper welcome." He glanced behind Zijin but didn't see the old elf. "Where is he?"

Xiwo, a renowned sea adventurer, spends his days braving the winds and waves, salvaging shipwrecks and exploring underwater ruins, earning him the nickname "Sea Cudgel." If you're interested in learning about the Naga sea creatures, consulting him is definitely the right thing to do.

"Of course Grandpa Xiwo came," Zijin explained. "He and Bowers have been acquaintances for many years. They just happened to run into each other and are having a lively chat right now."

"Then I'll go find him." Su Ming immediately stood up.

Zijin shrugged. "Sure, I was just about to go talk to Katharine anyway."

The two high-fived each other, then went to talk to their respective partners.

****

Su Ming found Xiwo without much trouble. He immediately noticed that the old elf had polished the brand-new reading glasses he had given him to spotless, the lenses reflecting a bright luster in the sunlight, pinned to his chest like a medal in the most conspicuous place.

"Oh, this was a gift from Su Ming, I suppose." He was speaking to Bowers, slowly pulling out his glasses and fiddling with them. "It even came in one of those exquisite rose-colored gift boxes. When the messenger handed it to me, this old man was quite startled."

Su Ming strode up to Xiwo.

"Mr. Xiwo," he interrupted impatiently, "Have you forgotten who screwed this over?"

"Oh, it's young friend Su." Xiwo turned around, a smile spreading across his face, his eyes narrowing into slits. "I've certainly heard a lot about your spectacular exploits lately." He suddenly straightened his face, feigning seriousness. "You little rascal! You dared to kidnap my Xiao Jin to wreak havoc on Divine Might Prison!"

"That's nonsense," Su Ming immediately denied. "Bay Owl said she wanted to see the snow scenery of Divine Might Prison, I just took her there for a visit."

As he spoke, he took out a beautifully crafted staff with fine arcs of electricity wrapped around its shaft. This was the Sky Punishment Staff, which he had seized from Headmaster Javier during the battle of the Sacred Mountain.

Among the high-level combatants of Star Sand, there were no spellcasters skilled in lightning magic, so Su Ming asked for the staff.

Su Ming handed the staff to Xiwo with both hands, "A small gift, please take a look and see if you're satisfied?"

Xiwo put on his reading glasses, took the staff, and examined and stroked it carefully.

"It's Javier's treasure." He immediately recognized the staff's origin, his wrinkled fingers tracing the intricate lightning patterns on its surface. "Hmm—the style is a bit on the ornate side, but..." He weighed it in his hand, sensing the power it contained, "It's certainly a rare and excellent weapon."

Subsequently, Su Ming explained to Xiwo the main reason for inviting him to come out of seclusion – to deal with the Naga Clan's revenge war.

"Of course, we can take the initiative!" A cold glint flashed in Su Ming's eyes. "If we can completely wipe them out, that would be even better!"

"The Naga Clan— " Xiwo stroked his beard thoughtfully, "... the greatest obstacle to dealing with them has always been the boundless sea."

"I've prepared some underwater weapons," Su Ming interjected. "I need your expertise to assess whether these things can effectively kill those creatures in deep water."

Xiwo nodded. "I also have some maritime intelligence channels that I've cultivated for many years. Let me take some time to find out their recent movements before I can study your new gadgets in detail."

L

"Thank you for your help!"