The Siege

Fifteen kilometers Sharp Gorge City, belonging to Katharine.

After the dragon and the human warriors had eaten and drunk their fill, their brief rest came to an end.

This mixed force, consisting of the Dragon Claw Regiment's First Battalion and the Bone Machine Battalion, quickly set off. Their mission was clear: to eliminate this fanged stronghold, a wedge driven into the dragon's border, before the goblins could react effectively!

Ten giant dragons took off first, carrying multiple observers on their backs. As they drew closer, the menacing outline of Sharp Gorge City became clear through the telescope lenses.

The military fortress is about two and a half kilometers in diameter, with exceptionally thick, dark gray stone walls, topped with a dozen large alchemical gun emplacements.

The rest of the city wall was covered with a dense array of anti-aircraft crossbows, standing like a thicket of thorns, protecting the entire stronghold from all sides.

Inside the city, most of the buildings are made of stone, making them sturdy and resistant to magical attacks. The dragon's breath, aside from causing direct damage, rarely causes secondary effects. They are also covered with sharp rock spikes, making it very difficult for the dragon to enter.

The dragon herd circled at a safe distance. The observers took out their infrared laser rangefinders and modified their operation, turning these rangefinders into laser target indicators.

Katharine reported to the command center that "fire support is in place."

Su Ming nodded, and under his command, the Long-Range Fire Battalion launched its second salvo of the day.

This time, 150 guided rockets ascended into the sky, trailing dazzling plumes of flame. After flying over Sharp Gorge City, they were precisely guided by the laser beams of the observers and headed straight for the targets on the city wall.

"Boom! Boom boom boom--!"

Fireballs exploded one after another on the city walls, covering them with dazzling light and smoke. The expensive alchemical cannons bore the brunt of the impact; their heavy bases were twisted and torn apart by the violent explosions, and the barrels and parts were blasted into the air, turning into a shower of metal fragments.

The observers switched targets one by one, guiding subsequent rockets to rain down on the ballista array.

The sturdy crenellations crumbled under the impact, and anti-aircraft ballistae were blown to pieces. Twisted components and the remains of the defenders, mixed with rubble, cascaded down the city walls like a filthy waterfall.

The once desolate city walls were riddled with holes in a very short time, covered with charred bullet craters and jagged cracks, as if they had been frantically devoured by a giant beast.

Several rockets also penetrated the city's tallest watchtowers. After a muffled explosion, these towers snapped in half, tilted, and collapsed, kicking up clouds of dust.

Katharine also observed from above, surveying the chaotic scene on the city walls. The threat of the alchemical fortifications had been completely eliminated, and most of the ballistae had been reduced to scrap metal. However, a few relatively intact ballistae remained crookedly in the ruins, which could pose a threat again with just emergency repairs or simple adjustments.

"Do we need a second round of firepower to continue the cleanup?" Su Ming asked.

After a moment's consideration, Katharine decisively replied, "No need." "We'll handle the rest!"

She issued the command, "Final Bone Mad Machines, advance!"

****

On the ground, the Final Bone Mad Machines Corps, having received the order, roared into action.

As the sporadic flames on the walls of Sharp Gorge City began to be extinguished by the goblins, the Bone Machine Legion had already closed to within four kilometers.

Based on the intelligence data collected, this area is now on the verge of being hit by goblin rocket weapons.

"Air defense units deploy!" Rupert ordered.

The anti-aircraft munitions came to a stop in unison, their outriggers deeply embedded in the ground, their anti-aircraft machine guns raised, and their small radars and infrared sensors activated, vigilantly scanning the sky.

The Bone Model unit continued forward, its white body undulating slightly as it moved.

Surprisingly, even as the Bone Model battle group approached the three-kilometer line, the Sharp Gorge City remained deathly silent, and the expected counterattack did not materialize.

Looking down from high above, Katharine saw goblins scurrying about like headless flies behind the battlements. The rocket attack had just left the garrison on the walls with more than half its casualties. The remaining troops were terrified and had temporarily lost their fighting ability.

Under the officer's whips and shouts, another group of goblin warriors were driven forward. But faced with the crossbows lying askew all over the ground, many of them did not know how to load or use them.

The officers were frantically imparting their knowledge, assigning experienced instructors to teach them; the scene was chaotic.

Katharine's original plan was to use the Bone Model Swarm as bait to lure out the goblin's hidden firing positions and then eliminate them. However, the incompetence of this second-line goblin force exceeded her expectations, leaving her with an absurd sense of disappointment.

However, since we've already advanced this far, there's no need to wait. Simply crushing the enemy is just as effective!

Following Katharine's command, the Bone Model Battle Group came to an abrupt halt and entered a support position. The rear mortars landed and deployed, their 120mm barrels erected.

Unlike conventional artillery, mortars have lower chamber pressure and a relatively simpler structure. Su Ming achieved 100% mass production of mortar shells at the Ruby Base with minimal effort.

This weapon is low-cost and highly reliable. It does not pursue extreme precision, nor does it have the complex components of a large-caliber howitzer. It only requires the most "simple" technology to mass-produce this infantry firepower that can be fired at any time.

Of course, those robust composite metal cannon barrels, with their precise rifling, were still produced on Earth, summoned by Su Ming's Summoning of All Things.

***

The artillery officer quickly deployed the measuring equipment and issued the firing data.

"Fire five cannons!" he ordered.

The five cannons at the front were the first to adjust their angles, and the necromancer manipulated the puppets to grab the heavy spindle-shaped shells from the magazine and slide them into the breech at an angle.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Five muffled thuds of artillery shells followed one after another, the shells tracing high parabolic arcs with sharp whistling sounds. Smoke and dust rose, most of them landing seven or eight meters outside the city wall, with only one hitting the sloping side of the wall.

Based on the impact point, the artillery officer quickly adjusted the firing angle. "Adjust elevation by three degrees, full battalion, fire rapidly!"

Fifty cannons roared simultaneously. In an instant, the sky Sharp Gorge City was obscured by a whistling black shadow. Dense shells, like an enraged swarm of bees, swarmed towards the stronghold.

At first, there were numerous magical orbs, accompanied by sporadic alchemical crossbow bolts for interception, but the cannonballs were plentiful and dense. The 120mm-thick cannonballs only needed to be dropped from the cannon barrel to be launched with a whoosh.

Without needing to eject the spent cartridge and reload, the same actions can be repeated to fire the next shot.

This convenient operating method allows the mortar to fire at a rate more than three times that of artillery of the same caliber. Before the first mortar has even landed, a single launcher can already fire four or five more!

Boom! Boom boom boom boom--!

The industrial-grade output easily overwhelmed the already fragile interception force, and shells rained down on the city walls.

The outskirts of Sharp Gorge City were quickly engulfed by a continuous barrage of fireballs. Debris, limbs, and twisted metal fragments danced wildly in the shockwaves.

The sporadic resistance vanished completely. The surviving goblins screamed, dropped their weapons, and fled in panic, crowding the passage down the city wall.

"Cease fire! Cool the gun barrels!"

After a minute of rapid firing, Katharine gave the order to cease fire. The necromancers stopped firing and began to take their own methods to cool down the cannon barrels.

Each mortar had just fired more than fifteen shells, and the barrels were already scorching hot, glowing a dark red.

"Dragon Claw Regiment, Third Battalion, take off!" Katharine continued, issuing the order.

Behind the Final Bone Mad Machines array, the dragons, who could no longer contain themselves, spread their wings, creating a whirlwind as they soared into the sky.

Due to the distance, this mixed force did not carry heavy aerial bombs. However, Katharine had devised an alternative tactic for the isolated city before them.

The dragons flew low over the forest at the edge of the battlefield, grabbing thick trees and uprooting them before flying towards Sharp Gorge City.

As Katharine's magic book swirled in her hands, dozens of lifelike dragon phantoms appeared at the front of the formation and swooped down first!

This was meant to be a decoy to draw fire, but apart from the chaotic fleeing figures on the city walls, there wasn't a single spark of retaliation.

Katharine's gaze swept over the smoldering Bone Model cannons on the ground, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. Was the enemy too weak, or were their own forces simply too powerful?

After the phantoms swept past, the real dragon horde followed closely behind, hurling giant logs at the densely built areas of the city. The heavy trunks roared as they smashed through rooftops, creating widespread chaos.

After several trips back and forth, during which the dragons hurled down many large trees, Katharine nodded to Rupert.

The Bone Model artillery on the ground roared once more!

This time, they aimed inside the city. The mortar shells exploded in mid-air, but instead of producing shock fragments, they sprayed out a sticky, hot mixture of solidified gasoline and aluminum powder!

Once these gelatinous substances adhere, they cannot be removed and release temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius during intense combustion.

The city instantly turned into a living hell. The damp, giant trees were forcibly set ablaze, sending up thick, billowing smoke that blotted out the sky. For the goblins hiding in their bunkers, this was something even more deadly than the flames!

Finally, the heavy metal gates of Sharp Gorge City burst open with a roar from within! The defending troops completely collapsed and fled outwards like a flood breaking its banks.

"The area outside the city belongs to the dragons, and the area inside belongs to you, how about that?" Katharine asked Rupert.

Rupert gestured in agreement.

The dragon in the sky let out an excited roar and pounced on the fleeing goblins. Faced with an unmatched hunter, most of the fugitives quickly knelt down, trembling as they raised their hands and joined the ranks of the captives.

The necromancers of the Final Bone Mad Machines did not actually enter the city. After all, the Sharp Gorge City was currently shrouded in smoke, and the fire was spreading in all directions.

They raised their staffs in unison, summoning the goblin corpses into undead, and then sent them into the city to clear out the remaining or hiding resistance fighters street by street.

A decisive battle against a fortified stronghold quickly transitioned into a mopping-up phase due to overwhelming force, with the outcome no longer in doubt.

****

An hour later, Katharine's boots stepped over the charred and twisted wood, through the gates of Sharp Gorge City that were still emitting wisps of gray smoke, and into the Sharp Gorge City.

Everywhere bore the marks of the ravages of fire. Katharine covered her mouth and nose and headed straight for the goblin command post. The thick stone building, however, remained intact.

Most of the officers inside were intercepted by the dragon while trying to escape. They were either torn apart by its claws or blown away by its breath, including the highest commander of Sharp Gorge City.

Katharine's gaze swept over the scattered documents, broken communication arrays, and charred maps in the command room, and she ordered her men to begin sorting through them, searching for the useful parts.

She glanced out the window and saw necromancers directing undead creatures to gather a large number of distraught goblin prisoners. The officers who were identified were roughly dragged out and taken to a makeshift interrogation point for questioning.

The dragons kept driving groups of goblins back from outside the city and handing them over to the dragons, much like oversized sheepdogs.

Before long, a fully loaded logistics unit arrived. They brought a lot of supplies, including a Dandelion communication base station. As the air balloon took off, the communication equipment suspended on it was activated, and Sharp Gorge City was brought into the coverage of a high-quality communication network.

Katharine immediately connected with the rear command center and began an online meeting with the other command members on the battlefield.

"All units shall halt large-scale advances," Su Ming ordered. "Clear out any remaining enemy forces in the surrounding areas, and hand over all captured goblins to the auxiliary forces that arrive later."

It was already afternoon. Although the dragon and the Final Bone Mad Machines could still launch another attack, the logistics were simply not keeping up with the progress.

The underdeveloped transportation capabilities of this other world are a major bottleneck. In addition, while collecting goblin prisoners is easy, guarding and managing them requires a large number of auxiliary troops.

However, most of these auxiliary troops are still on their way, trying to catch up with the main force.

Therefore, both Katharine's surprise attack force, which was seizing the stronghold, and the main force on the front lines had to temporarily halt their advance and wait for friendly reinforcements and support personnel to catch up.

"Tonight, all auxiliary units must be in position," Su Ming continued, "Tomorrow at dawn, the main force will advance again, breaking through the enemy remnants until they meet up with Zijin's plains interception line." He turned to Zijin, "You over there, be vigilant tonight. If anything seems amiss, call for long-range artillery support!"

Given this rout, it's hard to imagine that the goblins on the eastern side of the East of the Ridge still have the capacity for a large-scale offensive.

However, it cannot be ruled out that the goblins might launch a desperate attack from the other side of Gray Ridge.

"Okay!" Zijin replied, secretly popping a biscuit into her mouth and gently crushing it.

****

"Tomorrow's food supplies will be obtained directly from the goblin's warehouse," Su Ming continued, "Bowers, get the supplies organized quickly."

"Roger!" Bowers replied.

Next, Su Ming arranged the management and handover details of the prisoners.

"We already have a large number of prisoners; my unit is currently guarding over six thousand," said Katharine. "If the pursuit goes smoothly tomorrow, breaking ten thousand is a certainty."

Can Xin, the Gold Dragon Elder in charge of the main battlefield, joined the communication with his deep voice, "Our unit has now taken in 15,000 prisoners."

Su Ming subconsciously rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache. Judging by this pace, the total number of prisoners of war would probably easily exceed 50,000 by the end of this battle.

This includes not only the goblin combat troops, but also a large number of goblin support personnel involved in the transportation.

With such a massive number of people, it is clearly insufficient to maintain order by relying solely on auxiliary troops; the main force must be involved in management in order to ensure stability.

This is also a weakness of the dragon race. In terms of combat power, they can fight against a hundred people single-handedly. However, when it comes to handling some miscellaneous tasks, they can only be considered as individuals.

The mages of the Final Bone Mad Machines are also high-value combat forces, and it's not worth wasting too much time on these things.

Su Ming pondered that after the war, it would be necessary to organize the alien races within the Dragon Kingdom and establish a standing army to handle such tasks.

After a moment's thought, Katharine suggested, "Why don't we do a selection process and keep the large, robust goblins? We can dispose of the weak and useless ones on the spot to save resources."

Just as Su Ming was about to object, he heard Can Xin speak up, "Of course, we've already handled it this way once!"

A look of understanding flashed in Katharine's eyes. "I see. No wonder it took you so long to capture ten thousand prisoners."

After all, the main attack force on the front lines consisted of over seven hundred giant dragons!

"Gentlemen!" Su Ming's voice rose, tinged with sternness, "I now issue a clear order: any unauthorized slaughter of prisoners is strictly prohibited!"

A brief silence fell over the channel, with both human commanders and dragons showing varying degrees of surprise. No one objected, and after a moment, low or loud "Yes, sir!" responses rang out.

"Guaranteeing the basic right to survival of the vast majority of prisoners is the moral bottom line I hope to uphold during the war," Su Ming softened his tone and began to explain. "This is also a weapon—establishing a reputation for not indiscriminately killing prisoners can, in many situations, more effectively undermine the enemy's will to resist. It also facilitates the post-war management and assimilation of conquered territories."

"You certainly have grand ambitions," Katharine remarked. "Of course, in the long run, it will definitely be beneficial."

"But supporting excess goblins would still be a waste of resources," Gelie said, raising a practical issue. "Gray Ridge has never had the habit of ransomed ordinary goblin prisoners of war. In the eyes of the goblin leadership, they are not worth paying the price for."

In populations where reproduction is easy, the importance of the individual becomes infinitely low, especially at the bottom.

"Are we just going to let these goblins go?" Can Xin asked.

In another world, if you did something so difficult to win a battle, only to end up helping the enemy, you would be laughed at as a fool.

"Of course not," Su Ming replied. "Labor is the most valuable resource." His tone relaxed slightly, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. "I have several mines with harsh conditions, and I desperately need laborers with such strong resilience to develop them."

Under the existing technological conditions of this other world, the working environment for mining deep underground is ultimately harsh. Unfortunately, some of the special minerals that Su Ming needs are buried extremely deep.