The Plundering Clock's Counterattack

"I've participated in the shooting tests of these," the deliveryman said, perking up. "Flat-nosed bullets aren't good for long distances; they tend to drift, the trajectory is unstable, and they drop very quickly."

The delivery clerk got more and more excited as he talked, chattering on and on.

"But the chairman said that if you shoot within a few hundred meters, you can turn the skin underneath into a huge clump of cotton. Hearing that sent chills down our spines—"

Yise took out some fruit from the supplies and stuffed it into his mouth to shut him up, finally giving him some peace and quiet.

The logistics clerk completed the inventory check and, after repeated verification, confirmed that the quantities were all correct.

Yise wrote his name in the responsible person section of the receipt.

"Bring the Bone Machine First Battalion back and equip them with new ammunition," she ordered, looking up.

****

The Radiant Holy City.

Biological laboratory, clean room.

The "holy medicine" seized from the lizardmen lies quietly on the lab table.

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instrument has been transferred, installed, and powered on.

Then, Su Ming was unceremoniously kicked out after being used and discarded.

The door slammed shut, leaving him and Zijin outside.

Then, with a click, the door locked from the inside again.

"Hey! Are you robots really this aggressive?!" Zijin's eyes widened in astonishment. "You won't even let me watch from the side?"

Inside the room, the silver-white wheeled four-armed robot with the Zijin crickets had been moved to the front of the French windows. With a lift of its mechanical arm, it clicked shut the blinds.

"No, they won't even let us watch?!"

Zijin was immediately furious.

"And it was glaring at me with red eyes!"

"Believe it or not, I'll smash it to scrap metal!"

Su Ming felt somewhat helpless.

"That's a camera; it looks at everyone like that."

To be honest, there are reasons why things have developed to this point.

On the train in the Northern Lands, the two used Raman spectroscopy to analyze mineral components.

As a result, the last sample, named Rock Core, was triggered by a laser, causing a "flare" accident. The intense light released caused the Zijin to go blind on the spot.

Oh, and there's a certain unicorn that's also blind in one eye.

Fortunately, there was a professionally treated Jielusi in the car at the time, which prevented serious consequences.

Because of this incident, the team that developed the plan was severely reprimanded.

Therefore, when Su Ming raised the need for material analysis again, the technical team had learned a great deal from their experience.

They brought the robot along with all the equipment.

Furthermore, the robot's program includes a command to prevent two people from getting close, in order to eliminate any possibility of "personal injury".

"Don't you have Omniscient Vision and can see through walls?" Su Ming asked.

"----Oh yeah." Zijin stuck out her tongue, "I'm so annoyed by this lump of metal!"

****

Inside the room, the robot finally eliminated the humanoid "interference source" and turned on the liquid chromatography equipment via Bluetooth.

Amidst the operating noise of the rooftop FFU (fan filter unit), the instrument emits a low and steady running sound, entering the preheating process.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a sophisticated technique that uses the differences in the partition coefficients of different components between the stationary and mobile phases to break down and identify complex mixtures bit by bit.

After searching the current task list, the robot confirmed the task objective: to analyze the chemical composition of the "holy medicine".

It extends its robotic arm, removes a portion of the sample from the "holy medicine" bottle, begins preparing the mobile phase, and performs ultrasonic degassing to eliminate tiny air bubbles in the liquid.

A moment later, the high-pressure pump started, and the mobile phase continued to flow through the chromatographic column of the equipment.

On the screen, a thin baseline appeared and gradually leveled off over time.

"How much longer will it take us to make an antidote for this?" Su Ming asked.

Through interrogation of the captured Gravel Scale Tribe Headed Lizards, they confirmed that this drug was a key tool used by the Plundering Clock to exert mind control.

Zijin pondered for a moment.

Stacy and I have pretty much figured out the Magic Power properties of "this holy medicine."

Stacy has also come to the Western Continent, but she hasn't adjusted to the time difference yet and is sleeping at this time.

"Using the component data provided by this chromatography equipment, it will probably take another two days or so to produce the antidote."

"So fast?" Su Ming was somewhat surprised.

He was no longer the novice he was when he first arrived in this other world. He would no longer take everything for granted just because the scholar made a point of it.

"It's alright, I guess."

A hint of smugness couldn't help but show on Zijin's face.

"This equipment can analyze chemical composition with high precision and accuracy, which is of great help to our work."

"But it's still quite fast," Su Ming said. "Normally, even if the ingredients are known, it would take at least half a month, right?"

"Don't you even know who we are?" Zijin's lips curled into a pleased smile.

****

Jielusi sent a military intelligence alert.

Although they have not yet found the location of the Plundering Clock, they have learned that the Gravel Scale Tribe near the border of the Star Empire have all shown signs of large-scale mobilization.

The news arrived slightly delayed.

According to Jielusi's prediction, if the Plundering Clock is to launch an operation, it should be tomorrow morning.

Su Ming quickly contacted Xialike and relayed the information.

"The Plundering Clock is probably planning to strike hard while we're still establishing ourselves."

Xialike quickly made a judgment.

The Stars Forces were not entirely unprepared, but judging from the information sent by Jielusi, the Plundering Clock seemed poised to unleash the full force of these Gravelscale tribes.

"This wave is estimated to number over 60,000 reptilians."

He remarked with emotion.

"The Plundering Clock is really asking for trouble."

The more Xialike talked, the more his head ached, and he raised his hand to press his temples.

"They're probably going to use them as cannon fodder, they don't seem to care at all," Su Ming said.

"Just how far has the Plundering Clock exerted its mental control over the Gravel Scale Tribe?" Xialike inquired.

Based on the performance in the few scattered battles so far, Su Ming gave a specific assessment. "The Gravel Scale Tribe's fighting spirit is indeed stubborn, but they haven't reached the point of being fearless of death."

"When their casualties reach about one-fifth, their morale will collapse."

"To survive for one-fifth of your terrifying firepower?"

Xialike's eyes widened upon hearing this.

"This isn't just a little stubborn—this is down to the level of a die-hard fanatic!"

Su Ming chuckled softly.

"Do you need any help?" he asked.

"Of course!" Xialike said, "If we fight head-on, the casualties will be huge."

"Then I'll intercept their follow-up troops."

"Grateful!"

After ending the real-time magical communication with the Star Empire, Su Ming connected with Yise.

"One of you, Bowers, will lead the Bone Machine First Battalion towards Sighing Pass tonight, marching through the night."

"Once we reach the border area tomorrow morning, use drones to locate the Gravel Scale Tribe's gathering point and disperse them!"

"I'll go then," Yise offered. "Bowers is getting old."

"Little girl, I don't need you to respect the elderly and care for the young," Bowers said with a laugh from the side.

"Then Yise will go." Su Ming didn't dwell on it.

He continued to add instructions.

"Tomorrow morning, the Bone Machine Second Battalion will also go with supplies, forming an echelon."

"If things go well, keep up the good work and inflict casualties on the enemy; if things go wrong, take over the support of the First Battalion."

"Understood!" Yise replied.

"Bowers, you lead the Bone Machine Third Battalion to guard the home base. The Desert Independent Regiment will serve as the reserve."

"Yes!"

****

The next morning, before dawn, Su Ming was woken up by his alarm clock.

"What's wrong?" Zijin, who was beside her, groggily threw back the covers, revealing a patch of snow-white shoulders, neck and collarbone, her voice still soft and sweet from sleep.

"There's an operation in the desert today," Su Ming explained as he stood up. "I need to keep an eye on things."

In fact, he had considered it last night whether or not to rush to Camp One overnight.

However, Yise and Bowers both dissuaded him, saying that this was not a large-scale operation and he didn't need to go to the front line personally.

The same applies to directing operations at the Saint Lan Cathedral.

As Su Ming stepped out of the room, he bumped into Stacy had just finished working all night.

"Hey, you've been here for days, why don't you adjust to the time difference?" Su Ming couldn't help but say.

"I've been transferred." Stacy was a little confused.

"I've always preferred waking up in the afternoon, working late into the night, and sleeping during the day."

"If you hadn't taken the Bay Owl away and prevented her from staying up late, she would be keeping me company."

Stacy's complaints grew as she spoke.

Su Ming was speechless for a moment, and began to consider whether to cut off the laboratory's nighttime power supply.

Stacy's eyes flickered, and she nudged Su Ming lightly with her elbow, her tone carrying a deeper meaning.

"I'm very good at treating backaches and similar problems. If you need help, I can help you." Su Ming immediately raised his hand to interrupt her.

"I don't!"

He took two steps to the side, thought for a moment, and then turned back.

But I have a friend—

****

The command center for this operation was located at the forward camp, where members of the dispatch team were busy.

In Su Ming's office, several tactical screens were also set up, allowing him to view the real-time situation of the battlefield.

He glanced at it and immediately realized that the situation was very different from what he had expected.

First of all, the Bone Machine First Battalion was not on the move; they stopped at 2 a. m. to rest.

We are currently about 150 kilometers away from the battlefield.

Su Ming didn't require them to arrive in the morning, but if they marched at a normal pace, arriving in the middle of the morning and disrupting the subsequent gathering of the Gravel Scale Tribe troops would be perfectly feasible.

Secondly, there's the enemy's side.

Along the border between the Star Empire and the Gravel Scale Desert, the Divine Eagle Drone had circled back and forth extensively, but had not detected any signs of lizardmen gathering that could be considered a harbinger of war.

On the contrary, the progress of the Bone Machine Second Battalion is normal.

They had set off at four in the morning, mixed in with the transport battalion, and were making their way forward, huffing and puffing.

"What about the troops that the Gravel Scale Tribe has assembled?" Su Ming couldn't help but ask.

His office was staffed with a military affairs officer named Fang Heng.

The assistant was taken aback upon hearing this.

"It's not time yet."

Su Ming turned to look out the window; the sun was already up.

"The attack was launched this morning, and the Gravel Scale Tribe still hasn't assembled?"

Factory Manager then realized where the problem lay and quickly explained, "Um, Chairman, the Gravel Scale Tribe is nocturnal, which is the opposite of our schedule."

"Therefore, when we are active in desert areas, we usually follow their customs and address each other by morning and evening."

"How come she's just like Stacy?" Su Ming couldn't help but complain.

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, Su Ming didn't force everyone to give up this habit.

They were simply instructed to use terms like "desert early" and "desert late" when relaying official intelligence, to avoid further confusion.

Because he had specifically set aside time for this war, Su Ming's schedule was exceptionally relaxed today.

He decided to stay in the office and look through Zhang Fashu's books.

Ultimately, he is an extraordinary being. If he doesn't spend more time studying, he will forget that he is also a mage-warrior.

****

In the afternoon, as expected, Gravel Scale Tribe began to gather in the border area.

As the sun set, more and more structures appeared on the sand, gradually expanding in size.

The Bone Machine First Battalion arrived at just the right time, 25 kilometers away, and all members went into hiding.

Because they rested well during the latter half of last night, their physical and mental strength is currently at a very good level.

"We can't get any closer," Yise explained. "The Gravel Scale Tribe's Nose Seats are very sharp."

Su Ming put away Zhang Fashu and his study notes, focusing all his attention on the war strategy.

As the sun sank below the horizon, the Gravel Scale Tribe's gathering at the border grew ever larger.

Around 7 a. m. on "Desert Morning," the first vanguard of about 10,000 lizardmen set off.

"Bone Machine First Battalion, will attack in fifteen minutes," Su Ming ordered. "Disrupt the enemy's assembly and hold off the Gravelscale Second Drill Force!"

"Understood," Yise replied immediately.

The Lizardmen were simply too large. Although the Bone Machine Battalion was not afraid, if they wanted to effectively intervene in the war with limited forces, they could only choose this flexible tactic.

A single attack force of 10,000 lizardmen is at a disadvantage against the three divisions of the Star Empire, which are already on high alert. They may even be surrounded by Xialike.

By the time the Bone Machine First Battalion completed its mission of harassing and delaying the enemy's follow-up troops and withdrew from the front lines due to ammunition depletion, it would be too late for the Lizardmen to redeploy troops to their aid.

This was the tactic that Su Ming and Xialike had devised in advance:

Break the Gravel Scale Tribe's continuous attack chain and then defeat them one by one!

However, everyone soon noticed something was wrong.

The lizardman force that led the initial attack did not head towards the Sighing Pass.

Ignoring the Star Empire troops heading towards Zhengheng, they took advantage of the cover of night and brazenly crossed the hilly section at the edge of the desert from the side of Zhengheng, directly breaking into the Star Empire territory!

Su Ming frowned immediately.

Once the Gravel Scale Tribe leaves the desert environment, their combat capabilities are significantly reduced.

Moreover, compared to the desert, the Star Empire on this side was a completely unfamiliar territory to them.

"President, what should we do?" Yise asked immediately.

The news of the lizardman forces' unusual movements was immediately relayed to the Stars Command.

"We'll continue with the original plan and hold off the second wave of troops," Su Ming instructed.

"Furthermore, I roughly know what the Plundering Clock is planning."

His voice became somewhat murmured.

"But is their intelligence really that accurate?"

The subsequent developments in the battle confirmed Su Ming's guess.

The Gravel Scale Tribe that crossed the border were indeed heading towards the Stars Army's supply transport units within the border.

Night had fallen, and the transport teams were resting at their various temporary campsites.

The Plundering Clock clearly possesses extremely accurate intelligence.

The Gravel Scale Tribe was divided into three forces, which, like sharp knives suddenly thrust out, rushed towards the three nighttime outposts without taking any detours.

Due to the disparity in troop strength between the attacking and defending sides, Xialike immediately ordered the logistics troops at the forefront to withdraw.

The personnel were withdrawn.

But the supplies can't be taken away.

After the Gravel Scale Tribe stormed into the garrison camp, they did not hesitate at all. They poured oil and set it ablaze, and the entire supply depot was engulfed in flames in the night.

Thick black smoke billowed, turning half the night sky red.

These raiding forces did not stop; they quickly turned around and continued their assault on three other nighttime outposts.

In an instant, the supply lines of the Star Empire were engulfed in flames.

"This isn't right." Su Ming murmured, his gaze growing increasingly somber. "The Gravelscale Force's ability to infiltrate Stars Realm and accurately pinpoint logistical weaknesses isn't just a matter of intelligence."

"They were accompanied by a team of guides who were extremely familiar with the situation."

Yise agreed with this assessment.

Fortunately, thanks to Su Ming's warning, the Star Empire's guard forces successfully assembled and quickly rushed to various transportation points to engage in combat with the Gravel Scale troops entering the country.

The reinforcements from the Stars are also arriving in droves.

Although the Plundering Clock clearly had no intention of withdrawing the harassing unit, it at least prevented the police from escalating the situation further.

Meanwhile, on the desert side, the First Battalion of the Final Bone Mad Machines finally arrived at the enemy's assembly point, just as the second lizardman unit was about to set off.

The Bone Machine Battalion quickly deployed, the cannon barrels at the tail of the Bone Model buried in the gravel, and the six legs locked on, pressing down their bodies.

"Mortars, fire rapidly, all battalions!"

"Yise gave the order loudly," Iser commanded.

In an instant, the Bone Machine Battalion's position trembled violently.

A series of explosions followed one after another, as 120mm mortar shells, trailing pale white smoke, roared into the air, tearing diagonally through the night sky and hurtling towards the lizardmen's assembly area ahead.

The lizardman's infrared vision captured these rapidly approaching, scorching trails in the first instant.

Some powerful individuals reacted extremely quickly, brandishing their weapons and boldly launching an attack to intercept them.

However, the shells were too dense, and most of them still bypassed the interception net and exploded one after another in the air above the enemy group.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The bright flames instantly engulfed the Gravel Scale Tribe; even if they reflexively closed their eyes, all they could see on their retinas was a white mass of debris.

Explosions echoed through the desert night sky, and the impact drill, carrying scorching blasts of air, swept in all directions. Countless pieces of shrapnel rained down like a storm, engulfing large groups of lizardmen.

Blood mingled with dust, scales tore apart, flesh rolled back, and screams of agony rose and fell.

"Charge!"

One of the leading lizardmen suddenly roared.

Under his leadership, a large swarm of lizards lay flat on the sand, their limbs and torsos working together to propel them swiftly toward the direction of the Bone Machine First Battalion amidst the flying sand.