The Explorer approached Qingyang Port at dawn and signaled with the prearranged light signal. The coastal defense artillery did not fire at it. Loaded with much-needed supplies for the garrison, the Explorer docked at Pier 13. As the massive fixed apparatus secured the ship, the Spirit Seed Furnace ceased operation. The entire Hovercraft entered a low energy consumption state, and the slaves on deck busied themselves with securing the ropes to prevent sudden attacks from strong winds.
Yang Jiye, the Prefect of Qingyang, stood on the Sky Watchtower, gazing into the distance. His gaze pierced through the snowy town and focused on the harbor. The once bustling commercial port had lost its former glory. The warehouse area was riddled with craters from the artillery bombardment during the evacuation. Only a few merchant ships were docked at the pier that extended towards the Sea of Emptiness. The appearance of the Explorer caught his attention. The ship had a streamlined hull and a large propulsion device. Although it had less cargo capacity than the bulging large merchant ships, it had astonishing speed that could evade most naval pursuits.
It seems to be a high-speed smuggling ship.
Yang Jiye smiled bitterly. He had no authority to inquire about the merchant ships belonging to the Commercial Alliance. Unless caught red-handed, these merchant ships even enjoyed certain consular immunity. After all, the logistics and transportation of the entire world relied on the huge fleet of merchant ships under the Commercial Alliance. They effectively controlled the transportation lifelines worldwide. The only fortunate thing was that the Commercial Alliance was not a united front. In reality, it was a conglomerate of hundreds of trade associations. The merchants were only interested in profits and lacked foresight. Although they had strong political influence, they could not wield it freely.
Next is the matter of freight charges, right? Captain Noirheim will offer what price for the urgent supplies weighing 170 tons? These supplies are vital for the survival of the Qingyang garrison and are worth exchanging for the same weight in gold. Unscrupulous merchants taking advantage of people in dire situations are not unheard of. However, that young captain left a completely different impression on him. Compared to the greasy merchants reeking of copper, she had the aura of a military person. Although she was a secret envoy of the Empire, the Empire army would not enlist children, right? To command a merchant ship at the age of twelve and cross half the world to an unfamiliar country, her mere experience alone disqualified her as an ordinary child.
That captain had too many mysteries surrounding her. Her stunning beauty and rough manners were like uniting countless contradictions but without any sense of disharmony. This was what people called personal charm, right? Thinking of this, Yang Jiye withdrew his gaze and turned back to his office. Just then, a serviceman came to report, "Captain Noirheim has arrived."
Uther sat on the lacquered wooden chair. Although she had added a cushion, she still felt less comfortable than on a sofa. The elegant reception room displayed beautiful porcelain, and the scent of incense permeated the air, exuding a strong Eastern style. Ding Yi, dressed in khaki military uniform, stood beside Uther. This young man had a serious expression, unintentionally adding pressure to Uther sitting next to him. If this continues, even the tea will become undrinkable. Uther frowned and tasted the green tea in the purple clay teacup. It had a completely different flavor from black tea: aromatic with a slight bitterness, leaving an aftertaste.
"General Yang Jiye is here."
As the announcement came from outside the door, Yang Jiye, wearing armor, pushed the door open. Although armor no longer had any practical defensive effect in this era, it highlighted the aura of a general when worn. Using armor as a military officer's uniform was a cultural characteristic of Jade Jing. Some said that the people of Jade Jing were martial but not good at fighting. However, it seemed that the Jade Jing people were quite capable since they were able to fight the powerful Federation for a year.
"General, I hope you are well." Uther politely stood up and saluted.
"Likewise," Yang Jiye raised his hand, gesturing for Ding Yi, who was saluting him, to stop. "Captain Noirheim, thanks to you, our Qingyang garrison received timely supplies. Thank you very much."
"It was just a small favor," Uther said. "I wonder if General is satisfied with the Princess's gift."
"Although Jade Jing has no experience using Magic Armor, it is indeed a remarkable weapon," Yang Jiye said. "Although the individual combat power is not as strong as the mechanical servant controlled by warlock masters, when numbers have the advantage, they become very terrifying. There is growing demand domestically to produce similar equipment, but the warlocks strongly oppose it. As you know, the warlocks of Jade Jing not only monopolize magic technology but also have great influence within the court. So, although the war situation is dire, the implementation of the Magic Armor development plan has not been smooth.""The vested interest groups always want to protect their own status, it's the same in any country," Uther sighed. "As soldiers, what they want most on the battlefield is equipment that can help them preserve their lives and property. Winning a little bit wouldn't hurt either. But when most soldiers step onto the battlefield, all they think about is how to make it back home alive. After all, they are just the most basic combat units, expendable objects. If they can have better equipment that increases their chances of survival, they would gladly accept it."
"Has Captain Noyneim been in any battles?" Yang Jiye suddenly asked.
"No," Uther lied. "But I understand what soldiers think."
"You're absolutely right. Soldiers just want to make it back home alive," Yang Jiye sighed. "But the problem is, the sorcerers are interfering with military affairs to a large extent. They have monopolized a large portion of the staff positions. With the development of weapon technology, the role of sorcerers is diminishing, but their influence remains."
He glanced at Ding Yi, the young officer standing expressionlessly.
"Whenever there is technological progress, there will always be resistance. It's the law of human social development," Uther sighed. "Those self-righteous politicians and experts always drag down the process of change, which is bad news for the military. If there's anything I can help with, please let me know, General."
"Captain Noyneim's erudition is admirable," Yang Jiye changed the subject. "But to be honest, I can't even come up with a large sum of money to cover the transportation cost of the 170-ton relief supplies."
"Her Royal Highness has already paid you a commission," Uther said. "You only need to pay for the necessary maintenance costs of the Explorer. Here's the invoice."
She handed a list to Yang Jiye. Seeing the amounts listed on the invoice, Yang Jiye furrowed his brow thoughtfully. "Is this too cheap?"
"If you could give me some special apples from Qingyang, that would be even better," Uther grinned. "And if possible, I hope General Yang will remember my name. Ding Yi is safely returning to you. The Explorer will set sail under the cover of darkness tonight. If there are any personnel in need of evacuation, I will bring them to the main island of Yujing, as I happen to have something to take care of over there."
It was obvious that she was offering a favor to the Prefect of Qingyang, and favors are hard to repay. Yang Jiye couldn't help but admire the cunning of this twelve-year-old girl, calculating and savvy, but he didn't find her distasteful. That's the charm of a personality, right?
"By the way," Yang Jiye suddenly remembered something, "Captain Noyneim, have you heard a rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"The rumor about a Federation naval super-supply ship."
A super-supply ship. Uther couldn't help but furrow her brow. The Federation Navy was able to conduct a year-long, high-intensity attack on Yujing. The fleet's logistics supply was indeed a problem, especially the replenishment of Magic Element. Without Magic Element, the hovercrafts could not run, and carrying a large amount of Magic Element was very dangerous.
"I have heard that rumor," Uther decided to sell another favor. "The mobile supply base, 'Hundred-Eyed Giant,' is the Federation military's super-sized mobile logistics facility. It is 3.5 kilometers long, 550 meters wide, and weighs over a million tons. This super-sized hovercraft is capable of directly refining Magic Element from the Sea of Emptiness. It also has multiple large shipyards to repair all kinds of warships from cruisers to battleships. If it comes near Yujing, it can explain the frequent offensives by the Federation military."
"As long as we destroy it, the Federation will have to withdraw," Yang Jiye said.
"In theory, that's correct," Uther nodded. "But the Hundred-Eyed Giant is heavily guarded by a separate fleet and has six squadrons of Magic Armor as its direct guards. It won't be easy to destroy. However, this behemoth's speed is only 12 knots, so once it's detected, it'll be difficult for it to escape."
"Thank you for the information," Yang Jiye stood up, bowing lightly. As the Prefect of Qingyang and a general, this was the highest courtesy he could give to Uther as a foreign merchant."So, I'll take my leave now," Uther stood up and bowed, "After all, time is money for merchants."
The magic car traveled on the snowy streets, the cold wind blowing away the floating snow on the ground. The buildings on both sides were shrouded in silence, occasionally showing the ruins left by artillery fire. Uther held the steering wheel and continued to infuse magic into the small Spirit Seed Furnace of the magic car. She had already mastered this lightweight magical machine and enjoyed it. There were only occasional patrols left on the desolate streets, and most of the residents had evacuated. Qingyang was prepared for a desperate battle.
In front of the headquarters, Ding Yi bid farewell to Uther.
"Captain Nohneim, please take care of my sister," the young man said before parting.
"No problem," Uther assured him, "But are you really going to stay? You might die."
"I am a member of the Qingyang army, I must fulfill my duty," Ding Yi said, "I have given up my identity as a mage and my family. I will continue on the path I have chosen."
"Good luck," Uther smiled slightly, "You're my number one disciple, don't die easily."
"Until we meet again," Ding Yi bowed, "Thank you for your guidance."
The magic car left the headquarters, Uther looked at the blue sky. The post-snow blue sky was crystal clear, as if it wanted to absorb people's souls. Will this sky be even more beautiful in spring? The town with green tiles and white snow shone in the noon sun. If there was no war, this would definitely be a beautiful town. Even in the face of the end of the world, humans never forget to fight.
Only sailing on the endless Sea of Emptiness is true freedom, right?
Under the cover of night, the Explorer left Qingyang.
On the second day after the departure of the Explorer, the Federation's First, Second, and Third Fleets approached Qingyang. This expeditionary fleet was commanded by Admiral G.K. Abrams, consisting of 1,100 combat ships and a considerable number of supply ships. The Federation's large mobile supply base, "Giant Eye," provided logistics support to the fleet.
However, the Federation's Magic Armor units, which suffered heavy losses in the Alonzo Sea Battle and Fort Hurricane Campaign, had not fully recovered. After a year of replenishment and training, they had only regained half of their strength. While producing Magic Armor was difficult, it was even harder to find suitable pilots. Driving a Magic Armor required a high magical capacity, and not everyone had such qualifications. Generally, being able to find one suitable Magic Armor pilot among every hundred people was considered good, and coupled with the long training time, it was difficult to quickly restore combat effectiveness.
Despite the Magic Armor units of the Federation Navy not fully recovering, they hastily went to war with Yujing, trying to recover from their failure in the war against the Empire.
Admiral Abrams was a steady commander. Although he didn't have a tactical genius like Felicia, he steadily advanced his campaigns with solid battle plans and achieved victory. Therefore, in the Federation military, he was known as the "Unmovable Rock." Abrams was extremely steady in his tactics and rarely used extraordinary strategies, excelling in defensive battles, and was an expert in attrition warfare. He spent a year to wear down the Yujing Navy, gradually gaining control of the sea and then launching attacks on Qingyang.
Qingyang was the eastern gateway to Yujing, 550 nautical miles away from the main island of Yujing. If captured, the Federation would gain a forward base and launch an attack on the entire Yujing territory. In order to achieve this goal, the Federation suffered losses of nearly 300 warships, sinking over 150 Yujing naval vessels. For the Federation, the loss of 300 warships was just a scratch, but for the relatively small Yujing Navy, losing 150 vessels was equivalent to losing half of their strength. Although the Yujing Navy continued to resist fiercely, they were already unable to withstand the heavy pressure from the Federation fleet.
The battle alarm rang through the dock area. Ding Yi, wearing a pilot suit and goggles, boarded his Magic Armor. This was a mass-produced Magic Armor brought from the Empire. It was not equipped with a Spirit Seed Furnace, but used a magic element-powered engine. This type of magic device was much simpler than the Spirit Seed Furnace and very suitable for mass production. Because it used magic elements as fuel, there were no strict requirements for the pilots. Even people like Ding Yi, who had no magical power at all, could still pilot it. However, the output power of the Magic Element engine was several levels lower than a genuine Spirit Seed Furnace, and its conversion efficiency was not high. The red light particles it emitted were also harmful to the human body. These drawbacks directly led to the lower performance of armor equipped with Magic Element engines. Although through extensive improvements, its combat capabilities could only reach about half that of the Magic Armor equipped with a Spirit Seed Furnace.The weapon equipped on the mass-produced Magic Armor is a 13mm heavy machine gun, which is integrated with the war lance, making it a composite weapon. It can shoot with the machine gun at long range and use the length of the war lance to gain an advantage in close combat. However, the weapon's enormous weight further hampered the already low mobility of the mass-produced units.
Under the command of the ground crew, Ding Yi and the other pilots took off and formed a formation over the harbor. Most of the pilots were inexperienced and could only barely perform basic operations due to lack of training. Nevertheless, the deployment of the mass-produced Magic Armors significantly enhanced the strength of the Qingyang garrison. The summoners who had joined the army had already summoned mechanical familiars at important locations, but their numbers were too few to carry out widespread deployment. In the actual defense battle, it was still the Magic Armors and artillery units that played the leading roles.
Ding Yi's hand trembled as he gripped the control stick. He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He had witnessed the battles of a renowned ace pilot, Uther Nornheim, the elven-like beauty. Her operating skills and flight tactics were top-notch.
First, gain the advantage of altitude. With altitude, one could gain speed and break away in a dive, avoiding prolonged dogfights. Ding Yi silently recited these basic tactics in his mind, gripping the control stick tightly.
"Enemy Magic Armors approaching!" came the voice of the ground commander through the headphones. "All formations, prepare for interception!"
They were here, the enemy was here!
Through the thin clouds below, Ding Yi saw Federation's Magic Armors approaching in formations of four units as the basic element. They rushed into the anti-aircraft fire net, causing many formations to scatter, indicating a significant decline in the overall quality of Federation pilots.
Just as many newcomers were disoriented by the anti-aircraft fire, the Jade Capital's Magic Armor units descended from the sky, and both sides immediately engaged in a melee.
During the first encounter, Ding Yi missed the opportunity to shoot. His three bursts of shots failed to hit the target. He quickly began to climb, converting his speed advantage into an altitude advantage once again. The town below quickly receded, as if he was being drawn into the azure sky. The joy of flying filled his body, but the bullets that followed brought his mood down to freezing point. Two Nightjars caught up to him and quickly neutralized his speed advantage due to their superior performance.
The enemy aircraft was faster and more agile, and the inferiority of his own unit's performance gradually became apparent. Although Ding Yi still held the advantage of altitude, how long could he maintain it? A wingman behind him was hit, and the machine was instantly disintegrated by lightning. High-density Magic Element was an extremely unstable substance, and once it was impacted, it would trigger a Promethean effect. Ding Yi flipped his machine at the peak of a somersault and began to dive. The two Nightjars targeted him and opened fire. He raised the shield on his left wrist to block several bullets, and in the instant they passed each other, he thrust his war lance into the cockpit of the Nightjar leader.
The war lance broke instantly, and Ding Yi lost his only weapon. However, the enemy aircraft was also shot down. He immediately accelerated and dove into the town to take cover. Ding Yi understood that once landed on the ground, the Magic Armor would lose the mobility advantage it relied on for survival. If the airspace was controlled by the enemy, it would be difficult to return to the sky again. Hundreds of Magic Armors fought in the sky, and there were constantly enemy or friendly units being shot down. But without his main weapon, Ding Yi couldn't do anything and could only hide in the streets.
Suddenly, a downed Magic Armor entered his field of vision. It was a Federation's Griffin-type, belonging to the previous generation of units that were about to be phased out. Due to the loss of a large number of elite pilots and their Magic Armors in the war against the Empire, the Federation had no choice but to deploy its stock of outdated units. This Griffin was completely destroyed, with its armor in tatters and broken. However, its 12mm machine gun was almost undamaged. Ding Yi, piloting a mass-produced unit, leaned over and picked up the machine gun, then took the spare magazine from the Griffin's waist. Armed with a weapon, Ding Yi once again piloted the Magic Armor and joined the battle. Since the weight of the 12mm machine gun was much smaller than the war lance, the machine became much more agile.
A formation consisting of a Griffin and a Nightjar locked onto Ding Yi, and bullets rained down on him. The pilot of the Griffin was clearly a novice and had no understanding of conserving ammunition. Ding Yi dodged the shots by diving again, but his shoulder armor on one side was still hit by the Nightjar. He thanked an unknown deity while changing direction, leading his opponents into an anti-aircraft position. The ground anti-aircraft artillery unleashed a barrage of AA shells at the two Federation Magic Armors, forcing them to abandon the pursuit. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ding Yi latched onto the immobilized Griffin and a single burst broke its wings, causing the heavily damaged Griffin to crash in the warehouse area of the port.The aerial battle lasted all morning, and by noon, the Federation forces were finally driven back. Ding Yi landed at the frontline airfield, where he had achieved two victories. His own Magic Armor had also suffered significant damage, but luckily Uther had brought a large amount of spare parts, so repairs were not currently an issue. Crawling out of the cockpit, Ding Yi took the water bottle handed to him by the ground crew and drank the cold water in one gulp, as if trying to release the heat from his body. Looking back at his heavily damaged mass-produced Magic Armor, he showed a satisfied smile. It turned out that there were still things he could do, thanks to this machine, which allowed him to fight even without any magical power.
"Hey, kid from the Qin family, you survived after all," General Yang Jiye said.
"General!" Ding Yi saluted the man behind him, feeling confident in himself for the first time.
"You've improved! It's worth it to have followed Captain Noynheim on a run," Yang Jiye patted his shoulder. "So, have you seen the fighting prowess of Captain Noynheim? Have you learned a lot?"
"Captain Noynheim is an ace pilot, I've only learned a little bit. I can't even call it a fingertip's worth..." Ding Yi smiled bitterly. "And I've already given up the Qin family name, General."
"Do well," Yang Jiye said. "Stay alive until the end and taste the sweetness of victory."
At 14:00 in the afternoon, the First Fleet of the Federation, consisting of sixty battleships, approached Qingyang Island. At the maximum firing range, the battleship fleet launched 356mm heavy artillery shells, and accompanied by the roaring gunfire, the bombarded Qingyang Island with shells raining down like raindrops. At the same time, the coastal gun batteries on Qingyang Island began to retaliate. The powerful 410mm fortress artillery hit the Federation battleship, General Nordlin, forcing it to retreat from the battle. For the next four hours, the battleship fleet and the fortress artillery engaged in fierce combat. At dusk, the Federation forces retreated, with minimal losses to the Yujing fortress, but the town suffered significant damage from the shelling, and the port area was reduced to ruins.
After nightfall, a squadron of Federation cruisers entered the firing position. Although cruisers were only equipped with 155mm guns, their rate of fire was faster than battleships. The cruisers formed a single-column formation and swiftly passed by Qingyang Island at maximum speed, unleashing aimless bombardment on the Floating Island. Although the fortress cannons of Qingyang retaliated, they were hindered by poor visibility at night and could not hit their targets.
The shelling continued throughout the night, and at dawn, the squadron of Federation cruisers quickly retreated.
At 8:00 in the morning, the Federation Magic Armor unit reappeared in the sky above Qingyang Island. During the day, the Magic Armor unit fought for air superiority, and the heavy artillery fleet continued its shelling, while the cruisers launched a continuous night-time harassment. General Abrams' strategy was clear - to continuously weaken the strength of Qingyang Island through relentless attrition, exhausting the defending forces on the exhausted island. The shelling throughout the night made it impossible for anyone to sleep, greatly shaking the resolve of the defending forces, and the continually destroyed artillery positions and various infrastructure gradually accumulated damage.
During this period, although the Yujing Navy continued to launch attacks on the Federation fleet surrounding Qingyang, the results were not good and only increased their own losses.
On the fifteenth day of the siege of Qingyang, a Federation transport ship, laden with landing forces, appeared near the port. Ding Yi flew over the vast Federation fleet of transport ships, never before having seen so many ships gathered in one place. The Sea of Emptiness below was filled with huge fleets, numbering beyond calculation. The machine guns on the transport ships started shooting, creating a dense net of fire. Fearlessly, Ding Yi charged into the fire net and fired a rocket launcher at the forefront of the transport ship. The enemy's Spirit Seed Furnace was hit, causing the disabled transport ship to emit thick smoke and sink into the Sea of Emptiness. It was surrounded by lightning generated by the Prometheus Effect at a position very close to the plane layer, accelerating its descent below the cloud layer.
Discarding the rocket launcher after firing, Ding Yi and his wingman left the range of the anti-aircraft fire. However, sinking only one transport ship was not enough to stop the Federation's landing operation. While they were escaping, they were targeted by the Night Owl, responsible for aerial cover, and his wingman was hit and forced to crash-land in the devastated dock area. Ding Yi's Magic Armor was also damaged, and the lack of air cover in the assault operation intensified the losses. Of the one hundred Magic Armors brought by Uther Noynheim, they had already lost seventy percent, with less than thirty remaining capable of taking off for combat.A large-caliber shell exploded nearby, and the blast wave flattened the houses near the explosion point, lifting debris that pounded against the external armor of the Magic Armor. Ding Yi lowered his battered shield and, through the goggles on his helmet, all he saw was a burning ruin. Despite the best efforts of the harbor defense forces, the Federation's landing force could not be stopped. The first batch of ships alone had delivered nearly ten thousand troops to the harbor area, an overwhelming numerical advantage that the Qingyang defenders couldn't contend with. In war, sheer numbers were a form of violence in themselves.
The water-cooled heavy machine gun sprayed bullets at the advancing infantry! The hot firing line mowed down the group of charging infantrymen, toppling them like wheat, but the following troops quickly filled in the losses. The Federation's wave-like attack gradually tore through the weak Qingjing Army's front line. Ding Yi piloted the Magic Armor and fired his 12mm machine gun at the approaching infantry, ripping them apart with its tremendous power, but it was powerless to stop the swarming soldiers. The Federation soldiers were pouring into the harbor, setting foot on Qingyang's soil. Inspired by the accompanying military chaplain, the soldiers fought bravely and launched a desperate assault.
At this rate, the defense line would be breached.
Realizing this, Ding Yi instinctively began to retreat. Behind the sandbag wall at his feet, two Qingjing soldiers operated a heavy machine gun. The hot firing line swept through the narrow streets, mowing down the attackers in groups, but the Federation's marines seemed endless and soon closed in on the machine gun position, blowing up the gunner with a grenade.
Ding Yi desperately fired at the nearby enemies, the 9mm submachine gun attached to his arm spraying flames that reached half a meter long, madly mowing down the approaching Federation infantry. Dozens of infantrymen turned into stacks of corpses in the narrow streets, but more infantry kept charging, steadily compressing Qingyang's defense line.
The brutal street fighting lasted for a whole day. Ding Yi exhausted his last bullet without stopping the Federation army from approaching the governor's mansion. General Yang Jiye's command post, where Yang Jiye was stationed, was located underground at the governor's mansion and served as a relatively safe shelter. However, under the continuous attacks by General Abrams, this shelter had become perilous. The northern districts had already been lost, and the Federation's marines marched in neat formations along the streets, pressing the defending forces to retreat despite their desperate resistance.
The loss of the city was only a matter of time. Ding Yi gritted his teeth and landed at the last airfield to replenish the Magic Element for the Magic Armor.
"This is the end," the ground crew said. "We've received the order to retreat."
"Sorry," Ding Yi said. "You've been so helpful until the very end."
The ground crew saluted and picked up a submachine gun, joining the defense of the airfield. Ding Yi turned to the runway and took off forcibly amidst the dense gunfire. The last thing it saw was the Federation army closing in on the core area of the airfield. After putting up a fierce resistance, the airfield was ultimately captured by the Federation army.
The situation in front of the governor's mansion was exceptionally fierce.
"General Yang Jiye has ordered us to hold the final defense line! No retreat!" came the voice of the frontline commander through the earpiece. Ding Yi clenched his teeth, and through the goggles on his helmet, he saw thousands of Federation marines swarming toward the steps in front of the governor's mansion, their blue uniforms flooding the streets and alleys like a torrent flooding toward the precarious Qingyang defense line.
At this rate, they would undoubtedly lose.
A large-caliber shell flew overhead, trailing flames, and hit the main gate of the governor's mansion, sending fragments and shockwaves in all directions, pounding the outer shell of the Magic Armor. Ding Yi glanced around. In the flames, the injured Qingjing soldiers groaned. Several large-caliber shells flew overhead and landed in the courtyard of the governor's mansion, creating massive fireballs.
"All units, pay attention!" Yang Jiye's voice came through the earpiece. "Abandon the governor's mansion, retreat to the Yuqiong Mountain Fortress, hold the line and wait for reinforcements!"
This was the order to abandon the governor's mansion. Losing this strong stronghold meant the complete loss of Qingyang Harbor and the town. The Yuqiong Mountain Fortress was the core of the Qingyang defense system, equipped with numerous heavy artillery, layered defense positions, and filled with machine guns and mortars. It was easy to defend but difficult to attack.
Yang Jiye's decision to abandon the governor's mansion, which had little strategic value, was the right choice. However, the loss of the governor's mansion dealt a massive blow to the morale of the entire Qingyang defending force.As a soldier, Ding Yi carried out his orders. In the moment his Magic Armor soared into the air, a shell struck him from behind. The damaged armor lost its balance and fell into the slums at the foot of the mountain.
The intense impact nearly took Ding Yi's consciousness away. He struggled to open his eyes, but the sticky blood blurred his left eye. He wiped away the obstructive blood with his hand, but his left eye remained closed no matter what he did. The wound on his head seemed severe, but he was more concerned about the condition of his Magic Armor. It was his only power as a civilian, but now, no matter how he manipulated the controls, the armor remained unresponsive.
Footsteps approached, and a squad of Federation infantry closed in. They fired semi-automatic rifles at Ding Yi's immobilized Magic Armor, which had no resistance, allowing the 7.62mm bullets to create sparks on its thick armor. A Federation marine took out a grenade, preparing to stuff it into the joints of the Magic Armor. Ding Yi took a deep breath. Although it was difficult for infantry to destroy Magic Armor, he couldn't move now, like a fish on the chopping block.
Just as the marine was struggling to insert the grenade into the armor's joints, a red sword light suddenly flickered in the darkness. The marines stared in confusion as their upper and lower bodies were separated, their bodies transforming into corpses lying on the dimly lit streets. A young man in a tight combat armor wielding a magic sword stood in the blood-filled alley. His appearance was somewhat similar to Uther Noenham, but the collar around his neck gave a sense of discord, as if he were a slave.
"Empire's mass-produced machine. Unexpected to see it here," a deep voice echoed in the darkness. Ding Yi shifted his gaze and saw a young man wearing an Empire military coat step out of the shadow of a building. A red crystal shone on his chest. He tapped Ding Yi's helmet with his hand and asked in a deep voice, "Is the pilot inside alive?"
Ding Yi opened his helmet and answered with effort, "I'm still alive, for now."
"Oh, that's quite astonishing. Fiona, we've found a treasure," the black-haired man remarked. He placed his hand on Ding Yi's forehead, and a beam of light flashed and disappeared. He pushed up his glasses with his middle finger. "Completely devoid of any magic power, you are indeed a human, a rare phenomenon of true human ancestry."
"I indeed have no magic power," Ding Yi said, "but I don't understand what you mean."
"Humans never had magic power to begin with," the man stated. "But as the Sea of Emptiness released magic elements into the atmosphere, it slowly modified the DNA of survivors who fled to the sky, granting them more or less magic power. To put it bluntly, due to the influence of the Sea of Emptiness, almost all humans have become magicians, but occasionally, there are descendants completely devoid of magic power, like you, true 'humans.' I'm afraid that you losing your life here is a bit of a pity. Perhaps I might need a 'true human' like you, but it depends on your own will. Make a wish, son of humanity. I am willing to listen to your desires."
Ding Yi felt confused. He couldn't understand what the man in front of him was talking about, but the silver-haired attendant had already turned the gloomy alley into a sea of blood with a blink of an eye.
"If you can repair my armor, I would be eternally grateful," Ding Yi said.
"Is that your wish?"
"Yes."
Hehehehe, the man laughed.
"This small malfunction won't defeat me. After all, this body was always fascinated by machinery." He continued, "However, the Qingyang garrison has exhausted their oil and is running on fumes. You have no chance of winning. The Federation military has launched a full-scale attack against you with superior forces; it's a merciless annihilation operation. If you continue to mix in the chaos, you will die."
"Even so, I still intend to fight until the end," Ding Yi declared. "I was born into a prestigious family of warlocks, but I was expelled from the clan because I had no magic power. Fortunately, Captain Uther Noenham's Magic Armor gave me new power, and I cherish this opportunity. I hope to continue walking on the path I have chosen, even if death is ahead, I will not stop.""Uther Norinheim," the man chuckled, "So it was her all along? Hehehe, what a twist of fate. Well, since it's like this, we're destined to meet. Let me give you a hand."
With that, he climbed onto the back of the Magic Armor and skillfully removed the outer casing of the Magic Element power furnace. He effortlessly began the repair work while Ding Yi could do nothing but let him tinker with it.
"So, this is the Magic Element power furnace," the man said, holding a wrench in his mouth. He skillfully connected the broken pipes. "Felicity's idea is correct. Using Magic Element as fuel, they can create Magic Armors that anyone can pilot. Quantity over quality, after all, wars require expendable soldiers." He opened the throttle valve, inputted Magic Element, and said, "Simple but effective. As long as we establish the cycle again, the whole system can be restarted." He closed the hatch and connected the pipelines, saying, "Alright, kid, try standing up."
Ding Yi pressed the pedals, and the Magic Armor responded to his movements and rose from the rubble.
"Thank you very much," Ding Yi nodded in gratitude, "I will forever remember your great kindness. Please tell me your name, so that I can repay you in the future."
"My name is...Lin," the man smiled faintly and said, "If you manage to survive, maybe you can really be of some help to me. Young man, as an elder, let me give you some advice. Machines will never betray you, even if they have human appearances. They will never betray your trust. But there are some who refuse to learn. They continue to inject false souls into their creations, without understanding true repentance."
Ding Yi didn't fully understand what he meant, but the young woman who had bloodied the Federation infantryman couldn't bear to look at him. She wore a collar around her neck, completely unable to defy her master's will.
"Haha, it seems I'm still too chatty," the man who called himself Lin sighed, "This place has turned into a battlefield. It's best to hide for a while. Kid, I have high hopes for you. Stay alive for me. If we have destiny on our side, we will surely meet again. By then, I may have you at my disposal until death. Prepare yourself for repaying the favor."
With that, he disappeared into the night with the skillful female swordsman.
After confirming that the entire system was functioning normally, Ding Yi deployed the flight wings of the Magic Armor, and the steel giant took off into the air, heading towards the last defense line of the Qingyang garrison.
