Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1242: Sudden good news?

The magic defense position of the iron-forged city of Bad Ain slowly unfolds along the curved city wall, like a giant beast devouring the sun. The hexagonal energy matrix refracts every ray of morning light into a sickly orange-red color, covering the iron cross flag flying in the Governor's Mansion. In the Western Continent, the backward city defense system has long been eliminated by modern warfare, but in the distant Eastern Continent, it has become the focus of contention between the attackers and defenders. On the 37-meter-high vanadium steel wall, the armored infantry of the 3rd Marine Company of the 17th Legion blocked the passage leading to the city. Every time they hit hard with the magic power hammer in their hands, a small-scale earthquake would be triggered. Those enemies who desperately climbed up the city wall fell down before they even had time to wail, but more enemies continued to pour onto the city wall and engage in bloody hand-to-hand combat with them.

"Load the shells!" Commander Edgar shouted in a hoarse voice, "Follow my orders, fire!"

The six magic cannons on the fortress turrets roared angrily at the same time, and the prismatic barrels were filled with a sudden scorching temperature. In the terrifying overheating flash, dozens of steel shells wrapped in arcs bombarded the positions below, instantly exploding a crimson blood mist. Several rebel soldiers who were operating the steam locomotive seized from the enemy and trying to rush into the blind spot of the magic cannon did not even have time to jump out of the car. Both the people and the machines were melted and evaporated by the high temperature of 3,000 degrees, leaving only a half-rotten wreckage on the spot.

However, their death did not bring fear, but instead inspired the warriors' bloodiness. The death squad members holding simple engineering explosives took advantage of the wreckage of the chariot and launched a desperate charge towards the magic defense stand that covered the entire city. In the absence of a systematic cracking of the enemy's stand device, the purest destructive power almost became their only choice. However, the enemy on the city wall discovered their intentions, and the six-barreled continuous magic machine gun spewed flames. The fierce crossfire instantly turned them into sieves. Only half of the youngest soldier was left crawling in the wreckage of the steam chariot, with his intestines entangled in the blood-red ground, like a baby's severed umbilical cord.

"Report!" A messenger ran into the headquarters breathlessly: "The east side of the city wall has been hit hard and a gap has appeared. It can no longer hold on!"

"What are you talking about you asshole!?"

Commander Edgar turned his head sharply, staring at the poor messenger with a pair of red eyes: "The enemy's main force is here, where do they get the manpower to attack the east wall!?"

“But, but…” The messenger was sweating profusely because of his glare, and he even stuttered: “There is a very powerful extraordinary person among the enemies. He attacked the protective device of the magic energy defense stand while we were not paying attention…”

A powerful extraordinary being... The only one Edgar could think of was the leader of the rebels, the man known as the Eagle of Gray Hill.

It is said that he was only one step away from becoming a demigod, but he was unable to take that step because of his own resistance. In this sense, he can indeed be called a strong man. No wonder he did not appear on the front battlefield. It turned out that he went to attack the protective device of the magic energy protection stand... That's true. The biggest obstacle to the rebels' attack on Bad Ain City is this giant stand with one-way magic defense capabilities. Once all the protective devices are broken, the consequences will be disastrous.

Damn it, if the main force was still in the city, how could he be beaten so badly by a group of Western Land natives who had never even seen a battlefield device?
Edgar clenched his fists, wishing he could punch the wall of the headquarters to vent his anger. But he knew that anger could not solve any problems. As a mature commander, he should learn to stay calm on the battlefield. Moreover, the current situation was far from desperate. As long as he could hold off the enemy's offensive until the main force could come back to support him...

He took a deep breath, his face gradually becoming grim. "Send an order. Bazel and Kyle each take two teams to support the east wall. Let the engineering troops speed up the construction of the fort and strengthen the defense of the protective devices. Also, tell the intelligence department to locate Carson Borg as quickly as possible, no matter what method is used. Once his whereabouts are discovered, the mobile troops can be directly dispatched to encircle and suppress him if necessary..."

Before the commander finished his order, the messenger suddenly looked behind him in horror, his face turning pale. Could this guy be frightened by the enemy's attack? How could such a timid guy be a messenger? Edgar frowned, but at this moment he suddenly heard a noisy sound from the sky, which was particularly clear even in the sound of artillery fire. The experienced commander who had been stationed in Bad Ain for seven years finally realized something, his face changed drastically, and he turned around and looked up at the sky.

Huge shadows were moving through the clouds, like schools of deep-sea fish flying towards us.

Countless arrows with pale blue tails tore through the clouds and fell like a torrential rain. Each arrow pierced the energy nodes of the magic energy protection field accurately. The hexagonal psionic barrier was hit by external energy and flickered violently, breaking apart piece by piece like a torn spider web. Edgar's pupils contracted, reflecting the true form of those huge shadows - not a school of fish, but giant falcons with a wingspan of more than ten meters. Their emerald feathers were crystal clear and gorgeous like gems. As they flapped their wings, they kept shooting out, instantly turning into sharp arrows, piercing through the fragmented magic energy protection field and accurately hitting the soldiers on the city wall. Even the strongest magic armor could not resist its power. The armored infantry who had been so arrogant just now fell one after another, just like the people who had died in their hands.

The cavalrymen on the back of the giant falcon also kept throwing down silver spears. In an instant, rain fell on the battlefield like a waterfall, covering the sky in the early morning and almost suffocating it.

One of the most powerful vassals of the Kingdom of Noah, the Mountain Falcon Knights of the Earl of the North.

Since even this air force that he valued the most had appeared on the battlefield, didn't it mean... Edgar felt a chill running up his spine. He raised his head stiffly and looked at the horizon in the distance. After the rain curtain dissipated, he saw thousands of troops bathed in the morning sun, bypassing the earth, crossing the hills, and rushing towards the battlefield. The dark forest of guns almost pierced the sky. In the center of this legion, three mage regiments were building a spellcasting array. Although their average strength was not even Sequence 8, the combined magic power seemed to be brewing an atmosphere that could subvert the battlefield.

Lost.

Although he knew he shouldn't, Edgar couldn't help but have this thought in his mind. He knew that the city of Bad Ain might not be able to be defended.

……

"Hey!" Mitch stepped on the shovel and shoveled up the last handful of soil with all his strength. Cadora and Medien, who had been waiting for a long time, picked up a small sapling together and carefully placed it into the dug hole. They carefully helped it to straighten its position, then stepped back two steps and watched Mitch waving the shovel and filling the soil back.

"Is this the last sapling?" Metien asked Kadora.

"Yes." The girl nodded and replied softly, "The one hundred and thirty-second tree."

Metien fell silent after hearing this. One hundred and thirty-two oak saplings represented one hundred and thirty-two dead people buried in the earth, sleeping forever. Although she knew that these saplings would grow into towering trees one day in the future, and then breed a lush forest, and by then the breeze would bring the sound of waves, and both the sorrow of the living and the regret of the dead would be purified by this long and meaningful song... But she still couldn't be happy.

If possible, she would rather they were all alive.

"It's okay." The girl suddenly heard Kadora say in a gentle voice: "I think Moya and the others will be very satisfied to live in such a beautiful place."

As she spoke, she looked around and saw a green meadow full of small red and yellow flowers. Were they wild sunflowers, dandelions, or beautiful bellflowers? The newly planted saplings were stretching their branches in the wind. The young army's companions had already unloaded their weapons, changed into daily clothes, and took turns to fetch water from the nearby river to irrigate the roots, praying for their growth and prosperity. As the spring birds brought seeds and the trees dropped fruits, they should be more prosperous in the future, right?

This was Metien's idea. It is said that in her hometown, there is a cemetery called Itni, which means eternal. She and Mr. Ling's father are buried there. When Itni Cemetery was first built, the relatives of the first batch of buried dead planted oak trees for it. As the years passed, the saplings of the past have grown into towering forests. It is said that some people regard those oak trees as the sustenance of the dead in the world. Whenever they walk into the forest, they will wander around and look for the appearance of their relatives.

Will human souls really be placed in these small saplings and continue as they grow? Kadora knew that was just a beautiful expectation, but everyone, including her, was willing to believe this statement, not because they felt guilty, but because sometimes, not only the dead need to place their souls, but the living also need to place their own thoughts in order to regain the courage to fight the real world.

Although spring has long passed, the weather on Yunjingkong Island is still so sunny. Perhaps it is because its owner has never felt sad on this island. Under the clear sky, the bright sunlight falls on this newly built small cemetery, illuminating every newly engraved epitaph on the white stone tablet. However, the white color of the tombstone is not like other cemeteries, which always make people feel desolate and lonely. Instead, it gives people an extra warm feeling. If you touch the words on the tombstone with your fingertips, you may still feel the residual warmth of the sunlight, just like the person represented by the tombstone is still standing in front of you, letting you feel his body temperature and breath.

There is a small wooden fence around the cemetery, which does not provide any protection, but is only to prevent wild rabbits or squirrels in the woods from entering the cemetery and disturbing the eternal sleep of the deceased. There are also circles of morning glory vines wrapped around the fence, and the half-palm-sized leaves are tightly clustered together, happily hanging down on the grass. The small flower buds are being nurtured in the sea of ​​green leaves, waiting for the moment to bloom. Those are the flower fairies in the primrose field. After hearing that Metien and her friends are building a cemetery for the deceased, they deliberately used magic to give birth. They said that the appearance of morning glory looks like a house. This is a new home prepared for the souls of the deceased. If they are not comfortable living in the tomb, they can live in the morning glory.

It sounds very childish, but it does fit the innocent and carefree character of fairies. When most creatures regard death as the end of life, only they think that death is just the dissipation of magic, returning to the cycle between heaven and earth, and will soon return to the world. Even if I am no longer me at that time, but a tree, a flower, a stone or even a breath, it is also the proof that they have returned to this world.

Thanks to their help, this cemetery is so vibrant. If you look at it from a distance and don't notice these tombstones, you will definitely think it is a garden. This is also the reason why Kadora said that Moya and the others will definitely be satisfied. They fought for their ideals during their lifetime and were buried in the spring sunshine after their death. Then, it can be said that there is no regret in life, right?
Mitch listened to the conversation between the two people and silently stared at the sapling he planted. After a while, he slowly said, "If I die, bury me here."

He has a hometown, but his memory of it is very vague. Moreover, without relatives and friends, what does it matter if he is buried in his hometown? He will just be forgotten alone. However, every tombstone, every sapling, and every fence in this cemetery were built by them. Emotionally, they feel more at home here.

That's true, but what he said was really inappropriate.

"Don't say such unlucky words!" Metien said to him angrily.

Even Kadora, who was usually not angry, glared at Mitch, who felt guilty and looked away, not daring to look at her. At this time, he happened to see Pastor Linger coming from the direction of the cemetery, followed by Sister Livia, holding a hand-woven bamboo basket covered with a square cloth for picnics, probably to bring food to everyone, so he waved to the young man.

After noticing them, Linger walked over to them. But before the three of them could say hello, he spoke first and broke out a shocking piece of news: "A messenger just came back from the front. He told me that the Liberation Front has conquered the Iron City of Bat Ain. The Kingdom Army also participated in this battle and played a crucial role."

The three of them were stunned immediately.

Give me some meow