Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1276 Is there only one person?
On the calm Nessus River, it is rare to see such a majestic fleet. The lead battleship and two frigates in the front are giant fortress ships made of steel, symbolizing the highest masterpiece in this field by scientists and shipbuilders from another continent. The majestic hull alone takes up a quarter of the river surface, not to mention the bridge, turrets and huge chimneys on the deck; the three support ships and three troop transports following in a column are more classical sailing warships, smaller in height and size, but the sight of their white sails connected into one piece, almost covering the entire sky, is still extremely shocking.

This formation, with steel warships leading the way and sailing warships guarding the sides, is somewhat similar to the cold weapon era, where a fully armed knight plus several well-trained retainers were standard configurations of the Axis fleets, with the main purpose of saving costs. After all, if a fleet was composed entirely of steel warships, the strategic materials such as steel, gunpowder, shells, and coal that would be consumed would be enough to drive a small country to the brink of bankruptcy. In the entire Axis camp, it is estimated that only the legendary turbine carrier Nidhogg is qualified to be equipped with an entire steel fleet as a guard lineup, which is the biggest reliance for it to roam the four seas and five oceans and scare the enemy.

As for the problem that doing so will lead to a decrease in combat effectiveness, it is not that important. Just like the kings and lords in the Middle Ages, they knew that only by gathering their knights into a phalanx could they unleash more powerful combat effectiveness, but they did not do so. There are two reasons for this. One is that people's hearts are not united, and the lords with their own selfish desires will not generously hand over their knights; the other reason is... there is no need.

Is it necessary to use an armored cavalry to deal with farmers holding pitchforks and dung rakes? Of course, the shipbuilding technology of the East Continent is not so backward as to be compared with that of rural farmers, but it is not much stronger. Moreover, the navy of the Kingdom of Noah is blocked by the navy of the Axis Powers in the offshore area, and it is out of reach, while the rebels in the Nasus region have no naval force of their own. This means that they have a completely one-sided advantage over the enemy, and they can only passively take the beating and have no chance of fighting back.

In this way, the tactics are very simple. Just sail along the Nessus River, bomb several important strategic targets, and force the rebels to withdraw and return to support, so as to alleviate the urgent needs of the 17th Legion. After that, the fleet will still use this combat method, relying on the guerrilla and harassment tactics that the rebels are best at, and constantly compressing their living space. As long as Major General Andre is not a fool, he should be able to realize that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just use the Nessus River as a barrier, recapture various hub cities and fortresses along the way, rebuild the defense system, and constantly oppress, divide and annihilate the enemy's living forces, and naturally the overall situation can be reversed.

Fleet Commander Robert put down the pen in his hand and looked at the cities he had circled on the battle map - White Harbor, Landell City and Esteron. They were all relatively important strategic targets in the Ansers River Basin that had already been lost. If it weren't for Major General Andre who foolishly handed them over, the situation would not have been so passive.

Fortunately, he is not so stupid as to be beyond redemption.

Robert breathed a sigh of relief and was about to call together senior officers for a routine combat meeting. At this moment, the tightly closed door was suddenly startled by a rapid knock on the door. The commander frowned slightly, feeling unhappy and a little confused, because he heard the voice of his usually calm and reliable adjutant from behind the door: "Sir, something unexpected has happened... I can't describe it. Why don't you come and take a look in person?"

There was a bit of confusion and fear in his tone, as if he had seen something incredible. Even when facing the enemy's hail of bullets, he had never lost his composure like this. This abnormal behavior aroused Robert's interest. He temporarily put aside the combat meeting and came to the bridge with his anxious adjutant. At this time, a large group of sailors, soldiers and officers had gathered here. They didn't care about their status and gathered together to discuss something. Some even climbed up to the high observation tower, as if to see more clearly.

"What happened?"

The question from the commander made these people come back to their senses, and they stepped aside to make way. Robert walked to the observation deck at the front of the bridge without hesitation, took the telescope handed to him by the adjutant in time, and looked beyond the ship's tower, the deck, and the river with surging waves, looking further away. The scene he saw at first sight made his pupils shrink and he held his breath unconsciously.

That's a person.

In other words, a knight, a noble and elegant young knight, she was wearing holy white armor, her face was covered by a visor, her specific appearance could not be seen clearly, but her snow-white hair fluttering in the wind was still amazing. Outside the armor was a layer of snow-white battle robe, painted with some white flower patterns. One hand was holding the reins of the mount, and the other hand was holding a silver-white knight's lance. The blade was different, like the twisted and bifurcated branches of a holy tree, condensed into a blade at the end, beautiful, but also hidden with a deadly edge. Her mount was a majestic and light white horse, also wearing armor and a battle robe. The vital parts were protected by heavy and solid armor, and only the exposed part could give people a glimpse of a trace of snowflake-like transparent fur.

A man and a horse stood on the river, quietly watching the oncoming fleet. Only the mirror-like water could reflect their eyes. No matter the color of their pupils or the faith radiating from the inside out, they were all so pure that there was not a single flaw to be found.

What was even more bizarre was that the fleet was clearly moving forward and the river was flowing, but the distance between them could not be shortened. No matter how hard they tried to catch up, the young knight and her horse always stayed at a subtle distance in front of the fleet, neither moving forward nor backward. This scene made the onlookers shudder, and they couldn't help but suspect that they were not real lives, but ghosts floating in an illusion, impossible to catch up with and difficult to touch.

Some sailors were pale and their teeth were trembling. They looked like they might lose their minds and run away at any time. They had never retreated in the face of the most dangerous battles. They were brave, but the situation before them was beyond their ability to bear. For a long time, the lonely and long voyage on the sea always gave birth to many strange stories, such as ghost ships, sirens, whale cemeteries, or the dead hidden in the depths of the sea returning home to tell their stories. Although some of them have been verified to be fabricated, there are still people who fear them like tigers. This may prove that sailors and crew members are the most superstitious among mortals. Sometimes, this superstition will even cover up the information they have already mastered. After joining the Axis army, they have understood that there are so-called extraordinary powers and alien races in this world, but when they saw this scene, they still couldn't connect them together.

In comparison, the officers' reactions were much calmer. Robert, the commander, reacted after a moment of distraction, and a thought emerged in his mind: Demigod!

Only a transcendent being above demigod level can do this.

Since this mysterious young knight blocked the fleet, it means that she is the enemy of the coalition and the ally of the rebels. But when did a strange demigod appear in the rebels? Isn't the most powerful among them the Gray Hill Eagle who is said to be able to break through the demigod at any time? Although a new demigod appeared not long ago, it is said that the other party is a blood clan, and the young knight in front of him does not have any alien characteristics. Or, is she the guardian of the Kingdom of Noah? The possibility is very small. The demigods of the Kingdom of Noah have been recorded and closely monitored by the coalition, and none of them match the characteristics of this young knight...

"If possible, I hope to avoid a battle. The price of sacrifice is always too heavy, and neither you nor I can afford it." While he was thinking, the young knight suddenly spoke. Her voice was like the melting snow in spring, clear and warm at the same time, which made people feel good about it. However, this good feeling disappeared when she said the next sentence: "So, can you please return the same way?"

Is she kidding!?

Robert's first reaction was absurd. She wanted him to retreat with just one sentence? Even a demigod could not humiliate the honor of a soldier like this. Then he got angry. From her tone, did she think she had already won? It should be understood that nothing is inevitable in the world. Robert had seen many demigods who died on the battlefield due to arrogance. In his eyes, this mysterious girl knight would soon be the next one.

"Sir," the adjutant asked, "How should we respond? Or... start a war directly?"

"Order the Michelle and Apollia to activate their respective positioning devices; the non-main battleships will line up in the rear and provide cross-fire cover, with the Saint Roxy as the spearhead, launching an attack on the enemy." Robert gave the order calmly.

The Saint Roxy is the main battleship he leads, and the Michelle and Aporia are two frigates. The main battleship is armed with the highest-specification magic cannons as lethal weapons, and the two frigates are equipped with magic protection positions and magic weakening positions respectively. The former can resist all magical attacks from the outside, while the latter will weaken all active magic that exceeds the threshold within the coverage of the position. Coupled with the fire cover from support ships and troop transports, in the face of this force, ordinary demigod-level transcendents, without the assistance of holy relics, will definitely find it difficult to rival.

Seeing the semicircular transparent field spreading out from the two frigates, engulfing the river surface and gradually covering the entire fleet, Shino sighed silently. In fact, she shouldn't have had any expectations, but even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, the girl wanted to create a happy ending, because she knew how cruel an imperfect sacrifice was.

At this point, there is nothing left to say.

She raised her spear high in her hand. The branch-shaped blade of the holy spear, the white thorn, reflected a glittering brilliance under the sunlight and the reflection of the river water. Together with the clear and calm voice, it reached the ears of the enemy: "I came for peace, but I must end one war with another. Respectable enemy, since we all know that sacrifice is inevitable, then let's bet on the honor of being a warrior and fight with all our might. I am Shino Qin Gustaf, the successor of the pioneer Baron Vince, the white knight Hiberton, the paranoid Reynard, and the great ancestors of the Gustaf family. I was also the guardian of the land of Grangenia and the sworn brother of the aliens. Now I am a free knight pursuing an illusory ideal-"

She slowly swung her spear, with the blade pointing at Commander Robert on the battleship Saint Roxy. At the same time, every strand of snow-white hair fluttering in the wind seemed to be burned by flames, and was gradually dyed with a magnificent red lotus color from the end. In just a blink of an eye, all the snow-white hair was ignited, turning into blazing, unquenchable flames. Golden-red sparks floated among the hair, as gorgeous and blurry as burning stardust. In contrast, under the holy silver helmet, the wine-red eyes of the young knight began to fade away, as if eroded by the eternal ice in the Loser Snow Mountain, and dyed with layer after layer of lonely and cold white.

The rising momentum was about to burst out, and it froze the surrounding air, dust, water, and even the magic factors that could not be seen with the naked eye. Even the girl's voice became exceptionally cold. It was a frozen consciousness and frozen belief:
"Now, in the name of Godafu, grant me an honorable battle."

As soon as she finished speaking, her figure flashed like lightning and disappeared into the void.

Robert's pupils suddenly contracted as he watched this scene. He was about to speak and order the main guns to lock onto the enemy, but it was too late. A sacred and solemn shadow shrouded the turret of the Saint Roxy. When this veteran commander who followed the banner of the Crimson Dragon God and traveled through countless battlefields in his life raised his head, he saw the knight who had descended from the sky and the pair of kind yet sad eyes hidden under the visor.

Whitethorn Flower Godafu, a knight who wields her spear in the name of love, is for both justice and righteousness.

……

In the following days, the river basin was shrouded in unimaginable disasters: thunder, fire, huge waves, frost... Some people even saw with their own eyes the magnificent Holy Spear of the Star falling from the sky, cutting the giant ship and the river in two. Witnesses swore that the fleet was fighting an invisible enemy.

From then on, this legend will continue to be passed down, and perhaps there will never be a moment when the truth is revealed.

Give meow
(End of this chapter)