Magic Industrial Age.

Chapter 522-520: Bombers and Flamethrowers (Two-in-One)

In late January of the New Divine Calendar 316, on the western front, the Habs Empire began to openly reinforce its troops.

Newly recruited soldiers from the Empire were mixed with veterans who had retreated from the Eastern Front, forming a magical legion of up to seventeen divisions.

Transported by the magic-powered heavy trucks, they rushed to the front lines at top speed.

By this time, it was no longer the beginning of the war. The empire had built basic roads and railways in the occupied areas, making the transport of supplies and troops quite rapid.

This is an advantage that the Allied forces do not have!
On this western front, the trenches dug by both sides were intricate and interlocking, effectively dividing the eastern and northern regions of the Bonaparte Empire in two.

Although there are no specific statistics, the battlefront stretched for thousands of miles.

At this point, where should the empire send reinforcements?

Or, which area should be chosen as the main focus of the war?
This is something the coalition leadership absolutely needs to figure out.

Unfortunately, the coalition forces have limited manpower, so even if they provide support, they need to target the most important areas.

To this end, the three leaders of the coalition each launched their own intelligence agencies, and countless open and covert struggles ensued.

Countless more demonic eyes were mobilized, keeping a close watch on the large-scale troop movement across the land.
It is said that even legendary assassins have made their move, sneaking into the front lines to investigate the actual situation.

Finally, a message was compiled: the Empire is sending more troops to the Shambani region!

When the news arrived, the Allied high command still had doubts, especially Field Marshal Joffre, who raised objections.

However, when the Empire discovered the leak and began openly transporting supplies and troops, their last hesitation was dispelled.

Therefore, Marshal Joffre, with the help of the warships of the Kingdom of Sardinia, began to transfer troops and actively prepare for war.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the Xiangbeni area became tense, with a sense of impending doom.

This standoff and tense atmosphere continued until February of the New Divine Calendar 316, when the allied forces finally realized something was wrong.

Because they discovered that while the situation in the Shambani region appeared tense, the actual fighting seemed to be going on at a lukewarm level.

Furthermore, they discovered obvious signs of troop reinforcements elsewhere, to the point that the increasing numbers of troops made it impossible to conceal.

Verdun, located in the northeast of the Bonaparte Empire, was a key transportation route to Luttia and was known as the 'Key to Luttia'.

Its importance is beyond doubt.

However, this place will not be easy to take.

The defensive line built at Verdun spanned both banks of the Meuse River, with a front width of 112 kilometers and a depth of 18 kilometers, and consisted of four lines of defensive positions.

The first three lines consist mainly of field defensive positions, while the fourth line is a permanent fortification, situated on high ground and easy to defend.

In previous wars, battles did occur here, but after a few attempts, the Empire chose to abandon the area and essentially ignored it.

It was also due to habitual thinking that the Allied high command never imagined that the Empire would use this place as a breakthrough point.

However, compared to the difficulty of conquering the city, the Empire was even more attached to Luttia.

Once we capture this place, the city of Luttia will be within our grasp.

Furthermore, the Imperial Cabinet believed that capturing Luttia would be tantamount to breaking the backbone of the Bonaparte Empire, which, in essence, meant defeating the overlord of the Old World and winning the war.

Therefore, since it is a major offensive, we must attack its vital points!
When this news spread, the coalition leadership was in complete panic.

They mobilized troops, even gathering every available soldier, to Verdun at almost the fastest speed.

However, Verdun is not a coastal city, and the Meuse River doesn't have much flow. The only way to transport supplies here is by road.

The road from Balduk to Verdun was the only passable route.

This time, for transportation purposes, the allied forces not only requisitioned almost all available horse-drawn carriages and flatbed wagons, but also a very small number of magic-powered heavy trucks.

They even used every method they could think of.

For example, the Eiffel Tower, a flying magic tower, was used as a transport plane, filled with soldiers, and flew towards Verdun.

For example, the Kingdom of Sardinia sent a floating warship. Although it looked dilapidated and in disrepair, it could actually fly in the sky.

It has limited carrying capacity and can only hold a limited number of troops.

The most ruthless, of course, belonged to the Bonaparte royal family.

At this critical moment of life and death, all taboos and agreements were naturally forgotten once again.

They spent a fortune hiring a legendary mage to lead a group of fourth-tier mages to build a massive magic teleportation array in Verdun.

The materials required for such a massive magical teleportation array, the cost of activating it, and even the magical energy consumed to maintain it are all staggering figures.

But they just ignored it all!

Unfortunately, if you're slow on one step, you'll be slow on every step!

On February 21, 316 of the New Divine Calendar, Saint Zechariah Beryl Hohenzollern, the new Crown Prince of the Habsburg Empire, arrived at the Verdun front.
Thus, the war officially began!
This time, Roy no longer went to the golden house of the red dragon Virgil Beri; he also had his own magic mirror.

……

Lion Manor, inside the Mechanical Mage Tower, fifth floor.

This is a newly opened independent room, not very big, only about a hundred square meters.

With guidance from Luo Yi's drawings, the renovation was carried out. Although it wasn't high-end, it was still novel.

On the wall at the very front of the room was a magic mirror, longer, wider, and larger than any ordinary magic mirror.

It was at least three times larger than Virgil's side.

This was specially sent by the Demon Eye Alliance, which dispatched a fourth-tier space mage to help install it inside the mage tower.

It's worth mentioning that they are also updating their technology; this magic mirror is equipped with a control crystal ball.

In the future, if you need to change channels, zoom in or out, or perform other operations, you can simply press the crystal ball to control it remotely.

No longer do you need to run up close to 'change the channel'.

The back half of the room features a tiered layout, with each level equipped with luxurious sofas and chairs, as well as tables laden with snacks.

The surrounding walls are engraved with a soundproof barrier, and when the curtains are drawn, it becomes a closed space.

The design of this 'screening room' can maximize the movie-watching experience.

At this time, the 'screening room' was already quite full of people.

Besides Roy, the other natural disasters who remained in Brussels also came.

Oliveira, Iron Knight Phil, Flame Sword Saint Otto, and King of Fury Silas...

Then there are the commanders of the Second and Third Divisions, Grand Knight Vincent Ackerman and the female tyrant Tanya, whom Loy specifically summoned back.

If the powerful beings from the Natural Disasters were just there to watch the show, then these two were genuinely there with a learning attitude.

There was originally another Alfonso Zeke, but the observation team he led has gone directly to the front lines.

But for Roy and the others, staying here offered a more direct and firsthand experience. Besides them, the red dragon Virgil Berrie also came to join the fun.

He insisted that his magic mirror was too small and not satisfying to look at, but didn't Luo Yi know him?!
Despite having piles of gold till in his hands, he couldn't bear to spend the five thousand gold till from the Magic Mirror.

The group was whispering and chatting amongst themselves.

However, when the screen lit up, the war began, the chatter quickly disappeared, and everyone's attention was drawn to it.

The Habsburg Empire's long-awaited grand scheme, personally commanded by the new crown prince, presented a truly breathtaking spectacle that exceeded all expectations.

With Verdun as the core, the empire's attack range extends forty kilometers to the left, right, and in all directions.

First came the bombardment of magic-powered heavy artillery—over 1,200 cannons, arranged into artillery positions, pointing towards the battlefield, firing indiscriminately! Fire! Fire!
From the perspective of the magic mirror, looking down from above, all one could see were bursts of flames erupting and cannonballs disappearing into the horizon with trails of fire.

Then, on the enemy's front line, bursts of smoke and dust exploded with a deafening roar.

Everywhere you looked, there were flying dirt, rocks, and debris, and the earth was blasted into large craters as it trembled.

Those still in the trenches at this time, even if they weren't killed by the explosion, would be killed by the shockwave, or even if they weren't killed by the shockwave, they would be buried alive.

Moreover, the Imperial artillery demonstrated exceptional skill; in addition to firing in unison, they were also able to fine-tune the muzzle and advance the barrage gradually.

It could be said that the battlefield was plowed up by them again and again, until it was beyond the range of the magic cannon.

But you think that's all?

The second wave of attacks arrived immediately. This time, a buzzing sound appeared from the sky as black dots pierced through the air. The magic-powered aircraft cleared the obstacles in the sky, escorting the larger aircraft to its arrival.

That wasn't a Zeppelin!

All the Zeppelins produced by the Empire have been destroyed in the war.

Its enormous size, slow speed, and the presence of a flammable sphere filled with a special gas make it an ideal target.

An occasional surprise attack might yield some results, but if targeted by the allied forces, it can only lead to destruction.

In fact, the few ships the Empire possessed were all targeted by the Allied forces and burned to ashes one by one.

Therefore, what appeared this time was an enlarged version of the magic-powered flying machine.

It was ten times the size of the original aircraft, looking like a large bird that couldn't flap its wings, with a huge belly that could carry more shells.

As it streaked across the sky, a gash appeared in its abdomen, and projectiles activated by magic plummeted down like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

The shells pierced the air with a series of shrill screams, like a deadly siren, making one's heart pound.

When the shells land, they also explode violently.

Those who hadn't died yet, those who had just emerged from the trenches, and those in areas untouched by artillery fire, were met with utter annihilation.

The coalition forces were certainly prepared as well!

Dragon riders, griffin riders, and giant eagle riders took to the air one after another, and many third-tier transcendents, flapping their battle aura wings, charged up.

However, the Empire's combat aircraft were no joke either. Led by a blood-red aircraft, they charged straight up.

In an instant, the sky battlefield was filled with a hail of bullets, accompanied by the clash of magic and battle aura, and bursts of fire every now and then. Limbs and severed bodies flew everywhere, accompanied by the cries of eagles and roars of beasts.

However, all of this could not conceal the fact that the enormous aircraft flew past at low altitude.

Like a line of giant dragons soaring across the sky, casting a shadow, and bringing explosions and death.

"This, what is this?"

Inside the screening room, a sound rang out, so clear amidst the deafening roar that everyone could hear the tremor within it.

After a moment of silence, Luo Yi finally answered, "That's a magic-powered bomber!"

"A magic-powered bomber? What's that?"

"If aircraft are used for aerial combat and the struggle for air superiority..."

These bombers rely on their air-to-ground superiority to conduct targeted bombing raids, capable of destroying specific military facilities, industrial bases, and transportation hubs…

This was Luo Yi reading aloud the words that Shen Lan had displayed, but his shock was no less than that of the others.

He truly hadn't expected that the Empire would quietly produce bombers.

Although bombers lack the speed and agility of fighter jets, their massive size translates to an enormous bomb load.

The resulting threat and damage are absolutely terrifying; even the arrival of a real dragon would not be as effective.

However, this is not over yet!

Once the bombers have completed their mission and turned away, it's time for the infantry to enter the battlefield.

In addition to the Empire's traditional combat squads armed with semi-automatic rifles and heavy machine guns, there is now a strange new type of soldier here.

They were dressed entirely in specially made silver clothing, equipped with deerskin gloves, covering themselves completely without leaving any gaps.
Although they had been through countless battles and were covered in dust, they were still exceptionally conspicuous.

They weren't wearing the usual helmets, but rather a closed-back filter.

The mouth and nose area resembles a pig's snout, and breathing is filtered through multiple layers. The eyes are fitted with transparent lenses, while the area below the neck is flush with the skin.

Behind them were huge, enclosed boxes, each about half a person's height, which restricted their movement.

What he held in his hand was a steel pipe resembling the muzzle of a gun, but without any magical engravings.

In other words, it's not driven by magic, but simply a chemical reaction.

These soldiers rushed to the trench, and without saying a word, pointed their guns at the ditch and pulled the trigger.

A series of flames shot out, turning into a tongue of fire that ignited the trench.

The hissing sound of spraying, accompanied by the smell of burning, filled the air.

Soon after, surviving soldiers rushed out of the trench, their bodies engulfed in flames, howling as they ran.

Or they might roll on the ground, frantically trying to extinguish the flames on their bodies.

In a short time, the entire battlefield was engulfed in flames. However, the flame soldiers, relying on the insulating properties of their special uniforms, moved swiftly through the inferno without fear.

Once the flames were extinguished, the entire battlefield was completely cleared, and only then could the normal infantry squads advance.

In just half a day, around four o'clock in the afternoon, Verdun's first line of defense was breached.

They didn't even get to see the Magic Tank appear.

Inside the screening booth, the crowd wasn't disappointed; instead, they remained completely silent for a long time.

Even Roy was shocked by the methods the Empire had come up with one after another. After all, it was the birthplace of magic-powered machinery, and there were truly too many surprises.

P.S.: Last night, while I was writing, I fed my baby and he choked, his little face turning red from holding his breath.

I was so scared, my hands and feet went weak, I called a doctor, and it took a long time.

It's really, really hard to explain!
(End of this chapter)