Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 605 Speed Training
Michelle leaned against the slightly warm magic power core, relying on the heat emitted by the instrument running at a constant speed to warm her almost frozen body.

Through the fully open airship hatch, he could clearly see the figure of the high-level battle mage flying side by side with him.

"Mr. Holden, you... you really don't want to come in and rest for a while?" Ever since the launch from the Dongtuo base, the Fire Mage has been flying alone without the airship. It has been almost two hours and there is still no sign of exhaustion of magic power, which really makes him feel terrified.

Fortunately, his suggestion was quickly responded to. The Son of Fire dove into the pod and closed the sliding hatch. "You undead... soul mages! Your bodies are really weak. Are you almost unable to bear the cold?"

Michelle smiled awkwardly. The flight altitude of this newly developed high-speed airship was far higher than that of ordinary models. After reducing the weight and carrying capacity of the pod, the cruising speed was directly doubled... Sitting in the cockpit with air leaks everywhere, even a high-level wizard would not be able to bear it.

Not everyone is like the Son of Fire, whose flying technique has a flame burning effect, and whose body has been transformed by magic so it is not afraid of the cold at all.

"We're almost at the border between the Kingdom and Isengard. After we land at Wolf Fang Ridge and refuel, we'll be able to complete our test flight and return safely."

The Son of Flame didn't respond, but turned around and asked, "What's the current flying speed?"

"The speed is approaching sixty miles per hour..." Michelle skillfully took out his pocket watch and reported to the Son of Fire with the help of the speed comparison manual compiled by the Independent Regiment of Air Combat Mages.

"It still can't compare with the flying magic of high-level mages..." The Son of Fire curled his lips slightly in dissatisfaction and turned to observe the running power core.

The Speed Airship has undergone extreme improvements based on the original combat airship. Not only have the six sets of split airbags been replaced with the dual airbags of the civilian version of the Swift Airship, the original metal pod has also been replaced with a lighter hybrid material. Only the structural frame and the cabin base continue to use thin steel plates, and the rest of the parts are all covered with multi-layer skin or rattan with rubber coating.

The internal space of the pod was directly reduced by two-thirds, leaving only the space for installing the power core, the externally suspended weapon rack... and a narrow space that could only carry two people.

Such an extreme reduction in payload also means that the airship cannot carry additional fuel. The flight range at a constant cruising speed is less than 300 miles, and the range is directly halved at full speed.

Fortunately, when they set out from the royal capital, they refueled at the Dongtuo Base. Otherwise, it would not be enough to support them to cross the Divine Spine Mountains and reach Wolf Fang Ridge along the mountains along the border between Saint Varen and Isengard.

"We're not going directly to Wolf Fang Ridge..." The Son of Flame raised his hand and pulled the joystick controlling the core power output all the way to the bottom. He pointed at the scale on the fuel tank containing liquid magic energy and grinned. "Let's go around Highland City. We still have plenty of fuel, which is enough for us to try a full-speed voyage!"

Before Michelle could answer, the power core had already switched from cruise mode to full-speed mode. The low humming sound, coupled with regular vibrations, made the entire cockpit emit strange clanging noises. Even with the hatch completely closed, the two could still clearly feel the bumps as the airship cut through the wind at high speed.

"Hahaha! Our current flying speed can finally catch up with the power of the flying spell." The Son of Fire couldn't help but burst into laughter. He turned to look at Michelle, who was huddled in his seat, holding the armrest tightly. "Don't forget to record the speed. I estimate it's close to 100 miles per hour!"

……

The airship stumbled along the way, but finally arrived at Highland City at full speed without any danger. Through the clouds, the city standing on the plain several miles away could be vaguely seen.

The Son of Flame narrowed his eyes and suddenly asked, "After Highland City was completely controlled by us, did it absorb a lot of the surrounding population?"

"Not really..." Michelle shook his head doubtfully. "As a border city near Langya Ridge, Highland City doesn't have any other advantages except being a necessary transit point on a major trade route..." Before he could finish his long introduction, the Son of Flame had already picked up the telescope, put it directly to Michelle's face, and said in a deep voice, "Take a look for yourself..."

A city rose from the plain, with striking ochre-colored city walls... and a large number of people gathered outside the city walls for unknown reasons. Through the telescope, one could see that most of them were carrying carts and packages, and were ragged and dusty. There were thousands of them.

"What's going on?" Michelle asked, stunned. "Are the locals planning to abandon this place and migrate to our country?"

The Son of Flame shook his head solemnly, picked up the alchemical communicator and began to request contact with the garrison department in Highland City.

"Zizi—zizi—we've reported to Wolf Fang Ridge. Zizi—Iron Hill has been breached, and the Lizardmen are wreaking havoc around the capital of Isengard—zizi—a large number of refugees are fleeing towards the border!"

The Son of Flame frowned. "Didn't Iron Hill City also have intelligence personnel stationed there? Why was there no news sent back after the attack and the city's fall?"

The intelligence gathering work in Iron Hill City was entrusted to the Stoneheart Hermitage, an ally of Isengard's local pagan sect. Although they did not have the authority to use magic brain instruments and alchemical communication equipment, they could still send all major and minor events occurring in the royal capital to Wolf Fang Ridge in a relatively timely manner by relying on spell messengers and bird communications.

The only problem is that the timeliness is slightly worse and it is often delayed for several days.

"Zizi—intelligence personnel—zizi—lost contact!"

That was the capital of Isengard, with a population of over 20,000... There wasn't even a chance to raise a warning or send a message, and the entire city fell silently.

The two people sitting on the airship couldn't help but look at each other. They couldn't imagine how large the number of demon lizardmen appearing in Tieqiu City was.

"I'm afraid that Highland City will be abandoned and evacuated soon..." Son of Flame sighed and said slowly, "We don't need to land, let's just turn around and return to Langya Ridge."

Your Majesty's prediction was correct. After the Lizardmen seized the Great Rift in the Godspine Mountains, they indeed attacked southward all the way to Iron Hill, the capital of Isengard.

However, no one expected that their offensive would be so swift. In less than three months, they were able to directly break through a defensive gap in the three original routes to the south, allowing them to move unimpeded.

After the Lizardmen capture the capital of Isengard, they will massacre innocent mortals and drive the refugees from the northern part of the kingdom all the way south. The journey along the way will surely be a hellish scene with countless lives destroyed.

To the north of the Western Territory's Evil Moon Mountain lies a large and powerful demonic tribe, providing a barrier that buys the humans south of the mountain ample time to prepare for war. Floating Island No. 3 was directly sunk in the Battle of Great Bear Lake, so the central defense line appears to be holding firm for now...

Next, the Northern Army at the border crossing of Langya Ridge will probably be under great pressure.

(End of this chapter)