Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 362 Deploying a Cage on High Ground
On the Bailu Plain in the depths of winter, the cold wind is like a knife, cutting and slicing at the creatures on this land.

It rolled down from the eternal frozen ground of the North, sweeping across the barren wasteland, stirring up frozen sand and snow. On this flat land where the two sides clashed, nothing seemed to be able to stop its biting chill.

The only obstacle it could pose was this small hill.

The hill that Groom chose to retreat to was, strictly speaking, just a small mound rising from the plain.

The mountain slopes are low and gentle, with rounded lines. Most of the slopes are covered with withered yellow grass and exposed grayish-brown soil. Apart from the winding paths that are visible to the naked eye, most areas can be climbed directly by hand.

The small, dilapidated outpost on the mountaintop, which served as a temporary command post for the orcs, was in ruins. The large, roughly hewn gray rocks, the narrow observation holes, and the half-collapsed stone pedestals that had once been used to hang flags all bore the typical architectural style of the early White Deer Kingdom, and might even be relics from hundreds of years ago.

Of course, after years of wind and rain, the outpost, which had mostly collapsed, was covered with honeycomb-like holes and dark moss, leaving only some broken walls and ruins that could barely keep out the biting cold wind.

I wonder if the White Deer warriors who died here hundreds of years ago are silently watching this group of orcs who are equally disheveled and tightly surrounded.

The battlefield area where the small hill is located is situated on a major north-south thoroughfare. It has been plowed and cleared by orcs countless times, and no native inhabitants can be found there anymore. Naturally, no one knows its name.

I have to start it myself.

The orcs named it "Iron Ridge," seemingly to give themselves some psychological comfort.

The naming convention on the side of the Han Hai Territory is much simpler—267.1 Highlands.

While the altitude was indeed limited, the orcs still had a slight advantage. In terms of rugged mountain warfare, the orcs were far more skilled than the sea creatures.

Whenever the sea creatures' waves surged up the gentle slope, the orcs would howl and charge back, using their battle axes, hammers, and bodies to push the slippery attackers back from their elevated position.

The sea creatures were getting impatient.

Summoned once again by the deep, drawn-out "retreat conch shell," the Tide Naga captain, leading the charge, furiously swung her thick serpentine tail, slamming the frozen ground beneath her feet with a resounding thud.

"Enough! I've had enough!"

"Those two-legged land monkeys, and those stinking wild beasts in the mountains! All I had to do was lead my brave warriors up there, one spear at a time, and they'd all be riddled with holes! Why? Why do we have to play this childish game of pushing and shoving here?"

"This is even funnier than my baby's sandpit play!"

Beside him, a Tidebringer clad in a dark blue robe rubbed his webbed fingers and silently poured a bucket of cold water on the battering captain's wing membrane.

It's fresh water!
"Hiss—!" The assault captain tensed up instantly as if he had been branded with a hot iron, his breathing holes closed tightly, and his head shook wildly from side to side, as if trying to shake out all the fresh water that disgusted him so much through the gaps in his scales.

Freshwater is as irritating to the skin, especially the respiratory system, of marine life as chili powder is to the eyes of terrestrial species.

"Have you calmed down yet, you muscle-bound brute?"

The Tidehunter rubbed his fingers together again, startling the assault captain.

"First of all, you can't kill those green-skinned orcs with just one stab; you'll have to stab them many times!"

"Secondly, this is Lady Xilan's order. Even if you're asked to perform a courtship dance on the spot, you have to do it properly."

The warlock paused, his deep-set eyes gazing at the busy human construction site in the distance.

"Finally, I feel that the human race is plotting something, a huge plot, although I don't know what it is, but I just have this feeling."

"So, keep your tail and temper in check, and never act without orders."

As if in response to his words, the conch shells urging the next wave of attack from behind the sea creature formation once again sounded softly and relentlessly.

Behind them, the human construction site was bustling with activity.

If viewed from above, Hill 267.1 looks like a grayish-brown cake, and at this moment, the bottom of the cake is being outlined by a group of "ants" with black lines.

Hamon of the Guiyi Army is now the temporary site supervisor for this group of "ants".

This former human general under the orcs was dressed in the same standard green military coat as the other warriors, with a thick cotton hat on his head, his ear flaps down, and his breath forming a thin layer of frost on the brim of his hat and his eyebrows.

Behind him, more than 7,000 “Guiyi Army” soldiers, who had undergone a rapid selection process and fought several battles, and were considered basically reliable, along with several thousand civilians who had been temporarily brought over by ship, were wielding entrenching tools, picks, and even simple crowbars, continuing to widen and thicken the encircling trench along the plain below Hill 267.1.

The metal objects clanged against the frozen ground.

"General, at this rate, the trenches on both the northwest and southwest sides will be ready to standard by dawn tomorrow!"

Harmon's loyal adjutant, Brin, grimaced and limped over with a makeshift crutch to report.

Hamon never expected that this person would survive. He had suffered such a severe injury on the battlefield that half of his body was smashed to pieces when he was carried back.

He didn't even have time to give his "last words"!

But before Hamon could grieve, he received an urgent communication: the command had ordered that Brin, who had fought bravely and tenaciously, should be rescued at all costs.

Then, the field medical center took over the "body" from Hamon's hands and, with a series of powerful emergency rescue techniques combining elements of Earth and the stars, managed to revive Brin's heart, which had already stopped beating.

Next, the mage's freezing spell covered the horrific wounds, various tubes were inserted into different parts of the body with a click-clack sound, healers cast spells, elves used life potions, and some unidentifiable potions were suspended in the tub. Brin was wheeled into the operating room.

Not long after she was pushed out, Brin woke up.

To be honest, this was even more shocking to Hamon than the opponent easily breaking through the barrier.

Who is Brin? He's just a captain among the surrendered generals. His skill level isn't high enough to be a first-tier general, and his appearance is unremarkable. Hamon saw his terrifying injuries with his own eyes. Even if he were the orc chieftain's child, there would be no way to save him!
These people are really willing to save!
These people can actually be saved!
Not only Brin, but the vast majority of wounded soldiers who returned from the battlefield received effective treatment. For simple wounds, the military doctors with handheld suture machines quickly stitched them up. For complex injuries, they administered medication, intravenous fluids, or surgery as needed.

Of course, there is a severe shortage of people capable of performing major surgeries. So far, only two truly gifted individuals have been trained in the Han Hai region and are qualified to perform open surgeries. The main surgical skills of most other medical students are still at the stage of rapid amputation.

Of course, regardless of whether surgery is performed or not, the field medical center in the Vast Ocean Territory is far more efficient than that in the Starry World. In addition to a variety of potent drugs from the Starry World, many of the drugs in the Starry Continent itself have become much more effective after being changed from oral or topical administration to intravenous drip.

Another very important point is that many wounded soldiers on the battlefield actually died from excessive blood loss because they did not receive timely treatment. In the Starry World, no magical potion or healing technique can solve this problem.

However, blood transfusion technology can truly pull injured people back from the brink of death.

As for postoperative infection, it is not a major problem.

The bodies of Starry Sky professionals, especially warrior professionals, are significantly stronger than those of ordinary humans. Unless the wounds are severely infected, warriors can often withstand the strain for a long time.

Once their basic bodily functions are awakened, their recovery speed is astonishing, and their bodies can resolve most infections on their own.

After a thoracotomy and multi-organ resection like Brin's, being able to get out of bed in two days and walk with crutches in half a week is considered routine in the Starry World.

Hamon raised his right hand and gave Brin a naval salute.

This is the rule of the Han Hai. Brin wears a first-class military medal on his body, and everyone who sees him must salute him.

"Old Bu, from now on you can't call me General, you have to call me Brigade Commander!" "Yes, General!"

"Your injury hasn't fully healed yet, why are you running around everywhere? Look, the bandage is bleeding again!"

Brin grinned: "It's nothing, General. We're alive and well now, so what are these minor injuries?"

What does it mean to act like a human being?
Hamon's feelings were actually very profound; under the military management system of the Han Hai Territory, the lower-ranking soldiers were treated very well.

Not long ago, he was the garrison commander of Liaoguan. What did the troops look like?
While generals like Hamon were wrapped in thick fur coats, ordinary soldiers on the front lines could only wrap themselves in more tattered cloths and shake their bodies desperately to keep warm.

But now, everyone has a green military overcoat, which protects them from the freezing cold. The soldiers cherish it dearly, carefully taking it off and folding it before digging trenches, and reluctant to put it back on after finishing their work without wiping the sweat off their bodies.

The food was completely different. In the past, when they went out to fight, they would carry a big bag of hard dry rations and swallow water whenever they found it on the march, mainly to sharpen their teeth and strengthen their jaws.

But now, the standard three meals a day, and the soldiers who do heavy physical work digging trenches also have an afternoon snack and a midnight snack, are all steaming hot dishes—thick mixed grain porridge, stewed flatbread mixed with minced meat and dried vegetables, and at least one oily stewed dish at each meal.

Even the water we drink is heated and has something called "electrolytes" added to it. It tastes slightly salty, but it's quite delicious!
Last time, some dimwitted guy loudly discussed in front of everyone: "Are these Han Hai guys stupid? The soldiers are fed so well, no wonder they don't have enough food..." He was kicked away by Brin, who was leaning on his crutch.

Afterwards, Brin was reprimanded for half an hour by the brigade's training officer who had been sent over, and was also ordered to issue a public apology.

Harmon found it completely incomprehensible at the time. If everyone was doing this, where was the dignity of the commander? Who among the soldiers would obey orders in the future?

But soon, Hamon discovered that the soldiers he had personally trained seemed to show more respect for their instructor, whom they had only known for a few days, than he did for himself.

He couldn't understand it, but he was greatly shocked.

Flag raising, morning training, three exercises and two lectures, tidying up dormitory, grievance sharing sessions, literacy classes...

He couldn't understand any of them, but he was endlessly amazed.

He suddenly realized something.

On this battlefield where life and death are at stake, while the opposing side trembles with fear clutching their weapons, this side is still diligently educating its soldiers to learn culture, follow rules, and abide by discipline, busy with these strange things that seem to have nothing to do with fighting.

This is not even in the same league. Those orcs on the other side are doomed!

"By the way, how's the sea tribe's army storage going?"

"The First Brigade is personally rushing to complete the work. I went to see it, and those guys are really working hard!"

Brin tucked his cane under his arm and gave a frantic explanation with gestures: "I saw a lot of magicians, and some huge iron machines that can dig up thousands of pounds of soil with a single shovel!"

"I heard that at most, they'll start filling the tanks with water by evening!"

"Once this military base is ready, the First Brigade will be going to fight on the outer lines. This place will be left to the sea tribe and us!"

Hamon slammed his fist heavily into his own palm.

"it is good!!!"

A military storage pool—that's another ingenious idea.

The hill Groom chose was quite a distance from the river, forcing the sea creatures to constantly turn back and forth during their rotating attacks—traveling down the hill in their combat gear, fighting a battle, then trekking back to the riverbank, changing into hydration gear, and resting in the water. Once recovered, they would come ashore, change back into their combat gear, and continue their journey…

It's too much trouble, too expensive, and most importantly, it wastes a lot of time traveling back and forth.

If the enemy makes any sudden, large-scale move, the sea creatures might not be able to respond in time.

Therefore, after learning about the situation at the front, Commander-in-Chief Chen Mo gave the highest order: "Build a reservoir for the sea tribe at the foot of the mountain so they don't have to keep going back and forth like this."

When the leadership gives the order, the process is to conduct thorough feasibility studies, proceed with construction, and achieve completion quickly.

It is nearly 600 meters long, 20 meters wide, and 2 meters deep, with a total area of ​​over 12,000 square meters. It is part of the moat system surrounding the high ground and appears in a semi-circular pattern to the north of High Ground 267.1.

It resembled a saltwater moat, facing the direction from which reinforcements might appear.

The bottom of the troop storage pool was treated with crystallization and waterproofing by the magic team, the engineers built a water channel, the logistics department airlifted a large amount of salt, the oxygen generators roared day and night, and the sunlight shone on the gently rippling water, creating a shimmering scene.

Once this pool is completed, it means that a sea creature force of over 10,000 people can be stationed on the front line, ready to be deployed in an organized manner for attacks at any time, without having to trek from the distant riverbank.

The beastmen on the mountain could also see this clearly.

They grew increasingly agitated, launching dozens of raids in an attempt to break through the damned defenses and interrupt the black python's strangulation.

The most ferocious attack was when Groom personally led the charge. This orc general left his beloved "Skullcrusher Palace" and, with his most elite "Skullcrusher Guards," launched a "center-blowing, perimeter-forging" assault when a reinforcement supposedly arrived from the outer perimeter.

This batch of "Skullcrusher Guards" were all bear warriors over three meters tall, clad in heavy inlaid armor with an outer layer of iron plates and an inner layer of hard leather, and with at least three layers of shamanic buff spells on their bodies: Stone Skin, Berserk, and Bloodlust.

The war drums thundered, and Groom raised his weapon, roaring madly, "Tear them apart!"

"Let those water-dwelling reptiles know who the true ruler of the land is!"

The orc warriors, wielding massive axes the size of doors, roared as they charged down the mountain.

This massive surprise attack was like a red-hot iron chisel, smashing into the sea creatures' defenses.

The fearless elite bear warriors broke through two tower shield formations set up by the Naga royal guards, and their advance was aimed directly at the human trench area under construction behind them.

Groom swung his warhammer, smashing a Naga officer who tried to stop him, shield and all, flying away. Salty blood splattered all over his face, filling it with a ferocious excitement.

Then, they ran into a "Wall of Sighs".

The reinforcements from outside are fake; the enemies in the trenches in front of us are real.

Those small, weak, and humble humans used grenades, sniper grenades, heavy machine guns, flamethrowers...

Groom was dragged back by loyal guards, his body bearing more than a dozen bullet holes and shrapnel scars.

In that battle, the Skullbreakers suffered more than half their losses. More importantly, it seemed to have extinguished Groom's last remaining courage to launch an offensive.

Groom became even more silent, spending his days curled up in his "Skullcrusher Palace," silently licking his wounds.

The orcs completely retreated into a defensive posture, placing all their hopes on reinforcements.

As they waited anxiously, several branches of the orcish autumn hunting army finally entered the battlefield one after another.

(End of this chapter)