A Single Person's Infinite Wonderful Life

Li Wei reached out and put his arm around Mirelia's slender waist, inhaling her unique fragrance, and said slowly, "I already know. I will have someone keep an eye on him and make him pay for his mistakes in the last period of his life. Mirelia, you have done a good job in completing the task I gave you, so as a reward, I will help you deal with the church's problems."

The church itself also had a grudge against Livi. He was not interested in the conflict between the church and the kingdom, but because of the church's disrespect towards him, he would have dealt with the church even without Mirelia's request. It was only a matter of time.

Mirelia didn't say anything, but simply snuggled closer into Levi's arms.

Mirelia said, "Without you, the kingdom is already in grave danger. The problem of the waves hasn't been resolved, and now there's war. If the kingdom loses you, I might as well surrender."

Mirelia was a remarkably calm person. Her time in Hobra wasn't merely for verbal sparring; she was also probing their strengths and weaknesses, assessing the balance of power. However, Hobra's trump cards were minimal; their apparent strength alone was disheartening. It was only Levi's presence that gave her the courage to fight back.

Li Wei smiled and said, "You are my woman, so your affairs are now my affairs. To ensure you can leave this place with peace of mind, I will take care of all the trivial matters for you."

Chapter 1. Border Clashes

On the plains, massive armored forces raced at speeds far exceeding those of traditional armies. Traditional armies rely on foot mobility, so they can't go very fast. For an army-based force, advancing thirty kilometers a day is already considered an extraordinary feat.

However, the Hobray Army, which has already completed motorization, can travel 200 kilometers a day, which is several times the mobility of a traditional army. If it weren't for the need to use magic to maintain the machinery and prevent metal fatigue in various mechanical equipment, the Hobray Army's motorized army could travel more than 100 kilometers a day.

After Hobray's attempt to capture the Queen failed, he immediately mobilized his large army, which was already prepared, and the entire army rushed to the border between the two countries.

The capital of Hobray is only a little over 100 kilometers away from the capital of the kingdom. The border area between the two countries is mostly plains with few mountains, which is very suitable for the deployment of large-scale armored forces. Originally, this was the home ground of the cavalry of the Kingdom of Merlomark, but now, times have changed, and the Great Plains have become the home ground of the armored forces of Hobray.

On the Great Wall located on the border between the two countries, the garrison of the Kingdom of Melomark looked solemn as the smoke and dust gradually approached in the distance. The Queen had already sent people to educate the troops about the various weapons of the Republic of Hobra. All the garrison soldiers knew what kind of terrifying steel monster they were about to face. However, none of them dared to retreat, because in the face of such a monster with absolute mobility, running away would only lead to death. On the contrary, fighting to the death would at least give them a chance to survive.

On the city wall, on the kingdom's side, the noble general in charge of defending this section of the wall picked up a magic telescope and clearly saw the steel monsters rushing towards them from afar. Cold sweat slid down his cheeks.

The general guarding the city shouted, "The mage troops, prepare fireballs!"

The mage troops stationed on the city walls were already prepared to act. Unlike the rarity of mages in traditional fantasy worlds, magic is relatively more widespread on this planet due to its abundant active energy and a level system that is very friendly to the improvement of personal strength. For a kingdom with nearly ten million people, assembling a low-level mage force capable of casting fireballs is not a difficult task.

The kingdom's regular army possesses dozens of such mage units capable of forming a "Meteor Shower." The city's garrison general is himself a skilled mage, and he is also the direct commander of the mage unit not far away.

He ripped off the cloak from his armor and ran quickly towards the direction of the mage squad. A short while later, the kingdom's mage force, prepared for a barrage of fire, unleashed its first wave of fireballs under the command of the city's general and amplified by auxiliary items.

On the city walls in various locations, numerous mages unleashed fireballs. The kingdom had equipped each mage with amplification items, allowing them to throw fireballs even further.

Originally, most ordinary mages, excluding those who specialize in fire magic, could only manage a fireball spell with a maximum range of about two kilometers. However, with the aid of amplification items, they could throw fireballs over kilometers away. The overwhelming fireballs would be extremely devastating to traditional land forces.

Moreover, the advantage of mages lies in the fact that as long as they are willing to consume mana potions, they can unleash powerful destructive force in a very short time. Each low-level mage, by squeezing out the magic power within their body, can throw out more than ten large fireballs in one breath. Ten rounds of fireballs are enough to bring down a traditional army.

Although the Kingdom of Melomark had previously done something like monopolizing the Four Holy Warriors, no one dared to actually take action against the kingdom. They mostly just talked the talk and didn't dare to easily use force to intimidate. Only an industrial monster like the Republic of Hobra, which had completed the Industrial Revolution, dared to bare its teeth at a traditional land power like the Kingdom of Melomark.

Because the Kingdom of Merlomark is a typical small-scale agricultural economy, it is difficult to support everyone by relying solely on the land. Therefore, many people choose to abandon the land and go out to become mercenaries or adventurers. It is precisely because of this that even though the upper class of the kingdom's nobility is somewhat incompetent, the martial spirit of the working class and the lower-class common people is quite abundant. The kingdom, with a permanent population of nearly ten million, can raise a huge army of more than two million people under extreme mobilization.

The first round of fireballs had reached the top of the tank group, at which point all the tanks activated their magical shields.

The complete version of the three tanks has a very strong magic shield. A large number of polygonal chips cover the top of the tanks, and in an instant, the entire grassland becomes bright.

The fireball landed directly on top of the tanks, causing a deafening explosion. However, not a single tank broke down due to the attack. The magic shields of the three tanks had been tested and found that even a high-level mage of level 1 or above would need a fireball to break through them. The mages on the kingdom's side, limited by their own talents and abilities, were mostly low-level mages who had not yet completed their upgrades. Therefore, their fireballs had limited effectiveness against the tanks' shields.

The second round of fireballs followed closely, blasting the plains into craters. However, this still did not stop the tank convoy. The powerful off-road capabilities of the three tanks allowed them to ignore the large craters created by the fireballs. Although their speed was forced to decrease, they had already reached within about a kilometer of the city wall.

The three tanks began to slow down, their original full-speed rush turning into a steady advance of only a few kilometers per hour. Then, hundreds of three tanks opened fire simultaneously.

With a series of booming sounds, the specially enchanted armor-piercing bullets, boosted by their enormous initial velocity, struck the city wall the instant the roar began.

In an instant, the sturdy city wall was blasted apart, sending stones flying everywhere.

The three tanks used special armor-piercing shells specifically designed to target various permanent concrete fortifications. However, city walls built using traditional techniques were still somewhat inadequate against these shells.

On the kingdom's side, the volley of shells from the tanks stunned many soldiers on the city walls. The impact of the shells sent many soldiers flying, their flesh and limbs scattered everywhere, creating a very bloody scene.

"Don't panic!"

"My legs! My legs!"

"Help me... I'm cold."

Chaos reigned on the city walls. Although the kingdom's defenders had mentally prepared themselves for the monsters they would face, they realized how fragile their flesh and blood were in the face of those steel monsters once they actually started fighting them.

Chapter 1. The Probing Battle

The defensive line centered on the city wall showed gaps after the tanks opened fire, and the city wall was directly blasted down. The armor-piercing shells, after being enchanted, were more lethal to traditional fortresses than the kingdom's defenders had imagined.

However, this is quite normal. A tank battalion, with a single salvo, could take down a legendary earth dragon known for its strong defense. The defenses on this side of the city wall are far inferior to those of the legendary earth dragon, so it's not surprising that it was bombarded by a salvo.

The army's defensive line was breached, and in response, the kingdom's senior generals immediately deployed the kingdom's air force.

Dragon Knights and Griffin Knights, along with the chimera, a chimera possessing both mobility and powerful spellcasting abilities, have been mobilized urgently.

At that very moment, from the clouds, enormous figures slowly descended.

Armored boats with a length axis of over 200 meters are far more technologically advanced than their counterparts on Earth. Most of the boats that have appeared on Earth in the past were merely for show, with extremely poor carrying capacity and rather weak defense and combat capabilities, so they were quickly eliminated by history.

However, Hobray's armored boats use a dual power system of magic and fuel, which provides an astonishing amount of lift, enabling these massive armored monsters, weighing three thousand tons, to take to the skies.

Beneath the armored boat, various propeller-driven fighter jets were densely mounted. The locks on the fighter jets were released, and the free-falling fighter jets quickly adjusted their attitude and launched a dive attack towards the Kingdom's air force that had just completed its takeoff.

In an instant, the Kingdom's air force was hit hard. Hobra's fighters were very agile. Although their straight-line acceleration was not necessarily better than the Dragon Knights, their powerful turning ability allowed them to pull up their noses immediately after striking the waves and climb to a relatively safe altitude.

On the Kingdom's air force side, the various beast riders mainly relied on magic and enchanted crossbows for attacks. However, both magic and arrows are slower than bullets, so once Hobra's fighters began to climb, they were unable to keep up.

However, compared to the army that was being overwhelmed, the Kingdom's air force showed considerable combat power. Although Hobray launched a surprise attack with fighter jets, causing some losses to the Kingdom's air force, the Kingdom's air force quickly retaliated.

High in the sky, aboard a specially designed defensive vessel, members of the council observed the battle below from their vantage point. Meanwhile, military personnel provided explanations to the council members about the current state of the battle.

In Hobray, there's a system of checks and balances between Congress, Parliament, and the military, but overall, Parliament, which controls the purse strings, is the ultimate authority. Both Congress and the military rely on the money from the members of Parliament, so the military treats them very well. Parliament wanted to see the battlefield but needed to ensure their safety, so the military commissioned a specially designed armored boat to guarantee their safety.

This armored boat has four times the defensive capabilities of a regular armored boat. Although its high cost prevents mass production and deployment, it is very suitable for protecting important personnel.

Krausa was also among the councilors watching the spectacle. These councilors were both incompetent and fond of playing around. They were terrified of the battlefield, yet they were still stubbornly trying to get closer to see what it was like. To ensure the safety of these big shots, the military had to spend extra money.

However, in order to win this war, the parliament approved a large amount of money for the military. The military naturally would not disobey these generous officials, since the military's survival, including the upgrading of its industries and weapons, was controlled by the parliament. Therefore, the military and the parliament were naturally bound together.

The councilors, dressed in suits and ties, top hats, and gleaming shoes, were either leaning on canes or holding wine glasses. Through the transparent glass on the ground and the magical transparent structure below, they could clearly see the battle below.

The battle below has reached a stalemate. The kingdom has always been known for its army, but this time, the kingdom's air force has shown considerable combat power. The griffin riders and dragon riders are quite formidable.

Meanwhile, the experienced Beast Riders had already grasped the weaknesses of the propeller fighters in just two rounds of combat. As a result, the Hobray air force began to suffer casualties. In a short period of time, dozens of fighters were shot down, and the fighters with destroyed wings spun and fell to the ground.

The councilor noticed that the Hobray army below had begun to retreat. Three tanks had started reversing, slowly backing away while their magical shields withstood the bombardment from above, continuously raining shells down on the city walls and the camp behind them.

The congressman asked with some surprise, "Why should our troops retreat? Aren't we in the dominant position right now?"

The officer in charge of explaining smiled and said, "Mr. Congressman, please calm down. The current attack is just a probe, not a full-scale attack, so it is a relatively safe choice to stop while we are ahead."

The senator said, "A probing attack? I thought our troops would break through their lines and completely crush them."

The officer chuckled, “Sir, directly attacking the enemy’s defenses could easily cause unnecessary casualties. You should know that the compensation for casualties is far more expensive than the replenishment of technical equipment. Moreover, the victory we need is a complete victory. We must annihilate the kingdom’s resistance while keeping our own forces relatively intact. If we lose too many people here, it will have a negative impact on subsequent operations.”

The senator nodded and said, "You are professionals, and I believe that as professionals, you will bring an even brighter future to Hobray."

When it comes to warfare, the congressman is a complete novice, but no one who becomes a congressman is a fool. The officer's explanation had convinced him, and he knew that while high compensation payments could maintain troop morale, they would also put financial pressure on Congress and Parliament. Therefore, controlling casualties as much as possible was, in the long run, a much more cost-effective approach.

Chapter 1. Sliding Fish

A week passed quickly, and on the Kingdom's side, the battle situation at the front lines became increasingly dire. The Kingdom was ultimately an agricultural country, and it was showing signs of decline in the face of Hobray, this industrial behemoth.

Battle reports were sent to the capital repeatedly, but none of them reported a victory. Although the kingdom had initially managed to halt Hobra's armored corps by utilizing its pre-prepared fortifications, thus slowing their advance, that was all. All the fortifications at the front had fallen, and the scattered remnants of the defeated army, guided by reserves, were retreating in disarray towards the capital.

Although the generals at the front did not know what the Queen was planning, her order was to lure the enemy to the outskirts of the capital. Therefore, the regular army on the kingdom's side adopted a conservative approach, prioritizing the preservation of its own strength, and openly began to slack off.

In Hobray's history, every foreign war ended in defeat. If this country were on Earth, it would be like the Hetalia Kingdom. There's a saying that perfectly describes Hobray in the past, when it was still a kingdom.

That means, today, I will prove my weakness with my strength.

Hobray, historically treated like a football by neighboring countries, made up for its lack of martial prowess by leveraging the power of industry after completing the Industrial Revolution, and suddenly rose up.

However, because they were always badly beaten by foreign powers throughout history, the soldiers of Hobray, even in the era of a powerful republic, still maintained the cautious style they had used in battle. On the battlefield, their biggest concern was how to ensure their own safety and return home healthy.

It was precisely for this reason that the two sides fought back and forth fiercely, but neither side suffered significant actual casualties.

The Hobray Army advanced steadily, setting up supply depots every thirty kilometers along their route to ensure they could have hot canned food and ice-cold cola.

The cola in this world was also created by Levi, except that Levi released the beverage under the identity of Krauser and supplied it to the Hobra military for free.

The soldiers really liked Anaheim Heavy Industries' honest approach, and because of Coca-Cola and the three tanks, Anaheim Heavy Industries was quite popular among the soldiers.

Mirelia stood on the balcony of the highest floor of the palace. Her excellent eyesight allowed her to see the outline of the armored ships in the distance. In just one week, Hobra's massive army was already at the city gates.

Mirelia glanced at Levi beside her. Levi was sitting in a chair, with delicate pastries and black tea on the white round table in front of him. He was crossing his legs and flipping through the latest newspaper.

The capital city is not peaceful either, even though she has announced the existence of the secret weapon to reassure her subordinates.

However, not everyone believed her, so some people chose to flee the capital during this week.

Mirelia was also helpless about this situation, but she couldn't explain the true identity of the secret weapon to the outside world, so she could only acquiesce to it.

Even if the other party escapes back later, she will not hold them accountable. After all, ordinary people in such a chaotic world are like rootless duckweed, and everyone is just trying to survive. She can understand the plight of those who run away.

Li Wei said, "It seems that the expansion of the capital is still not going to keep up with the changes. Although a lot of residential areas have been built, not many people dare to move in."

The newspapers were mostly filled with sarcastic remarks about Mirelia's wild ideas. However, Li Wei could understand the newspapers' purpose in writing it that way. If they didn't write it that way, it wouldn't have enough impact. These days, there are almost no laws to restrain journalists, so the newspapers contain all sorts of nonsense. Whether it's true or false is up to the reader to decide.

However, under normal circumstances, newspapers dare not openly spread rumors, because speaking ill of the royal family in a kingdom could cost one's head if the king has a bad temper.

Mirelia has always been seen as approachable and not too distant from ordinary people in the capital. The newspaper also knows where Mirelia's bottom line is, so they use very precise language, using "it is said," "maybe," and "perhaps" throughout the article, without directly criticizing the royal family.

··· ·Requesting flowers···· ·

In this situation, if Mirelia wanted to take it seriously, she would be seen as petty. It has to be said that the person who wrote this article at the newspaper is quite talented; it's a real pity they're not hired by the royal family for clerical work.

Mirelia said, "Only after Mr. Geese takes action will ordinary people believe that the capital has a powerful force protecting it, and that they don't need to worry about their safety."

Li Wei smiled and said, "Don't worry, I also have intelligence channels in Hobray. They didn't disturb the local people. Instead, they are focused on heading towards the capital. Their goal is to make more money in the future, not to destroy the kingdom directly."

If this war is likened to a fight between two strong men, then neither side is using their full strength, because neither side's goal is simply to win.

........