Chapter 123: Bombardment

  "Pilr, you damn well missed the shot!"

  "Get out of here and stick to your wheelchair gun from now on!" Iron Frenzy shoved Battlefield Wheelchair aside, cursing.

  He had assumed this guy actually knew how to operate a on, but it turned out he was just bluffing, wasting a precious shell for nothing.

  Seeing that the ander hadn’t retreated from the wall, Iron Frenzy immediately began recalg his aim.

  The distance wasn’t very far, and the terrain was exceptionally open and simple.

  Iron Frenzy quickly ordered,

  "Set the firing parameters!"

  "Azimuth 27-00, elevation 06-80!"

  The ogre ag as the gun mount, "Big-Head," immediately adjusted his position acc to the instrus, casting a disdainful look at Battlefield Wheelchair. Meanwhile, the re began loading the shell aing the fuse.

  Battlefield Wheelchair was dumbfounded, uo intervene, silently thinking, "Did I just get looked down on by an ogre?"

  Iron Frenzy, however, had no time for his ego, fog solely on taking down the elite target. He shouted,

  "Ready—fire!"

  With a thunderous roar, the shell shot out again, trag a beautiful arc through the air.

  This time, with the calibration adjusted, the shell's trajectory was obviously aimed straight at the ander.

  ………

  At Trow City's tower.

  The bed metal shell desded from the sky, nding precisely beside t Dawson.

  "Boom!"

  A deafening explosion echoed.

  Shrapnel scattered, and dust filled the air.

  t Dawson was blown off the city tower, nding on the ground as a mangled, charred mass, mixed with fragments of his aral armor.

  His adjutant and the city defenders beside him were also either dead or severely injured.

  Several of the bricks from the bst flew down onto the crowd below, causing more injuries ahs.

  "Oh my god—"

  "The t is dead!"

  "Ember has broken through!"

  "Help! They’re ing in!"

  Refugees scattered, g and fleeing in panic, even trampling each other in the chaos.

  The city defenders were powerless against this. Their t had been blown to pieces, and many of the defense forces were still stunned by the bombardment, paralyzed with fear.

  "What… what do we do?"

  "Should we tinue following orders?"

  "But the t is dead, and even the captain is gone."

  "I don’t know."

  The city defenders could only stand by, helpless.

  News of the t's death quickly spread throughout the city, plunging Trow City into chaos. Loyal followers wao fight to the death to fulfill the t’s st wishes, while cowardly nobles sought to survive by surrendering, and even pureblood snake spies were stirring up trouble iy.

  Meanwhile, at Ember ’s position.

  The Ss were a bit puzzled by the chaos in Trow City, though the pyers uood perfectly well.

  [You killed 【t Dawson Viller】, gaining 1200xp]

  [You defeated an enemy ander, earning 【Ember 】 fa tribution 5500]

  "Damn, a one-shot kill!"

  Iron Frenzy’s eyes widened as he looked at the generous rewards on his s, eted.

  Battlefield Wheelchair whispered, "Boss, how does this ogre uand orders so well and aim so precisely?"

  Iron Frenzy sneered, "This ogre is much smarter than you. He even memorized the firing tables for the on. It only e 300 pounds of raw meat to train him; he’s nothing like you, who ’t aim for crap."

  "No way…"

  Battlefield Wheelchair felt as if he’d been struck by lightning, muttering in disbelief.

  Was he really outsmarted by an ogre?

  Iron Frenzy sympathetically patted his shoulder. "You’re not suited for plex stuff. When resources are better, I’ll make you a Type-2 submae gun. Now, scram."

  The ogre "Big-Head" seemed to notice he was the topic of discussion and turned around, his ugly face showing a mog smile.

  Battlefield Wheelchair wiped the sweat from his brow, trying to ge the topic. He suddenly cheered, "Boss, you’re awesome—fire another shot!"

  "Let’s give them a little shod awe!"

  Uedly, the hobgoblin ander Dolo, leader of the siege, was drawn by the noise and personally came over, asking if these Stardrop Pyers could bst the city wall down directly.

  "Probably not."

  Iron Frenzy scratched his head awkwardly.

  He patted the overheated on barrel, and with a crisp crack, the metal barrel burst open, the muzzle blooming like a flower, wisps of smoke rising.

  "This was just a prototype, brought over for testing."

  "It could only fire twice at most."

  It was certainly not because he’d cut ers, secretly using Ember ’s allocated mithril to make armor instead, and repg the mortar barrel with inferior metal—Iron Frenzy silently vowed o tell anyone.

  By the time half a day had passed, the chaos withiy began to subside.

  Dolo was somewhat disappointed but looked at the t city wall with a cruel smile.

  "The Master said to maintain order withiy."

  "But if they refuse to surrehere’s nothing I do—"

  A hint of savagery fshed in his eyes; it was rumored that the Master would personally e to this siege, so he inteo show off his valor and loyalty, making eremble at the mention of his name.

  "Boom—"

  Yet, just as he was imagining this, the heavy city gates slowly opened.

  A white fg waved from the tall city tower.

  The unbreached Trow City, held for a tury, was so easily taken. Ember paid only two shells for it—one of which even missed.

  Under Dolo's and, the orderly hobgoblin and lizardmen troops ehe city first, followed by pyers, while potentially disruptive forces like ogres and wyverns were stationed outside.

  The gates opened, and Ember ’s army marched in orderly ranks.

  The once bustling streets were y, though behind cracks in doors and windows, fearful and anxious eyes occasionally peeked out.

  After t Dawson’s death, the highest-ranking official iy was the Deputy Lord, Vist Burley, who now stood at the gate, humbly weling Ember ’s forces. Fag the tall, vicious Dolo, his whole body trembled with fear.

  "My… my lord, on behalf of all the citizens of Trow City, I wele your arrival."

  "Good."

  Dolo grinned, his scaly face attempting a friendly smile.

  But it had the opposite effect, causing the Vist to tremble even more, terrified that this dragonborn hobgoblin would tear him apart in a rage.

  "People ofterow City’s fall as a great shame, a plete farce. But to me, this is merely aension of the Battle of Trier’s oute. If the allied forces hadn’t been wiped out, if those citizens filled with bloodlust had returo Trow, the process would never have been like this."

  —The Fall of Trow City, 《History of the Duchy》, by Duke Luton

  FAL