The unit known as Shadow Kill, equipped with cutting-edge technological weaponry – particle laser energy cannons, plasma grenades, laser sniper rifles, charged carbine rifles, ‘Destroyer’ shotguns, and energy swords – possessed a firepower that no carbon-based lifeform could withstand.
All their weapons were alien to this planet, and even to Xiao Xun’s original world; they were all products of future technology. Even the armor they wore was the Raidiant Light Energy V-series battle armor, complete with its own energy shield.
The captain of the Shadow Kill unit was dismissive of this operation. He felt Zhen Hun was being overly emotional. Although the Phoenix Army had won a few engagements against the Scourge Legion, and their combat power and tactics were considered strong, they lacked any decent long-range weaponry apart from a few so-called magic cannons. Fighting them felt akin to battling savages.
These ordinary combatants relied on so-called magic for offense. Their range was short, their power limited, and they posed no substantial threat to them. Engaging them felt like an insult to Shadow Kill, the very vanguard of the Scourge.
Despite his displeasure, the order had to be obeyed. Xiao Xun never dreamed that a force fully armed, highly trained, and traveling at high speed would be coming for him. This was treatment befitting a divine law-master, or at the very least, the head of a nation.
Xiao Xun had chosen Kache as his stronghold precisely because of the narrow passage of First Line Sky to the front and the main Orc forces to the rear. He surmised there were only two routes to reach this location: either through the constricted First Line Sky, which was heavily patrolled by hidden and visible sentries, or by first subduing the formidable Orc tribes.
The Scourge Legion’s intelligence network was pervasive across the entire planet. Although there were no orbital reconnaissance satellites, they had terrestrial agents, inconspicuous yet everywhere.
It would be troublesome for Shadow Kill to bypass Xiao Xun’s visible and hidden sentries, so they chose to detour via the direction of the Midoya capital city.
The capital was currently occupied by the Orcs. Despite being Orcs, they had inherited the unique characteristics of their beastly lineages.
At night, the werewolves, with their glowing eyes, meticulously scanned their surroundings. Any disturbance would prompt dozens of them to investigate.
Furthermore, werewolves possessed not only excellent eyesight but also keen olfactory senses, capable of detecting any suspicious scent.
Shadow Kill activated the stealth mode on their armor. The armor adjusted its color and temperature to match the surrounding environment, making them appear almost transparent, akin to a chameleon's natural camouflage. While effective at night, it was useless during the day.
Having bypassed the capital, they were only a few kilometers away from Kache.
As they approached the Phoenix Army’s outposts, a Shadow Kill operative, acting as a sniper, switched his rifle to assassination mode. Although the power and range were significantly reduced, it ensured a silent, lethal strike.
Just as Shadow Kill was nearing the city gate, a sharp crack pierced the night sky. The leading Shadow Kill operative was sent flying backward, his helmet impaled by a spear.
In his final moments, this elite Scourge warrior’s last thought was one of astonishment: where had things gone wrong?
This spear had been thrown by one of the two tribesmen of the Radiant Sun Clan, Delvana. Their exceptional arm strength and vision had made them the ideal candidates for hidden ambush posts.
Such deployment of sentries was a hallmark of the Phoenix Army. Xiao Xun and Delvana shared a consensus on sentry placement; visible sentinels were obviously vulnerable. Entrusting security to a single guard was foolish.
In the harsh realities of war, any oversight could lead to utter annihilation.
Depending on the situation, sentry positions were frequently altered, and the specific locations were chosen by the sentries themselves, unknown even to Xiao Xun and Delvana.
This was because any established rule or procedure could become rigid. The well-trained Shadow Kill team of the Scourge Legion met an early setback, falling victim to a hidden sentry.
The Shadow Kill sniper immediately fired at the source of the ambush. Due to the assassination mode, the firing rate was extremely low, and the shot was deflected by the opponent’s round shield with a metallic clang.
Since the stealth plan had failed, the Shadow Kill unit opted for a direct assault.
Shadow Kill firmly believed that even if their targets were made of iron, they could not withstand the power of their weapons.
Their particle laser energy cannons were modular. Each artilleryman carried a part of the cannon, which could be rapidly assembled when needed.
With a single shot, half of the city wall collapsed instantly.
The Shadow Kill forces showed no immediate reaction, but the Phoenix Army felt as if the earth was shaking.
The city wall quickly issued a warning report. Xiao Xun was awakened from his sleep, shouting, "What happened? Was that an earthquake?"
Bai Yang informed Xiao Xun, "Sir, it’s an enemy attack alert."
Xiao Xun quickly put on his shoes, threw on his cloak, and rushed out. Delvana and Nigeria also emerged from their respective rooms.
On the way, the Grand Commander told Xiao Xun that the enemy had demolished the wall with a single shot and urged Xiao Xun to flee towards First Line Sky.
"Was the signal flare fired?"
Ever since the incident with the rats, Xiao Xun had agreed with Bo Tu that signal flares were the trigger for immediate army support.
The Grand Commander’s expression was panicked. "It was fired, but judging by this situation, the Orcs would be no match for these people either."
"Rumble~"
Another section of the city wall crumbled, and the soldiers atop it were buried under the debris before they could even react.
Xiao Xun was furious. "What kind of power is this? Is it a missile? How can it bring down such a thick wall with one blast?"
At this moment, Nigeria had ridden his red dragon into the sky and unleashed a death ray towards the cannon’s firing position, while also casting a Thunderbolt strike with his magic staff.
The Shadow Kill operatives directly countered Nigeria's attack with their energy shields. Facing the charging cavalry, they used sniper rifles for long-range engagements, taking down one soldier and horse with each shot. For closer targets, they used carbine rifles; although thirty bullets required a five-minute cooldown, it was enough to eliminate all charging cavalry. For the remaining few, they could either blast them apart with shotguns at their leisure or slice them with energy swords.
The Grand Commander was still earnestly persuading Xiao Xun to leave, even instructing Bai Yang to escort him.
Xiao Xun, in a fit of rage, declared, "You are dismissed! From today onwards, you are no longer the Grand Commander of my Phoenix Army. Your position will be temporarily held by the First Army Commander. For now, you are a logistician." With that, he headed towards the collapsed city wall, roaring, "I want to see who has such incredible capability!"
Upon receiving the distress signal, the Orcs immediately organized the werewolves, known for their superior night combat capabilities, and the Tauren, who rode Kodoma beasts, to provide support. They instructed the remaining troops to patrol and maintain strict defenses against surprise attacks from hidden enemies.
Xiao Xun stopped halfway. Delvana asked him what was wrong. He pointed to the sky and said, "Listen, what is that sound?"
Delvana listened intently, then shook his head, "I don't know."
Xiao Xun's jaw nearly dropped. He shouted hysterically, "That's gunfire, the sound of bullets! How could they possibly have such weapons?"
Immediately, Xiao Xun tore open his clothes, letting the cold wind sober him up. He knew everyone was counting on him, and he absolutely could not be rash. The Phoenix Army had never faced such a perilous situation since its inception.
This was pure slaughter. His side lacked effective long-range weapons, and their magic attacks could not harm the enemy. Even with more men, they could not withstand such artillery power and machine-gun fire.
Xiao Xun, however, was unaware that the assembled particle laser energy cannon had a lifespan of only two uses.