There was no corresponding department capable of coordinating everyone. Each faction’s manager had to handle things on their own, which was undoubtedly primitive.
“Looks like I need to establish a department that oversees all factions.
Or maybe it doesn’t have to be that complicated, just an Intelligence Command Division that connects all information nodes, allows data sharing, and provides decision-makers across the factions with actionable intelligence.”
Resource integration had long been a key strategy for major corporations on Earth. A thoughtful look flashed in Li De’s eyes.
The power generated by independent efforts was simply too limited. Integration was essential.
He silently made up his mind, this matter needed to be advanced as soon as possible.
“Your Majesty?” Stanley called out again, seeing Li De momentarily lost in thought.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Go on,” Li De came back to his senses.
“Yes. Based on Craig’s report and the intel from Risel City, it seems that’s exactly why the beastmen chose to attack Risel City.”
“If what they’re after is Risel City’s alchemical bombs...” Li De’s gaze sharpened. “That doesn’t quite add up. Beastmen aren’t without spellcasters. The alchemical bombs are powerful, sure, but is it really necessary to go this far?”
“Your Majesty, alchemical bombs are fundamentally different from spells. They’re alchemical artifacts. The damage they deal has nothing to do with mana, it’s purely physical.
In other words, equipment with high magic resistance is ineffective against alchemical bombs. And the walls of Green City were built at great cost using vast amounts of anti-magic materials.
Alchemical bombs are without a doubt the best tools for breaking those walls.”
Li De raised an eyebrow. When put that way, it actually made perfect sense.
The beastman crown prince wanted to make a name for himself, there was no telling what he might do. If Green City was indeed his goal, this tactic was entirely logical.
“Green City isn’t an easy target. After all, the Transcendent within that city...”
“Your Majesty, the Nolan Empire and the Beastmen Empire once signed a treaty that forbids the use of Transcendent-level power or higher in border wars.”
Li De looked stunned. That was a thing??
“When did they sign that? And can such a treaty really be taken seriously?”
International treaties were like toilet paper, useful when convenient, disposable when not.
“Of course. Four hundred years ago, the beastman army crossed into Green City and raided supplies, causing massive civilian casualties. They even killed a prince who was touring Green City at the time.
This completely enraged the Nolan King. The Nolan Empire deployed two Legendary-level powerhouses, and four human allied nations each dispatched one more. A total of six Legendaries and over ten Transcendents led a three-million-strong army into the Barren Plains.
They even reached the gates of the beastman royal capital. The beastmen eventually surrendered and begged for peace. But since the Barren Plains were so desolate, the Nolan Empire had no interest in occupying them, so they withdrew.
The next year, the beastmen, short on food, invaded the border again. Fearing another crushing campaign by multiple Legendaries, the Beastmen Empire proactively signed a treaty with the Nolan Empire forbidding the use of power above Transcendent on the border.
The Nolan Empire’s main focus wasn’t in the South. After receiving massive reparations, the king also didn’t want to keep mobilizing Legendaries and Transcendents every year to fight the beastmen, so he agreed.
And for the past few centuries, the beastmen have never dared to break that treaty.”
Li De suddenly understood. No wonder the entire Southern Province, year after year of wars against the beastmen, had only a single Transcendent stationed there.
He’d found that odd before. Even if there weren’t any Legendaries, there should’ve been at least a few more Transcendents.
Now he realized the hidden reason.
With that in mind, Li De’s previously subdued ambition began to stir again.
If no higher-level power was allowed to participate in this war, then... didn’t that mean he might have a chance to gain something from it?
The high-level strength under his command was enough to support his ambitions, even among hundreds of thousands of troops.
Especially that word, alchemical bomb, kept tugging at his mind.
“How powerful are these alchemical bombs? Do you have any?”
“Your Majesty, I had Dark Pact specifically transfer a batch over this time. They’re from a past transaction with the Risel family. You can test them yourself.”
Li De’s interest was immediately piqued. “Let’s go. I want to test one outside the city.”
Explosions were the truest form of art.
He was very interested in the goblins’ alchemical bombs. No, actually, as long as it was a bomb, he was interested. He was dying to know how the fantasy-world alchemical bombs differed from Earth’s versions.
What intrigued him the most was whether Dawn City could replicate these bombs.
Even though they were called alchemical bombs, just the name bomb was enough to get Li De excited.
If Dawn City could produce them, then vampire Whispering Bats could become a true air force, agile strategic bombers.
Magic was powerful, yes, but it couldn’t be cast from thousands of blades in the sky. It had to be within casting range to be effective.
Except for high-tier or large composite spells, most ordinary magic was effective only within 300 blades, and typically less than 200. At longer distances, spells were too easy to dodge.
That limitation was built into the very design of magic.
But if alchemical bombs worked the way he imagined, then forget dive-bombing. Once he controlled the skies, he could simply drop bombs and turn his enemies to ash.
Just the thought filled Li De with endless excitement. No one from Earth could resist the allure of bombs.
“Let’s go test the power of the alchemical bomb.”
---
One sun-hour later, outside Dawn City, on an undeveloped plot of land far from the Southern District.
Harrison, Stanley, and several dwarves were standing behind Li De.
Two vampires were flapping their wings in the sky, over a hundred blades high.
Looking at the waist-high grass, Li De didn’t care at all whether it would catch fire.