Munitions Empire

Chapter 341 337 kneeling request when the Qing Dynasty is full

A Dwarf mounted on a pony gazed at the distant battlefield, a huge castle stood at the end of the frozen wilderness.

That was Furnace Fortress, the center of the Dwarf world. After the strongest Dwarf Empire that had established the global monetary system crumbled, this place became the holy land in the hearts of all Dwarfs.

Now, the holy land was right before him, and his troops were less than a day's march from here.

However, what lay on this road was not flowers to welcome him, but the densely packed formations of the enemy.

The rotten Northern Dwarf Empire was a once-mighty nation, now on its last legs, merely a shabby house ready to collapse with a single push.

Four months ago, the Ice Cold Kingdom, as a newly risen kingdom, joined the ranks of those challenging the Northern Dwarf Empire.

They were stronger than the other Dwarf Kingdoms around, possessing more advanced tactics and a more formidable military, equipped with more advanced weapons, and had a tactics team from who knows where advising them.

Contrary to common sense, the Ice Cold Kingdom's army started a war in the unsuitable winter season, catching the Northern Dwarf Empire off guard.

Then, the Ice Cold Kingdom's forces split into five routes, bursting into the heartland of the Northern Dwarf Empire. These troops swept through resistance and directly shattered the Northern Dwarf Empire's defensive system.

To the north, 10,000 Dwarf cavalry from Eternal Winter City advanced 400 kilometers in five days, moving into the rear of Furnace Fortress.

Supporting this force were 200 transport trucks and 40,000 war and pack horses that the Ice Cold Kingdom had gathered.

The two armies on the main front made rapid progress as well, one capturing Tos Fortress, the most relied upon stronghold on the Northern Dwarf Empire's border, while the other advanced eastward and took Rubin, the economic hub of the Northern Dwarf Empire.

The Dwarfs that took Tos Fortress used 30 cannons with a caliber of 105 millimeters. These second-hand heavy cannons were even directly appropriated from Brunas's security troops, all to support the Ice Cold Kingdom's troops in successfully capturing Tos.

The Ice Cold Kingdom's main force that attacked Rubin created a miracle by routing a 100,000-strong army of the Northern Dwarf Kingdom with only 40,000 troops. The superiority of needle guns was fully exhibited in this battle.

The 100,000-strong army of the Northern Dwarf Kingdom, armed with flintlock guns, was practically pounded into the ground by the Ice Cold Kingdom's troops in the battle.

Amidst the rising waves of crazed "Ura" cheers, the Ice Cold Kingdom's troops were the first to break through the enemy lines, leading to a comical scene of capturing prisoners.

The two forces in the far south were not trifling either, with one crossing the southern ice river, cutting off Furnace Fortress's southern supply line.

The other force swept through the richer southern regions like an autumn breeze through fallen leaves, completely thwarting the Northern Dwarf Empire's plan to leverage its vast territory to conscript more soldiers for war.

Looking at the fighting style of this "surprise force" from the southernmost route, it was almost a replay of Tang Mo's advance into the southern part of Suthers.

If anyone were to say there wasn't a student of Tang Mo involved in the command, no one would believe it—this student had almost replicated Tang Mo's classic case of attacking the south of Suthers, pursuing a campaign of living off the enemy territories, causing turmoil in the southern parts of the Northern Dwarf Empire as a liberator.

The first point is easy to understand. Because they had automobile supplies and a weapon advantage, waging war in winter was not an impossible task for the Ice Cold Kingdom.

In contrast, the Northern Dwarf Empire, disadvantaged in logistical supplies, was extremely reluctant to go to war in winter—they'd rather fight in summer when the roads were easier to traverse.

The second point meant starting the war in winter when food reserves were at their lowest, which could put the Northern Dwarf Empire on the back foot. The Ice Cold Kingdom had grain supplies from the southern regions that were plentiful and cheap, but as a standard landlocked country, the Northern Dwarf Empire did not have that luxury.

In a situation where everyone used to understand each other's capabilities, the Northern Dwarf Empire wouldn't seriously prepare for war in winter, both tactically and strategically, they were very lax.

The third point was even easier to understand. The other dwarf kingdoms surrounding the Northern Dwarf Empire, who coveted Furnace Fortress, were well known to all. So if they wanted to swallow Furnace Fortress whole, they had to be smart.

In the past, there had been instances when one kingdom was close to defeating the Northern Dwarf Empire, but the others would either support the Northern Dwarf Empire or outright encircle Wei to save Zhao.

Therefore, to achieve its war goals, the Ice Cold Kingdom needed to be fast. They had to capture Furnace Fortress before the other kingdoms could react and before the end of winter, to secure their new border.

By that time, they would become the new overlords of the dwarf world, the new hope for once again unifying the dwarves!

But everything had to be quick! Very quick! They had to end the war before the other countries could mobilize slowly during winter.

Then, with the subsequent support from the Great Tang Group and the continuous supply of arms, they, with the might of having swallowed the Northern Dwarf Empire, made the neighboring countries too wary to wage war, and could slowly digest the fruits of victory.

As for any foolhardy clowns who might dare to declare war on the Ice Cold Kingdom... everyone was actually prepared.

With tens of thousands of battle-hardened troops and the miraculous staff team of Great Tang, it would be more than enough to defeat a few small kingdoms that didn't know any better. After annihilating several armies of other kingdoms that came to attack, the rest would no longer dare to act rashly.

In short, as long as the Great Tang Group was strong, clinging to the Great Tang Group's thick thigh and calling it "daddy" was the way to go. As long as they offered enough, "daddy" wouldn't abandon the Ice Cold Kingdom, the dutiful son!

Although it was somewhat shameless to say this, and the Ice Cold Kingdom would never admit to having such a thought, the fact was that this was exactly what they did.

After using gold, copper, iron mines and oil as debt repayment, they were even planning to use tariffs to bargain.

Indeed, voluntarily becoming a vassal state to the Qing dynasty in reality, they definitely ranked as an oddity among powerful nations.

However, unlike the Qing dynasty which suffered humiliation after losing battles, for the Ice Cold Kingdom, this was a high-stakes gamble.

If they won, they could become the overlords of the dwarf world, sacrificing only a small part for what countless generations had dreamt of.

"No matter what, Furnace Fortress is now within our sights!" Moss sat on horseback, eyes filled with longing for the city.

He hoped to become the first hero to break into Furnace Fortress, a hero of the Ice Cold Kingdom, or rather, of the entire dwarf world...a hero!

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