MTLNOVEL Chapter 515: Siege
The dense Elf Army surrounded the Golden Tent Tribe like a tidal wave.
One by one, the players unloaded their supplies, and siege weapons began to be assembled.
Many of these siege devices were produced by the Mengmeng Committee.
Once the war mission was triggered, quite a few leaders started to craft these devices, making a fortune by selling them to other guilds.
They took inspiration from Bluestar's technology, designing not only catapults but also ballistae and battering rams.
Of course, with the modified magic gun from before, players also modified these siege devices, engraving them with arrays similar to the magic guns, making them far more powerful than before.
But unlike the magic guns, which had become "energy attacks," these siege devices were essentially still "physical attacks," merely relying on their size, which was much larger than the magic guns, to successfully affix magic onto them.
From this perspective, their principle was more like the archery used by shooter players.
More importantly, through arrays similar to those in the magic guns, players could also gain combat experience from these behemoths.
The siege devices were assembled, and players settled in, resting while awaiting the command to attack.
Even though they used Demon Beasts for travel, after such a long forced march, everyone was a bit tired.
*Even if they could turn off the fatigue, their energy levels were still limited, and a poor physical state would also impact combat effectiveness.*
While resting, flags adorned with golden irises were held high by players, proudly waving in the fierce cold wind.
This was the banner of the Nature's Heart Guild.
The force attacking the Golden Tent Tribe was precisely the group army of the Nature's Heart Guild.
Four major guilds each took command of a group army; after entering the Death Desert, they split into four paths, heading straight for the four nearest large Half-Beast tribes.
Nature's Heart Guild was facing the Golden Tent Tribe.
In Li Mu's plan, the four guilds would attack in separate paths and then regroup after breaking through several, finally engaging in a decisive battle with the Half-Beast main force in the Death Desert under his command...
The plan was simple but effective.
"Lord Ling," Li Mu reported respectfully to Eve while riding a Brass Dragon on a barren hill, "this is the Golden Tent Tribe of the Half-Beasts, the largest among the four Half-Beast tribes closest to the Dark Mountain Range. According to the Half-Beast prisoners we've captured, their population is over twenty thousand."
"Of course, since the Half-Beasts are preparing for war, the elite warriors in the tribe have been transferred to Sandstorm City, so the remaining population is estimated to be just over ten thousand."
"The main force of the Half-Beasts is not nearby. According to intelligence, they should still be in the Sandstorm Tribe. As long as we can capture this place within a day, we can regroup with the other groups before their reinforcements arrive."
Each group army was accompanied by NPCs of high-level professions to conveniently handle the possible Gold Professionals among the large Half-Beast tribes.
The Mengmeng Committee had the Black Dragon Mairrel, the first legion had the Red Dragon Tibilia, the slightly weaker Autobot Guild had the Spider Queen Rose, and the Nature's Heart, which needed to handle the strongest Golden Tent Tribe, had Divine Favored Zero.
Listening to Li Mu, Eve, in the identity of Divine Favored Zero, nodded repeatedly, indicating her understanding.
*Although Li Mu was reporting things she already knew crystal clear by observing the players.*
There were many Half-Beasts in the Death Desert, and they had organized a powerful army.
Based on Eve's understanding, the total number of the Half-Beast army should absolutely exceed the players by several times.
If the Half-Beast army had all gathered and stationed near the Dark Mountain Range, Eve would definitely not allow the players to split their forces.
Fortunately, the organized Half-Beast army was not nearby.
Sandstorm City was where the Half-Beast army was gathered.
Eve somewhat understood why the Half-Beasts didn't gather the army in the tribes closer to the Dark Mountain Range but placed them in Sandstorm City.
On one hand, it was because only Sandstorm City, which directly communicated with the Underworld, could support the supply needs of a massive army.
On the other hand, by setting out from Sandstorm City, the Half-Beasts could directly enter the Underworld, taking a shortcut to circumvent the rugged terrain of the Dark Mountain Range and attack the Elf Forest.
The Dark Mountain Range's terrain was complex; when Lionheart King Imsh led thirty thousand troops to cross it, it took several months. If the Half-Beasts with hundreds of thousands still traveled the same path, it would take even more time…
Maintaining a massive army incurs significant material costs.
Even with the support from Sorren Commerce, the Half-Beasts couldn't march for months in the remote mountainous terrain as they did previously.
Otherwise, they'd be bankrupt by the time they arrived.
Of course, Eve speculated that the Half-Beast army's choice of Sandstorm City was likely because it was where the "World Tree Divine Country" appeared.
After Eve submitted the war letter, the Half-Beasts stopped making any significant moves.
From this angle, Eve believed it very likely that the Half-Beasts intended to lie in ambush there…
*Only, prey becomes prey because it's small and weak.*
*But if instead of prey, what's coming is a fierce tiger, things get interesting.*
*The players' legions were such tigers!*
*It was evident from the alert state of the Half-Beast tribes.*
*Even though Eve mentioned in the war letter a hundred thousand-strong army, it seemed they didn't believe it.*
Otherwise, they would've left some troops at the border rather than rely solely on support and defense between several large tribes.
*Indeed, who would have thought that in last year's once desolate Elf Forest, a hundred thousand elves would suddenly appear?*
Oh, no.
*It was no longer last year.*
*On the day the players departed, the Segis World had already entered the new year, January.*
Squinting her eyes, Eve looked towards the Golden Tent Tribe.
More and more Half-Beasts started gathering on the crude stockade walls.
At the same time, Eve sensed a strong presence on the walls.
That was the Gold Professional from the Golden Tent Tribe.
According to player intelligence, it was likely the High Priest of the Golden Tent Tribe.
The Golden Tent Tribe had more than one Gold Professional; the intelligence indicated there were two, the most among the nearby large tribes.
Since the other Gold Professional was absent, they likely had been summoned by the Royal Court to join the Half-Beast army.
From this perspective, the gathering of the Half-Beast army made these few border large tribes even weaker.
From a distance, Eve could clearly see the panic on the Half-Beasts' faces…
"It seems they've also received messages from the other tribes."
Musing to herself, Eve spoke.
*A mere thirty thousand Elf Army wouldn't incite such panic and chaos.*
*It was likely that news of being besieged had already come from the other tribes…*
"How about it, Lord Ling, can we launch the attack now?"
Li Mu eagerly inquired.
He was getting impatient.
Because at this moment, the Nature's Heart was actually behind in progress.
According to the map, the Golden Tent Tribe was the furthest for players.
By the time they arrived, the other large Half-Beast tribes were already engulfed in fierce battles…
If joining the faction channels of the other three guilds now, they would hear the crazy and excited roars of the other commanders, and opening the video would reveal the commanders' perspectives and the magnificent battlefields.
The players from the Nature's Heart Guild's battlefield sub-channel constantly shared battle screenshots from other battlefields.
The artillery catapults, the volleying magic guns, the dazzling spells, and the fearless charges of the players…
*Just watching it made one's blood boil.*
The taunts from players in other channels only stirred the players of the Nature's Heart Group Army even more.
Everyone was eager to try.
The war had already begun…
They had waited too long for this moment!
This would be the first true siege battle since the launch of "Elf Kingdom"!
After hearing Li Mu's words, Eve looked towards the players' camp.
At this moment, ten modified catapults were already erected, five ballistae were assembled, and a battering ram was ready.
These siege devices were prepared in advance, and with the assistance of magic, they were not difficult to assemble.
However, selecting players to operate these devices was a bit troublesome.
From the feedback on other battlefields, the experience gained from catapults and ballistae was terrifying…
As long as you hit your target.
And so, players returned to the most primitive and fair method of MMORPGs—ROLLing dice.
On the positions of the catapults and ballistae, players' excited laughter could be heard repeatedly, knowing that another lucky guy was chosen as the operator of siege equipment.
"Good, prepare to attack."
Eve nodded, saying to Li Mu.
"Everything is in your hands."
Listening to Eve's words, Li Mu's gaze turned serious.
He nodded slightly towards Eve and then turned around, opening his mic and shouting,
"Catapults, get ready to attack!"
At Li Mu's command, the already prepared players sprang into action.
Players loaded pre-prepared "ammunition" into the catapults, magic stones engraved with magic arrays, mixed with metallic shrapnel and even "biochemical weapons."
The players operating the catapults injected their magic power into them, activating the array, then released the catapult's rope and further triggered the "gravity" magic engraved onto it.
In the next second, the massive machines vibrated, releasing dazzling light, as the giant axles rotated rapidly, launching the "ammunition" out...
With each launch, the magic stones activated by magic power began to burn, akin to meteors, tracing a beautiful parabolic arc in the sky, crashing toward the Half-Beasts' stockade walls...
The thundering booms began to ring across the battlefield.
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This chapter is only 3000, another update will be added tomorrow.
Additionally, I recommend the new ancestor stream book "After I Died, I Became an Ancestor."