The intense sound of artillery bombardnt echoed in the distance.
The shock wave, like a storm, ravaged everything, destroying the buildings and reefs along the shore, hurling tons of soil into the air. The deafening roar seed to rip people’s eardrums apart.
A young man with blue-gray beast ears and a wolf tail supported a bloodied wounded person, grumbling incessantly, "Battista, do you really think you’re a hero?"
Battista swallowed so blood-tinged spit, forcing a smile as he said, "Alita is such a cute kid. Every ti she sees , she politely calls Uncle Battista."
"Did she buy you off with just a word of uncle?"
"Couldn’t possibly let the little girl address all for nothing, right?"
Feeling the loud noises behind him, Battista struggled and said, "Boss, you should go quickly; those people are about to land. I won’t run fast if you take along."
"Cut the crap!"
The young man frowned. As a Corner, he could easily carry even two or three people and move swiftly. But Battista, as a seriously wounded victim, was flung out by the wave from saving a young human girl by the shore earlier.
That was the wave from a naval gun. If it hit a normal person, they would definitely be shocked to death on the spot.
But even though Battista was renowned for his physique among the Wolf Race, he was gravely injured now. If they were to jostle him all the way back, he might not make it back alive to Wolf Castle.
"Hans, lend a hand."
"Who? Who’s there!"
The young man suddenly looked towards the direction where the voice ca from.
"Mordak, it’s ."
A familiar yet unfamiliar female voice, along with the signature blue-gray long hair of the Basilicata Family, appeared on a nearby Wolf Race girl.
"Miss... Miss?"
Mordak’s face was filled with disbelief, "Is it really you?"
Chelina responded with an "Mm."
Mordak still hadn’t recovered from his shock, his face full of joy, "Nina, you’ve grown so tall and beco so beautiful. You’re a big girl now, I almost couldn’t recognize you."
Chelina frowned, "Now’s not the ti for this. How many casualties have you suffered from this round of bombardnt? Are there any wounded left to rescue?"
Chelina did not recognize Battista. The Basilicata Family was not a populous family to begin with, and when it was diluted by large numbers of stray wolves in Texas, it was normal for Chelina to run into unfamiliar ones.
Mordak quickly said, "No one wounded left, the family didn’t place many people here, it’s all this kid playing hero, otherwise, we could have safely evacuated before the enemy bombardnt."
Losa seed thoughtful, "It seems that the Yakexi is just clearing obstacles for a landing. Regardless of whether there’s an enemy ambush, unleashing a round of bombardnt is definitely the right move. This indicates that the enemy commander is a very cautious person."
Mordak chid in, "Exactly, considering the power of these shells, it probably costs two White Crystals per shot. Apart from the British and the French who occupy several important White Crystal production sites, seldom does anyone squander resources like this."
Although the Basilicata Family is also one of the Twelve Wolf Clans, and ranks among the top, financially, even the combined wealth of the top six families pales compared to the Yakxi Family which has ruled the Wolf Race for a thousand years.
The so-called Twelve Wolf Clans co-rule, if the Wolf Race were compared to a joint-stock company, the combined shares of the other eleven families would at most add up to 49.9.
Chelina inquired with curiosity, "You seed to have anticipated the enemy attack?"
Mordak, as if rembering sothing, promptly said, "Right, a while back, three won claid to be your friends, Miss. They brought the important news that the old Wolf Race army will soon arrive, and we’ve been preparing for almost a month."
Losa and the others showed a bit of relief.
Turns out Prajna and her group were settled directly onto the New Continent, no wonder they didn’t et up in Saluzzo—this is definitely a great thing, hasty combat is an entirely different concept than a long-prepared one.
"Indeed, they are my friends, and so are these three."
"It’s an honor to et you all. Let take you back to Wolf Castle first, Nina. It’ll make the Clan Leader very happy to see you after so many years."
Upon the ntion of Juliano, Chelina’s expression turned slightly cold, she replied with a low "Mm," and said nothing more.
...
On the fortified walls of Wolf Castle, Juliano, who had already received the news, was directing his subordinates to load the cannon with White Crystal. This was actually a processed product of White Crystal minerals.
Texas did not possess this technology, or even if they did, it was useless since the mineral production sites were held tightly by the UK and France.
Processed White Crystal is highly unstable, inflammable, and explosive, hence needs to be installed on the castle’s independent turrets only when the war is about to comnce.
The position of the turret is quite strategic. Its wide firing range can cover most of the area in front of the castle. If hit by the cannons of the Wolf Race Expedition Army, the resulting explosion wouldn’t threaten the walls or several other critical defensive nodes.
Jeanne observed Juliano’s orderly command, and couldn’t help but praise, "Juliano is truly a remarkable commander. It’s quite embarrassing to admit that I have little experience dealing with firearms."
"Madam, you’re just inexperienced."
Jeanne and the Holy Knight Order’s foes are often dark creatures with no technology tree to speak of. It was during the Hundred Years’ War between England and France that they encountered early cannons, whose power was barely greater than a trebuchet.
Juliano looked earnestly at Furinjira beside Jeanne and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Lady Furinjira."
Furinjira nonchalantly responded, "No problem, with Master and Nina not around, I was quite bored, so drawing so arrays was a good distraction."
During this ti, relying on the Texas Wolf Race’s unrestrained support, she wielded a large number of rare materials to arrange a giant Blood Array around Wolf Castle. With her presiding, she could exert power far beyond her usual capabilities.
Spending a month and using a lot of precious materials for this preparation, compared to hastily arranged pre-war Blood Arrays using beast blood at most, these are absolutely different concepts.
Furinjira vowed to erase the sha of having her previously-constructed array torn to pieces easily by the Tyrannical Dragon using the Volcanic Divinity.
"Thank you all for risking great danger to help the Wolf Race Federation resist the enemy invasion. On behalf of all mbers of the Wolf Race Federation, I express my gratitude to you three."
Juliano expressed his sincere thanks once again.
"If thanks are in order, you should thank your daughter instead."
Jeanne smiled, "Although we have been getting along well during this ti, and I have seen the so-called ’New Wolf Race’ indeed being more progressive than your compatriots in Italy.
But if it weren’t for Chelina, I wouldn’t have had the interest to get to know you."
Juliano was silent for a mont, saying sowhat bitterly, "I understand."
"Hmph."
Furinjira glanced at Juliano disdainfully; she still didn’t have a shred of affection for this old man.
Furinjira and Juliano were completely different people. The latter might sacrifice everything, even his family, for his ideals, beliefs, or the so-called ’reform.’
She, on the other hand, would never do that.
Even if the Blood Royal Court were on the brink of doom, she would unhesitatingly refuse to trade Losa or Chelina for it.
Furinjira cherished the few people she cared about, precisely because they were so few.
"I’m going to check the Magic Array, dummy... Prajna, co with !"
In front of outsiders, Furinjira still gave Prajna, a ’Ghost Race General,’ so dignity. If it weren’t for a slip of the tongue, she would never call her a big dummy.
"You go yourself, I want to stroll elsewhere."
Prajna declined Furinjira’s invitation. During this ti, she had seen many new things in Texas, so similar to what was written in books, and so entirely different.
This gave her a unique sense of freshness.
No matter how interesting a world pieced together from books is, it’s not one she has experienced herself.
So experiencing more and seeing more is necessary to write a good story, right?
Thinking this, she headed down the tower, and when she reached a corner, her gaze swept over a young wolf tribe mber who was sowhat nervously greeting her, frowning slightly.
The young wolf tribe mber exclaid, his face turning red as he asked, "Ms. Prajna, is sothing wrong with ?"
Over ti, the Texas wolf tribe mbers understood Prajna’s quiet nature and learned to read her subtle expressions.
Prajna shook her head.
She watched the young man’s departing figure, who turned back step by step, sighing softly. In the young man, she saw a heavy aura of death, indicating that he was most likely to die in the upcoming defense of Wolf Castle.
It’s normal.
This battle was bound to be extrely brutal; anyone could die, even her as a Heavy Iron Guard. But their deaths in the battle recorded in this world did not an actual death.
Thinking this, Prajna couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret in her heart.
As she walked down the city walls.
She saw a group of young wolf tribe boys and girls being led onto a carriage by a Corner head, preparing to evacuate Wolf Castle. They were all underage wolf tribe mbers, with limited combat power, but they were the embers of the New Wolf Race.
If the Wolf Race Federation were destroyed, they might carry the spirit of the New Wolf Race and be reborn from the ashes.
Or perhaps, with years of hardship, gradually wear away their edges.
Either way, it should be a very compelling story.
Thinking this, Prajna then saw the half-grown boy who had once given her flowers, blushing and waving at her, shouting, "Sister, can we et again in the future?"
Beside him were other children also eager to ask but too embarrassed, so they encouraged their companion to inquire.
The response, naturally, was none.
Prajna still looked at them expressionlessly.
The Corner head smiled at the slightly disappointed children: "You all know well that Ms. Prajna’s nature isn’t to dislike you. She’s like this with everyone..."
As he spoke, the Corner head suddenly saw the children looking joyfully at sothing behind him.
He followed the children’s gaze.
A woman with cascading black hair and skin as white as snow stood on the last step of the stone stairs, waving at them with a smile.
"Sister smiled at us!"
The children cheered as if they had won a victory.
They didn’t quite understand what this war really ant.
They just knew that the beautiful sister’s smile was so enchanting.
The Corner head clutched his chest.
Oh no, this is what falling in love feels like!
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