Chapter 608: The Nautilus’ Great Ram
The capital of the Clock Tower, Mozwah.
“Load the ammunition!”
A heavy golden cannonball weighing dozens of kilograms was pressed into the barrel, then the breech was closed. Under the operation of magic power, intricate patterns on the scorching red barrel lit up, resonating with the enchanted cannonball inside. Magic power boiled and faintly radiated, and then, amidst a sudden loud explosion, the scorching crimson cannonball was launched.
Breaking through the layers of resistance in the atmosphere, accompanied by a whistling sound and shockwaves, the cannonball instantly traced a straight trajectory into the wilderness beyond the city walls.
On the bustling city walls, musketeers continuously fired their shots. Smoke and flames filled the air above the city walls, and the continuous sounds of gunfire seemed endless.
Such fierce attacks, according to the previous assessment by the Frost Union, should have been enough to tear through any enemy formation, but this time they were in vain.
The War Sequence, as its name suggested, was prepared for war. Under the resonance of shared beliefs, individual strength increased layer by layer, and the entire military formation would coalesce into one, like a prehistoric giant advancing.
Under the vast cold edge, those cannonballs exploded as if hitting blades and spear tips, and the remaining fragments were crushed by the military formation below, dissipating like fireflies.
Many musketeers’ bullets lost their momentum in the air and eventually fell onto armor and shields, making only a clinking sound like light rain.
Facing this orderly, slowly advancing, yet unstoppable army, many soldiers and extraordinary beings on the city walls began to feel desperate and frenzied, relying solely on continuous attacks to numb their fearful hearts and emotions.
“Fire! Fire! Fire!”
“Ahhhhh!”
Their voices sounded insane, and the muskets in their hands gradually overheated and turned red. Finally, when new bullets were inserted, they exploded the barrels directly.
Before the main army outside the city could approach the walls, many defenders died on the city walls due to such reasons, further dampening morale.
Thud, a soldier threw down his musket and leaned against the wall behind him, collapsing to the ground.
“We can’t win. We’re doomed. Doomed.”
Seeing his despondent and resigned expression, many soldiers still attacking also fell silent, their loading and firing actions becoming increasingly numb and slow, as if merely mechanical repetition.
“Hold on! We still have our sturdy and high city walls, and our layered crossfire fortresses,” an officer said, trying to encourage them. Even he felt a wave of palpitations and unease. But what could he do? His family was behind the city walls, and he had become an officer because his uncle was a mage under a certain master. With such entanglements, leaving this nation might mean a worse life for him.
“That’s right, we still have the walls. Everything will be fine,”
He muttered these words over and over, unsure whether he was comforting the soldiers or himself. But now, what else could he do? If he tried to escape, he would likely be shot dead by the rear guard immediately.
Amidst the unceasing sounds of artillery fire, he lowered his hat brim and silently, heavily watched the wind curtain flag approaching.
When the white banner with gold fringes of Clancia approached the city walls, it suddenly halted, causing surprise and relief among the soldiers on the walls.
But this feeling did not last long. A heavy, grinding sound came from the hills far away, as if a massive war chariot was slowly entering the battlefield.
First to catch the eye was the huge ram that slightly pointed upwards. On the massive ram that forced people to look up, there were gray calcium-like layers of spirals, rough yet delicate, faintly revealing an ancient, bleak bluish-gray.
This awe-inspiring ram stood twenty stories tall, making the soldiers below appear small and insignificant.
As this chariot loaded with the gigantic ram appeared, the vast army parted like waves, creating a path for its advance.
The attacks on Mozwah’s walls thus briefly paused. Many mages and soldiers were awestruck by this terrifying war machine, as if the fear of ancient life was awakened from their blood.
[Ultra-Ancient Gray Fossilized Nautilus]: The result of combining ancient life and extraordinary power. Even after death, the remains of its massive body still inspire awe.
[Nautilus: The ocean’s dominant species during the Ordovician period 460 million years ago on Earth. The only surviving subspecies today.]
—
Lolan Hill rode her horse up a hill, gazing at the massive conch shell that obscured the sky before her. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
This giant conch shell was a gift from the Southern Islands, discovered underwater many years ago. A month prior, she had dispatched six Alekya-class warships and dozens of Extraordinary Sequence 6 individuals to pull this colossal creature from the seabed and onto land.
Afterward, nearly a thousand craftsmen and alchemists were gathered to design a chariot base for it, all to be used today.
In the Ordovician era, when most primitive life forms were still minuscule, these giant conchs several meters long could be considered ancient behemoths.
However, over millions of years, they gradually faded into history. Later life forms grew larger, making the size of these conchs insignificant.
The conch slowly climbing the hill in front of them was not a fossil from hundreds of millions of years ago. According to Lolan Hill’s analysis using the system, this might have been an attempt by the “Tree of Life Sect” to resurrect ancient life forms. It could only grow to such a massive size under the influence of Extraordinary power.
She wondered what experiments and research the major factions had conducted in their respective fields back then.
The “Tree of Life Sect” was passionate about transforming and evolving life to better adapt to and utilize Extraordinary power.
The “Primordial Heart” aspired to achieve inner perfection and establish a heavenly kingdom on earth.
The “Mechanical Parliament” still hoped to solve worldly problems through AI, mechanization, and electrification.
The “Traceback Cloud” navigated the gaps in space, hiding itself like water, merging with various organizations and factions to observe and record everything.
The “Deep Sea Alliance” abandoned extensive societal structures, choosing instead to roam the starry universe as individuals, forging ahead alone.
Memories of those bygone days flashed through her mind. Even though Lolan Hill did not personally experience that era, the grand transformations and upheavals were enough to evoke nostalgia and amazement.
On the battlefield, when this massive conch, akin to a rhinoceros charging, climbed the hill, shamans from behind the army stepped forward. Under their joint incantations, the ground between the hill and the city wall began to undulate and finally formed a straight, inclined runway.
At this moment, with the combined efforts of nearly a thousand high-ranking orc warriors, the heavy chariot slowly moved forward and slid toward the wide passage.
The guards on the city walls watched this scene unfold, their moods sinking as the massive chariot slowly started moving.
“Destroy it!” The voice was filled with urgency, fear, and anger.
More than ten crystal cannons turned to aim at the chariot, which started moving like a rhinoceros, and then golden-red projectiles rained down, straight towards the giant conch.
Due to the large army splitting apart and the lack of dense troop formations around the chariot, the projectiles met little resistance in the air and directly hit the target, exploding.
Like a suppressed thunderclap, the air currents and heat wave caused deafening sounds, even from kilometers away on the city walls.
Seconds later, the smoke cleared, and the guards on the walls anxiously looked at the aftermath of the bombardment, but there was no joy on their faces; only silence and suppression.
The heavy conch appeared grayish-blue, with tiny pits on its spiral patterns, resembling bubbles that had burst and then solidified, yet felt smooth to the touch. The hard, calcified shell, tens of thousands of years old, remained intact.
Its speed increased as it moved up the slope. Despite the continuous shooting from the city walls, which created some craters in the ground, the unstoppable chariot wheels seemed like trivial matters.
Finally, the heavy battering ram, carrying a terrifying kinetic energy, directly struck the towering city wall, causing bricks and stones to collapse with a loud sound. The sturdy, towering wall now had a huge breach.
Countless banners advanced again, and armored warriors wielding lances surged into the city like a tide. From above, it looked as if a multi-faceted circular clock face had been pierced by a deep iron nail, with steel and lances entering its interior.
—
Amidst the smoke and gunfire in the city, many towers and city walls still saw resistance from mages and soldiers. The streets were chaotic, filled with running, crying, and fighting sounds.
As the city was breached, the usual order began to collapse. Some officers attempted to command the fleeing soldiers to counterattack, but few were willing to obey orders anymore. Some mages closed their doors tightly,
Courtyard, activating one sleeping golem after another, was praying in his room, even if this was useless psychological comfort.
Some bold and ruthless individuals took advantage of the chaos to storm into the homes of former tycoons, planning to loot before fleeing to change their lives.
Underneath the Engraving Tower in the center today, senior generals were frowning deeply, staring at the few mages in front of them.
“Are those gentlemen still unwilling to come out?” he asked, referring to the representatives and leaders of several major factions from Rourna.
“I’m sorry, General Sir. The gentlemen are making their final decision inside,” replied the Level 7 mage, wearing a coat of white and blue stripes, sweating profusely as he blocked the door.
The situation had rapidly deteriorated to the point where Frost Union’s inner leadership was nowhere to be seen, causing many soldiers to worry and become angry.
“Let us through, whether it’s a lie or truth, this is the last moment now.” An old general stepped forward, slowly placing his hand on his sword hilt, his eyes cold yet resolute.
“Sorry.” His words were interrupted by the splitting of a blade.
A straight sword with light golden patterns glowed as it struck the faint blue barrier, trembling violently. The contact sparked with magical energy and tiny explosions.
Seeing this scene, several other generals no longer remained silent; they drew their swords, aiming at the elite mages guarding the entrance.
“It seems that the generals have decided to rebel,” said the mage in the blue-and-white coat, his tone seemingly relieved.
“It is you who betrayed the people.” Another general in dark scale armor stepped forward, holding an ancient dark gold spear.
“Under the initiative and orders of those gentlemen, the nation started a war, but now at the last moment, they are nowhere to be found, giving no explanation.”
“Even if they came out to lead their families to safety or surrender, we could accept that, but no! Nothing! Now we can’t even find them. Are they cowards?”
“The gentlemen have their own decisions. I cannot disclose more,” the blue-and-white mage guarding the door answered, seemingly already determined.
“Then die! Fire!”
Under the command of the general, three rows of crystal gunners behind him aimed and fired at the tower.
Crimson flames erupted densely. Even these elite mages could not withstand such close range attacks. The previously sturdy barrier shattered, its glow fading quickly.
Whoosh—
Finally, a bullet pierced the pale blue barrier and entered the mage’s chest, a blossom of blood blooming. It was the sound of a bullet piercing flesh and bone.
Immediately, more blood blossomed on his chest, arms, and legs. He fell like a rag doll, silence settling over him.
Blood filled his mouth and teeth as he looked at the gradually dimming sky, muttering softly.
“You don’t understand anything.”
His arm lifted slightly, as if trying to grasp something, but then fell lifelessly, silent once more.
Soldiers dragged the bodies of the mages aside and used cannons to blast open the tower’s main gate, rushing inside.
The air in the tower was cold and eerily quiet. Hundreds of soldiers climbed the long staircase, searching every room and floor.
Ten minutes later.
“Report, General. There is no one inside.”
The city was still filled with continuous fighting and gunfire. However, the commanding generals in the center calmed down.
“Did they escape?” one asked, his voice full of confusion.
“Perhaps, but now, we have become the highest commanders of this country and city.”
“Give the order to the soldiers, tighten the defense lines, and prepare for surrender.”
He walked out of the dark tower, looking at the smoke-filled gray sky, his voice filled with exhaustion and loss.
“Yes, General.”
The soldiers below sighed in relief. Other generals sighed softly, gesturing for others to follow suit.
“Give the children a way out.”
Under the sky filled with fire and smoke, the generals sat on the benches outside the high tower, looking at the dust-covered flowers and grass before them. Their faces and expressions suddenly aged, their figures elongating and blurring in the distance, slowly facing the final moments.
(The End)
