20: Strategic planning leads to an initial victory, showcasing the military's prowess (Part 1)

After the Gray Dwarf patrol retreated, Outpost Base No. 1 fell into a brief silence, broken only by the suppressed moans of the wounded and the rustling sound of weapons being wiped. The air was thick with the smell of blood, gunpowder, and a lingering sense of gravity.

[Post-War Statistics]:

Enemies Eliminated: 18 Gray Dwarf Warriors, 9 Gray Dwarf Crossbowmen, 4 Gray Dwarf Rune Priests.

Friendly Losses:

Dwarf Rune Iron Guard: 1 severely injured (hit by the aftershock of a flaming giant axe, breastplate shattered), 3 moderately injured, 5 lightly injured.

Elf Rangers: 2 lightly injured (wounded by stray arrows).

Lawful Merman Enforcers: 1 lightly injured (fractured arm while blocking).

Resource Consumption: 12 ballista Burst arrows, approximately 300 various other arrows, and several healing potions.

Conclusion: The enemy was repelled, but our own losses cannot be ignored, especially the heavy damage to the core defensive unit, the Dwarf Iron Guard.

Bronzebeard Stonehammer looked at his injured clansmen with a grim expression. Stroking the deep dent in his shield carved by the flaming giant axe, he said in a low voice, "These dark-skinned brats are well-equipped and their coordination isn't bad. They're much more troublesome than goblins and lizardmen."

While assisting the Lightforged Gnomes in treating the wounded, Elwin analyzed calmly: "The enemy's individual strength is comparable to our elite, they have superior numbers, and they are strictly disciplined. A frontal conflict, even if won, would come at a heavy cost. As my god teaches, the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans."

Su Qingxue and her human warriors were also still shaken. They had only seen the Gray Dwarf patrol from a distance before; this close encounter made them truly feel the pressure. "Student Lin Zhou's followers... their combat power is truly amazing," she said sincerely to Elwin. "If not for your help, we would have probably..." She didn't finish, but her meaning was clear.

Elwin nodded slightly, skipping excessive pleasantries to ask, "Classmate Su, besides Furnace Fortress, do you know anything else about the Gray Dwarves? For instance, are they a monolithic entity?"

Su Qingxue thought back carefully. "When we tried to make contact, we heard them mention the 'Blackrock Clan' and 'Furnace Fortress,' and their tone seemed a bit subtle. The officer leading the team was from Furnace Fortress and was very assertive. But I got a faint feeling that they seemed... dissatisfied with the 'Blackrock Clan'?"

"Blackrock Clan?" A flash of interest crossed Elwin's eyes. This might be a Breakthrough point.

Floating in the air, Lin Zhou overheard everything. Combining Su Qingxue's information with the subtle energy fluctuations he had captured earlier via wide-area perception (some Gray Dwarves had a more pure and ancient earth element aura, while others carried the heat of the furnace and a hint of... suppressed resentment), a vague guess formed in his mind.

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated," Lin Zhou's consciousness connected to Elwin and Bronzebeard. "The Gray Dwarves are not monolithic. Furnace Fortress is powerful, so the Blackrock Clan might harbor resentment. That is the first point. Second, the Gray Dwarves rely on underground tunnels and fortified strongholds; their logistics and troop movements must follow a pattern. Third, they are proud, xenophobic, and easily angered; those are their weaknesses."

He transformed the essence of the School of Military's 'Void and Reality' and 'Extraordinary and Orthodox' philosophies into clear analyses, transmitting them to the two heroes.

"my god is wise!" The light of wisdom in Elwin's eyes grew brighter. "In that case, our strategy can be defined as: play to our strengths and avoid weaknesses, exploit their internal conflicts, divide and conquer, and wait for the opportunity to crush the enemy."

Bronzebeard Stonehammer also calmed down, stroking his beard. "The Great One means we shouldn't go head-to-head with them, but find a chance to pull a fast one on them?"

"It's called using wisdom, Clan Chief Bronzebeard," Elwin corrected him, though a tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Specific tactics began to brew.

First was the deepening of intelligence. Elwin dispatched all the Elf Ranger (10 of them), divided into two groups. Carrying dry rations and concealment items, they went deep into the Gray Dwarves' active areas for long-term, high-risk close-range reconnaissance. Mission objectives: pinpoint the locations of major Gray Dwarf strongholds (Furnace Fortress and potential Blackrock Clan settlements), their defensive strength, patrol routes, supply convoy patterns, and confirm as much as possible the signs of conflict between the two major factions.

Second was internal consolidation and improvement. Using captured Gray Dwarf equipment (mainly those heavy crossbows and intact armor), the Tiangong Dwarf Engineers, with the assistance of the Lightforged Gnomes, began to study their craftsmanship and attempt to replicate or improve their own equipment. Simultaneously, the base's defensive facilities were further reinforced, and more early-warning mechanisms and traps were set.

After a day of rest, Su Qingxue and her human warriors had basically recovered. She proactively offered to assist with guard duty and auxiliary work as a way of giving back, while also wanting to observe the operations of this unique team more closely. Elwin cautiously accepted her goodwill, arranging for them to guard secondary passages within the base and handle some material organization.

Waiting was agonizing, but necessary.

Two days later (God Realm time), the first group of scouting Elf Ranger returned with valuable intelligence.

"Confirmed that Furnace Fortress is located beneath the main peak of the Blackrock Mountain Range. It is massive in scale and heavily guarded, with at least five hundred Gray Dwarf Warriors stationed there, along with large furnaces and workshops. It is their primary production base."

"The Blackrock Clan settlement is located in a smaller valley on the northeast side of the mountain range. It is smaller in scale, with an estimated force of no more than two hundred warriors, and their mine entrance seems quite old. We observed Furnace Fortress patrols active in the area, and their attitude was... quite arrogant."

"We discovered a relatively fixed supply route leading from a secondary mining area deep in the mountains to Furnace Fortress. Every three days, a convoy of ten Ore carts escorted by about thirty Gray Dwarf Warriors passes through 'Bone-Crushing Path'."

"Near Bone-Crushing Path, we found a small number of footprints and remnants that do not belong to Gray Dwarves. Suspected to be... Underground Gnomes? They also seem to be observing the Gray Dwarves in secret."

Underground Gnomes! Another local power! They were usually more cunning, skilled in traps and stealth, and were mortal enemies of the Gray Dwarves.

Lin Zhou quickly integrated the information, and a preliminary plan formed in his mind.

"Target: Bone-Crushing Path, Gray Dwarf supply convoy!"

"Objectives: First, acquire resources and weaken the enemy; second, test our tactics and train the troops; third, frame others to create chaos; fourth, observe the reactions of the Blackrock Clan and Furnace Fortress!"

He transmitted this bold plan to Elwin and Bronzebeard.

"Attack the supply convoy? Great idea!" Bronzebeard rubbed his hands excitedly. "Let's steal their Ore and equipment!"

"Frame the Underground Gnomes?" Elwin thought more deeply. "This is a brilliant move. It can shift their focus and test the attitude of the Underground Gnomes, perhaps laying the groundwork for future contact. However, it must be done cleanly and leave no traces."

A detailed operational plan was quickly drawn up.

[Bone-Crushing Path Ambush Plan]:

Combat Force: 10 Elf Ranger (main sniping and reconnaissance), 20 Elf Ranger (long-range suppression and cover), 5 Dwarf Rune Iron Guards (interception and assault at key moments), 5 Lawful Merman Enforcers (battlefield cleanup and trace camouflage), personally commanded by Elwin. Bronzebeard Stonehammer will lead the remaining forces to guard the base in case of emergencies.

Ambush Location: A narrow bend in the middle of Bone-Crushing Path, with high rock walls on both sides, ideal for concealment and shooting.

Tactics:

Rangers will infiltrate in advance to eliminate any potential Gray Dwarf sentries and occupy the high ground on both sides.

Rangers will lie in wait on both sides of the rock walls. Once the convoy enters the ambush circle, they will perform an initial round of concentrated fire using the [Fierce as Fire] formation, focusing on crossbowmen and escort officers.

After the first round of strikes, the Rangers will freely hunt high-value targets and create chaos.

Dwarf Iron Guards and Lawful Merman Enforcers will hide at the exit of the bend. If the enemy attempts to break through, they will intercept them.

Strike quickly and decisively, controlling the battle time within five minutes. Afterward, quickly clean the battlefield, take all valuable materials, and deliberately leave behind some tools or traces commonly used by Underground Gnomes (collected by the Elf Ranger during their previous reconnaissance).

Full withdrawal back to base.

The plan was set, awaiting only the right moment.

The third day was the day the Gray Dwarf supply convoy was scheduled to pass.

At dawn (though 'dawn' in the Grey Dwarf Star Realm was merely a slight increase in light), the forty-man ambush team led by Elwin silently left the base and crept toward Bone-Crushing Path.

Lin Zhou's consciousness followed the team. He 'saw' the Elves moving like shadows among the rocks. Though the Dwarves were heavy, they moved swiftly under the slight buff of [Swift as the Wind] and their familiarity with mountain terrain. The Lawful Mermen followed silently at the rear, their eyes still cold, as if the upcoming event were not a battle, but an 'enforcement' of the law.

The team successfully reached the designated ambush site and concealed themselves perfectly. Time passed minute by minute, with only the wail of the underground wind and the occasional sound of rolling gravel in the surroundings.

Finally, at the scheduled time, the sound of wheels grinding over gravel and the coarse conversation of Gray Dwarves drifted from the distance.

The target had appeared!