21: Strategic planning leads to an initial victory, showcasing the military's prowess (Part 2)

The Gray Dwarf supply convoy slowly entered Bone-Crushing Path. The team structure matched the reconnaissance report: thirty Gray Dwarf Warriors (LV 14-16) were scattered around the front, back, and sides of the convoy as guards, including five crossbowmen. In the middle of the convoy were ten minecarts full of Ore, pulled by lizard-like pack beasts. A squad leader (LV 18) leading the team walked at the very front, shouting urgings.

These Gray Dwarves clearly believed they were safe on their own territory. Although they maintained a basic alert formation, they weren't overly tense; the sounds of conversation and the heavy breathing of the pack beasts echoed through the narrow passage.

Elwin was hidden behind a large boulder above the rock wall, observing calmly. Through subtle hand gestures, she transmitted information to the troops ambushed in various locations.

The front half of the convoy had already entered the ambush circle, while the rear half was still beyond the bend.

"Crossbowmen... guard officers..." Elwin muttered in her heart, locking onto the priority targets.

"Wait until the entire convoy enters the bend and the rearguard passes the marker..." She was extremely patient.

When the tail of the last minecart had also completely entered the bend, and the entire convoy was exposed within the firing range of the ambush circle—

"Attack!"

Elwin's clear, cold voice was like the horn of an assault!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—!

In an instant, the twenty Elf Rangers lying in wait on the rock walls on both sides rose simultaneously, drew their bowstrings to the full, and under the buff of the Fierce as Fire formation, poured down a dense rain of arrows! Their targets were aimed directly at those five crossbowmen and the squad leader walking at the very front!

At the same time, the ten Elf Ranger occupying the higher ground also shot lethal cold arrows! Their targets were even more precise: the squad leader and units in the team that looked like adjutants!

It happened so suddenly that the Gray Dwarves had no time to react at all!

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The sound of arrows piercing flesh and the screams of the Gray Dwarves rang out almost simultaneously!

Four of the five crossbowmen fell in the first wave of arrows! Although that squad leader reacted extremely quickly, swinging his battle-axe to parry several arrows aimed at his vitals, he was still stuck with two or three arrows, one of which was a Cold Iron Arrowhead from a Ranger, causing his movements to stiffen!

The first round of strikes had significant results!

"Enemy attack! Take cover! Form ranks!" The wounded squad leader roared in pain, and the remaining Gray Dwarf Warriors immediately scrambled in a panic to find cover and return fire toward the rock walls. The only surviving crossbowman also hastily shot an arrow toward the top of the rock wall, but his aim was far off.

However, the elves occupied the advantageous terrain and were prepared; the Gray Dwarves' counterattack appeared pale and weak. The Rangers continued their suppressive fire, while the Rangers acted like the Grim Reaper calling names—every time a bowstring twanged, it almost certainly took the life of a Gray Dwarf Warrior.

The battle began to resemble a one-sided slaughter. Trapped in the narrow bend, the Gray Dwarves could neither advance nor retreat, becoming sitting ducks for the elves.

Seeing things were going poorly, the squad leader tried to organize the remaining warriors to break out toward the front.

"Iron Guards! Block the exit!" Elwin ordered.

Boom! Five Dwarf Rune Iron Guards appeared instantly at the exit of the bend as if emerging from the ground, their heavy shields standing side-by-side to form an insurmountable iron defense! The light of Immovable as a Mountain flickered on their bodies as they coldly watched the Gray Dwarves attempting to charge.

With an iron wall in front and a rain of arrows above, the Gray Dwarves' morale finally collapsed!

"Retreat! Retreat back!" The squad leader bellowed, leading the way to flee back in the direction they came from. The ten or so surviving Gray Dwarf Warriors also threw away their helmets and armor, following him in flight.

"Law Fishmen, clear the battlefield! Rangers, pursue for a hundred meters to disperse them; there is no need to chase deeply!" Elwin calmly controlled the rhythm of the battle.

Five Lawful Merman Enforcers charged into the battlefield like ghosts. They ignored the dying Gray Dwarves and instead quickly inspected every minecart and Gray Dwarf corpse, rapidly collecting valuable equipment, Ore samples, and any possible documents or maps. Simultaneously, according to the plan, they intentionally discarded several worn-out tools with Underground Gnome markings and a few Flashstones commonly used by Underground Gnomes in conspicuous spots on the battlefield.

The Elf Ranger, meanwhile, acted like they were herding sheep, using precise arrows to force the fleeing Gray Dwarves away, ensuring they could not look back or effectively observe the details of the battlefield.

The entire battle process, from start to finish, took less than four minutes! Clean and efficient!

[Battle Summary]: The ambush was a complete victory!

Enemies Slain: Gray Dwarf Warriors * 26 (including 1 squad leader and 5 crossbowmen); 3 prisoners with minor injuries (to be handled after subsequent interrogation).

Loot:

[High-Quality Black Iron Ore] * 10 carts (approx. 200 units).

Gray Dwarf Standard Heavy Crossbows * 5, various crossbow bolts.

Gray Dwarf Warrior Armor and Battle-axes * 20+ sets (some damaged).

Gray Dwarf Squad Leader's Rune Battle-axe (Blue quality, Attack +25, includes minor armor penetration) * 1.

Suspected document fragment of an order from Furnace Fortress to Blackrock Clan * 1 (content mentions increasing Ore quotas in a forceful tone).

Ally Losses: No deaths; 1 Elf Ranger with a minor injury (grazed by a stray arrow).

"Withdraw quickly!" Seeing the objective had been achieved, Elwin ordered without hesitation.

The ambush team, carrying the rich spoils and three prisoners, followed a pre-planned hidden route and quickly disappeared into the intricate underground passages, leaving no obvious traces belonging to the Hundred Schools Temple.

After returning to the base, an inventory of the spoils and separate interrogations of the prisoners were immediately conducted.

The interrogation was presided over by Elwin. Combining the Confucian art of 'Psychological Warfare' with the Legalist techniques of 'Punishment and Names,' she used both kindness and authority to quickly learn more information from the captives:

Furnace Fortress and the Blackrock Clan both belong to the Blackrock Tribe, but conflicts have intensified in recent years. Relying on stronger military force and occupying the main Ore veins, Furnace Fortress has continuously squeezed the living space of the Blackrock Clan, demanding higher and higher shares of Ore while rarely allocating refined equipment or newly developed mines to them. The Blackrock Clan has long harbored resentment over this, but due to insufficient strength, they could only endure in silence.

The supply convoy ambushed this time was exactly the Ore that the Blackrock Clan was handing over to Furnace Fortress! For the already resource-strapped Blackrock Clan, this was undoubtedly adding insult to injury.

"Just as I thought!" Lin Zhou felt enlightened upon learning the interrogation results. The conflict was even deeper than he had anticipated.

He carefully 'read' the contents of the document fragment. The wording was forceful, filled with the impatience and oppression of a superior toward an inferior.

"Maneuvering between political groups, befriending the distant and attacking the near..." Lin Zhou's thoughts raced. "Furnace Fortress is the powerful enemy before us, while the Blackrock Clan is a potential object to win over. And the Underground Gnomes... perhaps they can become a chess piece to restrain the Gray Dwarves."

This perfect ambush not only brought tangible resources but, more importantly, yielded crucial intelligence, opening a new situation for subsequent strategies.

With the first battle a success, the strategies of the School of Military had begun to show their edge. Next would be applying the Art of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances to the internal conflicts of these Gray Dwarves.

Lin Zhou's gaze turned toward the Blackrock Mountain Range once more. This time, his goal was even clearer—to form alliances and pry a crack into this seemingly monolithic Gray Dwarf power!