Chapter 524, Attacking Gray Iron City_2
The companion suddenly stood up, looking terrified at what lay beneath him. In the biting cold wind, an iron-grey barrier appeared in the distance.
It was inching closer, bit by bit.
"Damn it," the dwarf soldier cursed and forcefully struck the warning bell.
Dong dong dong!!
The loud chimes echoed swiftly, accompanied by the ringing of other bells that blanketed the entire Gray Iron City.
Within the city walls, groups of dwarfs sprang into swift action.
Horse-drawn and oxen-drawn carts, hauling loads of defensive equipment, moved along the city walls.
The walls of Gray Iron City were constructed to be wider than roads.
Various kinds of arrows, cannonballs, boulders, explosives, and incendiary grenades were distributed.
Muskets, devices, various calibers of gun barrels, and cannon mouths protruded from the city walls, aiming forwards.
Essentially, they had brought out all of their reserves.
From afar, one could see the dense Undead army approaching.
The dwarves swallowed nervously, their faces ashen.
Even though the distance was still considerable.
The wait was agonizing, like awaiting death.
Thud after thud!!
At that moment, there was the distant sound of marching footsteps.
With the crown on his head and clad in golden-red armor, Rune, along with a group of ministers, ascended the city walls.
Ignoring the saluting soldiers, he stared at the approaching army.
Half a year.
He had been in his position for only half a year.
If the Undead broke into Gray Iron City today, he would be the shortest reigning king of Eight Peaks Mountain and the king under whose rule Eight Peaks Mountain was destroyed.
"What are the humans saying?" Rune asked.
Behind him, a minister promptly replied, "They are still using the same excuse about the resurrection of the Gold Eating Queen. She intercepted the reinforcements near Silver Wing City, and they are currently fighting against her."
"Are they making up excuses?" Rune's voice deepened.
"Possibly, but the Gold Eating Queen can control the power of gold. If she really shows up near Silver Wing City, it is possible that the Hall of Justice and the Church would take it seriously," a minister explained at one side.
Rune nodded, continuing, "Hmm, what do the Orcs and the Trade Alliance say?"
Another minister came forward and said, "Tasgo City has changed hands; they say that they don't care about these matters. As for the Trade Alliance, they deny having any record of these Undead forces, suggesting they are not part of the Alliance and thus, they cannot intervene."
Rune's hand, which was holding his staff, tightened a bit more.
By now, he knew that the Undead were led by a young transmigrator girl.
But how could this large-scale army not have joined the Trade Alliance?
It must be that the Trade Alliance was unwilling to interfere and had simply made up an excuse to evade responsibility.
Rune took a deep breath and asked, "Any news from the trolls of the Bloody Mountain Range?"
"None, the messenger who went to request aid has not returned."
Damn it!!
Rune cursed inwardly.
Just what was happening? All the forces surrounding Eight Peaks Mountain are in trouble.
If even one person was willing to assist them, there would be hope for ultimate victory if they defended the city with all their might.
However, there's not even a single reinforcement now.
Spying the Undead soldiers getting closer, he immediately ordered, "Frederick, you are to take command of the defense."
Frederick was a veteran general of Eight Peaks Mountain.
He had previously led the dwarf army into battle against the Blood Clan.
"Yes, your Majesty," Frederick stepped forward and responded in a deep voice.
Rune nodded, lowering his voice, "Hmm, we cannot let Eight Peaks Mountain be lost under our watch. We must hold."
Frederick, gazing at the endless army beyond the city, had a somewhat distracted look in his eyes.
When the old king had fallen ill, he should have handed over his position and retired.
If they lost the city now, both he and Rune would be the criminals of Eight Peaks Mountain.
"Yes, your Majesty," Frederick said.
Rune and a few ministers descended the city walls.
Frederick began to loudly issue commands.
...
Time slowly ticked by.
The Undead army was getting closer to Gray Iron City.
The whistling of the wind was now replaced by the reverberating sound of the army's march.
The Undead soldiers looked like a limitless tide.
They continued to advance without interruption, closer and clearer with each passing moment.
The Undead hidden beneath the iron-grey shields could be seen, as could the skeleton soldiers laboriously pushing siege towers, with iron swords hanging on their waists.
Everything was starting to come into focus.
The dwarves on the city walls began to tremble uncontrollably.
The number of their enemies was just too great.
Even if they believed in Rune's words, could they really defend against so many Undead?
What if they ran out of ammunition?
Or if they simply couldn't hold out from the start?
"Load the cannons!"
A booming voice issued the command.
The dwarves, whose senses had been somewhat blurred, instantly sobered up. They looked at the Undead that were nearly within range.
They began to load the artillery shells into the cannons.
The round shells were stuffed into the muzzles, and the angle adjusted, the cannons pointing at a distance. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire
There was no need for aiming.
As long as the range was adequate, any shot fired downward could hit the Undead.
In Gray Iron City, everyone was silently doing their jobs, no one speaking a word.
An aura of grave silence pervaded.
Suddenly, under everyone's watchful eyes, the Undead moved into the range of the cannons.
"Fire the cannons!"
Boom boom boom!!
A burst of gunfire erupted atop the city walls.
The barrels spewed out tongues of fire, and in the blink of an eye, the shells fell amid the ranks of the Undead.
With each resounding crash,
Dirt and rocks exploded into the air, the Undead soldiers being torn apart and sent flying, reduced to scattered skeletal remains.