Game Invasion: 100x Evolution, From Weak to God

Thalric’s army of one hundred thousand was still making its long march when Newhaven’s troop transports began streaming toward the route they were certain to take, establishing defenses in advance.

After Newhaven’s military reforms, each army contained three thousand soldiers.

Every soldier carried an automatic rifle and grenades.

Each army also possessed ten machine guns and a large number of mortars.

This force was more than enough to annihilate one hundred thousand Thalric cavalry within a short period.

In fact, its firepower exceeded what was necessary by a ridiculous margin.

Two days later.

The Thalric army reached a point fifty li from Newhaven.

The commander of the First Army stood on a hillside with binoculars raised before his eyes.

Two kilometers away, the Thalric forces were setting up camp.

Rows of tents stretched endlessly across the land, forming a vast white expanse in the distance.

It was an impressive sight.

Armies in the age of cold weapons rarely marched from dawn until night.

That was especially true when advancing toward an enemy.

If they were attacked while exhausted and unprepared, the consequences could be disastrous.

Because of this, armies usually began moving early in the morning and stopped around noon to establish camp.

By the time defenses were arranged, most of the day had already passed.

The larger the army, the greater the burden on the supply columns behind it.

Unless conducting a forced march, traveling several dozen li in a single day was already close to the limit.

Everyone knew Newhaven City possessed flying vessels capable of scouting the surrounding area with ease.

That made the Thalric forces even more cautious.

They feared a surprise attack from Newhaven.

What they did not know was that no airship was needed.

Every movement of the Thalric army had already been observed by scouts secretly stationed throughout the area.

Their reports were sent back to Newhaven by telegraph.

Two kilometers from the Thalric camp, the First Army deployed more than one hundred mortars across the ground.

Every crew stood ready with shells prepared for loading.

They were waiting for only one command.

The commander of the First Army watched through his binoculars, then raised a hand and signaled behind him.

The artillery officer understood immediately.

"Fire!"

More than one hundred shells dropped into the mortar tubes at the same moment.

The barrage merged into a continuous roar.

The ground trembled as clouds of dust rolled into the air.

Moments later, the shells crossed two kilometers and landed precisely inside the Thalric camp.

Within the command tent, Caldris laughed loudly.

"I have coveted the rich prize of Newhaven for years. Once we break into the city, I will allow all of you to plunder it for an entire day as a reward for the army."

The officers inside lit up with delight.

"Thank you, Commander!"

Caldris laughed again.

"If the soldiers do not eat their fill and enjoy themselves, how will they have the strength to fight? Come, let us drink to victory!"

"To victory!"

After drinking, one of the officers spoke.

"Commander, I have long heard that Newhaven’s thunder and fire is terrifying. They relied on it to destroy Valdren."

Another man nodded.

"That is true. Thalric has sent spies to Newhaven more than once, but none ever returned. I have never seen this thunder and fire myself, but I heard it can destroy city walls from several hundred paces away."

"There is no need to worry."

Caldris waved a hand dismissively.

"Our heavy crossbows possess similar power. Why should we fear Newhaven’s thunder and fire? Besides, I have not come unprepared."

He stepped outside the tent and looked around.

"Look around you. The land beyond the camp is completely open. Forget several hundred paces. We can see anyone approaching from a thousand paces away. If Newhaven attempts a surprise attack with its thunder and fire, we will notice immediately."

"Your preparations are truly thorough, Commander."

"Naturally."

Caldris laughed.

"With our camp positioned here, Newhaven’s army will never be able to catch us by surprise."

The words had barely left his mouth.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

More than one hundred shells crashed into the Thalric camp.

When they exploded, fragments of metal sprayed outward and caused further casualties.

Blasts erupted everywhere.

It seemed as though the entire camp was being thrown into the sky.

Boom!

One shell struck the command tent directly.

The shock wave and flying fragments hurled everyone outside to the ground.

Their ears rang and their minds went blank.

Had Caldris and the others remained inside the tent, that single shell would have wiped out nearly every senior officer in the army.

"Thunder and fire!"

"It is Newhaven’s thunder and fire!"

The officers descended into panic.

The ferocity of the bombardment drained the blood from their faces.

They looked around and saw explosions tearing through every corner of the camp.

Caldris struggled to his feet.

"Impossible. Where is this thunder and fire coming from?"

"Commander, we must withdraw!"

Boom!

Another shell landed nearby.

Several officers were hurled through the air.

A piece of shrapnel sliced across Caldris’s cheek.

His breath caught.

"Retreat!"

He shouted with all his strength.

"Withdraw the way we came!"

The roar of artillery swallowed his voice.

Caldris stood frozen, staring at the camp as explosions erupted everywhere.

The terrified Thalric soldiers had fallen into complete chaos.

They ran in every direction like headless insects, only to be blown apart by mortar shells falling from the sky.

Boom!

"How could this happen..."

Caldris stared blankly.

Only moments ago, he had been laughing about capturing Newhaven and allowing his army to loot the city for a day.

Now, without even seeing a single Newhaven soldier, his army had already been reduced to this state.

It was absurd.

It was pitiful.

"Commander, we must leave!"

An officer rode over with a spare horse.

He dragged Caldris onto the saddle and led a group out of the camp, fleeing back toward Thalric.

Behind the hillside two kilometers away, more than one hundred mortars continued firing without pause.

Shell after shell rained down upon the Thalric camp with no mercy.

A single mortar could fire twenty rounds per minute.

Even allowing for slower crews, more than one hundred mortars could still launch fifteen hundred shells in a single minute.

The sheer volume of fire was easy to imagine.

Newhaven City was now wealthy, powerful, and confident.

It was no longer the fragile settlement that had once needed to conserve every bit of black powder.

Its primary tactic had become overwhelming saturation bombardment.

No matter who the enemy was, Newhaven would first bury them beneath a storm of shells.

At worst, it could deploy several machine guns and cut them down with sustained fire.

After all, well trained soldiers were difficult to replace.

The military factories, on the other hand, produced vast quantities of bullets and shells every day.

The value of the two could not be compared.

A long time later, the bombardment finally stopped.

The distant camp had become a living hell.

Rows of tents burned fiercely, joining together into a sea of fire.

Bodies covered the ground.

Under such relentless bombardment, the army had been unable to organize any effective response.

Their courage had completely collapsed.

The surviving Thalric soldiers scattered and fled, following Caldris back toward Thalric.

The commander of the First Army lowered his binoculars.

His expression did not change.

"Advance."