Magic? My Iron Torrent will sweep it all away!

Chapter 206 The Expedition Begins! The Orc Army Arrives

Grom grew anxious, his four hooves thumping dully.

"No! Absolutely not!"

"We spent a lot of money to buy that equipment!"

Lin Mo raised his hand and pressed it down.

"Gentlemen, calm down."

"Bringing the equipment is just a precaution."

"Moreover, we have enough shells and equipment, so we don't have to worry about running out."

Lin Mo hadn't expected that Long Zhan's decision to set off tomorrow would actually give him some advantage.

Thinking of this, he turned to Grom and said:

"Chief Grom, I hope the hired warriors can arrive as soon as possible. We need them for the upcoming battle."

Grom, still worried about his equipment, nodded emphatically upon hearing this.

"No problem!! I will inform the tribesmen to adjust the route."

"They should be able to meet us on your marching route in two days!"

……

The next day, early morning.

As the sun rose, the Valley of Fireflies was already fully awakened by the roar of steel.

The 27,000 expeditionary soldiers had finished breakfast and stood solemnly in their respective ranks, wearing exoskeleton armor.

Hundreds of main battle tanks, hundreds of armored vehicles of various types, self-propelled artillery, missile launchers...

It formed an endless steel jungle, with the air filled with the cold smell of diesel and metal.

Long Zhan stood on top of the command vehicle, his voice carrying throughout the valley through the loudspeaker:

"Everyone has it!"

"Attention! At ease!" His sharp gaze swept across the army as he continued.

"Our Great Xia Expeditionary Force will set out once more to reclaim the territory belonging to Great Xia on the continent of Terra!"

"Let's build a new home for ourselves!"

"On Earth, seven hundred million of our compatriots are waiting for news from us!"

"This time, the military merits will be doubled, and the rewards will be doubled!"

"Success is the only option; failure is not an option!!"

"Victory is certain!"

"Victory is certain!!"

"Victory is certain!!!"

The response was deafening, the roar almost lifting the sky.

Long Zhan raised his arm and swung it downwards sharply.

"Set off!"

Rumbling--

The lead main battle tank roared from its engine, its heavy body jerked forward, and its two tracks kicked up mud as it drove out of the camp first.

Various armored vehicles and transport vehicles, fully loaded with various supplies, followed one after another.

Dozens of armed helicopters circled and took off, skimming over the ground.

On the ground, 27,000 soldiers, wearing exoskeletons and carrying packs, set off with their steps echoing in unison.

Due to limited transportation vehicles, walking is the only option.

Beside them, tens of thousands of quadrupedal mechanical dogs, carrying various supplies and ammunition, silently advanced.

From above, the massive torrent of steel moves slowly forward with an unstoppable momentum.

The expedition has begun.

.......

The expeditionary force had a very clear route plan for this expedition.

I plan to spend two days reaching the outskirts of Emerald Leaf City, then change course to enter the Misty Forest of the Elves, traverse it, and finally reach the coastline of the Endless Sea.

The army will deploy from the coastline, using it as a base to radiate inland and expand the fiefdoms belonging to the Great Xia.

The elves gained a great advantage along this route.

The expeditionary force's iron torrent invisibly cleared away the scattered demons along the route from Firefly Valley to Emerald Leaf City.

Next, the army will cut directly from the outside of Emerald Leaf City into the Misty Forest, which is occupied by the demons.

This move is tantamount to tearing a gap in the outer perimeter of the Elven territory, wiping out a portion of the Demon race, and greatly relieving the defensive pressure on Emerald Leaf City.

The journey from Firefly Town to Emerald Leaf City was smooth.

Occasionally, a few demons would peek out, but before they could get close, they were wiped out by the armed helicopters circling overhead.

The third day, evening.

The expeditionary force set up camp in an open area a dozen kilometers away from the city of Verdant Leaves.

With the engines shut off and the tracks stopped, the soldiers began to build temporary fortifications, lay landmines, and set up automatic sentry machine guns.

Inside the command tent, Lin Mo, Long Zhan, and Zhao Gang were eating.

A communications soldier suddenly stood up.

"Report! Command has detected an orc force rapidly approaching our camp, numbering approximately one thousand units!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo exchanged glances with Long Zhan and Zhao Gang, and said:

"What's going on? Did the caravan heading to Emerald Leaf City get lost?"

Zhao Gang put down his lunchbox. "The orcs we hired should have arrived."

Lin Mo slapped his forehead. "Look at my brain, I almost forgot."

The communications officer pulled up the video feed, and on the screen, the high-definition footage transmitted by the drone was clearly displayed.

A group of orcs was rushing toward the camp at high speed.

They varied in height and had all sorts of equipment.

Long sword, giant axe, shield, spiked club, iron hammer...

Their movements revealed no formation or strategy; they resembled a chaotic charge.

Above the procession, dozens of figures with wings on their backs were flying in the air.

"Reporting, sir!" a guard shouted from outside the tent.

"The leader of the centaur Grom has arrived!"

"Enter!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Grom strode into the tent.

"Lord Lin Mo! My people have sent word that they should arrive soon. I hope you will not attack rashly!"

Lin Mo pointed to the screen.

"Chief Grom, is it them?"

Grom leaned closer, and after seeing the image on the screen, a look of surprise flashed across his face.

"It's them! It's definitely them!"

He turned to look at Lin Mo, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"How can you see so clearly from this far away?"

"What kind of magic is this? No, what kind of technology is this?"

Lin Mo shook his head.

"It's very complicated, you wouldn't understand even if I explained it."

Upon hearing this, Grom checked the direction on the screen, then hurriedly took his leave.

"I'll go and meet my people!"

Watching Grom's departing figure, Lin Mo turned to Zhao Gang and Long Zhan and smiled:

"They finally arrived."

Zhao Gang nodded and said with emotion:

"With them, the journey through the Misty Forest will be much smoother."

The demon race has a wide variety of creatures, including many cold-blooded or heterothermic species, which would greatly reduce the effectiveness of conventional thermal imaging equipment.

The Misty Forest has a complex terrain and is filled with miasma, which severely interferes with optical and radar detection.

Once a high-ranking demon commander lies in wait deep in the dense forests and caves, or hidden at the bottom of the swamp, he can launch a surprise attack when the army passes by...

The entire torrent of steel could be cut in half, plunging them into an abyss of no return.

The expeditionary force would then be forced to drop high-yield missiles within its own ranks...

The consequences are chilling to even think about.

Moreover, technology has its limits.

The expeditionary force is currently helpless against the mysterious and elusive aura and killing intent of powerful figures.

Radar can detect metallic activity underground, but it cannot identify living organisms.

The sonar can detect underwater objects, but it has difficulty distinguishing between a large fish and a high-ranking demon commander lurking in the shadows.

This is the fundamental reason why the Great Xia Dynasty was willing to spend a lot of money to hire high-level orc combatants.

They need the intuition and experience of these indigenous strongmen to fill the gaps in their technological knowledge.