Chapter 135: Remember My Name

Sloka is not only the name of the dwarven capital; it is also the name of the mountain range itself. Dwarves are a race fanatically devoted to adventure and deeply passionate about manufacturing. Sloka is a mountain range teeming with infinite ore, perfectly satisfying their needs. The dwarves have been mining these mountains for centuries, yet the ore remains unexhausted. Through their ingenious application of rock and stone, they have transformed excavated areas into settlements, which have gradually evolved into underground cities filled with craftsmen, explorers, miners, and warriors.

"So... the werewolves are invading Sloka for the ore?"

Evening was approaching, and the sun was slowly sinking behind the western mountains. Lin Lei sat cross-legged on the roof of a carriage, trimming his nails while questioning Eve.

Eve brushed back her hair, which was disheveled by the wind. "If the werewolves occupy Sloka, they can use the ore within to forge a constant stream of war machines."

"Not only that—Sloka holds a vast amount of craftsmanship and technology. If they take it, the werewolves' technical capabilities will advance even further."

Werewolves are capable of building excavators, so their industrial technology is certainly not poor, but the techniques from other regions would still be of use to them. In fact, werewolf artisans have already abducted many craftsmen from the dwarven kingdom, absorbing their skills and knowledge to successfully develop new products.

"Silver-scaled breastplate, professionally designed to absorb holy light! Four hundred gold pieces each—cheap and reliable!"

In a maple forest dyed gold by the setting sun, the werewolves had seized a dwarven mine and turned it into an arms-forging camp. Iroka, a veteran werewolf craftsman, placed a silver-scaled breastplate on the table. "Lord Grove, what a rare guest. What brings you to my humble shop?"

"I encountered a terrifying enemy." The downcast werewolf swordsman, dressed in plain cloth, placed two hundred gold coins on the table. "Can this armor really absorb holy light?"

"Absolutely no problem." Iroka deftly collected the money. "I also have silver-scaled leg guards, bracers, and belts... If you want the full set, I can give you a twenty percent discount for just three thousand gold coins."

Three thousand gold coins was no small sum, but Grove did not care in the least.

"Then give me a set!" He threw the money onto the table; gold plundered from the dwarven kingdom was easy to spend without regret.

"Coming right up!" Iroka retrieved a set of gleaming silver armor, and Grove changed into it on the spot.

"Was this terrifying enemy a Paladin?" Iroka asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, a powerful Paladin." Grove put on the breastplate. It was a bit stiff, but such was the nature of armor; defensive power was more important than comfort. "I was defeated by him. Although he did not kill me, he killed my dignity!"

For a warrior, there is nothing more important than dignity. Grove gritted his teeth; he would never let that Paladin go.

Iroka was even more surprised. "How did he..."

His words trailed off as several pillars of black smoke rose into the distant sky.

"Haha, our war against Sloka has begun!"

The smoke pillars rose above the forest and were spotted by the Paladins as well.

"Oh no!" Constantine’s expression changed. He had seen this black smoke before. "This is the signal for the werewolves to launch a full-scale war. We must hurry!"

Several plumes of black smoke appeared from different locations, indicating that the werewolves were attacking many places at once. The Paladins spurred their horses into a gallop. Seeing that something was wrong, Lin Lei quickly finished trimming his nails, mounted his horse, and followed.

"Brother, ahead lies a satellite city of Sloka!" Bell rode up beside him and shouted, "There is a secret subway beneath that city leading to Sloka. We can take the subway from there to the capital!"

"They even have a subway?" Lin Lei was greatly astonished. He had already been surprised by the werewolves' excavators, but he had never expected the dwarves to have invented a subway. The level of technological development in this world was simply too advanced!

However, regarding the werewolf excavators, Lin Lei had seen the sketches; their design was actually quite crude. He suspected they were merely digging machines driven by magic, and surely the dwarven subway could not be much more sophisticated.

"Fine, I shall go and see this subway for myself!" Lin Lei shouted. Unfortunately, seeing that subway would not be easy—he heard a rumbling sound coming from ahead.

The Paladins crested a hill and were met with a tragic battlefield. Surrounding a small dwarven city, werewolves clad in black armor had launched an offensive, a rolling tide of men and beasts. The werewolves at the forefront had already reached the city gates, shouting as they attacked the sturdy walls and barricades.

The Paladins gasped in shock. There were ten thousand—no, over twenty thousand werewolves here! How could there be so many?

"Commander, what should we do?" the Paladins asked Constantine. Constantine looked at Brook. "We need to choose someone to lead the battle. Let me..."

Before he could finish, the holy light on Lin Lei’s body burst forth violently.

"There is no time! This city is about to be breached!"

Lin Lei raised the Song of the Azure Sky and pointed forward. "We must charge through!" His eyesight was better than anyone else’s; he could see that the dwarven walls were already crumbling under the werewolf onslaught and could not afford any delay.

"Follow the Prophet!" Brook shouted, and the Victoria Second Knight Order immediately gathered around Lin Lei. The White Lady smiled faintly and led her unit of Paladins to stand beside him.

"You..." Constantine stared at them in shock. Were they really going to hand over command to a fourteen-year-old child?

"Woo—" A horn sounded across the battlefield.

"Charge!" Lin Lei led the Paladins in a charge.

Under the setting sun, the human and elven Paladins assembled with incredible speed, united around Lin Lei, and formed a wedge, launching an attack against the werewolves. Griffin riders swept across the sky; Eve’s gaze scanned the ground, a flash of surprise in her eyes. Nearly a thousand knights, armed with longswords, rode in formation, golden light shimmering across the earth.

In the center of the knight order, Lin Lei rode at the very front—he wore no armor, yet his holy light was more dazzling than that of any of the Paladins around him.

However, the werewolf female general had anticipated the Paladins' reinforcements. She blew her horn, and squadrons of cavalry galloped out from the werewolf ranks, converging in an instant to form a cavalry phalanx of several thousand, blocking the path of the Paladins.

The female general led the phalanx herself, raising her longsword. "Paladins, remember my name, I am called—"

"Lone Sword Technique!"

In the next moment, Lin Lei’s sword energy tore through space. The female general suddenly felt a wave of heat wash over her, and in an instant, her clothes and armor turned to dust.