Yan Xing didn’t check how many Divine Beasts he had shot down; regardless, the entire airspace had beco significantly emptier.
Their own aerial units had suffered heavy losses, and the Wildwind Principality’s forces weren’t faring much better.
Realizing that Divine Beasts alone could not seize air supremacy, Anderson ordered three nearby airships to push forward.
These were airborne firepower platforms he had received from Cloud Tower; he couldn’t let such powerful weapons go unused out of fear of the Eternal Domain’s air power.
The three airships, spaced one thousand ters apart, advanced in a spearhead formation—one leading and two following. Under the cover of nurous aerial units and with their Defense Magic fully active, they flew towards the Eternal Domain’s positions.
Seeing Anderson deploy the airships, Yan Xing imdiately ordered all Dive Bombers still loaded with aerial bombs to ascend to high altitude.
The ten bombers, which had been circling at high altitude, descended to two thousand ters.
If these three airships truly charged, Yan Xing was prepared to deploy all ten bombers to utterly destroy them.
At an altitude of two thousand ters, these large aircraft, reflecting the sunlight, were clearly visible from the ground.
Since the war began, Yan Xing had not used his bombers to attack the Wildwind Principality’s troops, nor had he targeted their cities or supply lines.
This was partly because, lacking air supremacy, Yan Xing was unwilling to risk his bombers.
He also intended for them to serve as a deterrent. This was to prevent Anderson from hastily deploying his airships.
The three airships, having received the attack order, continued to drift slowly towards the Eternal Domain’s positions.
At Yan Xing’s command, the ten bombers descended further, while the fighters and Armored Gryphons climbed to provide cover.
The Divine Beasts also ascended.
However, they didn’t attack the bombers. The air battle between the two sides inexplicably halted at that mont.
anwhile, the ground battle raged on.
At that point, Anderson ordered the three advancing airships to halt.
The three airships and ten Beak Eagle bombers, protected by their respective aerial units, ford a standoff in the upper and lower sections of the airspace.
Anderson, standing aboard another airship, watched the stalemate, deep in thought.
Advance... If they could assist the ground forces in achieving a decisive victory, that would be the best outco. But if the three airships were to crash in full view of the entire army, the blow to their morale would be devastating. Yet, if he didn’t try, how would he know if the Eternal Domain truly possessed the capability to destroy airships?
After much deliberation, Anderson ordered the three forward airships to hover in place.
He knew the Eternal Domain’s aircraft couldn’t remain airborne indefinitely; they would need to return to base after a certain period.
Thus, Anderson left the decision of whether to engage or not to Yan Xing.
Seeing the three airships neither advancing nor retreating, Yan Xing understood Anderson’s intent.
But this was only the second day of the war.
Not to ntion, I don’t even know if I can shoot down the airships with my conventional weapons. Even if I could, I can’t just do it recklessly... I want this war to last a bit longer. But my own aircraft indeed can’t stay airborne for extended periods, and I don’t have enough bombers for a proper rotation. What is to be done? If the problem in the air can’t be solved from the air, then I have to find a solution on the ground.
Yan Xing ordered Eddie and Olaf, the commanders of the two infantry divisions, to launch a counterattack. Their objective was to push the front line directly beneath the airships, creating the appearance of a coordinated ground and air effort to shoot them down.
Having received their orders, Eddie and Olaf swiftly organized assault squads.
When planning the defensive strategy for Outpost Fort, Yan Xing had also formulated offensive plans.
After all, a prolonged defense inevitably leads to defeat; organizing forces for tily counteroffensives was more advantageous for defense.
The heavy artillery once again began suppressing the Wildwind Principality’s long-range Magic.
As the Magic bombardnt from above thinned out, more than ten elite assault squads charged from their positions.
All available firepower provided cover for the assault squads.
For a mont, the gunfire and cannonades from the Eternal Domain’s positions beca extrely intense. The assault team mbers continuously hurled grenades and charged forward.
Once the assault teams had embedded themselves within the enemy lines, Eddie and Olaf personally led all their forces out from their positions, launching a comprehensive counterattack against the Wildwind Principality’s offensive line.
The Wildwind Principality’s Duchy Soldiers, who had been on a continuous offensive, were caught off guard by the Eternal Domain’s sudden counterattack.
The soldiers at the front retreated rapidly, allowing the Eternal Domain’s advancing troops to seize a significant amount of territory.
However, the Eternal Domain’s counterattacking force didn’t continue to push forward. Instead, they began setting up peculiar-looking "weapons" directly beneath the three airships.
Anderson hadn’t expected the Eternal Domain, which had been on the defensive, to launch such a resolute and decisive counterattack.
Now, his three airships were caught between the enemy forces above and below, and Yan Xing’s aerial contingent looked eager to engage.
Anderson dared not risk his exposed airships being cut off and destroyed by Yan Xing’s forces, so he imdiately ordered them to retreat.
The ground assault’s montum was also broken, forcing a temporary retreat for reorganization.
The intense battle of offense and defense ca to an abrupt halt.
Both sides withdrew their troops, licking their wounds and preparing for the next engagent.
「The frontline battle thus concluded.」
Upon returning to the Eternal Domain, Yan Xing imdiately rushed to the aircraft manufacturing plant. He realized he had been overly optimistic about the war.
Anderson is a formidable enemy. A commander highly skilled in warfare. To launch such a sharp offensive on only the second day of the war... who knows what tactics he might employ if this drags on longer?
Yan Xing was self-aware. When it cos to battlefield command, ten of combined would likely be no match for Anderson. Therefore, I can only rely on overwhelming force to counter clever strategies, using sheer power to dismantle his tactics. In simpler terms: more bullets fired, more shells launched, and relentless aerial bombardnt of the ground. And the air fortress... when will it be completed? The next ti I face airships, I don’t want to resort to "weapons so advanced they are inconvenient to display."
「anwhile, construction of the first air fortress was already underway.」
Inside the air fortress workshop, a large aircraft with an all-black fuselage was undergoing final assembly.
Goblin Engineers skillfully wielded welding torches on the fuselage, sparks flying brilliantly.
Tank cannons were being hoisted and installed onto railed gun mounts inside the aircraft’s belly.
The Goblin Gaga crawled into an engine, checking the installation of internal components.
Inford of Yan Xing’s arrival, Gaga took a mont to climb out of the engine, then settled into his alchemical chair and approached him.
Yan Xing asked, "When will this air fortress be ready for deploynt?"
"Does the Master need it urgently?"
"Very urgently," Yan Xing explained. "Today, I almost ordered the Dive Bombers to ram the airships. I desperately need a weapon that can confront airships head-on. The sooner it enters service, the fewer aircraft and pilots I’ll lose."
Gaga pulled up the air fortress’s construction progress on his tablet and replied, "It will take at least another week before I can hand this air fortress over to you."
A week. Yan Xing considered the day’s battle. Anderson’s retreat was very decisive. He must have realized his current tactics have many shortcomings and will need to devise new strategies before launching another offensive. Moreover, replenishing supplies and troops will also take ti. If I have Donna lead so raids against his supply lines, that could delay things further. Stalling for a week... that might be manageable.
"I’m giving you only five days," Yan Xing stated, cutting two days off the estimate. He knew the Goblins were already working hard. "Finish the assembly, testing, and trial flights of the air fortress within five days, then hand it over to the air force. I’ll have Chui Chui mobilize a group of alchemical robots to assist you. You can also prioritize installing the weapon systems so the air fortress can achieve combat capability and fly sooner. So less critical components can be installed while it’s already deployed."
Gaga considered the assembly progress and agreed, "Delivery in five days... If the Master has no other orders, I’ll get back to work."
Although so procedures could be streamlined, delivering the air fortress in five days still placed substantial pressure on the Goblins.
Gaga imdiately threw himself back into his work.
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