Chapter 292: Conflict of Paths

While the 305mm naval guns of the “Jormungandr” began to roar, two other conventional armored trains deployed on its flanks and rear also joined this grand fireworks display.

Unlike the epoch-making monsters like “Odin” and “Jormungandr,” these two armored trains were not equipped with black-tech weapons like “Gungnir.” Instead, they were conventionally equipped with naval guns removed from old warships.

But even so, their firepower was devastating to any army.

In an instant, the concentrated attacks of large-caliber naval guns thoroughly plowed through the Gallic forward positions.

“All gun crews, attention! Extend fire! Target: Enemy second-line positions and rear artillery positions!”

After two rounds of rapid fire, the commander on the “Jormungandr” did not stop at all and immediately issued new orders.

The gunners quickly adjusted the firing data, extending the devastating rain of shells deeper into the Gallic positions.

What they and these heavy guns had to do was not only to crush the enemies in front of them but also to completely destroy the entire defensive and offensive system established by the Gauls in this area today.

Just then, the three “Gungnirs,” which had already set their firing data and switched to the First Attack Mode, finally completed their final charging.

“‘Gungnir’ One to Three, target: Enemy rear assembly area, fire!”

Three acceleration magic cannons, after the “buzzing” charging sound ended, issued their unique sharp roars in sequence.

Three flashes of blue light flashed from the muzzles at a speed difficult for the naked eye to catch.

The huge kill radius of the Radiant Crystal Reaction Shells, as well as the inherent accuracy advantage of the acceleration magic cannons, allowed “Gungnir” to not even need calibration shots—every attack was fatal enough.

At this moment, the target of these three “Gungnirs” was a reserve force assembly area of the Gallic Army located twenty-five kilometers away, determined based on intelligence and reconnaissance by forward troops.

There, at least two divisions of Gallic soldiers were waiting for orders to march to the front line.

The next second, three incredibly bright “suns” lit up almost simultaneously over the rear assembly positions of the Gallic army.

Huge fireballs exploded with a loud bang, their light even outshining the real sun in the sky.

The devastating shockwave spread outward in the form of concentric circles, leveling everything in its path.

Tents, carriages, Armored Knights, personnel… everything evaporated instantly in that terrifying high temperature and shockwave.

Three huge, meteor-like craters appeared on the originally bustling camp. The edges of the craters were smooth, glass-like crystals.

While those three suns rose in the rear of the Gauls, the infantrymen who had been dormant in the Saxon fortress cluster finally launched an attack amidst the officers’ charge whistles.

“For the Emperor! For the Empire! Charge!”

Countless Saxon soldiers wearing spiked helmets surged out of their permanent fortifications and tunnels like a bursting dam, shouting and charging toward the burning Gallic positions ahead.

Above their heads was the extended artillery fire of their own side.

Under their feet was the scorched earth soaked in blood and artillery fire.

At this moment, the scales of war had tilted.

Dean Planck canceled the [Eagle Eye] spell he had maintained since the start of the shelling, and the magical light in his eyes slowly dissipated.

At the end of his vision just now, Saxon soldiers, like a gray tide, had completely submerged the Gauls’ first line of defense and were advancing unstoppably into the depth of the position.

Further away, the three huge craters created by “Gungnir” were still emitting wisps of blue smoke.

The two Gallic infantry divisions assembling around them, along with a batch of Armored Knights, suffered extremely severe blows. Although three Radiant Crystal Reaction Shells could not wipe them out completely, crippling them was no problem at all.

“Preliminary test results are ideal.”

Planck took out a pen and then used [Mage Hand] to quickly write down a series of data and observation records in the notebook he carried with him.

“The weapon combination of the super-heavy armored train is sufficient to constitute a devastating blow to all enemy fortifications and assembly areas within range… The combat accuracy and power of ‘Gungnir’s’ First Mode also fully meet design expectations.”

Planck controlled the Mage Hand to write eloquently, quickly filling several pages.

Besides the combat test results just now, more content was actually a record of his thoughts.

After he finished recording the last data of this combat test in his notebook, the magitech technician chief seemed finally unable to suppress his curiosity and brought the topic back.

“Dean Planck, I still don’t understand…”

He asked cautiously: “A talent like Captain Morin, who has both combat experience and that kind of unconstrained creative thinking, and is also a spellcaster… isn’t such a person exactly what our research institute needs most? Why does the Army Department refuse to let him go?”

There was nothing wrong with the magitech technician chief’s words because the Empire was now pushing forward the research and deployment of various new war machines with unprecedented intensity.

Logically, someone like Morin whose value had already been proven, should be immediately protected and sent to the most important research institutions in the rear to utilize his greatest talents.

Leaving him on the front line where he could lose his life at any time was, in the technician chief’s view, simply an unreasonable waste.

Planck seemed quite interested in this topic as well.

He closed his notebook and first asked a magitech technician in the command carriage of “Jormungandr” to continue maintaining contact with the Seventh Army Group Headquarters and complete the remaining combat test subjects in the subsequent fire support missions.

Then, he pulled the Empire’s most experienced magitech technician chief beside him to the other side of the shelter, away from the young technicians.

“The reason is simple.”

Planck took out a pack of hand-rolled tobacco from his pocket—without the involvement of [Mage Hand] in making it.

He handed one to the technician chief, lit one for himself, took a deep drag, and then said slowly: “Because this Captain Morin has also shown an extremely talented side in combat command.”

“Since the start of the war, he has led the troops under his command to fight all the way from the Liège Fortress, completing a series of miraculous combat feats… Charleroi, Amiens, the raid on Creil, and this time Paris…”

Planck exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze becoming somewhat distant.

“More importantly, the Instruction Assault Battalion under his command is an ‘Army Seed Unit’ personally ordered and promoted by His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“The Army originally counted on this unit, and this young man Morin, to explore a brand-new tactical system suitable for future wars for them…”

“Tell me, under these circumstances, how could they bear to let him go?”

The magitech technician chief was stunned. Although he was a technician, under the influence of building war behemoths for a long time, he also knew the weight of the words “exploring a brand-new tactical system.”

“Not to mention…”

Planck paused, seeming to weigh his words, and then lowered his voice to continue: “He is currently the only spellcaster in the entire Saxon Empire who is charging into battle with real swords and guns alongside the infantry on the front line.”

“So now no one can say clearly whether Captain Morin contributes more by staying on the front line or by staying in the rear research institute.”

Planck’s words plunged the magitech technician chief into deep thought.

Indeed, a young man who could fight, had unique ideas, and understood magic was a treasure wherever he was placed.

But precisely because he was too versatile, his belonging became a difficult problem.

“Also…”

Planck seemed to think of something and added another sentence.

“The relationship between Captain Morin and that ‘Radiant Crystal Queen’ Madam Falkenstein is not ordinary.”

“Madam Falkenstein?”

The technician chief frowned. This name was thunderous to him as well. He naturally knew this was the mysterious widow who controlled the Empire’s Radiant Crystal veins and possessed wealth rivaling a nation.

“Exactly.” Planck nodded. “And precisely because of this relationship, there is a group of people in our Magitech Research Institute and in the Empire’s mage circles who are quite exclusive towards him.”

At this point, Planck couldn’t help but sigh, his tone carrying a trace of fatigue and helplessness.

“Some people always regard the so-called ‘conflict of paths’ as more important than the future of the Empire… Things that are clearly beneficial to the Empire are suppressed and excluded by every means possible just because of different factions.”

He glanced at “Jormungandr,” which was still spewing tongues of fire in the distance, his voice full of regret.

“If there weren’t so many messy ‘conflicts of paths,’ if there weren’t so many people holding back from behind, whether it’s ‘Gungnir,’ ‘Odin,’ or even this ‘Jormungandr’ in front of us…”

“They should have completed all experiments and been deployed to the troops much earlier!”

“Instead of like now, waiting until the Gauls pierced the border from the south, forcing us to hurriedly drag these big guys still in the testing phase out of the proving grounds and send them to the front line to fight fires.”

Planck’s words made the magitech technician chief sigh with empathy.

As one of the main persons in charge of the project, he knew better than anyone the weight of Planck’s words.

In order to promote the joint research and development of these “gold-swallowing beasts” with the Radiant Crystal industrial system over the years, they had withstood so much pressure and overcome so much internal resistance.

“Dean Planck, you should still be careful with your words…”

The technician chief looked at Planck and couldn’t help reminding him: “It’s fine to say these words to an old man like me in private… Once back at the research institute, or inside the Mage Tower, you must never express such thoughts again.”

“Even if you are the Dean of the Royal Magitech Research Institute, you can’t avoid being caught by those with ulterior motives and having a big fuss made about it.”

Hearing this, a “I understand” smile appeared on Planck’s face, and then he nodded.

“I understand, thanks for the reminder.”

He turned his head and looked in the direction of Dresden again, but a trace of expectation flashed in his eyes.

“However, maybe… this Captain Morin with a special identity can really become the key to breaking the deadlock.”