Chapter 010 witnessed something incredible

As the distance closed in, the images in the telescope magnified continuously, and Weiss's knowledge of physics was struck by an indescribable impact: under the sunlight, every part of it reflected the unique luster of homogeneous steel plates, and the rivets scattered across its body showcased the distinctive flavor of the steam era. Prominently positioned at the bow was a pair of vertically movable twin-mounted cannons, with several open cannons on the foredeck, followed by an enclosed bridge. On both sides of the ship, there were contour-like cannons, and the "oars" extending from the sides of the hull were likely directional propellers with blades at the ends.

Weiss comforted himself while redirecting his attention back to the flying battleship. Based on distance and time estimates, its speed was approximately 100 kilometers per hour, faster than the vast majority of naval vessels and land vehicles. Its flight altitude decreased from an initial three to four thousand meters to two to three hundred meters, taking only about twenty minutes. If the payload capacity of such flying battleships is comparable to that of naval vessels, then undoubtedly, their strategic value far exceeds that of any known weapon, making them the undisputed kings of war in this world

The man with the stubbly beard lowered his head and touched his nose: "Young man, what you are referring to is tradition, it is a convention, rather than a law or military regulation. We are executing a double special mission, and given that the target has already boarded the ship, we cannot afford to linger here for the transfer of the deceased's remains; that would be too dangerous! I apologize!"

The brown-haired, brown-eyed man exclaimed: "Sir, if you had personally participated in this battle, you would know how brave we brothers are and how loyal we are to this country! If you had personally participated in this battle, you would understand how tragically they died. In that case, you would not care about delaying for another half an hour to bring them back, allowing their souls to find peace!"

Upon learning that the remaining enemies had fled in a panic back to the forest, Zdoctor finally let out a sigh of relief. He held a suitcase in one hand and embraced his wife and daughter with the other, kissing their foreheads one by one and softly comforting them.

After waiting for more than three hours, the soldier in charge of lookout finally reported with an excited tone: "Our patrol ship has arrived"

Wei Si understood his meaning and responded without hesitation

This set of numerical values nearly dazzled him, as the magnitude had seen an astonishing increase compared to previous biological or weapon entities. While the metrics for lethality, defense, and output are relatively straightforward, the vitality of the flying battleship's physical and mental states also has data, which seems to be interpretable only as the cumulative values of the crew on board

From an appearance perspective, every steel plate of this flying battleship is secured with large rivets. Given that mature welding technology is lighter and more robust than riveting, it can be reasonably concluded that the industrial level of this era is roughly comparable to that of Earth in the early 20th century. In the early 20th century, people on Earth created airships using lightweight gases and developed airplanes through aerodynamics. What principles are the people here using to enable steel battleships to fly in the sky

As it flew closer, the enormous shadow under the sunlight crossed over the snow-capped mountains and the forest, the dull mechanical roar distinctly audible. When the wooden cabin was entirely enveloped in its shadow, Weiss was able to intuitively perceive the majesty and dominance of the so-called flying battleship. He suddenly felt as if he were a creature living at the bottom of the water, looking up at the ship passing by on the surface, his mind filled with shock and bewilderment

The bearded man then looked up and down at Weiss and said, "So you are also a member of this special operation plan, huh?"

As the suspension basket ascended at a constant speed, Weiss and others drew closer to the flying battleship. They looked up, and various details came into view: its bottom contour resembled that of a bathtub, with the corners transitioning into full curves. Apart from two 'shins' running from bow to stern, the bottom was almost completely flat. Seemingly for the sake of overall protection, this flying battleship did not leave an entrance at the bottom; instead, it extended a hoist from the side to raise and lower the manned suspension basket.

Two soldiers descended from the ship, dressed in leather jackets and hats, looking very warm. One of them stayed on the ground and did not return to the ship with the basket; he was slightly shorter than Weiss, stocky in build, and sported a thick beard. This fellow looked around the wooden cabin and said in a deep voice: "Not bad, comrades, you have taken down nearly twice the number of your enemies... Ha, look at these Norman dogs, usually so arrogant, only looking somewhat human when they are dead."

The least injured soldier stepped out of the wooden cabin and waved at the flying warship hovering at a height of one hundred meters. In a moment, a square basket capable of accommodating seven or eight people descended from above, containing two soldiers wearing leather hats and leather jackets.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed individual widened their eyes in disbelief, yet did not voice any objections. However, another warrior with brown hair and brown eyes, whose skin was somewhat pale, shouted: "They sacrificed their lives for the country, dying heroically. We should bring each and every one of them back, hold a military funeral, and bury them in the martyrs' cemetery. How can we leave them here, to have their ashes scattered by the mountain winds or their bodies torn apart by wild beasts?"

On a mission to retrieve the soldiers of the Ulster Free State Army with Zdoctor's degree, there were 17 individuals who arrived, of which 14 were killed in action. Although some remains are incomplete, they can still be individually identified at this time. Additionally, there were 15 soldiers of the Norman Empire who died around the wooden cabin, and it is estimated that there are about 40 scattered in the open areas and forests.

Regarding the patrol ship, Weiss indirectly asked several questions to confirm that it is a type of aircraft, large in size, capable of carrying personnel and engaging in combat, equipped with artillery, able to fly to great heights, and with minimal requirements for landing sites. From this information, it appears to be a very advanced rigid airship, or possibly something entirely beyond comprehension. Weiss wanted to ask more related questions, but upon noticing the strange look in the eyes of the middle-aged man in black, he had to give up halfway. After all, it is unreasonable for a top military academy student not to understand the equipment of his own country's military.

Observing in the opposite direction, one can indeed see a figure in white retreating towards the northwest among the trees. This should be a cause for joy, yet for some reason, Weiss harbors a subtle concern that a true threat still lurks somewhere, patiently waiting for the final opportunity to strike. However, perhaps he is simply overly anxious, leading him to be somewhat paranoid.

It is evident that this is indeed a steel warship, but how exactly did they manage to make such a thing fly into the sky

The brown-haired, brown-eyed individual sulked in silence.

This is truly a strange creature that is unlike any other!

The answer should be found on this flying battleship

The order of boarding does not require discussion; two men in black protect Zdoctor's degree and go first, while Weiss and three soldiers will wait for the second round.

Weiss squinted his eyes, and when the red box popped up, he was startled upon seeing the value inside

Three soldiers, two agents, and a bystander, six individuals armed with N rifles, launched a swift and fierce barrage that effortlessly defeated the "Mule Combat Group" of the Norman Empire

The bearded man nodded solemnly and then pointed at Weiss, who was dressed as a commoner, asking: "Who is this guy?"

Weiss was unsure how to respond more cautiously, and after a moment of hesitation, "the blonde-haired, blue-eyed one" answered on his behalf: "When we first found ourselves in trouble, the dragon captured the enemy's sniper, helping us out of a dire situation. Later, when the pursuers arrived, the dragon fought alongside us, performing exceptionally well. With his courage and wisdom, he saved us once again. This is something we can all testify to."

"The bearded man" glared and said: "Watch your wording, soldier! You are speaking to an officer!"

The bearded man said nonchalantly: "This special operation has a top-level action and confidentiality rating. If unrelated individuals get involved, they will inevitably face interrogation and investigation by the military intelligence department. Therefore, you should save these words for the personnel from the military intelligence department. I am merely asking casually; there are still plenty of vacancies on the ship, and I wouldn't mind having one more or one less temporary passenger."

"Yes, sir, he is definitely a good man," the other two soldiers immediately echoed.

Filled with immense curiosity, Weiss rose in response. To the naked eye, it was merely a slowly moving gray dot against the blue sky, but through the magnified view of the telescope, it appeared as a light gray object, resembling a battleship yet distinct from ordinary warships. ... It had a row of chimneys standing upright on its upper part, emitting a gradually rising and spreading plume of smoke as it moved, with several paddle-like structures on each side ...

The battle has ended, but the crisis has not been resolved. There should still be a sniper on the enemy's side, along with one or two officers, and perhaps a few wounded soldiers who have not completely lost their combat capability. Once they leave the cabin, there remains the possibility of being shot at any moment. Furthermore, among the six escorts, three have sustained relatively serious injuries, making a long journey problematic. If Weiss, the young man in black, and another warrior were to escort Zdoctor's family to Shelter No. 9, the middle-aged man in black and the remaining two warriors felt it would not be secure enough. After a brief discussion, they unanimously decided to wait in the cabin for the arrival of the patrol ship—it had not received the target at Shelter No. 9 and would surely begin searching towards the border. As long as it comes into view, they can summon it with the agreed signal flare.

Equivalent protection 1916.4 - 3977.56

Then he said to Weiss, "Come on! Dragon, help us carry our own people into the house and take the Norman dog out."

Having said that, he glanced at the bodies of the fallen in the room: "As for these brave warriors who sacrificed their lives for the country, I have two suggestions for you: one is to cremate them on the spot, and the other is to submit a request to your superiors upon your return to arrange for their remains to be transported back.

The casualty ratio of 1 to 4 does not reflect the severity of this battle

Combat Potential 3085.2 - 9733.6

Action speed 178.5 - 854.6

Mental vitality 813.4 / 843.1

Yes. Weiss gave an affirmative response

Five minutes is a short time, just enough for the basket to be raised and lowered once. "The bearded man" returned to the patrol ship and had two crew members bring four barrels of kerosene to help douse the wooden cabin. In the end, "the blonde with blue eyes" personally set the fire, and the soldiers supported each other as they boarded the basket. As they left the ground and ascended into the air, the flames grew larger, yet the outline of the wooden cabin remained clearly visible. Including Weiss, the survivors of this brutal battle were all in tears at this moment

The man with the stubbly beard seemed to hold no grudges; he shook his head helplessly and raised his hand to check the time, saying: "I can give you at most five more minutes. Also, if needed, I can have them bring down a few barrels of kerosene, alright?"

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed individual understood that there was no room for negotiation regarding this matter. After exchanging glances with the two surviving companions, he said helplessly, "Then, Officer, could you please help us procure some kerosene? Even if we cannot bring them back, we must not allow them to be torn apart by beasts, leaving no trace of their remains!"

Among the three injured soldiers, the one with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared relatively older. He spread his hands and said, "Twice? Sir! You should take a look around the nearby woods; we are facing at least two squads of Norman dogs, along with mule drivers they forcibly sent to fight! All of us have exhausted our ammunition and have only managed to hold on with the weapons and ammunition we captured. The difficulty of this battle is beyond what ordinary people can imagine!" All of us have exhausted our ammunition and have only managed to hold on with the weapons and ammunition we captured. The difficulty of this battle is beyond what ordinary people can imagine!

At first, Weiss thought that this flying giant might be a uniquely designed rigid airship, but the chimney on its top was continuously belching out thick black smoke, a sight clearly characteristic of steam engines powered by coal, typically found in locomotives and ships

Weiss was grappling with the cognitive dissonance brought about by the incredible scene before him when a soldier shouted, "Ha, Norman has fled!"

Biological function 440.9 / 440.9

"You are Long Kelenbo Haisen, aren't you?" The relatively older warrior turned his gaze to Weiss, "The heir of the local gun-making family, oh, by the way, still a student at Baston Military Academy?"

Since they were determined to wait for the patrol ship in the cabin, Weiss and the others stayed in the cabin without leaving an inch. They gathered the remaining stones from the fireplace into a pile, built a fire with firewood and small wooden pieces, and prepared some warm food to replenish their strength

After the warriors on our side launched an orange flare into the sky, the "patrol ship" adjusted its course and flew directly towards us