Castle of Black Iron

张铁在那片山岭之中呆了十天,随后,他就离开了那片山岭.

Zhang Tie didn’t leave that mountain range until 10 days later.

这这十天内,张铁一个人在山岭之中参加了不下十次的战斗,砍了几十个脑袋,最后一次,在伏击了一队神圣联盟帝国的战士之后,化身弗瑞德的张铁”惊奇的发现”自己突然之间似乎已经可以点燃除了脊椎明点之外的身体的其他明点,在有了这个发现之后,张铁按照光辉之剑的要求,主动退出了那片山岭,准备回营地报道.

During this period, Zhang Tie joined more than 10 battles and chopped off dozens of heads in the mountain range. After ambushing a team of fighters of Sacred Alliance Empire, Zhang Tie who disguised himself as Frederick suddenly found that he could light all the other surging points except those on his spine. After that, Zhang Tie exited that mountain range and prepared to go back to the camp at the order of the Sword of Brilliance.

这十天的战斗,无需赘述,因为那一场场的战斗,对张铁来说,连演戏都算不上,也谈不上任何的惊险,以他圣阶的境界,哪怕在虚弱之中,假装一个九级的战士,和同级别,甚至更低级别的魔族走狗们去战斗,这样的战斗,对张铁来说,干巴巴的,又有何成就感可言.

The battles in the 10 days could be ignored as they were not even performances and far from risks. Given his realm as a sage-level knight, even being weak, he still didn’t have any sense of fulfillment by disguising as a LV 9 fighter and fighting demon lackeys at LV 9 or below LV 9. It was far from being satisfying.

唯一稍微有点”惊险”的,是有一次张铁在山中发现了一个神圣联盟帝国的十一级的战师,然后,张铁考虑再三,觉得以自己九级的实力,去跳两级击杀一个十一级的战师实在有些说不过去,太逆天了一点,也会露出破绽,所以张铁以”宁死不屈”的意志,在那个十一级的战师的追杀下最后”跳崖”,终于”躲过”了那个战师的追杀…

There was only a relatively “risky” battle: Zhang Tie discovered a LV 11 battle master of Sacred Alliance Emperor in the mountain. After thinking twice, Zhang Tie felt it was too eye-catching if he killed him with the gap of two levels, therefore, Zhang Tie chose to “dodge” the battle master’s chase through jumping off the “cliff” with an “unyielding” will…

也就是在那次”跳崖逃命”后的两天,张铁发现自己大难不死后似乎取得了某些突破,”终于”可以点燃脊椎外的明点,所以他结束了在山岭之中的十天”踏青郊游”,进入计划的下一步.

2 days later after that “survival”, Zhang Tie found that he gained some breakthrough——he could finally light the surging points except those on his spine. Therefore, he finished the 10 days’ “outing in the spring” in the mountain range and came to the next step.

费南距离冷水城230公里,护卫着冷水城的侧翼,和现在已经成为一片废墟的冷水城相比,费南现在还完全掌握在人族联军的手上,整个费南现在就是一个兵营,神圣联盟帝国的军队想要夺取费南,只有两条路,这两条路,一条是穿过费南北面的那一片崇山峻岭,把大军开到费南城下,还有一条,就是在彻底占领冷水城后,从冷水城挥师东进,才有威胁费南的可能.

Feinan was about 160 miles away from Coldwater City. Protecting a flank of Coldwater City, it was completely under the control of allied human forces compared to the deserted Coldwater City. Feinan was like a human camp. If the forces of Sacred Alliance Emperor wanted to occupy Feinan, they could only have two ways: pass the lofty mountains in the north of Feinan and came to the city gate of Feinan City or completely occupy Coldwater City and march eastward from Coldwater City so as to threaten Feinan.

这两条路,对神圣联盟帝国来说,哪一条都不容易,每前进一步,都要付出血的代价.

As for Sacred Alliance Emperor, each of the two ways was difficult. They had to pay a great loss whenever they marched one step forward.

冷水城已经变成了一片废墟,但双方还在争夺,而在费南城北面的山岭之中,大军无法开进,所有的重型装备无法进入,所以那片山岭之中又成了另外一片战场,能进入其中与敌人战斗的,都是真正的精锐力量,六级以上的战士成了那片山岭之中的主角,而在山岭之外,人族联军严阵以待,布置了一条由一连串战堡组成的防线,就算神圣联盟帝国的精锐力量可以从那片山岭之中杀出来,也要在那些钢铁战堡组成的嗜血锯齿面前撞得头破血流.

Coldwater City had already become ruins; however, humans and demon lackeys were still scrambling for it. Additionally, the demon army couldn’t move forward in the mountain range in the north of Feinan City as none of the heavy weapons could enter it. Therefore, that mountain range became another battlefield. Those who could fight in that region were all elites. They were mainly fighters above LV 6. Outside the mountain range, allied human forces were waiting for enemies in a series of defense line composed of battle fortresses. Even though the elites of Allied Sacred Emperor passed that mountain range, they would also be badly battered by the bloody forces in the steel battle fortresses.

…

“站住…”

“Stop…”

在那片山岭南面的一个关隘处,一个灰色的高大的钢铁战堡耸立着,卡主了进出那片山岭的咽喉,7月29日的早上,天色大亮,太阳刚刚出来,一身露水,从树林之中钻出来的张铁,在距离那片关隘处500米之外,就引起了战堡守军的注意,战堡上几台威力巨大的蒸汽弩炮,已经悄然瞄准了张铁的身影,在张铁把野战披风的帽兜拉下来,露出自己胡子拉碴历经风霜的脸颊和面容之后,战堡上的守军稍微放松了一点,但仍然盯着朝着战堡走来的张铁.

A tall gray-colored steel battle fortress was standing at a pass in the south of that mountain range, controlling the main road accessing the mountain range. On the early morning of July 29, soon after the sun came out, Zhang Tie had caught the attention of the garrisons in the battle fortress. Some powerful steam crossbow cannons had already targeted at Zhang Tie silently. When Zhang Tie pulled off the hood of his field cape, revealing his bearded and experienced face, he caused the garrisons to be slightly relaxed. However, they were still gazing at Zhang Tie who was walking towards the battle fortress.

在张铁距离战堡70米左右的时候,地上有一条红线,随着战堡上的那个声音传来,张铁也就在那条红线之外停下了脚步. “报上部队番号,还有通行口令!”钢铁战堡之上,一个穿着暗红色军装的军官战在箭垛的后面,对着张铁喊了一声.

When Zhang Tie was about 70 m away from the battle fortress, he saw a red line on the ground. At this time, Zhang Tie heard a voice from the battle fortress, “Report the designation of your troop and your passcode!” from an officer in crimson military uniform hiding behind the arrow buttress.

“圣光帝国光辉之剑军团希克斯半岛派遣兵团第三大队第76小队,通关口令,雾中之光…”张铁沉声回答道.

“No. 76 squad, the 3rd brigade, designated corps in Hicks Peninsula, Sword of Brilliance Army Group, Sacred Light Empire. Passcode, Light in Mist…” Zhang Tie answered in a muffled voice.

战堡上的军官估计是去核对76小队留下的通关口令,足足过了半分钟,那个军官的声音才重新在战堡上面响了起来,”番号口令无误,准予通过…”

After that, the officer might go to check the passcode of No. 76 Squad. In half a minute, the officer finally responded in the battle fortress, “Correct designation and passcode. Permitted…”

在确认了张铁的身份之后,瞄准着张铁的弩炮抬了起来,从张铁身上移开,战堡上的一干守军,都用复杂之中夹杂着一丝尊重的眼光看着朝着战堡走过来的张铁.

After confirming Zhang Tie’s identity, the crossbow cannon was moved upward, then changed to another direction. All the garrisons in the battle fortress were watching Zhang Tie with complex looks which contained a bit of respect.

三个星期前从这里进入到那片山岭之中的小队是六个人,三个星期后,整个小队回来的只有一个,其余五个到底怎么样了,自然不用多问,而张铁能回来,既是运气,也是本事.

3 weeks ago, No. 76 squad entering this mountain range contained 6 people. 3 weeks later, only one of them survived back. Needless to say, the other 5 had died. Now that Fred could come back, he must be fortunate and competent.

在别人的眼中,张铁是战场上的幸存者,整个人身上似乎都能闻得见血腥味,听得到那厮杀之声.

In others’ eyes, Zhang Tie was a survivor on the battlefield as he was wounded; besides, they could almost hear battle calls given Zhang Tie’s look.

张铁朝着战堡走去,无论他外表如何,但内心之中,却平静得很,他一边走一边眯着眼睛打量着战堡上面的武器,心中有些感叹.

When Zhang Tie walked towards the battle fortress, no matter how poor he looked, he still stayed calm inside. As he walked, he squinted at those weapons in the battle fortress. Meanwhile, he sighed with emotions inside.

战争果然是新技术和新成果的催化剂,就像自己身上的这件用变异乌贼体液加工出来可以变色的野战披风一样,在自己离开的时候,整个人族的部队,甚至包括太夏的部队,都没有这样的装备,没想到这次回来,三十多年的时间,这样的装备,却已经配备到了西方大陆一线部队之中的精锐军团一级的战士手中.

War was indeed the catalyzer of new technologies and achievements. Take this color-changing field cape being processed with mutated cuttlefish’s body fluid as an instance. When he left this world, this equipment didn’t exist among human troops, even troops in Taixia Country. Unexpectedly, more than 3 decades later, fighters of elite army groups in the frontier of the Western Continent had been equipped with it.

面前这战堡上的武器,也比起自己离开的时候更加的犀利了许多,新的合金材料与符文技术的联合运用让战堡上面几台依靠蒸汽为动力的武器的储压罐的储压能力提高了一个等级,由此就带来武器威力的巨大提升,烛油的发明,更是让这个战堡在拥有了第二套备用的动力系统的同时,又增加了几件让人望而生畏的烛油爆炎武器.

The weapons in the battle fortress were also much more powerful than that when he left. With the combination of new alloy materials and rune technologies, the pressure storage ability of the storage tanks of the steam weapons was one level higher than before, which meant great improvement in destructive capability. With the invention of fiery oil, this battle fortress got a reserved dynamic system and some awe-stricken fiery-oil inflammable weapons.

如果不掌握制空权的话,要拿下这样的战堡,魔族或者魔族的狗腿需要用比三十年前多流一倍的鲜血才能把这个战堡拔掉,而如果掌握了制空权,则一发一吨级别的重型爆炎弹,就可以把这个战堡变成一堆废铁,把战堡里的这一个营的战士变成飞灰.

If not take the air supremacy in advance, it would take demons or demon lackeys two times more lives than that needed over 3 decades ago to eliminate this battle fortress. However, if they took the air supremacy, they only needed one 1-ton heavy inflammable bomb to turn this battle fortress into ruins and the battalion of soldiers in the battle fortress into ashes.

不知不觉,空骑兵在战争之中越来越重要了.

Air cavalries gradually became more and more important in wars.

抬头看了看天空…

Zhang Tie looked up at the sky…

果然,一个编队的战鹰正在天空之中盘旋着,既保护着下面的战堡,也监视着那片山岭上空的动静…

As was imagined, a formation of “battle eagles” was hovering in the sky. Besides protecting the battle fortress, they were also monitoring the situation facing the air territory above the mountain range…