Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 198: Year End

TL: Etude

The Day of Descent is a significant festival for the people of this world. In ancient times, long ago, this day marked the transition between the old and new years. However, with improvements in the calendar system, the Day of Descent lost this role in the old calendar, and the first day of the new year was postponed to about a week after the Day of Descent.

Yet, the Day of Descent remains the most important day. Apart from strong traditional factors, it also holds a religious significancelegend has it that on this day, the archangel Wendes descended to the human realm with five hundred angels. At that time, humanity was still in a primitive state, using tools made of stone and wearing clothes made from animal skins and plant leaves.

Back then, many different races inhabited the continent, threatening the weaker human race.

The angels taught humans various miraculous technologies, such as agricultural techniques, the domestication of animals and plants, metal smelting techniques, and even brought them an incredible script, ultimately helping human society emerge from the dark ages. With these powerful technologies, humans gradually established their dominance on the continent, forcing orcs to retreat to the plains, dwarves to seclude in the mountains, and elves to hide in forests, while many other races vanished from history without even leaving their names.

Humans eventually occupied several of the most habitable large plains on the continent and thrived generation after generation.

However, as time passed and exchanges, though infrequent, never ceased between different races, human technology gradually spread to other races. The narrowing technological gap began to equalize the military strength of the armies, reigniting the ambitions of other races to return to the habitable areas. The human armies could no longer overwhelmingly suppress the others, intensifying conflicts between races once again.

The last time a thorough suppression of other races occurred was during the great unification era of the ancient Gubera Empire. The unified human empire launched several major expeditions with the nations full force. Relying on still somewhat superior weapons and advanced military systems, they finally forced other races into submission, reestablishing the absolute dominance of human civilization on the continent.

But eventually, the empire collapsed, and the divided human nations began warring against each other. Logically, this should have been an excellent opportunity for the other races to turn the tables. Fortunately, the remnants of the empires might persisted, and races with smaller populations like the dwarves and elves seemed to have abandoned their ambitions to dominate the continent.

Only the orcs, living in the northern great plains, with their strong reproductive abilities and large population, remained a threat. The fragile ecosystem of the plains could not support such a large population, and the pressure to survive, coupled with historical grievances from repeated suppressions, kept them eyeing the fertile lands to the south.

The orcs had already launched several large-scale invasions, but they abandoned their previous strategy of capturing and holding territory. Instead, they adopted hit-and-run tactics, targeting weakly defended settlements, utilizing their cavalry advantage for swift attacks and retreats, avoiding prolonged wars with human armies.

The disunited human nations could not maintain large cavalry forces like the Gubera Empire, and the weakened royal power and regressing logistics were unable to support a significant expedition. This made humans very passive in facing the orc raids.

The orc raids became a major headache for the rulers of the northern countries.

In the great hall of the Lakeheart Town lords mansion, key military and political figures from Alda gathered, including Austin, the naval commander usually stationed in Port Fran, and Rubin, the shipyard supervisor.

As the Day of Descent approached, marking the end of the old year, Paul decided to summon his subordinates to Lakeheart Town to review the gains and losses of the past year and look forward to future developments.

Before the lord arrived, everyone started discussing the major events of the year.

News from the east says that quite a few villages have been raided by orcs since the beginning of winter!

Alas, the rebellion in the south prevents the royal family from diverting much force to support the northeastern region.

Were quite fortunate here, with the continuous primitive forests and mountains to our north.

The Kingdom of Ordo is naturally protected by mountain ranges to its north and east, but theres a relatively small plain between these two ranges in the northeast, known as the Northeast Corridor. This corridor serves as Ordos gateway to the northern great plains.

Every winter, orcs from the plains use this corridor to raid various places in the northeast, especially during times of white disaster on the plains.

Since the Northeast Corridor is far from the kingdoms heartland, the orcs small-scale raids are not as threatening as the barbarian rebellions in the eastern highlands. Moreover, the rebellion in the south has stretched the high command thin, leaving only symbolic support for the northeastern region this year.

This year has indeed been a troublesome one for the Kingdom of Ordo.

While others felt fortunate for Aldas geographical position, two individuals, Chief of Staff Schroeder and Joyce, the newly appointed commander of the Third Battalion, wore worried expressions. They had both served in the northeastern military and personally participated in wars against the orcs.

Both held a deep connection to that land. Hearing news of the orc raids naturally didnt bring them joy, especially Schroeder, who had spent a significant portion of his military career there.

Seeing everyones indifferent attitudes, Joyce couldnt help but say, Gentlemen, if lips are gone, the tongue will feel the cold. If the orcs seize the moment when the kingdom is weak and take control of the northeastern territories, we will likely be their next target.

Bryce made a fist-pumping gesture in mid-air, Then well blast them back with our cannons!

Joyce shrugged. These people had no idea of the orcs ferocity, which was not comparable to the pirates and conscripted peasants they had faced before.

But Joyce knew. Those creatures, raised in harsh environments from birth, seemed designed for war. Even average orcs stood close to two meters tall, with strong and powerful limbs, and were irritable and capable of enduring hunger.

Their nomadic lifestyle had naturally turned them into excellent cavalrymen, easily capable of assembling a formidable mobile force.

Fortunately, their lack of discipline, strategy, formation, and cooperation gave human armies a chance to triumph. The orcs often simply charged with whatever weapons they had at hand.

While the hall buzzed with conversation, Paul Grayman, accompanied by his chief secretary Bernard and Miss Dias, his female advisor, walked in.

Everyone stood up to greet the lord.

Good day, everyone! Please, take your seats.

Paul and his entourage sat down, and the meeting officially began.

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