Cyberzaun, Machinarium

"This really surprises me, you guys are really patient. I initially thought that you were not able to take action due to tradition, and I spent so much time thinking of excuses for you." Enoch pulled the hem of his clothes. The ninja in front of him was furious, and he didn't know who he was targeting. Anyway, Enoch felt a little uncomfortable.

"This has nothing to do with you." The already dull voice became more impatient, and waved his hand, signaling Akali, who was trying to reduce her presence, to return to the temple.

After waiting for a while and making sure that there was no one else around, Jie threw a small section of bamboo tube to Enoch.

"If you are as kind as you say, take your things and go to Navoli. There are spontaneous resistance groups there. If you can meet them, tell them not to count on the Order of the Balance... There is a token in here from a man who was once very famous in Wai. It will allow you to meet the leader."

Enoch took the bamboo tube, stroked the smooth bamboo joints, and looked at the ninja in front of him thoughtfully. "Your current situation... is it considered a lone struggle against the superior?"

“No, I am practicing my way of balance.”

"This is a really dangerous statement." Seeing Jie disappear into the shadows, Enoch repeatedly looked at the bamboo tube in front of him. This time, he finally got some good news.

"Can you keep it for me, little lunatic?"

"At your service, Littlefinger"

........................

Navoli is undoubtedly the center of Ionia, and the heart of it, the Pleiades, is one of the most sacred places. Many travel far to study in the famous academy or meditate in the lush and untamed magical gardens.

This is a holy place and spiritual pillar in the eyes of the Ionians. This is why the Noxians want to occupy this land so much. If this flag is cut down, the already scattered resistance forces will become even more scarce.

The Noxian generals were almost approaching, bombing and ravaging this peaceful holy place with all kinds of weapons. As the leader, Jericho Swain commanded all the teams to gather together in an attempt to stop them.

A large amount of military supplies were constantly mobilized. In addition to the port, only a small number of soldiers were left to guard the villages they captured. Swain was a man with a long-term vision. He noticed that a resistance force was constantly gathering in Ionia. After all, an entire fleet was destroyed in an instant at sea, which represented many signals.

In this tense situation, Enoch brought Benso and the others to the camp outside Preshiden and the supply line that stretched for nearly two kilometers.

The Ionians in front of him were obviously foreigners with ptsd. Even though they came with tokens and gifts, Enoch was still "escorted" to the commander like a prisoner.

"What a unique welcome party." Enoch pretended to be strangled and moved his wrist. "I came here for Noxus. Like you, I don't like them either. So, since I brought so many good things, can you let me become your leader?"

"Ionians know how to distinguish between enemies and friends." The man with tattoos on his face pushed, "Be honest."

This stirred up a hornet's nest. Jinx, who had been staying next to Enoch, grabbed her pistol without thinking. This action irritated the angry exiles. All of a sudden, their swords were drawn and everyone became nervous.

"Can you all calm down? Don't let the Noxians laugh at me. I have the token with me." Enoch hooked his finger at Jinx and raised his hand to catch the bamboo joint thrown to him.

"What is this?"

"Good question, I don't know."

"This is Norma's flute, and inside it is a work of Master Dolan." A girl came out from the crowd. She recognized it.

"Yes, that's right. I went around from Shangzan to Navoli. Someone said there was someone who needed help, so I brought some people here. So can I meet your leader?"

"We have no leader, we are all brothers and sisters. If you want to join, then prove yourself. Tomorrow morning, the beasts from the mountain will rush up and try to occupy the sanctuary. You have plenty of time to prepare to face them." A voice came from the crowd and was echoed by the people around.

"Great," Enoch praised, and turned to look at Benso, "You heard it, we have about 17 hours to prepare. Time is not abundant, so hurry up and get moving."

Benso led his men to survey maps and find a suitable location to build a position. He watched the Ionians gradually disperse around him and curiously looked at the caravans coming and going to transport ammunition.

Enoch approached the people he had talked to before and said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Enoch. I carry a lot of weapons, which require a certain environment to use. So can you find someone to help me? If anyone is interested and wants to learn how to operate them, I welcome them as well."

They looked at each other and nodded in agreement: "We will have wood weavers to help you build the barracks."

"In fact, what I need is fortifications, so do you have anything that can quickly change the terrain?" Enoch further put forward his request. "By the way, my weapons are a bit noisy, so let your brothers and sisters be prepared in advance, don't be startled."

"To show our sincerity, please let us take the lead tomorrow."

Chapter 58: Fortune Son

The mist surrounding the sanctuary gradually dissipated as the sun rose. The Noxian army at the foot of the mountain began to prepare. The sound of war drums spread through the surrounding woods. The grinders kept running, and the harsh and noisy sound seemed faint because of the distance.

"Are we ready?" Enoch put down the telescope and looked at Steiner who was measuring the distance beside him.

"The fortifications were completed four hours ago, and the distance measurement is complete." Steiner fiddled with the iron box at hand. "Signal test... completed. We can receive the latest signal here at any time."

"Are you sure you want to go to the front line yourself? Isn't it too dangerous? We are just here to sell weapons. I didn't expect you to be so hard-working."

"This is our first time facing a full-fledged mage unit. Any data is worth collecting, especially since there are many talented people in Ionia to back us up. We don't need to worry too much." Enoch said, picking up the intercom hanging on his clothes. "Test sound... Benso, can you hear me?"

"It's a little blurry, but it works. There's a lot of interference here, so you need to be careful not to get too far away."

"Very well, let's say good morning to the Noxians"

Enoch turned and walked towards the tent covered with camouflage cloth. "Jinx, come with me. Bring the camera. We are going to shoot something."

………………

It was a perfect morning. The fog dissipated quickly and was unable to cover up the sudden attack by the troops later. However, it also prevented the Ionian diehards from causing trouble.

Jericho Swain felt the humidity in the air with satisfaction. Such an environment was just right for archers to perform well, and there was no need to worry about accuracy problems caused by moisture.

The Preshiden in the distance looks like a holy land floating in the clouds. Soon, Noxus will conquer this land.

Swain and his advisers were looking at the topographic map in the rear camp when they vaguely heard a strange rumbling sound and vaguely saw a black dot in the sky heading towards them.

What is that? Is it the secret of Ionia? Thinking of this, Swain ordered the messenger behind him, "Do you see that thing in the sky? If it gets closer, shoot it down."

"They may not be able to do this, General. That thing is too high. It is estimated to be... 5 kilometers high. The mages can't reach it."

"So I said let the mages keep an eye on it. How many times do you need me to say this stupid thing?"

..............................

"Jinx? Can you hear me?" Enoch pulled the helicopter's lever and kept it hovering at an altitude of three thousand meters.

This is a prototype single-engine helicopter made by Enoch. It is based on the Huey. Eight helicopters were produced in the first trial. This time, one was brought from Zaun for testing. If the result is good, a new twin-engine helicopter can also be put on the agenda. As long as the problem of the pilot is solved, it will be fine.

"I can hear it. This is really exciting. Oh, look at these little ants below. Can I shoot them?" The girl's excited voice came from the headset. Turning my head to look at the crew cabin, Jinx was leaning out half of her body, hanging only by the safety rope. She was swaying with the telescope to calculate the coordinates.

Wait a moment, we need to record the video first. Have you calculated the coordinates?

“Yes, yes, it’s coming out.” Jinx grabbed the generator box next to her. “Hello, this is Jinx, can you hear me?”

"Received... Please tell me the coordinates."

"Area No. 4, use grenades, eight rapid shots, the opponents are all crowded together, let's give them a big fireworks display"

"Coordinates received, expected bombardment to reach the designated location in 2 minutes"

"Jinx, have you started recording?" Enoch couldn't help but remind Jinx after hearing her humming a nursery rhyme after she reported the coordinates.

"Oh, by the way, wait a minute for the video... Okay, let's start."

"Very good, let's play some music while we're at it, turn it up loud, this is the Romeo Foxtrot, let's dance."

"Yes, let's have some music." Jinx smiled and freed one hand to turn up the volume of the speaker fixed behind the driver's seat. The song "Fortunate Son" could be heard from far away.

"Report to the general, the thing in the sky has begun to descend." The Noxian staff who had been watching Enoch discovered Enoch's movements immediately.

The helicopter in the sky drew a diagonal line, separating itself from the plane gathering with Noxus, but also greatly lowered its altitude. At this time, one could easily use a telescope to see the iron box flying in the sky and the girl standing in the wide-open cabin door.

"Did you hear any sound? Singing or something?"

The huge noise generated by the operation of the machinery made the surroundings blurry, and the distorted sound also disturbed the thoughts of the Noxians. Most people stared at the black spots in the distance suspiciously to prevent any attacks.

Soon, the soldiers stopped paying attention to Enoch because a sharp whistle erupted in the distance, followed by several huge flames exploding in the camp and the surrounding hillsides. With the huge explosion and shock wave, a large amount of sand and gravel was blown into the air.

After the smoke and dust cleared, what was left was a black crater with a radius of more than 20 meters. All traces of the soldiers stationed there disappeared. The shock wave brought by the shells tore the surrounding environment to pieces.

"Report the situation, Jinx, have the positions modify their relative parameters, adjust their positions, and continue bombing. Do not cease fire."

"Two shots hit the target, and the other team was completely panicked and had no way to respond. This was really exciting."

"Very good." Enoch looked at the smoke rising in the distance and went back to tell the Zaun factory that the 152mm howitzer was effective and could continue to be produced.

After a brief silence, the artillery positions on the slopes of Preshiden Hill began firing regularly again. The Noxian team could only stare at the bombardment and gather around the captain, trying to disperse as much as possible in a small team mode.

This was originally an evasive measure used when dealing with mage troops or siege equipment. Noxian style rarely makes them so embarrassed... Usually, they are the ones who let the other side run away and hide.

"Where are the mage troops?" Swain roared in the flying dust. "Give the order now. Have the mages hold up a shield for me to block the opponent's attack. Have Du'er lead the troops to rush up and destroy the opponent's position. We must not let them continue to attack. Let a team of archers and a team of mages shoot down the guys in the sky over there. The other troops will rest and then launch a full-scale attack. The defense will be left to the mage troops."

As the order was given, a dazzling shield gradually rose from the ground, enveloping the main force. A cavalry also rushed out from the flank and marched rapidly towards the hillside.

"The howitzer's effect on the mages' group shields is average. Most of the shells were intercepted and could not hit the Legion."

"That's normal. That's why we need to test it. We need to find the exact location of the weapon... Inform Benso that a cavalry unit is rushing up the mountain road. Report the target to them."

Chapter 59: Little Carl's Roar

The toughness and bravery of Noxus are brought about by generations of warriors fighting non-stop. They have been taught since childhood to prove themselves and to fight for themselves.

At least several of the current Noxian legion commanders came from the lower ranks of the military.

If the tenacity of Freljord is like the frozen past of winter, then there is no doubt that Noxus came from the smoke of gunpowder.

The heavy cavalry is also one of the most important forces for Noxus. They symbolize the king's iron fist. Generally speaking, raising the flag can make the enemy surrender. Once the war horses start galloping, for their targets, there is no choice but to escape and be crushed.

In the era of cold weapons, heavily armored cavalry was like a heavy hammer. If their speed could not be limited, any formation would be broken.

The armor of these Noxians has all been enchanted to become lighter and stronger, and can try to withstand some of the aftermath of spell attacks. The war horses have also been trained, which is why they can move forward amid the bombardment of artillery fire.

Dukouer led his troops forward frantically. From afar, he could see the cannon muzzles that stood up like flagpoles spewing black smoke. He longed to rush into the camp of these people, kill all the rebels, and bring more of these powerful weapons to the empire.

He and his troops thought so until they heard a series of "bang bang" sounds.

The road ahead was completely covered, and the shattered bullets and shock waves caused severe damage to the horses' bellies and personnel.

Light mortars are cheap, easy to carry, and easy to operate, which are advantages in mountainous areas. Especially when well coordinated, four mortars can easily destroy the charge of heavy cavalry. After the smoke cleared, no soldiers were seen standing.

"The crisis over there with Benso has been resolved. Are they still going to continue attacking the shields of those mages?" Jinx took a close-up of the charging heavy cavalry. The few survivors fled to the foot of the mountain with the magic props they carried.

"Reduce the frequency of the howitzers' attacks, let those mages keep their shields, and give little Carl some time to prepare. It's time for something big."

Before he finished speaking, Jinx suddenly said, "Look down, at 4 o'clock, we have company."

Following Jinx's guidance, Enoch also spotted the team approaching at high speed in the cab. Without waiting for them to make a move, he consciously increased the altitude.

"Jinx, see that MG42 machine gun next to the hatch?"

"I see, but can't I use my own 'bang bang'?"

"Your bang-bang can't fire 1200 rounds per minute. Get ready in the firing position. I'll give you a window to fire."

He gently circled the Huey in the air, slightly stabilizing the helicopter's hovering distance. The machine gun next to the hatch drew a red line, which lashed the heads of the team on the ground like a whip.

“Don’t keep pressing it, Jinx, you hear me?”

Enoch sighed when he heard the shouting in the earphones. The girl was now immersed in her own world and could not hear anyone talking. Enoch could only watch the barrel of the gun sticking out of the cabin gradually turn red and then break.

"This thing of yours is really not practical." In less than 3 minutes, the ammunition belt was completely emptied. Jinx looked at the exploded gun and couldn't help complaining.

"Because this thing was not designed for you to hold the trigger down all the time. When the barrel overheats, you usually replace it with a new one... Never mind, are the group below still making any moves?"

"I didn't notice any movement. It doesn't matter. I'll hit you a few more times," Jinx said, picking up the Bang Bang and firing another round at the ground.

Lowering his altitude again, Enoch stared at the army in the distance. They were marching forward as a whole, staring at the huge composite magic shield, advancing slowly like a siege vehicle.

This is like a tug-of-war game. Whichever side can't hold on first will lose. With the Noxian weapons, if they are allowed to reach the foot of the mountain, even if they give up the protection and support of the magic shield, as long as the entire army is pressed forward, they will be able to break through Preshiden.

Grabbing the pager, Enoch began to urge the rear position. "Calling the position, is little Carl not ready yet?"

"Both are loaded and aiming."

The good news that Enoch had been waiting for for a long time cheered him up. "Jinx, come back and close the hatch. Be careful of the shell impact. We need to stay away."

The Hueys currently being driven are at most experimental weapons, with basically no protection and a simple metal skin. There is no need to gamble on the metal's ability to withstand the impact.

Just as Enoch was operating the helicopter back to the camp in the back mountain, the 'Carl' mortar on the artillery position completed the final aiming, and the two 600MM cannons fired one after another. The 2-ton shells, propelled by the propellant, drew a line in the sky at an initial velocity of 243 meters per second and hit the wizard's shield hard.

Without any delay, the mage shield protecting the main force of Noxus was easily torn apart.

There was no need to observe further, as the black smoke enveloped the entire army. There were no fortifications to hide in on the plains, and the world's most powerful artillery strikes had perfectly achieved their intended target.

"Calling Benso, good job, keep reloading, another round"

“Maybe not.”

"What do you mean, there's something wrong with Carl?" Enoch suddenly became nervous. There were only two of these giant mortars. If one broke down here, Enoch would go crazy.

"No, not really, but while we were reloading, the Ionians rushed down, and we couldn't attack friendly forces..."

"Got it." Enoch was silent for a moment. "Stop the fire. I'm about to land."

Stopping the engine, Enoch pulled off his headphones, which were pinching his ears uncomfortably. Before he could unbuckle his seat belt, Jinx in the rear cabin pounced on him, leaped lightly over a pile of dashboards, and straddled Enoch.