Ermu

Chapter 1189: Project Radiance

Besides the battle summary, the General Staff Department also made a preliminary plan for the upcoming Third Battle of Divine Will.

Although the enemy's attack intentions are currently unclear, one thing is certain: no matter which direction the demons attack from, Taqila should not be abandoned. As a nail hammered into the Fertile Plains, it not only contains the demons' expansion but also serves as the cornerstone for Neverwinter City's advancement into a broader territory. As long as Taqila is in human hands, the northwest of Graycastle will not face the danger of being suddenly ambushed by the Red Mist.

Therefore, restoring the holy city, abandoned for hundreds of years, into a forward fortress is highly necessary.

If the main force of the demons still attacks from the Fertile Plains, then the First Army's task is to strengthen the railway line's defense, prevent the enemy from cutting off the supply line, and proactively strike at their Red Mist outposts. The entire strategic plan is basically the same as Operation Torch. Although the pressure is enormous, at least there has been an experience once. As long as they can withstand it, humanity's victory is just around the corner.

Simply put, it's similar to a set of emoticons Roland often saw in later generations: Don't be a coward, just do it! Win and cough, cough, cough, cough, lose and go fishing in the sea—in short, just do your best.

The problem lies in the Wolfheart and Everwinter in the northeast.

If the enemy really invades the human kingdom's hinterland from the direction of the Continent's Spine, combat becomes an extremely troublesome issue. Wolfheart is mostly hills, Everwinter lacks rivers, and they are separated by the Kingdom of Dawn and two mountain ranges. Laying railway tracks all the way to the north of the continent is simply impossible in the short term. The two major engineering difficulties of tunnels and bridges required to cross the natural barriers cannot be solved technically.

At the same time, the First Army cannot rely on the local nobles to provide logistical support. After the population plan is implemented, they will inevitably become hostile to Graycastle. At that time, helping is out of the question; stabbing in the back would not be surprising. Therefore, this part of the work can only be hoped to be completed by the army itself.

In this view, the only relatively reliable mode of transport is sea transport. The problem is that the port cities are concentrated on the east coast of the continent, which is unfavorable to the deployment of the defense line. Once surrounded by demons, there is no way to retreat. If they hold on, it will be fine, but if they lose, the losses would be quite heavy.

In addition, the First Army, besides resisting the demons, also has to take on the responsibility of protecting and evacuating the people. Compared to the endless, sparsely populated Fertile Plains, there are too many uncertainties in fighting in other countries. Because of this, the General Staff Department's plan does not even include a plan involving the north, only mentioning this possibility. Even before the meeting, he noticed that Edith had an extra dark circle under her eyes.

Ever since being strategically deceived by Erusluk, the Pearl of the North seems even more obsessed with victory.

Roland put down all the reports and sighed softly.

For him, it would naturally be better for the demons to continue attacking from the Fertile Plains, but until Lightning and the Taqila reconnaissance team get concrete news, this is by no means a question that can be judged by personal preferences. Instead of dwelling on the enemy's choice, it is more effective to increase the chances of winning in his own way.

Thinking of this, he stood up.

"Your Majesty?" Nightingale asked, munching on dried fish.

"Accompany me to the New Research Institute," Roland said slowly, "It's time to see how far the Project Radiant has progressed."

……

Neverwinter City, North Slope Laboratory.

"Lady Anna—"

Lucia. White was about to speak when she was interrupted by Anna, "I've told you, don't call me 'Lady'. "

"Yes... I couldn't help but call you that when I thought you were the Queen." She stuck out her tongue embarrassedly, and put down the metal block in her hand, "I've prepared all the materials you need, if there's nothing else..."

"Although I am the Queen, you are also my partner," Anna said with a smile as she stepped forward, "Are you going to the New Laboratory?"

Lucia nodded vigorously, "Yes, it's about time."

"Then go, be careful on the road." Anna sent her to the gate of the courtyard, "If your magic is used up or you have free time, come and accompany me."

"I will!" Lucia waved her hand and turned to run down the mountain road.

Her work arrangement is considered one of the most variable in the Witch Union, often requiring her to travel back and forth between the chemistry laboratory, the mine smelting area, and the backyard of the North Slope. Before the establishment of the New Laboratory, there was basically no fixed place. The backyard of the North Slope is the place she stays in most often, fusing high-quality alloys according to Anna's ideas and requirements, and watching the other party cut the metal ingots into precision parts always gives her an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Perhaps it is because she feels that the world is becoming more and more beautiful, and that she has a part of her own strength in it?

After all, she initially came to Neverwinter City just to cure her sister's evil plague. She never expected that she would not only find a place for the two sisters to live in, but also live a life like returning home. To be honest, Lucia was a little uneasy at first, as if she owed everyone a lot. But now, she can also become a member of the contributors, assisting Anna and the Chief Alchemist in building this increasingly prosperous city, and the uneasiness has gradually turned into fulfillment and pride.

Moreover, the more Lucia gets along with Anna, the more she feels the respect in her heart—she never thought that a witch could play such a big role, bringing earth-shattering changes to the city with her own strength. Her knowledge, talent, and the focused expression when she is working, all make her admire her very much. If Nightingale is the person she trusts most, then Anna is the person she most desires to become.

And now, she seems to see such an opportunity.

Since His Majesty built a brand new laboratory on the south bank of the Redwater River, she also has her own fixed place. According to His Majesty, this work is related to the fate of all mankind. If the experiment goes well, everything she does may become the biggest trump card in the Battle of Divine Will.

Thinking of this, Lucia's pace could not help but quicken a bit.

After crossing the Redwater Bridge and continuing south for several hundred meters along a wide cement road, a row of towering walls appeared in front of her. Unlike the factories with people coming and going, this place is located between the industrial area and the farmland, and you can hardly hear the roar of machines. The shade of the trees on both sides of the road cast a shadow on the ground. Although it is already autumn, the leaves on the top of the head are still lush and green. The occasional chirping of birds not only does not sound noisy, but also highlights the tranquility of this place.

Judging from the surrounding environment alone, this place looks more like a residential area than a laboratory.

However, the fully armed sentry soldiers outside the gate proved that this is not an ordinary courtyard.

When Lucia walked towards the gate, the soldier raised his hand and saluted her, then turned and opened the gate.

And this is just the first checkpoint.

The defense inside is even tighter. Walls divide the courtyard into several areas. Except for a few people, all other personnel must verify their identity and be accompanied by guards when entering and exiting.

Lucia is naturally one of the former.

She smiled and greeted the soldiers, and after passing through several checkpoints, she finally came to a white brick house.

The house looks like an ordinary residential building, and the walls are covered with a lot of ivy. The only difference is that there is a golden plaque hanging next to the door, with the following words engraved on it—

“Neverwinter City Institute of High Energy Physics”.