Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch

Chapter 113: Attack the dwarf fortress

Boom!

The cannonball hit the griffin, causing an explosion and a cloud of black smoke.

The dwarves inside the fortress cheered, thinking they had successfully eliminated the enemy.

As the smoke cleared, Alex was already riding the griffin away from the fortress. The cannonball hadn't hit her; she had intercepted it with a fireball.

"Was that a cannon?!" Sophie asked, still shaken.

"Yes, something like a medieval cannon," Alex replied, suddenly understanding how the dwarves managed to survive in this dangerous world.

She had thought a musket was outrageous enough, but they also had protective shields and cannons. They were a technologically armed race.

No wonder the Commanding level dwarves seemed so weak; they relied heavily on their equipment.

While the human empire likely had similar technology, humans had a cultivation system that made them stronger than the dwarves.

What Alex didn't know was that the Holy Court, despite its power, no longer considered itself part of the human race. They called themselves the Chosen of the Gods.

The stronger and more intelligent a race, the more likely it was to experience internal divisions. This world was no exception.

Alex decided to retreat for now and wait for the undead army to arrive before attacking the fortress.

In the meantime, she would search for the dwarf mine, which was her primary concern. It was bound to be rich in resources.

Inside the fortress, the dwarves realized they hadn't killed the enemy. They quickly lit a bonfire on the massive central furnace, producing thick purple smoke that rose into the sky, signaling the surrounding dwarves.

When Alex intercepted the cannonball, the dwarf commander in the fortress had assessed the human's strength on the griffin, determining she was at least Commanding level.

There were no human lairs or cities nearby, so these two had to be extraterrestrial visitor Lords. Such Lords always had their own troops, and upon discovering the fortress, they would likely send their troops to attack.

As the fortress leader, the dwarf had to prepare in advance.

Soon, Alex and Sophie noticed a large number of dwarf cavalry riding boars heading towards the fortress.

The dwarves on the ground also spotted Alex in the sky but ignored her, focusing on speeding up.

Following the direction from which the dwarf cavalry had come, Alex found a mine at the edge of the White Rock Mountains.

The mine entrance was hidden by large rocks, making it hard to spot. No wonder she hadn't found it earlier.

Alex and Sophie landed the griffin and approached the mine entrance, which was about 7 feet high but quite wide inside.

The height was just right for dwarves. Fortunately, Alex and Sophie weren't particularly tall; otherwise, they would have had to stoop to enter.

They walked into the mine, which extended deep into the mountain. The iron ore was located at the mountain's core, hence the tunnel.

Along the way, they encountered some dwarf troops who hadn't managed to escape, easily dealt with by Alex.

Strangely, even though all the dwarf troops had left, Alex could still hear the sound of mining from within.

"Is someone still here?"

They reached the deepest part of the mine, which had been excavated to a height of nearly 10 feet. There, they found a group of dwarves in shackles and tattered clothes, still mining.

Several carts filled with iron ore were nearby.

The dwarves, hearing the commotion, turned to see two humans and trembled in fear.

"These must be dwarf civilians enslaved by the Silverbeard Clan," Sophie whispered to Alex.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here to rescue you!" Alex declared, using her scythe to cut their shackles and giving an impassioned speech.

The dwarves believed her and explained that the iron ore mined here was transported to the fortress every few days and sometimes to more distant locations.

These dwarf slaves weren't allowed to leave the mine, living their entire lives inside it. They didn't know much more.

"I'll take you to a safe place first. Other dwarves will come to help you soon. The troops outside have been dealt with, so don't worry," Sophie reassured them, seeing this as an opportunity to gain prestige among the dwarves.

The dwarves, having no other choice, decided to trust Alex. Nothing could be worse than their current enslavement.

Alex and Sophie led the dwarves out of the mine and hid them on a mountaintop, waiting for the undead to arrive.

The fifty or so dwarves looked at each other, still anxious and fearful, but the blue sky above gave them some hope in Alex's words.

Soon, the specters and gargoyles arrived, spotting Alex on the mountaintop and flying towards her.

Alex smiled and instructed a specter, "Send a gargoyle back to the castle to fetch Balin Forgeheart. He'll take care of these dwarf kin."

"Yes, my queen," the specter replied, signaling the nearest gargoyle.

The gargoyle, still airborne, turned back immediately, flying much faster without having to wait for the death conquerors.

Alex left a few gargoyles to guard the dwarves. She still had to deal with the dwarf fortress and couldn't waste time here. After leaving the guards, Alex and Sophie mounted the griffin and took off.

The gargoyles followed closely behind, while the death conquerors sped across the grassland below.

The death conquerors moved much faster on the grassland than in the White Rock Mountains.

Twenty minutes later, Alex saw the dwarf fortress again.

This time, a large number of dwarf knights had gathered outside the fortress, at least a thousand strong. The fortress couldn't accommodate them all, so they had to camp outside.

The dwarf commander on the fortress wall spotted Alex's return. Seeing the mass of death conquerors and the flying creatures, his pupils contracted in fear.

The commander immediately ordered all dwarves to prepare for battle. Cannons were pushed onto the walls, loaded, and aimed at the distant enemy.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Before the undead could reach the dwarf fortress, the commander initiated the attack.

Massive cannons lit up with sparks on the castle walls, followed by huge explosions within the undead army.

The charging death conquerors were hit by the cannonballs, their bodies instantly shattered and scattered across the ground. The remaining death conquerors took advantage of the dwarves reloading the cannons to continue their charge towards the fortress.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Another round of cannon fire, and countless more death conquerors were obliterated. By now, the death conquerors were almost at the fortress gates.

The cannons were no longer effective at such close range. The dwarf commander below immediately ordered the dwarf knights to charge.

"Kill!"

In an instant, the dwarves yanked their reins, and the boars reared up on their hind legs, beginning their charge towards the death conquerors.