Chapter 14: Citywide Alert

Six red-glowing mechanical demons rushed down the mountain. Ur, controlling a three-meter-tall quadrupedal machine, activated a mechanical command, and a massive, cannon-like sniper rifle extended from the machine, aiming at the city guards below. With a deafening blast, a plasma round fired from the sniper cannon, striking directly into the ranks of the city guards.

The plasma instantly vaporized one of the soldiers, then exploded, scattering over a dozen nearby guards. Screams erupted from the ranks, and everyone looked up, panicked, toward the bright flash of plasma. Only then did they see the mechanical demons descending from above.

“Mechanical demons! Mechanical demons are attacking!” “Run! Run, the mechanical demons are here!” “Don’t run! This is the White Hell; there’s nowhere to go! If you’re alone, you’ll die! Fight back, fight back!” shouted the squad leader, standing up from his sled. Though fear gripped him, he knew they’d die even faster if they scattered.

Whether it was because of his authority or because the guards knew there was no escape, each guard gritted their teeth, took out their flintlock muskets, and started loading lead bullets. Their fingers trembled as they struggled to load, and after a long while, they finally managed to prepare one bullet. Following their leader’s commands, they collectively raised their guns and fired at the approaching mechanical demons.

The muskets fired in unison, creating a loud roar, and the smoke from the burning gunpowder veiled the scene. Out of the smoke emerged the red-glowing mechanical demons, unscathed, their metal armor intact, with Reynad and his companions shielded by the machines. A brutal massacre followed.

In the communications room at the city guard barracks in the mid-levels of God’s Gift City, two on-duty operators were idly playing cards. With little work to do, they’d grown lazy, only needing to receive messages from the Third Squad’s captain every hour. So, they left the radio nearby and focused entirely on their game, as usual—until the radio suddenly buzzed urgently.

“What’s going on? It’s only been half an hour since the last report.” “Could it be an emergency?” “Oh, come on! It’s the White Hell; nothing ever happens out there.”

Puzzled, they picked up the radio. The familiar voice of the Third Squad’s captain came through, but he sounded panicked. “Mechanical demons... the mechanical demons are here! So many dead... we’re all going to die! These mechanical demons are controlled by someone—the outcasts sent to the Old World Mountains, including that noble exile, Marli! I recognized him! They’re coming for God’s Gift City! We’re all doomed!”

The transmission ended with static, and there was no further response.

“Hello? Captain? Captain?”

But there was only silence. The two operators looked at each other, feeling a chill wash over them, then scrambled outside, shouting as they ran. “Emergency! Emergency! The Third Squad is down! The mechanical demons are attacking!”

The Council of the upper district soon received the news, and the hurriedly assembled council members discussed anxiously.

“What’s going on? Why would mechanical demons leave the Old World Mountains?” “The Third Squad’s captain reported that these mechanical demons are controlled by people, possibly even by Marli himself.” “Impossible! How could anyone control mechanical demons? The captain must’ve been out of his mind with fear.”

“Better safe than sorry. Whether or not someone’s controlling them, the mechanical demons are definitely advancing toward God’s Gift City.”

“Agreed. We need to lock down the city immediately and establish defenses.” “Agreed. We need to block every entry route.” “That won’t be enough. Ordinary soldiers won’t hold back mechanical demons.” “Should we deploy the divine mechs?” “It may be our only choice.”

After much debate, no one could make a final decision until the elder speaker, Old John, knocked on the table, bringing the room to silence. “We’ll draw lots. Each chosen family will deploy their divine mechs to guard every city entry point. If the mechanical demons are sighted, signal for an attack to eliminate them all.”

“Agreed.” “Agreed.”

The proposal passed quickly, and soon the chosen families begrudgingly departed to prepare.

About an hour later, divine mechs and large forces of city guards stationed themselves at every main entry to the city. While there were some small alleys that led into the city, mechanical demons would have to use the main roads, making it possible to intercept them entirely by securing these routes.

Meanwhile, Reynad, Duane, Ur, the young Rant, Marli, and Uncle Simon had finished wiping out hundreds of city guards. Gathering some spoils of war, they mounted the mechanical demons and continued swiftly toward God’s Gift City. The vast snowy plains of the White Hell were slow-going on human legs, but the mechanical demons traversed the terrain swiftly.

Soon, God’s Gift City loomed on the horizon. From a distance, they spotted supervisors and overseers hastily retreating from the outlying farmland toward the city. Though there was no direct sunlight, the scattered light here kept the land warmer, ideal for cultivation and livestock rearing. Many nobles had established farms here to supply the city’s elite with food.

Upon receiving the warning, these overseers left the laboring commoners behind, fleeing quickly themselves—none wanting to risk a chance encounter with the mechanical demons. Reynad and his group watched this scene unfold as they advanced.