Chapter 620: Tunnel Warfare
Dense shadows poured out from behind Matthew.
They didn't attack the Cole Elf army below but instead slipped into the bustling mines through tunnels dug out the night before.
The eager Chris commanded a large group of kobolds, widening the narrow tunnel mouths as he led the assault force swiftly forward.
Guided by scout team members, they quickly reached their destination.
The very first thing they did was set down several large magical devices.
These were brand-new products from the Bay Territory Magical Item Research Institute—Detection Jammers.
Once activated, they could effectively block detection magic, perfect for ambushes and assassinations.
This kind of high-security magic item was something Bay Territory had no intention of revealing to outsiders.
The reason Matthew developed them was mainly to counter the elf mages accompanying the Cole Elf Kingdom's army.
Even though the Netheril Empire was known as a mage's paradise—
Matthew knew all too well that the Cole Elf's arcanists possessed the deepest foundations and the most complete system.
Their use of spellcasters in battle was also exceptionally organized.
So to diminish their influence as much as possible, especially when he didn't have enough battle-mages of his own,
Matthew naturally had to rely on magical equipment and items to narrow the gap between both sides.
Equipment is also part of one's strength!
And so is gold!
Next, the highly experienced veteran adventurers skillfully set up a crossbow line of defense.
In cramped, shadowy terrain, nothing was deadlier than a crossbow.
The miner slaves retreating into the tunnels stared at them in surprise.
Sparta didn't say a word, simply ordering his slave-warriors to quickly recover their stamina.
He studied these not-so-powerful adventurers and found they'd truly done a lot of preparation.
Their rough linen clothes matched the miners', deliberately modified; their faces were disguised; no one spoke, only issuing simple and clear commands.
What amazed Sparta most was their uncanny coordination—they could quickly adapt with only brief words and gestures.
What's more, they understood the underground tunnels extremely well, picking sinister and cunning ambush points.
Their weapons and equipment looked ordinary, but Sparta, with his sharp eye, noticed rare metallic coatings on them.
That was a rare metal—worth a fortune!
The rarer the metal, the fewer their mining targets, and the more food was usually given to the slaves.
This was an exceptionally powerful fighting force!
Seeing all this, Sparta's tense heart finally eased a little.
He didn't completely trust Bay Territory's arrangements.
All he wanted was a batch of weapons and supplies—extremely precious resources.
If Bay Territory was just using them as cannon fodder, he wouldn't lose much.
On the contrary, he'd have a decent stash for rebellion—a much better starting point than before.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the tunnel mouth.
A group of cautious Cole Elf soldiers slowly felt their way inside.
The magical lights in the tunnel had been destroyed, leaving it pitch black.
The elves in front held glowing spears, warily scanning the surroundings.
They didn't cluster in the center but advanced along the tunnel walls.
With their long lives, elves accumulated ever more combat experience, growing ever more seasoned.
The Cole Elf soldiers garrisoned at Glory Fortress had suppressed slave uprisings many times.
Some of their formidable commanders had personally "cleansed" wave after wave of slaves.
After all, to keep the whole Cole Elf industrial district safe, they regularly "cleansed" the half-elf slaves.
For this reason, not only were they experienced, but they were also utterly ruthless.
Noticing the Cole Elves drawing near, Sparta recalled the plan he'd discussed with Matthew, took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"I am Sparta! Kill them all!"
His roar echoed through the cave.
Some Cole Elf warriors instantly turned pale, clearly recognizing who Sparta was.
The leading Cole Elf commander's heart jumped. Remembering his previous encounters with Sparta, an indescribable fear flashed in his eyes as he shouted without hesitation:
"Charge! Kill that man!"
Every appearance by Sparta was like an explosion—always a massive headache for the Cole Elves of the Cantrell Mountains.
The sooner they hunted him down, the sooner they could stamp out the rebellion by killing the half-elves who followed him.
This Cole Elf commander was determined: all the half-elf slaves in this mine district had to be purged.
Maybe, by doing this, they could finally kill that ghostly Sparta!
The Cole Elves hated and feared this haunting slave leader.
Sparta, for his part, showed no mercy to captured Cole Elves.
Some Cole Elf soldiers, though terrified, still pressed on and charged inside.
They knew well that the bigger Sparta's rebellion grew, the more danger they themselves would be in.
There was no room for compromise between the two sides!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Arrows zipped through the air, echoing again and again in the narrow passage.
The crossbow bolts that flew with that sound gleamed with cold, deadly light.
Even though the Cole Elf soldiers were prepared, they couldn't defend against this sudden assault.
Cole Elf warriors fell like wheat before the bolts.
Most were hit in the head or chest, dead before they could even struggle or resist.
Seeing this, the remaining Cole Elf warriors panicked and shouted at the top of their lungs:
"Enemy attack! Watch out for crossbows!"
"Don't hesitate! Charge!"
"Ah—!"
"Help—!"
"Kill!!"
"Shields, shields up!"
"Where are the enemies?"
"..."
The chaos and shouting merged into one.
Countless crossbow bolts kept flying in relentless waves.
The Cole Elf soldiers suffered heavy casualties, but they showed exceptional tenacity, charging in with grim determination.
Chris, watching from the shadows, raised his eyebrows in amusement and smiled at the stunned Sparta:
"Are all Cole Elf warriors this tough here?"
It wasn't that Chris looked down on Cole Elf soldiers—
While their tactics were sometimes rigid, their personal skill and strength were top-notch.
Across the northern continent, Cole Elf soldiers were among the elite.
But Cole Elves, being long-lived, always had their attachments and hang-ups.
They had superb fighting skills, but compared to other races' do-or-die spirit, they always lacked a little something.
Like the army under Commander Tigris—because they hesitated, they not only suffered greater losses but lost the whole war.
To protect other elves, retreating could cost them 200,000 dead.
But if it was for battle, sacrificing 200,000 Cole Elves was a price Tigris could never bear.
And that's how it turned out.
Though Tigris was stripped of his senator status, he still controlled the army and was now busily rebuilding, eager to erase his shame.
But the Cole Elf soldiers here were different—their courage charging into crossbow fire was utterly determined.
That was not elven at all!
Sparta, knowing the truth, sneered coldly and said without hesitation:
"The reason's simple: half-elf slaves are trapped here—the whole Cantrell Mountains are a prison."
"These elves are just failed power-seekers turned jailers, and they can't leave either."
"Unless they fight bravely and do their jobs well, only then can they and their families hope to escape this cage."
They're just as ruthless to their own as humans are.
Chris nodded thoughtfully at the answer.
Sparta, meanwhile, was fascinated by the adventurers, watching their crossbow volleys in disbelief:
"How were they trained? And where did they get those crossbows and bolts?"
Sparta had once defeated Cole Elf armies and stormed their cities—he was very familiar with their weapons and equipment.
Most Cole Elf warriors had decent armor.
Their breastplates and core pieces were reinforced and magically strengthened.
Especially their shields, painstakingly crafted to block almost any attack.
Sparta knew this well.
But what was he seeing now?
Every adventurer's crossbow bolt easily punched through Cole Elf magic shields, killing the stunned elves behind them.
Such shocking penetration meant not only incredible destructive power but also excellent armor-piercing ability.
To suppress half-elf slaves' combat strength, the Cole Elves never produced armor-piercing weapons or gear in the Cantrell Mountains.
That was to prevent these deadly weapons from falling into slave hands.
This battle made Sparta realize how powerful Bay Territory's production capabilities were—and that their promises of massive supplies were no lie.
Sparta, now a bit excited, turned to Chris and asked:
"When do you need us to join the fight?"
Chris glanced at the retreating Cole Elf army and shook his head, replying directly:
"If they don't attack, there's no need for you to fight yet."
"For now, your top priority is to recruit those half-elf professionals, as planned."
Wide-eyed, Sparta couldn't see any sign of duplicity in Chris's eyes.
He glanced at his own excited slave-warriors, noticed their exhaustion, and quickly nodded:
"No problem. I'll leave the defense to you for now and take my people deeper into the tunnels to rest and regroup."
Chris checked his wrist and nodded, then reminded Sparta:
"You have about a day before the Cole Elf main army launches their assault."
"At that point, we'll attack Glory Fortress ourselves and take it in one blow."
"Without supplies or reinforcements, the elf army will soon be crushed."
Chris's idealistic tone matched the way the situation was turning, and the increasingly optimistic Sparta nodded with delight.
The agitated slaves quickly calmed down under Sparta's command.
Nearby, Alice, directing the battle, remarked expectantly:
"It's obvious Sparta is highly respected among the half-elf slaves—no wonder we need his help."
Ash, holding his crossbow, fired without hesitation.
Seeing a Cole Elf fleeing around a corner have his leg shot out and fall screaming, Ash grinned fiercely and said:
"Any rebellion against slavery always comes with a terrible price—no one can stay out of it."
"Sparta earned his reputation by personally leading revolt after revolt."
"Maybe, because of him, the half-elf slaves never became the Cole Elves' total puppets."
Having been enslaved by the Mind Flayer Empire, Ash could empathize with the half-elves' plight.
Unable to storm the mines, the Cole Elves decisively retreated.
Even so, they left behind more than 400 dead Cole Elf soldiers in the dark tunnels.
The Cole Elves who charged in retreated like a tide.
News of Sparta's return spread quickly throughout Glory Fortress.
Many Cole Elves turned pale, and a good number of Cole Elf warriors seethed with rage.
With their long lives, most of them had experienced defeat or flight at Sparta's hands.
So faced with his return, fear mixed with determination.
They would kill Sparta at any cost!
The lord of Glory Fortress, Lark, raged:
"Send every soldier out—block every tunnel entrance!"
"Send word for reinforcements!"
"I want them sealed in—let them starve to death!"
It had to be said, Lark's plan was ruthless—but it was certainly effective.
However, none of the Cole Elves could have anticipated—
While they anxiously sealed off each mine entrance,
Deep underground, where there should have been no food at all, tens of thousands of half-elf slaves were excitedly drinking thick rice porridge and eating white bread they'd never tasted before.