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nChapter 209: Reasons for War, Commencement of Battle

nTranslator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Dork City.

n“Lord, are we really going to war with the other lizardman kingdoms? They have already sent us the final ultimatum, and if we don’t retreat, they will attack us!”

n“The three kingdoms have united their armies, with a total of over ten thousand soldiers. They are well-equipped and highly motivated. We may have a hard time winning this war…”

n“If we fail this war, Dork Kingdom may be destroyed! My lord, 1 beg you to stop this war!”

nThe lizardman elders were visibly agitated, each trying to persuade the lord to halt the war.

nIn their eyes, going to war against all three kingdoms would be suicidal. Even the most powerful lizardman kingdom wouldn’t dare to do so, let alone the second strongest Dork Kingdom.

nJi Chen looked at them expressionlessly and suddenly slammed his hand on the stone table.

nThe tremendous sound instantly silenced them, and they stared at him wide-eyed.

nHe then said slowly, “War is inevitable; my goal is to unify the lizardman kingdoms.”

nUnifying the lizardman kingdoms was of great significance to the Crown of the Ocean.

nFirstly, they needed to unify the entire underground space to have enough land for growing fluorescent mushrooms, which would feed the inhabitants, prisoners, and future residents of the Crown of the Ocean.

nSecondly, the four lizardman kingdoms were skilled in armor, weaponry, and archery. Conquering them would provide several production lines for military equipment, which could become a new industry for the Crown of the Ocean. The arms business was lucrative in any world, and even more so in a world filled with constant struggles.

nThirdly, he couldn’t tolerate having several powers in his underground territory that were not under his control.

nThese three reasons combined made war an inevitable choice.

nIgnoring the reactions of the lizardman elders, Ji Chen left and headed to the frontlines with his army.

nSeveral hours later, they arrived at the border where the two sides faced each other.

nThe massive cave here was no less than the size of Dork City, divided by a magma river running north to south, with five stone bridges as the only crossing points.

nThe Dork Kingdom army was on one side, and the three-nation coalition was on the other.

nStanding on a high ground, Ji Chen looked at the coalition forces stationed across the magma river.

nPerhaps due to the lack of materials in the underground, the lizardmen didn’t seem to have the habit of setting up camps; they rested and arranged themselves on the spot.

nThe soldiers were densely packed, and all kinds of military equipment were easily visible.

nBecause the underground space was rich in ore, almost half of the lizardman soldiers were wearing armor.

nTheir weapons and equipment were entirely made of iron, with formidable ballistae and catapults positioned among the troops.

nFrom this, it could be seen that these lizardman kingdoms were not weaklings. Even the smallest of them had decent combat capabilities.

nWhile Dork Kingdom was caught off guard by Ji Chen, who swiftly took control of their highest echelons without much effort, effectively gaining control of the entire lizardman population, the coalition forces were quite sizable.

n“How many soldiers are there in the coalition? What is their strength?”

n“Reporting, my lord, excluding their garrisoned troops back in their kingdoms, there are roughly eleven thousand lizardmen stationed here. Most of them are at Tier 3, ranging from 3-star to 6-star. There are also around one thousand elite soldiers at Tier 3, 8-star level.”

nEleven thousand lizardmen soldiers.

nJi Chen had a rough idea of their enemy’s strength.

nHis forces consisted of three thousand lizardmen, around one thousand half-orcs, and six hundred recruits from Naga Berserkers and other camps. In total, they had around four thousand six hundred troops, less than half of the enemy’s number.

nAt first glance, they seemed to be at a disadvantage.

nHowever, it was not as simple as it appeared. The forces under Ji Chen’s command were superior in tier compared to the enemy’s troops.

nThe overall strength was not significantly different, and moreover, Ji Chen had brought two additional forces this time – the Ruins Guardians and Sky Guardians.

nBefore returning to the underground, Ji Chen had a sudden idea to try bringing the Ruins Guardians underground.

nSurprisingly, it succeeded.

nThe Ruins Guardians could now operate within a twenty-kilometer radius around the Crown of the Ocean, encompassing both horizontal and vertical distances.

nIt seemed that this underground space was not more than twenty kilometers deep. Both the Ruins Guardians and Sky Guardians could operate here alongside the Ocean Guardians.

nTo enhance the Ruins Guardians’ capabilities, Ji Chen had affixed thick iron plates over their vulnerable cores on their chests.

nAlthough it made them look ugly, it significantly boosted their chest defense while eliminating their single weak point.

nSuddenly, an odd horn sounded from the enemy’s ranks.

nThe lizardman soldiers formed up into lines under the command of their officers, slowly converging in front of the stone bridges.

nJi Chen narrowed his eyes..

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