Chapter 60: Sharing Intelligence, Constructing Fortifications

【Vanguard: Thank you all for sharing your intelligence. With this, we now know exactly how many Level 2 items the Tarot Alliance possesses. Now, it’s our turn to disclose the Level 2 items we own.】 【Vanguard: Though we’re all members of the same alliance, I understand everyone has their reservations and hesitates to fully disclose. However, we’re now at a critical moment of life and death. If we do not unite and resist the Tarot Alliance together, it will be a dead end for all of us. By revealing our Level 2 items, we can understand our strengths and better coordinate for greater results.】 【Vanguard: Then, I’ll start first. In addition to owning the City Radio, I also possess another Level 2 item—Level 2 Bed Crossbow – Giant Hunter. The webbed bolts equipped on this bed crossbow explode upon hitting the target and generate a large amount of webbing to entangle the enemy. But currently, I only have one webbed bolt, and crafting another requires 100 units of Level 2 Spider Silk.】 【Bronze Wanderer: The Level 2 item I own is the City Accessory – Steel Armor. This City Armor can reduce cannon damage by 25%, but its weakness is that it is more prone to destruction when hit by Shadow-type weapons. So, if the enemy has Shadow-type cannons, please focus your fire to destroy it first.】 【Roaming: The Level 2 item I own is the City Accessory – Assault Wheelset. It significantly boosts my mobility and includes an overload system. Under overload, my speed can exceed 120 km/h. With proper coordination, I can rapidly breach an enemy position before they even react. However, its weakness is that it consumes massive energy and the wheelset gets damaged. This means I can only use it once in battle, so please seize the right moment.】 Li Ye nodded lightly as he read. Including Tomorrow, the Vanguard Alliance had a total of six Level 2 items—not much of a disadvantage in terms of numbers. He then took a deep breath. Now was indeed a life-and-death moment. Since everyone had laid their cards on the table, he couldn’t hide his own anymore. But just then, Vanguard spoke up again. 【Vanguard: Tomorrow, I believe you also have a Level 2 item. You just have concerns about our alliance and have not disclosed it.】 【Vanguard: We won’t hold it against you. After all, trust is hard to come by in the Wasteland. The person one should trust the most is themselves.】 【Vanguard: You may not trust us, but we trust you. That’s also why we chose to be transparent.】 【Vanguard: Whether or not you choose to reveal your Level 2 item is up to you. Since we’ve accepted you, we naturally regard you as a comrade.】 Li Ye stared at the screen, thinking for a long time. Finally, he slowly typed out a line. 【Tomorrow: Sorry, I do have concerns.】 【Tomorrow: But I promise you, I will regard each of you as comrades and give it my all.】 【Vanguard: That’s enough.】 ...... After a round of discussion, Li Ye and the others finalized the battle plan. They would rely on the terrain of the Twisted Garden to conduct a defensive battle. Bronze Wanderer would serve as the main tank on the frontlines, intercepting charging enemies. Echo would hold the rear, providing heavy artillery support. Roaming and Moonshadow would guard the right flank of the formation. The weaker Industry would serve as reserve forces, ready to fill in on any line as needed. As the two strongest combatants, Vanguard would hold the center of the formation, while Tomorrow would defend the left flank alone. With tasks assigned, Industry moved out first. It began by activating the crane on its deck. After mounting a digging claw designed for excavation, the crane roared to life and effortlessly scooped into the ground like shoveling sand. Once the ground was dug, the Mechanical Arm activated next, loading two Level 1 City Landmines into the ground. City Landmines were designed specifically for Mobile Cities, equipped with vibration sensors and triggered only by moving targets over 20 tons. Creating a City Landmine required 50 units of Iron Ore and 30 units of Gunpowder. Its explosive power was immense—while it wouldn’t completely destroy a Mobile City, it could blow out tires and treads, crippling mobility—which was deadly enough in battle. Next, it began digging a Level 1 trap: the "Trench." The so-called Trench was a narrow ditch, reinforced with temporary wooden stakes, covered with planks, and disguised with a layer of soil to mimic the original terrain. The weight of a regular convoy wouldn’t collapse the Trench, but a massive Mobile City would. Once it stepped into the Trench, the Mobile City would tip and sink into it, unable to move. If it lacked sufficient power, it wouldn’t be able to escape. One could say it was an especially insidious trap. After laying the City Landmines and Trenches on major roads, Industry proceeded to construct Level 1 Fortresses and Level 1 City Bunkers. A Level 1 Fortress required 300 units of Iron Ore and had defensive strength equal to Level 1 City Armor. Once manned with personnel, Heavy Machine Guns, and Cannons, it essentially became a troublesome thorn on the battlefield. As for City Bunkers, they were built for Vanguard and Echo who would oversee the center and rear of the battlefield. The City Bunker stood nearly a hundred meters tall. Its inverted U-shape and reinforced walls were strong enough to withstand several rounds of cannon bombardment. Its main function was to protect firepower-support cities like Echo from enemy long-range cannon fire during engagements. Its construction also demanded high costs—600 units of Iron Ore. Only during wars between two Mobile City alliances could such structures be built and utilized. With Industry's operations, Trenches, Landmines, Fortresses, and City Bunkers were completed one by one. Watching this unfold, Li Ye couldn’t help but sigh sincerely. “This combat engineer is truly practical!” Not only could it build battlefield fortifications, but Industry could also use its deck-mounted Mechanical Arm and Work Claw to repair vehicles and other Mobile Cities. In a Mobile City alliance, this type of city could play a massive role. But then again, few in the Wasteland were willing to become such combat engineers. It meant investing resources into this type early on and gathering blueprints for Mechanical Arms, Work Claws, and City Bunkers. As a result, you wouldn’t be able to build many Regular Cannons, Heavy Machine Guns, or even convoys—greatly weakening your survival ability in the wild. It was precisely due to these harsh development conditions that combat engineer-type Mobile Cities were extremely rare. However, in return, they were also highly welcomed in Mobile City alliances and often received special treatment. With a sense of awe, Li Ye looked toward the deck of Tomorrow. “Now, I should prepare as well,” he muttered to himself.