Chương 184: Paratroopers

Over the following months, Li Qinwu oversaw widespread developments across the Alliance. First came the standardization of steam engines into three distinct classes: Small-tier: Designed primarily for light handicrafts and textile mills. Medium-tier: The backbone of factory operations, powering heavy lathes to manufacture rifles and artillery components. Large-tier: Engineered to drive heavy drop-hammers, high-volume water pumps, and mining operations.

Li Qinwu also directed Tie-Ouk to explore naval steam integration, handing over preliminary blueprints for steamships to serve as a foundation for technical development. On the military front, the 1st Guard Regiment reached full combat strength, while the 2nd Penal Regiment hit 40% recruitment, and the 3rd Penal Regiment stood at 20%.

The Penal Corps' Independent Artillery Battalion completed its recruitment drive and was actively taking delivery of heavy ordnance, bringing its field strength to 40 pieces of artillery. Both the Independent Mountain Battalion and the Independent Engineer Battalion completed recruitment. The engineers, in particular, operated as a heavily Romanized construction and combat engineering force. Within the National Defense Force, the all-human 1st Regiment reached 70% recruitment capacity.

The multi-species 2nd Regiment finalized recruitment for two battalions—the Kobold Battalion and the Water Drake Battalion—under the overall command of Chief Kobold-Shaman Dog-Witch. A Troll Battalion was initially scheduled for integration, but their chief, Gul'ush, was suffering from severe psychological trauma and remained unfit for active duty. He was currently undergoing mandatory medical care—which effectively amounted to being pampered on lavish rations—leaving the Troll Battalion temporarily shelved.

Across all frontline units, equipment standardizations were well underway. Troops were being re-equipped with lighter, long-range rifled muskets, extended sword-bayonets, hand grenades, heavy-duty canvas webbing, standardized steel plate helmets, and military boots crafted from Horn-Crocodile leather. As the armed forces expanded, Horn-Crocodile hides became too scarce to supply full body armor, leaving footwear as their primary application. Nevertheless, the beast left a lasting mark on military tradition.

Advancements in textile manufacturing allowed for intricate imagery to be woven directly into unit colors. On the crimson field of the Penal Corps regimental flag, crossed rifled muskets were framed by golden wheat ears—symbolizing the agrarian base—over an industrial gear at the lower center. A pair of traditional Horn-Crocodile supporters flanked the emblem, guarding a central numerical designation representing the specific regiment.

Standard Penal Corps regiments carried this base design, differing only by their central regiment number. Specialized branches modified specific elements: Gob-Gallop's 3rd Cavalry Regiment replaced the crocodiles with war-spiders, while the 1st Guard Regiment bore a prestige golden background. National Defense Force flags utilized a softer blue field, emphasizing protective motifs like heavy shields.

The 1st Human Regiment featured twin visor-helmets—the signature armor of human knights—in place of the crocodiles, while the 2nd Regiment displayed the stylized heads of a Kobold and a Water Drake. Li Qinwu actively promoted regimental heraldry, pairing flags with merit medals and sharp dress uniforms to foster esprit de corps. While the full psychological impact on troop morale remained to be tested in combat, seeing the newly minted banners fluttering in the wind gave him a personal sense of accomplishment.

On the civil front, the all-Big-Goblin bureaucratic system was fully operational. Returning to his desk, One-Ear raised no further objections about wanting to die of overwork. Driven by grain seized from Harleen's domain, the population exploded, bringing the core Goblin count to 120, 000.

Li Qinwu aimed to hit a target population of 500, 000 before shifting focus from sheer numbers to physical quality—specifically, accelerating full Big-Goblin evolution across the populace through expanded wetland fish farming and livestock management. This population was organized into hundred-person villages, which grouped together to form major townships, many centered around stone keeps.

Inspecting these regional keeps, Li Qinwu regularly verified that system-driven resource yields were accumulating in local granaries. Basic food-producing keeps were designated sequentially as Keep 1, Keep 2, and so forth, while specialized industrial posts bore descriptive titles like Sulfur Keep, Black Coal Keep, and Brass Keep. The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Mineral prospecting relied on aerial reconnaissance by airship to locate promising geological structures, followed by ground surveying teams. Once confirmed, engineering crews moved in for full resource extraction. Two major coal deposits, a copper mine, and a silver mine had been identified and were currently under active industrial development.

Alongside mining, Li Qinwu prioritized a major public monument in Citizen Square: a 50-meter-tall statue modeled after a Penal Corps soldier in full Horn-Crocodile armor with a slung musket, gazing steadfastly toward the western horizon as if watching for incoming threats. This was no mere vanity project. Upgrading his Engineering skill through the Magic Blast Furnace had unlocked a powerful passive node: [Totem Construction].

[Totem Construction]: Depending on the scale, thematic intent, and societal influence of a constructed monument, a permanent passive buff is applied to all citizens of the realm. Eager to test its effects, Li Qinwu launched the project immediately, designing a soldier scanning the horizon to see what kind of national buff it would trigger. He personally supervised the work, even mixing and pouring concrete on-site. From high diplomacy down to heavy construction, he remained a hands-on leader.

He had just finished pouring concrete up to the statue's thighs when Gob-Bow arrived at the site.

"Boss, the paratrooper company has been assembled and cleared for their first live jump! Do you want to come observe the drop?"

"Oh? That fast?!" Li Qinwu set down his trowel and called a temporary halt to construction. His direct involvement was required to secure the maximum skill bonuses for the project. Returning to the Supreme Commander's Residence, he washed off the grit, suited up in his polished brass plate armor, and headed out toward the Underworld Tree. The area around the Underworld Tree had been transformed into a massive military encampment.

Li Qinwu made weekly visits here, bringing select officers and distinguished soldiers to farm skeletal spawns for experience points. All battalion-level commanders across the Penal Corps had reached Tier 5 status, and the initiative was now expanding to bring company commanders up to Tier 5. Li Qinwu walked out toward the airship mooring lawn—a broad, cleared field adjacent to the Underworld Tree where Sky-1 rode at anchor.

On the grass below, thirty Incinerator crew members and one hundred paratroopers stood drawn up in tight parade ranks. Approaching the airship crew, Li Qinwu halted before a goblin whose face was covered in crimson war paint.

"Gob-Air! Step forward!" The goblin named Gob-Air stepped out of line, snapped to attention, and offered a sharp salute.

"Boss!" (Note: Some readers have remarked that addressing the Chieftain as "Boss" sounds informal. Within goblin culture, "Boss"—or "Chieftain"—is the highest honorific reserved for the absolute strongest and most respected leader. The title is retained as an authentic cultural trait, whereas humans use "Your Majesty" and Water Drakes or Trolls refer to him as "King.") Li Qinwu pulled a silver medal from his breast pocket and pinned it to Gob-Air's uniform.

It was the Airship Service Medal, featuring a central airship framed by ears of wheat. Gob-Air trembled with pride. Li Qinwu clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Gob-Air, my Captain. This medal isn't just for you—it belongs to every officer and crewman serving aboard our airships.

"Airship service is a highly technical discipline. You are the vanguard edge of the Alliance's bid to master the skies. To us, the air is an uncharted frontier that must be explored.

"Exploration demands sacrifice. I expect every crew member to face these unknown perils with absolute bravery!" Gob-Air shouted with fervor: "Boss! We will complete the mission without fail!" He hesitated for a second before adding boldly: "Boss, I will work until I earn a medal that belongs strictly to me!" Li Qinwu looked at him with newfound respect. He valued officers who possessed drive and weren't afraid to state their ambitions plainly—an army needed that kind of aggressive spirit.

"Well said! When that day comes, I'll pin that medal on you myself!" Li Qinwu offered a word of encouragement, his eyes sweeping across the crew members, who straightened their posture in response. These thirty Incinerators had undergone intensive 1-on-1 instruction under Sharp and his former crew. Sharp had held nothing back, teaching everything from basic flight handling to proprietary family techniques. Short of real combat experience, these crewmen were fully capable of operating the airship independently.

Turning toward the paratroopers, Li Qinwu barked: "Gob-Eagle! Step forward!" A stocky, broad-shouldered goblin stepped out of formation. Free of heavy plate, he wore a tailored service uniform beneath a fitted parachute pack. His sharp, hawk-like eyes marked him as a Tier 5 veteran.

"Boss!" Gob-Eagle saluted. Li Qinwu produced a silver Paratrooper Service Medal—featuring an open canopy design—and pinned it to Gob-Eagle's chest.

"This medal is awarded to your entire company, honoring your courage in overcoming the instinctual fear of heights to leap into the void and strike at our enemies.

"And this..." Li Qinwu pulled out a secondary bronze Paratrooper Medal.

"... is for you personally!" Li Qinwu pinned the bronze medal beside the silver one on Gob-Eagle's chest. Gob-Eagle saluted once more, his posture rigid.

"We will execute the mission, Boss!" He understood the weight behind the gesture: he was designated to make the very first drop. Although extensive drop testing had been conducted to optimize canopy sizing and harness safety—reducing the failure rate down to roughly three accidents per thousand drops—mathematical probability meant risks remained. A three-in-a-thousand risk of severe injury or death was real, and Gob-Eagle felt he had earned the personal distinction.

Li Qinwu rendered a formal salute to the assembled drop infantry.

"Dandelions of the Alliance! I salute you! You represent our premier deep-strike force, dropping behind enemy lines to hit critical installations and root yourselves in hostile territory like dandelions taking hold in the soil!

"Take pride in what you represent! I look forward to the glorious victories you will carve out in the battles to come!

"Board the airship! Live drop exercise—begin!"