Chương 76: The Crusade Against Cave Spiders

The 10th Company of the Disciplinary Army, led by Li Qinwu, marched rapidly toward the iron mine. The slopes were now cultivated with thriving sugar beets, but at the summit, the massive black openings occasionally revealed gray flickers—the Cave Spiders, the sole obstacle to the Alliance's industrialization. Li Qinwu noted that these tunnels weren't entirely natural; clear signs of biological expansion suggested a vast, hive-like subterranean system.

"Front rank kneel, rear rank stand! Form up!" At Li Qinwu's command, the Goblins, now equipped with flintlocks, formed a tight double-layered line, achieving a firepower density far superior to previous battles. To draw the monsters out, Li Qinwu needed a volunteer for a suicide run. Under the "suggestive glare" of Battalion Commander Gobu-Spear, a lead scout named"Gobu-Run" —named for his legendary speed—stripped off his armor and dashed toward the summit. Gobu-Run did not disappoint.

He provoked the guards with a well-aimed stone. Immediately, vibrations through the earth awakened the deep nest. Over thirty gray spiders, each the size of a small car, erupted from the holes, their spear-like legs drumming a terrifying rhythm against the ground.

"Awooo—!" Gobu-Run bolted back down the hill like a streak of lightning. The plan was working perfectly until disaster struck: Gobu-Run stepped on a loose ore, severely twisting his ankle and tumbling into the sugar beet fields. He lay there, unable to rise, as the skittering swarm closed in. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. In a split second, Gobu-Spear defied the typical "cowardly" nature of Goblins.

He lunged forward like a leopard, charging toward the spiders. He scooped up his fallen comrade, slung him over his shoulder, and sprinted back through the fields. However, the extra weight slowed him down significantly. The lead spider was now only ten paces behind.

"All units! Lower your weapons!" The command baffled the soldiers, but their drilled obedience kept their fingers off the triggers. Then, a heavy BOOM shattered the silence. Gobu-Bow, who had moved to a flanking position and braced his two-meter-long rifle against a rock, had fired. The shot vaporized the lead spider's head into a spray of green ichor. The "lower weapons" order had been a precaution to prevent the rank-and-file from flinching and misfiring at the sound of the heavy rifle.

Gobu-Spear returned, gasping for air. Li Qinwu scolded Gobu-Run for his clumsiness but publicly announced: "You're promoted to Vice-Captain. Learn under Gobu-Spear!" This move instantly ignited the army's morale— The Boss rewards merit, and the Commander doesn't abandon his own.

"Raise weapons!!" As the swarm crossed the 100-meter line, Li Qinwu dropped his hand: "Fire!!" Smoke billowed as a thousand lead balls swept through like a reaper's scythe. Before this concentrated firepower, even car-sized monsters met the reality of "universal equality." Green juice sprayed and severed legs flew. The subsequent "fire at will" turned into target practice, picking off the remaining spiders one by one. Half an hour later, the summit fell silent.

Li Qinwu approached the main tunnel, which was over ten meters wide. Looking at the "mining" marks on the walls and the high-quality iron ore scattered at his feet, Li Qinwu's heart raced. This wasn't just a monster den; it was a pre-excavated golden highway to industrial civilization, courtesy of the spiders. He drew his greatsword and pointed it into the dark depths:"Brothers! The naturally evil Cave Spiders have sought their own doom! Advance! Annihilate them!!"