"Enemy spotted at one o'clock!"
"Coming, coming!"
"Survivors found! Being chased by the Scourge!"
"Skyhawk Four requesting permission to fire!"
The communication channel of the Screaming Serpent Helicopter Squadron was filled with the voices of brave Yordle pilots. Following the map provided by Miss Rona Crowley of Timbermaw Hold, Corki and his comrades flew all the way to Gilneas City. Besides the military district, which still had survivors, the other three districts had been completely occupied by the Scourge, with its minions rampaging everywhere.
The good news was that they hadn't encountered any enemies from the sky yet.
"Let's give them a taste of our firepower!"
"Cover the survivors' retreat!"
"Commence attack!"
Corki was the first to arrive at the battlefield. He saw a group of refugees in dire straits, being pursued by the Scourge. He immediately dove down, accurately dropping bombs into the most densely packed area of Scourge soldiers.
"Boom!" The explosion rang out. The bombs, improved by Ziggs, had greatly increased in power. Corki looked back to confirm his results and saw that the Scourge near the impact point had been blasted into the sky, with at least dozens of them pulverized.
"That's really something!"
Corki laughed heartily, turned his aircraft around, and aimed at an Abomination that was chasing the hardest. He pressed the trigger of the Gatling gun, and the machine gun on the helicopter's nose unleashed a torrent of fire. After a few seconds, the Abomination collapsed with a crash.
"Heh heh, you idiot, I'll riddle you with holes!"
At this moment, his squadron's wingman also arrived, joining him in the attack. The Scourge, which had been chasing the survivors, instantly turned from hunter to prey. Ordinary Scourge posed no threat to the pilots.
However, another Abomination waved its cleaver and hurled it. The Abomination's immense strength turned the cleaver into a cannonball, which struck the left propeller of a helicopter.
"Captain Corki, I'm going down!"
Corki heard the voice of his wingman, Lieutenant Wally. He shouted anxiously, "Find a safe place to bail out, you idiot, Wally!"
"Everyone, stay alert, don't be careless!"
Lieutenant Wally's aircraft wobbled in the air, struggling to fly towards the survivors. A small figure jumped out of the plane, deploying a parachute in mid-air. Then, the out-of-control aircraft crashed into a building and exploded.
Corki shouted, "Quickly eliminate the enemies here, then disengage!"
He fired a missile at the enemy group and flew low over the ground, shouting at the place where Lieutenant Wally landed, "Wally, retreat with these survivors! We'll come back to rescue you on the next mission!"
He didn't know if Wally heard him, but their aircraft only had a single seat. To rescue a parachuted pilot, they would need to send a dedicated rescue plane next time.
"Good luck! May the Commander protect you!" Corki shouted, then ascended, preparing to go to other enemy-dense areas, expend his ammunition, and then return to base.
---
When Corki's flying squadron arrived, the ones being chased by the Scourge on the ground were Gwen Armstead, the newly appointed quartermaster by King Genn, and the transport team she had organized to salvage vital supplies. The King had sent a former warden named Broderick to assist her.
Now, most people had already evacuated the military district. This was the last batch of supplies they were salvaging, but the Scourge suddenly launched a massive attack, and they were surrounded—Miss Gwen was utterly desperate. They wouldn't receive any support from the Gilnean army now, because the army had already retreated. The others in the transport team were equally desperate and helpless.
"Miss Gwen, retreat quickly! I'll hold them off!" Broderick shouted, gathering the guards to block the Scourge. But their numbers were too great. The dozens of guards around him would collapse with just one wave of attack.
"We can't retreat anymore." Gwen's lips were a little pale. She drew her rapier, forcing herself to appear calm. "Gentlemen, let us make a final contribution to Gilneas!"
A sense of sorrow spread through the crowd. The transport team members found all sorts of usable weapons nearby: iron rods, scythes, kitchen knives, table legs, and even bricks.
"For Greymane!" Broderick took the lead in shouting slogans to encourage everyone, then fearlessly charged towards the Scourge.
"For Gilneas!" Gwen gripped her rapier with both hands, shouting slogans in her loudest voice, and followed him, charging towards the Scourge. Just as she pierced a ghoul's head with her rapier, Corki arrived with his flying squadron.
"It's the Alliance!"
"The Alliance has come to rescue us!"
The crowd was overjoyed and wept.
Since Gilneas closed the Greymane Wall, the gnomes and dwarves, who had previously had contact with them, had completely withdrawn from the country. Gilneas now only had cannons and firearms that were gnome products, and no aircraft at all.
So when they saw the helicopters, they immediately knew that this was support from the Alliance.
The helicopter squadron's bombs and machine guns devastated the Scourge. Broderick seized the opportunity to pursue and completely eliminated the threat. Then they saw a pilot crash—a parachute slowly floated down from the sky. Those with good eyesight could see that it was a small figure wearing goggles.
That should be a gnome, right?
Some Gilneans had seen gnomes. They were probably like this.
Gwen shouted, "Go save him!"
Several strong men ran over and found the parachuting pilot in the landing alley.
Then this little pilot who had saved them was brought here.
"How cute," was Gwen's first reaction upon seeing Lieutenant Wally.
"Not a gnome," she was also very certain of this. She had seen gnomes. Although the gnomes of Gnomeregan were similar in height to the pilot in front of her, and some might like to keep beards, gnomes definitely didn't have the pilot's furry face and beast ears.
Although such a thought was a bit disrespectful, this little guy looked like a little animal!
Gwen thought to herself. She was feeling a bit girlish…
She crouched down and asked, "Hello, may I ask…"
"Don't crouch down to talk to me!" Lieutenant Wally looked stimulated. He waved his short arms and said angrily, "I'm Wally, a lieutenant pilot in the Screaming Serpent Helicopter Squadron. From the Valoran Federation! I'm not a gnome, look closely! I'm a Yordle!"
He was too familiar with the thoughts of this lady wearing a small hat. When their helicopter squadron arrived at the temporary airfield in Timbermaw Hold, the lord named Rona Crowley had the same look in her eyes.
However, his self-introduction contained too much information for the isolated Gilneans.
"Valoran Federation?"
"Yordle?"
"What's that?"
Gwen organized everyone to retreat quickly while asking questions on the road. Afterwards, she realized that Gilneas had been out of touch with the outside world for too long, and didn't even know about the major event of a new force from another world joining the Alliance.
Although they hadn't seen other members of the Valoran Federation, just seeing that they could immediately send planes to rescue them, a group that had broken away from the Alliance, this new force immediately won the recognition and gratitude of all those rescued.
They had originally despaired, thinking that Gilneas would not receive any outside support. Unexpectedly, Gilneas had abandoned the Alliance, but the Alliance had not abandoned Gilneas. When they learned that the Alliance would soon send a large-scale fleet to support them from the sea, everyone was extremely excited, shouting "Long live the Alliance!"
As long as they could survive these few days, they could escape the clutches of the Scourge!
Gwen took Captain Wally to catch up with King Genn and introduced the pilot from the Alliance to him. Genn, whose face had been constantly clouded, finally showed a relieved expression when he heard that this furry little guy was the reinforcements who had saved many survivors in the city.
He increasingly regretted his behavior of refusing to join the Alliance. In the face of the Alliance's selfless help, he felt extremely petty and selfish.
He let out a long breath and made up his mind: he would devote his whole heart and soul to the cause of the Alliance in the future, and would never dare to have any selfish or insincere thoughts.
Genn cheered up and said loudly, "Pick up the pace, we're going to Stormglen! We will establish a defensive line there, and soon the Alliance's reinforcements will arrive there! Gilneas will prevail!"
"Prevail!"
"Prevail!"
"Long live the Alliance!"
The crowd was greatly encouraged by this good news, and hope reappeared on their faces.
The area near Stormglen was the territory of Baron Ashbury and Lord Walden. This was a strategic location in eastern Gilneas, with the natural barrier of Blackwald Forest on the left and the insurmountable mountains on the right. The island fortress at the rear was even more indestructible.
Establishing a defensive line there would indeed greatly delay the Scourge's advance. And it could echo the army of Prince Liam, who was establishing a defensive line at King's Gate in the west. With logistical support from Duskhaven and Aderic's Stead in the rear, the two places could be connected into one. If there were enough troops, they could even hold one-third of Gilneas's territory and contend with the Scourge.
Although King Genn was arrogant and conceited, he had a good strategic vision. He arranged for Liam to retreat from the west, and he himself retreated from the east, precisely considering this strategy.
When the Alliance's army landed from the sea and had enough troops, they could even counterattack Gilneas City!
Thinking of this, King Genn's heart was filled with enthusiasm.
Just as he and his army were marching towards Stormglen, Baron Ashbury and Lord Walden welcomed a distinguished guest from the sea—Lord Oberon, the envoy from the Kingdom of Lordaeron, the brother of Duke Alonsus and the Minister of Finance of Lordaeron.
Last time, he was the one who had visited Gilneas and called for Gilneas to rejoin the Alliance. Unfortunately, he was rudely rejected by King Genn.
This time, he had arrived at Stormglen by ship from the sea to discuss another major event, a major event that would save Gilneas's fate!