Three days later, the garrison of Shenchi Bay successfully withdrew from the encirclement before the demons closed in.

By this point, eighty percent of the territory of the Kingdom of Wolfheart had fallen into the hands of the demons.

The First Army concentrated at the Longshan Gorge and the Central Pass, the only two natural passages between Wolfheart and Dawn.

On the same day, the first trunk line of the North-South Artery was finally completed, with the cement roads extending from both sides joining together at the Central Pass of Longshan. This meant that Neverwinter City had a dedicated road leading directly to Wolfheart.

As the first "Hump" convoy slowly appeared at the horizon, gasps of amazement erupted from the surrounding crowd.

"What is that? It's like a small mountain!"

"It has wheels, so I guess it's some kind of car..."

"Even the outer shell is made of iron. How much did that cost?"

"If you used horses to pull it, I'm afraid it would take ten to move it?"

Hmph, ignorant fellows. White glanced disdainfully at the chattering crowd. They're making such a fuss over this? If they saw those iron birds that fly in the sky, their eyeballs would probably fall out.

He was here not to celebrate the opening of the Graycastle road, but like most drivers, to get a good commission. After encountering demons in the heart of Wolfheart, he dared not set foot in any territory outside Graycastle's control. After all, being rescued by the Iron Birds was a blessing from the gods, and he didn't think he was lucky enough to be rescued every time by the Graycastle people.

The self-organized logistics transport team of refugees inspired White. Although the income was not as high as transporting people, it was safer. Moreover, his horse was thin and his cart was old, but it was still better than the refugees' handcarts.

However, he was not the only one who noticed this. As the demons approached and the townspeople evacuated, many drivers, like him, had moved to the rear. The original self-organized team had suddenly grown in size and vaguely showed signs of becoming an industry.

Thinking of this, White felt somewhat resentful. He was the first to arrive, but now he had to compete with these young lads for work. If Clever Ghost was here, he would probably have already built his own transportation team.

In just a moment, those behemoths had driven in front of the crowd.

Although they looked heavy and clumsy, their speed was not much slower than that of a horse-drawn carriage. Especially when its body was fully revealed, even White, who considered himself knowledgeable, felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Simply put, these vehicles were too big.

The wheels alone were half a person tall, and the width was thicker than the body. The steel wheel rims were wrapped in a layer of black, rubbery material, which pressed against the road and felt indescribably stable. Looking back at his own horse-drawn carriage, which he had previously regarded as a treasure, White even felt a sense of inferiority.

And this feeling became even more pronounced after he made eye contact with the "driver" who was looking down at him through the clear glass window of the cab.

White couldn't help but wonder, how many trips would it take his horse-drawn carriage to equal just one trip with this thing? At least ten trips, right? According to the Graycastle's pricing method, that would be ten times the income...

"They're issuing commissions!"

Someone shouted, and the people immediately stopped their discussion and rushed towards the camp. Although these unprecedented wheeled vehicles had a much higher carrying capacity than horse-drawn carriages and carts, they still needed them to deliver the goods to various camps and mountainous areas.

White was no exception.

However, there was one thought in his mind that he couldn't shake off.

If only he had one of these iron wheeled vehicles.

...

Falinna pulled the handbrake and jumped out of the driver's cabin.

She didn't expect to return to Wolfheart in this way. Although she had made up her mind, she had been a member of the church after all. Even if she passed the screening, the administrative office might not allow her to go to the front line.

However, no one reminded Falinna of her past as a sinner. The driver's route assignments were based entirely on merit. She mastered all the driving skills of the steam truck in just one week, and passed the final test with a perfect score. When she asked to be assigned to the Windward Heights to Glittering River route, the responsible official immediately approved her request.

This was not her first time passing through this checkpoint. Although the surrounding scenery was still similar to what she remembered, the overall appearance was very different. There were many temporary houses and tents near the checkpoint, dark hard roads were everywhere, and barricades, sentry towers, and barbed wire divided the camp into several distinct areas. In every camp, there were many people working busily.

Even without asking, one could feel the smell of war in the air.

This smell was so familiar to Falinna that she felt slightly lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" Joe's voice interrupted her rushing thoughts.

"No, nothing," Falinna shook her head. "I think I've got my answer."

As a member of the Inquisition, she felt the strength of Graycastle more deeply than most people. If the opponent was just nobles, the First Army would not have needed to put on such a show. If all of this was a false illusion created to deceive her, then they would be overestimating her.

Only the legendary demons could cause Roland to devote his full strength.

"Then what do we do next..."

"Let's help the King of Graycastle win," Falinna lowered her eyes. "This is the beginning of my redemption."

"I'll be with you to the end." Joe gently held her hands.

"Are you Falinna and Joe from the Second Vehicle Group?" A voice suddenly sounded from behind, interrupting their gaze.

"That's right. Is there something we can help you with?" Falinna coughed twice, feeling somewhat guilty as she turned around.

The officer-like man first stood at attention and saluted, then said, "Lord Iron Axe, the Supreme Commander of the First Army, wants to meet all the 'Hump' drivers. He is currently at the Longshan Command Headquarters. Please come with me."

The convoy personnel had been informed during training that logistics transport was also part of military operations, and they should prioritize military dispatch over scheduled transportation plans.

Falinna and Joe exchanged a look, then nodded.

...

When Falinna entered the Longshan Command Headquarters and saw the people in the room, she realized that this meeting might not be so simple.

At least, it wouldn't be a simple welcoming and greeting.

Because the woman standing in the center of the crowd had beautiful gray hair, the symbol of the Graycastle royal bloodline.

After someone stepped forward to introduce them, she was even more certain of her judgment.

Her Royal Highness Tilly, the Longcastle Princess, Iron Axe, the Supreme Commander of the First Army, Vanna, the Commander of the Artillery Division, Brian, the Commander of the Musketeer Division, and Agatha, the Battle Commander of the Witch Union. It could be said that all the high-ranking officials on the front line were gathered in this hall.

"Welcome to Longshan," Iron Axe said bluntly. "I have a mission I want to entrust to you."