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Chapter 520: Dividing the Gnoll Kingdom
Despite the smaller number of Bay Territory soldiers, their overall combat capability far exceeded that of the gnoll army.
The reason was simple.
The gnoll combat forces were more like a collection of hunting parties than a proper army.
Their troop types were extremely limited.
Gnoll warriors made up 98% of their forces, with the rest consisting of barbarians, rogues, and trackers.
They had virtually no long-range units.
If they failed to break through the front lines, they would be stuck in an awkward stalemate.
Matthew couldn't help but marvel at how, in the perilous underground world, the gnolls had managed to build a kingdom of millions.
It was almost entirely due to their reproductive capabilities!
Being able to reproduceâand reproduce prolificallyâwas a kind of ability!
Thinking of this, Matthew suddenly realized that many dominant races relied on this trait.
Humans were one of the most outstanding examples.
In just a few days.
The rotating attacks of the 1st and 2nd Divisions yielded impressive results.
Over 80,000 gnolls were captured.
Among them were a significant number of gnoll barbarians, which greatly intrigued Matthew.
They provided him with a substantial reserve of feats and skills.
On the other side, the drow elves were not to be outdone, delivering a heavy beating to the gnolls.
They not only destroyed a gnoll fortress but also broke through two or three gnoll cities.
The drow elves captured over 200,000 gnoll slaves.
This made Matthew very curiousâwhere did the drow elves get enough food to sustain their growing number of gnoll slaves?
Soon, Matthew had his answer.
The enemies killed by the drow elves became food for the gnolls, including their own kind.
Such a bloody and horrifying method left Matthew deeply impressed.
As expected, in terms of ruthlessness and cruelty, the drow elves were exceptional.
The rapidly consumed gnoll slaves, subjected to this cyclical exploitation, created a strange and twisted sense of horror.
Matthew calculated the speed of the drow elves' assault on the gnoll kingdom.
If not for the drow elves' limited numbers, requiring them to send most of their captured gnolls back to their lairs,
And their reliance on recycling the gnoll slaves at hand to continue their efforts,
The drow elves might have already devoured the entire Gnoll Kingdom before the Bay Territory could intervene.
Even so, if Matthew avoided using the same methods as the drow elves, his progress would inevitably be slower.
To secure this lucrative opportunity and claim more territory, resources, and gnoll slaves,
Matthew decided to take the initiative.
He had to get his share of the Gnoll Kingdom.
Matthew's target was a large area 50 kilometers outside the Bay Territory's controlled zone.
"This is the 'granary' of the Gnoll Kingdom, producing large quantities of edible moss and pack beasts, the main food sources for the kingdom."
"Over 300,000 gnolls live in this resource-rich area."
"Although their numbers are large, there are few Professionals among them, and they lack metal mines, so they pose little threat."
"Our reason for seizing this area is to use the rare patches of soil to turn it into farmland."
"With our agricultural abilities, we can grow far more food in the same area."
"..."
The commanders of the Bay Territory army agreed with Matthew's plan.
After all, securing farmland would allow the Bay Territory to station more forces in the region.
"However, before that, we need to establish choke points and strongholds along the passages."
Both soldiers and adventurers needed places to rest and defend.
With the strategy set, the Bay Territory began its swift execution.
Matthew's intention was clear: if the enemy wanted to attack the Bay Territory, they had to prepare for a bloody battle.
The Bay Territory advanced step by step.
The number of troops dispatched each time was small, but with modified warriors leading the way, they easily dealt with any opposition.
Even the dangerous underground monsters dared not provoke the well-organized Bay Territory army.
Following the soldiers were massive engineering teams.
Various types of engineering golems, improved by Macaron and Victor, operated with even greater efficiency.
At every passage they occupied, the Bay Territory constructed a fortress that enclosed the entire entrance.
Any unit attempting to pass through had to break the Bay Territory's blockade.
The Bay Territory's formidable logistics and construction capabilities were further honed through this process.
Each challenge they encountered and overcame made the Bay Territory even stronger.
Some gnolls tried to stop the Bay Territory's advance.
Unfortunately, they lacked sufficient numbers of high-level gnolls or naturally powerful gnoll barbarians.
They were unable to break through the modified warriors' defenses and became training tools for the Bay Territory soldiers.
After one or two days of warfare, the gnolls, lacking adequate logistical support, would become exhausted.
Before reinforcements could arrive, the Bay Territory army, led by modified warriors, launched rapid assaults.
The observing drow elves were highly cautious of the Bay Territory's modified warriors.
They believed them to be the elite forces of the Bay Territory.
What troubled the drow scouts most was their inability to gauge the Bay Territory's troop numbers.
They always saw the same thousand-man units.
Attempts to investigate the Bay Territory's fortresses ended with no one returning alive.
Sera, who had defected, was particularly adept at dealing with the drow elves lurking in the shadows.
Over time, the drow elves abandoned their attempts to spy on the Bay Territory.
Their lives were more important!
In truth, Matthew was equally wary of the drow elves.
He offered generous bounties to gather intelligence on the drow elf army and the situation in Menzoberranzan.
The fall of the Gnoll Kingdom was inevitable.
In the coming battles, the Bay Territory and the drow elves were bound to clash fiercely.
While the underground offensive raged on,
Threats from the surface world rapidly approached the Bay Territory.
Through the rolling mist,
A five-masted ship suddenly emerged.
Its deck was bristling with various weapons.
Harpoons for whaling, crossbows mounted along the sides, and cannons stationed at the bow and stern!
A black skull flag hung from the mast, boldly announcing their pirate identity.
Behind them, more than ten ships of varying sizes, all flying the same pirate flag, sailed northward.
Their destination: the Bay Territory!