The Mech Touch

can safely and successfully interface with their tribal wild gods.
If we managed to secure this pairing alive, we can strap them with loads of sensors and point a million scanners at them while they are forced to demonstrate their abilities to us.
As long as we can get a few hours worth of data, I can virtually guarantee you that the modified neural interface for the beast riders will be absolutely safe.
I dare say I can finish it within a week! ”

”I think we should give it a shot, captain! ” Chief Dakkon rose in support of the suggestion.
”The god crystal project has been waiting for the beast rider project to achieve a breakthrough.
Once they manage to get their beast riders bonded to Qilanxo, it ’ll be much easier for us to ask her to demonstrate how she makes use of the god crystals. ”

Dr.
Tillman also pitched in.
”Capturing a tribal wild god is also beneficial to the god crystal project.
We ’ve studied how Qilanxo ’s existing god crystals are embedded into her hide and flesh.
If we can experiment with embedding one of our spare god crystals into the hide of a captive wild god, particularly one that is bonded to a high gravity variant human, we have hopes that we can perform the same procedure on Qilanxo! ”

This not only furthered their understanding of the god crystals, but also allowed them to dangle another carrot in front of Qilanxo! Every sacred god liked to collect more god crystals.

Still, the risks of attacking a large tribe of wildlings under the protection of three mature wild gods was not a trifling matter.
Though they lacked the god crystals that allowed them to accumulate a huge amount of energy, their bodies naturally stored a decent amount of intermediate energy, enough to power a couple of strong expressions of metaphysical abilities.

”We ’ll have to attack them from long range.
We still carry the scrap from the old artillery cannons.
Let ’s just assemble them close to the projected route of the dwarf tribe and fire the guns once they come into range! ”

The Vandals developed various attack plans.
Having learnt their lessons from Pairixan ’s attack, they no longer underestimated any of the god species no matter how weak and underdeveloped they might seem.

All of their heavy transports and most of their fast transports would be parked at least several days away.
This put them well out of range of any counteroffensive and allowed them to maintain their distance against the hostile wildlings in the event of a pursuit, though the chances of that happening would be low because the wildlings shouldn ’t even be aware of the main convoy.

The attacking forces solely consisted of fast-moving mechs and disposable artillery cannons installed in place beforehand.

If the artillery batteries ever came under attack, all of the personnel manning the cannons could easily board a fast transport and abandon the position without crying over the losses.
The value of the artillery cannons was a fraction of the assets secured on the main convoy.

However, as the mech officers bandied about more detailed offensive plans, Dr.
Tillman suddenly made an unanticipated suggestion.

”Before we resort to direct combat, why not try to defeat them using a trick? During the last battle, we tried a number of hasty tricks.
None of them worked, but back then we did not have a good understanding of physiology of the dwarves and the god species.
It ’s different now.
Over a span of two months, we ’ve studied Qilanxo ’s body and performed deep studies into the remains of the sacred god carcasses.
Right now, I am reasonably confident that we can develop irresistible bait then when ingested could instantly knock out any wild god as long as they aren ’t too old and powerful! ”

”How confident are you of your chances of success? And why make another giant candy bar? ”

”I ’m eighty percent confident that it will work as long as a wild god ingests our adulterated bait.
I ’m only five percent confident we can manage to do the same with an airborne substance.
Therefore, the so-called candy bar presents the highest means of success. ”

”What about the dwarves? ”

”They are much easier to take care of.
After performing extensive studies on dozens of wildling captives and numerous wildling corpses, we have managed to achieve several breakthroughs.
Their physique is very robust, but the knockout gas that we ’ve developed can sedate the vast majority high gravity variant humans.
However, this gas possesses such a high concentration of toxins that it is highly lethal to the blessed people and baseline humans such as us.
Everyone has to wear an airtight suit if they want to enter a zone that ’s been affected by this gas. ”

Both of these developments had the potential of simplifying the confrontation.
Though the Vandals weren ’t afraid of picking a fight with the dwarf tribe, if they could lay them down by using a few inexpensive tricks, then it was worth pursuing!

”Please outline your plan and tell me what you need in a report. ” Captain Byrd ordered.
”I ’ll go over it with Commander Lydia, and if we both think it ’s viable, we ’ll implement it first as plan A. ”

Not many mech officers held much faith in the plan.
Previously, Pairixan appeared tempted, but he recognized the trap for what it was and bypassed the giant candy bar made out of lots of nutrient packs.

Would the wild gods possess the same level of vigilance?

Ves privately expressed a bit more confidence.
So long as the large dwarf tribe never encountered a force like the Flagrant Swordmaidens before, then they shouldn ’t be on guard against unusual encounters.

As the meeting ended and everyone started preparing their attack plans.
This time the battle against ne natives shouldn ’t be a near-disaster like last time!

With an undeniable information advantage against the potentially dangerous dwarf tribe, the Flagrant Swordmaidens completely held the initiative.
They could attack when they wanted to and retreat out of sight whenever something didn ’t go their way.

The wildling tribe and its wild gods wouldn ’t know what hit them if everything went right!

As for whether the wildling tribe deserved to be attacked or not, none of the Vandals really thought about those ethical issues.
They were just a bunch of smelly savages, after all.