I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

‘Buzz buzz zhi zhi zhi...’

A tank billowing thick smoke advanced at the front, while the Alliance soldiers inside the side-mounted machine gun turrets on both flanks nervously peered through observation slits, scanning left and right for any signs of lurking Red Army squads.

The tank’s tracks crushed over a road patched together with rubble and corpses, producing an unbearable grinding noise. Behind it, two squads totaling twenty soldiers advanced in coordination, using the tank as cover while clearing suspicious areas nearby.

However, despite their caution, they still miscalculated.

Inside a half-collapsed building beside them—teetering on the verge of collapse—two Ernesto Red Army soldiers carefully lit small clay jars stuffed with cloth after confirming that their comrade carrying the rocket launcher was ready. Then, they tossed them down toward the street below.

With a crisp shattering sound, the gasoline inside the jars ignited and exploded among the squad. Instantly, the Alliance soldiers behind the tank screamed as they scattered in panic. Seizing the moment of chaos, the soldier carrying the rocket launcher stood up and fired directly at the tank.

‘Chi... Boom!’

The shaped-charge armor-piercing shell struck the tank’s top shield. A jet of molten metal pierced through the shield and then the top armor, spraying high-velocity copper fragments throughout the interior, shredding all life inside.

Before long, the tank came to a halt.

Several soldiers, their bodies drenched in gasoline and engulfed in flames, screamed as they clutched their comrades. The two burned together and perished in the fire.

Meanwhile, the fleeing Alliance soldiers were quickly picked off by precise gunfire from various hidden positions. At the same time, the Ernesto Red Army soldiers who had exposed their firing points were also struck by retaliatory attacks from other Alliance forces.

In an instant, the briefly quiet street erupted once again into a cacophony of gunfire and explosions.

The Alliance forces found their advance through Como City extremely difficult. Heavy tanks that had once been unstoppable proved ill-suited for the narrow urban environment. As an industrial city, such cramped and complex terrain was common throughout Como.

The twisting alleys were filled with contracted workshops. In the past, they had been packed with sweat-drenched workers hammering out simple parts using crude machines, which were then sent to assembly plants for final production.

Iron lumps and black powder were transformed into landmines, anti-tank rocket launchers, and spike mines.

Large factories, meanwhile, were located in the rear core districts, responsible for producing medium and heavy mortars and artillery. The neighboring sister cities served as firearm manufacturing centers—the largest in the country.

They produced bolt-action rifles, submachine guns, and grenades to supply the entire army.

Although the Alliance tanks possessed considerable armor tonnage, they had little effective defense against shaped-charge weapons. The point-focused penetration method naturally countered shield-type defenses.

Typically, the first shaped-charge shell would destroy the shield, and the second would easily finish the target.

Even mages fared no better. If even mechanical bodies could not withstand such attacks, expecting flesh and blood to endure them was absurd. A single shaped-charge jet could reduce the human body inside a shield into unrecognizable remains.

Of course, achieving such results came at a heavy cost for the Red Army.

They possessed attack capabilities comparable to the Alliance, but their defenses were far inferior. They had no steel bodies, no tanks, no armor—the only thing they could rely on were the ruined walls around them.

The slightest movement would draw furious retaliatory fire from the Alliance—explosive magic and artillery that would tear them to pieces. They also had to remain wary of Alliance air cavalry and fighter aircraft passing overhead; once discovered, annihilation was inevitable.

However, this aerial disadvantage gradually diminished as the Alliance pushed deeper into the city. With both sides fully entangled in close combat, the air force feared causing friendly fire.

Inside the city government building, the first floor was occupied by Alliance soldiers, while the second floor was held by the Red Army. Often, just as the Alliance cleared an area on the first floor, Red Army soldiers would suddenly emerge from hidden corners shouting “Ura!” and hurl Molotov cocktails, turning the hall into a sea of flames.

On the third floor, the Red Army used anti-tank weapons to attack enemy tanks and mechanical units, while also enduring retaliatory fire from cannons.

At the train station, the Red Army relied on the heavy firepower of an armored locomotive—once transported and gifted by the Alliance—to resist the enemy desperately.

A group of Alliance mechanical soldiers, driven forward by the furious shouts of their commander, led squads of regular troops into the waiting hall—only to be met with over a dozen shaped-charge shells, mixed with grenades.

Many mechanical soldiers stepped on anti-tank booby traps during the charge and were blown apart on the spot. The shattered fragments of their bodies and the ground bricks caused secondary casualties among nearby Alliance troops.

However, with the arrival of heavy tanks and long-range mage-type mechanical units, the waiting hall was soon engulfed in artillery fire and magic. Many Red Army soldiers were killed instantly.

Fortunately, having learned from previous losses, the Ernesto Red Army avoided clustering together, keeping casualties from bombardment within acceptable limits.

Meanwhile, the armored train in the rear opened fire as soon as tanks entered its firing range, rapidly suppressing them.

The tank cannons were unable to penetrate the thick and solid armor and magic shield of the locomotive.

From the top of the train, a 75mm field gun and four 20mm autocannons unleashed relentless fire, turning the station into ruins. The collapsed waiting hall alone changed hands over a dozen times in fierce back-and-forth fighting.

From the very beginning of its construction, Ernesto had followed the Alliance’s advice, learning from past lessons and building the station to military-grade standards.

Its vast area and transportation function meant it inherently possessed storage capabilities, making it highly suitable for stockpiling military supplies during wartime.

Thus, both Ernesto and the Alliance were determined to seize it. It became one of the few locations where the Ernesto Red Army deployed heavy forces for defense.

And this was merely a microcosm of the brutal street fighting in Como City.

Alliance troops advancing through the ruins became extremely cautious, like startled birds.

They had even encountered horrifying scenes where children only a few years old crawled out of holes with lit explosive charges and rushed into their ranks, killing themselves along with more than a dozen soldiers.

The entire city had turned into a massive slaughterhouse.

There was no distinction between men, women, or children—only between allies and enemies.

This inflicted severe psychological shock on the Alliance soldiers, even leading to organized desertions, which greatly enraged the rear command.

Naturally, the army of 500,000 did not all flood into a single city. Together with the Chief of Staff and the Tsar, the commander had devised a detailed operational plan.

In addition to the 200,000 troops from four army groups attacking Como City head-on, another 150,000 troops advanced on each flank.

The left wing aimed to open a route connecting with other White Army forces within Ernesto’s territory.

The right wing, also 150,000 strong, advanced toward Rotila State, attempting to cut off its connection with the Xinwapa Defensive Line and completely encircle and blockade it.

However, in both directions, Ernesto’s forces showed defensive resolve no less determined than the defenders within Como City, preventing the Alliance commander’s encirclement plan from being realized.