The Lonely Earth - Earth ISOT into Magitek fantasy

Chapter 7: Comradely Clowns and Chinese Conspiracies

After Action Report, Beijing Raid, China - By [REDACTED]

Esteemed Comrade General Secretary,

I am pleased to present my report on the successful operation to eliminate the Herfindic sailors stationed within our sovereign ports and acquire their advanced technology for Chinese use. With the invaluable assistance of our esteemed Jothii allies and the dedicated contributions from the special forces of our regional partners, we achieved a resounding victory, overcoming all opposition.

Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge a critical weakness in our infantry combat capabilities compared to that of our adversaries. As anticipated, we had to heavily rely on grenade launchers and anti-tank munitions due to the formidable body armor worn by the heavily armed Herfindic marines.

The enemy's use of magic presented a daunting challenge, which we were only able to surmount with the help of our skilled allies. I strongly recommend that we initiate the development of our own comprehensive training programs in magical warfare to ensure that we can effectively counter any potential future magical threats.

In light of recent events, it is evident that our current assault rounds have become outdated and insufficient. To address this issue, we must either transition entirely to smart explosives or explore alternative ammunition types that offer significantly improved armor penetration capabilities. The enemy's devastating "spiker" rifles pose a significant threat to our troops, rendering our current body armor largely ineffective.

We have received confirmation that a majority of these mages rely on verbal or somatic components to cast their spells. While this does offer some degree of warning, it may not be sufficient against more experienced magic users who can manifest their abilities without such components. We must conduct further analysis of the gathered footage to gain a better understanding of their capabilities.

The appearance of the Jothii's summoned "Adrumor," akin to a jester, is inherently unsettling due to its cartoonish defiance of natural laws. Our intelligence reveals that these spirits originate from a pantheon called the "Carnival of Revolutions," and they hold a strong affinity for freedom. However, instead of aligning ourselves with a pantheon that may contradict the ideals of the People's Republic, I recommend a revival of Chinese spiritualism rooted in our native Mahayana-influenced traditions. By presenting it as a restoration of Chinese pride rather than a religious movement, we can garner greater support and acceptance.

The chief Adrumor displayed a set of extraordinary abilities, appearing as a carapaced jester with enigmatic masks and seemingly boneless limbs. Notably, it could banish adversaries to a pocket reality, forcing them to engage in a perilous game of "dodge or die." Additionally, it exhibited the power to "free" objects and entities, including abstract concepts like "souls from bodies" and "warships from their crews." Furthermore, teleportation seemed to be among its repertoire. If the opportunity arises, studying an Adrumor could provide valuable insights to our cause.

A momentous discovery during the operation was the presence of two formidable dragons, Darastrantornizon and Kezinthranith. Undoubtedly, the most accomplished mages among our ranks, they effectively neutralized the enemy's most dangerous magic, validating our belief that a few powerful mages, when properly coordinated, can neutralize a larger number of average or weaker ones. This finding holds significant tactical implications for our own mage development programs. While we may generally hold an advantage in magic over Herfind, it emphasizes the importance of nurturing and cultivating talented mages for the future.

The captured enemy ships have been designed to accommodate both land and air-breathing crews, making them immediately operational once we have adequately trained sailors. With the forthcoming industrial technology from Joth, we can use these designs as a source of inspiration for our naval expansion initiatives, particularly in the realm of submersible craft. This discovery represents what could be China's greatest leap forward in naval technology.